Lesson 1 WK6 Video Assignment
The video began with a demonstration of Shetaut Neter devotional practice with beginning with the alter ritual and what it represents all of which was informative and enlightening. An offering is then made which centers around the unification of the make and female thus relinquishing the duality that characterizes our temporal lives. The four great truths were then presented the first declaring that there is one divinity which manifests as Gods and Goddesses. The second truth is that unrighteousness leads to the fetters of Set which causes ignorance of the divine. Here, the creation myth was discussed whereby it was pointed out that deviation from the laws of Maat resulted in a loss or forgetting of one’s true identity as a divine being. The third truth is that devotion to the divine leads to freedom from the fetters of Set and, fourthly, the practice of the Shedy disciplines leads to knowledge of the divine. This consists of a)nlistening to the teachings b) devotion to the divine c) Maat and d)Meditation. The three levels of existence and consciousness was then discussed, these levels being a) consciousness b) the astral or Duat where we dream or have visions and c) the Causal where things originate which is deep within the heart of the unconscious mind. At this level we are able to see the nature of the divine and experience a oneness with nature. In keeping with the trinity, it was noted that there existed three stages of religion a) Myth, such as the Myth of Asar who was the king of Kemet. In the myth it is said that Ra came in the form of Kephri who passed on the teachings to djehuty who codified the teachings and passed it on to Asar who created Shetaut Neter b) the second level of religion is ritual which supports the myth. An example is the ritual of the Offering which symbolizes the reconstituted eye of Heru. If the ritual is done properly then there will be the emergence of mysticism which is the third level of religion. Most religions only deal with the first two levels and are thus incomplete in the practice resulting in conflict among and between religions. Also discussed was the structure of the temple and what the three rooms represent. The first is evidence of one’s aspiration; the second is the initiate where the teachings are disseminated; the third room is for those who have received the light. The point was made that seeking happiness in the world is a futile task since all things temporal are impermanent and thus not real. Worldly experiences are therefore fleeting illusions by which we give ourselves meaning but from which we will never be fulfilled. The only thing that is real is the spirit which is the essence of all things.. While there are many things that impressed me about this presentation, the thing that stands out the most are the four great truths which seems to provide a template for proceeding on one’s spiritual journey reminding us of how we can keep on the path eventually experiencing the oneness of the divine through the practice of Shetaut Neter.
