Level 1 Lesson 14, Intro to Shetaut Neter 104 105 part 1 & 2 Goog, 59:08 & 1:01:22
1. Introduction:
What are the Mysteries?
Shetaut Neter translates as “Egyptian Mysteries.” The mysteries are Ancient Egyptian African philosophy, religion, and spirituality and the teaching about the hidden secret Supreme Being. This is the earliest term known term for “religion” and a Neterian is one who follows the Neter. Shemsu means “follower” as in “Shemsu Neter”, one who follows the Neter and the teachings of the Neter. Teaching can be approached as a spiritual philosophy of life or religion. Shetaut Neter and Neterianism are both acceptable terms. Shetaut Neter being an original term from the Medu Neter, and Neterianism is derived from Shetaut Neter.
Religion is the most powerful force driving culture. Culture is everything that a human cares about and dos. If you want to be liberated you have to think about your culture; degradation or civilizations, wisdom or ignorance? We are not interested in pop culture or entertainments but are looking at our life today. The Legacy of the ancestors is to be lived and the culture must be continually cleansed so we can benefit from it and that allows us to be elevated. True religion is a process that leads to: Myth, Ritual, and Mysticism.
Who is Ntr or Ntjr?
The symbol of the flag represents the single all-encompassing divinity (Ntr), the one ruler of the original ben ben (mound) who self-created and is all that exists in creation as well as is transcendental to creation.
Who are we and when was Neterianism Practiced?
Kamitan-African Religion; Temple of Shetaut Neter.
The Sphynx (Heru Makhet or Ra Horakti) can be used to date the earliest practice of religion and the earliest known date for the complete practice of Shetaut Neter (10,000BC.) Kemetic Scripture provides extensive information on the Sphynx. The Sphynx contains all the symbols of the complete Kemetic philosophy. The headress is metaphor for a Lions Mane, symbolic of the constellation of Leo, which was in the procession of equinoxes at (10,000BC.) Nubians and Kemetians had the same skin color and the Kemetians originated in Nubia. 10,000BC in its earliest recording evidence (not the beginning.) Kemetian cultures earliest evidence (Sphynx) shows a complete spiritual and high philosophy as well as technological-scientific civilization, the earliest evidence of religion after this is relics (3,000BC) and not developed into system until (2-2,500 bc.) This relates to a perfection in the spiritual teachings of African spirituality and Kemetic teachings are reflected in other African religions and world religions.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Life is really about the pursuit of happiness, but where does happiness come from? There are various pursuits possible (affair, health, good job, house, marriage, car, family.) With all these pursuits there is a problem (when you fill your car, it will run out of gas, everything is changing and unsustainable.) Pursuing these things as sources of happiness leads to complex entanglements and disappointments. Life is not going to get better unless one adopts the teaching correctly and leads a life that takes you away from strife and unhappiness. The world is always changing and not permanent, so you will never find permanent happiness in the world. Happiness can’t come from externalities and to do so is the pursit of an illusion, grief is natural to the mortal world, but if you use well your mind you can overcome grief. Take Hollywood celebrities for example, they are seemingly successful and prosperous but they are not truly happy. How do we get into this? Because others do it and we believe we should to. On entertainment and media we are shown people as happy, good looking, etc. This is an illusion and not factual. True religion is designed to lead one on the path of enlightenment – more peaceful, higher consciousness, higher faith. These are signs that a religion is working and leading away from the problems of life.
What are the essential philosophy of Shetaut Neter?
A central purpose or goal; Become God-like. What this means is a much deeper study, spiritual work, metaphysics, rest of the teachings, and the knowledge and practice of how to cleanse and elevate oneself. That’s the hard part. How is it going to work: Study of the philosophy and practice of the disciplines. This is what Shetaut Neter is all about as well as Sema Institute
What is the purpose of life: Kmtic proverbs and the Harpers Song (genre of Kmtic literature that deals with understanding the meaning and purpose of life.) Our acts on earth are like a dream. When you have a dream it appears real but when you wake up it’s not real, and vice versa; which is the reality? There is something within us that is beyond these changing realms of consciousness. How are you to elevate yourself beyond this that is becoming gods and goddesses. The purpose of life is to study how this is to be achieved and then practicing. Many are called and few are chosen. We are looking at this information because we are ready to pursue a new course, seeking to know answers, tap into the wisdom within. Egyptian Yoga vol 2 uses the Hymns of Amuns to explore the deeper teachings through philosophy and meditation to discover the transcendental state within (uses dream metaphor teachings.)
