January 31, 2012
Posted in Festivals, Netjeru, Pagan Blog Project 2012
at 1:09 pm
by Shefyt
For the Pagan Blog Project‘s Imbolc prompt:
Imbolc was one of my favorite Sabbats, back when I was kinda-sorta Wiccan. Although the beginning of February was generally still cold and wintery, it was the point at which I could always see the lengthening of the days, the hint of a shift in the wind, the very first stirrings of the coming spring. It lifted my heart with the promise of sun and warming earth and flowers.
Happily, there’s a Kemetic festival at just about the same time that ties into that theme well enough that I’ve been able to shift my affections over. This is the Feast of Heryshef, the ram-headed God of Hnes. You could think of Him as something like a syncretism of Atum, Ra, and Wesir, as well as, or alternately, Heru. He’s rather large. He’s also sometimes a son of Bast, and in my own reconstruction He’s included as one of the Seven Arrows of Bast. My personal mythology is that with the sun’s return, Bast awakens/arouses/causes to come into being Heryshef, who is embodied by the freshening spring wind and the kindling energy of the first new growth.
For the His festival, which was yesterday, I got up early to sing and pray and to offer Him incense and cool water, apples and bread. Not at all coincidentally, I’d been hit with the beginning of a new song for Him the day before, so I finished writing that during my commute to work. At lunch I went for a long walk to enjoy the day, and at dinner I offered Him our spinach and artichoke pie. And yesterday morning the sun rose before the end of my commute for the first time this year, the first pale purple snow crocuses were in bloom (unusually early due to the mild winter), and the wind breathed promises through the still-leafless trees, all reminders of His presence. Simple connections — not a day of pomp and ceremony and high ritual, but nonetheless one that was intimately entwined with the God and His mystery.
Dua Heryshef! Nekhtet!
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August 2, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 7:47 am
by Shefyt
Nebt-het’s morning began with soft clouds and the cries of seagulls before the sun burned through in His splendor. The Good Sister, the gentle Gray Lady who welcomes and comforts the dead, enfolding them in Her wings, watches from the Unseen World, smiling Her beautiful, tender smile.
Today the House of Netjer holds its Weshem-ib ceremony, the Testing of the Heart by which those who wish to deepen their connection to the community take their vows of service, or renew vows made in previous years. It’s one of the most mystery-filled rites of the tradition, and thus very appropriate for Nebt-het’s day.
Dua Nebt-het, born of Nut! O Beautiful One, Younger Sister, may You embrace us in our time. May You teach us the mysteries of love and service. Nekhtet!
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August 1, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 7:28 pm
by Shefyt
Aset’s day has been super busy — a lot of time spent with other people, going out for meals, playing games and doing heka, practicing for the short play that we’ll be performing on New Year’s day. It’s been hard to find the time and focus to write something. It’s been a good day, though.
Dua Aset, born of Nut! Great Lady, Yours is the power to stop the sun and to change the world. May we learn to recognize our own power and to make change happen. Nekhtet!
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July 31, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 8:22 am
by Shefyt
The sun rose victorious this morning, burning through the hazy sky on the third of the intercalary days. It’s the birthday of Set, Lord of Storms, who stands at the prow of the sun barque to slay the Uncreated so that Ra can enter the heavens. It can be a day of chaos, but to me it feels like a day of strength and purpose. At least this year, it’s a call to focus one’s whole self upon the work to be done.
The oracle for the year has been posted, and the year belongs to Ptah, God of Creation who spoke the world into being. It’s a year of building upon the foundations that have been set in Zep Tepi. As Aset recounts in the oracle, we all have a choice in our lives: to construct or to cast down. The power of words and actions belongs to every one of us, and like Set’s might it can be turned toward either preservation or destruction.
In about half an hour, the attendees at Retreat will be gathering together to perform a group Senut ritual, led by the Nisut. It’s a rite of affirming our place in the universe, our connections to our Gods and ancestors, to our teachers and community. It’s a good place to begin, centered in our world, purified and ready to go forth in ma’at. Everyone seems eager for this coming year, ready to rise to the challenge and create something positive in their lives, and in the world.
Dua Set, born of Nut! You who split the sky, You are the strongest of all the Gods. May we be strong in ourselves, to build, to strive, and to protect. Nekhtet!
