Mortiferia
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- Posted: Mon, 04 Dec 2006 04:43:48 +0000
As far as I know, the idea of ancient Egyptian reconstructionist religion is far less known to the public compared to others, such as Norse, Celtic, Hellenic, etc. Although not WELL-known, they're at least recognized as part of the blossoming Paganism movement in the religious community. An interesting note, though, is that Kemetic Orthodoxy is not usually considered a Pagan religion, although usually grouped with them. KO is considered an African Traditional Religion. Maybe this is the reason for it's obscurity, or maybe it just hasn't gained enough momentum to catch most people's attention.
This may be the current case, but it's growing every day, with more people identifying themselves as Kemetic Reconstructionists. And so, I thought that I'd put up a Q&A for anyone who might be curious. This will be more geared toward one branch of Kemetic religion, Kemetic Orthodoxy.
I want there to be a way for people to learn more about this beautiful and moving religion when so little information seems to exist to the general public. (note: this isn't here to try "converting" people; we don't believe in that. This is for those interested in learning about religions, and for those who are already curious about this faith to learn more.)
But first off, a link to the "official website" of the Kemetic Orthodox faith:
(www.kemet.org)
and an outline of our beliefs, which came from the website(I didn't write any of this, I'm simply posting it here for your convenience):
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Introduction
Kemetic Orthodoxy is a modern practice of the religious tradition of Ancient Egypt (known to its own people as Kemet). This particular practice was founded by Her Holiness Hekatawy I (Tamara L. Siuda) in the late 1980s CE, and is called Kemetic Orthodoxy after the term Kemetic for "of Kemet," Kemet being the ancient name of Egypt; and Orthodox meaning "a sect conforming to established doctrine especially in religion."
Through the foundation of ancient thought and spiritual structure, devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy follow the path their forebears first walked more than 4,000 years ago. Kemetic Orthodoxy is an African Traditional Religion and bears similarity to several other African and African Diaspora religions (such as the West African religions of the Yoruba, Akan, and Dahomeyan peoples and the Afro-Caribbean practices of Vodou, Candomble, and Santeria) as well some of the practices known from ancient northeastern Africa and the ancient Near East. Practicing Kemetic Orthodoxy requires a commitment to preserving the cultural heritage established in the past which Kemetic Orthodoxy continues to represent, even in places and times well removed from its original practice.
The Kemetic Orthodox faith, both in its modern and ancient practice, is a monolatrous religion. Monolatry is a different concept than monotheism, where it is believed God manifests in one form and one form only, nor is it an undifferentiated polytheism, where many gods appear in many separate and distinct forms. Monolatry is a special form of polytheism, having a multi-god structure still providing the possibility of understanding all divine beings as part of one divine source. A monolatrous religion professes one divine force (Netjer in the Kemetic language, meaning "divine power" ) that is in turn comprised of other separate, yet interlinked aspects, like a team can be defined both as one entity (the sum of its parts) and by individual members themselves. The "gods and goddesses" of Ancient Egypt, while clearly differentiated from each other in some respects and not as clearly in others, also each represent an aspect of Netjer, as Its Names (after the practice of recognizing Netjer "in Its Name of..." in ritual invocations). The Names of Netjer are in addition to being individual entities, also representative aspects of the Self-Created One, and are parts of that whole Being. Each Name of Netjer, like the parts of the human body, has differing structure and function, yet each part is required to constitute the entire Person.
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How is Kemetic Orthodoxy practiced?
Kemetic Orthodoxy is divided into three main categories of devotion. First is the formal worship service, comprising the "state" ritual. These practices are perhaps the best known from antiquity due to their preservation in source material and upon the very walls of ancient temples. Changed only very slightly over the millennia, these conservative rites are preserved by the Kemetic Orthodox priesthood as closely to their original practice as possible. Illustrative of these formal rites is the Rite of the House of the Morning, a daily greeting of the sunrise along with invocations and praise to Netjer for a new day. Each sunrise is significant, as a physical and symbolic representation of the eternal reassurance that Ma'at (a central concept of the faith, denoting universal order and "truth" in an absolute sense) have been preserved and that life will continue to exist.
The second category of Kemetic Orthodox worship is "personal piety": the devotional practice of all followers, including priests and laymen. The foundation of the Kemetic Orthodox faith is found in a universal rite called the Senut (Shrine): every devotee, whether congregant or priest, and even the Nisut (AUS) Herself, performs a daily set of prayers in an established household shrine to communicate with and worship Netjer. While this ritual is simple in comparison to the pomp and fanfare of the state rites, it forms the backbone of Kemetic Orthodoxy's entire ritual practice and constitutes its most important sacrament.
The third category of Kemetic Orthodox worship involves ancestral devotion. Akhu, or the blessed dead, are one step closer to Netjer than mortal man. In revering and remembering our ancestors and loved ones who have passed on, they live forever. We leave offerings to our ancestors, and venerate them so that they, in turn, will protect and look kindly upon us.
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The Nisut (AUS): Our link to Netjer
Kemetic Orthodoxy is more than a faith: it is a community, a culture, and a way of life, forged and united under the leadership of one remarkable woman. Her English name is Tamara L. Siuda, though the people of the faith also know her as Her Holiness, Sekhenet-Ma'at-Ra setep-en-Ra Hekatawy I, Nisut-Bityt of the Kemetic Orthodox faith, or simply, affectionately, as Hemet (an ancient word translated either as "majesty" or "sacred incarnation" wink .
Nisut-Bity (or Nisut-bityt in the feminine), sometimes translated as "sovereign (ruler)," literally "(S)he of the Sedge and Bee," is the ancient title of a person sometimes called "Pharaoh": today as in antiquity, the spiritual and cultural leader of the Kemetic nation. Upon coronation, a Nisut is charged with carrying out the will of Netjer (God for the Kemetic people, seen both as one divine force and manifesting at the same time in many forms or Names), and acts as a physical and spiritual bridge between the faithful and Netjer. As the current Nisut-bityt (often shortened to "Nisut" wink , Her Holiness is recognized by the Kemetic Orthodox as the current incarnation of the kingly ka, or the invested spirit of Heru, the Kemetic aspect of divinity incarnate in its spiritual leaders. Upon coronation, our Nisut, believed to be the 196th of the lineage, received Kemetic names charging Her with spiritual responsibility for, and setting the course of Her mission within, the Kemetic Orthodox faith.
That coronation took place in 1996 in Egypt at the traditional places such rituals are conducted, in the ancient ritual forms. However, Her Holiness' coronation was not the beginning, but rather the next step in a lifelong journey of her personal dedication to Netjer's will: her involvement with the religion of ancient Egypt began many years before, in 1988, while earning an undergraduate degree from Mundelein College, one of the last remaining all-women's secondary institutions in the United States. She would enter graduate study a decade later at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, receiving her Master's degree in Egyptology from the University in August 2000. To understand the foundations of this spiritual journey, however, one must look even further back.
As a young girl growing up as part of a Methodist family in the American Midwest, Her Holiness' greatest inspiration was a child in the Bible, Samuel, who submitted his life to serving the Divine with the legendary words: "Here I am, Lord, send me!" These were among the words on the Nisut's lips at bedtime prayers, though she could not have imagined then that the gods answering those prayers would prove to be very different from the ones taught about in Sunday school! Ancient Egypt called to her imagination, to her strong sense of history and tradition, and finally to her innermost heart. She was given a challenge: to revive Kemet's long-forgotten ways and bring them to a new generation of the faithful, helping to return the love and wisdom of ma'at to a modern world sorely in need of it.
