Reading List

 I suspect this is going to be another one of those entries that I update repeatedly.

1) Books on Women in AE - this will most likely hold a lot of the things that the 'common' people did. It's amazing how in a lot of history, all of the important people are men and the commoners are women. 

Allen, James P., Religion and Philosophy in Ancient Egypt
Allen, James P., Genesis
Assman, Jan, The Search for God in Ancient Egypt, Cornell University Press, 2001
Betro, Maria Carmel., Hieroglyphics: The Writings of Ancient Egypt. S. Amanda George, trans. NY: Abbeville Press. 1996.
Clark, R. T. Rundle, Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt London, 1959
Englund, Gertie, The Religion of the Ancient Egyptians
Hart, George. A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Hart, Georges, Egyptian Myths: The Legendary Past Austin
Hornung, Erik, Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt:The One and The Many
Hornung, Erik, Idea Into Image: Essays on Ancient Egyptian Thought.
Lesko, Barbara S. The Great Goddesses of Egypt.
Meeks, Dimitri and Christine Favard Meeks. Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods.
Morenz, Siegfried. Egyptian Religion.
Pinch, Geraldine, Magic in Ancient Egypt
Ritner, Robert Kriech. The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice.
Schafer, Byron E., ed. Religion in Ancient Egypt: Gods, Myths and Personal Practice.
Vincent Arieh Tobin, Theological Principles of Egyptian Religion
Watterson, B., The House of Horus at Edfu: Ritual in an Ancient Egyptian Temple
Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt
Wisner, Kerry., Eye of the Sun, The sacred legacy of Ancient Egypt 

The Life of the Ancient Egyptian, Inside the Temples
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/GeogHist/histories/Oldcivilization/Egyptology/LifeAncient/lifeinEgypt2.htm
The British Museum website, Temples
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/temples/home.html
Tour Egypt, Temples
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/temples.htm
Ancient Egyptian Temple Elements Part I: Approach and Entrance
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/templeentrance.htm
Ancient Egyptian Temple Elements Part II: The Outer Courtyards
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/templecourtyard.htm
Ancient Egyptian Temple Elements Part III: On the Path to the Sanctuary
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/templehalls.htm
Ancient Egyptian Temple Elements Part IV: The Sanctuary and its Environs
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/templesanctuary.htm
Ancient Egyptian Temple Elements Part V: Associated Elements
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/templeother.htm
Egyptian Temples, part I: A Reflection of Heaven
http://realmagick.com/articles/39/439.html
Egyptian Temples, part II: The Priesthood
http://realmagick.com/articles/40/440.html
Egyptian Temples, part III: God's Home
http://realmagick.com/articles/41/441.html
Egyptian Temples, part IV: The Temple Building
http://realmagick.com/articles/42/442.html
Egyptian Temples, part V: Daily Rituals
http://realmagick.com/articles/43/443.html
Egyptian Temples, part VI: The House of Life
http://realmagick.com/articles/44/444.htm
Adventures in Archaeology, AE Temples
http://www.odysseyadventures.ca/articles/egyptian_temples/egyptian_temples-text.htm
Egyptology Online, Temple Glossary
http://www.egyptologyonline.com/temple_glossary.htm
University College, AE Temple Architecture
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/art/temple.html
University College, Survival of Temple Buildings
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/temple/survival.html
University College, 'Reading a Temple'
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/temple/reading.html
University College, Temple Types
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/temple/types.html
University College, Spread of the formal temple
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/temple/typestime.html
Conservation at Luxor Temple
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/temple/typestime.html
Daily Cult Rituals
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/religion/dailycult.html

Specific Temples

Karnak Temple
www.egyptvoyager.com/karnak.htm
http://www.egyptvoyager.com/karnak.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/karnak.htm

Luxor
www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/luxor/luxor.html
http://www.bluffton.edu/sullivanm/egypt/luxor/luxor.html
http://www.touregypt.net/lxtmpl.htm

Deir el-Bahri Temple
www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/deirelbahri/deirelbahri.html
http://www.bluffton.edu/sullivanm/egypt/deirelbahri/deirelbahri.html
http://www.touregypt.net/bahari.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/bahri.htm

Abu Simbel
www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/abusimbel/ramses/ramses.html
http://www.bluffton.edu/sullivanm/egypt/abusimbel/ramses/ramses.html
www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/abusimbel/nefertari/nefertari.html
http://www.bluffton.edu/sullivanm/egypt/abusimbel/nefertari/nefertari.html
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/abusimbel.htm

Edfu
www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/edfu/edfu.html
http://www.bluffton.edu/sullivanm/egypt/edfu/edfu.html
http://www.touregypt.net/edfuc.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/edfu.htm

Dendera Temple
www.egyptvoyager.com/dendera.htm
http://www.touregypt.net/dendera.htm

Ma'at....

It's interesting that I named this journal 'Finding Ma'at'....it's a very challenging thing - something very challenging to even consider - to honor the Goddess of Ultimate Balance and Truth and Justice. Sheesh.

Anyhow - here's the rather scattered information I've been able to gather.

Maat
http://touregypt.net/godsofegypt/maat2.htm
http://www.swedenborgdigitallibrary.org/egypt/forw.htm (Seems like a good general reading for Kemetism) 
http://www.philae.nu/akhet/NetjeruM.html#Ma'at (Shows festivals!)
http://www.godchecker.com/ (Just plain interesting!) 
http://www.neberdjer.org/ (also Interesting!) 
http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/maat.html
http://www.nubeing.com/unblind2/maatlink.htm

Whoo - this is taking longer than I expected, so I will close out here, and come back to update and elaborate as needed. 

