Udja
This was a very satisfying post to read (and is recommended for all to read) because of the wholistic and comprehensive nature of how the points that are important for a novice AND advancing Neterian aspirant needs to understand BUT ALSO feel in order to first: become grounded on the importance of and necessity to engage the spiritual path of life and then also the understanding of what and how the path is to be tread; then what is left is comprehending the nuances of the philosophy of the teaching as well as the nuances of its application (shedy) in order to have sustained progress on the path. Among perhaps the most important statements of this whole important post are:
- What makes you an aspirant is having the ultimate goal in life, to reach Nehast. The goals in learning in time and space will assist an aspirant in sustaining the body, however, the ultimate goal in life transcends the world.
- Having the teacher, the teaching and aspiring for the ultimate goal will not help a student to reach that goal unless they are self-reliant.
- This course of study is about discovering who you truly are and controlling your mind. No one can do it for you they can only teach you what is needed to do it.
- Have the receptive female perspective when learning and have the male perspective when applying the teachings in your live
- Memorizing the words are not the key to understanding, you must understand the essence of the words to retain it in your mind.
- Listening, reflection and meditation is the formula for reaching your goal.
And the answers to #2 and #3:
- All of them to my capacity. Some more than others, however I spend time on ll of the Shedy practices daily.
- I will continue my Shedy practice and the purification of my mind.
If these are done the success is assured in time…
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“Complacency, regret and sorrow are the discouragers from evil; know that ye are Gods with a divine destiny, discouragers are transient distractions leading away from the path of light.”
-AEP
I wanted to comment on one statement: ” What makes you an aspirant is having the ultimate goal in life, to reach Nehast.”
As a precursor to being regarded officially as a full fledged “aspirant” there first must come the maturity to even recognize there is such a thing as authentic aspiration as contrasted from just going to church or temple or mosque every week and thinking that is authentic spiritual practice. Some people know this and still turn away and towards the world. Some people think this idea is blaspheme and turn away and or turn hostile towards the notions. Others caught in the depths of their aryu do not have the capacity to overcome the negative aryu keeping them in the grip of suffering wrongs they should and have the power but not will to right in life. They may be caught in the midst of care-giving parents, children or community, a job, paying bills, locked into a life they grew up believing in, like being a respected professor, doctor, etc. even when those practices are recognized as shams, or otherwise unfilfilling; they live or rather, endure life, lacking visualization or imagination to see another way or take another way even if it means death on the present course versus life on the other; and they continue anyway even though they know they are living lives of what Henry David Thoreau called “quiet desperation.”
“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Other Essays
Why are some people caught up in this way? The reason is the force of aryu that keeps a person in a mindset that is locked to certain beliefs, certain inabilities to take certain actions even if those actions are intellectually understood and known by the person to be the correct action to take; the negative aryu constitutes a way of feeling that precludes certain actions and fulfillment of certain desires. This leads to what in modern parlance is referred to as “cognitive dissonance” which is a fancy psychology term for layered aryu or aryu of belief versus mountainous aryu feeling otherwise -all in the same mind. What is natures way of handling this? inflammation (of body and ego), disease, mental unrest, frustration, lack of fulfillment and death -which acts as a relief from the present hold and a chance in a new life to experience a different environment to work on those issues without the burden of the immediately preceding relationships. However, if the aryu is extremely negative the next incarnation can be as bad or worse in terms of circumstances. So the answer? Until there is a certain amount of pressure relieved from the negative aryu (which is forced by life’s challenges, disease, divorce, accidents, frustrations, disappointments, etc.) there will be no chance and the cycle of birth, suffering and delusion and death, continues indefinitely.
“What is the source of sadness, but feebleness of the mind? What gives it power but the want of reason? Rouse yourself to the combat, and it quits the field before you strike.”
-AEP
Heru Behudet- Heru the warrior – form of Heru that fought and defeated Set.
When that pressure is released sufficiently and there is a turning towards authentic aspiration, then there is a real chance. One who is wise takes that chance and develops spiritual strength to boldly live a life of maturity and conscience instead of aryu driven unconscious animal instinct. This is a life of a Heru, an aspirant schooled in the wisdom of his mother (intuitional wisdom), using the force of purified thought from his uncle (cosmic mind) moving towards redemption of his father (own soul). This is a life guided by wisdom and internal faith in self and teacher and confirmation of expansion (Aset). This is a life of a real human being and not a slave to the world (Set) or the vicissitudes of one’s own diffidence (Apep) trying to constantly drag one down. This is the life of an aspirant willing to search the world for the pieces of life that lead to whole feeling, thinking and seeing. This is the life an aspirant seeks to build, live and fulfill; this is the life of an Asar (initiate) and the experience of the meaning of life as it is meant to be. And glory to our Akhu Shepsu sages priests and priestesses, of old, who recognized these things and not only shared them but glory to the people (rekhyt) who allowed them to setup a whole society where this premise of life was the paradigm for all and a legacy we can partake in even now; such was their victory that it reverberates throughout history and will last as long as the pyramids.
“Man fears time, but time fears the pyramids”
-Arab proverb. The ‘learned Arab of the twelfth century’ (quot. 1923)
