threefoldserpent

[threefoldserpent]

Offerings to Wadjet🐍☀️

Em Hotep (in peace)!

I am making this post in multiple places, but I want to just make something clear. This is My Own experience with Wadjet. I do not want anyone to think this is an exhaustive list. That being said, have fun, and enjoy your offerings to the Cobra Goddess Wadjet!

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Offerings to Wadjet  🐍☀️

Wadjet is the Egyptian Goddess of Lower Egypt, protector of Kings, goddess of Justice, Time, and Childbirth. She is also called “Uraeus”. She’s been seen depicted as a Snake-Headed woman (sometimes with two snake heads), sometimes as a Winged Snake with a Woman’s head, a Cobra with the Deshret(red) crown, or Cobra upon the crown of Pharaoh. She is paired often with the Protector of Upper-Egypt, Nekhbet, thus they are dubbed “The Two Ladies”, sometimes compared as the twins, or two sisters. It is said the Papyrus emerged from Her body, She is associated heavily with the plant and the planet Earth because of that. She is also associated with an interpretation of the Milky Way and is in some myths known as the “Primordial Snake”.

“It is said that Wadjet is the daughter of Atum, the first god of the Universe. He created Her as His Eye. Her purpose was to search the Universe for his lost children, Tefnut and Shu. Wadjet found his children, and Atum was so happy to see them that he cried. It is those tears made the first humans. As a reward, Atum placed Wadjet upon his head in the form of a fire breathing Cobra, Protector of Pharaoh.”

In another Myth, Wadjet is the one who shielded Aset (Isis) for the birth of Heru (Horus) in the Swamps of the Nile Delta when She fled for Her safety.

Offerings I’ve found yield a favourable result:

💕Sweet fruit (Plums, Mangos)

💕Cinnamon-y/Heat based food

💕Chocolate Milk/Hot Chocolate

💕Ginger // Lemon flavoured foods

💕Sour or Bitter Candy (Dark Chocolate)

💕Hymns (She loves Poems and drums).

💕Green Jewelry // Green Candles // Green Gems

💕Tea // Chai (rhubarb, hibiscus, peppermint).

💕Flowers

💕Eggs (Boiled or Over easy).

Much Love and Senebty,

Hakenensenu

Child of Khonsu and Wadjet.

Beloved of Hethert-Sekhmet.

[threefoldserpent]

This’ll be my last post on the topic.

I would like to extend apologies for my tone and particular choice of words. I would, however, also like to clarify a few points I made.

1. The Yin and Yang attributes were born mainly of the understanding that demons are purely Yin entities in Taoism. It’s the absence of any trace of Yang that makes them beings of heaviness, burden, and darkness, without any light of Yang to offset that.

2. I work from an eclectic and omnist perspective. That should be clear from my bio. I realize I should’ve stated this in the post to clear up misconceptions, as well as approached it less aggressively. I’ve trouble managing my tone, though that is not an excuse.

3. I’ve seen some call me uneducated and ignorant. Which, you’re free to believe whatever you want of me, however that is not the case. I’ve been studying my ass off in many occult systems for two years for the purpose of finding useful parallels between them. A lot of my particular understanding of Kemeticism is inspired by the Typhonian and Draconian currents. These systems view Apep as a force to be worked with, as well as other adversarial/“darker” entities such as Set, Heqet/Hekate, and Sobek/Sevekh. It’s quite honestly an extremely interesting field that delves into the ancient worship of the Divine Feminine as well as its later demonization by Christian currents that saw the Lunar Matriarchy as a threat to the Solar Patriarchy that they proposed. I recommend it to anyone that is inclined towards LHP, or who is interested in another perspective on the matter.

4. No I’m not a reconstructionist, as is painfully clear.

5. I have not blocked anyone. I see that’s been an accusation thrown around a bit. I do not block people unless they are directly threatening me with physical violence or perpetrate threatening beliefs (O9A, JoS, LWA, etc). My block list on Tumblr reaches a resounding 0.

[threefoldserpent]

The finished drawing of Meretseger, guardian goddess of tombs. She is depicted with the head of a cobra. She protects against grave robbers and afflicts them with terrible pains and illnesses. However, she is also said to be a merciful goddess, and those who repent from their thieving ways may receive forgiveness and healing.

She’s wearing gold leaf, like the other gods in the pantheon. I am available for commissions! I also have some exclusives on Patreon (I’m zooophagous there too)

[threefoldserpent]

The Coiled One, protector of Ra’s journey through the Duat.

He who bathes in the holy light of the sun,

He who swallows the enemies of Ma'at,

One who slithers in lengths and encircles the sun eternally, with scales reflecting a fountain of splendid vibrancy beyond comprehension.

Dua Mehen!