I need a GOOD book.

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Hmm... where to start? 

Ma'at - usually translated as truth, justice, balance, straightness, righteousness, was considered to be both a Netjer as well as the foundation upon which existence WAS. The translation still loses a lot of the concept of Ma'at, however.  Ma'at is NOT 'good', as one would usually think of it - Ma'at is what is required to allow the universe to continue to exist - to operate - and thus things that upon the surface are 'bad' (like Set killing Osiris) are actually well within Ma'at (if he hadn't killed him - who would be the King of the Dead?). Ma'at is about balance - the delicate interaction of microevents that allows the macro to occur. 
The opposite concept is Isfet (Asfet) or chaos. Once again - it loses a lot in the translation. Isfet would really be 'That which is against Ma'at - that which weakens the Universe and brings The End of All Things'  because sometimes chaos is needed in order to get things going. 
Ma'at is what every Egyptian - from the Pharoah to the lowest laborer - strived on a daily basis to achieve - to be balanced and right with the All.  The Pharoah however, was seen as being the most important upholder of Ma'at - which is why civil war and other strife of sucession was viewed with such horror because it was an indication that Ma'at was not being upheld.  Ma'at was the final judge at the end of all things. After death, your heart was weighed against the feather of Ma'at, and if your heart was heavier than her justice, it was consumed by another god and you were sentenced to non-existence. However - if your heart was lighter than her feather, you would be allowed to move on into the presence of the Gods. 
Ma'at was usually represted as a standing woman with a ostrich feather coming out of her head. She was also represented as simply an ostrich feather coming out of the primodial mound, or as a woman sitting on the primordial mound - once again with her trademark feather.  I read somewhere (but can't find it again!) that rarely she was represented as a pair of identical twin goddesses - but I can't find their names!
Because she was viewed as the root of all that was, there were suprisingly few temples dedicated to Ma'at in and of itself. There is one that Queen Hasputset built, and then another at Karnak (or the one that the Queen built may have been built at Karnak - I'll have to get clarity around that).

I think that one of the reasons that I resonate so well with the idea of Ma'at is because it seems to combine the idea of Karma, as well as the awareness that the bad don't always GET their comeuppance - and sometimes evil deeds are done that result in a future good.  *thinks* More accurately - evil/bad exists in the world because it is required as part of the balance. Light is nothing without Dark, Good is nothing without Evil. And yet - at the same time there is a concept - Isfet - that is beyond dark and beyond evil and - determined to destroy for the sake of destruction alone. 

The 42 Declarations

Okay - I figured that it made more sense for me to collect a LOT of links, and then winnow through them to find the 'right' ones. 

http://www.geocities.com/maatguidesme2u/ 
http://www.philae.nu/akhet/Declaration.html
http://www.homestead.com/wysinger/maat.html
http://www.stormpages.com/littleowlluna/base2/42negativeconfessions.html
http://www.nubeing.com/unblind2/42.htm

And then of course, I have good old Budge's Book of the Dead. Gah, I wish I lived near a bigger university so that I could get my hands on some real scholarly books without having to distribute the ducats. 

Settled, I think.....

I've got more blogs than any one person should, and as I realized that I was scattering my thoughts and musings on the Journey over all of them, I finally settled on creating an entirely NEW space specifially for posts on this topic. I started off at Blogger, then once I realized that it seemed like there were HUNDREDS of Kemetics at LJ, I switched over here.
Thus far, I'm happy - I wish that my update page could look like my journal, but - that's a minor thing. I love the colors on my page, and while I can't customize it as much as I would like - it will do very nicely for what I need.

---

So. I spent most of yesterday putting together an simultaneous Gregorian/Egyptian Civil calendar. I have one listing of festival days that I plan on integrating to it, but - I will need to study the festivals more, and grasp a better understanding of what they were for.
That's the one thing that scares me, and yet attracts me towards Kemetism - it is an HUGE source of information - yet because there are no practioners (besides those folk hidden in Nubia) that have been practicing since the days of the Pharoahs, there is - esp. as a solitary - a good bit of wiggle room as far as how you - interpet - various things. And then of course, there's the whole translation bit, and well - it gets fun.

It's interesting. In my mind - I'm not going to be a Kemetic. I'm going to be someone who follows the Way of Ma'at (I'd love to see if that is a phrase!) which - while very similar, is still very different. I haven't had any of the Netjeru 'tap me on the shoulder' (besides Ma'at, of course!) and - I'm honestly not sure if I will. As I mentioned in my first entry - my goal is to find a path that feels authentic to ME that helps me commune with the All. I don't know if I need a God to do that.

*smiles*

I'm SO happy that I have a place where I can just ramble on forEVER about this. My hubby - he is a lapsed Christian, and while he isn't dismissive of the Heathen that I am, he's really not interested in listening to be babble on about that OR about birth, for that matter. And regretfully, living in the Bible Belt of the South as I am - there aren't many other Kemetics in real life here. There are quite a few pagans of other shades - but. Well. Let's just say that I think that my choice to remain solitary is a wise one. *tilts head* The community is big enough that I'm going to tip-toe into it VERY carefully - analysing everyone I meet on their merits at THAT point in time.

