

The Magical Arts, Vol. I

Treatises on the Western Mystery Tradition

Kerry Wisner

Published by Kephra Publications at Smashwords

Copyright 2011 Kerry Wisner

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FOREWARD

Over the years the following articles have been published in various periodicals, newsletters and the Hwt-Hrw website. After the recent redesign of the website and due to the many requests (and incompatibility with various readers and computer systems), we have decided to make these articles available to those who were still seeking the information and the readings. It is taking time; many weeks, days and hours are being spent to pull the works together. As we find the old files (and type in the ones that we don't have the original electronic files on) we will make more available. Thank the Gods for e-books and Smashwords for enabling us to make this service accessible to the public at no cost.

In the future, more articles by other authors will become available as we compile them and get permission from the copyright owners. Please visit the website: http://www.hwt-hrw.com periodically for updates on the next releases.

Kerry Wisner,

Jemjra Hem Hwt-Hrw

Table of Contents

Invoking the Neteru - Ritual Use of the Sacred Texts of Dendera

This essay is a detailed description of the use of Ancient Egyptian temple texts in today's magical rituals.

The Sacred Legacy of Egypt

This article is an overview of Ancient Egyptian magical philosophy and its practice today with a discussion on the New Year ceremony coinciding with the annual rising of the star Sirius at dawn.

Ancient Egyptian Ritual Techniques for Today's Magician

This is an examination of traditional Egyptian ritual gestures and how these can be used in contemporary magical practices.

Trance in Ancient Egyptian Magic

Altered states of consciousness were vital to Egyptian magical practices. This article examines many of the techniques employed in ancient times.

Astrology in the Reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian Religion

While astrology as it is understood today had its early roots in ancient Babylon, this essay examines how this science came to form an important part of late period Egyptian thought. We go on to show that it was Egyptian philosophy and innovation which helped to transform major elements of astrology into the art that it is today.

The Ancient Egyptian Calendar and Festivals: Part One

In part one of this two part essay the dual calendar system used in Egypt is discussed. This includes detailed instructions on the calculation for both of these.

The Spiritual Dimension of Time: Ancient Egyptian teachings on Time & Space

The Ancient Egyptians saw time as composed of two very different elements; _neheh_ and _djet._ This article explores these concepts as it also examines the nature of the Gods themselves.

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**Invoking the Neteru - Ritual Use of the Sacred Texts of Dendera**

This article first appeared in Khru Akhet, Newsletter of Akhet Hwt-Hrw, Volume II, Issue 1, Page 2, Shomu 2001.

Hwt-Hrw's (Hathor's) temple of Dendera is one of the most richly decorated in all of Egypt. Inscribed on its walls are the details of specific rituals performed for a wide variety of purposes. While these were largely oriented toward the Goddess Hwt-Hrw, the basic format contained in these ceremonies was essentially the same in all the temples throughout Egypt. The primary differences between those performed in Dendera from those of other temples were that the rites of other the temples were oriented toward the Neter to whom they were dedicated. The general format and ritual liturgy however, remained relatively unchanged.

During the past year we at Akhet have been involved in an extensive translation program focusing on several French and German Egyptology texts (see 'Akhet Research Projects' for details). Not available in English, these books give detailed translations from the inscriptions contained on the walls of the inner sanctuary, adjacent chapels, underground crypts, and roof top chapels of Dendera. The translation of these into English has been a slow and painstaking process. As difficult as this has been Akhet has begun presenting several invocations that were previously unavailable in English. These have been featured on both our website in the section marked 'Ancient Invocations' and through the school's various mailing lists.

In presenting these, a number of students have commented on the beauty of the liturgy, yet they have little idea how these should be used in ritual. I would like to offer some basic guidelines that may be of help.

Essentially, these temple inscriptions are similar to the pyramid texts. As such they can easily be divided into five basic categories:

  * Dramatic Texts - which include instructions for performing a variety of ceremonies

  * Hymns - which include invocations

  * Litanies

  * Glorifications - describing the virtue and nature of the King or deity

  * Magical Texts

By far the majority of the texts which we have had posted on our website at 'Ancient Invocations' would fall under the category of being a Hymn or invocation. These are meant to be spoken in full to the Neter during the opening of the rite, after all of the purifications were performed. From a practical stand point the texts that begin 'Awake in peace! You yourself awake beautifully in peace!' would be ideal to use in the Rekhyet daily rite just before beginning the mediation. These could easily replace the simpler invocation of Hwt-Hrw that we normally have members repeat (the complete text of the Rekhyet Daily Rite can be found in Chapter One of 'Eye of the Sun: The Sacred Legacy of Ancient Egypt' which is available on-line through the school or through Amazon.com).

Some of the other texts that we have examined would fall more in the category of Dramatic Texts as they give specific instructions for ritual acts. In particular those regarding the playing of the Sistrum, the Presentation of Ma'at, and the offering of a variety of ritual items, foods and drinks would all fall in this class. An example may help here to explain how most of these texts are arranged. Generally they will begin with a title:

"To Play the Sistrum for his Mother."

Then the roles that the members performing the rite are identified:

"Ihy the great, Son of Hwt-Hrw:

To play the Sistrum for his Mother, the Eye of Ra."

The text continues:

"The King: The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Son of Ra. All protection, life and dominion behind him as with Ra eternally."

Ihy is a Neter (God) of music, dance, and passion. As the text indicates he is also the son of Hwt-Hrw. In turn, the King is almost always mentioned in the texts as, ideally, it is the King as the representation of humanity who approaches the Gods in ritual. In reality the priesthood of the temple would fill this role. Here we find the King/Priest identifying with Ihy as he approaches the Goddess playing the Sistrum as an offering. As the text continues a chant is spoken:

"I am the life that comes from you, Golden Mistress of the Sistrum."

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the texts is that invariably a response by the Neter involved is clearly indicated. In this case the texts states:

"The Queen: The regent, Mistress of the Two Lands."

"Words to be said by Hwt-Hrw the Great, Mistress of Iunet, Eye of Ra, Mistress of the Sky, sovereign of all the Neteru . . . Words to say: I rejoice with the music which you perform for me."

The implications of this last portion of the inscription are important for one has to ask, in an actual ceremony who is responding? It would appear that the Queen or a priestess is personifying the role of Hwt-Hrw. Egyptologist R.T. Rundle Clark explains that in fact during ceremonies there were at least two "priestly roles in any service, the Celebrant and the Reader" (Clark 1959.27).

So we have three possible scenarios here. One in which a priestess and priest embody the essence of specific Neteru for the ceremony, acting out the roles and (possibly) repeating the chants in the texts. In essence, they would be 'possessed' by the Neteru during the rite. Another scenario would be that a priest and priestess perform the ceremony and embody the Neteru during the rite while a Lector Priest recites the words noted. Again, they would conceivably be 'possessed' by the Neteru. The third scenario would be that the King/Priest acts out the ritual gestures alone while a Lector Priest recites the lines indicated. In this case the response from the Goddess/Queen would be read by the Lector Priest as well with no female participant embodying the Goddess.

It is difficult to say which of these is the 'correct' ritual method employed. Clearly the Queen is referred to in many of the inscriptions as a ritual participant. Being a cult of Hwt-Hrw, where women figured very prominently in the temple, it seems logical that a priestess or the Queen herself would be involved in the rites.

In practice what can be done by the student? At Akhet we have employed each of the three methods noted. It is clear that the original rites were designed to be performed by more than one person. However, it is possible to adapt these for solitary work. To do so requires that the participant performs the ritual gestures and repeat the lines for the different Neteru involved. Obviously solitary work requires that the participant not allow them self to the be totally immersed in any single Neter as they will have to take on the persona of each involved in the text. Even so, I have personally found this method to be very fulfilling.

As you go through the Dendera Texts that the school periodically sends out realize that you can use these as part of your ritual practice. By simply following the text, using some imagination, and common sense. In the case of the particular inscriptions which begin "Awake in Peace!" it would be easy to see a solitary ritualist invoking Hwt-Hrw through one of these and then shaking the Sistrum in offering while chanting repeatedly "I am the life that comes from you, Golden Mistress of the Sistrum." This could easily be an alternative chant used to place one in a meditative or altered state. Rather than the traditional gazing into the flame of the lamp, the state of mind that comes from shaking the Sistrum while chanting would resemble a light trance. This was a frequent method employed by the Egyptians to open themselves to communication with the Neteru.

One can easily see that this would be a powerful means of invoking Hwt-Hrw into the temple. When ready, the participant would then stop chanting and shaking the Sistrum. They would then focus on the Goddess herself and repeat the line "I rejoice with the music which you perform for me," all the while imagining these words coming from Hwt-Hrw. While solitary work is not the most conducive for Egyptian ritual it is possible, and can be a very spiritually moving experience.

Using this model I hope that members can see how they may adapt the various texts found in the temples to their own spiritual practices. Naturally you are more than welcome to contact the school for advice.

Works Cited

Cauville, Sylvie. _Dendera I - Traduction_. Copyright 1998. Orientaliste, Leuven. Belgium. (English Translation Kerry Wisner, 2000-2001)

Clark, R. T. Rundle. _Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 1959. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London, England.

**The Sacred Legacy of Egypt**

This article first appeared in Cup of Wonder, Issue One, May 1999.

As the sun's light arches over the eastern horizon a man and woman dressed in long white robes with gold sashes about their waists enter the dimly lit shrine. The room, draped in dark blue linen and thick with the smoke of incense, echoes from the gentle sound of the priestess' gold sistrum, a sacred musical rattle. Suddenly a light flares up as the priest intones the ancient words, while igniting the flame of an oil lamp on the altar situated at the northern end of the room: Come; come in peace, O glorious Eye of Heru. Be strong and renew your youth in peace. For the flame shines like Ra on the double horizon. We are pure, we are pure, we are pure, we are pure!" (Adapted from 'The Chapter of Striking A Fire,' Budge 1909.197).

In the center of the altar a small wooden cabinet painted gold stands in simple dignity, its double doors bolted shut. Over the doors the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph of the winged-disk blazes a symbol of protection and power (Lurker 1980.130). All the while the sistrum continues its hypnotic rhythm as the priestess begins to chant words from the ancient rite of the 'House of Morning': "Awake in peace O Gold in peace. Awake in peace O Lady of Heaven in peace. Awake in peace O Hwt-Hrw in peace. Awake in peace O Lady of Beauty in peace. The bolts of heaven are opened, may we honor the presence welcomed!" Slowly the bolts are slid to the side and the doors gently release, swinging open.

There in the glimmer of the lamp's sacred flame, the golden statuette of a slender Goddess is revealed. Her beauty seems sublime as her face comes into view. Upon her head she wears the horns of the sacred cattle of the Nile valley. In between these the solar disk is displayed. As the ceremony continues this simple effigy seems almost alive with energy and awareness. For through the ancient rites this statue has become the living embodiment of the divine energy of the Goddess herself; Hathor, Hwt-Hrw, Nebet-Hetepet. For this one moment in time the quintessence of the Great Mother flows through this simple image composed of marble and gold. Moved beyond all words the priestess and priest kneel leaning forward and kissing the floor before the altar. Then slowly rising, they lift their hands turning their palms toward the statue in the sacred gesture of adoration.

Each day this couple performs this incredibly ancient and moving ceremony of worship and magic. This is the same ceremony that was performed throughout the temples of Ancient Egypt for thousands of years. Yet, here on the verge of the new millennium, centuries after the last members of the priesthood of Egypt have faded into the past, these and many other people like them have reawakened the age old ceremonies.

The couple described actually exists. Each weekday, two hours after this ceremony is performed one can find the priest dressed in business clothes managing the operations of a large company while the priestess can be found installing computer systems for a variety of corporations. Both are intelligent, well-educated people who are also versed in the majority of religions of the modern era, yet they have rejected these in favor of embracing a creed that stems from one of the oldest known civilizations in the world, Ancient Egypt. But why? In an age when science and technology have advanced eons beyond anything that the ancients appear to have had, why worship Gods from such a distant era?

To understand the answer to this question one must first rethink their own approach toward spirituality. For most people in western culture spirituality is almost like a spectator sport where one is obligated to meet in a building designed for the purpose of observing a minister or priest. There is very little interaction with the public itself. And rather than experiencing God for oneself, one is expected to accept the minister's word on faith that the God in question is there. Rarely will a western religion allow attempts to be made to actually _experience_ deity.

The religion of Ancient Egypt was very different than this. Rather than seeing God as a distant being residing far away, separate from creation, the Egyptians saw the divine as part of all of nature. From the sky and sun, to the Earth and the rivers that flowed over it, all was perceived as an expression and embodiment of deity. The divine, or Neter as the Egyptians called it, is spread throughout the universe (Sauneron 1960.35), with nature being the living garment of the supreme intelligence. As philosopher and historian Jeremy Naydler explains the Ancient Egyptians' saw through the vivid landscape in which they lived to the energies, forces, and beings of which it was an expression" (Naydler 1996.6). To the ancients the Neteru, the Gods, were sensuous living forces that were very much involved in the created universe (Finnestad 1997.220).