Her Holiness encourages devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy to be active in local causes, serve in charitable work and put the principles of their faith into concrete action. She feels it is vital for our faith to be a "good neighbor" wherever it finds itself -- and with active members in almost 30 countries, that's a big neighborhood! Her emphasis on service and faith with action is embodied in her own work as well, from actively supporting the Parliament of World Religions, the United Religions Initiative and other interfaith service projects (such as America Online's Spirituality Forum, and Mary's House, a home for abandoned children with AIDS Florida's Kashi Ashram), to presenting scholarly papers at the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), writing books and offering volunteer assistance at several Chicago museums, to working with spiritual leaders in the religions of Western and Southern Africa including the Ifa tradition of the Yoruba peoples; the traditions of the Akan, Nuba and Dinka; and the sangoma of South Africa). One of Her Holiness' most recent service projects is the Udjat Foundation, a Kemetic Orthodox charitable institution.
More than anything else, Her Holiness teaches a simple message that transcends religious boundaries: every human being, great or small, has a vital role to play in the Divine design. "I was taught that God doesn't make junk," she says. "If you accept that, once you believe you are a hand-crafted, deliberate formation of Netjer's will, loved and cherished from the moment of your making, then you can understand why you are important. Once you believe that everyone else is Netjer's creation as well - then you understand why they are important, and why you must help them in any way you can."
This stance is the foundation of the challenge Her Holiness sets for those who would accept her as a teacher and for the Kemetic Orthodox faith she founded: to embrace one's nature as a child of the Divine, and in doing so, to work to spread ma'at throughout the world. Kemetic Orthodoxy, she stresses, is not an "easy" faith nor does it provide simplistic answers: "Following our faith, or any faith really, requires commitment, along with a willingness to work towards one's goals rather than expect them to come with no effort. The gods and goddesses do answer prayers, but They also expect us to help answer them if that's in our power. They want each and every one of us to take the power They have given for ourselves and our world into our hands, to work with Them to change the world rather than simply wander through life doing what we're told, without being involved on all levels of our journey."
These are potent words from this scholar, teacher and spiritual leader, as she carries her nation of faith and its people forward into a new century and a new world.
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FAQ
Q: What is Kemetic Orthodoxy?
A: Kemetic Orthodoxy is a modern, global religion, reviving the very ancient practices of the traditional, indigenous religion of Kemet. It was founded under the leadership and teaching of our Nisut (AUS), Her Holiness Hekatawy I (Tamara L. Siuda). Kemet is the original name of the country now known as Egypt. Kemet's traditional religion was practiced with small changes to its overall structure over more than 4,000 years, beginning in roughly 4500 BCE (Before Common Era) and without interruption until 500 CE, in the Nile Valley of north Africa. Since Kemetic Orthodoxy's inception in 1989 CE, a number of other denominations of Kemetic-based religion have been founded by independent persons, many of whom who began their spiritual journey with us.
Gradual erosion and the eventual loss of Kemetic language due to invasion and conquest through the last several centuries BCE until the Roman occupation caused a cocooning of the religion until the 18th Century CE, when scholars began to decipher texts and objects pertaining to Kemetic religious practice. Ancient adherents were alternately forcibly converted or willingly embraced other religions, including Christianity and Islam, both of which adopted Kemetic beliefs and practices. It is the understanding of the Kemetic Orthodox through researching religions in and around northern Africa that while portions of Kemetic religion were transmitted into other faiths, the religion practiced in antiquity as a coherent whole was mostly lost until the language in which it was conveyed was recovered. Kemetic Orthodoxy represents a modern revival and is in no way an unbroken transmission from antiquity.
The Kemetic people did not give a name to their religion, as spirituality was part of everyday life in a theocratic society. The closest thing to a name for the faith in Kemetic is shemsu netjer, "to follow Netjer." Netjer, (often spelled in English "Neter" -- see Netjer -- The One God of Ancient Egypt for the origin of our spelling), is a Kemetic word which can be translated either as "power" or as "divinity", the divine power within and yet transcending all creation. It is important to note that "Netjer" is not the name of the Kemetic religion, but of its form of the Divine.
Because Kemetic society predates the "Western" mode of thought that is the basis of most modern religions, it is difficult to explain Kemetic religion within a Western framework. Kemetic Orthodoxy falls between a number of dichotomies Westerners commonly draw in discussing religion. It recognizes that the human intellect is inadequate to comprehend Netjer in Its totality. Netjer is both hidden and unknowable. Yet, how can humans interact with an unknowable being? The Kemetic worldview, in similarity to Eastern systems, finds an interesting way around this limitation; the same workaround expressed in Hinduism: monolatry, or the belief that Netjer manifests in countless expressions -- where Deity is one unknowable power expressed in human terms in subjective, plural manifestations we can commune with and make sense of. There is more than one Name or "face" of Netjer; however, a practitioner prays to the Names one at a time and when working with one particular Name of Netjer understands that Name to be one reflection of Netjer's abstract totality, sometimes referred to as the Self-Created One. This concept of "the one and the many" is worthy of volumes of exposition and has been discussed at length in several books including: Siegfried Morenz's Egyptian Religion and Erik Hornung's aptly-named Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and The Many. It is important to realize that monolatry is not monotheism (one god in one form), nor is it an absolute polytheism (many independent gods in many forms). Monolatry is a special type of polytheism that permits a believer to focus on the divine either as a singularity (Netjer) or in pluralities (the Names), and sometimes both at the same time, without either being more important!
Ancient Kemetic religion and Kemetic Orthodoxy both center entirely upon the concept of Ma'at. Ma'at is both a Netjeret (goddess) and the abstract concept of order, justice, truth, and "what is right". Ma'at can be compared to the ancient Chinese concept of Tao and the Qabalistic understanding of the "machinery of the universe" -- that is to say, Ma'at is order on its most basic level -- that which causes everything to exist and to continue to exist. Ma'at is maintained in the world by the correct actions and personal piety of Her devotees.
Kemetic Orthodoxy is a ritual or cultic religion, as opposed to a revealed or scriptural religion. A revealed religion (such as Christianity, Islam or Judaism) extends from Deity to humans; the Divine speaks directly to Its practitioners via divinely-authored scripture, where the faithful are expected to follow divine instructions given in holy writ. A ritual or cultic religion, on the other hand (such as Shinto, Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Vodou, Ifa, American Indian and other indigenous religions, as well as Kemetic Orthodoxy), maintains that the experience of Deity begins with humans and extends to Deity -- that humans, through correct living, correct actions and the practice of the proper liturgy, hymns and rites, can experience the Divine, Which may or may not speak in the form of scriptures and/or written dogma.
Q: What does Kemetic Orthodoxy have in common with other religions? How does it differ from them?
