Discover Kemeticism

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Welcome to the Kemetic DIR friends and peace.

The purpose behind the thread is to post information about Kemetic spirituality and different Kemetic sects for anyone's viewing pleasure. My wish is to invite everyone to discover Kemetic Egyptian spirituality.

I also invite Kemetics of any affiliation to share articles, links, book suggestions and anything relevant to Kemetic spirituality.

So come and discover Kemetic religion! I hope the thread is helpful.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Discover Ra, father of the gods, and probably one of the most known deities of the Egyptians.

Ra was a creator god, sometimes viewed as being THE creator god. His worship center was Heliopolis, meaning city of the sun. Myth had it that he had created mankind from his tears hitting the earth, which I personally view as being metaphorical.

Ra was a many faceted god. One of his titles was Great He-She and all goddesses were referred to as eyes of Ra. He was also Ra-Heruakhety the god of the horizon and punisher of evil. Some are more familiar with this form by the name of Aten.

Ra is still important to Kemetics today. He is still our father and father of the gods. He is worshipped through hymns and prayers and he likes Sandalwood incense.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

It is drawing near the Egyptian New Year for Kemetics.

The Egyptian New Year is called Wep Ronpet, a day on which we honor all gods, though it is proceeded by five very important days.

These days are the birthday of Osiris, the birthday of Set, of Heru, of Aset, and the birthday of Nephytys.

These days are remembered with birthday wishes for these gods, offerings, songs, and prayers.

There is also a myth regarding the birth of these gods. In the myth it is put forth that Nut a goddess associated with the sky was with child, but it was foretold to Ra that should the children be born they would surpass him in veneration and honor.

Hearing this Ra forbade Nut to give birth to her children on any of the 360 days of the year. Now it was well known that the god Thoth was wise and a skilled magician. Naturally Nut turned to him for help.

Thoth went to Khonsu, a god over the cycles of the moon and played him in a game of chance. The wager was some of Thoth's magical knowledge for some of the moon's light. Thoth with his wisdom easily won. To many Egyptians this explained why the moon wanes.

Thoth used his magic and fashioned the moonlight he had won into 5 extra days. Each god was born on a different day.

This was also how the Egyptians explained the year having 365 days.

That friends is why we celebrate the five days prior to Wep Ronpet.

[Shuddhasattva]

Hi, I have some questions.

1. How authentic is modern kemeticism? Can we say with certainty that it's representative of the ancient Egyptian religion, or only a modern reinterpretation as in say, druidry? As a corollary to this, are there intact lineages where teachings have flown uninterrupted, down through the ages?

2. What is the practicability? Are there methods, a goal or goals? Does practice result in significantly altered states of consciousness?

Thank you

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Shuddhasattva

Hi, I have some questions.

1. How authentic is modern kemeticism? Can we say with certainty that it's representative of the ancient Egyptian religion, or only a modern reinterpretation as in say, druidry? As a corollary to this, are there intact lineages where teachings have flown uninterrupted, down through the ages?

2. What is the practicability? Are there methods, a goal or goals? Does practice result in significantly altered states of consciousness?

Thank you

I can only speak for the Kemetic organization I belong to on this. I cannot speak on individual Kemetics who might be more free-flowing with their beliefs.

I belong to the Kemetic Orthodox House of Netjer. We do try to do things as near as possible to the ancients, but at the same time this is a living and evolving Faith, as history would show Egyptian spirituality always was. So no we don't do everything exactly as the ancients did.

There are other things too like sacrifices, which we obviously can't do because of blood libel laws.

As for knowing the Egyptians believed and practised these things, yes we can know on much because they kept records. The Egyptians believed records were important and kept more records then many of their neighbours did. A common belief was that records helped keep the spirit of things strong.

I will address your other concerns in another post shortly. This post is running out of words.

(Using a mobile device)

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Now as for the Faith continuing from ancient times in some form, yes it has continued, and not always how one would expect. One way it has continued is religious syncretism. Egyptian Christians and Muslims continue indigenous folk practices such as dumping incense in the Nile, and they know the ancients is where they get these practices.

Another way it has continued is mostly covertly, and mostly in southern Egypt. Those who practice it wouldn't speak much about it for reason of the Islamic government, but those who know call them Nubians.

Now to address spiritual awareness and such. Egyptian religion was all about growing more and more into the spirit. Spirit is everywhere, and in rites and devotion to the gods we are delving into the spirit. Rites are direct contact with the spiritual and a joining of ourselves to the sacred.

Meditation is encouraged and certain hymns can be used during reflection, not unlike mantras. These hymns are of course to the gods, who we view as being of one divine power called Netjer (God). The gods and goddesses are both independent and names of Netjer at the same time.

I hope I was helpful and if I overlooked something please do point it out.

I'm using a mobile device atm

[-Peacemaker-]

Are practicioners of this religion also practicioners of magic?

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Originally Posted by KingOfTheJungle

Are practicioners of this religion also practicioners of magic?

Thank you for your query.

There is no exact Egyptian equivalent for the word magic. There is the concept of Heka. Basically Heka is to speak with authority. Words hold power and do have demonstrable effects on one's environment. We all do Heka at times.

Of course since Heka is part of any rite one may equate it with magic, but that can even be applied to a Christian sacrament, as in the priest evoking God over the Eucharist by the authority of his office.

The Kemetic idea really does mean simply to speak with authority or strongly with feeling.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Good day and welcome all to the Kemetic DIR.

Discover Heru sa Aset, more commonly referred to by his Greek name of Horus, the son of Isis. Horus is the eternal god king of Egypt, the son of Osiris.

By eternal king is meant two things. That Horus has rightfully inherited kingship from his father, and that part of this kingship involves the use of his representatives, the Nisuts.

Horus is the king of the gods, firstly because of lineage and also by and with Ra's blessing. Mythology relates that the first king of the gods was Ra himself, who passed the kingship to Shu, who passed it to Geb.

When Geb and Nut conceived Osiris he was given the kingship. However when Set killed Osiris the kingship was disputed. Osiris and Isis had conceived a son, Horus, and it was eventually determined that he was indeed rightful king.

Horus is the eternal king. His kingship will last forever. The ancients affirmed and we of Kemetic Orthodoxy affirm that Horus rules the spiritual nation of Egypt by his servants the Nisuts. During the coronation of the Nisut a portion of the spirit of Horus passes into the king. This spirit is called the kingly ka.

It is through his servant and representative the Nisut that we in Kemetic Orthodoxy believe Horus rules Kemet, and so will forever.

[Quintessence]

Originally Posted by Old Paths

There is no exact Egyptian equivalent for the word magic. There is the concept of Heka. Basically Heka is to speak with authority. Words hold power and do have demonstrable effects on one's environment. We all do Heka at times.

In my studies, I do remember hearing a few things about the emphasis on the power of words in Egyptian Paganism. I feel like this stems from a specific myth, but I can't for the life of me remember what. Isn't there also an entire book about words of power?

I'll confess I don't have much more than a passing knowledge of the more reconstructionist-style Neopagan practices, so it will be very interesting to get some insights from you! It's my understanding that reconstructionist practices are becoming increasingly popular since roughly the 80s or 90s.