Musings of Sifu H.A. Diop 06.10.05

People tend to fear what they do not understand or do not want to take the time to understand . . . as they go about lives suffering from a violent condition of myopia, of their own self-induced affliction.

Ancient Egyptian Queens

Queens of Ancient Egypt

This is a very brief overview about some of the major Ancient Egyptian Queens:

• Ankhesenamun - Her original name was Ankhesenpaaten Queen of Egypt who reigned 1332–1322 BCE; she was the third daughter of Akhenaton and Nefertiti (the rulers of the Amarna revolution).

• Cleopatra VII - She was of Macedonian descent, not Egyptian; however, she learned Egyptian and regarded herself as the daughter of Re (although she was the second daughter of King Ptolemy XII). She was born in 69 BCE, passed (suicide) in 30 BCE, and reigned from 51-30 BCE.

• Hatshepsut - She was also known as Hatshopsitu, reigned from circa 1472–58 BCE, and was the daughter of King Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose.

• Nefertari - She ruled along side of Ramesses the Great (or Ramesses II) during the Nineteenth Dynasty and did not rule for long because she passed at a very young age; she was one of eight royal wives of Ramesses II: Istnofret, Bint-Anath (Binthanath), Aerytamun (Merytamon or Merit-Amun), Nebettawy, Henutmire, Maathomeferure, and a Hittite princess (historians claim that there is little or no information about her).

• Nefertiti - Her name was also spelled Nefertiit and Nofretete; she was the wife of King Akhenaton (who reigned 1353–36 BCE); she ruled alongside her husband but for only twelve years.

There are many more royal women who will be pointed out along the path.

~ Ii-wy em hotep ~

Kheti Metaphysical Institute

Words of Wisdom

“Life is indeed a continual, transcending spiraling stairway toward and of truth, enlightenment, and meaning in the quest of answers as measured and as one journeys and plows through the dusty travails of life’s obstacles created by us.”

–- Sifu H. A. Diop
(excerpted and quoted, with permission, from The Hassanic Journal, circa 1982)

Low & High Magick

Low & High Magick: A Definition

By
Rev. Dr. K.A. Sahure
Kemetic Wiccan High Priest & Metaphysician

Aleister Crowley defined Magick as being "…the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will." This does tie into the mystickal formulary:

Witch + Nature = Magick
or
Spiritual One + Nature = Magick

Low Magick (a.k.a. Sympathetic Magick, Folk Magick, or Natural Magick), in principle, is based on, surrounds an object, instrument, device or tool of which one is in sympathy with along with the person at whom magickal forces are directed toward by way of physical, spiritual, psychic, and/or symbolic linkages. Low or Natural Magick evolved out of the lowlands where farmers grew crops. Many Solitary Witches and Wiccans practice Low Magick as well as many ancient Pagan cultures did. Low magick utilizes natural objects such as crystals, herbs, rocks, fire, air, earth, water, the weather, seasonal changes or anything found within our environment or nature. It can be looked at as taking care of your physical earthly wants, needs, and desires such as love and relationships, money, health, personal protection and is generally short term. This form of magick is generally less structured in terms of spell casting and ritual work yet no less effective than high magick.

In contrast, High Magick (a.k.a. Ceremonial Magick or Ritual Magick), in principle High Magick seeks to enhance your spiritual growth and development transcendentally and bring you closer to the deities; and has been claimed to have evolved from scholars and higher societies of people. Some practitioners say that this form of magick invokes great spiritual energy and power and usually does not concern itself with Nature because it uses complex rituals and symbolic invocations of deities, dramatic ceremonial wardrobe, and complex concoctions such as with Alchemy. Ceremonial or Ritual Magick is a good example of high magick and concerns itself with the conscious application of willpower to achieve one’s or a group’s spiritual objectives.

Both forms of magick can be quite useful, powerful, and almost "equal" in their purpose and scope to achieve the intended results of the practitioner within the relative Laws of Nature and the Cosmic Universe.

Copyright © 2005 The Temple of Kheti

Deosil vs. Widdershins

Deosil vs. Widdershins

In witchcraft, Deosil is the ritual act of moving around a circle in a clockwise direction; and Widdershins would be the counter clockwise motion. The mathematical (in calculus) numbers associated with Deosil are: 2, 3, 5, and 8; and 1, 4, 6, and 7 for Widdershins.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Quarters (or north, south, east, and west) generally begin in the North or East and moving clockwise or Deosil. For example, North, East, South, then West. Most of the books available about Wicca and Witchcraft use these correspondences.

In the Southern Hemisphere, these correspondences may vary. Circles are still cast Deosil, but to those in the Northern Hemisphere, they would seem to be Widdershins or counter-clockwise. The equator is to the North in the Southern Hemisphere, so North is sometimes representative of fire.

The "Quarters" often refer to the elements of nature that are forces honored by Pagans and Witches. They are named many things, but you will often hear them referred to as corners, quarters, Watchtowers, elements, Elementals, gates, portals, etc. All of these related titles have different meanings and represent different forms of energy.

The East represents air (associated color = yellow)
The South represents fire (associated color = red)
The West represents water (associated color = blue)
The North represents earth (associated color = green)

EARTH: Love, money, acquisition, employment, health, diet, organization, ambition, career, politics, bones, teeth, skin.

AIR: Communication, writing, travel, justice, unions, balance (spiritual and otherwise), artistry, science, freedom, friendship, breaking bad habits or addictions, blood.

FIRE: Authority, rebirth, leadership, authority, courage, fertility, spine, heart, travel, sports, truth, horses.

WATER: The home and honoring lunar gods and goddesses, power, psychic growth, sex, music, art, telepathy, dreams.

Copyright © 2004 The Temple of Kheti