A: Kemetic Orthodoxy, as discussed above and separately on our definition page, is a revived practice of an ancient religion particular to the Nile Valley of north Africa, generally defined as "ancient Egypt." Kemetic Orthodoxy focuses on liturgy and rites originally practiced through the end of the pharaonic period (roughly 4500 BCE through 30 BCE), with emphasis on the earliest-known sources. What may be surprising is that ancient religion is far from undocumented: there is a wealth of available information surrounding the traditional practice of this faith, and Kemetic Orthodoxy focuses on ancient texts and original rites for its formal or "state" practice, as Kemetic religion is highly traditional and conservative. Personal practices permit a great deal more individualism, but are still generally based on traditional models.
Kemetic Orthodoxy in practice is different from other "Egyptian" or "Kemetic" spiritual organizations based upon New Age or Neo-Pagan models, most significantly in the areas of interaction with Deity, organization of priesthood, and liturgical practice. While Kemetic Orthodoxy might be understood to be a "Pagan" religion in the context of the Roman Catholic Church (i.e., a religion not of Christian or Biblical origins), we do not classify ourselves as Pagan as we neither follow the spiritual teachings of the Holy See, nor do our spiritual practices derive from the practices of spiritual groups which do refer to themselves as Pagan or Neo-Pagan today.
When Netjer interacts with the Kemetic Orthodox within a ritual context, it is very intimate, personal and face-to-face, more often than not in the form of Saq, or oracular, full trance possessions similar to that of other African religions such Ifa, Lukumi and Vodou. This differs strongly from New Age "channelling" or the "drawing down the moon" of Neo-Pagan religions, where a speaker is regarded as the mouthpiece of Deity but remains fully or semi-conscious during the rite, or simply speaks pre-planned words "in the name" of Deity.
Additionally, many New Age and Neo-Pagan paths are religions of priests and priestesses, where each member is considered clergy and all that is required in many cases to become a priest is to declare oneself so. In Kemetic Orthodoxy, in antiquity as today, not all people are called to priesthood nor is priesthood absolutely crucial to spiritual fulfillment. The clergy ordination process in Kemetic Orthodoxy has no accomplishment or degree system either; members of the faith, both clergy and devotee, are granted roles according to vocation and spiritual needs, instead of initiations granted solely for money, knowledge, seniority or work.
In many ways, and especially the manner in which the religion is administered and sacerdotal functions, Kemetic Orthodoxy is much more similar to the Judeo-Christian family of religions than with Neo-Pagan or New Age ones. Kemetic religion had profound influence on the Greeks and Romans, and as observed in other parts of this FAQ, elements of Kemetic religion can be observed within such non-Kemetic contexts as Sufi poetry, Coptic Orthodox liturgy and the Christian conception of "heaven.".
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Kemetic Terms Used by the Kemetic Orthodox
Key to Pronunciation
"w" and "u" sound like "oo" in "soon"
"a" is a "o" or "ah," as in "mop" or "father" (NEVER a short "a" as in "cast." wink
"kh" is a "ch" as in "loch"
"s" is "s" as in "snake, " sometimes "z" as in "zebra"
"tj" is a "ch" as in "cheer"
"o" is a long "oh" as in "total"
"e" is an "e" as in "bet"
"dj" is a "dg" as in "dodge"
' (an apostrophe) signifies a glottal stop (similar to the sound made when saying "ma" and "otter" together quickly)
1) What does "Kemet" mean?
"Kemet" (keh-MET) is the term ancient Egyptians used as the official name of their country. (Sometimes they also called it Ta-mery, or "beloved land." wink Kemet translates as "Black Land", in reference to the fertile banks and fields surrounding the Nile (black from the soil). In contrast, "deshret" is the term for the "Red Land" or the desert (a modern term derived from "deshret" wink that surrounds the fertile "kemet". By using the term Kemet instead of Egypt, we refer to the country by the name its own people called it (Egypt is an English form of the Greek name for this land, Aegyptos, itself derived from Coptic hi(t)-ka(u)-ptah, "the house/temple of the ka of Ptah" wink .
2) What does "Netjer" mean?
"Netjer" (net-CHUR, net-JAIR) is the Kemetic term for God. It is normally used in reference to the Self-Created One -- the source of godhead from which the Names (the Many gods and goddesses) spring forth. You may see Netjer referred to as both Netjer and God in Kemetic Orthodoxy. "God," unless the context is clearly stated to be about another religion, is to be understood to be the same as "Netjer."
Phonetically, Netjer is spelled "nTr" (the capitalized "T" standing for a "tj" sound -- in a fully realized transliteration font, this would be lowercased and underlined). Because not everyone is aware that the "t" with a line under it, or capitalized T in the Manual De Codage system of hieroglyphic transliteration, stands for the "tj" sound and not just a "t" sound, you may see other spellings for Netjer including "neter," "ntr" and even "necher." The Kemetic Orthodox preferred spelling, as provided for us by Nisut (AUS), is Netjer.
When referring to various aspects of Netjer, the "ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses," we call Them "Names", implying that, while a Name is a distinct personality and an individualized god Being, It is also still an aspect of the One Godhead of the Self-Created (e.g., "I worship Ra; He is a Name of Netjer." wink . Less frequently we may also use "Netjeru" ("Gods" wink , the plural of Netjer, or "Netjert" ("Goddess" wink , the feminine of Netjer (e.g., "I am a daughter of the Netjert Aset, but I am beloved of the Netjeru Heru-sa-Aset and Wesir." wink
3) What does "ma'at" mean?
"Ma'at" (mah-'-ot with the ' signifying a glottal stop) doesn't translate adequately into English. The best definition is an amalgam of words, ranging from "truth" to "harmony" to "stability", and the best correlation to Ma'at we can think of outside Kemet is the Taoist understanding of Tao, "The Way". Ma'at is what is right -- what is correct. When your life is in Ma'at, you can feel it.
Ma'at is also a goddess, usually pictured with a white ostrich feather in a band on Her head. She is perhaps one of the most abstract and all-pervasive subjects in Kemetic Orthodoxy, and an intricate part of the concept of Netjer.
4) What is monolatry?
If you looked in your dictionary for the term monolatry and didn't find it, there's a good reason for that. The term has only existed for half a century, having been coined by Erich Winter and Siegfried Morenz in reference to Near Eastern conceptions of God, and applied to ancient Egypt by Erik Hornung, Jan Assmann, and other Egyptologists and students of religion.
Monolatry is the belief that god (as the One) can manifest Itself into other aspects and manifestations (the Many) with Their own personalities and interactions between one another, without ever losing sight of the fact that They all spring forth from the initial One. To abbreviate it to four words: "One godhead, many gods and goddesses." The best example of this is to imagine the Nile and the branches it divides into as it nears the Delta region -- many streams, each having their own name and location, but only one river. Monolatry is a form of polytheism, "many gods," but it also permits for a singular Godhead, so Kemetic religion as a monolatry is a modified or irregular polytheism. Sometimes monolatry is referred to as "henotheism," but as henotheism does not permit a singular Godhead behind many gods, it is not an entirely accurate definition.
5) What does "em hotep" mean?
"Em hotep" (EM ho-TEP) actually has several meanings, but when used as a salutation or parting phrase, it means "In peace". An extended version -- "ii-wy em hotep" -- means "Welcome in peace!" and was one of the most popular greetings in Kemet. "Em hotep" is not to be confused with "Imhotep," "(he)comes in peace," the name of a famous Kemetic ancestor.
