The Coffin Texts, Book of the two Ways

[Charlotte]

"... perhaps originally composed at Hermopolis, has received so much attention is that, for the first time, it describes cosmography. It was perhaps originally titled, the "Guide to the way of Rosetau" and the ancient Egyptians believed the composition was discovered "under the flanks of Thoth. Rosetau is a term regularly translated by Egyptologists as the Underworld or Neatherworld, which would be misleading in this case. Here, the journey is made through the sky. It takes the deceased on a journey to the Kingdom of Osiris on a route with the sun god, first from east to west along a waterway through the inner sky, and then back from west to east by land through the outer sky (the two ways). Between the two ways was a Lake of Flames, where the ambivalent fire could consume (the damned) but also serve the purpose of regeneration (to those blessed followers of the sun god, Re."

touregypt.net/featurestories/coffintext.htm

To my mind, Rosetau is never the Under- or Neatherworld as per Egyptology, the deceased not a dead person, rather ill at ease on the journey of two ways to the Kingdom of Osiris. Aspiring to the Kingdom of Osiris, the individual encounters a "Lake of Flames" where the fire could consume the insincere or serve the purpose of regeneration. Seems to me the text describes the journey perilous each individual and collective Humanity is traveling for the purpose of regeneration, not only thatt, but the "regeneration of the whole Universe, the noblest cause of all", Mr. Hall taught. The fire is called ambivalent, perhaps doubted by the translator, reminding me of the tunnel leading under the Temple Mount leading to a ritual bath with fire and bathroom, a cleansing, or the Priest consumed by Holy Fire upon finding the entrance to the tunnel, relating to the Ark of the Covenant.

This journey would lead from east to west, even as "the lightening cometh from east to west", so the sun god, and then back from west to east, the beginning if regeneration is attained. The two ways described as the inner sky and land being the outer sky is confusing, to me it simply means we can choose the left or right handed path, described in the following paragraph.

[Fred L]

Not wishing to look dum ...I always thought "to myself" hmm.. that journey east to west then backforth could this be being symbolised in some of the shafts in the gp.
Your so spot on with thinking of Temple Mount Charlotte.

[Charlotte]

Intriguing idea this east-west, west-east symbolized in the airshafts of the GP, indeed the first one I read which my mind didn't x out immediately. A new vista opens up. Thank you. Stated is that the journey was first from east to west "along a waterway", which could be the Milky Way, but it also says "waterway through the inner sky", and since Man is the microcosm, it could be applied to the inner journey we experience. The west back to east journey is "by land through the outer sky", or objective of the two ways. Rebirth occurs in the "Lake of Flames", then we're back on earth again, so to speak. As Don used to say: "Brilliant, those ancient Egyptians. Conventional information, as also with the Ark, the "stories" and "legends" about flames, fires, funeral pyres, firebirds, are briefly mentioned in passing. A commentator of Hamlet's profound passage, "what a piece of work is man", explains that when "a hawk moulted its feathers it was useless and could not be flown". That's dry.

The next paragraph:

"Though not nearly as elaborate as later Kingdom books of the neatherworld, it was meant to depart (impart?) to the deceased the necessary knowledge needed to navigate their way to the afterlife while avoiding the many dangers of their journey. While this guide was not as systematic as, for example, the later Book of Gates, it nevertheless provided warnings and a schematic plan making it the first real guide to the afterlife."

Here, seeing the afterlife as being "born a second time", there is no systematic guide, one fits all direction home - like a rolling stone....

The following, if the deceased is accepted as an individual aspiring to the "region known as Rosetau - at the boundary of the sky", describes the ordeal, considering interpretation however.

"Unlike the later funerary books, the Book of two ways does not begin with the sunset, but rather with the sunrise in the eastern sky. Hence the journey takes place in the sky rather than the underworld. The deceased is faced with many obstacles, such as the threatening guardians at the very gates of the hereafter that must be dealt with before the entering. Other dangers include the "fiery court", which is the circle of fire about the sun. At other times, total darkness followed by walls of flame seem to continuously block the deceased path. In fact, within the very middle of this composition we find a region known as Rosetau, which is "at the boundary of the sky". According to spell 1,080, it is here that the cor[se of Osiris resides in the region locked in complete darkness, as well surrounded by fire. If the deceased can reach this region and gaze upon Osiris, he cannot die. Consistently there are regions that the deceased wishes to reach, but must overcome dangers to do so. Another of these is the field of Offerings (peace, or Hetep), a paradise of abundance, but again the path is full of obstacles, many leading nowhere.

"An important concept found within the Book of Two Ways (spells 1,100 through 1,110) is that of seven gates, each with three guardians. Though primitive, this is obviously an early text that would later evolve into the New Kingdom Books of the Neatherworld such as the Amduat. At these boundaries, the deceased must display his knowledge to the guardians in order to establish their legitimacy to proceed in the afterlife.

"By the center of the last section of this text, we find three boats, all of which may be intended as the solar barque, from which the serpent Apophis must be repelled."

My understanding goes like this: Apophis is chaos, I read, and the three boats are our three-fold nature. Glad there are seven gates as I experienced once that all things come in sevens, and in his Homily, Father Ceko noted the number 7 and then 49. The primitive text evolving into the New Kingdom Books is because the "Overseers" guided the plan, and knowledge of all things is required for the Pearly Gates to open. Here again is the "fiery court", the circle of fire about the "inner sun", and safe to say everyone encounters tremendous obstacles on the way. "Walls of flame" blocking our path, many times we find ourselves in total darkness, but "there is no darkness but ignorance", concluded Shakespeare.

