LEVEL 2, LESSON 1 VIDEO LECTURE #11
This lecture by Sebai Maa begins as Sebai explains that death is illusory and that Divine birth is the glory of Heru. This Divine birth happens through the words of power by the Goddess Aset where we become immortal in Divine Consciousness. It is further explained that Divine Wisdom burns the personality with the “Fire of Wisdom,” thus burning the illusions of ignorance such as a light being turned on in a dark room.
Heru is revived, nurtured and given the teachings of Aset to become Master of Nature. An iconographic image of a young Heru holding animals firmly in both hands is shown, and it is explained how this image of Heru also forms the Caduceus symbol. Another iconographic image is shown of Asar as Seker, King of the Netherworld, in His zoomorphic form. It is in this hybrid form that Asar appears to Heru and reveals that He was unrighteously killed by His brother Set and that Heru must restore righteousness because it is His legacy and heritage to do so. Sebai states that when an aspirant turns towards Divine intuition, the Divine will turn toward the aspirant who experiences direct contact with the Divine, providing spiritual strength to meet the challenges in life.
This brings us to the part of the lecture where Heru challenges Set for rightful rulership of the throne, believing it to be an open and shut case. Set refuses and seeks to intimidate Heru, calling Him a “stupid child.” Here it is explained that the ego has lots of power—physical power. Heru goes to the Company of the Gods and Goddesses to plead His case against Set who all agree that it is an open and shut case, all, except for Ra who acts as Chief Justice with veto power. It was pointed out that Ra, in this case, is in His phenomenal form as opposed to His Higher form, thus, implicating practice of “low religion” vs. “High religion.”
Heru must now prove Himself worthy by going into battle with Set. The iconographic image from the Temple of Heru in Edfu shows Heru spearing Set in the form of a Hippo. Heru speared Set 10 times, 10 being the number of perfection. One is the number of Spirit as the spirit is supremely alone. Sebai wittingly explains that Spirit differentiated into matter to form Creation (human beings) to act as playmates—a playground, thus, “you are God playing with yourself.” We are reminded by Sebai that nothing is abiding as in a dream you awaken from.
The battle between Heru and Set went on for 3 days (the number of the Trinity that must be transcended). Set and Heru went back to the tribunal who were still undecided. Aset decides to take matters into Her own hands, tricking Set by taking the form of a beautiful woman in distress and making him confess to his own wrongdoing. She pleads her case to Set, who wants to please this woman so that he can have his way with her. Once Aset gets an admission of Set’s own wrongdoing, She transforms back into Her true form and reveals to Set his confessed wrongdoing. In a sexually excited rage Set runs after Aset , ejaculating into the ground as Aset transforms into Her avian form and flies away. Metaphorically speaking, “Set’s seed brings forth nothing, while Asar’s seed brings forth greatness.”
When the battle resumes Aset helps Heru to spear Set who is in the form of a hippo. When Set cries out in agony, pleading to Aset, She releases Her harpoon. This angers Heru who, in a rage, cuts off his Mother Aset’s head. Djehuty replaced Her head with that of a cow, (thus, the composite form of Aset with the head of a cow). When Heru storms off upset this leaves Him vulnerable to Set who gouges out Heru’s eyes and blinds Him. Heru becomes “Heru Khenti Maa” (the foremost seer), meaning He was blind to the world of illusion. Hetheru (the Right eye of Ra repaired by Djehuti) comes to the rescue of Heru by repairing His Right eye (the power of the Sun) with goat’s milk and Her spit. Once again we see a metaphor of healing with the combination of earthly matter and spiritual essence.
This series of lectures by Sebai Maa now comes to one of the most critical pieces of the Asarian Mysteries—namely, the battle between Heru and Set. Understanding that this battle is symbolic of the struggle within ourselves it is, at times, one of the most difficult aspects of the Asarian Mysteries to face. Why is that? Because it is full of pain and deceit by the all too familiar ego self, battling against the vulnerable Higher self. It means that to challenge Set (ego) one is in for a tough and brutal battle because, as Sebai Maa explained, the ego has lots of power—physical power, and you simply cannot defeat it on an equal footing.
I think it foolish to underestimate one’s ego because it (you) will ruthlessly fight for it’s survival. Even armed with His Mother Aset’s wisdom Heru cut off Her head in a rage. What this tells me is that the ego is a formidable opponent and that one will make mistakes along the spiritual journey. But what it also tells me is that one must get back into the battle, just as Heru, meeting every challenge Set (ego) puts forth until Heru (the Higher self) is victorious. This comes with will and a spiritual arsenal of listening, reflecting, and meditating on the teachings with “antet begag” (relentless pursuit). One thing that cannot be allowed is to let Set (ego) set the terms of the battle, because the ego will surely be the victor.
The myth tells us that Heru did not defeat Set until He became All encompassing. At what point in the Asarian Mysteries did Heru become All encompassing? There seems to be a gap between Heru fiercely battling Set to Heru the Winged Sun Disk (Heru Behudet). I would like to be directed to the specific acts that brought about Heru’s All encompassing state of being in the myth of Asar, Aset and Heru.
NERU HERU!
Htp, Shems Heryt