6) What does "ankh udja seneb" mean?
Originally, "ankh udja seneb" (ahnkh ood-JAH zen-EB) was a benediction attached to the end of a mention of the royal person or the royal house (similar to "Long live the King!" or the "peace and blessings be upon him!" attached to the name of Mohammed in Islam), and means "Life, prosperity, and health". In the New Kingdom, it became popular as a parting benediction at the end of letters. It is used today in both ways -- in reference to our Nisut, Her Holiness Hekatawy I (ankh udja seneb), and as a farewell phrase ("Well, I'm outta here. Ankh udja seneb!" wink .
When used in connection with the Nisut, this phrase is frequently abbreviated to AUS.
Other Terms:
"Shemsu" (SHEM-soo) is both the plural and singular term for "followers," and today refers to devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy. Anyone who has been divined for a Parent Name and has fully converted to the faith and received a Kemetic name is a Shemsu. When referring to a female follower, the spelling is "Shemset". In antiquity, a Shemsu was in particular a member of the Kemetic court, sworn to serve the nation as a "follower of the royal household."
"Shemsu-Ankh" (SHEM-soo AHNKH) is a Shemsu who has taken special additional vows via an initiation ritual called the Weshem-ib ("testing of the heart" ) Ordeal, to serve, honor and protect Netjer, Her Holiness and the people of Kemetic Orthodoxy. The lay and legal priesthood of Kemetic Orthodoxy are chosen from the body of Shemsu-Ankh.
"Remetj" (rem-ETJ) is a person associated with Kemetic Orthodoxy who has completed the beginners' period and may or may not have been divined for his or her Parent Name, but is interested in practicing other religions or wishes to remain just as a friend or observer, rather than a full convert, to the faith. Remetj is a Kemetic word meaning "royal subjects." Shemsu and Remetj are both welcome and equally respected in Kemetic Orthodoxy.
"Imakhu" (Yih-MAHK-oo) is a title meaning "Revered One"; it is used in Kemetic Orthodoxy in reference to a legally ordained priest or "minister" in the modern sense of the word. Because the majority of the population does not know Kemetic, however, most of our Imakhu also use the title "Reverend" or the abbreviated "Rev."
"Kai-Imakhu" (Kai-Yih-MAHK-oo), "Exalted Reverend" or "Above the Reverends," is an administrative title for a senior Imakhu, charged with not only the welfare of Kemetic Orthodoxy's Shemsu and Remetj, but other Imakhu as well.
"Hem" is another word with several meanings -- from ruler to wife to slave to servant. When used in the format "Hem-(Name of Netjer)", however, it is a title for a priest of that Name (and in this definition means "Servant of (Name of Netjer)" wink . The feminine spelling is "Hemt." Example: "Kai-Imakhu Stephanie Cass is Hemt-Bast (Servant of Bast)."
"Nisut" (nee-SOOT) is a short form of the term "Nisut-bity," Kemetic for "The One in Authority, Bee-king," or "(S)he of the Sedge and the Bee". The sedge plant (a marsh plant) and the bee are the heraldic totems of Upper and Lower Kemet, respectively, and therefore the Nisut is the person who is the land's highest (and, symbolically, only) priest and ruler -- someone you may know better as Pharaoh (an inaccurate Hebrew term derived from the Kemetic name for the Nisut's palace, Per-a'a or "Great House." wink . Kemetic Orthodoxy's current Nisut is Her Holiness Hekatawy I (Tamara L. Siuda) (AUS), Who established the modern faith of Kemetic Orthodoxy and founded the House of Netjer Kemetic Orthodox Temple.
"Per-a'a" (pair-AH-'-AH with the ' signifying a glottal stop) is the Kemetic pronunciation of "Pharaoh." Because of the fairly late appearance of this term, Kemetic Orthodoxy prefers the use of the term "Nisut" over "Per-a'a". Other terms for respect for the Nisut (AUS) are "Hemet" (Majesty), and "Heret" (the Female Heru/Horus).
"henu" (HEN-oo) or "honor gesture" is a Kemetic Orthodox reference to gestures of praise accompanying worship. Two simple examples of henu are the prayer gesture (hands out in front of you, palms up, open, and slightly cupped) and praise or "ka" gesture (arms up and bent at 90 degree angles with palms out).
"ka" (kah) is another word with multiple meanings; its most common meanings are "soul" or "vital energy". The ka is the part of us that composes our personality, our self. We feed our ka in life by living in ma'at and receiving praise for others, and rely on our descendants to feed it with offerings when our khat (physical body) dies. The living Heru is believed to have multiple kas, and some Names are considered the ka of other Names (Hatshepsut's throne name was Ma'at-ka-Ra or "Ma'at is Ra's ka" wink .
"ba" (bah) can also be interpreted as "soul", and there has been confusion as to how the ba differs from the ka. If the ka is the part of us that remains behind after death to aid our descendants and receive aid from them in turn, the ba is the part that continues on after death to either create another ka and reincarnate, or to live in the realm of the Netjeru. The ba represents our eternal, undying essence, unlike the ka, which repersents only the personality of a particular incarnation. Unlike the ka, however, the ba -- being eternal -- does not die if it is not fed. The only time a ba is destroyed is when it is fed to Am-mit. Some Names are considered the ba of other Names (Wesir, for example, is sometimes referred to as the ba of Ra).
"heka" (heh-KAH) is probably best translated as "authoritative speech". As previously mentioned, words are powerful in Kemetic culture and religion; heka is the use of words with intent and meaning and the basis of our liturgies, invocations, and prayers. Kher-heb and Heri-sesheta priests are typically the speakers and writers of official liturgical heka.
For further reading on the subject of heka, see the House's priest FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
"nekhtet" (nekh-TET) or "VICTORY!" The perfect Kemetic word for situations where you feel you have overcome something, or you wish to extend praise to another person or situation that deserves praise; equivalent to the English custom of shouting "Hooray!" Some Kemetic Orthodox liturgies and prayers include the repeating (or shouting) of "Nekhtet!" in a litany.
"senebty" (sen-eb-TEE or zeneb-TEE) is another parting phrase you will see often when you talk to Shemsu or Remetj. It means "may you be healthy" and is an alternative to "farewell" or "goodbye".
"saq" (sahk) or "appearance" is the full possession of a trained priest by the ka of a Name (their Parent) during a state ritual. To say "a priest is in saq" is to say that (s)he is currently possessed by Netjer. Saq is one of the most immediate and profound ritual experiences of Kemetic Orthodoxy.
Links for further research:
-Copy of the "Daily Rite"(not the KO-specific "Senut", but similar):http://www.persekhmet.org/articles/rite.htm
KO member-run websites:
-KO Wikipedia
-Netjeru Comic
-Shrine of a Shemsu
Netjeru specific:
-www.wesir.org
-www.heru-ur.org
-www.per-yinepu.org
-www.seshat.org
-www.bast-mut.org
-The House of Aset
-Per Sutekh
-Temple of Heru
-Per Sebek
Articles on Kemetic Orthodoxy and Kemetic Reconstruction:
-Kemetic Orthodoxy: ancient Egyptian religion on the internet-A research note
Other Temples and Organizations:
Per-Ankh
Akhet Hwt-Hrw
Per-Heh
International Network of Kemetics
Church of the Eternal Source
Nuhati-am-Nutjeru
Ta Noutri french kemetic group
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Any questions will be happily answered, and I'll be adding more information as this thread (hopefully) moves along. I'm also interested in possibly meeting anybody else here following a path of the Kemetic or other reconstructionist religion.
