Priest & Priestess of Ancient Egypt – pages 161 – 169
In this section of chapter 6, Duties of the Servant of God, we examine the importance of theater, music and dance. The ancient Egyptian priesthood used these expressions of entertainment to uplift the society and its priesthood. This section also details the sections of the Temple and its purpose.
It was understood by the spiritual scientists/priest and priestess that drama and music were a powerful artform that could be used to impart spiritual teachings and evoke spiritual feelings. Drama/Plays and music were tightly controlled by the priesthood because of its importance. It was understood that music has special powers to carry the mind to either an elevated spiritual or worldly states. One of the main duties of the advanced priesthood was the reenactment of the myths of the tutelary Divinity of the Temple.
The Temple Play and music were part of “Divine Worship” in ancient Egypt. From the Kemetic perspective, life could not be enjoyed without affirming the divine. Theatrical performances were performed by the priesthood (and perhaps a family member). The performances were reserved for the temple and temple festivals. Since the myths/plays were about the gods and goddesses, the enactment of these myths would lead to a connection between the physical and spiritual worlds which would reinforce spiritual values within the culture. Although not exclusively performed by the priesthood, dance too was an important part of the Kemetic life. Dance was used as a form of worship for the gods and goddesses especially for Asar and Hetheru.
The religious dramas were held in the courtyard or between the pylons of the “Peristyle Hall or Hypostyle Hall. The more esoteric/mystical aspects of plays were performed in the interior portion of the Temple for the priesthood only. The three main sections are the Peristyle courtyard, the Hypostyle Hall and the Holy of Holies. The outer court was opened to the lowest of practitioner, the Hypostyle to the more advanced students and the inner to the most advanced. The Temple complex housed different building for various community services such as a schools and hospitals.
In today’s society, the majority of these artforms are used to agitate, distract the mind from reality and truth. Most music, movies, tv shoes and plays in today’s world are only mindless entertainment that promote egoistic ideas and they are controlled by an elitest entertainment world that does not necessarily know or value spiritual principles based on Maat. This ignorance is shared by all ages and classes of people as there is little restraint on who watches what. Parental control is virtually non-existence since exposure to this degraded form of entertainment is ubiquitous. Even the religious music of today evoke a certain type of sentimentality and agitation that provide no real solution to the personal and world problems that exist. Nor does it provide an understanding that life is fleeting which was so eloquently delivered by the Ancient Kemetic, “Song of the Harper”. Dua Sebai Maa, Dua Seba Dja, Dua Amun!