[Fred L]

Now if we could positively date when the gp was built we could look at the funerary texts for that time.

[Charlotte]

That would be great indeed. I believe that the Egyptian funerary texts of whatever time can be, in the greater scheme of things, likened to "the two ways", "The Book of the Dead" transitioning to "The Coming forth by Day".

All I copied from the Coffin Texts thus far has an alchemical stamp. Thank you also for shoring up the ground under my feet by concurring with my understanding of the Ark of the Covenant.

Man's Soul Identified with Both Osiris and With Nature (330)

Whether I live or die I am Osiris,
I enter in and reappear through you,
I decay in you, I grow in you,
I fall down in you, I fall upon my side,
The gods are living in me for I live and grow in the corn
that sustains the Honoured Ones.

I cover the earth, whether I live or die in Barley,
I am not destroyed,
I have entered the Order,
I rely upon the Order,
I become Master of the Order,
I emerge in the Order,
I make my form distinct,
I am the Lord -of the Chennet (Granary of Memphis?)
I have entered into the Order,
I have reached its limits, . . .

[Charlotte]

Don't remember the source I copied this profound passage from, probably the Pyramid Texts.

"Grant me that I may sail down to Tattu like a living soul and up to Abtu like the phoenix, and grant that I may enter in and come forth from the pylons of the lands of the underworld without let or hindrance. May loaves of bread be given unto me in the house of coolness, and offerings of food and drink in Annu (Heliopolis), and a homestead for ever and ever in the Field of Reeds with wheat and barley".

[Fred L]

Indeed from the bod "hymn to Osiris"
magical isn't it.

[Charlotte]

Teaching on ancient Egypt, my Phi Teacher began: "Ancient Egypt was a Magical Civilization, not a Culture".

This becomes quiet obvious just by looking at their paintings and: look what they have built above and underground. The paintings and objects in tombs at the Valley of the Kings left me literally speechless, not that I had anyone to talk too, but a guard took my hand and led me to certain paintings and objects, he didn't say anything either. Unlike the guards and tourist guides about the Giza Plateau, the guards at Upper Egypt seemed to me of a more thoughtful nature, not hastily talking about things generally told by ancient Egyptology. Either the Atmosphere pervading the VoK and the paintings on the stone walls, which they have endless time to contemplate, effects their personality, or they have been there so many years that they're tired of talking. I felt it was the former, at least for the few.

The average, or even educated person, knows practically nothing on the more profound aspects of this Civilization, a shame, really, as TV could be an ideal medium to inform people, for to leave knowledge for future generations was the plan of all the Illuminated did on a stupendous scale, so we don't miss it. What else for?

[Charlotte]

Speaking of magic, the orchestra of the birds at dawn.



Read more of the medical and magical practices of the Egyptians, some ten Papyri to draw from, although sitting in the Kings Chamber and lingering in the tombs of Upper Egypt is in itself magical depending on ones inclination according to ancient axioms.

Another such comes to mind concerning the Priests of Egypt: one can only write truthfully of what one knows, they left abundant material to pick up once we catch the bug. Apparently, there was "no clear demarcation line" separating a Priest from magician. Reminds me of a story Father Ceko told of two men wanting to know whence the beautiful sound behind the successive doors in a Cathedral, said the Priest who helped them fix their car, I can't tell you because you're not Priests.

The gods bestowed magical knowledge and power upon their servants, the Kings.

"To the ordinary mortal magic could be dangerous, and coming into physical contact with the divine deadly. The accidental touching of the royal sceptre even by a sem priest had to be counteracted by the king's spell, and the incident was serious enough to be recorded:

The King of Upper and Lower Egypt Neferikare appeared as King of Lower Egypt on the day of the seizing of the anterior rope of the God's barque. There was the sem priest Rewer before his majesty in his office of sem priest, responsible for the clothing. The ames septre which was in the hand of his majesty, touched the foot of the sem priest Rewer. His majesty said to him: "May you be well!" - thus spoke his majesty."

In some writings, it seems to me that by Upper and Lower Egypt is meant our upper and lower nature (uniting the kingdom). Here, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Neferikare "appeared" as the King of Lower Egypt only, and since they were in Lower Egypt, the mundane world, the Priest Rewer didn't know not to seize the anterior rope of the barque, getting ahead of himself or reaching to high, or touch the ames sceptre. Again, reminiscent of the Ark of the Covenant.

"Amulets were worn by the living and given to the dead to empower and ward off evil. Some mummies had dozens of scarabs packed into their bandages". The Teachings of Merikare:

He (the sun god) created for them magic as a weapon,
to fend of the blows of the happenings.

Scarabs are symbolic for self-generation and rebirth, we wave our arm to fend of blows and happenings, and wear amulets to ward off evil, the latter two reminding me of Marie saying that no matter how profound and mysterious Great Teachings, if we don't bring them into our daily life, what good are they?

[Charlotte]

The intelligence of the Heart

There are vessels in every limb of the body. When some physicians, some sakhmet priest, some magician lays his finger on the head, on the back of the head, on the hands, on the place of the heart, on both arms and both legs, then he will feel the heart, as there are vessels in every limb of the body and it (i.e. the heart) 'speaks' at the beginning of the vessels of all body parts."