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This may be the current case, but it's growing every day, with more people identifying themselves as Kemetic Reconstructionists. And so, I thought that I'd put up a Q&A for anyone who might be curious. This will be more geared toward one branch of Kemetic religion, Kemetic Orthodoxy.
I want there to be a way for people to learn more about this beautiful and moving religion when so little information seems to exist to the general public. (note: this isn't here to try "converting" people; we don't believe in that. This is for those interested in learning about religions, and for those who are already curious about this faith to learn more.)
But first off, a link to the "official website" of the Kemetic Orthodox faith:
(www.kemet.org)
and an outline of our beliefs, which came from the website(I didn't write any of this, I'm simply posting it here for your convenience):
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Introduction
Kemetic Orthodoxy is a modern practice of the religious tradition of Ancient Egypt (known to its own people as Kemet). This particular practice was founded by Her Holiness Hekatawy I (Tamara L. Siuda) in the late 1980s CE, and is called Kemetic Orthodoxy after the term Kemetic for "of Kemet," Kemet being the ancient name of Egypt; and Orthodox meaning "a sect conforming to established doctrine especially in religion."
Through the foundation of ancient thought and spiritual structure, devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy follow the path their forebears first walked more than 4,000 years ago. Kemetic Orthodoxy is an African Traditional Religion and bears similarity to several other African and African Diaspora religions (such as the West African religions of the Yoruba, Akan, and Dahomeyan peoples and the Afro-Caribbean practices of Vodou, Candomble, and Santeria) as well some of the practices known from ancient northeastern Africa and the ancient Near East. Practicing Kemetic Orthodoxy requires a commitment to preserving the cultural heritage established in the past which Kemetic Orthodoxy continues to represent, even in places and times well removed from its original practice.
The Kemetic Orthodox faith, both in its modern and ancient practice, is a monolatrous religion. Monolatry is a different concept than monotheism, where it is believed God manifests in one form and one form only, nor is it an undifferentiated polytheism, where many gods appear in many separate and distinct forms. Monolatry is a special form of polytheism, having a multi-god structure still providing the possibility of understanding all divine beings as part of one divine source. A monolatrous religion professes one divine force (Netjer in the Kemetic language, meaning "divine power" ) that is in turn comprised of other separate, yet interlinked aspects, like a team can be defined both as one entity (the sum of its parts) and by individual members themselves. The "gods and goddesses" of Ancient Egypt, while clearly differentiated from each other in some respects and not as clearly in others, also each represent an aspect of Netjer, as Its Names (after the practice of recognizing Netjer "in Its Name of..." in ritual invocations). The Names of Netjer are in addition to being individual entities, also representative aspects of the Self-Created One, and are parts of that whole Being. Each Name of Netjer, like the parts of the human body, has differing structure and function, yet each part is required to constitute the entire Person.
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How is Kemetic Orthodoxy practiced?
Kemetic Orthodoxy is divided into three main categories of devotion. First is the formal worship service, comprising the "state" ritual. These practices are perhaps the best known from antiquity due to their preservation in source material and upon the very walls of ancient temples. Changed only very slightly over the millennia, these conservative rites are preserved by the Kemetic Orthodox priesthood as closely to their original practice as possible. Illustrative of these formal rites is the Rite of the House of the Morning, a daily greeting of the sunrise along with invocations and praise to Netjer for a new day. Each sunrise is significant, as a physical and symbolic representation of the eternal reassurance that Ma'at (a central concept of the faith, denoting universal order and "truth" in an absolute sense) have been preserved and that life will continue to exist.
The second category of Kemetic Orthodox worship is "personal piety": the devotional practice of all followers, including priests and laymen. The foundation of the Kemetic Orthodox faith is found in a universal rite called the Senut (Shrine): every devotee, whether congregant or priest, and even the Nisut (AUS) Herself, performs a daily set of prayers in an established household shrine to communicate with and worship Netjer. While this ritual is simple in comparison to the pomp and fanfare of the state rites, it forms the backbone of Kemetic Orthodoxy's entire ritual practice and constitutes its most important sacrament.
The third category of Kemetic Orthodox worship involves ancestral devotion. Akhu, or the blessed dead, are one step closer to Netjer than mortal man. In revering and remembering our ancestors and loved ones who have passed on, they live forever. We leave offerings to our ancestors, and venerate them so that they, in turn, will protect and look kindly upon us.
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The Nisut (AUS): Our link to Netjer
Kemetic Orthodoxy is more than a faith: it is a community, a culture, and a way of life, forged and united under the leadership of one remarkable woman. Her English name is Tamara L. Siuda, though the people of the faith also know her as Her Holiness, Sekhenet-Ma'at-Ra setep-en-Ra Hekatawy I, Nisut-Bityt of the Kemetic Orthodox faith, or simply, affectionately, as Hemet (an ancient word translated either as "majesty" or "sacred incarnation" wink .
Nisut-Bity (or Nisut-bityt in the feminine), sometimes translated as "sovereign (ruler)," literally "(S)he of the Sedge and Bee," is the ancient title of a person sometimes called "Pharaoh": today as in antiquity, the spiritual and cultural leader of the Kemetic nation. Upon coronation, a Nisut is charged with carrying out the will of Netjer (God for the Kemetic people, seen both as one divine force and manifesting at the same time in many forms or Names), and acts as a physical and spiritual bridge between the faithful and Netjer. As the current Nisut-bityt (often shortened to "Nisut" wink , Her Holiness is recognized by the Kemetic Orthodox as the current incarnation of the kingly ka, or the invested spirit of Heru, the Kemetic aspect of divinity incarnate in its spiritual leaders. Upon coronation, our Nisut, believed to be the 196th of the lineage, received Kemetic names charging Her with spiritual responsibility for, and setting the course of Her mission within, the Kemetic Orthodox faith.
That coronation took place in 1996 in Egypt at the traditional places such rituals are conducted, in the ancient ritual forms. However, Her Holiness' coronation was not the beginning, but rather the next step in a lifelong journey of her personal dedication to Netjer's will: her involvement with the religion of ancient Egypt began many years before, in 1988, while earning an undergraduate degree from Mundelein College, one of the last remaining all-women's secondary institutions in the United States. She would enter graduate study a decade later at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, receiving her Master's degree in Egyptology from the University in August 2000. To understand the foundations of this spiritual journey, however, one must look even further back.
As a young girl growing up as part of a Methodist family in the American Midwest, Her Holiness' greatest inspiration was a child in the Bible, Samuel, who submitted his life to serving the Divine with the legendary words: "Here I am, Lord, send me!" These were among the words on the Nisut's lips at bedtime prayers, though she could not have imagined then that the gods answering those prayers would prove to be very different from the ones taught about in Sunday school! Ancient Egypt called to her imagination, to her strong sense of history and tradition, and finally to her innermost heart. She was given a challenge: to revive Kemet's long-forgotten ways and bring them to a new generation of the faithful, helping to return the love and wisdom of ma'at to a modern world sorely in need of it.