*grins* I have to admit though, I FINALLY went to a Full Moon ritual over the weekend (and it did bother me a bit that the moon wasn't actually FULL - it was just the closest Saturday) and it felt - WONDERFUL. I still couldn't really 'click' with the Euro/Celtic deities, but man - just the feeling - it was - intoxicating. It was WONDERFUL. And for the first time (maybe because it was a small group AND because I knew the Ritual Leader) I felt REALLY comfortable. Felt a little goofy because I didn't know (for example) who a goddess of the West would be - but it didn't bother me nearly as much. *laughs* I realized it's rather like asking a Buddhist who is the Patron Saint of Traveling - it's a bit of information that MAY have been picked up - but it's so far outside of your personal spiritual path that it wasn't kept.
So, I think I'm going to keep going to the Full Moon rituals - just including personal rites that fit ME best. *smiles* And that feels - right.

Okay - I've a few hours left, I really want to find a GOOD copy of the 42 that I can memorize.

Solitary Stars shine the brightest

Hmm... how to start this?
I'm a solitary - always have been one, even when I was in a place where there were more pagans around me than I could shake a stick at. For the longest time I was solitary because I wasn't interested in 'proving' my worth. Then, as I started to come closer to accepting the fact that the path I wanted to walk was starting as the path of a student, I opened my mind to the fact that it was most likely a good idea to at least become - partially integrated - with the communities around me, so that if a teacher was there, I would see them. The more I deal with pagan communities though, the more I'm - comforted by my choice to be solitary. I hated the Christian church because the people there did not act as Christians unless they were actually IN church. The pagans I am around remind me of this. Gossiping, slandering, back-biting, tossing about accusations, and basically acting like 9th graders. I'm - I'm too old for that kinda stress and drama in my FAITH.

And maybe that's really the issue. I expect people of faith to hold themselves to some sort of - higher standard - than the average, everyday person. I don't even claim a faith - and yet - could not see myself doing or joining in with such bickering in a community that I was trying to form and solidify. Maybe it's not even an issue of faith. I expect ANYONE who is part of a small, local community to do their best - on an individual as well as collective level - to insure the health of the community as a whole - and to insure that individuals within the community act either with maturity, or they should be treated as children.

Hm. That really is what it boils down to. I'm not willing to join a community that is clearly unhealthy, and I've yet to encounter a faith-based community (of any kind) that is truly HEALTHY. And - that doesn't mean there are never interpersonal issues. That doesn't mean that everybody loves each other on a daily basis. It doesn't mean there are never fallings out, and arguements, and situations that require arbitration. What it DOES mean is that in every situation - things are handled OPENLY, HONESTLY, and MATURELY. It means that people think before they speak. It means that people do not lie. It means that people truly try to do their BEST for the community - and that they rein in (or expell) those who would do any less.
It's - really fascinating - thinking through my concepts on how faith/community/worship/life intersect, and realizing how much of what feels RIGHT to me is Ma'at. It feels good, honestly.

The Festivals

So, I did a little thinking and introspection around the calendar and the seasons and so forth - and I realized that what was really BOTHERING me was the idea that there might be a celebration like - Imboloc, for example which is specifically designed to celebrate the start of spring - but it might be in August! Which, of course, wouldn't really work. I realized that a much smarter thing to do - before I get bogged down in the idea that the Kemetic calendar of Festivals WON'T work for me - is to see what the festivals actually ARE. And of course, most places just list the festivals, without mentioning their meaning UNLESS you are a member of their church. PHhhhhpt! Solitaries RULE!

I also need to put together a - conversion chart, between the Kemetic Calendar, and this one. *frowns* Since it's supposed to be ceremonial, I could start each year with the New Moon after Sirius rising. *thinks* But then, I'll miss the five day gap between Memphis & Memphis. Hm. I think I'll keep it simple, and say that the end of the year is on August 5th, and the start of the year is August 10 (11th on those special years) and be done with it. But - I WILL include Full Moon Festivals each Month.