Ebers Papyrus

"The more radical cures, like Isis restoring Osiris to life or Khufu's magician Djedy re-attaching cut-off heads belonged strictly to the realms of mythology or fancy."

No, in the spiritual realm, Isis gathered the parts of Osiris, minus one, to give virgin birth to Horus which she could not do on her own. As for Khufu's magician, it would be great if Djedy cut restore the head's of ancient Egyptologists, as they lost it with their at face value interpretations.

[Charlotte]

Hoping it is agreeable with Fred to continue "Is looking back the key to moving forward?" here, to keep it in Egypt. Coming forth by Day is our lives agenda entire so that 'we may know the Universe and come to know its Maker', Hermes tolls.

Wikipedia

Coming forth by Day

Spell 65

For 'coming forth by day' and having power over enemies.

Spell 68

For 'coming forth by day' and ensuring power. Part one reads:

May I have power in my heart, may I have power in my arms, may I have power in my legs, may I have power in my mouth, may I have power in all my members, may I have power over invocation-offerings, may I have power over water ... air ... the waters ... streams ... riparian lands ... men who would harm me ... women who would harm me in the realm of the dead ... those who would give orders to harm me upon earth.

71 For 'coming forth by day'.

76 Enables transformation into any form desired. This is the first of a group of 'transformation spells'. 76-88, which are about giving the deceased power to take a number of different forms, enabling them to travel the world of the living during the day and returning to the underworld at night.

Seems transformation of the "deceased" is necessary before taking on a number of different forms and travel during day because we're all sleeping at night

[Charlotte]

Poetry through the Ages

The Sons of Sapien of Egypt and our Shakespeare

Coffin Text 1031 is spoken by the deceased, who says:

I shall sail right in my bark, I am lord of eternity in the crossing of the sky.
I am not afraid of my limbs, for Hu and Hike overthrow for me that evil being.
I shall see light-land, I shall dwell in it...

Make way for me, that I may see Nun and Amun! For I am that akh who passes by the guards...

I am equipped and effective in opening his portal!
As for any person who knows this spell, he will be like Re in the eastern sky, like Osiris in the netherworld.
He will go down to the circle of fire, without the flame touching him ever.

The immortal Bard

From fairest creatures we
desire increase,

That thereby beauty's rose might
never die.
But as the riper should be time
decease,
His tender heir might bear his
memory:
Be thou, contracted to thine
own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light's flame with
self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where
abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self
too cruel.
Thou that are now the world's
fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy
spring,
Within thine own bud buriest
thy content
And, tender churl, mak'st waste
in niggarding.
Pity the world, or else this
glutton be,
To eat the world's due, by the
grave and thee.

[Charlotte]

There are ca. ten Medical Papyri on the 'health care system' of ancient Egypt. Sometimes I don't know if I just read a passage several times because I like it, or if I posted it, please be charitable.

Wikipedia

Sources and information

"Until the 19th century, the main sources of information about ancient Egyptian medicine were writings from later in antiquity. Homer, c. 800 BC, remarked in the Odyssey: "In Egypt, the men are more skilled in medicine than any of human kind, and the Egyptians were skilled in medicine more than in any other art". The Greek historian Herodotus visited Egypt around 440 BC and wrote extensively of his observations of their medical practices. Pliny the Elder also wrote favorable of them in historical review. Hippocrates ("the father of medicine"), Herophilos, Erasistratus and later Galen studied in the temple of Amenhotep, and acknowledged the contribution of ancient Egyptian medicine to Greek medicine.

"The Edwin Smith Papyrus is a textbook on surgery and details anatomical observations and the "examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis" of numerous ailments. It was probably written around 1600 BC, but is regarded as a copy of several earlier texts. Medical information in it dates from as early as 3000 BC. Imhotep, in the 3rd dynasty is credited as the original author of the papyrus text, and founder of ancient Egyptian medicine."

Who could argue with Homer, and wherefrom are the "several earlier texts?" Surely, Egypt wasn't the earliest Civilization, though the best known to us in the West. I also think that Imhotep is only one name of an and the same enlightened individual, or group of Seers agreeing to write under one name, as was the case with the Shakespeare Gang. I saw a painting in which Imhotep is accompanied by the "angelic Anubis".

[Charlotte]

Heka, the ancient Egyptian magic

"The acquisition of knowledge concerning spiritual beings or the future enhanced a person's control over his destiny. One path to such knowledge was the interpretation of dreams, which was also used for justifying one's action or legitimizing one's power:

In year 1, of his coronation as king ..... his majesty saw a dream by night: two serpents, one upon his right, the other upon his left. Then his majesty awoke, and he found them not. His majesty said: "Wherefore [has] this [come] to me?' Then they answered him, saying: Thine is the Southland; take for thyself also (also) the Northland. The two goddesses shine upon thy brow, the land is given to thee, in its length and its breadth. [No] other divides it with thee."

Stela of Tanutamen, 25th dynasty
James Henry Breasted

Acquiring knowledge concerning spiritual beings, dreams come in handy to tell what cannot be stated directly, for it would be rejected because it cannot be comprehended by the senses. Since serpents are involved, one left, one right, one could think Caduceus of Hermes, or Ida and Pingala to each side of the spine, but here it is the South- and -Northland given to the King, which "no other" divides/shares with him. In this case, it would be the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, not geographically but our natural and spiritual nature which we share with no one as individuals, but with everyone collectively. So in the first sentence, destiny can be justified, but not the guessing of "legitimizing one's power."