Her Holiness encourages devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy to be active in local causes, serve in charitable work and put the principles of their faith into concrete action. She feels it is vital for our faith to be a "good neighbor" wherever it finds itself -- and with active members in almost 30 countries, that's a big neighborhood! Her emphasis on service and faith with action is embodied in her own work as well, from actively supporting the Parliament of World Religions, the United Religions Initiative and other interfaith service projects (such as America Online's Spirituality Forum, and Mary's House, a home for abandoned children with AIDS Florida's Kashi Ashram), to presenting scholarly papers at the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), writing books and offering volunteer assistance at several Chicago museums, to working with spiritual leaders in the religions of Western and Southern Africa including the Ifa tradition of the Yoruba peoples; the traditions of the Akan, Nuba and Dinka; and the sangoma of South Africa). One of Her Holiness' most recent service projects is the Udjat Foundation, a Kemetic Orthodox charitable institution.
More than anything else, Her Holiness teaches a simple message that transcends religious boundaries: every human being, great or small, has a vital role to play in the Divine design. "I was taught that God doesn't make junk," she says. "If you accept that, once you believe you are a hand-crafted, deliberate formation of Netjer's will, loved and cherished from the moment of your making, then you can understand why you are important. Once you believe that everyone else is Netjer's creation as well - then you understand why they are important, and why you must help them in any way you can."
This stance is the foundation of the challenge Her Holiness sets for those who would accept her as a teacher and for the Kemetic Orthodox faith she founded: to embrace one's nature as a child of the Divine, and in doing so, to work to spread ma'at throughout the world. Kemetic Orthodoxy, she stresses, is not an "easy" faith nor does it provide simplistic answers: "Following our faith, or any faith really, requires commitment, along with a willingness to work towards one's goals rather than expect them to come with no effort. The gods and goddesses do answer prayers, but They also expect us to help answer them if that's in our power. They want each and every one of us to take the power They have given for ourselves and our world into our hands, to work with Them to change the world rather than simply wander through life doing what we're told, without being involved on all levels of our journey."
These are potent words from this scholar, teacher and spiritual leader, as she carries her nation of faith and its people forward into a new century and a new world.
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FAQ
Q: What is Kemetic Orthodoxy?
A: Kemetic Orthodoxy is a modern, global religion, reviving the very ancient practices of the traditional, indigenous religion of Kemet. It was founded under the leadership and teaching of our Nisut (AUS), Her Holiness Hekatawy I (Tamara L. Siuda). Kemet is the original name of the country now known as Egypt. Kemet's traditional religion was practiced with small changes to its overall structure over more than 4,000 years, beginning in roughly 4500 BCE (Before Common Era) and without interruption until 500 CE, in the Nile Valley of north Africa. Since Kemetic Orthodoxy's inception in 1989 CE, a number of other denominations of Kemetic-based religion have been founded by independent persons, many of whom who began their spiritual journey with us.
Gradual erosion and the eventual loss of Kemetic language due to invasion and conquest through the last several centuries BCE until the Roman occupation caused a cocooning of the religion until the 18th Century CE, when scholars began to decipher texts and objects pertaining to Kemetic religious practice. Ancient adherents were alternately forcibly converted or willingly embraced other religions, including Christianity and Islam, both of which adopted Kemetic beliefs and practices. It is the understanding of the Kemetic Orthodox through researching religions in and around northern Africa that while portions of Kemetic religion were transmitted into other faiths, the religion practiced in antiquity as a coherent whole was mostly lost until the language in which it was conveyed was recovered. Kemetic Orthodoxy represents a modern revival and is in no way an unbroken transmission from antiquity.
The Kemetic people did not give a name to their religion, as spirituality was part of everyday life in a theocratic society. The closest thing to a name for the faith in Kemetic is shemsu netjer, "to follow Netjer." Netjer, (often spelled in English "Neter" -- see Netjer -- The One God of Ancient Egypt for the origin of our spelling), is a Kemetic word which can be translated either as "power" or as "divinity", the divine power within and yet transcending all creation. It is important to note that "Netjer" is not the name of the Kemetic religion, but of its form of the Divine.
Because Kemetic society predates the "Western" mode of thought that is the basis of most modern religions, it is difficult to explain Kemetic religion within a Western framework. Kemetic Orthodoxy falls between a number of dichotomies Westerners commonly draw in discussing religion. It recognizes that the human intellect is inadequate to comprehend Netjer in Its totality. Netjer is both hidden and unknowable. Yet, how can humans interact with an unknowable being? The Kemetic worldview, in similarity to Eastern systems, finds an interesting way around this limitation; the same workaround expressed in Hinduism: monolatry, or the belief that Netjer manifests in countless expressions -- where Deity is one unknowable power expressed in human terms in subjective, plural manifestations we can commune with and make sense of. There is more than one Name or "face" of Netjer; however, a practitioner prays to the Names one at a time and when working with one particular Name of Netjer understands that Name to be one reflection of Netjer's abstract totality, sometimes referred to as the Self-Created One. This concept of "the one and the many" is worthy of volumes of exposition and has been discussed at length in several books including: Siegfried Morenz's Egyptian Religion and Erik Hornung's aptly-named Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and The Many. It is important to realize that monolatry is not monotheism (one god in one form), nor is it an absolute polytheism (many independent gods in many forms). Monolatry is a special type of polytheism that permits a believer to focus on the divine either as a singularity (Netjer) or in pluralities (the Names), and sometimes both at the same time, without either being more important!
Ancient Kemetic religion and Kemetic Orthodoxy both center entirely upon the concept of Ma'at. Ma'at is both a Netjeret (goddess) and the abstract concept of order, justice, truth, and "what is right". Ma'at can be compared to the ancient Chinese concept of Tao and the Qabalistic understanding of the "machinery of the universe" -- that is to say, Ma'at is order on its most basic level -- that which causes everything to exist and to continue to exist. Ma'at is maintained in the world by the correct actions and personal piety of Her devotees.
Kemetic Orthodoxy is a ritual or cultic religion, as opposed to a revealed or scriptural religion. A revealed religion (such as Christianity, Islam or Judaism) extends from Deity to humans; the Divine speaks directly to Its practitioners via divinely-authored scripture, where the faithful are expected to follow divine instructions given in holy writ. A ritual or cultic religion, on the other hand (such as Shinto, Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Vodou, Ifa, American Indian and other indigenous religions, as well as Kemetic Orthodoxy), maintains that the experience of Deity begins with humans and extends to Deity -- that humans, through correct living, correct actions and the practice of the proper liturgy, hymns and rites, can experience the Divine, Which may or may not speak in the form of scriptures and/or written dogma.
Q: What does Kemetic Orthodoxy have in common with other religions? How does it differ from them?
A: Kemetic Orthodoxy, as discussed above and separately on our definition page, is a revived practice of an ancient religion particular to the Nile Valley of north Africa, generally defined as "ancient Egypt." Kemetic Orthodoxy focuses on liturgy and rites originally practiced through the end of the pharaonic period (roughly 4500 BCE through 30 BCE), with emphasis on the earliest-known sources. What may be surprising is that ancient religion is far from undocumented: there is a wealth of available information surrounding the traditional practice of this faith, and Kemetic Orthodoxy focuses on ancient texts and original rites for its formal or "state" practice, as Kemetic religion is highly traditional and conservative. Personal practices permit a great deal more individualism, but are still generally based on traditional models.
