The Ancients Suggest Thinking

The Ancients Suggest Thinking…

So, I finished most of the book “Temple of the Cosmos” and have since moved on to other studies including the book “Sacred Woman” by Queen Afua and an eight-part series on Youtube “Magical Egypt.”

What I’m learning daily is astronomical.

For instance..

Using Imagery to Teach

The ancient Egyptians highly believed in teaching science through imagery.  Illustrations stimulate both sides of the brain or considered “thinking as a deity.”   Most might agree it’s not enough to just read to study.  I remember  early childhood classwork we were asked to draw what we just learned; the reinforcement of understanding what was just read or heard.  It seems the ancients embraced subjects considered “difficult” like physics and mathematics and even treated science with reverence and respect.

Hieroglyphics for Higher Learning

From what I understand, hieroglyphics are not just art work.  Hieroglyphics are sacred communications using the most efficient means to communicate something only those attempting to use a higher state of consciousness can begin to understand.  In the video series “Magical Egypt", they refer to a group of learners as “initiates”…those seriously wanting to understand what the hieroglyphics and ancient writings mean.  So I did some quick research on studied brain activity and found these descriptions:

• Beta Brain Waves (13-30 cycles per second). The fastest, representing the most intense state of alertness. The result of heightened mental activity. Maximum mind power. All five external senses, logical mind, memory from the five senses & logical thinking.
• Alpha Brain Waves (8 to 12 cycles per second) This brain wave indicates a relaxed state of mind.. State of relaxed alertness, good for inspiration and learning facts fast. A meditative mind. In this state tap into internal “antenna” like qualities. Visions, powerful ideas, mindless creation of the incredible. Internal feeling & sensations.
• Theta Brain Waves (4 to 8 cycles per second) Deep meditation. Deep inward thought. This is associated with life-like imagination. High state of mental concentration. A magical mind. Internal pictures / visualisation. Intuition, inner guidance. Access to unconscious material. Dreaming.
• Delta Brain Waves (0.5 to 4 cycles per second) Deep dreamless sleep. Deep relaxation. State of oneness, whole body feeling. Pure being & will.  Source:  http://synthesislearning.com/article/brwav.htm

It all makes logical sense how our brains operate at different cycles for different purposes.  Before learning of the brain wave descriptions, I was “consciously” aware of the Beta and Delta waves (awake and sleep modes); but never really thought much about the Alpha-relaxed state and Theta-deep meditation modes. I never really considered them until I started yoga…and yoga is what started all this reading and research on Khemet in the first place.

Yoga – Relax and Meditate
In yoga practice, we do a quick meditation before our pose practice, an intense relaxation pose,  (shavasana), before another quick meditation to end the practice period.  The more I’m at the Alpha-relaxed mode during the practice…the easier it is to flow in and out or hold poses.  Again, at the yoga center I attend, I participated in a meditation class and with eyes closed and body totally still found myself watching a waterfall and the visual of a golden lion.  I thought I was moving my head back and forth to shake the image away; but the lion didn't leave until our instructor broke the class away from meditation.

Thinking on Thinking
I've come to some sort of belief that we use the four-different brain waves to accomplish different activities or tasks:

1.      Beta-Alert for tasks that demand quick action/reaction like driving or moving around unfamiliar places.

2.      Alpha-Relax for decompressing from extended hours at Beta-Alert and better understanding things we question.

3.      Theta-Meditation for trying to connect to things we absolutely DO NOT understand or control.

4.      Delta-Sleep for regeneration of our biological matter.

With our brain being the main processing unit for all we are and we do, it is very interesting to understand we are more than just awake or sleep.  And now I believe those other states of mind are especially for use of other just as important activities; but reserved for “the initiate.”


-em hotep!

Space and Time

My Interpretations and Commentary on Space and Time:

The Space and Time chapters were great for agreeing with the astrological science most are taught in primary school.  However, as always so much more mystically magnificent the Kemites were, their interpretations of space and time went deeper.

From what I understand, their approach to space had everything to do with time.  

12p Noon or midday was considered when the Sun was highest in the sky…i.e. distance of an object to tell time.

1 Week was equivalent to 1 quarter of a month; instead of a digital quantity such as 30-days.

But what I learned most from the reading was how dependent their time was on the phases of the moon:

    First QTR is a half-moon (moving towards gibbous)

    Second QTR is a full moon

    Third QTR is a half-moon (moving towards crescent)

    Fourth QTR is a new moon

   

      Such that their yearly calendars were totally centered around the moon’s quarters that determined seasons, festivals and all other scheduling of life. 

Daytime was interpreted as 12 hours of three sun phases, (dawn, midday, dust).

Nighttime was called the “Underworld” and consisted of 12 hours; six under land and six under water.  I’m not sure the significance of why night went underwater, but it was believed the sun traveled in the underworld 180-degrees.   

