Last Rites

Last Rites of Passage

By
Minister K. Sahure, D.D., Msc.D., S.E.K.

High Priest
Temple of Kemetic Wicca

Last Rites or Extreme Unction, as termed within Catholicism and Christianity communities and defended by them as the act of anointing as in a sacramental (akin to baptism, eucharist, etc.) rite of consecration or healing (supposedly deemed sacred by Jesus of Nazareth--a mere mortal man and perhaps Shaman) as a practice of giving divine grace to those who are sickly physically and mentally.

However, there is no monopoly by any one religion and there should not be, definition wise, regarding the meaning of Last rites or Last Rites of Passage (just a matter of semantics for some people) because the action of Last Rites of Passage does pre-exist and pre-date Christianity--as usual--where many of today’s traditional, mainstream religious practices were adopted, adapted, changed, and/or “derived” from many of the original, ancient religious and cultural practices of Egypt, Sumeria, Mesopotamia, China, Africa, Greece, and more. During ancient times, this imminent rite of passage was enacted upon the dying only.

According to Catholicism, this “sacrament” was invoked so as to decrease the chances of the (terminally) ill person from committing “additional” act of sin or conducting sinful behavior; based on the canons of this faith, no one of this faith wishes to be left behind or decrease their soul’s “chances” for a seat in heaven with their god. After the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church (1962-1965) this is no longer the practice. Thus, this terminology, Last Rites, can be quite misleading to all within our global community who do not follow, practice, or believe in monotheistic religious systems of spiritualism.

Last Rites of Passage have been performed for eons by many cultures around the world as well as rites of passage for other significant changes and events in the mortal life. These rites include death and funerary; emerging from childhood to adolescence, adulthood, and to elder hood; weddings; leaving home at a particular age; animal (pets, wildlife, botanicals, and farm denizens) rites of passage (of course, harming none!); birth; and almost any major life transition or transformation from a physiological, spiritual, and holistic perspective from all walks of life and spiritualities.

Surely there is strong debate over this from all sides of the academic, theological spectrum and communities. All anyone has to do is to conduct their own historical research to ascertain the facts and the truth, no degree or religious ordainment required.


© 2005 Temple of Kemetic Wicca

Infertility, Meditation & Herbalism

Infertility, Meditation & Herbalism

By
Dr. K.A. Sahure, D.D., Msc.D.

Herbalist

As many of us may or may not be aware, meditation is a way of promoting our body's self-healing mechanisms. Meditation benefits by stress reduction, increased relaxation thus reducing the levels of stress hormones produced by the pituitary and adrenal glands; both are endocrine glands which secret hormones into our bloodstream necessary for normal growth and development, reproduction, and homeostasis (i.e., the balancing of one’s metabolism). Keep in mind that the major glands of the endocrine system include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, islets of Langerhans, adrenals, parathyroids, ovaries, and testes. As defined by physicians, infertility is the inability of a female to become pregnant after approximately a year of unprotected sexual intercourse. It has been believed by our ancient pundits on this topic that complimenting meditation with herbalism generally increases fertility in both men and women barring no other major, contributory biological and physiological dysfunctions.

According to “Prevention Magazine”, fertility studies (up to circa 1995, United States) have concluded that the male has a 35% part in the cause of infertility between male and female partners; another 35% of the cause of infertility cases studied involved the female reproductive system centered around possible damaged and/or blocked fallopian tubes with many possible causes such as hormone deficiencies, infections, endometriosis, cysts, and STDs; a woman’s age, being age 35 years or older; the last 30% of the cases studied concluded that there is a combination of existing medical problems along with the cause of female infertility being unknown. Having a basis of understanding of these associations is important.

The specific cause of infertility should always be diagnosed by a physician before considering possible solutions.

I. The following herbal therapies may help in stress reduction and increase fertility—both herbs are natural relaxants:

A. Ginseng (capsules or tea from the root)
B. Lemon Balm (tea)

II. The following herbal and alternative therapies may help:

A. Pomegranate Flower-Essence therapy (pomegranate was a symbol of fertility during ancient times and the flowers of it balance the female reproductive system) – Per Dr. Cynthia M. Watson, M.D. (Santa Monica, CA)

B. Foot & Hand Reflexology (working the reflex points for the female reproductive system)

C. Herbal Vitex agnus-castus [www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb135.htm#Category1Herb135]

D. Page 246 of Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (1985) has an exhaustive list of fertility herbs.

III. Rosemary Gladstar’s book Herbal Healing for Women (1993) addresses many female infertility issues.

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The products and the claims made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Copyright © 2005 Kheti Metaphysical Institute

Moon Phases

Here are some lunar correspondences:

New Moon: Birth, initiation, new beginnings.

Waxing Moon: Birth, growth, new beginnings, the start of a new project, positive change.

Full Moon: Fertility, growth, transformation, fulfillment, sexuality, maturation, love, power, maximum psychic ability.

Waning Moon: Wisdom, endings, release, banishment, intuition, prophecy, divination, old age, deep secrets, and the power of healing.

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Kheti Metaphysical Institute

Holistic Herbalism

For the purposes of this online educational forum, below are some basic defining and starting points:

Herbalism:
Herbalism is the holistic practice of utilizing plants, herbs, roots, and shrubs for healing with reference to their medicinal properties in a synergistic manner (i.e., preparations) for maintaining health and to prevent, alleviate, and/or cure disease in relationship with the mind, body, and spirit.

Herbology:
Herbology, akin to Botany, is the study of plants and their physical attributes and properties utilized for healing, foods, flavorings, scents, dyes, and more with foundations, major influences, and modalities in and from African, Native American, Chinese, Ayurvedic, South and Central American, Western, Native Eskimo, and European cultures and spiritualism. Note that modern pharmacology derives many of today’s medicines from plants.

Herbologist:
Herbologists research and study the particular effects of plants, shrubs, herbs, roots, etc. on the human, and in some cases animal, body. This includes the study of the sections of plants that are used, methods of gathering plants, methods and techniques of extraction and preparation of plants, shrubs, roots, and herbs.

In an upcoming segment on this topic, the relationship and difference between Medicinal Herbalism and Homeopathy will be explored.

Dr. Sahure
Herbalist & Metaphysician

Kheti Metaphysical Institute