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	Akhet Season: Innundation Netjer of the Season: Hapi
Month: Thuthi	Netjer of the Month:Thoth
1	Month of Thuthi begins. Feast of Thoth, Opet Festival: marriage of Wasir & Aset (Isis & Osiris)
3	Birthday of Aten
7	Feast of Anket: welcoming the rising of the Nile
9	Queen Hatshepsut's Birthday
10	Festival ofthe Goddess of Weaving (Hedjihotep)
17	Festival of the Dead: Sunset Ceremony
19	Festival of Nut & Ra; Chief Festival of Thoth
25	Day of Sekhmet's repulsion of Set; Also Wasirian (Osirian) Mysteries: Feast of Lights of Aset (Isis)
26	Day of battle between Heru (Horus) and Set; Aset gains the Horns of Het-Hert (Hathor)
27	Day of Peace between Heru and Set
30	Rituals in the Temples of Ra, Heru (Horus) and Wasir (Osiris)
Month: Paopi	Netjer of the Month:Ptah
1	Month of Paopi Begins
2	Procession of Heru to Neith
3	Tehuti(Thoth) orders the healing of the eye of Heru (Horus)
5	Feast of Montu
6	Great Feast of the Netjeru (Gods & Goddesses)
9	Day of Jubilation in the heart of Ra
10	Procession of Bast; Birthday of Nut
12	Bithtday of Het-Hert (Hathor)
13	Day of Satisfying the Hearts of the Ennead
14	Day Heru receives the White Crown
16	Feast of Wasir (Osiris)
18	Ceremony of Transformation through Anpu (Anubis)
19	Ceremony of Raising the Djed Pillar
21	Neith Goes forth to Atum
27	Festival of lighting the fires of Nieth
30	Land in Festival for Ra, Wasir, and Heru
Month: Hethara	Netjer of the Month:Het-Hert (Hathor)
1	Month of Hethara begins; Feast of Het-hert (Hathor)
5	Autum Equinox; Honors to Het-hert
6	Ritual of the the Netjeru of the Two Lands
7	Honors offered to Atum
8	The going forth of Aset (Isis)
12	Wasir (Osiris) goes forth to Abydos; Purification of the hearts of the Netjeru; Feast of Hapi: Creatiing of the Nile
15	Contemplation of the Fertility of Min
16	Day of the appearance of the eight Great Names of Netjer (Primordials)
17	Landing of the Great Names of Netjer in Abydos; Lamentations of Aset (Isis)and Nebet-Het (Nephthys) for Wasir (Osiris).
18	Festival of Het-Hert (Hathor).
20	Bast appears to Ra.
21	Feast Day of Ma'at .
23	Ra judges the dispute of Set and Heru (Horus).
24	Aset (Isis) goes forth
26	The Black Land is given to Heru (Horus); The Red Land is given to Set
28	Festival of establishing Heru as King;The appearance before Ptah
29	Feast of the Three Noble Ladies
Month: Koiak	Netjer of the Month:Sekhmet
1	Month of Koiak Begins; The Feast of Sekhmet
2	The Netjeru in festivity
4	Festivals for Sebek
5	Het-Hert (Hathor) goes forth to Her people
7	Festival for Serquet (Selket); Ceremony of Thehuti (Thoth)
11	Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in Abydos
12	Day of Transformation into the Bennu Bird (Phoenix)
13	Going forth of Het-Hert (Hathor) and the Ennead
14	Celebration of the Netjert of Weaving and Fate; Coming forth of the Bennu transformed.
15	Feast of Sekhmet Bast Ra
17	Festival of Het-Hert (Hathor). The people and the Netjeru judge the speeches of the crew of the Solar Barge in Heliopolis
21	Raising the Djed Pillar
22	Ploughing the Earth
27	Aset (Isis) seeks the body of Wasir (Osiris)
28	Aset (Isis) grieves the loss of Wasir (Osiris)
29	Aset (Isis) rejoices as She finds Wasir (Osiris)
30	Ennead feast in the House of Ra, Heru (Horus) and Wasir (Osiris); Invocation and offering to the Spirits (khu)
	Peret (Spring) Netjer of the Season:Khepri Season: Sowing
Month: Tybi	Netjer of the Month:Min
1	Month of Tybi begins; Heb Sed Festival; Festival of Bast
5	Day of Sekhmet and the Purifying Flame
9	Day of Offerings to Sekhmet
13	Feast of Het-Hert (Hathor) and Sekhmet; Day of prolonging life and the goodness of Ma'at
18	Going forth of the Netjeru of Abydos
20	Bast goes forth from Bubastis
21	Bast guards the Two Lands; Day of offerings to the Shemsu (followers) of Ra
23	Feast of Neith
28	The Day of Tehuti's taking the oath
29	The appearance of the Hu and Sia; Tehuti (Thoth) sends Bast and Sekhmet to guide Egypt
30	Day of crossing before Nun in the Temple of Hapi
Month: Mechir	Netjer of the Month:Rekhur
1	Month of Mechir begins; Festival of the Little Heat; Day of Ptah lifting up Ra with His hands
2	Day the Netjeru of Heaven receive Ra
3	Set goes forth
6	Winter Solstice; Feast of Aset (Isis)
8	Festival of the Great Heat; Feast Day of Het-Hert (Hathor)
10	Birth of Heru (Horus) the child of Aset (Isis) ; Going forth of Wadjet singing in Heliopolis;Day of Elevating the Great Netjert (Goddess) in all Her names & manifestations
11	Feast of Neith; Birth of Sebek (Sobek)
13	Day of Sekhmet going forth to Letopolis
16	Feast of Sekhmet
17	Day of keeping the things of Wasir (Osiris) in the hands of Anpu (Anubis)
20	Day of Nut and Raet proceeding southward
22	Feast of Ptah and Heru (Horus)
23	Festival of Aset (Isis)
24	Festival of Aset (Isis); Birth of Aion
26	Going forth of Min to Coptus; Aset sees Wasir's face
27	Feast of Sokar
Month: Pamenot	Netjer of the Month:Amun-Ra
1	Month of Pamenot begins; Feast of entering Heaven and the Two Lands
5	The brilliant festival of lights as Neith goes forth from Sais
6	Going forth of Yinepu (Anubis); Festival of jubilation for Wasir i(Osiris)n Busiris
8	Day of making way for Khnum
9	Day of Het-Hert (Hathor)
10	Day of coming of Tehuti (Thoth)
13	Tehuti and and the khu go forth
16	Day of opening the doors and couts at Karnak
18	Feast of Nut
19	Missing Holiday
22	Birthday of Apep (Apophis)
23	Feast of Heru
26	Day of unseen in in the Underworld
28	Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in Abydos
30	Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in Busiris; The Doorways of the Horizon are opened
Month: Parmutit	Netjer of the Month:Renenutet
1	Month of Parmuti Begins
2	Geb proceeds to Busiris to see Anpu (Anubis)
7	Min goes forth in festivity
8	Day of coutning the parts of the Eye of Heru
13	Day of Nut
16	Going forth of Khepri
17	Going forth of Set, Son of Nut
19	Feast of Ra in His Barge at Heliopolis
27	End of the World by Sekhmet
29	Adoration of Uneffer
30	Offerings to Ra, Wasir, Heru, Ptah, Sokar and Atum
	Shemu (Summer) Season:Harvest Netjer of the Season: Khonsu-Ra
Month: Pachons	Netjer of the Month:Khonsu
1	Month of Pachons begins; Feast of Heru and His Companions
5	Feast of the good soul for sexual fertility
6	Spring Equinox; Harvest Festival; Festival of restructuring the Heavens; Coming forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra
8	Festival of Aset (Isis)
10	Day the Shining Ones of Heaven move upstream
14	Day of the cutting out of the tongue of Sobek
17	Day of Het-Hert (Hathor)
18	Day of Joy of the Ennead and crew of Ra
19	Day of the counting of Tehuti (Thoth) who heard Ma'at
20	Ma'at judges the souls before the Netjeru
30	Celebrations in the House of Ra, Wasir (Osiris), and Heru (Horus)
Month:Payni	Netjer of the Month:Heru (Horus)
1	Month of Payni Begins; Festival of Heru; Festival of Bast
2	Holiday of Ra and his Shemsu (followers)
7	Feast of Wadjet (Udjet or Buto)
13	The Ennead sails throughout the land
18	Wasir (Osiris) goes forth from His mountain
21	Day of the living children of Nut
25	The Akhet eye pleases Ra
26	Going forth of Neith along the river
28	Day of purification of all things.
30	Tehuti (Thoth) appears with Shu to bring back Tefnut
Month:Epipi	Netjer of the Month:Wadjet
1	Month of Epipi begins; Festivals of Het-Hert and Bast; Great feast of the Southern heavens
2	The Netjerts (Goddesses) feast in their temples
5	Het-Hert (Hathor) returns to Punt: the Netjeru are saddened
7	Sailing of the Netjeru after Het-Hert (Hathor)
12	Holiday of the receiving of Ra
15	Heru hears prayer in the presence of the Netjeru
16	Ma'at is taken to Ra in Heliopolis
18	Ma'at and Ra go forth in secret
29	Festival of Mut: feeding of the Netjeru
30	Ceremony of Heru the Beloved
Month:Mesore	Netjer of the Month:Heru-Khuiti
1	Month of Mesore begins
2	Ma'at unites as one with all the Netjeru of the heavens
3	Feast of Raet; Feast of Het-Hert as Sirius
4	Day of the procession of Sopdu, the Warrior
5	Day of appearance of Min
7	Anpu travels to every necropolis
8	Summer Solstice; Wadjet ceremony
10	Anpu (Anubis) Ceremony
13	Holiday for the Shemsu of Heru (Shemsu-Hor)
15	Ra goes forth to propitiate the Nun
19	the Wadjet eye has returned complete
22	Feast of Anpu (Anubis) with the Children of Nut and Geb
28	Feast of Min
29	Holiday in the Temple of Sokar; Festival of the Estate of Ptah
30	Birthday of Ra
THE EPAGOMENAL DAYS
Egyptian Calendar	Festival/Celebration
1	Birthday of Wasir (Osiris)
2	Birthday of Heru-Dunawhy
3	Birthday of Set
4	irthday of Aset (Isis)
5	Birthday of Nebet-Het (Nephthys)

