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[Satsekhem]

Okay, so, I've decided to go with Kemetic Reconstructionism, exclusively. I've been thinking about this for quite some time and it only recently hit me: You're already halfway there. You might as well continue down the road. So, here I am at the door with the doorknob in my hand and I'm ready to open it...

What do I do now?

[Dark Midnight]

Okay, so, I've decided to go with Kemetic Reconstructionism, exclusively. I've been thinking about this for quite some time and it only recently hit me: You're already halfway there. You might as well continue down the road. So, here I am at the door with the doorknob in my hand and I'm ready to open it...

What do I do now?

Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

[Satsekhem]

Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

It's been a ride and a half to get to this point... I can only imagine the roller coaster in my future!

[Bastemhet]

Okay, so, I've decided to go with Kemetic Reconstructionism, exclusively. I've been thinking about this for quite some time and it only recently hit me: You're already halfway there. You might as well continue down the road. So, here I am at the door with the doorknob in my hand and I'm ready to open it...

What do I do now?

Where did you come from?  Where do you want to go?

[Satsekhem]

Where did you come from?  Where do you want to go?

1. Where did you come from?
My mother! No, just kidding. In all seriousness, before this moment, I considered myself an eclectic pagan but it was only because of the "coven" I was a part of. There were three of us: a Celtic/Greek witch, a Buddhist witch, and myself with my Kemetic and Hindi leanings. (We switched out on things, used one another's gods and ritual tools and were just generally melded into a conglomerate form.) The Buddhist has left us and my sister, the Celtic/Greek, is moving more towards a Greek arena, as that was her start to begin with. I'm not interesting in going that route and I find the Hindu in my practice has fallen almost entirely away. I seem to have moved almost exclusively towards everything Kemetic, to the point where I won't even cast a circle anymore.

2. Where do you want to go?
I want to be... die-hard, I guess, would be the answer. I see you and Nehet and SatAset and DarkHawk with your knowledge and wisdom about the faith (with bends toward other areas, of course) and I think, These are shining examples. This is how I want to be seen, too. I know that sounds kind of hero worship-y but it's the truth. I want to be able to gather the information, from the books and sites you rec'd actually, and create my personal ritual based on the Pyramid Texts and the Coffin Texts and anything in between. I want to follow the religion as closely mirrored to the old ways as someone who has never been there could be.

[Bastemhet]

1. Where did you come from?
My mother! No, just kidding. In all seriousness, before this moment, I considered myself an eclectic pagan but it was only because of the "coven" I was a part of. There were three of us: a Celtic/Greek witch, a Buddhist witch, and myself with my Kemetic and Hindi leanings. (We switched out on things, used one another's gods and ritual tools and were just generally melded into a conglomerate form.) The Buddhist has left us and my sister, the Celtic/Greek, is moving more towards a Greek arena, as that was her start to begin with. I'm not interesting in going that route and I find the Hindu in my practice has fallen almost entirely away. I seem to have moved almost exclusively towards everything Kemetic, to the point where I won't even cast a circle anymore.

Interesting mix!  I hope no miasma was involved.  I don't know about the purity standards of the Celtic or Greek gods.

2. Where do you want to go?
I want to be... die-hard, I guess, would be the answer. I see you and Nehet and SatAset and DarkHawk with your knowledge and wisdom about the faith (with bends toward other areas, of course) and I think, These are shining examples. This is how I want to be seen, too. I know that sounds kind of hero worship-y but it's the truth.

Aww, thanks. 

I want to be able to gather the information, from the books and sites you rec'd actually, and create my personal ritual based on the Pyramid Texts and the Coffin Texts and anything in between. I want to follow the religion as closely mirrored to the old ways as someone who has never been there could be.

OK, so you have a goal.  Great!  I really recommend you join the team, actually.  Nehet and I have created a group on TCN to research and write articles on things that can be useful for Kemetic practice that is not affiliated with a temple.  I find it helpful that it gives me a goal, and have other people rely on me so I don't get too lazy with the research.  It also motivates me to study since I know other people will benefit from my hard work.  We could also use a beta reader, if you're not the research type.

My advice is don't give up, and keep studying.  Your passion and your gods will sustain you.  Take advantage of the time you have. 

[Satsekhem]

Interesting mix!  I hope no miasma was involved.  I don't know about the purity standards of the Celtic or Greek gods.

It was an incredibly interesting mix. I know in regards to both the Greek and Celtic pantheons, my sister had extreme issues communicating with them when this whole thing was going on. Eros had no problem breaking through whatever was barring her from communicating, but Brighid was not around very often.

What, specifically, do you mean by 'miasma'?

Aww, thanks. 

You're welcome!

OK, so you have a goal.  Great!  I really recommend you join the team, actually.  Nehet and I have created a group on TCN to research and write articles on things that can be useful for Kemetic practice that is not affiliated with a temple.  I find it helpful that it gives me a goal, and have other people rely on me so I don't get too lazy with the research.  It also motivates me to study since I know other people will benefit from my hard work.  We could also use a beta reader, if you're not the research type.

