Level 1 Lesson 11a 220 The etiquette and decorum for Initiates – How to act in the presence of the Preceptor, the Deity and each other.
1. What are the main teachings brought out in the audio lecture recording? Explain in your own words
* You should be cleansed before entering the temple physically, mentally, and through your speech.
* You shouldn’t distract yourself as well as others.
* There are several sitting postures aloud in the temple which is the cross legged posture, the half and full lotus posture, sitting in a chair or sitting on the ground in the similar fashion of sitting in a chair all with the purpose of not extending your feet to the Sage or Divinity. These postures keep your back straight and help to keep you awake, attentiveness.
* The image of the Divinity is only seen and handled by the initiate.
* One should dress in no worldly and light clothing in the temple.
* Hygiene is of the utmost importance in Kemetic Religion. One should practice hygiene for the body, mind, and soul.
* One should also study outside of the Shedy group or the conferences. An aspirant should follow up on teachings given by the Preceptor.
* If you want to become a sage an enlightened personality you have to do more than read. The books need to be augmented by an authentic spiritual discipline. A complete holistic discipline. i.e. Integral Yoga.
* You must bring your body into line with your spiritual life.
* If you want to succeed your mind has to be constantly turned towards the divine but always in a balance, non stressed way.
* When you approach the preceptor you should prostrate before him/her with your toes curled in, hands in front of you with your face kissing the ground, next prostrating yourself in front of the shrine then taking your seat quietly.
* The preceptor is greeting by saying Hetep and hands out facing upwards in the Dua “adorations” posture.
* For greeting fellow aspirants a Hetep and bow will do.
* Seba means star, an illuminating force. Preceptors are called Seba because they illuminate the Sebat which are the aspirants seen as females where the preceptor is seen as a male. The Seba impregnates the Sebat mind with the wisdom teachings and gives birth to spiritual enlightenment. The Sebat should be receptive to the teachings i.e. being a proper aspirant.
* One should be friendly with fellow aspirants but not in a worldly way. The relationships should be business like and the learning of the teachings should be the main focus.
* In the temple you want to be silent more than talkative. You want to be more introspective.
* One should develop an internal detachment and stay away from fanaticism.
* One should be always willing to let go of harbored feelings which work to block your growth on the path of spiritual evolution.
* An aspirant should expect mishaps from worldly life. These things are going to happen but as a committed aspirant we should expect this. When encountering situations in life we shouldn’t fuss or quarrel about the negativities in life but approach them with a Maatian approach and we will realize that we have gained more will power, more resolve to handle the issues in life.
* We should have a foundational understanding of the teachings, we should be proper ambassadors for the teachings.
2. Are you currently implementing the teaching given in the book and the lecture? If so which on(s)?
I am currently practicing the Shedy disciplines and doing the postures, I’m trying to balance out my Shedy practices and working on purifying myself so that I can transform myself into a proper initiate. I focus on trying to spiritualize my life and keep the focus on the Divine throughout my day to day activities. Another important factor is what was mentioned by Seba Dja is that regardless of how I feel I’m trying to dedicated myself to at least the minimum of time to my spiritual practices.
3. If not then how will you implement the teachings you are not currently practicing, in your life and spiritual practice?
One major practice I’m trying to return to is re-reading the books and various papers I have acquired about Shetaut Neter knowing everything can’t be learned in just one or two readings of the teachings. I am also working on my internal detachment from personalities. I learning to focus on what I deem truth is and living by that and letting the Divine take care of the rest.
In expecting there to be trials and tribulations when in the world also remembering that there has to be strife and drama, and a certain level of discontent with the world because how else would we strive to find the reality of life.
