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.