The Egyptian temple was also perceived very differently than current society views its churches. Through careful symbolism and sacred rites these massive structures became locations where, as Egyptologist Serge Sauneron explained, Neter "consents to 'embody' itself" (Sauneron 1960.35). In fact, every detail of these buildings was meant to strengthen the link between the material world and the spiritual forces that created it. This was no static symbolist's vision. Rather these structures became dynamic, vital, living vehicles (Finnestad 1997.217). As such they weren't places for the masses to gather inside to 'watch' someone else perform. The temple was a sacred instrument used to bring the divine through in concentrated and powerful forms. Here, in the sacred temples the priesthood who had spent years in training, daily came face to face with the essence of the divine as channeled through the individual God or Goddess to whom the temple was dedicated.

This connection with the divine in very real and unlimited terms is a powerful, moving experience for those who have participated in these rites. The Ancient Egyptian spiritual path offers a means to experience for oneself the divine in very direct and personal ways. Egyptologist Ragnhild Bjerre Finnestad explains that "In Egyptian religion, the approach to God was predominately sacramental and sensory." She continues, "The cognitive approach, so important in Western religion, was not stressed" (Finnestad 1997.219).

Each ceremony was meant to be a direct interaction between the Neteru (the Gods) and the participant. As such, the wording of the hymns and invocations all reflect this. For example the following excerpt from a series of hymns to the Goddess Hwt-Hrw, whom the Greeks later named Hathor, reads: "I praise the Golden One. I worship her majesty. I exalt the Lady of Heaven. Adoration to Hathor. Praise to my mistress . . . I rejoice at Hathor's coming. I love to see your beauty rise . . . my hands say ' Come to me. Come to me.' My body moves and my lips repeat holy music for Hathor. Music a million times, because you love music. A million times to your Ka" (Lichtheim 1973.95, 1976.184, 1980.107-109). Clearly this is no static doctrine preached from a man-made hierarchy. Rather this is a living religion in which the feminine aspect of the Supreme Being is invited to come and be one with the individual. As such this becomes both an act of worship and magic in the highest sense conceivable.

Egyptian religion functions on many different levels, with its rites seeking to attune the individual to the celestial cycles. As we have seen, the daily rite (described at the beginning of this article), with its emphasis on the cyclic rebirth of the sun, forms a connection between the participants and the immense spiritual power that surges forth each dawn. This is a ceremony of renewal, light and awareness.

In addition to this there are a variety of rituals devoted to the rhythms of the moon and stars. One of the most dramatic of these may be found in the rites associated with the rising star Sirius when it first becomes visible just before sunrise. This is an annual event of extreme importance. For Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, was seen as the spiritual essence of a number of Goddesses all of whom were central to Egyptian theological thought. These included Hathor, Isis, Sopdet and more (Hart 1986.205-207, Parker 1950.33). The helical rising of Sirius marked the beginning of the New Year for each of the calendars in the Egyptian's multiple system (Parker 1978.707). Incorporated into this are both the civil and lunar calendars; the later of which marks the timing of the majority of the religious ceremonies and festivals (Parker 1978.708).

The New Year's festival was one of the most powerful ceremonies of Ancient Egypt. On this day the revitalizing light of the star Sirius and the sun were united with the earthly image of the Neter of each temple (Meeks 1996.197). For on this one day the statues were taken from their shrines and placed where they could bathe in the light of these sacred manifestations of the feminine and masculine forces of life: Sirius, the stellar Goddess and the sun, the living image of the God.

The temples of Horus at Edfu and Hathor at Dendera document this ceremony. Just before sunrise the priesthood began a slow procession thorough the temple. They carried offerings, ceremonial implements and shrines holding gold statues of the Neteru. Slowly climbing the eastern staircase the procession echoed the steady ascent of Sirius and the sun. Once on the roof the shrines were opened to greet the morning light (Meeks 1996.196-197, West 1985.402).

Inscriptions from Dendera take up the narrative. Hathor is ". . . the beautiful one who appears in heaven, the truth which regulates the world at the head of the sun barge, the Queen and Mistress of Awe, the ruler (of Gods and) Goddesses, Isis the Great, the Mother of the Gods." Here Hathor's identity extends to Isis and Sopdet (Krupp 1983.258). Additional inscriptions continue: "Radiantly, above Her father's forehead, the Golden One rises, and Her mysterious form occupies the bow of His boat. Her rays unite with the luminous God on that beautiful day of the birth of the sun disk on the morning of the New Year's feast" (Krupp 1991.218). The Great Mother of the Egyptian pantheon in her form of the star Sirius. Here the union of the Goddess and God are played out on a cosmic scale. Rejuvenated by the combined light of sun and star the statues were returned to their shrines and the procession began its journey down into the temple via the opposite staircase representing the westerly journey of these celestial bodies (Meeks 1996.197).

Filled with layers of symbolism and rich with pageantry this ceremony holds important meaning for humanity today. For although one may not be able to perform the rite as described above, the observation of this annual celestial event reaffirms our connection with the natural cycles that form the universe. The Ancient Egyptian New Year recognizes the immense spiritual power that comes forth on the one day in the year when the stellar and solar cycles coincide. For through this union of Goddess and God, representing the two aspects of the supreme force, all comes into being.

Perhaps some of the strongest appeals of Ancient Egyptian religion can be found in both its antiquity and the fact that its approach to spirituality is in many respects diametrically opposite that of our current era. For today science and technology have far outstripped society's spiritual development. The average person thinks little of metaphysical matters other than those moments when tragedy strikes or the unexplained occurs. While our understanding of the material workings of the universe has expanded dramatically, our emotional and spiritual maturity has failed to keep pace. To the contrary, the Ancient Egyptians placed a higher emphasis on sacred development, understanding and personal involvement. The oldest known religious writings in the world come from Egypt in the form of the pyramid texts. Perhaps by drawing from this rich spiritual legacy a balance can be formed between the fast paced materialistic world of today and the sacred center that is the essence of every one of us.

Works Cited

Budge, E.A. Wallis. _The Book of Opening the Mouth_. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd. 1909.

Finnestad, Ragnhild Bjerre. "Temples of the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods: Ancient Traditions in New Contexts." _Temples of Ancient Egypt_. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. 1997.

Hart, George. _A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses_. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, Inc., 1986.

Krupp, E.C. _Echoes of the Ancient Sky_. NY: Harper & Row. 1983.

__________. _Beyond the Blue Horizon_. NY: Harper & Row. 1991.

Lichtheim, Miriam. _Ancient Egyptian Literature: Vol. II_ : The New Kingdom. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1976. This is a three volume work ( _Vol. I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms and Vol. III: The Late Period_ , complete the set).

Lurker, Manfred. _An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt_. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd. 1980.

Meeks, Dimitri and Christine Favard-Meeks. _Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods_. Trans. G.M. Goshgarian. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1998.

Naydler, Jeremy. _Temple of the Cosmos_. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions. 1996.

Parker, R.A. _The Calendars of Ancient Egypt_. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1950.

Parker, R.A. _Egyptian Astronomy, Astrology and Calendarical Reckoning_. Dictionary of Scientific Biography, Vol. XV, Suppl. 1. NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1978.

Sauneron, Serge. _The Priests of Ancient Egypt_. NY: Grove Press. 1960.

West, John Anthony. _The Traveler's Key to Ancient Egypt: A Guide to the Sacred Places of Ancient Egypt_. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1985.

**Ancient Egyptian Ritual Techniques for Today's Magician**

This article first appeared in Cup of Wonder, Issue Two, October 1999.

The Greek historian Clement of Alexandria once wrote, "Egypt was the mother of magicians." Unfortunately though, for close to two-thousand years, the esoteric wisdom and magical practices of Ancient Egypt were lost to the world. They were forever locked in the mysterious hieroglyphs and intricate carvings found in the ancient temples, tombs and papyrus texts.

These seemingly undecipherable glyphs served to tantalize occultists for centuries often leading to wild speculation that only served to create confusion and misunderstanding that still lingers today. In fact, many current esoteric schools claiming to practice Egyptian magic have no real knowledge of the subject. Rather, they have simply grafted their own ideas and metaphysical suppositions onto an Egyptian motif only to claim later that theirs are 'the secret teachings' of the ancients.

As for the hieroglyphs, like mute guardians watching over the ancient legacy of the Nile valley, they kept their silence until 1822 when Jean Francois Champollion published the remarkable research he had done translating the Rosetta stone. The Rosetta stone is an Egyptian artifact that lists the same inscription in three different texts; hieroglyphs, demotic and Greek characters (Brier 180.24-30). By translating this important artifact Champollion reawakened the ancient language and from that day on the temples of Egypt have been slowly revealing their secrets.

Today a wealth of esoteric information is readily available to the practicing magician, all of which is fully documented. This knowledge includes many of the actual ceremonies, ritual techniques, symbolic meanings of gestures, materials, numbers, ceremonial tools and more. As a priest of Akhet Hwt-Hrw, I tend to be a purist following the actual practices of Ancient Egypt as closely as possible. However, clearly many of the elements found in Ancient Egyptian ritual can be incorporated in most ceremonies enhancing one's personal magical practice.

Perhaps the easiest and most readily adaptable component of Egyptian ritual technique can be found in the application of gestures and stances during the ceremony itself. Hand gestures are a critical part of Egyptian ceremony. While many of the gestures were performed with both hands, just about all of them could be enacted with one hand while the other held an object or performed a different gesture. In this way a double meaning can be conceived at the same time (Wilkinson 1994.199). For convenience sake I have categorized the most frequently used hand displays:

  * Adoration - known as _dua_ in Ancient Egyptian. This involves holding the arms in front of oneself to about should height with the palms of the hands facing outward. This is used when praising a divinity, sacred object, etc.

  * Invocation/summon - known as _nis_. This is performed by having the arms outstretched, yet bent at the elbows. The hands should be open almost as if one were about to shake hands with someone while beckoning. Richard Wilkinson describes this as "a figure reaches out and beckons toward himself" (Wilkinson 1994.195). This is used in all rituals involving invocations of a Neter (Ancient Egyptian for _God_ ).

  * Protection - for this gesture the index finger (and oftentimes the middle finger as well) are extended in a pointing fashion toward the object, entity, etc. that is being repelled. This is frequently used in defensive spells bent to drive evil away.

  * Offering - known as either _henek_ (to present) or as _derep_ (to offer). This is performed by having the arm outstretched, palm up, open and cupped. This is used whenever presenting an offering to a divinity, spirit, etc. The item being presented should be in your open palm.

  * Rejoicing - this is called _hai_ and is used whenever celebrating a festival or ceremony that has involved the honoring of a divinity. To enact this both hands are raised high to either side of the body with the palms facing outward. At Akhet Hwt-Hrw we frequently will use this gesture after reciting the invocation of Hwt-Hrw (Hathor).

  * Submission - this is an important gesture that shows your devotion to the divinity that you are honoring, which involves simply bowing while touching one's knees. Another version of this is to bow while touching one or both shoulders with the opposite hand. This is always performed when approaching the altar as well as any image of the divinity to whom you are devoted.

  * Anointing - in Ancient Egyptian magic the anointing of a person, statue or sacred object with essential oil, wine, etc. was always done by dipping the pinky finger into the substance and touching this to the item in question.

These gestures form a major portion of most Ancient Egyptian rituals. Many of these were done in sequence while a second member of the priesthood read the appropriate ritual texts (Clark 1959.2-28). Whether considered collectively or individually, each of these gestures can become an important part of almost any magical ceremony no matter the tradition.

There were also a number of gestures associated with specific Neteru (the Ancient Egyptian term for Gods). Perhaps the most readily recognized is the traditional Osiris gesture. This is a position (arms crossed over the chest) which is meant to put one in touch with the Neter Osiris. For this the traditional crook and flail are used. The flail is held in the right hand and the crook is held in the left. There are three different positions that are considered a part of the Osiris gesture. The wrists are crossed yet the crook and flail are not crossed - representing death. The opposing fists holding the tools may face each other - representing judgment. The final gesture involves crossing the wrist and crossing the crook and flail - this represents resurrection (Ozaniec 1994.21).

A gesture that we find to be of extreme importance is the Hwt-Hrw stance. This position is used to identify oneself with a variety of Goddesses, most specifically Hwt-Hrw (Hathor), Aset (Isis) and Bast. To perform this one arm (generally the left) hangs down the side of the body, while the other crosses over the torso with the hand placed just below the breast as if ready to feed an infant (Wilkinson 1994.205, Wilkinson 1992.78, Romant 1978.25).

Again, these gestures are all easy to blend into any working ceremony. The sacred legacy left to us by the Egyptians is rich and powerful. Their methods enable us as magicians to draw nearer to the essential truth that underlies all that is.

Works Cited

Brier, Bob. _Ancient Egyptian Magic_. Copyright 1980. Quill. New York, New York, U.S.A.

Clark, R.T. Rundle. _Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 1959. Thames and Hudson Ltd. New York, New York, U.S.A.

Ozaniec, Naomi. _The Egyptian Wisdom_. Copyright 1994. Element. Rockport, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Romant, Bernard. _Life in Egypt in Ancient Times_. Copyright 1978. Minerva. Barcelona, Spain.

Wilkinson, Richard. _Reading Egyptian Art_. Copyright 1992. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London, England.

__________. _Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art_. Copyright 1994. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London, England.

**Trance in Ancient Egyptian Magic**

This article first appeared in Cup of Wonder, Issue Three, April 2000.

All magical systems, past and present, appear to have one very important common factor between them; they all use a form of trance in their practices. Whether it be spirit possession in Vodoun, drawing down the moon in Wicca, path-working in Ceremonial Magic, or the deep meditative practices of many far eastern disciplines, each involves the use of altered-states of consciousness.