Similarly, this legitimizing of power by a King to demonstrate to his people that he yet has enough prowess to rule, we are told by ancient Egyptology, is the purpose of the Heb Sed Festival, a festival of renewal. Reading enough of what the ancient Egyptians themselves say, not interpretation, one can draw such conclusions.

Many an author of the Mysteries avail themselves of dreams as a method to tell of the marvelous, however, a dream of the marvelous can come "out of nowhere", or perhaps surface from the subconscious, just like one can be catapulted into a wondrous Realm one never knew before, by reading something profound, complex creatures that we are.

[Charlotte]

"The power attained through magic could serve many purposes, good or evil. It could be used to manipulate people's behavior or feelings as the many love-spells prove. According to the writings of Pseudo-Callisthenes Nectanebo II used magic to defend his country from outside enemies."

"Whenever he was threatened with invasion by sea or by land he succeeded in destroying the power of his enemies, and in driving them from his coasts or fronties; and this he did by the following means. If the enemy came against him by sea, instead of sending out his sailors to fight them, he retires into a certain chamber, and having brought forth a bowl of water, and then, having made wax figures of the ships and men of the enemy, and also of his own men and ships, he sat them upon the water in the bowl, his men on one side, and those of the enemy on the other.

He then came out, and having put on the cloak of an Egyptian prophet and taken an ebony rod in his hand, he returned into the chamber, and uttering words of power he invoked the gods who help men to work magic, and the winds, and the subterranean demons, which straightway came to his aid. By their means the figures of men in wax sprang into life and began to fight, and the ships of wax began to move likewise; but the figures which represented his own men vanquished those which represented the enemy, and as the figures of the ships and men of the hostile fleet sank through the waters to the bottom of the bowl, even so did the real ships and men sink through the waters to the bottom of the sea.

In this way he succeeded in maintaining his power, and he continued to occupy his kingdom in peace for a considerable time."

The many love-spells can be interpreted "two Ways", a battle on terra firma, or a battle against one's own enemies we are host to. Here, the King came out of a certain chamber cloaked as an Egyptian prophet with an ebony rod, he invoked the gods who help men to work magic, the winds and demons, so my thinking is that Nectanebo II was familiar with the gods of magic and master of the elementals. An Egyptian image of a Magician is described:

Arcane I. The Magus

"The Magus (magician) is standing in an attitude of the will-power about to act; he is dressed in white, the emblem of purety, with a circle of gold around his brow, emblem of eternal light; he holds in the right hand a scepter tipped with a circle, the emblem of creative intelligence. He raised this scepter toard Heaven to indicate his aspiration to wisdom, science and moral force. His left hand points toward the earth to show that he is ready to dominate over matter. In front of him, upon a cube-the image of absolute solidity-are found a cup full of human passions, a sword, the weapon of the braves who fight error, finally a golden pentacle (piece of money), the emblem of the reward granted to voluntary labor. His belt is a snake biting his own tail, the symbol of eternity. The ibis upon the cube typifies vigilance."

[Charlotte]

In all we know about the ancient Egyptians, why would it be surprising that their medical treatments were of the mind, body and Soul, which is gaining in acceptance nowadays by the by. On the other hand, last Sunday on "60 Minutes" a doctor stated that natural conception will some day be replaced by artificial insemination to eliminate genes causing potential illnesses. It was scary.

Reading some of various Papyri, I happened on Fred's quote concerning the "guardian of the anus", in this entry called "shepherd of the anus". What a subject! Meanwhile, I haven't come up on anything say 'wonderfully' interesting, usually associated with "the ancient Egyptians believed......."

Doctors and other healers

"The ancient Egyptians word for doctor is "swnw". The title has a long history. The earliest recorded physician in the world, Hesy-Ra, practiced in Egypt in ancient Egypt. He was "Chief of Dentists and Physician to King Jjoser, who ruled in the 27th century BC. The lady Peseshet (2400) BC) may be the first recorded female doctor: she was possibly the mother of Akhethotep, and on a stela dedicated to her in his tomb she is referred to - as the "Lady overseer of the Lady Physicians.

"There were many ranks and specializations in the field of medicine. Royalty employed their own swnw, even their own spcialists. There were inspectors of doctors, overseers and chief doctors. Known ancient Egyptian specialists are ophthalmologists, gastroenterologists, proctologists, dentists, "doctors who supervised butchers", and an unspecified "inspector of liquids". The ancient Egyptian term for proctologist, neru phuyt, literally translates as "shepherd of the anus". The latter title is already attested around 2200 BC by Irynachet."

Why is the "inspector of liquids" unspecified? Maybe he didn't want his name associated with such an unpleasant activity lol, or it has to do with the "inner waterways", as important to being healthy as the blood.

[Charlotte]

Social Security in Ancient Egypt

"Institution, so called Houses of Life, are known to have been established in ancient Egypt since the 1st Dynasty and may have had medical functions, being at times associated in inscriptions with physicians, such as Peftauawynet and Wedjahorresnet living in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. By the time of the 19th Dynasty their employees enjoyed such benefits as medical insurance, pensions and sick leave."

Houses of Life 'at times' associated with physicians, known is Healing Temples, managed by Divine Healers, and the House of Life, the House of millions of years. Abu Simbel built by the Great Ramses, beloved of Amun, with the Inner Sanctuary, built as "an act of ego, pride, and to honor himself", most Scholars who haven't reached the Inner Sanctuary, think.