There is so much information about the festivals - and of course, everyone has their own name for them, and since the dates don't always match up it's - interesting, to say the least.
The links to actual details about the festivals (meanings, how they were observed) will go here.

http://www.hethert.org/festivals.htm

The Festivals

There is SOO much information about the festivals - and of course, everyone has their own name for them, and since the dates don't always match up it's - interesting, to say the least.
http://www.hethert.org/festivals.htm

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So, I did a little thinking and introspection around the calendar and the seasons and so forth - and I realized that what was really BOTHERING me was the idea that there might be a celebration like - Imboloc, for example which is specifically designed to celebrate the start of spring - but it might be in August! Which, of course, wouldn't really work. I realized that a much smarter thing to do - before I get bogged down in the idea that the Kemetic calendar of Festivals WON'T work for me - is to see what the festivals actually ARE. And of course, most places just list the festivals, without mentioning their meaning UNLESS you are a member of their church. PHhhhhpt! Solitaries RULE!

 I also need to put together a - conversion chart, between the Kemetic Calendar, and this one. *frowns* Since it's supposed to be ceremonial, I could start each year with the New Moon after Sirius rising. *thinks* But then, I'll miss the five day gap between Memphis & Memphis. Hm. I think I'll keep it simple, and say that the end of the year is on August 5th, and the start of the year is August 10 (11th on those special years) and be done with it. But - I WILL include Full Moon Festivals each Month. 