In Ancient Egyptian theurgy this was, and is, particularly true. For in Egypt trance was taken to extreme heights in its practical application. As the archeological record bears out altered-states were used extensively in almost every form of ritual magic and religious ceremony in Egypt. When examining the ancient texts it quickly becomes apparent that at least four distinct types of rituals involved the use of trance on a consistent basis:

  * Oracle and Divination

  * Induced or Therapeutic Dreaming

  * Communication with the Gods/Neteru

  * Communication with the Deceased

In addition, the Egyptians placed extremely high importance on the significance of dreams themselves; certainly a natural form of the trance state. In Ancient Egypt the priesthood were generally referred to as the Wenwet or Whmw. Depending on its context, the word meant inducing trance states in others.

One of the most frequent uses of trance can be found in the practice that Egyptologists have come to term the _therapeutic_ _dream_. In many of the temple compounds separate buildings can be found which were used as sanctuaries for the public to come seeking cures to illnesses, the conception of a child, or simply answers to questions. In these buildings the priesthood would isolate the patient and then, using the flame of an oil lamp as a focal point of concentration and steady chanting, a hypnotic state was induced. The ancients called this condition _Nun_ , which is a reference to the concept of the great primordial sea from which life had originally emerged (David 1982.142, Hornung 1971.180.183). In this experience the patient hoped to receive a vision or message from the Neter of the temple.

In his book, _Ancient Egyptian Magic_ , Bob Brier describes a similar ritual. However, in this situation the individual seeking the vision would perform the ceremony entirely on their own. In a cave the person would prepare a white oil lamp by ritually cleansing this with a mixture of water and natron (a naturally occurring combination of salt and baking soda). The lamp was then placed on a brick which in turn was set on freshly scattered sand, symbolizing purity. An incense burner containing frankincense was placed in front of this and the person then gazed at the flame of the lamp. Eventually the Neter would appear. When this occurred the individual would lie on a reed mat and sleep. As with the method used in the temple, the Neter would communicate in a dream (Brier 1980.223).

Another clear, yet deceptively subtle, example of the use of altered-states can be found in the ceremonies involved with the care of the Neteru statues in the temples. These involved elaborate rituals during which the statues were seen as the embodiment of the essence of the Neter itself. As such the statues were viewed as coming to life. Interestingly ancient texts speak of these statues actually moving during the ceremonies, leading Egyptologists to speculate that these were 'rigged' in someway by the priesthood to impress the masses (Brier 1980.206). However, this is highly unlikely as the temple statues were restricted from public view. Except for very rare occasions, only the priesthood were allowed to look upon these sacred images (Hornung 1971.135-136).

Having performed these ceremonies for years I have come to the realization that in actuality what is occurring is that the person performing these rites enters into a light trance. This is achieved through the combined influence of ritual gesture, liturgy, the steady rhythmic sound of the sistrum, menat and other temple musical instruments, as well as the heady influence of the incense and the hypnotic effect of candle or oil lamp light in the darkened room. When the ceremonies are performed correctly one enters a state of mind in which an awareness of the Neter becomes more pronounced. One's sensitivity to the subtle forces of nature is made more acute through this procedure. At this point the statue becomes the focal point of concentration and the spiritual essence of the Neter, its life energy or _Ka_ , as it was called in Ancient Egypt, flows through the effigy. On numerous occasions the statue has appeared to come to life, even to the point of seeming to move its eyes or hands.

Frequently we have seen the gold layer covering the figure appear to change to a skin tone, with a definite sense that the statue is in fact alive! The reality of the moment is that we _know_ that the statue itself is not alive in the same sense as you or I. However, during the ceremony, by entering into an altered state that opens awareness to the different spiritual realms the statue becomes a point of contact between the participant conducting the ritual and the Neter to whom the ceremony is dedicated. There are no words available to accurately describe this experience. Only participation in such a ceremony affords access to this incredibly moving spiritual encounter.

In a similar matter a device known to Egyptologists as _false doors_ was used by the ancients. These were finely carved niches made to look like doors which in fact were set in solid walls with no rooms behind them. These _false doors_ can be found in both temples dedicated to the Neteru and in mortuary temples created to honor the blessed dead. Their purpose was strictly magical. For, as Lanny Bell explains, "they were gateways permitting direct, magical communication between earth, sky and the netherworld." he continues, "Ordinary mortals could not cross their thresholds, but the blessed dead and the living king, as well as priests and other initiates, could pass through them to the kingdom of heaven" (Bell 1997.133-134). These _false doors_ function as physical points of focus which connected the temporal world with the spiritual. It is clear from Egyptologist's research that only those who had been trained could understand how to use these marvelous portals effectively.

In yet another highly important ritual we find trance as one of the key components to its success. The ceremony known as the _Opening of the Mouth_ was used in mortuary rites, as well as in the dedication of statues, buildings, ritual implements and amulets. No matter its use during this rite a Sem priest enters a trance state in order to communicate with the deceased or Neter involved. In this condition the priest ritually dressed in a shroud, rests on a sled that is transported to the tomb or temple during the rite. In this state he is know as _tekenu_. Upon arrival the priest awakens from the trance and exclaims that he had visited the deceased/Neter in the other world. As Egyptologist Greg Reeder explains: "The Sem then is a shaman undergoing a trance like dream state in the guise of the _tekenu_. As the _tekenu_ he is transported to the tomb wrapped in a shroud to help facilitate his 'death' so that he can be transported to the other world. Thus having visited the spirit world, the Sem was imbued with powers which enabled him to perform the succeeding 'Opening of the Mount' ceremony for the deceased" (Greg Reeder Egyptology website at: http://www.egyptology.com/reeder/enigma/tekenu1.htm).

This has been just a small survey of a few of the many uses of trance in Ancient Egypt. Altered states of consciousness form the cornerstone of Egyptian magic. Whether it is through dance, intoxication, the use of ritual, isolation, chant or a combination of these elements, various levels of trance open the individual to a communication with the divine. The cultivation of this important skill cannot be stressed enough.

Works Cited

Bell, Lanny. "The New Kingdom Divine' Temple: The Example of Luxor." _Temples of Ancient Egypt._ Ed. Byron Shafer. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1997. 127-184.

Brier, Bob. _Ancient Egyptian Magic_. New York: Quill, 1980.

Collier, Mark and Bill Manley. _How to Read and Write Egyptian Hieroglyphs_. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1998.

David, A. Rosalie. _The Ancient Egyptians: Religious Beliefs and Practices_. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1982.

Hornung, Erik. _Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many_. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1982.

Pinch, Geraldine. _Votive Offerings to Hathor_. Oxford, England: Griffith Institute, 1993.

Reeder, Greg. http://www.egyptology.com/reeder/enigma/tekenu1.html.

**Astrology in the Reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian Religion**

This article first appeared in Cup of Wonder, Issue Eight, 2004.

With the rise of contemporary esoteric orders, interest in alternative spiritual disciplines and the search for a spiritual connection with ancient cultures and traditions a tremendous amount of misinformation and supposition has been concluded regarding the role of astrology in Ancient Egypt. As both a contemporary astrologer and a reconstructionist of Ancient Egyptian esoteric practices I have a deep interest in learning exactly what connection may exist between these two disciplines, if any. After years of research here are the facts as I have been able to determine them.

In Ancient Egypt the observation of the movements of the sun, moon, planets and stars had always been important. These celestial bodies were seen as one way that the Neteru (the Gods) manifested themselves. Yet, astrology as we understand it today with its twelve signs of the zodiac and pattern of houses dividing the sky does not appear to have existed in Egyptian culture until after the Persian invasion in 525 B.C. (1). Still, consideration of the celestial influence of the objects in the heavens was an important part of the religious and magical practice of Ancient Egypt even from very early on. Evidence of this stretches back to the pre-dynastic era.

On the plains of the Sahara desert in southern Egypt the Nabata stone circle stands. This simple megalithic structure dates back to between 4000 and 4500 B.C. The twelve foot diameter circle consists of four sets of upright blocks. Two sets are aligned toward the north and south. A second pair point toward the direction of the rising sun on the annual date of the summer solstice.

Predating the classic period of Ancient Egypt by close to a thousand years, it is highly likely that the distant culture that built this structure may have been the beginnings and inspiration for the later civilization. Of particular interest is the fact the remains of cattle, arranged in a ritualistic pattern have been found at the site. Given the immense significance of cattle in the cults of Ancient Egypt this suggests a distinct link between the culture that produced this ritual site and the religious concepts that would develop in the classic periods.

Further hints at the apparent religious importance of the solstice cycle extend throughout the long history of Ancient Egypt. This becomes evident when we begin to look at certain myths, festivals, as well as specific temple structures. One of the most conspicuous references to the solstices can be seen in the festival of the 'Navigation of the Goddess Hwt-Hrw (Hathor)' which occurs in the lunar month of Rekh Wer. As the festival calendar was largely based on the cycles of the moon the festivals moved. However, because the calendar was tied to the annual rising of the star Sirius at sunrise ideally the festivals remained within the same relative time from year to year. Thus the festival of the 'Navigation of the Goddess Hwt-Hrw' occurs in the general time frame of the winter solstice.

Essentially this holiday dramatizes the legend of the 'Distant Goddess.' Dr. Barbara Lesko explains:

" _The Eye of Re refers to the first female being and solar Goddess, often identified with Tefnut, Hathor, or Mut-Sekhmet, who left Egypt in a rage and traveled south where she remained until she was reconciled and brought back to Egypt amid rejoicing . . . Possibly the solar Goddess's 'enragement' and leaving Egypt in the form of an angry lioness alludes to the occasional cold spells that Egypt experienced . . . It is in the winter of the northern hemisphere that the sun reaches its southern most point on the winter solstice. Thus the reference to the sun's eye returning . . . suggests the coming of spring." (2)_

It is important to note that there is a distinct and special relationship between the Goddess Hwt-Hrw (Hathor), Sekhmet (as well as other feline Goddesses) and the Sun God Ra. She is his 'Eye.' As such she is the power which protects him. In looking over the texts from a variety of temples, particularly Hwt-Hrw's temple of Dendera, Hwt-Hrw was seen as the 'feminine solar disk.' In the myth there is a clear indication that Hwt-Hrw, as the Eye, leaves Egypt and travels south just as the sun begins its southern journey.

We see this same theme touched upon briefly in the legend of the 'Destruction of Humanity.' In this myth Hwt-Hrw, as the lioness Goddess Sekhmet, destroys the rebels who would over take Ra's authority. Egyptologist Miriam Lichtheim makes the important observation that a text from the legend translates into:

" _The day dawned on which the Goddess would slay mankind in her time of traveling south" (3)._

This may well be a further possible reference to Hwt-Hrw as the sun traveling south. Keep in mind that the winter solstice is the point in the year when the sun is at its southern most latitude. So the connection between this event and the Hwt-Hrw/Eye myths along with the rituals associated with these seems likely.

Egyptologist R.T. Rundle Clark alludes to the same conclusion in his discussion on the legend of the 'Distant Goddess.' He points out that "what does become clear is that the time of absence of the Goddess - whether the Eye or another - is the season of fear and lifelessness" (4). The winter solstice occurs in the season of Peret, the planting season. At this time the crops are sown yet they have not yet begun to grow. This, coupled with the colder temperatures of the season, would be a time of anxiety, uncertainty, lifelessness and fear.

In his discussion on the various myths regarding the 'Eye' in Ancient Egypt, professor Dieter Kurth states the following:

" _The periodic disappearance and reappearance of the eyes of the sun and moon have been interpreted in myths. Among these latter is the myth of the Distant Goddess (Hathor, Sekhmet, Tefnut, and so on, who travel between the winter and summer solstices as the Eye of Ra, that is the Eye of the Sun)." (5)_

Ancient Egyptian temple orientation toward the winter solstice has also been documented. Dr. E.C. Krupp has presented an important discussion on the alignment of the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak. In his work 'Echoes of the Ancient Skies' he explains that the temple is oriented both to the rising and setting of the sun on the day of the winter solstice (6).

As for the summer solstice, in his work 'Sekhmet Et La Protection Du Monde' Philippe Germond alludes to a link between the Hathorian festival of 'She is Led Back' (also known as the 'Beautiful Embrace' and the 'Reunion of Hathor and Horus') to both the 'return' of the sun and the anticipated rising of the Nile. This 'return of the sun' is no less than the summer solstice. For it is at this time of year that the sun reaches its northern most point on the ecliptic, known as the 'Tropic of Cancer'. Incidentally, the temple of Edfu at which this ceremony culminated is located almost precisely on the Tropic of Cancer. This of course means that the sun was directly over head on the summer solstice at Edfu, thus _returning_ to Egypt! Perhaps it is significant that this decidedly Hathorian festival occurs at this time of the year. As you will recall, at the site of the Nabata circle which shows clear links to observance of the solstices, the ritualistic remains of cattle were discovered. The cow, of course, is sacred to Hwt-Hrw.

The sun itself holds immense importance in the Egyptian system. In a separate article included in this issue of Cup of Wonder entitled 'The Spiritual Dimension of Time' I discuss at length the three phases of the Sun God in his forms of Khepera, Ra and Atum. I also describe the many different ways that the sun embodies the feminine through Hwt-Hrw and Sekhmet among others. The overall central role of the sun in the Egyptian spiritual system can not be over stated. It is the life giving power through which all on earth come into being.

