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(More customer reviews)It can be challenging for the modern Kemetic reconstructionist to find a book on rituals. The majority of books on Egyptian Paganism tend to have strong Wiccan and Ceremonial Magic elements. There is certainly nothing wrong with these practices. However, an increasing number of Pagans are finding themselves called to worship the Egyptian Gods as they were worshiped in antiquity. Those of us who feel that calling have been left with few useful guidebooks. I believe that the publication of Eternal Egypt is a major step toward remedying this situation.
Reidy draws from credible scholarly sources for all of the rites contained in this book. There is no ritual utterance that is not cited, so that the reader can look up the reference themselves. His scholarship is of the quality that would be respected by an Egyptologist. However, it is clear that Egyptologists are not Reidy's target audience. His book is not written to merely satisfy anyone's intellectual curiosity about rituals. He provides practical guidance on how to actually go about performing the ritual, including comprehensive lists of materials needed, along with suggestions on how to make or obtain them. He describes simple alterations that he has made to the rituals so that any of us can perform the rituals in our homes. He is also very clear about which alterations he is making, and points the reader in the direction of the original sources so that they can read the original rituals in their entirety.
The book is described as "intermediate", and I do not argue with this description. The rituals are somewhat complex. However, I would encourage beginners who are serious about their path to study the rituals in conjunction with Reidy's commentaries on what they mean and why they are performed. In these commentaries, he explains the Kemetic understanding of the Divine in an authentic and deeply moving manner, consistent with the polytheistic theology of the ancients. He shows how even small things such as lighting a candle can have a deeply mystical significance, as the light becomes the eye of Heru (Horus), nothing less than the light of creation pushing back the forces of darkness (pg 6).
"Eternal Egypt" presents a uniquely Kemetic vision of ritual and magic. The practitioner is not only invited to develop a relationship with the Gods, but also to embrace their own divinity and work alongside the Gods in the protection and continuous renewal of the universe. I believe that those who choose to study and enact the rites contained within will find them truly transformative. Reidy has given a great gift to the Kemetic community by making them so accessible.
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Eternal Egypt: Ancient Rituals for theModern World is the first comprehensivecollection of important temple rituals performed throughout Egypt during the time of the pharaohs. The author presents seven key rites from official temple records and ancient esoteric texts for personal or group use.
This guidebook also:
- presents rituals in a form designed to assist initiates in restoring the ancient rites of Egypt;- provides for modern usage, key ritual texts coming solely from authenticated ancient sources;- contains easy to follow commentaries and background information on each ritual, including symbolism and mythology notpreviously available in one book;- gives text with commentary for the "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony;- offers practical information for conducting these rituals in today's world.
Formerly only available to the scholar and professional Egyptologist, these ritual texts reveal the deeply spiritual understanding of humanity's relationship to divinity that characterized the ancient Egyptian sense of the sacred.
This is a practical intermediate level text for those wishing to worship the great deities of ancient Egypt in as authentic a manner as possible, and by so doing tap into the great spiritual heritage that sustained Egyptian culture for over three thousand years.
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