1. Summarize the plot of the Aset and Ra Myth
After the return of Goddess Hetheru to the abode of Ra. Ra asked Aset and Asar to come down to earth to teach Men and Women about philosophy, religion and the proper way to live. They both agreed and Asar set out to spread the teachings and civilization throughout the world sometimes accompanied by Aset and at other times alone. At this time Aset was a mortal woman. She spent her time learning all she could about being a human being and accomplished worldly knowledge in varies fields such as the medical sciences, agriculture, art etc. After accomplishing a vast amount of knowledge in the world, Aset reflected on the human predicament and realized that no matter what is accomplished in life one still dies, and if so then what is the purpose of human existence, what then is abiding and true?.
Aset realizing the illusion of the world became disillusioned and relentlessly pursued what was true and abiding, instead of following the mortal ways, she wanted to follow the gods and goddesses and even more the Akhu Shepsu, the divine spirits in a way that didn’t hurt others. She knew the answer to absolute truth lie in Ra’s true name and proceeded to ask him for it. Ra however gave her general answers which reiterated his time and space existence, that he was the creator of all things, humans, gods, goddesses, animals, insects, mountains, seas etc.. Aset then devised a plan to get him to reveal his real name. She knew that Ra traversed the sky morning, noon and evening. In the evening she collected his spittle which symbolizes spirit, and mixed it with earthly essence and created a special serpent, the Taffy Shepsy. This special serpent, a mixture between spirit and matter was set in the path that Ra traversed daily and it stung him and poisoned him. He sent for his children, the Gods and Goddesses but none was able to help him except for Aset. Ra agreed to reveal his name to Aset if she would relieve him of the poison that was causing him excruciating pain. Aset tells Ra that as soon as he utter his true name the poison will automatically leave his body. Ra then let her know that his true name can only be known by being one with him and that not even the gods and goddesses know his true name. Aset then merged with Ra and became Goddess Aset with the same attributes that Ra possessed.
2. For you what important insights have you gained so far from Aset’s saga and her relationship with Ra?
One of the important insight that I have gain so far is that it takes dispassion and disillusionment to bring forth the will to create the special serpent within oneself that has the power to pierce through the illusion of creation that time and space Ra represents. Another insight was that Aset truly represent all that is, she was able to accomplish so much in the world, a minuscule of which a human being today in pursuit of worldly goals would love to have, and she was still unsatisfied, still unmoved. This to me reiterate the proverb that “the pursuit of oneself in the world is an illusion” so we can use Aset’s wisdom in discovering this and saves ourselves the trouble of pursuing things in the world that’s unimportant and focus instead on what is, the balanced pursuit of absolute truth which she relentlessly pursued and attained. Another insight was that Ra was very accessible to Aset. Even though Ra gave Aset the runaround after she asked him for his real name, he was pretty much ‘available to be pierced’ at any time and even seem to allow it, in that he wasn’t upset that she poisoned him.
3. What are the main takeaways from the Ra and Aset Myth, the important teachings to remember from the audio lecture?
The audio lecture pointed out the emergence of creation and how it relates to Ra and Aset. Everything that has been created in the world emanated from Ra, including human beings which means we have a Divine origin. In essence, the mixing of spirit and matter causes interactions in the world. This however is relative, because there is a higher reality to Ra, his true name which is unknown by the gods and goddesses. Aset being aware that worldly knowledge is relative and changes hence illusory seek to transcend it, to know knowledge directly, through intuition. The main takeaways from the myth is that to transcend the practical reality of time and space, an aspirant needs Aset. Aset represent a one pointed focus towards the goal of enlightenment, relentlessly no matter the obstacles she faced. She is also the Goddess who achieved oneness with the divine and is able to teach us the ways to this noble attainment.