Then the Temple of Amenhotep III at Thebes, built in conjunction with his three Sed-festivals. Was he trice reborn? Here is how he describes the complex:

"He did it as his monument for his father Amen, lord of the throne of the two lands, making for him a splendid temple on the right of Thebes, a fortress of eternity out of the good white sandstone - worked with gold throughout. Its floors were purified silver, all its doorways were of electrum..."

That is Magic.

"Magic and religion were an integral part of everyday life in ancient Egypt. Evil and good demons were thought to be responsible for many ailments, so often the treatment involved a supernatural element, such as beginning treatment with an appeal to deity. There does not appear to have existed a clear distinction between what nowadays one would consider the very distinct calling of a priest and physician. The healers, many of them priests of Sekhmet, often used incantation and magic as part of the treatment."

"Most papyri also included a section on incantations and magic spells that would be performed on the patient before, during, and after treatment."

The question is: what was the Magic of the Divine Healers?

[Charlotte]

The Heb Sed or Feast of the Tail, which Amenhotep celebrated 3 times.

Wikipedia (my bold doesn't work)

"The Sed festival, (- also known as Heb Sed or Feast of the Tail) was an ancient Egyptian ceremony that celebrated the continued rule of a pharaoh. The name is taken from the name of an Egyptian wolf god, one of whose names was Wepwawet or Sed.

"The less formal feast name, the Feast of the Tail, is derived from the name of the animal's tail that typically was attached to the back of the pharaoh's garment in the early periods of Egyptian history. This tail might have been the vestige of a previous ceremonial robe made out of a complete animal skin.

"The ancient festival might, perhaps, have been instituted to replace a ritual of murdering a pharaoh who was unable to continue to rule effectively because of age or condition. Eventually, Sed festivals were jubilees celebrated after a ruler had held the throne for thirty years and then every three (or four in one case) years after that. They primarily were held to rejuvenate the pharaoh' strength and stamina while still sitting on the throne, celebrating the continued success of the pharaoh.

"There is clear evidence for early pharaohs celebrating the Heb Sed, such as the first dynasty pharaoh Den and the third dynasty Djoser. In the Pyramid of Djoser there are two boundary stones in his Heb Sed court, which is within his pyramid complex. He also is shown performing the Heb Sed in a false doorway inside his pyramid."

This is interesting, maybe Djoser celebrated his recognition of a false doorway when he saw it, and turned around. After all, Imhotep "was near the head of the King".

The Feast of the Tail, Webwawet being "the opener of the ways", and "he is often depicted as a wolf standing at the prow of a solar boat". A wolf is said to be highly intelligent, cunning and nocturnal. The entry states: "Some interpret that Webwawet was seen as a scout, going to clear routes for the army to proceed forward. One inscription from Sinai states that Webwawet "opens the way" to king Sekhemkhet's victory." I think "some" are wrong, when the way is opened, victory is other as described in the Texts, and what has this to do with the King running around the boundary of his court to prove that he is yet able to rule effectively and successfully, the way it is interpreted. I see it as part of Egypt being a copy of Heaven, "the place where here below are mediated and projected all operations which govern and actuate the heavenly forces", the inner heavenly forces. Wasn't the fortress worked with gold, the floor purified silver, and the doorways of electrum?

[Charlotte]

The "Feast of the Tail", "might, perhaps" replaced the ritual killing of an ineffectual Pharaoh. Why then would they attach an animal tail to the back of his robe, and if it was "a vestige of a previous ceremonial robe made out of a complete animal skin", maybe it was a transference of "something old", akin to building a stone of a previous temple into the next structure. Everything the "Seers" did had a purpose which they left for us to discern, keeping the World busy for 1000s of years. No other Civilization commands so much attention as far as I know, which is very little relative to learned Scholars.

Wepwawet the Wolf

"Wepwawet originally was seen as a wolf diety, thus the Greek name of Lycopolis, meaning city of wolves, and it is likely the case that Webwawet was originally just a symbol of pharaoh, seeking to associate with wolf-like attributes, that later became deified as a mascot to accompany the pharaoh. Likewise, Wepwawet was said to accompany the pharaoh on hunts, in which capacity he was titled (one with) sharp arrow more powerful than the gods."

Pharaoh did not "seek" to associate with wolf-like attributes, he ascribed them to himself to indicate that he possesses acute sense of smell and hearing, keen eyesight enabling him to hunt in the dark, his mind a sharp arrow who does not miss the mark.

Before a Ruler could celebrate his Heb Sed, he had to be 30 years on the throne, implying that he had to gather experience and reach a certain maturity, be of good temperament, qualifying him to be initiated to become "Seers".

"Despite the antiquity of the Sed Festival and the hundreds of references to it throughout the history of ancient Egypt" . . . its reasonable to assume that there were minor festivals as not all Kings are deemed as great as Amenhotep III or Ramses II who were accorded the most lavish Fest.

"Sed festivals implied elaborate temple rituals and included processions, offerings, and such acts of religious devotion as the ceremonial raising of a djed, the base or sacrum of a bovine spine, a phallic symbol representing the strength, "potency and duration of a pharaoh's rule."

