Lesson 11
Video Discussion Forum Assignment
Udja,
In Lesson 11, Sebai Maa summarizes the Important teachings & hieroglyphic terms presented in the teachings of Temple of Aset through the scriptures of the myth of Aset and Ra. This nefer scripture brought forth by Sebai is indeed special. In it, Goddess Aset shows us a path to our own freedom, our own spiritual liberation. She does this by becoming an example we could identify with (a human being) and subsequently leading us along that path by allowing us entrance to her heart, her very mind. Goddess Aset did this by coming into time and space as a woman, listening, reflecting and meditating on the very function and nature of creation (Ra) to discover her own divine essence to be the same as that of Ra and thus, she shows us that our very essence is also the same as that of Ra. Here is a brief synopsis of the process.
The scripture starts out with us being eluded right away to the fact that there is another side of Ra, his essence. He is referred to as “Neter Netery” a Divinity possessing dual consciousness. Ra is both a divinity of time and space as well as what’s beyond time and space (the transcendental beyond time and space perception, a demi god). Next, we are informed right away that Aset came into the philosophy in the form of a woman, possessing the understanding of the world and human beings (medical sciences, religion, philosophies etc.). Through this knowledge Aset knew the maximum potential of humans and this did not intrigue her, instead she developed khak – ab, she repudiated everything thing human beings have done, both good and bad, which is the hallmark of true dispassion and detachment. This allows one to not waste their energy. Two other important qualities of her personality that was necessary to have to accomplish her quest is antet begag (persistence) and an chen (not stoping).
At this point also, Lady Aset had listened and began to reflect on what I gathered to be what is really worth her time and energy to pursue. Certainly not that of human beings, how about the akhu shepsu’s? maybe the gods and goddesses? Going deeper into reflection, withdrawing from the conscious mind, going inward, into her heart (Ka ab, the unconscious mind) Lady Aset realized that all these options have limitations, so Lady Aset chose the path of wisdom, becoming a Divinity. Aset asked herself “why not just become ‘like’ Ra?” meaning to have dual consciousness, (consciousness of time and space as well as the transcendental-what’s beyond time and space).
She then studied the nature of Ra and his patterns and learnt from this that his emanations were weaker as Ra Tem, the evening sun. She also noticed that there were lots of spittle coming from Ra Tem (life force energy, sekhem) that was available in the environment to collect and she began to collect it by using her will (the stronger your will the more you can collect). I also gathered that the key is not only to collect life force energy but preventing the accumulation of collected life force energy from being wasted through passion (chasing after desires and using thought energy). I likened this to individuals that chase money but don’t take the time to patch up ‘holes’ in their pockets, meaning to look in to ways to reduce wasting (saving) what they already have which might be wasting due to unnecessary spending, high interest rates, late payment fees etc.
The scripture then informs us that Lady Aset uses the spittle (emanations of sekhem ) and mixed it with soil (matter) and made a sacred serpent. This means, the life force energy she collected, she kneaded it and made herself into a one-pointed personality, the taffy shepsy. Aset then remained in a state of an nemu nemu (non- movement) waiting for the appropriate time to strike, which I gathered was when Ra(creation) was at its weakest. When this time came Aset striked with the taffy shepsy biting Ra and inserting the venom of dispassion, repudiation of delusion, one pointedness, khak ab etc. into him and he began bleed internally, to lose ‘chet n ankh’ the fire of life which caused him to shake which means creation itself was fluctuating. At this point Ra was having difficulty in sustaining the illusion of creation. He then called for the gods and goddesses, his descendants, (his creation) complaining to them about his situation and questioning why this was happening to him based on who he is, it should not, he declared again, he is the creator of everything in time and space and his creations are his reflections.
The gods and goddesses lamented about Ra’s condition but not Aset. She approached Ra provisioned with words of power(hekau) and the breath of life “nafu n ankh” because at this point Ra was dying, he was losing not only the fire of life but also the breath of life – and only she had the correct antidote to save him. I gathered here that the process it takes to destroy/dissolve creation, meaning the process of creating the taffy shepsy; one’s own manner of khak ab, one pointedness, experiences etc. (shedy disciplines, formal & informal) is also a process of creating an antidote to apply after one has applied the taffy shepsy and discovered the transcendental essence of Self. As Sebai stated, this allows one to bring themselves back to time and space with the added knowledge of the transcendental. Sebai added that this is not a onetime occurrence but happen over time, after one spends more and more time with the transcendental realm of reality. This made me think of the 6th and 7th Sefek Ba Ra’s that was covered in the recent 2018 Serpent Power Workshop by Seba Dja and the relationship of the 3 ½ turns of the sacred serpent. I gathered the ½ turn might be the experiences of the transcendental reality in the 7th Sefek Ba Ra and the 6th is coming back to time and space but with dual consciousness, that of time and space and the transcendental which allows establishment in the 6th, enlightenment. (Sebai Maa or Seba Dja please augment my understanding as you deem necessary).
