The Why of Man’s Existence (8)-Weighing of the Heart

Nov 6, 2016

After returning to the library, Tristan asked, “Any questions pertaining to the matter at hand.”

Ave raised her hand asking, “Tristan, I know I do not as yet fully understand you, but I believe I understand enough to ask a useful question. My question is, what happens to members of our species who fail to discover how he or she may consciously serve what is Higher? Those who spend the entirety of their lives operating, solely, as unconscious machines? What about persons who emphasis and grow their egoism so to mimic Ahriman, Set, Iblis, or Satan? Or who dedicate their lives to Mammon alone?”

“What great questions, Ave. You are beginning to become consciously aware that each man or woman has several patterns available for his or her life experience. I employ the term ‘conscious’ for your mental activity whenever one has stepped back out of time and entered into eternity–so to become aware of one’s potential fates and destiny. A good job, my dear. I will explain more in the future,” replied Tristan.

“As most of you have learned, dynastic Egypt was a most unique and wondrous society. This society and its members organized mortal existence around the female principle of Cosmic Order, Justice, Equity, Balance, Morality, and Harmony. This principle, called Maat, regulated the movement of the stars, the seasons, the proper function and relations between members of society, and provided a template for the actions of all mortals and deities. For it was Maat who first set the order of the universe from chaos at the moment of creation. The goddess Maat is the likely source of the later entity, Sophia, who danced before God at creation.

“The goddess Maat possessed a male counterpart, Thoth. You will recall that both deities play important parts in an early Second Intermediate Period Text, generally called the ‘Book of the Dead,’ though, its original name for the text, transliterated from the Egyptian, rw nw prt m hrw, is translated as Book of Coming Forth by Day. This book consists of a number of funeral rites dating back to the Pyramid and Coffin Texts. The purpose of the Book was to provide answers to the deceased astral body which would allow him or her to pass through a number of pylons with guardians so to eventually reach a chamber where the ceremony called ‘the weighing of the heart.’ You will see how these two deities ruled over the future lives of those who experienced the first death, or death of the physical body.

“Over the first centuries of its creation, the Book of the Dead incorporated new rituals and spells. The earliest Book found containing the ‘Weighing of the Heart Ritual’ appeared sometime before the reigns of the 18th Dynasty pharaohs, Hatshepsut and Tutmose III. Though not appreciated by modern scholars, the “Weighing of the Heart Ritual’ was written by the Hierophants of the mystery school operating under sponsorship of the Royal House beginning in the middle 16th century BCE.

“This particular mystery school was founded in Lower Egypt in the year 1979 BCE, by an Initiate and eight students, three female and five male. Moreover, this particular school was deeply involved in composing the earliest spells in the Book of the Dead. It came under the sponsorship of the first pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty around 1563 BCE. The name of this school translated into English is House of the Living Heart. Its hieroglyph showing an Ankh and a Heart enclosed by a rectangle with a bottom opening or door.

“As is true with all mystery writings, the most profound teachings are generally hidden of disguised some way. Such is true with the Weighing of the Heart Ritual. I will describe the ritual and see if any of you understand its true meaning?

“The ancient Egyptians believed, when they died, they would be judged on their behavior during their lifetime. If the gods determined that they had lived honorable lives, they would be granted a place in the Afterlife with Osiris. This judgement ceremony was called ‘Weighing of the Heart’ and is recorded as Spell 125.

“The ceremony is conducted before Osiris, the husband of Isis and chief god of the Afterlife, and a tribunal of 42 deities. The aspirant is conducted into the ritual chamber by Anubis. Standing before the tribunal the deceased was asked to name each of the divine judges and swear that he or she had not committed any offences, ranging from raising the voice to stealing. This was the ‘negative confession.’

“The proceedings were recorded by Thoth, the scribe of the gods and the deity of wisdom, writing on a scroll of papyrus. Accompanying Thoth is a baboon, was often depicted sitting on the pivot of the scales of justice.

“After the confession was recorded, the deceased’s heart was weighed against the ‘feather of Maat’ so to determine whether the deceased was truthful. The reason that the deceased’s heart was weighed was that the ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the organ of thought, memory and emotion. It was associated with intellect and personality and was considered the most divine organ in the body.

“The deceased’s heart and the feather were placed in the opposed weighing pans. If the heart balanced against the feather then the deceased would be granted a place in the Fields of Reeds. If it was heavy with the weight of wrongdoings, the balance would sink and the heart would be grabbed and devoured by a terrifying beast that sat ready and waiting by the scales. This beast was Ammit, the gobbler, a composite animal with the head of a crocodile, the front legs and body of lion or leopard, and the back legs of a hippopotamus.

“What needs to be especially noted in this mystery school spell is that the Egyptians did not believe in a dichotomous system of heaven versus hell. They believed that the gods rewarded those who live their lives under Maat, but that evildoers were not transiently or eternally tormented or punished in another place, but ceased to exist after physical death.

“Although, this mystery school updates its teachings over the centuries so to improve the models, such basic concepts as the above are not changed very much for they are accurate. Any questions or comments?”

Ave was the first to respond, “Tristan, thank you. I understand must more clearly now. Being devoured by the Ammit beast just means that a person’s kesdjan or astral body experiences the Second Death and the atonic energies composing such body decompose into the living atons to be reused once again. These people are ‘one-timers’ who serve the same purpose as all animal life–bringing some experience, or color, to the atons composing the astral bodies of man and animals. Right?”

Abelard, excitedly added, “This must mean that those who passed the Weighing of the Heart did not lose their kesdjan bodies and awaited in the Field of Reeds to be reborn, as they had done more than simply living as an animal. The same must apply to those who worship Set or Mammon. Tristan, those who passed the test of Maat are those you and Gabriel call Men and Women # 4, right?”

Tristan smiling replied, “Correct. The Initiates included the Afterlife only as an encouragement for the living so to behave honorably and altruistically. So now you understand what another meaning contained within the old expression, ‘the Terror of the Threshold.’ I think it is time for our meal. We will talk more after dinner.”

Everyone arose and went to clean up before the meal.

TO BE CONTINUED