The role of the Spiritual Teaching and Enlightened One. Sba or Buddha ( the enlightenment.)
The Philosophy of the Afterlife: the Tombs were dedicated to rebirth. The Temples were dedicated to rebirth. In Kemetic Spirituality it is understood that you are not the matter of the body and the authentic religion is supposed to help you recover your immortal-transcendental-all encompassing awoken nature. Magnanimous vision of life (Heru holding animals-master of life.) The student should know this is possible, learn that it’s possible, and not be overwhelmed. Allow yourself to be impressed by it and believe this is possible and has been done from time immemorial. Its as possible for the ancient masters (Imhotep) as well as all of us by training the mind through the disciplines.
The Great Awakening: Nehast. Awakening to Spiritual Consciousness. The first four Shemsus of Asar. Prt M Hru quote says “I am that same God.” Discover who am I and discover the mysteries. By learning the ways of the Neteru, emulating them, and becoming like them. Becoming an Akhu. An Akhu is one who has achieved Nehast.
Six Main Traditions of Shetaut Neter. They are all related, no conflict, and all emerged from Anunian Theurgy. They are not sects, they relate to different forms of the spiritual practice with various emphasis to accommodate the different minds of the people. Each tradition are related to specific divinities, which are all interconnected in the Family Tree of Neterian Gods and Goddesses. All the Gods and Goddesses manifest from the single transcendental divine, so it is not a polytheistic religion. Thse who call it polytheism are doing so to say they have a higher idea of religion, but really this is more advanced becomes it divinizes all of creation so you can never step outside of the divinity and this acts as a spiritual practice as well. All images represent the “Bes”(outer image), and this is not the ultimate meaning. These are represented as “lesser beings” to lead us to the higher supreme being. In western religions you are to revere god directly but it lacks system and has dogmatic-orthodox issues that create guilt shame and imperfection – so becoming divine, perfect, god-like is impossible. The divinities allow one to master creation instead of being controlled by it. This gives us easy entry into spirituality (natural divinities which lead to supreme transcendental essence.) This is a scientific approach to allow the person to propitiate the divine and be elevated. It’s an advanced system.
Anthopomorphic and Zoomorphic Iconography: relates to the teachings about the neter.
Temple Architecture and Shetaut Neter Teaching: the temple represents the primeval mound (holy of holies, highest spot on temple grounds), the middle section is the hypostyle hall and then the court. The exoteric teaching shows worship of the divinities. Temple scenes show the outter teaching or exoteric teaching of serving the divinity; the esoteric teaching is for the inner part of the temple. Ordinary people give their worship in the court and hypostyle hall but don’t go into the inner temple. Teachings given in this lecture represent the teachings of the court. The temple architecture represents the levels of initiation from the world to aspiration to striving (aspirant) to established. This is related to the aspects of religion (myth, ritual, and mysticism) as well as high divinities ( Ptah, Ra, Amun.) 2 pylons symbolize duality of life ( Maati,Uadjit Nekhbet Aset Nebthet.) Going into the pylons represent going beyond duality to only see divinity. Each section closes by doors opened to the initiate. Parastyle court, Hypostyle hall, and holies of the holies ( two rooms of fire and water (duality, serpent power) and inner shrine. Outter court represents deeds and actions, hypostyle hall is for words-wisdom teachings, the inner hall is for advanced rituals, meditations, metaphysics, and mystical exercises. The higher teaachings are hinted at in the texts but have not been applied in a temple situation today. The Temple is the house of life, a temple, a hospital, and university. The school rooms for things other than spirituality were housed in different buildings within the temple complex. Temple of Aset is still standing strong and can be visited.
Kemetic Pharoahs: These were government and spiritual leaders. Heka and Hekat(prince-male-ruler-teacher and ruled-female-student), king and queen.
Sacred Scripture of Shetaut Neter: Extensive spiritual teachings. We do not need to look anywhere for the record of the teaching and it does not have to be speculated about but is available to be studied and practiced for success.
The Forces of Entropy: There is two movements; creation and entropy (destruction.) Everything in creation has entropy and must be continually renewed through the creative process. Thus there is no evil in Kemetian philosophy but there is degradation in all time-space things (ignorance being the greatest degradation.) Thus the Kemetic practitioner as exemplified by the Per Ahh has to give the offering of Maat, the offering of righteousness which is a perpetuation of the culture as a re-awakening, a restoration. The offering of Maat is the ultimate offering and this is one of the main roles of the Per Ahh.
