Per Bastemhet

I just noticed that one of my favorite songs ever actually has some religious symbolism to it.  Makes sense, since the album it’s from is called “Songs of Faith and Devotion.”  Here’s what I was thinking at the time that I heard it.   My comments will be in italics, lyrics in normal bold.  Praise be to Bast, who gave me the inspiration.  She is truly Great!

In your room

In Kemetic temples, the netjer had hir own room dedicated to housing their statue. 
Where time stands still

The temple was set up so that Zep Tepi, the first time, is replicated.
Or moves at your will

Time began only when the creator deity made their first creative act of separating Nut from Geb.  This is when time and space were accomplished.
Will you let the morning come soon

The rising of the sun is Ra.  He travels across the sky, and fights Apep in order to come back again. 
Or will you leave me lying here
In your favorite darkness

Before the first act of creation, everything was dark within the positive uncreation of Nun.
Your favorite half-light

The dawn is where the Duat resides.  It is toward the dawn that the kas of the dead travel, hence, “Book of Coming Forth by Day."
Your favorite consciousness

This makes me think of the religio-consciousness that people’s minds would slip into when going through training of the mysteries, or using the false door.  I feel this when I do ritual.
Your favorite slave

One of the names for the priests of Kemet was hm ntjr, which literally means servant of god.

In your room
Where souls disappear
Only you exist here

The sole receiver of praise, worship, and offerings, is the netjer of the temple, and only after that, do other lesser deities and akhu be given offerings.
Will you lead me to your armchair

Could be another name for the throne.  Each person was able to become an Ausir-NN, which means the sole aim of a person in the afterlife is to be pure enough to achieve godhood, and thus dwell with the gods.
Or leave me lying here
Your favorite innocence

The time in Zep Tepi when humans lived with the netjeru, before those who did Isfet and plotted against Ra.
Your favorite prize
Your favorite smile
Your favorite slave

I’m hanging on your words

This references the creation mythology of Memphis, in which Ptah created the world with his heart and tongue (words).
living on your breath

This references the creation mythology of Thebes, Amun’s invisibility carrying connotations of the wind and breeze. 
feeling with your skin
This interpretation will be a bit of a stretch, but in one myth, we are made from Ra’s tears.  Of course the other netjeru are made from other expulsions of his body as well.

Will I always be here

In your room
Your burning eyes
Cause flames to arise
Will you let the fire die down soon
References to the solar eyes of Ra, and perhaps the story of Sekhmet and her wrath.

Or will I always be here

Your favorite passion
Your favorite game
Your favorite mirror

We seek to achieve godhood through living purely and living in Maat, just as the netjeru do.
Your favorite slave
I’m hanging on your words
living on your breath
feeling with your skin
Will I always be here

Here’s the song.

Can you find religious meaning in the songs that you listen to?

I wanted to expand further on some of the ideas that I explored in an earlier post on ante-rational henotheism.  Wim van den Dungen has another article on his website about this form of cognition that I would like to work out and summarize here.  I apologize if I make any mistake or not explain clearly the ideas presented here, since although I’ve had some philosophical training, I haven’t tackled epistemology in depth.  Yet.

Read the rest of this entry »

For an explanation of this series, read the introduction here.

Hail His-Face-Behind-Him, coming forth from his roof, I do not give the wink.

This epithet is for the keeper of Ra’s boat in the Field of Reeds, he “who looks behind himself.” 

Rev. Siuda explains further the meaning of giving the wink":

To ‘give the wink’ in ancient Egypt was a phrase used to describe people, in particular judges, who were corrupt or able to be corrupted; when paid off correctly, they would let a prisoner go, ‘giving the wink’ to the person who put the fix in to let them know it had been done.

This reminds me of the verb “hoodwink,” which means to deceive or trick.  In effect, when the judge gives the wink, the system and justice itself are hoodwinked.  When considering Maat, what seems to help in the moment will hurt in the long run, because by cheating justice, we cheat ourselves.  We should think not only of how much our own hearts will weigh in the time of judgement against the feather of Maat, but also for those we coexist with during our lives on earth. 

With this purification I seek to keep balance in Maat and strive to do that which is just.