	Akhet (winter)  Season: Innundation Netjer of the Season: Hapi
Month: Thuthi	Netjer of the Month:Thoth
1	Month of Thuthi begins. Feast of Thoth, Opet Festival: marriage of Wasir & Aset (Isis & Osiris)
3	Birthday of Aten
7	Feast of Anket: welcoming the rising of the Nile
9	Queen Hatshepsut's Birthday
10	Festival ofthe Goddess of Weaving (Hedjihotep)
17	Festival of the Dead: Sunset Ceremony
19	Festival of Nut & Ra; Chief Festival of Thoth
25	Day of Sekhmet's repulsion of Set; Also Wasirian (Osirian) Mysteries: Feast of Lights of Aset (Isis)
26	Day of battle between Heru (Horus) and Set; Aset gains the Horns of Het-Hert (Hathor)
27	Day of Peace between Heru and Set
30	Rituals in the Temples of Ra, Heru (Horus) and Wasir (Osiris)
Month: Paopi	Netjer of the Month:Ptah
1	Month of Paopi Begins
2	Procession of Heru to Neith
3	Tehuti(Thoth) orders the healing of the eye of Heru (Horus)
5	Feast of Montu
6	Great Feast of the Netjeru (Gods & Goddesses)
9	Day of Jubilation in the heart of Ra
10	Procession of Bast; Birthday of Nut
12	Bithtday of Het-Hert (Hathor)
13	Day of Satisfying the Hearts of the Ennead
14	Day Heru receives the White Crown
16	Feast of Wasir (Osiris)
18	Ceremony of Transformation through Anpu (Anubis)
19	Ceremony of Raising the Djed Pillar
21	Neith Goes forth to Atum
27	Festival of lighting the fires of Nieth
30	Land in Festival for Ra, Wasir, and Heru
Month: Hethara	Netjer of the Month:Het-Hert (Hathor)
1	Motnh of Hethara begins; Feast of Het-hert (Hathor)
5	Autum Equinox; Honors to Het-hert
6	Ritual of the the Netjeru of the Two Lands
7	Honors offered to Atum
8	The going forth of Aset (Isis)
12	Wasir (Osiris) goes forth to Abydos; Purification of the hearts of the Netjeru; Feast of Hapi: Creatiing of the Nile
15	Contemplation of the Fertility of Min
16	Day of the appearance of the eight Great Names of Netjer (Primordials)
17	Landing of the Great Names of Netjer in Abydos; Lamentations of Aset (Isis)and Nebet-Het (Nephthys) for Wasir (Osiris).
18	Festival of Het-Hert (Hathor).
20	Bast appears to Ra.
21	Feast Day of Ma'at .
23	Ra judges the dispute of Set and Heru (Horus).
24	Aset (Isis) goes forth
26	The Black Land is given to Heru (Horus); The Red Land is given to Set
28	Festival of establishing Heru as King;The appearance before Ptah
29	Feast of the Three Noble Ladies
Month: Koiak	Netjer of the Month:Sekhmet
1	Month of Koiak Begins; The Feast of Sekhmet
2	The Netjeru in festivity
4	Festivals for Sebek
5	Het-Hert (Hathor) goes forth to Her people
7	Festival for Serquet (Selket); Ceremony of Thehuti (Thoth)
11	Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in Abydos
12	Day of Transformation into the Bennu Bird (Phoenix)
13	Going forth of Het-Hert (Hathor) and the Ennead
14	Celebration of the Netjert of Weaving and Fate; Coming forth of the Bennu transformed.
15	Feast of Sekhmet Bast Ra
17	Festival of Het-Hert (Hathor). The people and the Netjeru judge the speeches of the crew of the Solar Barge in Heliopolis
21	Raising the Djed Pillar
22	Ploughing the Earth
27	Aset (Isis) seeks the body of Wasir (Osiris)
28	Aset (Isis) grieves the loss of Wasir (Osiris)
29	Aset (Isis) rejoices as She finds Wasir (Osiris)
30	Ennead feast in the House of Ra, Heru (Horus) and Wasir (Osiris); Invocation and offering to the Spirits (khu)
	Peret (Spring)  Netjer of the Season:Khepri   Season: Sowing
Month: Tybi	Netjer of the Month:Min
1	Month of Tybi begins; Heb Sed Festival; Festival of Bast
5	Day of Sekhmet and the Purifying Flame
9	Day of Offerings to Sekhmet
13	Feast of Het-Hert (Hathor) and Sekhmet; Day of prolonging life and the goodness of Ma'at
18	Going forth of the Netjeru of Abydos
20	Bast goes forth from Bubastis
21	Bast guards the Two Lands; Day of offerings to the Shemsu (followers) of Ra
23	Feast of Neith
28	The Day of Tehuti's taking the oath
29	The appearance of the Hu and Sia; Tehuti (Thoth) sends Bast and Sekhmet to guide Egypt
30	Day of crossing before Nun in the Temple of Hapi
Month: Mechir	Netjer of the Month:Rekhur
1	Month of Mechir begins; Festival of the Little Heat; Day of Ptah lifting up Ra with His hands
2	Day the Netjeru of Heaven receive Ra
3	Set goes forth
6	Winter Solstice; Feast of Aset (Isis)
8	Festival of the Great Heat; Feast Day of Het-Hert (Hathor)
10	Birth of Heru (Horus) the child of Aset (Isis) ; Going forth of Wadjet singing in Heliopolis;Day of Elevating the Great Netjert (Goddess) in all Her names & manifestations
11	Feast of Neith; Birth of Sebek (Sobek)
13	Day of Sekhmet going forth to Letopolis
16	Feast of Sekhmet
17	Day of keeping the things of Wasir (Osiris) in the hands of Anpu (Anubis)
20	Day of Nut and Raet proceeding southward
22	Feast of Ptah and Heru (Horus)
23	Festival of Aset (Isis)
24	Festival of Aset (Isis); Birth of Aion
26	Going forth of Min to Coptus; Aset sees Wasir's face
27	Feast of Sokar
Month: Pamenot	Netjer of the Month:Amun-Ra
1	Month of Pamenot begins; Feast of entering Heaven and the Two Lands
5	The brilliant festival of lights as Neith goes forth from Sais
6	Going forth of Yinepu (Anubis); Festival of jubilation for Wasir i(Osiris)n Busiris
8	Day of making way for Khnum
9	Day of Het-Hert (Hathor)
10	Day of coming of Tehuti (Thoth)
13	Tehuti and and the khu go forth
16	Day of opening the doors and couts at Karnak
18	Feast of Nut
19	Birthday of Nut
22	Birthday of Apep (Apophis)
23	Feast of Heru
26	Day of unseen in in the Underworld
28	Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in Abydos
30	Feast of Wasir (Osiris) in Busiris; The Doorways of the Horizon are opened
Month: Parmutit	Netjer of the Month:Renenutet
1	Month of Parmuti Begins
2	Geb proceeds to Busiris to see Anpu (Anubis)
7	Min goes forth in festivity
8	Day of coutning the parts of the Eye of Heru
13	Day of Nut
16	Going forth of Khepri
17	Going forth of Set, Son of Nut
19	Feast of Ra in His Barge at Heliopolis
27	End of the World by Sekhmet
29	Adoration of Uneffer
30	Offerings to Ra, Wasir, Heru, Ptah, Sokar and Atum
	Shemu (Summer)  Season:Harvest   Netjer of the Season: Khonsu-Ra
Month: Pachons	Netjer of the Month:Khonsu
1	Month of Pachons begins; Feast of Heru and His Companions
5	Feast of the good soul for sexual fertility
6	Spring Equinox; Harvest Festival; Festival of restructuring the Heavens; Coming forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra
8	Festival of Aset (Isis)
10	Day the Shining Ones of Heaven move upstream
14	Day of the cutting out of the tongue of Sobek
17	Day of Het-Hert (Hathor)
18	Day of Joy of the Ennead and crew of Ra
19	Day of the counting of Tehuti (Thoth) who heard Ma'at
20	Ma'at judges the souls before the Netjeru
30	Celebrations in the House of Ra, Wasir (Osiris), and Heru (Horus)
Month:Payni	Netjer of the Month:Heru (Horus)
1	Month of Payni Begins; Festival of Heru; Festival of Bast
2	Holiday of Ra and his Shemsu (followers)
7	Feast of Wadjet (Udjet or Buto)
13	The Ennead sails throughout the land
18	Wasir (Osiris) goes forth from His mountain
21	Day of the living children of Nut
25	The Akhet eye pleases Ra
26	Going forth of Neith along the river
28	Day of purification of all things.
30	Tehuti (Thoth) appears with Shu to bring back Tefnut
Month:Epipi	Netjer of the Month:Wadjet
1	Month of Epipi begins; Festivals of Het-Hert and Bast; Great feast of the Southern heavens
2	The Netjerts (Goddesses) feast in their temples
5	Het-Hert (Hathor) returns to Punt: the Netjeru are saddened
7	Sailing of the Netjeru after Het-Hert (Hathor)
12	Holiday of the receiving of Ra
15	Heru hears prayer in the presence of the Netjeru
16	Ma'at is taken to Ra in Heliopolis
18	Ma'at and Ra go forth in secret
29	Festival of Mut: feeding of the Netjeru
30	Ceremony of Heru the Beloved
Month:Mesore	Netjer of the Month:Heru-Khuiti
1	Month of Mesore begins
2	Ma'at unites as one with all the Netjeru of the heavens
3	Feast of Raet; Feast of Het-Hert as Sirius
4	Day of the procession of Sopdu, the Warrior
5	Day of appearance of Min
7	Anpu travels to every necropolis
8	Summer Solstice; Wadjet ceremony
10	Anpu (Anubis) Ceremony
13	Holiday for the Shemsu of Heru (Shemsu-Hor)
15	Ra goes forth to propitiate the Nun
19	the Wadjet eye has returned complete
22	Feast of Anpu (Anubis) with the Children of Nut and Geb
28	Feast of Min
29	Holiday in the Temple of Sokar; Festival of the Estate of Ptah
30	Birthday of Ra
THE EPAGOMENAL DAYS
Egyptian Calendar	Festival/Celebration
1	Birthday of Wasir (Osiris)
2	Birthday of Heru-Dunawhy
3	Birthday of Set
4	Birthday of Aset (Isis)
5	Birthday of Nebet-Het (Nephthys)