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July 30, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 7:54 am
by Shefyt
No storms actually came through yesterday, and Heru-wer’s birthday, the second of the intercalary days, has dawned sunny and bright. And hot, with a forecast of high humidity, but the early morning was nice. One of my personal rituals at Retreat is to go outside for at least a few minutes in the morning and sing to Bast and the Netjeru — in the parking lot, alas, but at least it’s outside beneath the open sky. It honors the Gods during a time when I’m not doing my regular shrine rite and offerings. And it helps to keep me grounded and centered, especially when I’m going to be spending all day in an air-conditioned, windowless conference room, attending rituals and discussions. I need my downtime, my time off by myself to cool my mind and recharge my social batteries.
As I write this, I’ve just had breakfast in my hotel room, and in a hour or so I’ll be going downstairs to attend today’s priest training session. There are no new W’ab candidates this year, so I expect it’ll all be in-depth discussion and advanced training. I’m looking forward to it.
Dua Heru-wer, born of Nut! O Speckled Falcon, spread Your wings out over us and protect us. You are pure on this day and always. May we be pure as well! Nekhtet!
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July 29, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 8:25 am
by Shefyt
Today is the first of the intercalary days, the five Days upon the Year that stand outside the regular calendar, leading up to the New Year’s celebration of Wep Ronpet. It’s the birthday of Wesir, Lord of the Dead, the slain God who brings forth the greening of the world.
I’m already in Joliet for the House of Netjer’s Wep Ronpet retreat, although the retreat proper doesn’t start for a couple of days. Today, with some of the other early-arriving priests, I’ll be cleaning the temple and running errands to prepare for the festivities and rituals to come.
The skies this morning were cloudy, with the threat of storms on the horizon. It’s been hot and humid in the Chicago area, the air heavy with moisture. The skies may clear, but the heat will probably hold for most of the week. It feels like being in suspension, breathless, waiting for something to stir, waiting for the year to begin and the flood to come.
Dua Wesir, born of Nut! Your death gives us life. May we live, may we live, may we live, may we live. And may You be joyful on Your day. Nekhtet!
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May 14, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 5:11 am
by Shefyt
Last weekend, for the Beautiful Feast of the Valley, a friend and I went to the Willowbrook Arboreteum’s lilac grove, where we left an offering of cinnamon-almond cookies and cool water for the Akhu, our beloved dead. It was a sublimely gorgeous day of bright sun, cool shade, and everywhere the flowers of May in bloom: dogwood, evening primrose, spring beauty, Virginia bluebells, tulips, the very first opening blooms on the cascades of wisteria, and many more, all lifting our hearts in quiet joy.
It’s been a difficult couple of months, but I feel as though things are finally getting back on track for me again. So I give thanks to the Akhu, who have been here before, and to the beautiful Gods, who watch over us always. And thank you to all who have been following along, for your patience, for your presence, for your good thoughts and prayers.
Sweetness of lilacs for you, O my Akhu, and sweetness for the Gods, and may there be sweetness for all those I love.
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March 7, 2011
Posted in Festivals, Netjeru, Uncategorized
at 7:25 pm
by Shefyt
The weekend before last, our local group had a get-together in honor of Nut and Geb. It was shortly after Nut’s birthday and in the general vicinity of Valentine’s Day, so it seemed appropriate to celebrate this divine couple, whose love and desire for each other were so overwhelming that they had to be separated by the god Shu in order for life to come into existence between them. Following in that spirit, the get-together was called “Making Hearts for Nut and Geb”: we created heart amulets in the form of cards (printed with semiprecious stone backgrounds such as lapis or agate and then cut in the shape of the Kemetic heart symbol) and wrote prayers for the well-being of our loved ones inside them before offering them to Geb and Nut. It was a lovely, very peaceful gathering. (Here are a couple more pictures, showing the shrine with our heart amulets and close-ups [1] [2] of some of the hearts.)
This past Saturday was the much-beloved festival of Chewing Onions for Bast (or Onion Day, as we like to call it). Sadly, the scheduling didn’t work out for a group get-together, but I celebrated the festival by going out with my housemate to New Hope, where we fed all of our senses on beautiful crafts and music, and then to Outback Steakhouse for the requisite Bloomin’ Onion. Such a perfect day, filled with freedom and delight — dua Bast!
Since we’re now in a new month (IV Peret, the last month of the season of Growing), I’ve given thanks to Heryshef for His gifts and welcomed in the next set of monthly gods: Wenut, the hare-headed Eye of Ra goddess, and Renenutet, the snake goddess who oversees the fertile fields and the prosperity that comes with the harvest. (To a certain extent, I’m honoring the Eye of Ra goddesses in general this month, but these two are my primary focus.) I’ve had some interaction previously with Wenut, as one of the Seven Arrows of Bast, but Renenutet is entirely new to me, so this should be quite interesting. So far She seems extremely pragmatic, which makes rather a lot of sense. Renenutet is one of the few Names I’ve carried over from the “official” Kemetic gods of the months, as She clicked perfectly for me. (Wadjet is the other exact carry-over, although I also have Hethert-Nut in lieu of Hethert and Ra-Atum in lieu of Ra-Heruakhety. All of my other god/month associations are quite different from the traditional ones.) I’m hoping at some point to write up what all of these various gods mean to me and why I’ve chosen them for these monthly devotions, but it may need to wait until I’ve made it through one full year-cycle.