The moon, too, is very important in the Egyptian system. Generally it was associated with a variety of male Neteru including Djehuty (Thoth), Ausir (Osiris) and Khonsu. In this respect the moon becomes Djehuty as the keeper of sacred time, for the religious calendar is lunar based. Djehuty is the Neter of magic, learning and wisdom. As Ausir the moon shines in the depths of the Dwat, the underworld, bringing light to the beings there. As Khonsu the moon becomes the embodiment of protection. For Khonsu is a Neter with the particular power to drive evil entities away. Yet he is also strongly associated with healing, fertility, conception and childbirth - all of which are very Hathorian in nature.

In addition to male deities there is evidence suggesting that Goddesses may have been associated with the moon as well. In the late period in particular the feline Goddess Bast was seen represented in the moon. Renowned Egyptologists Dimitri and Christine Favard-Meeks describe Bast as "Atum's eye, she is associated with the moon and protects pregnancies and births" (7).

An important clue to a connection between the moon, female fertility and the practices carried out in the temples of Hwt-Hrw during the Middle Kingdom can be seen in a number of fecundity figurines found in temples of Hwt-Hrw, as well as in a number of tombs. These female figures usually are represented as being nude with the breasts and genitals clearly indicated. Dr. Geraldine Pinch notes that many of these figures "wear the crescent moon amulet associated with breast-feeding children" (8). Dr. Pinch continues the discussion:

" _Some of the jewelry shown on Middle Kingdom figurines, such as cowrie-shell girdles and crescent moon amulets, are known to be linked to the protection of women's fertility and ability to rear children" (9)_

Cowrie shells in particular were amulets related to female sexuality. Carol Andrews describes this:

" _The cowrie shell was believed to have amuletic significance because of its resemblance to the female genitalia, so when beads in its shape formed an element of a woman's girdle they were in exactly the right place to ward off evil influences from the relevant bodily part of the wearer, especially if she were pregnant" (10)_

Interestingly in Dr. Andrews work 'Amulets of Ancient Egypt' she presents a photograph of a 'leaf green glazed composition openwork cowrie' (plate 64, item K). What is most fascinating about this piece is that carved into the cowrie amulet are figures of Djehuty in his form as a Baboon with the moon atop his head, and a Cobra Goddess. The startling image of the Moon God portrayed on such an obviously feminine symbol would appear to be significant. The Goddess in the form of the Cobra is in all likelihood a representation of the 'Eye of Ra' with strong connections to Hwt-Hrw and Sekhmet. It should be noted that Hwt-Hrw is one of the primary Goddesses of sexuality and fertility. Another possible Goddess that the Cobra in the amulet may be is a representation of Wadjet. Dr. George Hart points out that in the myths Wadjet breast feeds Heru-Sa-Aset (Hours-Son-of-Isis) when he was a child (11). Thus, in this simple amulet we see clear a portrayal of lunar symbolism in connection with female sexuality and breast-feeding.

To return to the references regarding the feline Goddess Bast, Dr. Barbara Lesko discusses the importance of this Goddess in the promotion of female fertility and sexual expression (12). She explains that during the festivals of Bast women exposed their genitals as part of the ritual celebrations. The themes of sexuality, fertility and rejuvenation seem to revolve around many Goddesses, but especially Bast. These same themes appear to have associated with the cycles of the moon as noted above. In fact, the _Semed_ , or Full Moon of any given month was seen by the Egyptians as "a time of dancing and joy" (13).

Finally, in regards to the Goddesses in general and their possible association with the moon, Dr. Lesko makes the following observations when examining the cow Goddesses and the similarity between the Nile valley cattle's horns and the crescent moon:

" _The crescent moon, as I have seen it in Luxor, hanging low over the western hills with its points turned upward, certainly evokes a celestial bovine's horns. Thus we may have in this early rendition of a sacred cow one of the few hints of a moon Goddess who might have flourished as far back as the Neolithic or early Chalcolithic but who disappeared, or was suppressed, during the early historic period. From the archeological evidence it is clear that not one but several religious cults were established long before the Two Lands were unified and a documented Egyptian history began" (14)._

The comments of respected Egyptologist R.T. Rundle Clark follow a similar line of reason. In the introduction of his classic work 'Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt' Dr. Clark discusses predynastic Egypt and the worship of both the sun and moon. In this regard he states:

" _It is likely that the main cult of the prehistoric people was that of a Mother Goddess who was also the sky. This Goddess worship seems to have been kept alive among the common people throughout the ages, reappearing in provincial centers and whenever the official religion lost its grip, until finally it almost ousted all other Gods in the great expansion of the Isis mysteries at the second and third centuries A.D." (15)._

It would seem that the evidence does point to possible links between a variety of Goddesses and the moon. While those links are not as apparent as those found in relation to the state religion and male deities, nevertheless the themes of female sexuality, fertility and the moon can be found in the archeological record extending from early on in Egyptian society to the very end of this incredible civilization. I strongly believe that much more research needs to be conducted in the area of female mysteries and the training of the priestesses of Egypt. From that we may find that we get an entirely new and revised view of the deeper workings of the religion.

Throughout the entirety of the Ancient Egyptian spiritual system we find that the planets also held important significance. Like the sun and moon they were seen as representations of the various Neteru. The planet Mercury was named _Sebeg_ by the Egyptians. Mercury was frequently associated with the Neter Sutekh (the God Set) particularly when viewed in the twilight of the evening.

Venus was called the 'crosser' or the 'star that crosses.' In earlier periods it was associated with Ausir (Osiris). However Venus could also be seen as the phoenix bird known as the Benu. The _Benu_ can be seen as the personification of renewal, transformation and rebirth. The word Benu has its roots in the Egyptian term to 'raise radiantly' or 'to shine.'

In Ancient Egypt the planet Mars was seen as representing one of the many different aspects of Heru (the falcon God Horus). In the New Kingdom it was referred to as 'Heru on the Horizon.' In the late period it was thought of as 'Heru Desher' or 'Horus the Red.' Red being a color of power, strength, victory, or conversely, destruction and anger. This gives a clue into the nature of this planet as perceived by the Egyptians.

Initially Jupiter was known as 'Heru who bounds the Two Lands' or 'Heru who illuminates the Two Lands.' In later periods it was also known as 'Heru who opens the mysteries.' While Saturn was known as 'Heru, the Bull of the Sky' or simply as 'Heru the Bull' (16).

A number of stars and constellations are also immensely important. Some of these clearly may be regarded as the embodiment of certain Neteru themselves. Others may be thought of as representing the spirits of the deceased. The following is a list of just a few of the stars and constellations that are significant in the Egyptian system:

1. Sirius - Known as _Sopdet_ , this star's annual appearance just before dawn marked the beginning of the New Year. On this day the statues of the temples were place in the combined light of the sun and this star to infuse them with celestial energy (see my book 'Song of Hathor' for a detailed description of this ritual). Sirius most strongly embodies the Goddesses Hwt-Hrw, Aset (Isis) and Sopdet (Greek spelling _Sothis_ ).

2. Orion - This constellation was called _Sah_ by the Egyptians and referred to Ausir (Osiris) as the 'far strider' or 'fleet footed.' The belt of Orion was frequently seen as the phallus of Ausir.

3. Ursa Major, also known today as the 'big dipper' - The Egyptians saw this as the foreleg of a bull, or in some instances the 'foreleg of Sutekh . . . in the northern sky, tied to two mooring-posts of flint by chains of gold' (17). It is significant that the Adzu, one of the primary ritual tools used in the 'Opening of the Mouth' ceremony is shaped as this constellation (see 'Song of Hathor' for the rite of 'Opening the Mouth'). Thus, the celestial power of these stars is brought to bear in the ceremony to bring new life.

4. Coupled with Ursa Major are the entire group of northern stars. These were seen as being particularly sacred as they never set. As such they were called the 'imperishable ones.' This area of the sky was frequently thought of as the abode of the Neteru as well as the blessed Akhu.

5. The Pleiades - During the late period of Egypt this group of seven stars was strongly connected to the 'Seven Hathors.' Essentially Hwt-Hrw was seen as having seven forms. In these forms Hwt-Hrw takes on a particularly maternal role of nourishing the souls of those who have passed on. Also in these forms the Hathors helped to provide sustenance for newborn babies. At birth the Seven Hathors also announced the child's fate/Shay. Frequently the Hathors appear as young women playing tambourines and wearing the disk and horns of Hwt-Hrw.

One of the first major contributions that Ancient Egypt made to what has developed into contemporary astrology was the discovery of the Decans. According to Dr. Richard Parker the astronomer-priests of the temples began observing the sky just before sunrise at the beginning of each week. As each week consisted of ten days, there were thirty-six weeks in the year 'civil year' (see my book 'Eye of the Sun' for details on exactly how the calendar was calculated). In time thirty-six star groups were identified and associated with each week of the year. These celestial groupings have come to be termed 'decans.' Yet these were seen as more than mere markers of time. It is clear that each decan personified a specific stellar energy or spirit.

The entities associated with each decan were very important in the stellar aspects of the religion. The mention of individual decans date back to the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom. In Hwt-Hrw's temple of Dendera the decans are reported to be:

" _Mighty, great, great Neteru who are protective, following Sopdet in the sky._

They are living stars who are on the east of heaven

And are defending the Neteru of Dendera.

They are messengers of her majesty (Hwt-Hrw),

Who slaughter those who are hostile towards her.

They protect Dendera!" (18)

To this day contemporary western astrologers consider the influence of the decans in the interpretation of birth charts. The following is a list of the names of each of the decans. This list is derived from what Dr. Parker has termed the _Tanis Group_. This largely consists of the names used in the later periods of Egyptian history. The list begins with the first week of the New Year occurring with the rising of Sirius at dawn:

1. Knumet, 'Ape' or 'Baboon'

2. Khery-kheped-Knumet, 'the one who is under the thighs of Knumet'

3. Het-djat, 'the front part of djat'

4. Djat, 'to ferry'

5. Pehwey-djat, 'the latter part of djat'

6. Tjemat, 'the mat'

7. Weshaty, 'the one who relates to night'

8. Bekhaty, 'the one who relates to pregnancy'

9. Ipsd, 'the door bolt of the sanctuary'

10. Sebshesen

11. Tepi-a Khentet, 'the one who precedes Khentet (the female southern traveler)'

12. Heri-yeb wia, 'the one who is in the middle of the Barge'

13. Sapty-khenwey, 'the Lotus blossom of the Khen'

14. Seshmu, 'the Guide' or 'the counterpart'

15. Sawey Seshmu, 'the two sons of Seshmu'

16. Kenemu, 'wrapped in darkness'

17. Tepi- Smd, 'precedes Semed'

18. Pa sebu wity, 'the lone star'

19. Semed, 'division of the year'

20. Seret, 'sheep'

21. Sawey Seret, 'the two sons of the sheep'

22. Tepi-a Akhwey, 'the one preceding the two Akh'

23. Akhwey, 'the two Akh'

24. Tepi-a Bawey, 'the one preceding the two Ba'

25. Bawey, 'the two Ba'

26. Khentu-heriyew, 'the Upper Khentu (the male southern traveler)'

27. Khentu-kheriyew, 'the Lower Khentu'

28. Qed, 'to go around, like the potter's wheel'

29. Sawey Qed, 'the two sons of Qed'

30. Khau, 'the thousands'

31. Aret, 'to rise, to ascend'

32. Remen hery, 'the Upper Forearm'

33. Tjes areq, 'the knot'

34. Remen Khery, 'the Lower Forearm'

35. Waret, 'district under'

36. Pehwey hery, 'the northern end of the Upper'

Within our temple of Akhet Hwt-Hrw (a contemporary reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian religious and magical practices) we light a candle just outside the ritual room in honor of the Neter of the decan that is active at the time. This is meant as an act of recognition, offering and a prayer for protection.

On the ceiling of a rooftop shrine in Hwt-Hrw's late period temple of Dendera the now famous circular map of the heavens was found. This is one of the most elegant pieces of Egyptian religious art known to exist. Perhaps what is most intriguing is that it not only depicts long standing traditional Egyptian images of the sky, it also shows the twelve signs of the zodiac. This has lead to speculation that astrology, as it is practiced today, may have been in use throughout the history of Pharonic Egypt. Being trained in contemporary astrology myself this is a particularly appealing idea. However, to my knowledge, no convincing evidence has emerged that would indicate the existence of the traditional zodiac in Egyptian culture prior to the Persian invasion. Archeological evidence demonstrates that the system of the zodiac as it is understood today stems from Babylon and not Greece as some authorities had initially suggested (19). It was during the Babylonian control of Egypt that the zodiac was first introduced to the Nile valley.