The Rituals

Now, I KNOW that Kemetism is not Wicca, in any way shape or form. However - it makes - sense to me - the structure of the Wiccan rituals. Opening and closing a circle gives me a tingle of connection - a feeling of an uprising of energy and potential. With that in mind - here is the information that I've found about rituals.

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Daily Rites are something that was actually created by HoN - which makes sense - or at least I claim it makes sense because it didn't feel quite - right. In my head, there is a difference from daily RITUAL, and daily communion with the All. So - I doubt that daily RITUAL will become part of my practice - but there will be something - perhaps a little more casual instead.

Direction	Female	Male	Quality
East	Nbt-Het	Hapi	Education
South	Serqet	Qebhsenuf	Health
West	Ast	Amset	Spirituality
North	Nit	Duamutef	Finance

The remaining netjer in the ritual are:
Nut the feminine principle, whose essence corresponds to Heaven (Air)
Geb the masculine principle, whose essence corresponds to Earth
Shu the masculine principle, whose essence corresponds to Fire (light in the air)
Tefnut the feminine principle, whose essence corresponds to Water (moisture in air)
Paut Ntrw, The NTRW in the pre-existent, "water like" chaos form (Spirit)

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And then, of course, there are the feast day rituals - which from my reading so far, seem to mainly be a celebration of the Netjer, including special offerings. In fact, interestingly enough, all of the rituals are pretty similar - it's just a matter of how elaborate they are.