At any rate, now I seem to be caught up again. Whew!
Hail and praise to You, Nut and Geb, who encircle and encompass us all with Your love.
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February 10, 2011
Posted in Festivals
at 1:00 pm
by Shefyt
So, another month-long lapse in posting here. It’s not that I haven’t been active; it’s just settling in to write that’s been the issue. Which perhaps means I’ve been a little too active in some ways.
In any case, here are a few highlights of what I’ve been up to.
In mid-January, the New York-area House members had a candlelight dinner with Nebt-het and the Akhu. After leaving offerings and making prayers at Nebt-het’s shrine (left), we shared in a potluck feast beneath golden stars inscribed with the names of our beloved dead. What truly made the evening magical, though, was the sharing of stories as each person spoke in turn about the Akhu they wished to honor. There were tears, laughter, and many hugs before the night was through; it was an incredibly moving experience.
At the end of the month, I held a small, personal celebration for the Feast of Heryshef, to honor the Lord of the Two Lands, harbinger of spring and the return of green life to the world. With offerings of food (including some experiments in Egyptian cooking) and song, I praised Him and prayed for support for the people of Egypt in their struggle for freedom. (Clicking on the image at right will bring up a slightly different version — it shows more of the offerings, but I liked how the incense was rising up before His image in this one.)
Also relating to current events, with the other priests of the House I’ve been making special daily prayers to Mut, Mistress of the Two Lands for Her blessing and protection on Egypt during this time of transition. As I write this, things seem to be nearing some critical point (see al-Jazeera’s live blog for details); I hope and pray that peace, justice, truth, and freedom triumph. May the Gods watch over the people of the Two Lands today and always — and judging from this picture of a rare rainbow in Cairo, perhaps they are! Dua Netjer — nekhtet!
Aside from all of that, I’ve been caught up in a tangle of projects, all moving forward, though rather slowly. I’ve achieved the first of my dreams for the year, at least (the bathroom one!), and I’m reaching after the rest. So things are good. And I do hope to be updating here more frequently again.
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December 27, 2010
Posted in Festivals
at 10:14 pm
by Shefyt
Ah, the holidays…the Kemetic holidays, that is. Not that there isn’t a festival on practically every day of the calendar, but at this time of year there’s a whole constellation of popular celebrations that I generally try to acknowledge. Following the House of Netjer’s calendar, there’s the Return of the Wandering Goddess at the solstice, the Procession of Bast and the Festival of Bast Guards the Two Lands both occuring a couple of days later, and tonight, the Establishment of the Celestial Cow, the Descent of the Dove, and the beginning of the Feast of Thanksgiving Offerings. Whew!
The Establishment of the Celestial Cow (fondly known as “Moomas”) celebrates the elevation of Nut into the sky, bearing Ra as the sun between Her horns; the Descent of the Dove honors Aset, who comes down from the stars with quiet grace, bringing blessings. To me, these two holidays speak of cycles of separation and connection — of the retreat of Ra to the sky, the division between heaven and earth, between mythic time and human time, that creates the world we live in today; and the breath of life that crosses all those divisions, the winged inspiration, the divine messenger, Aset Great-of-Magic. Those two movements together form a great dance, rising and falling, departing and returning, a circulation of energy, everchanging in its form.
Tonight I offered curried beef, couscous, milk, and dark chocolate cookies to both Nut and Aset. Nut was rather taken with the heka ornaments that we made for Bast Guards the Two Lands and wanted one for Herself, so She also got my best attempt at a cow. (The Christmas ball does rather resemble a nu pot.)
Aset seemed pleased with the acknowledgment, and as I stood before Her shrine, She said suddenly, Ask for what you wish. It will be given to you. Not something that I was expecting — I don’t tend to have a lot of interaction with Aset, who honestly rather intimidates me. When the Great Magician asks you what you wish for, what do you say? It took a minute or so of hard thinking, but in the end I feel that I made a good decision. Between that and the prayer I placed inside Nut’s heka ornament, I think I’m pretty well set up going into the upcoming new year.
Dua Nut, Mother of the Gods! Dua Aset, Lady of Heaven! Thank You for Your gifts. May You smile upon me now and always.
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