My advice is don't give up, and keep studying.  Your passion and your gods will sustain you.  Take advantage of the time you have. 

Research is definitely not my type. I can read things and draw conclusions, but if I have to write a paper or anything on it, I tend to go blank or ramble uncontrollably. This mostly stems from my high school days when I wrote term papers/research papers for other people (I know that sounds bad, but it worked for me at the time). I would write them a paper and guarantee a specific grade, but only if they brought me their research. I wasn't going to spend extra time at the library for some kid too lazy to write his/her own paper. Anyway, so I could definitely help by doing the beta thing! And it sounds like fun! Let me know what to do/when to do!

Thank you. I will definitely keep studying. I think I'm going to go on another ancient Egyptian reading kick after I finish Congo... 

[Bastemhet]

What, specifically, do you mean by 'miasma'?

Being in a state of miasma is being in a state of ritual impurity.

Let me know what to do/when to do!

Well, you can start by joining TCN and then joining the Seshat's Library group.  

[Satsekhem]

Being in a state of miasma is being in a state of ritual impurity.

Well, you can start by joining TCN and then joining the Seshat's Library group.  

Ritual impurity... Hm. That's a great possibility and could explain a few things.

I joined TCN and I will joined Seshat's Library group when I get back on there. 

[Nehet]

Interesting mix!  I hope no miasma was involved.  I don't know about the purity standards of the Celtic or Greek gods.

In my experience, the Gods will forgive small ritual purity blunders from well-intentioned devotees who don't know any better.  I made some mistakes when I first started out on this path that are a little embarassing now.  I didn't get struck by lightning.  The Gods seemed less than enthusiastic about receiving my offerings, though.  Later on, I found out why.  Then I didn't didn't make the same mistakes again.  Life goes on.

I have often thought about ritual with the Netjeru in a non-recon context, and whether or not the same ritual purity laws apply.  Before I started on the Kemetic path, my only interaction with the Netjeru was in Neowiccan circles.  There were plenty of people wearing wool, leather, etc.  Nobody scrubbed themselves down with natron before casting a circle.  Were the Gods bothered by this?  I'm not sure, but I don't think the rituals were invalid or completely ineffective because ritual purity standards were not met. There are plenty of Wiccan/Neowiccan/eclectic practioners who work with the Netjeru and can attest to having powerful experiences with Them.  Most of these people don't know about the ritual purity laws, but I'm not going to say their experiences of the Gods aren't real (that's  not for me to decide).

[Nehet]

These are shining examples. This is how I want to be seen, too..

Thank you for your kind words.  I don't think I'm exactly "shining".  I still have a lot to learn, myself.  I'm glad you have found my posts helpful, though

[Devo]

In my experience, the Gods will forgive small ritual purity blunders from well-intentioned devotees who don't know any better.  

Where is it possible (outisde of the internet) to learn about what is ritual purity? I've read things online, but hte more research I do, the less I trust the internet as a viable source
-Devo

[Bastemhet]

In my experience, the Gods will forgive small ritual purity blunders from well-intentioned devotees who don't know any better.  I made some mistakes when I first started out on this path that are a little embarassing now.  I didn't get struck by lightning.  The Gods seemed less than enthusiastic about receiving my offerings, though.  Later on, I found out why.  Then I didn't didn't make the same mistakes again.  Life goes on.

I would count myself lucky if the gods were forgiving- though I have experienced the same thing; when I approach them in miasma, I don't get much of a response.  However I think they key is that the devotees didn't know any better.  On the one hand the gods might not fault them for this, on the other, they really shouldn't be staying in that spot of ignorance.  They should constantly be learning about their gods.  Why worship a stranger?  To me that is selfish.  And I'm not suggesting everyone should be recon, but at least know who you're worshiping, right?

I have often thought about ritual with the Netjeru in a non-recon context, and whether or not the same ritual purity laws apply.  Before I started on the Kemetic path, my only interaction with the Netjeru was in Neowiccan circles.  There were plenty of people wearing wool, leather, etc.  Nobody scrubbed themselves down with natron before casting a circle.  Were the Gods bothered by this?  I'm not sure, but I don't think the rituals were invalid or completely ineffective because ritual purity standards were not met. There are plenty of Wiccan/Neowiccan/eclectic practioners who work with the Netjeru and can attest to having powerful experiences with Them.  Most of these people don't know about the ritual purity laws, but I'm not going to say their experiences of the Gods aren't real (that's  not for me to decide).

That's exactly why I'm recon.  I care about not offending the gods I claim to worship.  A little bit of research can go a long way.  I don't doubt they weren't real because I don't know these people, but I would be very hesitant to interact with them if they were starting to piss off someone who doesn't always hold back, like Sekhmet.

[Bastemhet]

Where is it possible (outisde of the internet) to learn about what is ritual purity? I've read things online, but hte more research I do, the less I trust the internet as a viable source
-Devo

The library.   

[Satsekhem]

The library.   

That's what they're there for!

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