2. The “Great Truths” of Neterian Religion.
These four great truths are like a formula or code. From the mixture of the elements (teaching) certain compounds are created (enlightenment.) The four great truths condense and encapsulate the entire teaching and when understood give the key to understanding the entire teaching of Shetaut Neter. Understanding the philosophy itself does not lead to enlightenment, enlightenment comes from understanding the philosophy combined with practice of the disciplines. Information + Experience=Wisdom. Information + no action = nothing, still ignorance. Today’s culture has more and more information but the culture is degrading more and more.
Pa Neter Ua Ua Nebertjer M Neteru. One supreme divinity manifesting as everything. Abstract divinity that cant be touched with thought, its beyond thought. The lesser divinities allow you to aspire and contact that supreme divinity. All matter is made of energy and that energy all comes down to the same stuff (Nun, primeval ocean) and how it takes form is related to the Word-sound-mind. Nebertjer is closely associated with Khepri, who is associated with the creator of the morning and is an aspect of Ra and the Anunian trinity. Symbolized by the Scarab Beetle who creates the day and cycle of time. The Supreme Being creates himself and is one, it’s not created, and emerged on his own from the Nun. This “self-creation” shows that it is the one Supreme Being, ua ua. This shows that the divine is not very far, all created things are the transcendental divine. The loss of this, is ignorance, and a suffering. This divine is hidden from all created things, showing that it is transcendental beyond all beings, form, name, thought. The Neteru, humans, and nature are proceed from the one supreme divinity.
An Maat Swy Saui Set S-Khemn. Unrighteousness is selfishness, greed, lust, jealousy, envy, etc but the primary unrighteousness is ignorance. The first ignorance is related to Great Truth #1, ignorance of the nature of the divine. Vice versa righteousness leads us to purity and wisdom, in particular righteousness of following the teachings and being awoken to do away with ignorance and the ignorant actions. “Inj-Set” represents the fetters of Set developed into an affliction-disease-struggling and suffering of being bound-fettered. These are the afflictions, the mental disease of anger, greed, lust, selfishness, etc. Wisdom dissolves the egoism of Inj-Set, heals Inj-Set. Its important that Set is not reflective of the idea of “Satan” which is a degradation of the Kemetic philosopy of Set; this idea of Satan allows one to give up responsibility and say “the devil made me do it.” This is not the Kemetic philosophy which states that we must achieve the victory of Heru and the end of the battle between Set and Heru ourselves, and Heru and Set do not correlate to the idea of the devil-angel on the shoulder. The idea of Satan and that duality is spiritual madness and true religion resolves this crisis. So one must study the teachings and practice.
S-Uashu Se-Nafu N Saiu Set. The Fetters of #2, the unrighteous act itself, causes one to be conscious of the ego and the self as a mortal being (ignorance,) when you act magnanimously with righteousness and purity your burden of the personality is lifted and you start coming into harmony with cosmic order and then are lifted from Saiu Set. The wrapped mummies have a bandage place on the mouth, this is Saiu Set, which keeps mouth from being touched by the Sba-ur ( the great star, illumination, object of opening the mouth, enlightenment.) This relates to opening the mouth, the mouth as the instrument of creation (word), which when fettered keeps the consciousness unexpressed (ones divinity-enlightenment is fettered and can’t express, obstructed closed ignorant mind fettered by mortal consciousness related to ignorance of Great Truth #1.) Saiu Set is essentially our egoism, attachment to mortal consciousness and ignorance of transcendental nature (divinity.)
Ari Shedy Rekh Ab M MaaKheru. Practice and study of the teachings(Shedy) leads to beingTrue of speech, which means being established in truth, an Akhu, an enlightened being. This relates back to the teaching of Great Truth #1, Ua ua, one one without a second. As long as duality of divinities exist this creates a conundrum of philosophy in which the supreme cant be known – the singular transcendental being.
Nebertjer means all encompassing. Saui Set and S-Khemn are ignorance. Maat is righteousness. S-Uashu is devotion. The path to the supreme is devotion combined with wisdom. Shedy or Sheti represents the spiritual or yogic disciplines (wisdom, devotion, righteous action, meditation.) This lead to opening of the mouth to be MaaKheru (True of Speech.) To achieve this one should be devoted to the divine and study the wisdom philosophy.