As mentioned above, Aset had ‘words of power’ (hekaus) which I think is an important concept to grasp at this point in the scripture as well as what makes them effective. Khut which means power presented in Vs. 63 also relates to the ‘khu’ in the creation myth. I gathered that with the one-pointed focus that Aset had in studying the nature of Ra as well as her being a woman of wisdom, knowledge etc. she was aware that Ra uses the ‘khu’, which is the dynamic will force to bring creation into being. This khu is the very power Ra uses to tie (tjez) the elements of creation together at an atomic level to create solid matter, people, mountains, animals etc. So, the khu is maakheru, the will power of Ra. If this is so, it is then the applying of the Khu/Khut to the words of power that makes them effective. So Aset, having studied sufficiently, had gained this power to apply to her hekaus.
The scripture continues with Ra declaring that he did not see what bit him, Aset informed him that it was a creature of his own creation that reared up against him. Here Aset is letting the aspirant know that they need to rear (fearlessly, boldly) themselves up against Ra, the entire creation, not just what one dislike but also the things that one like, as they are all delusions. Ra then realized and declared that he was bitten by a serpent and he again stated that he did not see it but now he adds that the reason is because it was beyond duality, it was not polarized (not feeling hot or cold but something in between). Aset then responded to Ra with the hekau that encapsulates the entire teaching of dissolution “Djed N-A Ren-A K” which means “tell me name yours”. Ra proceeded to try to deceive Aset by listing a whole litany of WHAT he is; he is the creator of mountains and all physical creation including the “nedjemnedjemyu” (life’s pleasures), Khepera in the morning, Ra at noon and Temu in the evening etc. but Aset did not relent, of all the things Ra listed she was not given “WHO” he is, his essence, his Divine name.
So, with Aset not giving up, Ra had no choice but to give into her demand, and in doing so he gave himself over to Aset to be ‘searched’ without obstructions. The scripture had informed us that Ra’s father mother (his essence) hid his name in his very being (his body), and not even the gods and goddesses knew this name as it cannot be spoken, it must be experienced by being passed to the body of Aset. Sebai further added that the search occurs in the anrutef region which is beyond time and space. Since there are other experiences in this region, for one to be led to discover their akh nature (spirit self) in this region, one must be led by their purity otherwise they could have hellish experiences etc.
The scripture continues with Vs 104 & 105 informing us that Ra himself (and not only his name) becoming hidden after giving himself over to Aset for inspection. This means Ra as a representation of God in time and space have been ‘unmasked’ and since he was that ‘mask’ itself, this is saying he himself(what he represents) goes away, but his essence remains in the gods and goddesses, his manifestations who form creation itself. So Aset had indeed passed the last test of will to go pass not only the illusiory creation of Ra in time and space but also his identity as a embodied Divine personality, she has entered the void of undifferentiated consciousness (anrutef) in which is to be found the source of Ra’s divinity, his essence (father mother god) , she has found through experience the essence of this identity and thus becoming one with it, Divinity itself, thus the goal of the teaching have been achieved. Regarding Ra being hidden, I gather that in the anrutef region where the search occurs there is no thoughts, no interaction with time and space etc., thus creation itself has been dissolved (stopped), but really, it’s the illusion that has been unveiled and Ra is no longer needed in the boat, thus Ra is hidden. (Sebai please augment my understanding as you deem necessary).
After her enlightenment ( being able to go in to the anrutef an ‘lift’the name of Ra from his body) , Goddess Aset then made a pact with Ra on behalf of Heru, (the aspirant, her initiates) to be able to pass these teaches unto to him when he is ready for enlightenment. As ‘intuitional wisdom’ she knows there will be a time when Heru will lose his two eyes (the vision of truth) in his struggle with Set (the ego) so she asks Ra to enter into a life oath promising to restore his two eyes, for spirit to replace his vision with that of his higher self. I found this action of Goddess Aset very heartfelt as it exemplifies the true meaning of divine love, not sentimental attachment but a love that leads one to discover truth, one’s higher self, the very essence of ALL. She is indeed the mother of the universe.
The scripture then concluded with the poison flowing out of the body of Ra. This process causes the eye of Heru(left eye) to come forth in the form of shining gold, which is enlightened mind. So Goddess Aset have achieved the goal of the one pointed serpent, the taffy shepsy and Ra is allowed to live and the poison die. As Sebai stated “the magician is not deluded by his own magic” which means Ra can continue without deluding her.
So in summary, I understand that to be an initiate of the Temple of Aset means to allow the fullness of the teachings to be fulfilled in one’s own life. So this course has been direct instructions from the Goddess to walk the path in its entirety, creating the taffy shepsy ( khak ab, antet begag, an chen) and being relentless with Ra and his delusions, “Djed N-A Ren A K!” until the full goal of the teaching is reached, the true name of ALL is lifted, as the essence of Ra and of oneself is All, which is the end of all toils and thus creation can continue without delusions based on duality. Dua Goddess Aset. Dua Sebai Maa, Dua Sebai Dja.
Htp
Shems Akhu