During Babylon's reign over Egypt it is known that there was a constant cultural exchange occurring throughout the various countries that the Persians ruled. Dr. Richard Parker explains:

" _Egyptian priests are known to have been in Persia; indeed, we have the personal account of one Udjeharresnet, who was commanded to return to Egypt by Darius I (521 - 486 B.C.). And there reform the Houses of Life, the centers in the precincts of the temples where medical and religious books were written. It may well have been through him that the first astrological literature reached Egypt from Babylonia." (20)_

It was during this period that the Egyptian priesthood enthusiastically received this new way of ordering the sky. In fact, they proceeded to incorporate their system of the decan stars into the zodiac, placing three decans in each of the twelve signs. Again, Dr. Parker sheds light on this:

" _The first horoscope we have is dated to 410 B.C. and is Babylonian. Horoscopic astrology probably came to Egypt with the zodiac around the turn from the fourth to the third century B.C. as a developing Hellenistic science to which Egypt made little or no contribution that can be specifically identified, except for the decanal divisions of the zodiacal signs." (21)._

Despite its foreign origins the priesthood of Egypt found real meaning and value in this system of divination. They quickly merged this system of viewing the sky with their own spiritual disciplines. It is for this reason that we find the wonderful depictions of the zodiac in some of the most sacred portions of Hwt-Hrw's temple of Dendera. Construction of the temple that now stands was begun during the reign of Ptolemy XII Auletes (80 - 51 B.C.) and continued until the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero (A.D. 54 - 68). By this point the concept of the zodiac had been in Egypt for close to four hundred years. This was long enough for the priesthood to become highly proficient in this art.

Before the intervention of the Babylonian system the Egyptians recognized that various celestial bodies did hold specific influence. As we have seen already many of these objects were seen as the embodiment of various Neteru. Nevertheless, until the introduction of Persian astrology, predictions concerning the future of individuals were more dependent on determining the festival that the person was born on and whether this was a 'lucky' or 'unlucky' day. The establishment and continued development of Babylonian astrology within Egyptian culture brought with it a means of determining specific information on the influence of the celestial bodies in one's life. This, in my opinion, seems to have been quite compatible with Ancient Egyptian thought in that the Egyptians had always seen these stellar forces as manifesting as the Neteru. With the entry of the science of astrology this expression of celestial forces could be understood and predicted in ways that were only hinted at before.

While Dr. Parker maintains that Ancient Egypt added little to the development of astrology, noted astrologer Robert Hand has come to a different conclusion. Mr. Hand has been deeply involved in the translation of a number of ancient Middle Eastern texts all surrounding the subject of astrology. His conclusions, if accurate, hold important implications for those of us involved in the reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian esoteric practices.

Following his research Mr. Hand agrees that the fundamentals of the zodiac and the calculation of the planets did originate with the Babylonians. However, he points out that prior to its insertion into Ancient Egyptian temples none of the astrological charts produced thus far resemble the complex horoscopes of the later Hellenistic periods. In fact, none of them had the detailed interpretations of the later period Egyptian Hellenistic horoscopes. In the introduction to a recent translation project of ancient Greek Astrological texts Robert Hand states:

" _The ancients [Greeks - KW] clearly knew that astrology had something to do with Babylon (after all they did call astrologers Chaldeans) but the principle credit was given to the Egyptians. It is customary among academics to pass this off as something that was merely a fashion among ancient writers with no real historical basis. And in fact the ancient writers did often attribute astrology to persons dating back to the pharaohs such as Nechepso and Petosiris. Nevertheless, there is no reason to assume that the ancients were not correct as to Egypt being the primary source of horoscopic astrology; it was just somewhat later than they supposed."_

Mr. Hand continues:

" _What did the Egyptians add to Babylonian astrology? We cannot say for certain, but internal evidence indicates the following. The use of a rising degree may or may not have been found in pre Hellenistic Babylonian astrology. But the Hellenistic writers attributed the use of houses, or signs used as houses to Hermes. For Hermes we should understand a reference to Hellenistic Egyptian sources. It is probable that aspects are also Egyptian but we cannot say for certain. The lots [Parts - KW] are almost certainly Egyptian as well as most of the systems of rulership. Only the exaltations have a clearly Mesopotamian origin. At any rate it is quite likely that the entire apparatus of horoscopic astrology was in place by 1 C.E., quite possibly several centuries earlier. One of things that we have found in our studies of the later Greek writers is that they are already dealing with a later era of astrology. They have their 'ancients' and they have already begun to misunderstand some of the ancient teachings. One of these writers, Vettius Valens, actually went traveling through Egypt looking for masters of the old traditions, much like modern Americans have gone to India to study astrology and various sacred teachings. While most of the Greek writers seemed to have studied from books, Valens studied with at least a few living teachers of the old traditions. And it is clear from his work that much of what they taught would never have been written down but for Valens." (22)_

The implications of Mr. Hand's comments are enormous. For, if true this would imply that the priesthood of the late period of Ancient Egypt not only embraced Babylonian Astrology, over the three to four hundred years of existence in Egypt before the 1st Century C.E., it was improved upon. It would appear that, again providing Mr. Hand's conclusions are remotely correct, that Astrology was taken from a simple charting of the sky with different planet positions being seen as basic omens, to a science and art of complex dimensions enabling in depth delineation and prediction. This also implies that the priesthood of the late period were truly renaissance thinkers. At once they were the keepers of ancient wisdom; the initiates of an ancient system of ritual, religious and spiritual practice extending back literally thousands of years. And at the same time, being genuinely innovative by incorporating a foreign system of divination into their own paradigm and then making consistent improvements to this. In doing so they changed the art into something far more advanced and significant that it had ever been before. Again, all of this is contingent upon the conclusions of Mr. Hand as being reasonably correct. Nevertheless, the possibility does exist.

I do need to point out that the late period was a time of decline in Ancient Egyptian culture, religion and even its very identity. It seems obvious that the influx of foreign culture, concepts, religious and magical ideas contributed to this decay. Perhaps even more to the point; it has been argued that this influx was the primary cause of the eventual loss of the Ancient Egyptian spiritual tradition. To counter this loss of sacred knowledge some authorities have postulated that the increase of inscriptions within the late period temples was an attempt on the part of the priesthood to keep their sacred teachings intact. Astrology, as a foreign discipline, may potentially be classified in the category of an outside influence that contributed to the decline of Egyptian wisdom.

Thus we today, as contemporary reconstructionist of Ancient Egyptian religion, are faced with a real quandary. That is, do we accept astrology as the late period priesthood had or, conversely, do we see it as an outside teaching that only served to dilute the Egyptian spiritual message. For our temple of Akhet Hwt-Hrw one telling fact seems obvious, several representations of the zodiac exist in Dendera. If in fact the priesthood were attempting to save their wisdom from eventual extinction the inclusion of this system into the hieroglyphic record of Dendera may indicate that the priesthood did see this as an important (albeit foreign) contribution to Egyptian esoteric wisdom.

In support of this possibility is the historical fact that once the Persians were driven out of Egypt there was a real effort to purge the culture of all things related to the Babylonian rule. Dr. Assmann points out in his masterful work 'The Mind of Egypt' that the Persians were seen by the Egyptians as being the embodiment of chaotic and evil forces. They had plundered the temples, killed sacred animals and suppressed many aspects of the religion (23). So intensely did the Egyptians come to loathe this rule that later they would engrave the crypts of the temple of Dendera with warnings not to allow these same foreigners to enter the most sacred portions of the temple. This was not a form of racism. Rather, because of the results of the Persian rule, "It reflected their concern that foreigners might act in a blasphemous way toward the Gods, who, offended, might turn away from Egypt" (24).

So here find that in the same temple that houses the beautiful representations of the zodiac in some of the most holy sanctuaries of the structure there are also strict warnings about allowing the foreigners into the temple. In light of the concerted effort to remove all things relate to Babylonian influence, and in fact to demonize their rule later in ritual (see Assmann 'The Mind of Egypt'), we have to ask why was the zodiac incorporated into the sacred design of this temple? It can be argued that the priesthood clearly did see real spiritual significance and compatibility with traditional Egyptian esoteric teachings. In fact, Clement of Alexandria describes one of the late period classes of the priesthood as astrologers. Members of this priesthood were expected to have mastered four important astrological texts. These included tomes involving the night, the planets, the appearances and movement of the sun and moon, and the rising of the decan stars (25).

As a contemporary temple I would like state that we at Akhet Hwt-Hrw do accept and use astrology, finding it consistent with much of Ancient Egyptian thought. With this new ordering of the sky and the revisions that came with it, new ways of interpreting the influences of the movements of the celestial bodies became apparent to the Egyptian priesthood. Further, if the research and conclusions drawn by Robert Hand are remotely accurate than it is clear that Egypt not only embraced this system as a valid art, they may very well have been instrumental to its continued evolution. Thus, it is our opinion that when understood and used properly astrology can be a powerful and highly effective tool for the initiate. One that is every bit in concert with Ancient Egyptian teachings and practices.

I would like to point out that the use of astrology does not imply a fatalistic view toward life. In my experience, at best, astrology shows the general trends and basic conditions occurring at any given moment. Astrology is not unlike a weather report describing the conditions for any given day. And like a weather report it is always up to the individual to decide how they will react to those conditions. Astrology shows the various celestial winds that may blow through life, indicating tendencies, opportunities or the possibility for potential problems. Generally the individual is largely in control. The person's decisions and choices ultimately decide how the celestial influences will manifest in their life. The comments of occultist R.J. Stewart may help to clarify this concept:

" _In standard astrology it is often assumed that the relationships shown in the chart define modes of expression available during the lifetime of the individual. The esoteric traditions teach that the entity gravitates towards chosen sequences in the astrological synchronicity, which will bring it to birth in the circumstances most suited to its requirements."_

He continues:

" _In ancient magical workings, specific planetary or stellar patterns were employed to aid incarnation. This was not because the conjunctions caused certain beings to appear in the physical world, but because the conjunction was identical to the nature of the being, enabling it to manifest within the womb, and to be born at a harmonically related point and place." (26)_

Thus we see that astrology is a tool showing the synchronic patterns and flow of energy that link the individual to all that is. Once an understanding of this pattern develops the initiate is able to use this knowledge to time rituals for greater efficiency. Working harmoniously with the patterns found within astrological configurations allows the intent of the ritualist to merge with the natural course of events.

Before leaving the subject of astrology I want to state emphatically that at no time am I implying that the techniques of contemporary astrology were in use in Egypt _before_ the influx of information from Babylon. While portions of what would develop into contemporary astrology did come to form a comprehensive part of temple study and practice in the late periods _after_ the Babylonian influence, this type of astrology does not appear to be part of Pharonic Egyptian practice. As such, while we as a contemporary temple do use astrology and find it very useful, we leave it up to each student to decide for them self if this is an art that they too should or should not embrace.

Footnotes

1. Parker 1978.723

2. Lesko 1999.218-220

3. Lichtheim Volume II, 199

4. Clark 1959.227-229

5. Dieter Kurth, "The Temple of Edfu" 2004.72

6. Krupp 1983.253-257

7. Meeks 1996.236

8. Pinch 1993.201

9. Pinch 1993.217

10. Andrews 1994.42

11. Hart 1986.220

12. Lesko 1999.231

13. Clark 1959.229

14. Lesko 1999.17

15. Clark 1959.28

16. Parker 1978.719

17. Parker 1978.718

18. Kakosy 1982.179

19. Parker 1978.719

20. Parker 1978.723

21. Parker 1978.725

22. Robert Hand, 2004, Project Hindsight

23. Assmann 1996.373

24. Assmann 1996.396

25. Assmann 1996.412

26. Stewart 1985.162

Works Cited

Andrews, Carol. _Amulets of Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 1994. University of Texas Press. Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

Assmann, Jan. _The Search for God in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 2001. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

__________. _The Mind of Egypt_. Copyright 2002. Metropolitan Books. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.

Clark, R. T. Rundle. _Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 1959. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London, England.

Germond, Philippe. _Sekhmet Et La Protection Du Monde_. 1981. Aegyptiaca Helvetica, Faculte des Lettres de l'Universite de Geneve.

Hart, George. _A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses_. Copyright 1986. Routledge & Kegan Paul. London, England.

Krupp, E.C. _Echoes of the Ancient Skies_. Copyright 1983. Harper & Row. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.

__________. _Beyond the Blue Horizon_. Copyright 1991. Harper & Row, Publishers. New York, New York, U.S.A.

Lesko, Barbara S. _The Great Goddesses of Egypt_. Copyright 1999. University of Oklahoma Press. U.S.A.

Lichtheim, Miriam. _Ancient Egyptian Literature_. Vol. I (1973), Vol. II (1976), Vol. III (1980). University of California Press. Berkeley, California, U.S.A.

Meeks, Dimitri and Christine Favard-Meeks. _Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods_. Copyright 1996. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

Parker, Richard A. Egyptian, Astronomy, Astrology and Calendarical Reckoning. _Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol. XV, Suppl. I_. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1978, pp. 706-727.

Pinch, Geraldine. _Votive Offerings to Hathor_. Copyright 1993. Griffith Institute. Oxford, England.

Roberts, Alison. _Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 1997. Inner Traditions. Rochester, Vermont, U.S.A.

__________. _My Mother, My Heart: Death and Rebirth in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 2000. Northgate Press, Rottingdean, East Sussex, England

Stewart, R.J. _The Underworld Initiation_. Copyright 1985. Aquarian Press. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England.

**The Ancient Egyptian Calendar and Festivals: Part One**

This article first appeared in Cup of Wonder, Issue Four, October 2000.

In recent years there has been a tremendous interest among occultists in incorporating the festivals of Ancient Egypt into their practices. While this is admirable and potentially a worthwhile endeavor, considerable confusion has arisen over understanding exactly how the Egyptians calculated the timing of festivals. Further chaos has centered around modern interpretations of the meanings of many of the festivals themselves. Much of this confusion is largely due to ritualists who grafted the Egyptian system onto the Celtic Sabbat calendar. In the first of this two-part series I hope to clear up some of the confusion by presenting an accurate, fully documented thesis of exactly how the Egyptian calendars were calculated. The second part of this series will examine the festivals themselves and how many of these were celebrated.

