The Sacred Lost Knowledge of Ancient Egypt

By Asher Benowitz

The Egyptians were considered participants in the drama of sacred life as members of the natural cosmic order. In the Metaphysical and Funerary Treatises, the interaction between the Neteru and human beings is described without distinction of such conditions, emphasizing only the purity of the person's life or intentions.

Since it was uncovered in the late nineteenth century, the Dynasty 12 papyrus A Dispute Between a Man and His Ba has intrigued translators. While the work raises issues about the social conditions of the time it was written, it is, without doubt, a reflection of Egyptian concepts about the spiritual aspects of One's earthly life, just like the Ba, the Ka, and the transformation of the soul. In ancient Egypt, "sacred anatomy" has also been used to illustrate spiritual concepts and moral values, elements of great importance for the development of temple students.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DTTV PUBLICATIONS
• Release date: Apr 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201682552

Asher Benowitz

Born in Poland to Jewish Parents, he has long been fascinated with All things Middle East.

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ASHER BENOWITZ

The Egyptians were considered participants in the drama of sacred life as members of the natural cosmic order. In the Metaphysical and Funerary Treatises, the interaction between the Neteru and human beings is described without distinction of such conditions, emphasizing only the purity of the person’s life or intentions.

Since it was uncovered in the late nineteenth century, the Dynasty 12 papyrus A Dispute Between a Man and His Ba has intrigued translators. While the work raises issues about the social conditions of the time it was written, it is, without doubt, a reflection of Egyptian concepts about the spiritual aspects of One’s earthly life, just like the Ba, the Ka, and the transformation of the soul. In ancient Egypt, sacred anatomy has also been used to illustrate spiritual concepts and moral values, elements of great importance for the development of temple students.

A natural hierarchy maintains the innate bond between immaterial realms within the sacred anatomy. In funerary texts and esoteric literature, these concepts are vividly illustrated and described with careful detail from the earliest to the latest periods. Egypt’s mysterious technology, like its religious cosmology, was a completely made-up system from the beginning of its civilization. There is no evolution of concepts throughout dynastic history but a complete system from the start.

The literature found in coffins and tombs describes many sacred anatomy components. The activities of the initiate are portrayed in these works on many levels of the spirit world. A person undergoes a transformation before entering a particular realm. Initial access to the places of the inner life is not available to humans. Therefore, for each dimension, a transformative change must occur before the journey can begin.

Religious literature of some chronological periods is dominated by faith in the sacred anatomy, as with the Neteru. The Akh (‘spirit’) was the instrument of spiritual elevation in the Old Kingdom Pyramid Texts, while the Ka (‘double’) became more prominent in the Middle Kingdom funerary literature. Where the overall system is concerned, this does not discount anyone’s concept in favor of another. That specific spiritual idea became dominant at certain times may appear untamable, but that was because the cosmic climate encouraged their disclosure to the masses, rather than restricting it to members of the Royal House of the distinguished temple. Also revealed in the funerary and initiatory literature is that certain parts of the sacred anatomy are often more closely associated with a Neter than others. For example, Auset is often depicted as a protector of the Ba in temples and tombs, while Het-Her is always associated with the body’s physical needs, such as hunger and thirst. The hieroglyphic names or characters used to describe the spiritual bodies represent many of these associations.

Shadow of the Sun

Khaibit refers to the shadow or mirror image of a person, an animal or elemental of metaphysics that is invisible. Indigenous cultures that recognize the existence of this principle do not view it as inferior but rather to subtly connect with nature and its phenomena. The soul contains the intelligence that works through the body’s autonomic functions in organic life. Khaibits, for example, are highly sensitive to weather and seasonal rhythms and animal and plant life. It can move freely and protect the soul from threatening forces with its subtle senses of light and sound. At death, it dissolves naturally in the person’s image to whom it belongs. Khaibit is associated with Het-Her, the Neter of reflective images.

THE BODY OF LIGHT

Khat refers to the physical form of life, its material body. Being composed of elements prone to decay, it is the earthly vessel of the Ka. Its hieroglyphic determinative is a Nile fish, showing the highly corruptible nature of the flesh. The treatment of the physical body and its maintenance after death have been controversial topics in Egyptology for centuries. Scholars believe that the existence of mummies and elaborate funerary equipment from all dynastic periods indicates the Egyptians believed the body would be resurrected by the returning soul after its journey through the inner life. The need for so much funerary adornment and ritual is justified if we understand mummification as a metaphor for becoming Osirified. Asar returned to life not in the physical world but in the inner life, becoming a master of those realms. This did not transpire by chance but by gaining knowledge of the holy regions’ sacred rituals, names, and geography.

In Egyptian cosmology, the physical world mirrors the divine world; what occurs on one plane has a parallel existence on another. Mummification thus served several purposes. There were two ways to ensure the person’s spiritual individuation on successive planes of existence. The first way was to reassemble his divided body in the same way that Asar’s body was restored. A second was to create an environment where participants in the funerary rites could also experience this individuation. Thus, the annual funerary feast and commemoration of the dead are necessary. Khat (‘that which decays’) is intertwined with Set, the principle of fixation. The Earth is the vessel that fixes the various subdue forms of the individual.

Aspects of the Senses

The four senses of human existence are Maa (sight), Sia (touch), Hu (taste), and Sedjem (hearing). They are associated with the four sons of Heru, elemental deities whose presence is crucial for successful magical and funerary ceremonies. Among them are:

Qebsenuf (Sia) lives in the