The raising of the djed from the base of the spine makes it pretty clear that it was a "Renewal Festival", as it is sometimes called, from the natural Man to a divine King. This secret transformation was celebrated by processions and offerings, and when the King ran "around the ritual boundary markings as part of the Sed festival", it may have been a measure of his seeing, running a round of the cosmos to re-establish Ma'at which understanding has to be within himself firstly. Again, it belongs to the Heavenly forces mediated, projected and actuated here on Earth.

Another clue might be the reign of 30 and 33 years in conjunction with raising the djed as the spine has 33 vertebrae segmented according to curvature.

[Charlotte]

Obviously, it doesn't matter to me if my view of things are all wrong, or half wrong, but is has to be admitted that they are more logical than say that master of fuzzy face value and some more cobbled together interpretation, Herr Frank Dörnenburg, for whom everything about Egypt is crystal clear, such as the 'Dendera light bulbs' which the "text indicate clearly what it is: The morning sky with the rising sun coming from the lotus flower on the solar barge", to which is added by the Gentleman or someone else I forgot, that in the shrine of precious metals and stones, the snake is of iron and persons made of lapis lazuli. If 'they' were mystically minded, they could somewhat grasp what the Egyptians meant to convey. Sorry, couldn't help it

At least 99% of interpretation must be disputed in our growing as a Humanity to get it right is measured, as our John tells that we're pushing the barriers, planting seeds or reaping the fruits of our labor, "some call it magic, the search for the Grail" is what we're engaged in even in the simplest things we say and do. This I believe.

[Charlotte]

Have to add to my criticism on last post, to repeat, "the morning sky with the rising sun coming from the lotus flower on the solar barge." Unless ancient Egyptology believes that the ancient Egyptians "believed" the morning sky with the rising sun came out of a Lotus, it makes no sense whatsoever cause the morning sky and sun does not come out of a Lotus, which properties and scent eludes them.

My Landsman, Herr Dörnenburg suggest more than once to read more current translations of the texts, not Budge et al, schriek, because everything before 1997 "is pure guesswork because of the dialect used in those words". Does a dialect in words make it guesswork, not when contemplating the essence. "Pluck out my meaning" bids Hamlet, lest you have little chance of understanding what is meant.

Herr Dörnenburg explains further:

"The picture show a shrine which was stored in the crypts. And the "bulb" is the "perfection of Harsomtus", which is the morning sky. The snake is the sun, it is carried by the djed to make it eternal, the sky itself is carried by Heh to make it reappear for all eternity."

So here we have it: a snake represented the sun made eternal by the djed carrying it, and Heh carries the sky to make it reappear for all eternity. I don't think the sky ever disappeared for the Seers, or us for that matter, only when they and we are sleeping, and sometimes another sky, sun, people and landscapes appears in dreams which we see by an inner light cause there is no physical light bulb.

www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/denderahlightbulb.html

More information. Looks like the bulb with the snake inside has legs? The following is true depending on how the baboon is interpreted.

"The baboon was apparently a warning that the device could be dangerous if not used correctly."

"However, it is still possible that the priest encoded a deeper meaning in the text and images."

As I see it, not only possible but surely because "there is no record of any electrical devices", so anything other than the "deeper meaning the priest encoded, is guesswork by our down in earth interpreters.

[Charlotte]

Dendera Lightbulb

The wave function of the Serpent

A snake evokes a sort of lowly image, so I prefer serpent who in all myths and legends is in a coherent superposition. Mr. Hill writes in the linked article:

"Some are still unwilling to entirely give up on the idea of the Dendera light bulb. Instead of claiming that the Egyptians used light bulbs under normal conditions, they suggest that the priests performed a ritual which created a small amount of light during the New Year celebration."

This still suggest a sort of material light, whereas Mr. Hall once said that "they" saw by their own light.

"Proponents claim that the reliefs describe a three stage progress; first the "bulb" is supported by a kneeling figure making three "waves" emanate from the serpent, then the "bulb" is supported by a Djed pillar making four "waves" emanate from the serpent, finally the "bulb" is placed against a vertical Djed pillar causing five "waves" to emanate from the serpent's body. The waves are thought to be evidence of a vibratory process increasing in frequency as the scenes progress.

"Another panel shows the bulb opening and the snake standing erect in the centre as a representation of the god Ihy. On the southern wall of the last room, a falcon, preceded by a snake emerges from a lotus blossom within the boat."

Indicating that when "the vibratory process" reached the 5th stage, the light bulb goes on, as we say, the upright serpent causing the bulb to open and a falcon emerges from the lotus blossom. This could only be Horus the Falcon, "the uniter of the two lands - depicted as a serpent, a falcon and as a child", stated in the article, the two ways, our two-fold nature is united, a New Year or Life is celebrated as the child Ihy, a lock on one side of his head and finger to the mouth.

The first stage of the kneeling figure, praying and devotion, once stabilized and enduring, the quintessence can be granted. "Quintessence", states Wikipedia, which the gods breathed, filling the space where they lived, - pure, fresh air or clear sky. Over the years, the term quintessence has become synonymous with elixir, medicinal alchemy, and the philosophers stone itself." In this way, the "light bulbs" make sense to me.

Mr. Hill writes:

"Of course, the myths have nothing to say regarding lightbulbs, and there is no evidence to substantiate their use from Egyptian remains or text."

[Charlotte]

"Thine is the Southland; take for thyself (also) the Northland", the Sages of Egypt bid us and say that the Land is given to us in its length and breadth, and no other shares it with us, suggesting individual striving and development. How long will it take for any of us to declare:

Lo, the god knows me well . . .
He made me rule Black Land and Red Land as reward,
All foreign lands are my subjects,
He places my border at the limits of heaven.