The illustration below again shows the Divine-9 acting on the day-to-underworld cycle where Atum-Ra (sun disc over his head) travels in the Sun-boat 180-degrees across the sky (Nut) that makes up the daytime:

And by night, Atum-Ra(sun disc over his head) travels in the Sun-boat 180-degrees through the underworld to complete a day:

Since each day-night trip consisted of 12-hours; the number 12 is sacred; with 12-chapters in the Book of the Dead organized around the sun god Ra. 

  -The Sun phases were illustrated by different displays of Atum-Ra:
Dawn (Sunrise) depicted as the child Horus rising from a Lotus flower or scarab beetle:

  

 

-Midday is the mature Ra in full glory to be worshiped for live-giving blessings as a disk or with a disk over his head in the previous illustrations;

-Dust (Sunset) is Ra as a ram-headed man:

From the years, quarters (months) and days three Kemetic seasons were derived.  

The Akhet (Inundation) was a rainy season where flood waters covered the land and dangerously so at times.  The rain was believed to be caused by Asset’s (Isis) tears for Assar (Osiris) after his murder and started around what we know as the June/July months.  With just enough rain water, this season was responsible to bring enough water for crops and other life giving needs.  With too much water, life was washed away or drowned.  With too little water, drought was deadly.  It was a great idea to be in good graces with Asset during this time so she provided just enough water to keep life stable; and that she and Hapi, a god of the Nile, worked well together.

Proyet (Emergence of Coming Forth) was the season when the waters recede and is known as the time of conception for Horus (prince of Asset and Assar).  This season started around what we know as  the months of October/November with a full moon.  During Proyet, crops were harvest and everything readied for the dry season.

Shomu (Deficiency) was a hot and dry season believed to be caused when Set (brother to Assar) wars with Horus for rule of the Kemetic Kingdom after Set kills Assar.  This season would be around what we know as March/April with a new moon.  And from all this drama, we cycle back to the tears of Asset for the next Akhet season.

One of the most important Kemetic holidays was “The Decent of the Drop” or what we call Summer Solstice which must have been between Akhet and Proyet when it stopped raining.  It was also marked by the ascent of the star Sirius and considered New Year’s Day.

Creation Story

My Interpretations and Commentary:

This commentary discusses the book’s explanation of the creation.  Below is a graphical interpretation I’ve drawn:

From the Heliopolis, Hermopolis, and Memphite Greek interpretations, I’ve consolidated my interpretations in summary: First there was the god Nun described as formless, without color (or darkness) and maybe even motionless.  My small mind considers this “deep space.” Nun consisted of everything, (all energy), needed for earth and it’s heavens, but nothing was happening (changing). My philosophy on this is…when everything or everyone is doing the same thing in the same direction (mindlessness), there is Nun (nothing). 

So an aspect of Nun called Atum-Ra decides to self-define his energy and is depicted as struggling to break free from doing nothing.  The illustration in the book shows Atum-Ra encircled by something that looks like a snake; but my interpretation is of Atum-Ra breaking out of a biological cell wall.  Since Atum-Ra was at total rest before this act on his potential energy, my take is the inertia of Atum-Ra (atoms) splits into two energies and they are named Shu and TefNut.

Shu is described as the god of space and TefNut the goddess of moisture.  So at this point in creation, I’m imaging the sun (Ra); space with sunshine (Shu); and ocean waters (TefNut).

The book specifies Shu as male and TefNut as female so they can procreate.  From their union is created Nut (the sky) and Geb (the land).  But Nut and Geb were born conjoined and loved each other so much they didn’t want to separate; so that our earth was not yet manifested because the sky was connected to the land.  So it is told that through surrender of Nut and Geb, Shu separated them and continue to hold them apart today so that there is space between the sky and land.  This act of sacrifice was also necessary so that Ra (the sun) could travel through Nut (the sky) to create time.  And likewise Geb (the land) was needed to give definition to TefNet (his mother the ocean).  Maybe this is why Geb is always shown looking downward…lovingly at his mother or paying attention to her?

Evidentially, Nut and Geb stayed together long enough to conceive four children, Osiris; Isis; Set; and Nephthys. 

Ø  Osiris has a star called Orion and represents the Moon;  the moon is known to bring order and balance through measurement and proportions including that of sound; and especially sound that creates energy.

Ø  Isis is the brightest star in the sky; and known as the principal of order, truth and justice.  She will be the partner of Osiris.

Ø  Set holds a constellation of stars in modern day called “Ursa Major”; and he thought to counter balance his brother Osiris by causing ciaos.

Ø  Nephthys is known as the space below the horizon; but not sure if this means in the ocean with her grandmother Tefnet or the earth’s core???  She will be the partner of Set.

The Divine Nine are Atum-Ra, Shu, TefNut, Nut, Geb, Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys.  The number is explained to mean there is no going further without starting over.  Heru will be the child of Osiris and Isis and represent the “New Coming” because he is number Ten god.

It is mentioned the primeval gods are the “limbs” of the creator or even what we call in modern times “angels.” But we must keep in mind writing of these gods are thousands of years before the birth of Jesus and writing of the bible.

