Site of Chelsea Luellon Bolton: Author, Scholar and Poet
This is a review of Auset Egyptian Oracle Cards by Elisabeth Jensen and Illustrated by Marie Klement. First off I have to say I love the art. The cards are gorgeous. The gods and goddesses are depicted in very traditional, ancient Egyptian styles and motifs. They are absolutely stunning! (I do prefer this art style, so I am completely biased here). The only card I did not like the image of was the Sirius card.
Continue reading “Review: Auset Egyptian Oracle”
The question was asked: What drew you to Kemetic religion?
This is my answer. It just kind of came out more stream of consciousness.
As for what drew me to it, Aset (Isis) did. I’ve been fascinated by her since I was nine. She was fierce, compassionate, strong, smart, loyal and clever. She was magical and had all knowledge in earth and heaven.
I love the mythology and that the cosmos is renewed everyday. The evil in the world can be fought: as the gods themselves destroy the demon serpent every day, as the gods gave humans magic to ward off events and as we humans can choose to do good or evil based on our own hearts, our own choices.
Everyday is a new dawn. And every dawn is a victory. So there is hope. Aset mourned and lost her husband Wesir (Osiris). Wesir became the King of the Ancestors and thus the dead have a home. And we are connected to our dead through our ancestral lineages. And we honor them at ancestor shrines and the ancestors help us.
Aset gained a son, Heru-sa-Aset (Horus, son of Isis). Heru stands for us. He is god of Kingship, the linchpin between the worlds so that the gods and men can co-exist; Heru stands for everyone who is ill as his mother said she will help heal her son Heru and anyone who suffers likewise (in a papyrus). Heru stands for the community, justice and strength and perseverance over adversity as he had to win the throne of Egypt through trials.
The Eye of Ra goddess (who can be many goddesses including Aset) is angry and leaves. But she is always called back and she comes back. She turns from a raging lioness into another more pacified form (like a human or a cat). She is welcomed back. This teaches us appropriate action in rage and also forgiveness. For Ra forgives her and welcomes her home. For she forgives herself and returns.
There is hope in despair. There is strength and fortitude in adversity. There is compassion in the middle of pain. And there is joy once rage is appeased. There is determination, fierce love and fortitude in hardship. And there is love. So much love.
The gods fight for us everyday as the serpent is destroyed every dawn. Aset destroys it with Her magic; Set with His spear. In tandem, entropy is destroyed.
And hope shines anew.
Each day is a blessing.
And each day is hard won.
Purchase Paperback from Lulu here: Sun, Star and Desert Sand
Purchase PDF from Lulu here: Sun, Star and Desert Sand
Kindle from Amazon: Sun, Star and Desert Sand
Paperback on Amazon will be available in 4 to 6 weeks.
Here is the new cover of my book made by Andrew Meit!
Here is the page about the book: Sun, Star and Desert Sand
Solar Flares and Sunbeams: An Anthology for Ra and His Family
by Chelsea Luellon Bolton
Ra (Re) is the ancient Egyptian God of the Sun. He is the creator of the world, Gods and Humankind. He is both the warmth of the sun and its fiery, scorching rays. He is the one who travels through the sky during the day and through the Underworld at night, culminating in His defeat of the Evil Serpent. He merges with Wesir (Osiris), the King of the Underworld and renews the afterlife and creation.
He has many forms and syncretisms with other gods. He has many daughters who bear the title “Eye of Ra” which means they are His guardians and protectors who harness the fierce power of sun to dispose of enemies and evil forces.
Contributors can explore:
Ra as the creator of the world
Ra as the Creator of Humankind
Ra as the God of Kings
Ra as the Lord of All or Lord of the Limit
Ra and His Forms (Khepri, Ra and Atum as Morning, Noon and Night)
Ra and His Syncretisms (Amun-Ra, Atum-Ra, Khnum-Ra, Wepwawet-Ra, Sobek-Ra, Osiris-Ra, Ra Heru-akhety/Ra Horakhty)
Relationships with Ra and His Consorts (Hathor, Sekhmet, Bast, Nephthys) and as Amun-Ra (Mut)
Relationships between Ra and His Daughters (Bast, Sekhmet, Mut, Aset/Isis, Tefnut, Hathor, etc)
Relationships between Ra and the Celestial Cow/Mehet Weret (Forms: Neith, Hathor, Aset/Isis, Nephthys, Nut)
Relationships between Ra and His Sons (Anubis, Wepwawet, Shu)
Ra and His associations with Set or Thoth or Horus
Ra as a Fatherly figure, savior or personal God
We are seeking submissions of:
• poetry and oracles
• hymns and prayers
• devotions, rituals or magical practice
• essays
• academic or scholarly articles (with footnotes and bibliography)
• songs
• short fiction (5,000 word limit)
• artwork (300dpi; black and white only)
• translations of ancient works (must have permission of the copyright owner or translator if not translated directly from the hieroglyphs)
Deadline: October 1, 2017
Submission Formats: Word Document pasted within the body of an email or as an email attachment. Also please put RA SUBMISSION in the title of the email.
Rights: Worldwide, non-exclusive for print book and e-book formats (contributors retain all rights to their work); projected release date is TBA through Lulu.com;
Contributors: There is no monetary compensation for contributors. Contributors will receive a free PDF copy of the book for personal use and a coupon code to purchase the book at a discount. A permission to publish form will be sent out via email once all the submissions are received.
Email: lotusjewel4@gmail.com
I just finished reading a new dissertation: Ashby, Solange. “Calling Out to Isis: the Enduring Nubian Presence at Philae.” PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2016.
I found a few cultic references which I thought were interesting.
Some Nubian Altars to Her had:
4 Peret/Parmuthi/March
1 to 8-Feast of Aset
Offer a feast to Aset. Wine, meat and other offerings were offered in antiquity.
1-Feast of Ra and the Eye of Ra
Honor Aset and Ra today. Honor Aset as an Eye of Ra, the protector of the sun god and a solar Goddess.
4 to 21-Aset, Mother of God Gives Birth to Heru-sa-Aset
Honor Aset and Heru-sa-Aset during this festival. Offer cakes and pastries to the Goddess and Her son. Offer Heru-sa-Aset a birthday cake.
5 to 6 of March-Navigation of Aset/Isidis Navigium
Here is my write-up on this festival: Navigation of Aset. This is the date on the Roman calendar for this festival.
9 of March-Adoration of Aset, the very Great Goddess, Sovereign and Savior/Proskynema of Isis
Here is my post about Proskynema: Proskynema
20 of March-Pelusia
Honor the Goddess today with Her son Heru, the Child (Heru-pa-khered/Harpokrates; a form of Heru-sa-Aset). During this festival, Sarapis was also honored along with Isis as both were patrons of the start of the sailing season. Here is the Wikipedia entry on this festival: Pelusia.
20 to 21-Navigation of Aset/Isidis Navigium
Here is my write-up on this festival: Navigation of Aset. This is the date on the ancient Egyptian calendar for this festival.
20 to 23-Festival of Aset
This is a festival recorded by Pausanias. According to him, this festival was about cleaning the temple and shrines as well as giving offerings to the Goddess.
28-Aset Births Heru-sa-Aset/Isis Births Horus the Younger
Honor Aset and Heru-sa-Aset during this festival. Offer cakes and pastries to the Goddess and Her son. Offer Heru-sa-Aset a birthday cake.
29-Dedication Feast of Aset
This may be the Nubian date found on the Temple of Philae for the Navigation of Aset. Here is my post about it: Navigation of Aset
