Priesthood
Having
grown up in the west and yet immersing ourselves in an eastern tradition, we
have to face a few basic differences in perspective and emphasis. Moderns, owing to a typical pattern of haste,
have ignored observations and lessons that were not overlooked in older civilizations. In Arabic, the word for “sun” is feminine,
and the word for “moon” is masculine. We
find that most lunar divinities in
Of
all the Egyptian deities, Thoth seems the most internally motivated, yet with a
profound respect for the activities of those who are externally motivated. He is a lunar god, and silver with its
alchemical potencies of serendipity is often central to His work. He is a god of free thinkers, and experienced
free thinkers come to understand that exercising freedom of speech can
jeopardize their freedom of thought. A
compassionate Mr. Spock would try to make the Dallas Cowboys’ Cheerleaders feel
better about themselves, whatever his own opinion
might be. A wise man of modest means
handles venomous serpents and affluent people with due care, as would a
physician or bartender.
Most
of the work done by a development group for an Egyptian temple should be done
behind closed doors, like the work of magicians, musicians, or martial
artists. Yet, since Thoth is patron of
information, His operatives should be well versed in the essentials that
members of the other priesthoods might need in building their information
bases. Though the daily rites of a Thoth
temple might be completely secret, those who celebrate them should be qualified
to advise others who have a wholesome interest in the principles at work in the
liturgy and other aspects of temple craft.
Priesthoods’
priorities will differ according to the agendas of the Netjeru and of tribal
values, but the underlying scientific aspects of Ma’at will not. Thoth’s priests should be able to distill
their cogent observations for others not so preoccupied with clarity. As Einstein said, the simplest explanation that
works is the one to be preferred, and if there is anybody around who could
furnish fun and interesting facts about the old ways to one who approaches with
sincere interest and respect, it should be a priest of Thoth. In this, he will of course not be necessarily
obliged, as Lord Thoth is called “Unapproachable One”. Yet, He is also, “He Who Comes When
Called”. This may sound rather
enigmatic, but, to understand the work of an Egyptian ceremonial entity, we
must remember that a real temple is the house of the deity, rather a “church”
or house of a priesthood.
The
order of Thoth is actually a darshana, or mystery school that makes
elaborate investigations into specific concerns to support the traditional
preferences of its culture and imbibe some of the opulence of its deities. A priest of Thoth is at times more than
likely to be reticent about his theological opinions with the uninitiated,
especially if he senses that his audience contains those who simply want to
scavenge together a veneer of competence to win their own credulous following
or obtain a map of possible weaknesses of “rival” organizations that they can exploit. A priest of Thoth is called upon not to
create experimental issues for prospective gain, but to administer remedies and
solutions, and be content with Thoth’s apportionment of rewards.
Most of
the Egyptian cults are workably branches of Hinduism, though independent in
unique regards. Many can function
adequately using a basically Wiccan format.
The constituency of an Egyptian cult is not drawn together by unprovable
opinions that are shared as insoluble group dilemmas in order to provide sentimental
cohesion. It is a consortium or college
of investigators and practitioners of healing and other arcane arts. We are of course drawn to the deity and His
work by aesthetic considerations, as well as spiritual ones.
While
all clergy of Egyptian gods should be able to engage productively in polite
religious debate if it will further Ma’at, one has to have a perfect grasp of
the intent, purposes, and methods of his/her priesthood in order to decide
whether or not certain explanations actually ought to be made, and be
articulate enough so that the matter will be properly satisfied. This is at variance with the general custom
of coarse controversy that western thinkers have often been so fond of. Religious instruction should actually dispose
of confusion so that living beings can be restored to their best state. Enlightenment may not be mandatory, but it
certainly comes in handy for leaders of minority faiths.
Those
who would prefer recreational speculation to bringing the Great Work into clearer
focus should avoid high priests, and vice versa. Of course, in the world of Egyptian religion,
those we seek to help are rarely handed a pamphlet. They are more likely to be asked to come to a
meeting that involves study, meditation, prayer, and ceremony. They are given specific answers to specific
questions, when this is possible.
Generally, though, the hub that involves both clergy and laity in
Egyptian religious life is the cycle of festivals honoring the gods where
significant events in their pastimes are celebrated. Egyptian priests require much training, yet
this should not be irritatingly obvious to outsiders.
Thoth’s
clergy is not preoccupied with quantitative concerns. The effects of excessive abundance on the
unobservant have long been understood by the observant. Our focus is on qualitative concerns, because
these are the means by which true repair to a damaged body or psyche is brought
about. Thus, there is no insecurity that
should lead our people to seek converts, as this would multiply the work loads
on our small numbers of well trained priests who bring gifts from a timeless
realm. Instead, we seek to qualify
ourselves through excellence, and of course do our duty by welcoming those who
have always possessed a true affinity for our customary pursuits to associate
with us. Confidence and credibility with
those who truly belong in a Thoth cabal is won through performance in the
proper Egyptian manner, rather than though dogma, demagogy, or other
fashionable approaches.
Modesty
about accomplishments is best, unless challenged by someone whose envy
motivates them to try to disrupt. That
is the proper time for “showing off’, and it requires a high level of courtesy
and skill to be done properly. An
Egyptian temple should be a place where the clergy can carry on the sacred
activities, providing an atmosphere of reverence and timely festivity for those
who seek closer contact with the deity who abides in the temple. The god’s house is maintained by specialist
servants who always had a desire to live happily ever after in a castle under
the lordship of a beautiful god.
Genuine
sacred disciplines and activities are to purify the mind, rather than clutter
it up with the things that simply keep people bound to inert ideas. Monotheist and carelessly-applied pagan
concepts, while giving people a second-hand sense of purpose, rarely help them
discover themselves. One thing that I
would say about the priesthood of Thoth is that we investigate various means of
ameliorating the effects of programming on the human organism. Peer pressure, family pressure, regimental
pressure, and other forms of semiconscious hum drum can really take their toll,
especially on people who are sensitive, and have a natural talent for mystical
pursuits.
Though
perhaps some of the other cults may make use of programming or
counter-programming, the best use of ones intelligence involves becoming able
to identify and uninstall concepts that infect and devitalize people much the
way that cyber viruses attack computers.
Still, we cannot accomplish this alone.
Empathic humans need knowledge and support to retain and engage their
powers creatively. If you are an
intelligent Egyptian soul who has been putting off contact, please remember how
common a habit it is for coarser people to try to pick us apart, make our lives
go haywire, and wreck our dreams. We
have to stay on top of our duty to mankind, or we will fall by the wayside
under the perennial torrents of mediocritizing corporate mentality movements like
that of Theodosius.