Kemetic Orthodoxy in practice is different from other "Egyptian" or "Kemetic" spiritual organizations based upon New Age or Neo-Pagan models, most significantly in the areas of interaction with Deity, organization of priesthood, and liturgical practice. While Kemetic Orthodoxy might be understood to be a "Pagan" religion in the context of the Roman Catholic Church (i.e., a religion not of Christian or Biblical origins), we do not classify ourselves as Pagan as we neither follow the spiritual teachings of the Holy See, nor do our spiritual practices derive from the practices of spiritual groups which do refer to themselves as Pagan or Neo-Pagan today.
When Netjer interacts with the Kemetic Orthodox within a ritual context, it is very intimate, personal and face-to-face, more often than not in the form of Saq, or oracular, full trance possessions similar to that of other African religions such Ifa, Lukumi and Vodou. This differs strongly from New Age "channelling" or the "drawing down the moon" of Neo-Pagan religions, where a speaker is regarded as the mouthpiece of Deity but remains fully or semi-conscious during the rite, or simply speaks pre-planned words "in the name" of Deity.
Additionally, many New Age and Neo-Pagan paths are religions of priests and priestesses, where each member is considered clergy and all that is required in many cases to become a priest is to declare oneself so. In Kemetic Orthodoxy, in antiquity as today, not all people are called to priesthood nor is priesthood absolutely crucial to spiritual fulfillment. The clergy ordination process in Kemetic Orthodoxy has no accomplishment or degree system either; members of the faith, both clergy and devotee, are granted roles according to vocation and spiritual needs, instead of initiations granted solely for money, knowledge, seniority or work.
In many ways, and especially the manner in which the religion is administered and sacerdotal functions, Kemetic Orthodoxy is much more similar to the Judeo-Christian family of religions than with Neo-Pagan or New Age ones. Kemetic religion had profound influence on the Greeks and Romans, and as observed in other parts of this FAQ, elements of Kemetic religion can be observed within such non-Kemetic contexts as Sufi poetry, Coptic Orthodox liturgy and the Christian conception of "heaven.".
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Kemetic Terms Used by the Kemetic Orthodox
Key to Pronunciation
"w" and "u" sound like "oo" in "soon"
"a" is a "o" or "ah," as in "mop" or "father" (NEVER a short "a" as in "cast." wink
"kh" is a "ch" as in "loch"
"s" is "s" as in "snake, " sometimes "z" as in "zebra"
"tj" is a "ch" as in "cheer"
"o" is a long "oh" as in "total"
"e" is an "e" as in "bet"
"dj" is a "dg" as in "dodge"
' (an apostrophe) signifies a glottal stop (similar to the sound made when saying "ma" and "otter" together quickly)
1) What does "Kemet" mean?
"Kemet" (keh-MET) is the term ancient Egyptians used as the official name of their country. (Sometimes they also called it Ta-mery, or "beloved land." wink Kemet translates as "Black Land", in reference to the fertile banks and fields surrounding the Nile (black from the soil). In contrast, "deshret" is the term for the "Red Land" or the desert (a modern term derived from "deshret" wink that surrounds the fertile "kemet". By using the term Kemet instead of Egypt, we refer to the country by the name its own people called it (Egypt is an English form of the Greek name for this land, Aegyptos, itself derived from Coptic hi(t)-ka(u)-ptah, "the house/temple of the ka of Ptah" wink .
2) What does "Netjer" mean?
"Netjer" (net-CHUR, net-JAIR) is the Kemetic term for God. It is normally used in reference to the Self-Created One -- the source of godhead from which the Names (the Many gods and goddesses) spring forth. You may see Netjer referred to as both Netjer and God in Kemetic Orthodoxy. "God," unless the context is clearly stated to be about another religion, is to be understood to be the same as "Netjer."
Phonetically, Netjer is spelled "nTr" (the capitalized "T" standing for a "tj" sound -- in a fully realized transliteration font, this would be lowercased and underlined). Because not everyone is aware that the "t" with a line under it, or capitalized T in the Manual De Codage system of hieroglyphic transliteration, stands for the "tj" sound and not just a "t" sound, you may see other spellings for Netjer including "neter," "ntr" and even "necher." The Kemetic Orthodox preferred spelling, as provided for us by Nisut (AUS), is Netjer.
When referring to various aspects of Netjer, the "ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses," we call Them "Names", implying that, while a Name is a distinct personality and an individualized god Being, It is also still an aspect of the One Godhead of the Self-Created (e.g., "I worship Ra; He is a Name of Netjer." wink . Less frequently we may also use "Netjeru" ("Gods" wink , the plural of Netjer, or "Netjert" ("Goddess" wink , the feminine of Netjer (e.g., "I am a daughter of the Netjert Aset, but I am beloved of the Netjeru Heru-sa-Aset and Wesir." wink
3) What does "ma'at" mean?
"Ma'at" (mah-'-ot with the ' signifying a glottal stop) doesn't translate adequately into English. The best definition is an amalgam of words, ranging from "truth" to "harmony" to "stability", and the best correlation to Ma'at we can think of outside Kemet is the Taoist understanding of Tao, "The Way". Ma'at is what is right -- what is correct. When your life is in Ma'at, you can feel it.
Ma'at is also a goddess, usually pictured with a white ostrich feather in a band on Her head. She is perhaps one of the most abstract and all-pervasive subjects in Kemetic Orthodoxy, and an intricate part of the concept of Netjer.
4) What is monolatry?
If you looked in your dictionary for the term monolatry and didn't find it, there's a good reason for that. The term has only existed for half a century, having been coined by Erich Winter and Siegfried Morenz in reference to Near Eastern conceptions of God, and applied to ancient Egypt by Erik Hornung, Jan Assmann, and other Egyptologists and students of religion.
Monolatry is the belief that god (as the One) can manifest Itself into other aspects and manifestations (the Many) with Their own personalities and interactions between one another, without ever losing sight of the fact that They all spring forth from the initial One. To abbreviate it to four words: "One godhead, many gods and goddesses." The best example of this is to imagine the Nile and the branches it divides into as it nears the Delta region -- many streams, each having their own name and location, but only one river. Monolatry is a form of polytheism, "many gods," but it also permits for a singular Godhead, so Kemetic religion as a monolatry is a modified or irregular polytheism. Sometimes monolatry is referred to as "henotheism," but as henotheism does not permit a singular Godhead behind many gods, it is not an entirely accurate definition.
5) What does "em hotep" mean?
"Em hotep" (EM ho-TEP) actually has several meanings, but when used as a salutation or parting phrase, it means "In peace". An extended version -- "ii-wy em hotep" -- means "Welcome in peace!" and was one of the most popular greetings in Kemet. "Em hotep" is not to be confused with "Imhotep," "(he)comes in peace," the name of a famous Kemetic ancestor.
6) What does "ankh udja seneb" mean?