[threefoldserpent]

iwr N.t m fnd ms N.t p(w) m msd.t sdr N.t m kjb.(t).k hms N.t m mhn.k - [PT utt. 758]

“Neith is conceived in the nose. This is how Neith is born in the nostril. Just as Neith rests in your coils, so Neith sits in (i.e., “resides in”) your Mhn-board.” ~ PT utterance 758, pt §§2288d-2289a, Faulkner, Pyr., Supplement, 87; cf. Sethe, Pyr., Ubersetzung 3, 15.   

This entire passage refers to the birth of Queen Neith into the afterlife from the breath and nostrils of the serpent (Mehen). Residing within the coils of the serpent is synonymous with being upon the Mhn-gameboard, and is part of the resurrection process.  

[threefoldserpent]

Nehebkau as Chthonic Deity

Many mentions of Nehebkau in the Underworld are less than pleasant—he is listed as one of the cavern deities who feeds on “the corpses and souls of those who have led criminal lives” (Hart 51). Referred to as the “serpent fierce of look,” he is called upon to bear witness as the sun god passes by his cavern (Shorter 43). Along with being “one of the fierce demons who endangered the dead person in the Egyptian underworld” (Cotterell), he also serves a more formal role in judging the soul of the deceased as part of the tribunal of Osiris, and assigning ranks to those who successfully become Akhu (Shorter 46). 

In addition to these sinister features of his Underworld presence, however, Nehebkau is also mentioned as a potent guardian of the deceased, with one spell even asking the gods to “hand [the deceased] over to Nehebkau” for protection (Shorter 44). In another, the deceased says to Nehebkau, “I have come unto you … that ye may deliver me, and give to me my splendour for eternity!” (Shorter 45). In many different sections of the Pyramid Texts, the deceased’s name is either announced to Nehebkau as a request for protection, or he serves an intercessory role, “raising up” the deceased’s name to the rest of the Gods to gain their favor (Butler; Shorter 44; Wilkinson 224). He is also specifically mentioned as an intercessory for Ra (Shorter 46). In “a spell concerning the welfare of his heart” the deceased requests that other deities give him a good recommendation to Nehebkau (Hart 100), reinforcing his role as both guardian of and intercessory for the dead who could intervene and shield them from the wrath of the other chthonic deities.

In other text, the deceased asks that his name be told to both Ra and Nehebkau, so that his entry may be greeted (Butler), probably referring to Nehebkau’s role as one who receives the dead in the afterlife and provides a meal for them (Frankfort 104; Hart 99; Shorter 44). He is sometimes depicted holding out an offering pot (Shorter 42; Wilkinson 225), possibly further representing his part in providing sustenance to the dead.

In a spell describing the rebuilding of the body after death by various deities, Nehebkau is responsible for the vertebrae (Shorter 45).

The deceased in some spells identifies himself with Nehebkau (Shorter 46), probably to gain his powers of invincibility (covered in other sections).

References

Butler, Edward. “Nehebkau.” Henadology. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.

Cotterell, Arthur. A Dictionary of World Mythology. Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.

Frankfort, Henri. Kingship and the Gods: A Study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the Integration of Society and Nature. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1948. Print.

Hart, George. The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. New York, NY: Routledge, 2005. Print.

Shorter, Alan W. “The God Nehebkau.” The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 21:1 1935: 41-48. Print.

Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson Inc., 2003. Print.

[threefoldserpent]

Nehebkau as Protective Netjer

Nehebkau is mentioned in many texts as protector of the dead (Shorter). “In a spell concerning the welfare of his heart in the Afterlife, the deceased requests other deities to give him a good recommendation to Nehebu-Kau” (Hart 100). He is also mentioned specifically as a protector and assistant of the deceased king (Hart 99; Lindemans; Seawright; Wilkinson 224); in the Pyramid Texts, Nehebkau takes the poison from a snake in the Underworld in the place of the king (Butler).

His presence on amulets and in magical spells indicates that this protective function extends to the living as well (Butler; Seawright; Shorter 47), and his “powerful nature” and “assistive qualities” made him a popular deity for the common people (Wilkinson 225). Nehebkau is a Netjer who can receive harm in place of a person, living or dead, whom he is protecting, by using his invincibility as a “source of protection” (Hart 99). He is especially known as protecting humanity from and healing venomous bites from snakes and scorpions (Hart; Lindemans; Seawright). His general character toward humanity seems to be that of a “benign and helpful deity,” and he is often depicted on amulets and plaques as holding out an offering pot (Wilkinson 224-5).

He is also present in the day bark with Ra, serving as part of his protective forces (Butler; Lindemans), and is often depicted on the side of divine thrones as a protective deity (Wilkinson 224-5), indicating that his invincibility is potent enough to shield other Netjeru as well as humans. Perhaps as an extension of his loyalty to Ra, he is protective of human royalty as well (Hart 99). In modern day times when sacred royalty is scarce, we might more easily understand this as a protective function specific to leaders (especially political leaders) and heads of state—or, interpreting the king as a stand-in for humanity as a whole, as reinforcement of Nehebkau’s properties as a protective Netjer for all people.