Wonderful, wonderful....

I had a really GOOD weekend - was actually exceptionally social and so forth - Saturday night AND Sunday night I was out whooping it up - and I actually had a chance to go out Friday night too, but I wasn't mentally geared up for it (ie I was already WAAYY too comfy) so I sent C out on his own, and he had a rip roaring good time.

I played in the dirt a bit outside - I'm still holding off planting my garden until I'm certain that we'll be here all summer long (I don't wanna kill off the garden!) I've at least got seeds though, and I should most likely start germinating them now.

I'm sleepy right now - It's alost 2pm, and i got here at 8:30, so there's not tooo much of the day left. Speaking of work - my tempboss is now my realboss, and that rocks, so hopefully I'll be a bit busier now that he feels comfy making long-term decisions.

Wow, I'm sleepy.

Calendar

http://www.polysyllabic.com/Egyptian.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_calendar
http://showcase.netins.net/web/ankh/calendar1.html
http://hometown.aol.com/tokapu/calendar00.htm
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/ideology/festivaldates.html
http://ourworld.cs.com/frankherbert10/heliacAN.html#LINKvbs

There were 3 seasons in the Egyptian year, Akhet (inundation) (spring to early summer), Peret (emergence) (early summer to mid fall) and Shemu (low water) (mid fall to the spring)which corresponded to the annual flooding of the Nile. Each season held 3 months. The seasons were determined by the rising of heliacal rising of the star Sirius (Sothis in Egyptian), which roughly coincided with the flooding of the Nile. The waters started rising around the end of June, and the flood period (Akhet) lasted until October, covering the land with rich black mud and preparing it for the sowing and growing period (Peret). The harvest time (Shemu) started at the end of February and ended with the new Nile flood.

Akhet: June 21st to October 21st
Peret: October 21st to February 21st
Shemu: February 21st to June 21st

No.	Seasonal Names	Individual Names	Coptic Names
I	First of Akhet	Tekh	Thout
II	Second of Akhet	Menhet	Paopi
III	Third of Akhet	Hwt-Hwr	Hathor
IV	Fourth of Akhet	Ka-Hr-Ka	Koiak
V	First of Peret	Sf-Bdt	Tobi
VI	Second of Peret	Rekh Wer	Meshir
VII	Third of Peret	Rekh Neds	Paremhat
VIII	Fourth of Peret	Renwet	Paremoude
IX	First of Shemu	Hnsw	Pashons
X	Second of Shemu	Hnt-Htj	Paoni
XI	Third of Shemu	Ipt-Hmt	Epip
XII	Fourth of Shemu	Wep-Renpet	Mesori

There were 12 months, each month lasting exactly 30 days. There were 3 weeks in a month, each week being 10 days. The last five days of the year (Epagomenal Days) did not belong to a month, and they were as follows:

1	Mswt wsjr	The Birth of Osiris
2	Mswt Hr	The Birth of Horus
3	Mswt stx	The Birth of Set
4	Mswt Ast	The Birth of Isis
5	Mswt nbt-!wt	The Birth of Nephthys

At a later date, a sixth day was added (Leap day) every four years to keep the calendar in sync with the Gregorian calendar.

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There are few good records of festival dates and the like, so those will have to be found and added later. It does seem, however, that they had a festival to some god or other almost every day of the year!

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Ouch! Okay - I got those dates kinda wrong, assuming that I want to stick with the concept that the New Year starts when Sirius rises. I was considering 'arranging' the calendar so that the seasons actually lined up better, but - I'm not sure. It would certainly make the observance of the festivals more 'right' because they would actually correspong to the seasons in Memphis. Humph. I guess that's one of the disadvantages of being solitary - how much can I/should I change to reflect the new place I'm trying to observe this very old faith in?
Anyhow - Using the VBS link up there, and including my longitude/latitude, it seems like the New Year would start on August 10, 2006. Interestingly enough, the New Year in Memphis, Egypt, would start on August 5, 2006 - a very convienent 5 days gap between the two. Therefore, I could celebrate the Epagomenal Days starting on the 5th, and then celebrate the New Year on the 10th.

I'm still wigging on the season shift. Akhet will end up starting in late summer! *shakes head* I'm actually kinda puzzled on how the seasons are so different. Egypt should have roughly the same seasons as Orlando, and heaven KNOWS August in Orlando is SOOOOOOOO not springy. I don't know. What's more important - the aura that surronds me, or the date of rising of a star that I most likely won't even acknowledge? They started using Sirius as the start of their New Year because of a correlation between it's apperance and the flooding of the Nile. The flooding of the Nile, to the Ancient Egyptians, represented the beginning of the agricultural year - a sign that the Earth was again preparing herself to be fertile and to grow and to be bountiful. The festival calendar was linked to the civil calendar based on the first new moon after the rising of Sothis.

So, if I wanted to hold to the spirit rather than the letter (hah, talk about REALLY making my own thing!!) I would need to pick some event in MY climate that resonates to me as the first sign that the world is warming up. In addition - it shold be about 4 months before I would start seriously planting. *thinks* Akhet should END around the last frost, roughly. Hmm... I'll have to mull over this one a little more.