As we begin our study it is important to realize that the Egyptians used two distinctly different calendar systems. The oldest of these was lunar based dating to predynastic days. The antiquity of this calendar can be documented back more than five-thousand years. The second calendar, frequently termed the 'civil calendar' by Egyptologists, wasn't introduced until sometime between 2937 B.C.E. and 2821 B.C.E. (1). Because of the ease of calculation, it is this latter design that is more commonly understood and used by modern occultists. This is unfortunate as the Ancient Egyptians used the civil calendar primarily as an administrative tool and considered it devoid of spiritual significance (2). The lunar calendar, on the other hand, was considered sacred and it was for this reason that the cycles of the moon governed the actual timing of the festivals themselves (3). From both a historical and magical point of reference it is vital to realize that rather than abandoning the older lunar calendar in favor of the newer civil calendar the Egyptians used both systems concurrently throughout the remainder of their civilization.

To understand these calendars we must first take a look at the environment that formed Ancient Egypt. Perhaps the most important feature was the River Nile itself. The Nile was and is the life blood of Egypt. Without this incredible river Egypt as we know it would not have existed, for the Nile had a remarkable trait: each year after the harvest had been completed the hottest season soon set in. This was a time of great anticipation and fear because the waters of the Nile would have receded, with its level becoming very low. Yet, just as the season would seem almost hopeless an awesome phenomena would occur; the Nile would suddenly begin to rise, eventually filling the entire length of the valley. Known as the inundation or _Akhet_ , this flooding lasted approximately four months. During the initial stages of this the Nile would turn a brownish-red as it carried rich soil from the interior of Africa down river (4). Once the waters receded a layer of black soil was left on the banks becoming the farm land for the next agricultural season. This is an essential characteristic that allowed this fabulous civilization to exist on the very edge of the world's largest desert, the Sahara. Without the inundation there would have been no life in the valley as we have come to understand it.

Because of this event the Egyptian year was divided into three distinct seasons: _Akhet_ meaning inundation, _Peret_ meaning emergence or growth and _Shomu_ meaning low-water and harvest. The world Shomu may well be an ancient root word for the English word 'summer.' While _Akhet_ was the season in which the Nile was depositing soil, _Peret_ became the time of planting, cultivating and maintaining the crops. _Shomu_ then followed with the beginning of this being the time of harvest. However, as noted earlier, _Shomu_ quickly moved on to be a very hot-dry period in the year (5). Each of these seasons lasted approximately four lunar months (6).

Despite modern misconceptions there was no accurate way to predict with certainty when the Nile would actually begin to rise from year to year. Studies done in the late nineteenth century (well before the building of the High Dam at Aswan) show that in actuality this could begin anytime between April and June in our current calendar (7). However, the Egyptians soon came to realize that each year an important celestial event occurred which symbolically, and perhaps intuitively, came to represent the spiritual cause for the inundation (8). This was the rising of the star Sirius on the eastern horizon at sunrise, a phenomenon which is referred to by Egyptologists and astronomers alike as a 'heliacal' rising. Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky was known as _Sopdet_ \- the 'bright one' - to the Egyptians. For approximately seventy days this star would remain hidden from view, suddenly making its appearance at sunrise. This was seen as a very powerful, spiritual moment, so much so that it was commemorated with elaborate temple rituals by the priesthood and mass celebrations on the part of the public. It is for this reason that ideally, this cosmic event came to be seen as the starting point of the year both for the stellar calendar (which evolved into the civil calendar) and the lunar calendar.

As was previously mentioned the lunar calendar was by far the older system used in Egypt, and it was the lunar calendar that determined the timing of the majority of the religious festivals (9). Because each lunar cycle can vary in length the dates of the sacred holidays change from year to year. The average twelve month lunar cycle lasts approximately 354 days, instead of the 365 days that occur between the heliacal risings of Sirius. For this reason it is simply impossible to lay the festival calendars found in the ancient temples over our modern fixed calendar with any accuracy. Rather, the same set of guidelines used in Egypt that enabled them to calculate the lunar calendar must be applied today if accuracy is to be maintained. The following are the ancient guidelines (10):

1. The lunar year begins with the first New Moon following the heliacal rising of Sirius (the first appearance of Sirius on the eastern horizon at sunrise).

2. Whenever Sirius rose helically in the last eleven days of the twelfth month of the previous lunar year an intercalary (additional) month was added to the new year. This thirteenth lunar month was called Djehuty (Greek name: Thoth) and was added at the beginning of the new year. This was done to avoid having the festival of Wep-renpet, 'Opener of the Year' (the rising of Sirius) from falling into the first lunar month of the next year. This thirteenth month would need to be added approximately once every third year.

3. Whenever the first day of the lunar calendar would fall before the first day of the civil calendar, the intercalary (additional) month was added.

4. A lunar week consisted of the time between each of the four phases of the moon, approximately seven days. Each lunar month was named after a specific Egyptian Goddess or God to whom it was dedicated, or after a major festival that occurred during that month. The following is a list of the names of the lunar months as they related to the three Egyptian seasons, showing how these evolved over time from their original names to those used in the Greco-Roman Period:

(Note: Columns are not supported in eBooks generally; therefore we used an image file. The table will be made available on the Akhet website for those who cannot see the image with their reader.)

The civil calendar on the other hand is much easier to calculate than the lunar. Originally the civil calendar was engineered to begin with the day of the appearance of Sirius/ _Sopdet_ at sunrise. Despite the fact that the Nile may have already begun to rise this date was considered to be the beginning of the season of _Akhet_. In the civil calendar each season is composed of four months, each month is made up of three weeks and each week consisted of ten days. The total number of days in the civil year is 360. At the end of the last month of the civil year five days were added that were considered to be independent from the year. These were viewed as the days in the year on which several gods were born, primarily because they were outside of the mundane civil calendar and thus of a spiritual nature. These were termed 'the Days Upon the Year;' however, Egyptologists refer to them as the epagomenal days.

It is important to mention here that the actual stellar solar/year is 365 1/4 days. Due to the additional quarter day that this event accrues each year, it isn't hard to see that the civil calendar soon would move out of sync with the actual rising of Sirius. This wasn't too important to the ancient Egyptians; as pointed out earlier the civil calendar was largely used for managerial purposes. It wasn't until 239 B.C.E. that Ptolemy III Euergetes issued a decree making every fourth year a leap year with the addition of a sixth epagomenal day that an attempt was made to keep the civil calendar in line with the natural Sirius cycle.

In computing the civil calendar for our current era I prefer to use the 'ideal' model of always beginning with the actual appearance of Sirius on the horizon at sunrise. This practice means that approximately once every four years a sixth Day Upon the Year has to be added to that year's calendar (just as had been done in the time of the Ptolemy's). To make sure that the accurate date is being followed, I suggest the use of a good astronomical computer program to determine the exact moment of Sirius' appearance for your location.

Initially there were no names for the civil months; eventually though, names were developed, the majority of which were derived from those used in the older lunar calendar. To avoid confusion oftentimes only the number of the month in a season would be used when referring to the civil calendar. When referring to civil dates these were frequently written as the number of the month in the season, followed by the season's name and then the number of the day in the month.

For the practicing magician the civil calendar can be an important tool that helps to regulate material/mundane affairs. As such in our temple we use this calendar to prepare for, and gauge the progress and the material success of projects that we are involved in. This is not unlike the preparation, growth and harvest of the crops that occurred in Ancient Egypt, except that rather than tilling the land as our ancestors did, we are tilling the material environment created by our current era and culture. In both cases the result is the same; a prosperous material harvest that satisfies our physical needs so that we may devote ourselves to spiritual pursuits. On the other hand, the lunar calendar is oriented toward the spiritual side of life. It is for this reason that when working on matters of an esoteric nature the priesthood of Akhet Hwt-Hrw align these with the lunar calendar and its festivals, for the moon has always been a symbol of intuition, psychic perception and spiritual insight. Both the civil and lunar calendars work well together as they fulfill the requirements of both aspects of our nature; our material needs and spiritual essence.

Footnotes

1. Parker 1978.708

2. Parker 1978.708

3. Parker 1978.708

4. Roberts 1995, Lesko 1999

5. Parker 1978.707

6. Parker 1950.32

7. Parker 1950.32

8. Krupp 1983.21-22

9. Parker 1978.708

10. As derived by the research of Dr. Parker and Dr. Krupp.

Works Cited

Krupp, E.C. _Echoes of the Ancient Skies_. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.

Parker, Richard A. _The Calendars of Ancient Egypt_. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, 1950.

__________. "Egyptian Astronomy, Astrology and Calendrical Reckoning." Dictionary _of Scientific Biography, Vol. XV, Suppl. I_. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1978, pp. 706-727.

Roberts, Alison. _Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt_. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, 1997.

**The Spiritual Dimension of Time:**

Ancient Egyptian teachings on Time & Space

This article first appeared in Cup of Wonder, Issue Eight, 2004.

One of the most interesting and important concepts of Ancient Egyptian spiritual thought revolves around the understanding of time. For it is within this view that we find the answer to how the Gods, the Neteru, can reach across countless millennia to be as vibrant and effective in our lives today as they were in those of the Ancient Priesthood.

Twenty-first century western culture largely perceives as flowing in a linear path from the unknown future, to the present and into the past. We tend to view 'entirety' as finite or bounded. Egyptologist Dr. Jan Assmann explains that this modern conception of time arose from 'Greek ontology and Christian dogmatics' resting on 'the systems in Western languages, which express the notions of past, present and future' (1). The Egyptian priesthood however regarded entirety as limitless, complete, full and 'whole.'

In Ancient Egyptian esoteric thought time itself was seen as having two distinct yet vital characteristics. These were expressed with two terms: neheh and djet. Instead of the three linear divisions of past, present and future, Egyptian language divided time into two 'aspects' which can best be understood by our concepts of 'change' and 'completion' or 'perfection' (2).

The concept of neheh is perhaps the closest to the modern perception of time. For essentially neheh was considered to be 'cyclic time'; that is, a view of time flowing in a linear fashion from morning to night, season to season, young to old. And yet this was seen as returning back to a renewed beginning. Dr. Lanny Bell explains that neheh time was understood to be rhythmic with a "regular or periodic return to the original starting point at the completion of each cycle or revolution" (3).

For the Egyptians 'change,' as neheh-time, was exemplified in the Neter Khepri, the Sun-God of the morning in the form of a scarab. Khepri was seen as an 'aspect' or 'representation' of Ra as the 'becoming one' (4). In this regard Dr. Assmann explains:

" _It is often said of neheh-time that it 'comes': it is time as an incessantly pulsating stream of days, months, seasons, and years" (5)._

The conception of djet-time, on the other hand, is best understood when considering the Neter Atum, Tem. Like Khepri, Atum too is considered to be an 'aspect' or 'representation' of Ra. However, instead of the 'becoming one' Atum is the 'completed one' and is personified as the setting Sun. As Dr. George Hart points out, "The name 'Atum', carries the idea of 'totality' in the sense of an ultimate and unalterable state of perfection" (6). In this respect, Atum can be seen representing djet-time, as it is that which 'remains,' 'lasts,' and 'endures.' Dr. Assmann explains that djet time is the "time in which we distinguish the completed, that which has been effected in the stream of neheh-time, which has matured into completion and has changed into a different form of time that will undergo no further change or motion" (7).

As you can see this is very different than our own conception of time. Where we have but one linear vision of time, a view in which time itself 'passes by' from an unknown future into an historical past the Egyptians had two concepts; the cyclic neheh, and the 'completedness' of djet. Djet appears to be a state of wholeness and unalterable perfection.

This latter concept, djet, is completely alien to our modern way of thinking, yet we find references to this condition in virtually every mystical and esoteric system that exists: the state of consciousness when one experiences a sense of 'unity' or 'being one with the moment.' However, the Egyptians don't see this as a transitory state. Rather this was the completion of the process of 'becoming'; a state outside of, yet related to, neheh. As complex as these concepts may at first seem to be they show the level of thought and spiritual awareness that is embodied in Ancient Egyptian spirituality.

The Egyptians had a predilection for expressing entireness in the form of complimentary unions of pairs. From seeing Egypt itself as being the 'two lands' united as one, to the concept of many Gods yet a wholeness to the divinity, to their teachings on time itself, the Egyptians saw complementary opposites united as a whole in their vision of reality, both material and spiritual.

Beyond the examples noted previously in regards to Khepera and Atum, the dual understanding of time is also personified in the Neter Ra as neheh-time and Ausir (Osiris) as djet-time. Once again I would like to turn to Dr. Assmann who explains that Ra is the embodiment of the 'virtuality of neheh':

" _In the endless cycle of his rising and setting, his coming into being and passing away, his death and his birth, he was always in a process of coming, of experiencing flux in the periodic rhythms of pulsating time of day and night, months, seasons, and years. In his person, the temporal category of virtuality assumed a religious intensity of importance and sacredness: as the inexhaustible supply, the immeasurable plenitude of time in contrast to human boundedness, immortality as unceasingness, as 'ever again,' or 'day after day,' as the Egyptians put it." (8)_

Because of Ra and his journey through the heavens each day we see the cycles of time unfolding, evolving and 'becoming.' Yet it is expressed as a cyclic spiral of immortality. This experience of time as unfolding and coming is perhaps the closest conception that the Egyptians had that conforms to modern western thought of time as flowing from the future to the present into the past. Yet the Egyptians saw this as cyclic and evolving, and thus something that can and does return in renewed forms. Time for the Egyptians does not appear to have been conceived of as a linear flow from future into the past, never to occur again.