References

Butler, Edward. “Nehebkau.” Henadology. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.

Hart, George. The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. New York, NY: Routledge, 2005. Print.

Lindemans, Micha F. “Nehebkau.” Encyclopedia Mythica. Encyclopedia Mythica, 24 July 1999. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.

Seawright, Caroline. “Nehebkau, the God Who Joined the Ka to the Body, God of Protection and Magic.” Tour Egypt. Tour Egypt, 11 June 2011. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.

Shorter, Alan W. “The God Nehebkau.” The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 21:1 1935: 41-48. Print.

Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson Inc., 2003. Print.

[threefoldserpent]

Seems I've rustled the community's feathers a little. It's unfortunate to see a lack of syncretization, since it was so prevalent in ancient times, but I can't say I expected anything differently.

I approach things from a perspective not unlike Crowley's. No system is too sacred nor profaned to have parallels drawn from it to something else. Apep work is prevalent in Typhonian and Draconic currents. I wanted at least some discourse coming from this view, but it seems instead I'm being turned into a yearly scandal. Interesting, how one view is so feared that people feel the need to execrate me for it.

[threefoldserpent]

Not even the etiquette to tag me? Shame.

Syncretization is what I do and it's what I do best. No system is exempt from it, nor should they be. You don't think the Ancient Egyptians intermingled their gods with those cultures around them?

Ok... what to do when encountering an a/pep apology by somebody who does not even grasp what the whole cosmogony is about... even mixing philosophies / systems disparate from each other...

A hearty laugh. It’s not worth a reply. Loss of time and energy. Execration time - that beeswax I recently got will do fine.

[threefoldserpent]

Yes, as I said, he’s an archetype of uncreation and entropy. Something that can, and is, worshipped. There’s a whole LHP branch that incorporates Apep into their work. All things tend towards entropy. All things tend towards death. All things tend towards uncreation. It’s simply how the duality of existence and non existence functions.

One should certainly embrace oblivion, for through that is rebirth and life. In Qabalistic terms, Apep is the Dweller in the Abyss, better known as Choronzon. He is necessary, both to the Tree as a whole as well as the Magician’s path towards the Divine. I’ve come face to face with this “unembraceable” oblivion and embraced it, and gods damn was I made all the better for it. It’s a source of revelation, of the obliteration of all obstacles including yourself. It’s terrifying and painful, but also so, so freeing.

I feel like starting a shit storm so:

One of the biggest shortcomings of Kemeticism is the fear of Apep and Isfet. That goes for the Ancient Egyptians as well. They let their fear control them. Yes words are powerful, but we give them power. And too much has been given to Apep and Isfet. They are forces to be worked with in balance, as the cosmology quite literally states that we exist in a world of a precarious balance between Ma'at and Isfet. They're both necessary. Looking at it from a Qabalistic standpoint, pure Ma'at is only achievable in Kether and above, and technically not even that because Thaumiel exists as the shell of Kether, and anything above that is non-being. The duality, truly, doesn't exist. They're all Tao (Aten doesn't quite seem to be the correct equivalent). Tao can't be named, it just is. It's the all pervading force, the progenitor of Yin and Yang, Isfet and Ma'at.

Going back to non-being, guess who that corresponds to. Yep, Apep. Uncreation, pure chaos, entropy, Apep. Fear of it is fear of oblivion. A rational fear, yes, but ultimately an unnecessary one. It should be embraced just as creation is, for before creation there was uncreation, and to that it will return. In terms of my god, just as Sobek rose from the Abyss to create the world, so too does creation rise from uncreation. Just as Sobek devours his enemies, so too does uncreation devour creation.

[threefoldserpent]

I feel like starting a shit storm so:

One of the biggest shortcomings of Kemeticism is the fear of Apep and Isfet. That goes for the Ancient Egyptians as well. They let their fear control them. Yes words are powerful, but we give them power. And too much has been given to Apep and Isfet. They are forces to be worked with in balance, as the cosmology quite literally states that we exist in a world of a precarious balance between Ma'at and Isfet. They're both necessary. Looking at it from a Qabalistic standpoint, pure Ma'at is only achievable in Kether and above, and technically not even that because Thaumiel exists as the shell of Kether, and anything above that is non-being. The duality, truly, doesn't exist. They're all Tao (Aten doesn't quite seem to be the correct equivalent). Tao can't be named, it just is. It's the all pervading force, the progenitor of Yin and Yang, Isfet and Ma'at.