Originally, "ankh udja seneb" (ahnkh ood-JAH zen-EB) was a benediction attached to the end of a mention of the royal person or the royal house (similar to "Long live the King!" or the "peace and blessings be upon him!" attached to the name of Mohammed in Islam), and means "Life, prosperity, and health". In the New Kingdom, it became popular as a parting benediction at the end of letters. It is used today in both ways -- in reference to our Nisut, Her Holiness Hekatawy I (ankh udja seneb), and as a farewell phrase ("Well, I'm outta here. Ankh udja seneb!" wink .
When used in connection with the Nisut, this phrase is frequently abbreviated to AUS.
Other Terms:
"Shemsu" (SHEM-soo) is both the plural and singular term for "followers," and today refers to devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy. Anyone who has been divined for a Parent Name and has fully converted to the faith and received a Kemetic name is a Shemsu. When referring to a female follower, the spelling is "Shemset". In antiquity, a Shemsu was in particular a member of the Kemetic court, sworn to serve the nation as a "follower of the royal household."
"Shemsu-Ankh" (SHEM-soo AHNKH) is a Shemsu who has taken special additional vows via an initiation ritual called the Weshem-ib ("testing of the heart" ) Ordeal, to serve, honor and protect Netjer, Her Holiness and the people of Kemetic Orthodoxy. The lay and legal priesthood of Kemetic Orthodoxy are chosen from the body of Shemsu-Ankh.
"Remetj" (rem-ETJ) is a person associated with Kemetic Orthodoxy who has completed the beginners' period and may or may not have been divined for his or her Parent Name, but is interested in practicing other religions or wishes to remain just as a friend or observer, rather than a full convert, to the faith. Remetj is a Kemetic word meaning "royal subjects." Shemsu and Remetj are both welcome and equally respected in Kemetic Orthodoxy.
"Imakhu" (Yih-MAHK-oo) is a title meaning "Revered One"; it is used in Kemetic Orthodoxy in reference to a legally ordained priest or "minister" in the modern sense of the word. Because the majority of the population does not know Kemetic, however, most of our Imakhu also use the title "Reverend" or the abbreviated "Rev."
"Kai-Imakhu" (Kai-Yih-MAHK-oo), "Exalted Reverend" or "Above the Reverends," is an administrative title for a senior Imakhu, charged with not only the welfare of Kemetic Orthodoxy's Shemsu and Remetj, but other Imakhu as well.
"Hem" is another word with several meanings -- from ruler to wife to slave to servant. When used in the format "Hem-(Name of Netjer)", however, it is a title for a priest of that Name (and in this definition means "Servant of (Name of Netjer)" wink . The feminine spelling is "Hemt." Example: "Kai-Imakhu Stephanie Cass is Hemt-Bast (Servant of Bast)."
"Nisut" (nee-SOOT) is a short form of the term "Nisut-bity," Kemetic for "The One in Authority, Bee-king," or "(S)he of the Sedge and the Bee". The sedge plant (a marsh plant) and the bee are the heraldic totems of Upper and Lower Kemet, respectively, and therefore the Nisut is the person who is the land's highest (and, symbolically, only) priest and ruler -- someone you may know better as Pharaoh (an inaccurate Hebrew term derived from the Kemetic name for the Nisut's palace, Per-a'a or "Great House." wink . Kemetic Orthodoxy's current Nisut is Her Holiness Hekatawy I (Tamara L. Siuda) (AUS), Who established the modern faith of Kemetic Orthodoxy and founded the House of Netjer Kemetic Orthodox Temple.
"Per-a'a" (pair-AH-'-AH with the ' signifying a glottal stop) is the Kemetic pronunciation of "Pharaoh." Because of the fairly late appearance of this term, Kemetic Orthodoxy prefers the use of the term "Nisut" over "Per-a'a". Other terms for respect for the Nisut (AUS) are "Hemet" (Majesty), and "Heret" (the Female Heru/Horus).
"henu" (HEN-oo) or "honor gesture" is a Kemetic Orthodox reference to gestures of praise accompanying worship. Two simple examples of henu are the prayer gesture (hands out in front of you, palms up, open, and slightly cupped) and praise or "ka" gesture (arms up and bent at 90 degree angles with palms out).
"ka" (kah) is another word with multiple meanings; its most common meanings are "soul" or "vital energy". The ka is the part of us that composes our personality, our self. We feed our ka in life by living in ma'at and receiving praise for others, and rely on our descendants to feed it with offerings when our khat (physical body) dies. The living Heru is believed to have multiple kas, and some Names are considered the ka of other Names (Hatshepsut's throne name was Ma'at-ka-Ra or "Ma'at is Ra's ka" wink .
"ba" (bah) can also be interpreted as "soul", and there has been confusion as to how the ba differs from the ka. If the ka is the part of us that remains behind after death to aid our descendants and receive aid from them in turn, the ba is the part that continues on after death to either create another ka and reincarnate, or to live in the realm of the Netjeru. The ba represents our eternal, undying essence, unlike the ka, which repersents only the personality of a particular incarnation. Unlike the ka, however, the ba -- being eternal -- does not die if it is not fed. The only time a ba is destroyed is when it is fed to Am-mit. Some Names are considered the ba of other Names (Wesir, for example, is sometimes referred to as the ba of Ra).
"heka" (heh-KAH) is probably best translated as "authoritative speech". As previously mentioned, words are powerful in Kemetic culture and religion; heka is the use of words with intent and meaning and the basis of our liturgies, invocations, and prayers. Kher-heb and Heri-sesheta priests are typically the speakers and writers of official liturgical heka.
For further reading on the subject of heka, see the House's priest FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
"nekhtet" (nekh-TET) or "VICTORY!" The perfect Kemetic word for situations where you feel you have overcome something, or you wish to extend praise to another person or situation that deserves praise; equivalent to the English custom of shouting "Hooray!" Some Kemetic Orthodox liturgies and prayers include the repeating (or shouting) of "Nekhtet!" in a litany.
"senebty" (sen-eb-TEE or zeneb-TEE) is another parting phrase you will see often when you talk to Shemsu or Remetj. It means "may you be healthy" and is an alternative to "farewell" or "goodbye".
"saq" (sahk) or "appearance" is the full possession of a trained priest by the ka of a Name (their Parent) during a state ritual. To say "a priest is in saq" is to say that (s)he is currently possessed by Netjer. Saq is one of the most immediate and profound ritual experiences of Kemetic Orthodoxy.
Links for further research:
-Copy of the "Daily Rite"(not the KO-specific "Senut", but similar):http://www.persekhmet.org/articles/rite.htm
KO member-run websites:
-KO Wikipedia
-Netjeru Comic
-Shrine of a Shemsu
Netjeru specific:
-www.wesir.org
-www.heru-ur.org
-www.per-yinepu.org
-www.seshat.org
-www.bast-mut.org
-The House of Aset
-Per Sutekh
-Temple of Heru
-Per Sebek
Articles on Kemetic Orthodoxy and Kemetic Reconstruction:
-Kemetic Orthodoxy: ancient Egyptian religion on the internet-A research note
Other Temples and Organizations:
Per-Ankh
Akhet Hwt-Hrw
Per-Heh
International Network of Kemetics
Church of the Eternal Source
Nuhati-am-Nutjeru
Ta Noutri french kemetic group
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Any questions will be happily answered, and I'll be adding more information as this thread (hopefully) moves along. I'm also interested in possibly meeting anybody else here following a path of the Kemetic or other reconstructionist religion.
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