On the other hand djet time, the experience of time as 'completed,' 'whole,' or 'remaining,' was seen as embodied within the Neter Ausir (Osiris). To quote Dr. Assmann further:

" _Osiris was the god of the djet aspect of time. He could even be called djet, just as he was sometimes referred to as sf, 'yesterday.' 'Yesterday' that endures, in contrast to 'tomorrow' and neheh, the names of the sun god as that which comes and is possible. But Osiris had yet another aspect, so that as god of resultativity, of immortal continuation, he bore the epithet 'Wennefer,' which means literally, 'he who remains matured."_

Dr. Assmann continues:

" _For what could a formulation like 'he who remains matured' mean, other than the imperishable and immutable continuation of that which has been completed in time? . . . Osiris was the god of the dead. An idea of immortality aimed at continuity and endurance took form in his person. He reigned over a temporality - an eternity - in which all that had been completed in the light of the sun and in the temporality of another god remained immutable and imperishable." (9)_

This is an important concept as it shows that through Ra and the experience of neheh-time we become and evolve. In essence we are moving toward a point of completion, maturity, endurance that is personified in Ausir and experienced as djet-time; the state of wholeness, unity and oneness. Dr. Lanny Bell explains that djet-time "refers to the stability of the changeless or timeless realm of Osiris as Lord of the Dead and stresses the coinciding of beginning and end, first and last" (10). The Egyptians made it clear that they felt both neheh and djet were essential to one another. Again Dr. Assmann expresses this well when he discusses Ra and Osiris:

" _They were what they were only in relation to one another. Only the two together yielded reality, and it was only their combined effect that gave rise to the complex of neheh and djet that humankind experienced as 'time': a periodically consummated union of the two aspects, change and completion, from which reality proceeded as a sort of continuity of the life of the cosmos. The Egyptians thus conceived of time as a combination of 'solar time' and 'Osirian time' that had its origin in the active, combined effectiveness of the two gods." (11)_

Egyptian books on the afterlife, particularly the Amduat, Ra and Ausir merge together during Ra's nightly journey in the Sixth Hour - midnight. Here, in the depths of the underworld the Sun god finds his corpse, as Ausir perfected, floating on water from the primordial sea of Nun. As a _ba_ (soul), Ra and Ausir unite as one being. In this state each partakes of the other's essence - neheh and djet time, respectively. From this temporary merging with Ausir, Ra is able to 'reverse' time for himself as well as for other beings cyclic existence (12). He becomes rejuvenated and begins his journey to rebirth at dawn as Khepera.

Djet time experiences no past or future, rather there only 'is.' Djet time is a mode of existence on a deeper level beyond the temporal world that we as mortal beings normally perceive. It is in this state of djet-time that rejuvenation which leads to renewal and rebirth, both for humanity and the Neteru, occurs. Egyptologist Dr. Erik Hornung expressed this well when he wrote:

" _In temporal terms, too, regeneration is possible only outside the ordered world of creation. In order to be rejuvenated, that is, to reverse the course of time, one must step for a little outside time and see oneself at the beginning of the temporal world, at creation or even in the world before creation, which knows no time." (13)_

Stepping outside of temporal understanding, outside of time as we normally experience it, places us in the state of completion that 'knows no time.' It is there, in the state of djet, that rejuvenation of the self and connection to our true self, our spiritual core, occurs. Perhaps, because of our existence in mortal form in a world bound to the cyclic flow of time expressed in neheh, we may only gain small glimpses of djet. Never-the-less, this experience of oneness and of being in the moment with no boundaries, can and does occur on occasion in ritual, during meditation and in the rare moments of personal revelation that opens one's awareness to a connection with all that is.

Further, the state of djet-time illustrates how it is possible for the Neteru to come to us from across the span of thousands of years in very real and vibrant forms. Rather than functioning solely through cyclic neheh-time, the Neteru appear to function in a dimension in which time and space are not linear. Because djet-time is a state of _no-time_ , _enduring-time_ or _oneness_ the Neteru can affect cyclic time, the temporal time in which we normally function, at will.

The state of djet-time also helps one to understand how the various Neteru may be called upon or communicate with people at any given location at any given time. Even when being invoked at the same time, as with some of the festivals that may be celebrated by several groups of people at various locations. In djet we see that our normal ideas of linear time as a flow from future to past cease to exist. In djet, time 'is' and the Neteru are able to express themselves to us despite the seeming limitations we have imposed by our modern concepts of past, present and future. For them, in djet time, this linear perception of time doesn't exist. This explains how the Neteru are able to manifest to the individual or to groups, no matter one's temporal location, multiple centers of worship or the vast distances of 'perceived' time whether this be from the ancient past or the ceremonies of today. Yet, it is vital to understand that despite this quality the existence of the Neteru, in fact all existence, is not one of 'unchanging endlessness' but rather one of 'constant renewal' (14).

While in physical form we can only occasionally experience djet-time, according to Ancient Egyptian religion those who have passed on to the 'afterlife' exist solely in djet-time. In this way it was felt by the Egyptians that the dead could see the past and know the future all because they live in the 'enduring' time of the djet. While coached in modern terms, perhaps the observations of ceremonial magician Dion Fortune sheds some light on this concept:

" _On the Inner Planes, time and space are modes of consciousness, as modern philosophy is beginning to realize. To consciousness unconditioned by matter, time present is that of which it is conscious; time past is that of which it is not thinking at the moment; and future time is that of which it is unaware. Space likewise is near or far according to its occupancy of the focus or fringe of consciousness." (15)_

This description closely parallels the Egyptian understanding of djet time. For in djet it is only a matter of changing one's focus. Thus, time in the temporal sense merges as one, only differentiating itself by the focus of attention placed by the individual. As Ms. Fortune points out, on the Inner Planes 'what we are thinking of is present, and what we are not thinking of is absent.'

The afterlife was also seen as a period of regeneration and renewal, Ra's journey in the underworld of Ausir exemplifies this state. For here the Sun God returns briefly to the primordial waters of Nun and is made new as he prepares for rebirth. So, too, do the deceased. Dr. Erik Hornung points out that in a Ramessid hymn the dead call out to the Sun God so that they, too, may be rejuvenated through the healing waters of Nun. In this way they " _slough off_ their previous existence, and _put on_ another, as a snake does its skin" (16).

Thus far in our discussion the emphasis has been on the role of the masculine in relation to time. As we saw it was Ra in his three phases of Khepri, Ra and Atum that exemplified Neheh time. In each of these stages in the progression of Ra, it is Hwt-Hrw (the Goddess Hathor) as the embodiment of the divine feminine who is there compelling him, guiding him, encouraging him. As we will see, She is the force that allows this transformation to occur.

At dawn the sky fills with a reddish-pink glow. The Egyptians saw this as the birth of the Sun God from the womb of the sky Goddess, Hwt-Hrw. An ancient hymn describes this maternal connection between these two Neteru:

"Ra the beautiful;

The youthful;

Who is present as the sun-disc,

In the womb of your mother Hwt-Hrw!" (17)

Additionally, throughout the long history of Egypt, and particularly in the New Kingdom the ancient cow goddess Mehet-Weret, whose name means 'Great Flood' (18), was often seen as an aspect of Hwt-Hrw (19). In this aspect she was seen as the embodiment of the primeval waters of Nun (20). In the creation myths it was from these waters that the Sun God was born. So we see that Hwt-Hrw was regarded as the mother of creation, and the mother of Ra.

As the day progresses toward noon the relationship between Ra and Hwt-Hrw changes. While Ra matures into a virile male in the prime of life, Hwt-Hrw too transforms into the Goddess of sensuality and pleasure. In this aspect Ra becomes associated with Amun, as well as Min. Here also, he acquires the title _Kamutef_ , 'Bull-of-His-Mother' (21). It is at noon that Hwt-Hrw becomes Ra's lover. This aspect of Hwt-Hrw is named Nebet Hetepet, meaning: 'Lady of Offering,' 'Lady of Pleasure' as well as 'Lady of the Vulva.' She also carries the title of 'Hand of God' which is a reference to the creation myth in which Atum, the 'Great He/She,' sexually stimulates himself to bring about the birth of the Neteru Shu and Tefnut (22).

The symbolism contained in these motifs is that the divine as one force incorporates both masculine and feminine; the complementary opposites needed to bring about creation. In this regard the 'Hand of God' represents the feminine aspect of divinity stimulating the masculine so that creation can occur. We see this repeated in the texts of Ancient Egypt. For example a New Year ritual text from the temple of Dendera reads:

"Hwt-Hrw flies as a female falcon before the Ennead,

She unites with Ra in the barge,

She is the one who arouses perfection.

She who was with Ra causing creation to happen!" (23)

A further text from Dendera says of Hwt-Hrw:

"She is the Lady of creation at the time of the origin,

The Sovereign of the Neteru!" (24)

So it is at noon that Hwt-Hrw becomes the lover; sensual and erotic; the initiating force who 'arouses perfection'; she who was with Ra 'causing creation to happen.'

Traditionally noon is the hour of 'She-Who-Gladdens' (25), and it is at noon that Ra and Hwt-Hrw mate. From this union she becomes pregnant so that he may be reborn the next day (26)! In this way Ra, under the title of Kamutef _Bull-of-His-Mother_ becomes the 'agent of his own rebirth' brought about by the fertilization of Hwt-Hrw, the mother transformed into the lover (27). It is at noon that the creative forces embodied within Hwt-Hrw and Ra, and expressed through sensuality and sexuality, are at their most abundant and vital peak. As a text from the inner sanctuary of Dendera reads:

"Golden One,

Hwt-Hrw,

Who is impregnated with life,

Who is impregnated with perfection!" (28)

Here Hwt-Hrw is seen both as mother and lover, as such she not only 'protects the hawk-god' in her womb, she becomes his consort. Because of the tremendous attraction and affection between these two Neteru Hwt-Hrw continues to call to Ra, leading ahead of him as he grows older in his daily journey.

"The sky is clear, Sopdet lives!

She comes clad in Her brilliance!

Radiantly, above Her Father's forehead, the Golden One rises;

Her Mysterious form occupies the bow of His solar boat" (29).

This text from the New Year festival portrays Hwt-Hrw as Sopdet, the star Sirius. We now find her as the serpent upon his forehead as well as leading the bow of the solar barge. As Alison Roberts explains:

" _Re's great love for Hathor inspires him to cross the sky each day, for it is her attraction which is the power motivating the circuit of the sun." (30)_

As the day progresses Hwt-Hrw changes yet again, this time into the daughter who's youth balances the searing heat from afternoon sun. In this respect she now becomes the 'Eye of Ra'; the protective daughter in the form of both a cobra on his brow and as the lioness Goddess Sekhmet. She is the power that defends Ra against all enemies and forces that challenge divine order. As such, in Her form as Sekhmet, the daughter of Ra, She is both respected and feared by all including the other Neteru (31). It is in this form that the Goddess's fury almost destroys all of humanity. This destruction is avoided through the help of Ra. Yet the daughter's ability to defend should never be underestimated:

"She is the Uraeus,

Appearing in Iunet in the form of the one who's faces are numerous,

Powerful against the enemies, scorching the rebels,

Burning the enemies with Her breath,

Hwt-Hrw is the Great Flame,

The One whom no one can approach until Her majesty is appeased!" (32)

As the daughter Hwt-Hrw now greets Ra in the west. He has grown older, having become Atum, the 'completed one.' The daughter now guides the Sun God into the arms of the mother once again. As the sun sinks below the western horizon he enters the womb of the Goddess where he is rejuvenated and prepared for rebirth.

After considering the concepts described in this article, a rather enigmatic inscription found within the birth house of Dendera takes on a new meaning:

"Come in peace, Lord of the Gods;

Gladden the abode of life with a pleasant breeze . . .

Your daughter is pregnant;

She has fulfilled the time of Her pregnancy;

Her eyes look to your coming."

In this simple text we see all three phases of Hwt-Hrw represented through her relationship to Ra, 'Lord of the Gods.' We see that Hwt-Hrw is at once Ra's daughter, yet she is pregnant showing that she was his lover as well. And, the fact that she looks forward to his birth shows that she is also his mother! This text shows the cycle of growth and rebirth in clear terms. Yet it also shows that the feminine is the crucial component behind this. She is the vehicle for life, the cause of existence. Yet she always is there.

Unlike Ra who is born, blossoms into adulthood, eventually grows old, enters death, and is prepared for rebirth, Hwt-Hrw remains young and vital. Whether as the mother bringing forth life, the lover conceiving life or the daughter protecting life, the Goddess . . . the feminine remains fresh, exhilarating, and vivacious. While she is intimately involved with the cycles of life, death and rebirth, she is not subject to these herself. In this respect the feminine can be seen as the spiritual force behind the cycle's existent in temporal reality. Perhaps Alison Roberts expressed this best when she wrote:

" _During the ascent, Hathor grows ever younger as she changes from Mother to Beloved to Daughter, which means that the natural female life-cycle is flowing in reverse. She is not moving towards entropy, so to speak, but rather toward ever more vitality and power at the zenith . . . She is the attracting, life-giving force provoking movement and unrest in the male [underline added - KW] . . . Thus, in essence, during ascent, male and female energies are flowing in opposite, though not opposed directions; and like a great wheel the ... goddess continually moves the male through the ascending cycle. Without Hathor, quite simply, there would not be any movement of the Sun." (33)_

Without the feminine aspect of the divine there would be no progression, no meaning to temporal existence. Like the sun, like Ra, we too need Hwt-Hrw. For, as beings evolving in the temporal realm, she calls to us; motivating us through the rites of passage we all must experience. From birth, to adulthood; the ecstasy of love and sexuality through the wisdom that comes with maturity; the transition of death and the preparation for rebirth, it is the feminine, Hwt-Hrw, who is there guiding each of us as we renew the cycles of life and evolve into the true spiritual being that is our destiny.

