Symbolica

The Ka was thought to be the LIFE FORCE or SPIRIT aspect of the soul. It existed independently from the bodily self.

The Ancient Egyptians referred to ‘returning to one’s Ka’ or ‘travelling in the company of one’s Ka’ upon death.

Imagine today the Ka being present as an ally. The Spirit guide that stands by your side, connecting you to the source of life and remaining by your side upon death.

A comforting thought when contemplating our own death or the death of a loved one.

This symbol is a most powerful symbol to include in our funeral rites.

To hide death in the background is bad for man.

Text of the Pyramids,1439

When death comes, it embraces the old like a child in the arms of its mother.

Papyrus of Ani

To the Ancient Egyptians, the Ba, (often depicted as a hawk with a human head), represented the individual’s soul and specific personality. It takes flight from the body upon death, but would also revisit the body and reanimate it and converse with it . It was regarded as eternal and yet could slip into decay if not properly nourished ie : offerings from the living.

It was as important to the ancient Egyptians to care for their Ba as it is for us today to nurture all aspects of ourselves. The way we care for ourselves has a bearing on how we feel and how we are perceived within our communities. If you believe in any kind of life after this one then to feed your Ba with love and wisdom today may benefit your existence beyond death.

Take this image and idea and make it your own. Make your own Ba. Create a version of the symbol that represents ‘You’. An ally who knows you completely because it is the essence of you. It represents the part of you that people think of when you are not physically in their presence. It represents the part of you that’s imbued in the things that you create and the part of you that lives on after you die. Feed it well. Look after it. Be familiar with it. Send it out into the world as your ambassador. It is one of the most powerful symbols you can have on your side.

Your Faculty of movement or Ba will live forever,
Like Orion set in the navel of the Goddess of Heaven.
You will become as gold,
You will shine brilliantly.
In the constellations of the stars you will fulfil a royal function.
Your name will be great in the West.

Ritual of Embalming

The above text is taken from The Living Wisdom of Ancient Egypt

I’ve uploaded a simple black and white version of the above design to my Cafepress store.

The use of candles, oil burners and even good soft lighting can be powerful tools for transforming a person’s mood. By lighting candles in a conscious manner, we enhance the likelihood of moving from an agitated or unfocussed state to one of relaxation and focus.

Imagine the flame of the candle as a symbol for your soul. When you stare at the flame for a while, what thoughts go through your mind? Do you find yourself more connected to the sacred in life? Do you feel your daily life’s concerns slipping from your thoughts? Can this simple act become a part of your day?

It is the fifth day of Hanukkah -the Jewish Festival of Lights, and I thought I’d briefly look at the symbolism of the candle lighting in this festival.

One main aspect of the celebration is the lighting of a new candle every day for eight days, which relates back to a conflict between the Jewish people and the Greco-Romans in the second century B.C. As a consequence of the conflict, the sacred oil in the Jewish Temple of Jerusalem was defiled by the enemy. The eternal flame had only enough oil left to burn for one day but miraculously remained burning for eight days- just enough time in which to have some more sacred oil brought in.

An article written by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh which not only explains the origin of Hanukkah in depth but also goes on to discuss his views on Judaism and Science, which relates to the origins of the celebration of Hanukkah.