[Charlotte]

Wikipedia

Coffin text 1130 is a speech by the sun god Re, who says:

Hail in peace! I repeat to you the good deeds which my own heart did for me from within the serpent-coil, in order to silence strife...
I made the four winds, that every man might breath in his time...
I made the great inundation, that the humble might benefit by it like the great...
I made every man like his fellow; and I did not command that they do wrong. It is their hearts which disobey what I have said...
I have created gods from my sweat, and the people from the tears of my eye.

The Heart, seat of intelligence for the Egyptians, also for the Orthodox Church.

[Charlotte]

Perhaps this is where the Egyptologist derived the notion that Abu Simbel was built to show the Nubians who is boss in Khem:

The practice of magic

The [magician Horus son of] Paneshe returned [quickly]; he brought his books and his amulets to [where Pharaoh] was. He recited a spell to him and bound an amulet on him, to prevent the sorcerers of the Nubians from gaining power over him. He [went] out from Pharaoh's presence , took his offerings and libations, went on board a boat, and hastened to Khmun. He went to the temple of Knmun, [made his] offerings and his libations before Thoth, the eight-times great, the lord of Knmun, the great god. He made a prayer before him saying: "Turn your face to me, my lord Thoth! Let not the Nubians take the shame of Egypt to the land of Nubia! It is you who [created magic [spells]. It is you who suspended the sky, who founded the earth and the netherworld, who placed the gods with ....... Let me know how to save Pharaoh [from the sorceries of the] Nubians!"

On the other side of the amulet, Nubia is called the land of Gold and Kings of Egypt embarked on expeditions to bring back all sorts of treasures, slaves and life stock, and a Dwarf, if I remember correctly.

[Charlotte]

Hatshepsut:

"I have listened to my father Amun, commanding me to establish for him a Punt in his house, to plant trees of God's land beside his temple, in his garden, just as he commanded."

And:

"Queen Hatsheptut relates on the walls of her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari how she complied with the wish of Amun-Re, her father, to have a grove of myrrh trees "for ointment for the divine limbs."

Officials of Hatshepsut:

Senenmut - the Royal Steward
Hapuseneb (related to the royal family by his mother Ahhotep), he was the Hight Priest of Amun at Thebes, and supervised many royal building projects.
Nehsy, Chancellor (led the expeditions to Punt in year 9).
Inebni, Viceroy of Kush
Thuthmose, treasurer (TT110)
Amenhotep, Chief Steward (TT73)
Useramun, vizier from year 5 onwards.
Djehuty, overseer of the Treasury, nomarch in Herwer (middle Egypt), overseer of the Priests of Thoth in Hermopolis (inscription in his tomb at Dra Abu el-Naga tell of the numerous building works he supervised on behalf of Hatshepsut).
Puyemra, secon priest of Amun.

Never heard of the tomb Dra Abu el-Naga, interesting name.

[Charlotte]

The wording of her father Amun commanding Hatshepsut to establish for him "a Punt" and "plant trees of God's land beside his temple" ... is interesting in that "the word Punt, PNT, in Somali is Buuni" meaning "strong spirit". Moreover, "Punt remains a mystery even today, for we do not know its actual location." The former two quotes suggest that Punt is "God's land", and the Queen is to establish a strong spirit in God's House or Temple. The general idea can also be discerned from other inscriptions, and: "Because of the goods from Punt used by priests and to adorn temples, it was known as a region of God's Land, and considered a personal pleasure garden of the god Amun. A stele in the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty) records a speech delivered by the god Amun, stating:

"Turning my face to sunrise I created a wonder for you, I made the lands of Punt come here to you, with all the fragrant flowers of their lands, to beg your peace and breathe the air you give."

The "goods" from Punt were used by the Priests who, lets say, offered to the people and us to breathe in the scent of the fragrant flowers, which, apparently, the "renowned Egyptologist Donald Redford" inhaled:

"Here and there, in the dark recesses of a shrine or tomb where no plebeian eye could see, the queens cartouche and figure were left intact ... which never vulgar eye would again behold, still conveyed for the king the warmth and awe of a divine presence."

One can read that Hatshepsut declared herself Pharaoh, and: "The Oracle of Amun proclaimed that it was the will of Amun that Hatshepsut be pharaoh, further strengthening her position. She reiterated Amun's support by having these proclamations by the god Amun carved on her monuments."

Hatshepsut had no need "strengthening her position" as ancient Egyptology group-thinks, for the Queen is said to have had a "divine birth", her father Amun saying: "Welcome my sweet daughter, my favorite, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the Pharaoh, taking possession of the Two Lands."

[Charlotte]

Mysterious Punt and Hatshepsut, her noteworthy titles: King's Daughter, King's Sister, God's wife, and King's Great Wife.

Concerning her "divine birth", run of the mill Egyptology explains:

"Hatshepsut still needed to support her claim to rule as king - on the walls of her funerary temple at Deir el Bahri scenes show her divine birth, her father being king of gods, Amun-Re (identified as Tutmosis I). These scenes show Amun-Re on his way to see Ahmose (mother of Hatshepsut)."

The inscription states:

"He made his form like the majesty of this husband, the king Aakheperure [Tutmosis I]. He found Ahmose as she slept, in the beauty of the palace. She waked at the fragrance of the god, which she smelled in the presence of his majesty. He went to her immediately..."