Having considered the role of Hwt-Hrw and neheh time, it is now time to turn our attention toward Aset (Isis) and djet time. As we saw Ausir (Osiris) is the Neter that best exemplifies djet - time. That which is completed, mature, immutable and imperishable. Yet in this state we get the sense of Ausir as dormant, latent or perhaps complete yet not awake . . . unmoving. As Dr. Assmann had explained, Ausir's title of 'Wennefer' literally means he who 'remains matured'.

However, once again it is the feminine, this time in the form of Aset who is called upon to awaken life. Aset and Nebet Het (Nephthys) together lament the loss of their brother, calling to him to return to his house, to return to his wife so that creation . . . life . . . can be conceived. For it is through the arousal of the creative spark lying dormant in djet that rejuvenation can occur.

As with Hwt-Hrw, Aset too appears to be beyond djet and neheh time, yet intrinsically linked to it. For it is through the attraction of the Goddess . . . through the desire of Aset that the masculine is revived and life can be renewed. She becomes the awakener, calling that which was latent (Ausir) into potency. Without Aset, Ausir remains dormant, holding the potential for vitality yet unable to awaken to new life. It is the attraction of the feminine, Aset, that awakens Ausir. And through their union divinity becomes manifest as Heru (Horus) in the temporal world.

This is why the mysteries of Aset and Ausir came to form such a vital part of Ancient Egyptian religion. For once again we see the themes of the feminine as providing the motivation behind creation. She is the means and essence behind all that is. Perhaps this is why the word 'Aset' also means 'throne'. She is the foundation . . . the seat of all that is.

Dr. Jan Assmann makes an important observation regarding the feminine in relation to our discussion of neheh and djet time. In an examination of the creation myths in which Atum is in the Nun, Atum speaks to his children, the god of air and 'void' Shu and the goddess of moisture Tefnut:

"Then Atum said: Tefnut is my living daughter,

She is together with her brother Shu.

" _Life" is his name, "Ma'at" is her name._

I shall live together with my two children,

Together with my twins,

I being in the middle,

One of them at my back, the other at my belly.

As Life slept with my daughter Ma'at,

I stood upon them, while their arms were around me."

Dr. Assmann makes the following points regarding this text:

" _With a curious emphasis, the speech maintains three things:_

Shu and Tefnut are the children of Atum

Their (actual?) names are Life and Maat

Together with their father Atum, they constitute a distinct, mysterious, and intimate constellation.

Shu and Tefnut are depersonalized into Life and Maat in the sense of cosmogonic principles, and the description of their constellation with their father as 'in front of' and behind,' as well as 'within' and 'without,' makes it clear that they are not a group but a trinity, or better, that the two possibilities are paradoxically to be kept in mind at the same time: Atum, together with his children, Life and Maat - in another passage, the text explains the two children of Atum as neheh, 'plenitude of time,' and djet, 'unchanging endurance' - as the two cosmogonic principles that dominate the All (= Atum)" (34.)

This is significant for here we find these three elements together form the basis of creation. It is significant that the Goddess Tefnut is equated with djet - time. She is that which is unchanging and endures. To quote Dr. Assmann further:

" _The speech [noted above - KW] describes the transition from preexistence to existence, which the Egyptians thought of not as a 'big bang,' but rather an awakening, a coming into conscious person hood of the primeval god who personified the All. United with the energies of Life and Maat (truth, order, justice, cosmic-social harmony), which filled and sustained him, he found the strength to stand up. The text centers on this mysterious moment when being (=life) was originally kindled, so as to clarify the inconceivable: that Shu and Tefnut were always already with Atum, and that this constellation of three deities did not exist from, but before the beginning." (35)_

Deep stuff to be sure, but the point I wanted to show is that the Goddesses, too, are intrinsically linked with the Egyptian understanding of time. In each example we see them either as the motivating force behind and within all that is, arousing and awakening the potential for creation. Also in each case we see that while they help to pull, or call, the cyclic flow of time that is seen in neheh (as represented in Ra's daily journey) they appear to be beyond the influence of neheh. As we saw with Ra and Hwt-Hrw, while he is influenced by neheh growing from young to old, she on the other hand, while also changing, always remains vibrant and creative. In regards to Aset we see that, once again, it is the Goddess's creative vibrance that awakens Ausir as the djet to life and vibrance himself. And, finally in the creation myths, Tefnut becomes djet time - 'unchanging and enduring' as it is Ma'at that allows Atum to awaken emerging from preexistence.

We have only scratched the surface of this one aspect of the Egyptian spiritual tradition. Undoubtedly the myths have multiple meanings, some more veiled than others. However, I want the reader to realize the depth of Ancient Egyptian spiritual thought and to come to understand the incredible significance that the Goddesses play in this esoteric system and in the spiritual nature of time itself.

Footnotes

1. Assmann 2001.74

2. Assmann 2001.74-75

3. Bell 1996.283 (note 10)

4. Hart 1986.108

5. Assmann 2001.75

6. Hart 1986.46

7. Assmann 2001.75

8. Assmann 2001.78

9. Assmann 2001.77-78

10. Bell 1996.283 (note 10)

11. Assmann 2001.78-79

12. Hornung 1999.37, Griffis-Greenberg 2002

13. Hornung 1971, 1982.161

14. Hornung 1971, 1982.160

15. Knight & Fortune, 1999.155

16. Hornung 1971, 1982.161

17. Bleeker 1973.48

18. Hart 1986.118

19. Pinch 1993.175

20. Lurker 1980.80

21. Roberts 1995, 1997.82

22. Pinch 1993.155-156

23. Dendera Texts from the Great Seat, translation Wisner 2001

24. Dendera Texts from the Great Seat, translation Wisner 2001

25. Doll 1980.45

26. Ions 1968.41

27. Roberts 1995, 1997.82

28. Dendera Texts from the Great Seat, translation Wisner 2001

29. Adapted from Dendera texts as reported by Krupp 1991.218 and Krupp 1983.257-258, also Faulkner 1969

30. Roberts 1995, 1997.60

31. Lichteim 1976. Vol. II 184

32. Dendera Texts from the Great Seat, translation Wisner 2001

33. Roberts 1995, 1997.66-67

34. Assmann 2001.178-179

35. Assmann 2001.179

Works Cited

Assmann, Jan. _The Search for God in Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 2001. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

Bell, Lanny. "The New Kingdom 'Divine' Temple: The Example of Luxor". _Temples of Ancient Egypt._ Copyright 1997. Pages 127 - 184. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

Bleeker, C.J. _Hathor and Thoth: Two Key Figures of the Ancient Egyptian Religion_. Copyright 1973. E.J. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands.

Clark, R.T. Rundle. _Myth and Symbol In Ancient Egypt_. London, Great Britain: Thames and Hudson Ltd, 1959.

Doll, Susan K. "The Day Hour Texts on the Sarcophagi of Anlamani and Aspelta." _Studies in Ancient Egypt, The Aegean, and The Sudan_. Copyright 1981. Museum of Fine Arts. Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Hart, George. _A Dictionary Of Egyptian Gods And Goddesses_. London, Great Britain: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986.

Hornung, Erik. _Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many_. Copyright 1982. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

__________. _The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Afterlife_. Copyright 1999. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

Ions, Veronica. _Egyptian Mythology_. Copyright 1968. The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. Printed in Italy.

Knight, Gareth & Dion Fortune. _Principles of Hermetic Philosophy_. Copyright 1999. Thoth Publications. Loughborough, England.

Krupp, E.C. _Echoes of the Ancient Skies_. Copyright 1983. Harper & Row. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.

__________. _Beyond the Blue Horizon_. Copyright 1991. Harper & Row, Publishers. New York, New York, U.S.A.

Lichtheim, Miriam. _Ancient Egyptian Literature_ _Vol. I & II_. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1973 & 1976.

Lurker, Manfred. _An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt_. London, Great Britain: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1980.

Pinch, Geraldine. _Votive Offerings To Hathor_. Oxford, Great Britain: Griffith Institute, 1993.

__________. _Magic In Ancient Egypt_. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1994.

Roberts, Alison. _Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt_. Rochester, VT, U.S.A.: Inner Traditions International, 1997.

Wisner, Kerry. _Eye of the Sun: The Sacred Legacy of Ancient Egypt_. Copyright 2000. Hwt-Hrw Publications. Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.A.

__________. _Mdw Hwt-Hrw: Reconstructions of Religious Rituals from Ancient Egypt, Vol. I._ Copyright 2001. Hwt-Hrw Publications. Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.A.

###

**About the Author**

Kerry Wisner has had a life long interest in the magical arts with involvement in three distinct, yet complimentary traditions in the Western Mysteries. His father, who had studied with an esoteric Mystery School, first introduced Kerry to many different metaphysical concepts as a child. In 1980 Kerry was initiated into a vibrant nature religion which draws heavily from traditional Celtic material as well as the magical practices of Pagan Europe.

In the late 1980's his love of Ancient Egypt caused him to delve deeply into its rich and complex spiritual system. In 1996 Kerry founded Akhet Hwt-Hrw (http://www.Hwt-Hrw.com), an on-line educational resource which draws directly from Egyptian temple inscriptions and academic texts. Akhet Hwt-Hrw actively promotes the practice of Ancient Egyptian religion and magic through books and personal instruction.

In 2005 Kerry was initiated into an active Hermetic Order with strong roots in Greco-Egyptian and Neoplatonic studies. In addition Kerry is a practicing Astrologer, having studied the subject since childhood. He has also been trained and certified as a Hypnotherapist and Forensic Hypnotist through the National Guild of Hypnotists and an accredited law enforcement academy. He is the author of several books and correspondence courses, as well as numerous articles that have appeared in publications nationwide. Today Kerry lives with his wife deep in the New Hampshire woods, off grid in a small cabin. There they continue to practice the Arts, drawing from the rich tapestry of the Western Mystery Tradition.

Please visit his page on Smashwords periodically for updates: <http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KerryWisner>

**Other Publications**

We are busy converting the old Corel files into Word docs for the e-format. In the interim, and through the magic of PDF, we are able to offer the paperback version first. Electronic versions will be offered soon.

   The Pillar of Ra - Ancient Egyptian Festivals for Today

Paperback. 165 pages.

In Ancient Egypt sacred rites were held for the many different festivals throughout the year. Now, in one reference these rituals are presented in a form that is understandable for today's ritualist. Drawn from Ancient Egyptian temple inscriptions and papyrus texts Pillar of Ra presents these festivals with their historical background and an explanation of the religious and magical symbolism involved. Complete ritual instructions for of each festival are given. The Appeasement of the Goddess Sekhmet, the Mysteries of Isis & Osiris, the Navigation of the Goddess, the festival of Neith as Mother of the Gods, the Victory of Horus, the Birth Giving of Isis, the Candlelight Feast of Hathor, and many others are presented. Included with this are the daily salutations to the Sun God Ra. In all more than seventeen festivals are given each with full documentation from ancient texts and recognized academic sources to ensure the authenticity of these reconstructed yet easy to perform rituals.

   Song of Hathor - Ancient Egyptian Rituals for Today

Paperback. 185 pages.

In Ancient Egypt ritual formed the basis for virtually all activity within the temples, yet few people today understand the actual ceremonies and techniques employed by the priesthood. Drawing from ancient temple inscriptions and papyrus texts Song of Hathor presents a concise rendition of many of the most important and secret rites. These include the Daily Rite for invoking the Gods, the Mysteries of Isis and Osiris, the Hennu ritual of Glorifications, the ritual of Opening the Mouth, invocations of the gods into the statues, the use of trance in Egyptian ritual, many practical and easily workable spells drawn directly from Egyptian texts, the False Door and its use in the Opening of the Door of the Sky ceremony, and much more. All rituals are presented in a format that is easy to use and practice, with full documentation showing the ancient texts and recognized academic sources from which they were drawn.

   Eye of the Sun - The Sacred Legacy of Ancient Egypt

Paperback. 180 pages.

Written as a practical guide to the religious and magical teachings of Ancient Egypt this book presents in depth information drawn from ancient temple inscriptions and papyrus texts. Included are detailed descriptions of more than fifty Egyptian gods and goddesses. Temple rites, the presentation of offerings and Ma'at before the gods, how to set up and consecrate your own sacred tools and private temple in accordance with ancient tradition, how to prepare incenses used by the Egyptians and much more are all given in clear detail for those seeking to practice the rituals today. In addition Eye of the Sun examines the two calendar systems which ran concurrently throughout much of Egyptian history. A detailed listing of the names of the days and months, as well as more than 300 sacred festivals are given. Here the reader will also find easy to use instructions for accurately calculating the Egyptian calendar and sacred festivals.
