A Beltane Ritual (Solitary - Kemetic)04:09 May 06 2011
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In Ancient Egyptian ritual magick, the four directions of north, south, east, and west have their own correspondences just as the Craft does within space and time. These directions can be viewed as a semi-circle line formed from the rising sun (Ra or Re) in the east to the sunset of the west. Egypt's physical geography represents the North-South axis where the River Nile flows from south to north, rising in the Eastern Highlands of Egypt, and ending in the northern Nile Delta where it meets with the Mediterranean Sea. South is the source of the Nile's mighty energies and mysticism.
In contrast with the practice of the Craft, ritual usually begins by facing either north or east; for the Ancient Egyptians, it was south.
Kemetic Symbolism:
Hapi: North - Lower Egypt -- Papyrus plant
Qebehsenuef: East - Sunrise (rebirth)
Duamutef: South - Upper Egypt -- Lotus flower or plant
Imseti: West - Sunset
Craft Symbolism:
North - Earth
South - Fire
East - Air
West - Water
Aether (Spirit): Isis, Bast, Sekhmet, Horus, Osiris, Ra, Thoth, Geb, or deity (deities) of your choice since we are meshing the Craft with Kemeticism.
It has been said that the Festival of Hathor & Horus was the wedding between Hathor and Horus but took place some time in mid-May not on May 1st. May 1st was the day adopted by early Cunning Folk in Britain. And in some locales, Beltane is celebrated from April 30th to May 5th.
PREPARATION:
1. Dress in a kaftan (caftan) or ritual garb of your choice.
2. Prepare your temple, altar, or sacred space for ritual and/or ceremony by purifying or cleansing your temple, altar, or sacred space by any method of your choice.
3. Gather your offerings and place them on your altar.
4. You will need a sistrum, two candles (representing Hathor and Horus), incense, Egyptian artifacts, and your usual ritual tools. For those of you who can perform this outdoors, then rally and dance around your maypole and bonfire in glee and merriment.
5. Optional - Facing south, cast your circle.
6. Prepare or get cakes, fruits, foods, and libations for your post-ritual celebration.
7. Feel free to vary this ritual to your own practice.
TIME OF DAY:
In Ancient Egypt, sunrise or dawn was considered the most important time of day to perform spiritual rituals and ceremonies.
Sunrise or Dawn is dedicated to Horus.
Midday or Noon is dedicated to Ra.
Sunset or Dusk is dedicated to Hathor.
Midnight is dedicated to Nut.
* * * * *
∞ THE RITUAL ∞
Priest or Priestess:
Call upon the presence of Hathor and Horus (both as the spirit entity), Duamutef (south), Hapi (north), Qebehsenuef (east), Imseti (west) by reciting:
"I conjure thee Hathor and Horus, Duamutef of southern watchtower, Hapi of the northern watchtower, Qebehsenuef of the eastern watchtower, Imseti of the western watchtower."
[Visualize and meditate as you're doing this in order to connect with these deities]
[Shake sistrum.]
[Light the two candles.]
Priest or Priestess recites:
"Hail to all for your presence and your blessings of goodwill throughout this ceremony, for this is the height of Spring and the flowering of life, O Beltane!"
[Light the incense.]
"I am purified with natron; thus I am pure, and pure are the words which come forth from my mouth-ii-wy em hotep!"
"Goddess Hathor, the gentler sister of Sekhmet, I welcome the love and light you bring and allow it to shed away all pain, sorrow, and regrets for what has not been fulfilled-bring joy in what has been done. Lord Horus, hawk of dawn, may your shining eye bring rays of light, health, hope, and good fortune as the day is renewed."
[Shake sistrum.]
Priest or Priestess recites:
"O Beltane, O Beltane,I dance with delight in the twilight o' the Beltane night.
Hathor of the west and Horus of the east,
May I awake renewed in peace."
[Shake sistrum.]
Priest or Priestess:
[At this point, prance or walk Deosil around the circle three times, spiraling inward and toward the center.]
[If you created a fire in your cauldron upon your altar, then extinguish it at this time.]
[Shake sistrum.]
Priest or Priestess recites in closing:
"In praise of thee shining Eye of Horus and of thee Great Lady Hathor and their eternal union, Blesséd Be."
[Shake sistrum.]
[Thank the deities for their attendance and help during this rite; bid them farewell, then banish the circle if you have cast one.]
~ Go celebrate in the Light of the Ancient Egyptian Pantheon, the Lady & Lord ~
About the Author:
Dr. Sahure is a practicing Alternative Spiritualist, ordained Kemetic Wiccan minister and Spiritual Counselor, traditional herbalist, senior researcher with the Antiquus Research Group and the author of many noteworthy essays and articles about a variety of topics and subjects, including herbalism, ancient history and mythology, ancient Egyptian religion (Kemeticism), metaphysical sciences, ancient religions and theology, astrology, tarot, and other divination systems. Dr. Sahure holds doctorate degrees in Metaphysical Science (Msc.D., D.Met.), Theology (Th.D.), and Divinity (D.D.). Visit his Applied Occult Metaphysics eGroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Applied_Occult_Metaphysics and his online Mystic Owl Curio shoppe at http://www.mysticowlcurio.com/
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