Going back to non-being, guess who that corresponds to. Yep, Apep. Uncreation, pure chaos, entropy, Apep. Fear of it is fear of oblivion. A rational fear, yes, but ultimately an unnecessary one. It should be embraced just as creation is, for before creation there was uncreation, and to that it will return. In terms of my god, just as Sobek rose from the Abyss to create the world, so too does creation rise from uncreation. Just as Sobek devours his enemies, so too does uncreation devour creation.

[threefoldserpent]

You're thinking of Kom Ombos!

The only Netjeru I can think of where a blood offering/blood work would be appropriate is Sekhmet (Sekhmet devotees can correct me on this though, I don't have personal experience with the Lady of Terror), as per the myth of her gorging on "blood" (beer and pomegranate juice).

Ritual purity nowadays pretty much depends on how strictly you want to stick to ancient customs, what your deities prefer, and what you're comfortable providing for them.

TW// (I think) Did ancient egyptians work with blood? (Like using their own blood to do heka or as an offering)

Hey, thanks for the TW. 

I mean really broadly and as a general rule, nope. Blood was considered ritually extremely impure, I would absolutely not ever use it as an offering. 

There might be, some extremely limited uses in heka, maybe cursing? But, I’d always substitute anything like that with spit, that has the added advantage of being ritually likened to poison when used for cursing. 

One the extreme end of things, for example the Ptolemaic temple of Horus and Sobek (name escapes me at the moment) was so strict on blood purity, that no one was allowed within the temple compound if they were cut, injured or menstuating, to ensure that no blood at all was within the ritual space. 

[threefoldserpent]

New Year, New Me

...a week fashionably late.

I had some revelations yesterday to say the least, and felt a total revamp of my practice was in order. I reclaimed the name I took after I Crossed the Abyss (Wayfarer) and am starting as fresh as I possibly can. I’m back to square one, and this time around, I’m starting the right way, as my original start in the occult was rocky to say the least. I realized I was being too reckless and was burning too much and too often without giving myself time to grow from the ashes.

I took these concerns to my patrons, who took them in two very different ways. Sobek was as fatherly prideful as always and accepted this new me with open arms. Set continued to make excuses and attempts to trick his way around my boundaries. I’d had had enough with him and decided that he was more destructive to my practice than beneficial. I relinquished my devotion to him, but told him I’d call upon him in a non-patron sense in the future if I saw a need for his domain. I got the feeling he respected me more for this decision than if I had continued to put up with his antics.

No hate towards other Set devotees. He’s an amazing Netjer, but not what I need right now. I jumped into a patronship to him much too soon after the briefest tap on my shoulder from him. That was my own mistake and I learned from it, and would not have changed anything that happened if I had the chance to go back. He indirectly taught me so much about setting boundaries and keeping to them, even if that means ending relationships with those who don’t respect them.

And with all that, I changed my blog name and title. Naharin/landoftworivers was a title I took as a devotee of both Sobek and Set, and it felt wrong to keep it. I’m a blank slate now, with all the excitement and anxiety of a neophyte to kemeticism and the occult as a whole.

[threefoldserpent]

Usually I'm not anal about skin color representation, but come on. Blonde??

My version about Renenet, egyptian goddess of the nile and the  agriculture. Wife of the God Sobek. Hope you like it! Ps: (I did not want to do the background) Mia versione riguardante la dea Renenet, Dea Egizia del Nilo e dell'agricoltura. Moglie del dio Sobek Spero che vi piaccia! Ps: Non avevo voglia di fare lo sfondo D:

[threefoldserpent]

I'm considering adding Renenutet into my growing roster of deities. Not necessarily as a Matron, seeing as I've got my hands full with Sobek and Set, but it makes sense to work with my patron's wife, right?

I realized that I need to teach myself that "working with X deity doesn't mean you have to fully devote yourself to them", which was a constricting and limiting thought process that I had fallen into. Thoth has also been on my mind lately, but I've balked at contacting him because the idea of a third patron was infinitely overwhelming. Not to mention, I'm still trying to get everything settled and in order with the S duo.

So if anyone has tips/experienced with Renenutet or Thoth/Djehuty/Tahuti (which one is the most common?), please let me know!

[threefoldserpent]

Adoration Cycle - Renenet

O, Renenunet, the Nourishing Snake, who Spits Flames,

She who provides Children with their True Names,

The Lady of the Harvest, who is Given the Best Yields,

Protector of the Granaries and Mistress of the Fertile Fields.

[threefoldserpent]

In Kemetic Orthodoxy, members will occasionally reach out and ask for others to pray for them. Because of that, I've come up with a set prayer I like to use when I'm praying for others and I'm pretty proud of it.

Netjer, come to your child (name). Grant them all life with you, all joy with you, all health with you, and all prosperity with you in the following of your Ka forever.

I prefer to say it out loud since I tend to think that's more ritually effective. Feel free to borrow my format, and enjoy!