Level 1 Lesson 2 VIDEO SN2b. mp4
THE IMPORTANT THEMES PRESENTED IN THIS VIDEO:
The video pointed to chant as the beginning of meditation. I think this would be in sequence as highlighted in another lecture, to posture, and breathing and then the chanting.
FORMS OF WORSHIP IN ANCIENT KEMET
There were two forms of worship. The public worship assisted by priests and the priestesses in the outer portion have the temple, and the inner worship where ordinary people were not allowed. This inner worship was held in the middle temple or beyond.
There was also the private practice of worship, where each person created their own personal alters for their offering of prayers, studies and reflections. As in ancient times this is encouraged in present time.
EARLIEST FORM OF MEDITATION
The earliest form of meditation recorded in history, even before Indian teaching, is known as the Glorious Light Meditation. The instructions are found within a scripture inscribed in the tomb of Sage King Seti 1, and instructs the aspirant in the proper posture, the visualization of sitting in the center of a circle keeping still and quiet and then the chant to be used during the meditation.
We were referred to the book Glorious Light Meditation by Sebai Maa and Seba Dja which goes into more depth.
MAAT PHILOSOPHY
The role of the preceptor was emphasized as an important link in teaching the aspirant how to understand Maat philosophy in terms of how to think and reason, how to maintain proper emotional balance in their reactions to the world, and how to apply the teachings of Maat in a practical way so that they do not remain just theoretical.
The understanding of and practice of Maat precepts inculcates righteousness. and helps to create a cosmic balance between the personal and the Universal.
Not being able to do this and also not surrendering to the teachings was noted as the main reason for failure as a spiritual aspirant.
Sebai Maa mentioned how this philosophy can be of help in all areas of society and he mentioned one of his books ‘Criminal Heart ‘based on letters to 2 inmates and how they could turn their lives around through virtue.
I thought I would include here this comment that was posted below one of Sebai Maa online lectures recently.
Lil Rueb 1 month ago
I spent my last 4 years of my 10 year prison sentence studying, learning, and implementing the re-ligion of our ancestors as taught by Sebai Maa. Great to finally be out and view the videos too! Gotta buy all new texts though because I left my books to the brothers I left behind, since they shall need them more than I and I am now in a better position to obtain them. hetep! * Asarnebtawi
BALANCE OF THE ‘HEART’
Also discussed was the balance of the ‘heart’ in relation to Maat and reincarnation based on the outcome of this balance.
Mythically, a goddess who weighs the balance of the heart with the ‘feather’ of Maat, would decide if the heart is heavy, for example with lust, worry, sinfulness which would indicate an unrighteous person who would suffer in the Netherworld for the choices they made. After this they would reincarnate back into the world of time and space.
If the heart is found to be equal with the balance of Maat this indicated a moderately righteous person and that person would go and’ serve Asar in his house.’
If heart is lighter than feather of Maat this was an indication that the person was righteous and had ‘overcome the world’ of time and space and would go to astral plane to continue their evolution, no longer having to return to Earth.
THE POSTURES – SEMA TAWI
It was explained that these postures are not only physical but also mythological, and reading more, I also understand that the sequence has particular effect. In practicing them you learn how act and feel like the divinities, to understand their character and how they think.
They are based on the teaching of ancient Egyptian theatre, the re-enactment of the mythic drama ‘Shemsu Neter.
The series of postures have five phases, starting with
Creation
Earth phase,
Transition phase with animals and elements
Higher self poses
Establish self in Higher Self Teaching
INTEGRAL PRACTICE
Sebai Maa emphasized that there has to be an integral practice incorporating the different aspects of this teaching to develop our spirit, mind and body
This means not only concentrating on one aspect such as the physical postures, or meditation, or only coming to lectures to listen to the teachings. Each area has a component needing the aspirant to apply themselves and practice, and the combination of all of these would affect different aspects of the personality, so there is a harmonious and not disproportionate development.
Yoga as practiced by the west focuses more on physical asanas for health and not for spiritual evolution.
YOGA OF WISDOM
Sebai Maa was asked to explain the’ Yoga of wisdom’- The definition given was that wisdom is knowledge plus experience. Neither information or intellectual brightness equals wisdom or leads to spiritual enlightenment.
Intellectual brightness allows you to understand the spiritual teaching but true wisdom is when you intuitively understand the subject.
The importance of wisdom teachings is that they begin to ‘spiritualize’ and purify the intellect to allow it more receptivity to the level of intuition
The three important steps for the wisdom teachings are to listen to them, reflect and discuss, then meditate to become one with them
WHAT IMPRESSED ME MOST
Two things which impressed me about this presentation was first the concept of being taught how to think, how to reason, how to feel. Developing a new mentality, not what you were born with opening up to the level of wisdom and intuition.
There are so many mentalities intermingling without boundaries especially now with everyone having such easy access to how everyone is thinking on a moment-by-moment basis.
Scientists talk now of ‘neoplasticity’ how the brain can build new neural pathways as it is presented with new information in a sustained and repetitive way and that as a result, personalities can change.
This is hopeful scientific confirmation that the more we focus on and practice the teachings there can be inner corresponding transformation.
Secondly the discussion of intuitive understanding of a subject. I have observed that when you are involved for long periods of sustained involvement with a subject that this aspect of understanding seems to be accessible.
I wonder if that will continue in an age where information is so quickly available that young people in particular do not have to reflect very much to get answers.