It had to be written for the form-bound mind as a divine birth cannot be put in words.

Amun-Re was not the biological Father of Hatshepsut, but "held the position of transcendental, self-created creator deity "par excellence", her divine Father, who "made his form like the majesty of this husband..." Can't remember the more to this inscription, but think it was Hatshepsut herself being visited by Amun-Re in the form of her husband, as a god can assume any form he deems necessary for a divine event, according to the Priests of the Dark Land who make light of it.

Instead of military pursuits, Hatshepsut turned her attention to trading expeditions, among other places "to the mysterious land of Punt for incense", however, the god Amun says: "I made the lands of Punt come here to you".

My view was constellated when I read a most excellent passage of the Great Work in the BoD/coming forth by Day, Budge p 74, repeating an excerpt:

"The lands of the gods, and the "eastern lands of Punt must be seen before they can be described and before that which is hidden [in thee] may be measured".

"Hatshepsut had an active building programme", restoring sanctuaries and at Karnak "she built to honour Amun-Re ('Her Majesty did this because she loved her father Amun so much, more than all the other gods.... I have done this from a loving heart for my father Amun')..." This shouldn't surprise anyone since Djehuti was over seer of the Treasury, Priest of Thoth in Hermopolis, who supervised "the numerous building works on behalf of Hatshepsut."

[Charlotte]

My thinking is that the Scribe or Scribes who wrote on Punt, utilized the trade expeditions to couch the journey to the lands of the gods, "to explore the waters of inaccessible channels" to reach the Myrrh Terraces of which Hatshepsut claimed: "No one trod the Myrrh Terraces (Punt), which the people knew not: it was heard from mouth to mouth by hearsay of the ancestors." The Egyptians let it be known that all good things came from the "Te Netjer", land of the gods which was their homeland. In time, "why Punt was elevated from reality into mythology is not known but, after the 18th dynasty, the land receded further and further in the mind of the Egyptians until it was lost in legend and folklore." It was lost in legend and folklore for 'the many' of Egypt of the time, if they ever were interested in such things in the first place, and to 'the many' of us, not interested in "the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the king, taking possession of the Two Lands. May she live eternally."

It was the Oracle instructing the Queen to make an expedition to "the New Kingdom", suggesting Punt as the "New Kingdom". There was a role reversal, Hatshepsut masculine and Akhenaton feminine, and in the New Kingdom not of this Earth, these are reconciled. Coming back from Punt, Hatshepsut intimates:

"I have given to thee all lands and all countries, wherein thy heart is glad. I have given to thee all Punt as far as the lands of God's Land .... I have led thy army on water and on land to explore the waters of inaccessible channels, and I have reached the myrrh-terraces (Punt). It is a glorious region of God's land; it is indeed my place of delight."

The Queen who would be King made "the sacred region of God's Land: "I have made it for myself in order to cleanse my spirit", reminding of an unrelated to Hatshepsut passage: "I have entered as a man of no understanding and came forth as a strong spirit". In Somali, I read, the word Punt, PNT, is Buuni = "strong spirit", of the AE is overshadowing the World to this day, no?

And there is the "oldest known instance" of a shipwrecked sailor who tells of his successful mission to Punt, because he was an "excellent follower", whose identity and name is not given, because anyone who travels to Punt could be called an excellent follower. The Sailor is shipwrecked on an Island rich in incense:

"Suddenly I heard a noise as of thunder, which I thought to be that of a wave of the sea. The trees shook, and the earth was moved. I uncovered my face, and I saw that a serpent drew near...[]...his body was overlaid with gold, and his colour as that of true lazuli....[]...it was the prince of the land of Punt..."

Heard this yesterday and thought it fitting the 1001 versions the Egyptians tell and show how to get beyond the Myrrh Terraces.

[Charlotte]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deir_el-Bahari

Deir el-Bahari is pleasing to behold against the steep cliffs, Egyptian Feng Shui

"The focal point of the Deir el-Bahari complex is the Djeser-Djeseru meaning "the Holy of Holies", the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. . . . Djeser-Djeseru sits atop a series of colonnaded terraces, reached by long ramps that once were graced with gardens."

My understanding being that to arrive at the Holy of Holies requires to walk up the colonnaded terraces scented by "all goodly fragrant woods of God's Land, heaps of myrrh resin, with fresh myrrh trees, with ebony and pure ivory, with green gold of Emu, with cinnamon wood, khesyt wood, with two kinds of incense", the Gardens Hatshepsut planted for her Father Amon.

They also brought back "eye-cosmetics, apes, monkeys, dogs, and with skins of the southern panther, with natives and their children", not floraly scented, so I had to keep these separate. In any even: "Never was brought the like of this for any king who has been since the beginning."

"The temple includes an image, shown to the right, of Hatshepsut depicted as male pharaoh giving offerings to Horus, and to their left, an animal skin wound around a tall staff that is the symbol of the god Osiris."

Horus, said to be "the Unitor of the Two Lands", Hatshepsut feminine/masculine. It was the purpose of the Administrators charged with the orderly implementation of the designed, stupendous Plan to instruct Humanity by 'bringing to the king the like never seen since the beginning', as it is worded. I never heard that a tall staff with an animal skin wound around it was a symbol of Osiris, but if it was a Panther skin brought back by a Pharaoh from an expedition to Punt, I read it meant he was a stealthy hunter in this mysterious Land.