Of the three interpretations, the Memphite cosmology is more centered on materialism and seems to more intensely introduce the concept of sin, punishment and idol worship.

Nut, Shu and Geb on Gravity, Horizontal and Vertical Thinking

Kemet – An Ancient Egypt Self Study
Inspired by readings of the book “Temple of the Cosmos” by Dr. Jeremy Naydler
Dea Foy Commentary 1 – August 22, 2014

My Interpretations and Commentary:

First of all, I will use the term “Kemet” or “Kemites” or “Kemetism” to refer to Ancient Egypt since it seems the term “Egypt” was adopted from Greek language.  Besides, it is easier and hopefully more accurate to use the term Kemet than typing out Ancient Egypt all the time; so you may need to add the terms to your modern dictionary.  Also know that Kemetic communities were NOT the same as today’s Arabic Egyptian society of people…another more accurate reason for me to use the term Kemet.  I am not yet convinced all people from Kemet were of the Negroid physiology since Kemet means “Black Land”; but rather still embrace that diversity existed even then.  So let’s start at the top…

THE goddess NUT

Ø  descripted in a semi-circle pose similar to the yoga “downward facing dog”

Ø  represents the sky and heavens

Ø  under her is her supposedly lover Geb who represents the earth and or land

Ø  only she and Geb are deity the author suggests are displayed nude always

Ø  many times covered with stars

The goddess Nut represents our earthly vision on how we see the sky, clouds and stars on the horizon since pictures from NASA show the earth as round.  As we stand on the horizontal plane we call “the ground”; we can only physically see half the circular space that our planet sets in…thus a semi-circle. 

In yoga, downward facing dog is part of the “Sun Salutation” movements and flows. Interesting how the Sun sits in the sky with the goddess Nut.

So the depiction of Nut being nude and covered with stars I get; but wondering if the reason she is displayed as nude is because SHE comes before the concept of needing clothes…something we call in my Christianity learning as “Eve” J

THE god GEB

Ø  depicted as on the ground and positioned on his left hip

Ø  represents horizontal land

Ø  is encircled by the goddess Nut over him

Ø  also displayed as nude and maybe to represent the sexual attraction to Nut

Ø  always looking down toward the horizon

Ø  sometimes depicted with the head of a snake

The author of the book suggests Geb as having a passive personality…maybe even tired where Nut always seems energized and joyous.  Something to notice is the physical proportions of Nut to all others in illustrations; Nut is always exponentially larger.  If my interpretation is correct in that she represents the Judeo-Christian teachings of Eve, Geb must have been the snake she was talking to???

THE god SHU

Ø  suggested to be the father of Nut

Ø  suggested to be the balance between Nut and Geb…or space between Heaven and Earth

It wasn’t clear to me where the author was trying to go with why Shu looks to be holding Nut at her vulva and beast; but if we follow the suggestion that Nut and Geb are lovers… maybe Shu is pointing out he is trying to restrict their sexual interactions?  Maybe the illustration represents stability or lack of stability at those points of the woman’s body?

I also notice that Nut and Ged seem to be looking in the opposite direction of Shu.

Even thought it was not mentioned clearly as such; I interpret Shu to represent Gravity and will play with the thought that if ever Shu releases his hold of Nut or loses his footing with Geb (earth) everything on earth just floats away (a disastrous situation).  For this reason, some images depict other super-natural beings helping to hold Shu’s arms up by providing support under the elbow.

It’s also worth mentioning Shu’s yoga pose looks somewhat like a goal post.

Vertical vs Horizontal Thinking
So, with all the depictions of the goddess Nut and gods Geb and Shu, I think I was better able to under what the author explains are a difference in the thought process of “space” between the Kemites and modern thinking.  What I’m feeling now is that Geb represents horizontal thinking where we get “closed in “ to worshiping material things bound by gravity.  This would be all the clothes, cars, houses, jewelry and even people we think we can’t live without.  On the opposite extreme, Nut represents vertical thinking on things not bound by gravity…kinda like when someone inspires you to “shoot for the stars” (ie no boundaries).  Right now, I call both situations extremes because I’m not yet ready to embrace either over the other; but rather this is why we need Shu, the balance between the two deities. 

The deities are a really cool way of looking at the science of gravity first introduced to many of us in school as being the idea of Sir Isaac Newton…of whom I now know studied the Kemetic landmarks and pyramids before publishing his findings on the laws of relativity and other great works.

Personally, I can’t wait to help my granddaughter with her science homework by introducing her to the how the Kemites first documented most math and scientific methodologies not mentioned in her text books.

So, there you have it.  Meditate on it and let me know your interpretations on the goddess Nut, gods Geb and Shu, and the ideas on Vertical vs Horizontal Thinking.

All commentaries are personal and not to represent anyone else’s adaptions.  It is suggested to cross reference all content by doing the reader’s own self study using any and all resources available to them.