There are five simple Rosicrucian exercises that is beneficial to the well-being of the physical body by harnessing the vibrations of earth’s magnetism. Our earth emits positive and negative vibrational energies that the body can harness and put into good use. We recommend that these exercises should be done as often as possible.
Exercise #1
The first exercise consists of standing in front of an open window or out in the open, with the feet and ankles touching each other and the hands above the head with palms touching each other. While remaining in this position for about five minutes, take a series of deep negative breaths – exhale completely, hold your breath out of your lungs for as long as is comfortable; when you inhale, don’t hold the breath. Breathe back out again and again hold the breath out while the lungs are empty.
Exercise #2
The second exercise consists of standing in front of an open window or in the open air with arms and legs extended to the sides, the feet flat on the ground, and the hands held at head level with the palms pointing upwards. You should then carry out a series of positive breaths – take a deep breath, hold your breath for as long as is comfortable; when you exhale, don’t hold the breath out. Breathe in again and again hold the breath while the lungs are full.
Exercise #3
The third exercise you will want to do as often as possible consists of going outdoors and forming a star with your body with your back on the ground. Both your legs and arms should be outstretched with the palms turned upwards towards the sky. When you are in this position, take a series of deep neutral breaths – don’t hold the breath on inhalation or exhalation – for five to ten minutes. At the end of this time, you can now continue with your normal breathing routine. This exercise puts you directly in contact with earth magnetism while reinforcing the potential of your negative and positive energy. If at all possible, do this exercise while lying on the grass. Feel free to keep your eyes either open or closed.
Exercise #4
The fourth exercise will help you benefit from earthly magnetism and electromagnetic properties in the atmosphere. This consist of floating on your back whenever you bathe or swim in a body of natural water, such as the sea or a lake. You should assume the same position in the water as indicated in the last exercise. In this case you should take deep positive breaths, for the retention of air in the lungs helps your body to float. You may continue the exercise for as long as you please.
Exercise #5
The fifth exercise consists of walking barefooted in the morning dew wherever you have the opportunity. While doing so, take deep neutral breaths. A walk of five to ten minutes is enough to allow your body to profit from the very specific magnetism of the dew. This has special alchemical and chemical properties in that it results from a condensation that brings together Earth’s negative electromagnetism and the atmosphere’s positive electromagnetism.
Conclusion
Naturally, these five simple exercises should be done as discreetly as possible so that you do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself or seem to act like a show-off. They are simply practices that can be done in a natural way whenever the occasion presents itself.
This series of articles is a summary of a recently published book 1 of the same title by Dr Paul Dupont, a former head of a clinic and member of the Rose-Croix University International. By Joe van Dalen | Nov 02, 2020 SOURCE: https://amorc.org.au/articles/2020-11-02-foundations-of-health/
Part 1
Physical, Mental and Spiritual Wellbeing
More and more books and articles relate how to maintain good health and fitness from a physical point of view. An increasing number also deal with health from a mental perspective. But the spiritual aspect of health is still rarely discussed. This despite the fact that the physical, mental and spiritual planes of our being are all related.
Much scientific evidence today supports the link between our physical body, thoughts and emotions. Research is also emerging that corroborates the notion that there is a spiritual influence on our health which mystics of the past have always maintained. While most people focus on the physical and the mental aspects, it cannot be ignored that the source of energy that maintains life is essentially of a spiritual nature.
The spiritual and material parts of our existence can therefore not be separated since they interact with each other. While the physical body may at times lack vitamins and mineral elements, so the spiritual and mental may be lacking emotional and spiritual nutrition. Good health is an equilibrium between the physical and spiritual. Harmony between all levels of our being will maintain perfect health.
The Physical State
Physical deficiencies likely to disturb our Physical, Mental and Spiritual Health.
Avoiding excesses and deficiencies are keys to balanced health. If imbalances exist on any one of the levels already mentioned, it will affect the other two. Physical deficiencies that may affect the mental and spiritual levels, are the following (the list is by no means exhaustive):
Lack of iron — A lack of iron can bring on depression and a loss of memory. It automatically makes our inner being more fragile making it more difficult to maintain harmony on the mental and emotional levels.
Lack of magnesium — A lack of this mineral makes people more nervous, irritable and suffer from insomnia. They have difficulty adapting to stressful situations.
Lack of vitamin B — The lack of this vitamin leads to a loss of memory, tiredness and a difficulty concentrating, all the things needed for healthy mental activity.
Lack of phospholipids — Phospholipids are the main food for the brain and the autonomic nervous system. A lack here can disturb the connection between the physical and mental levels. The spiritual energy that flows naturally through these systems will also be disturbed. Emotional worries are the result and people find it difficult to return to a state of peace and spiritual equilibrium.
Lack of iodine — A lack of iodine lessens ideation. That is, it is vital in sensory perception and the formation of ideas. It is suggested today that when homo sapiens started to consume seafood that the species rapidly evolved. A troubled thyroid gland is the cause of difficulties. Hypothyroidism means a difficulty concentrating and slow thinking. It makes meditation and spiritual perception hard. Iodine is also a source of energy.
Lack of lithium — A lithium deficiency makes people more nervous and sensitive to stress. Stress is part of the positive and negative aspects of existence. Where people have a lessened ability to handle negative stress, there are problems of sleep, a disharmony in the functioning of the organs thus accelerating aging. Regions where drinking water has more lithium, there people are happier and live longer.
Lack of essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 — A general lowering of overall energy levels, particularly of the nervous system can be the result of a lack in essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. The omegas are transported by the phospholipids and provide energy; phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine transport the omega -3 DHA and EPA, both necessary for the transmission of sympathetic nervous system influx. They make up the membranes of cells of any organism, particularly neurones. Clearly a lack of these causes nervous troubles and problems in the autonomic nervous system, vital for the functioning of the body.
The Mental State
Stress and its Influence on Our Physical and Spiritual levels.
Stress is not necessarily negative. In a certain way, it can restore harmony to the human condition at the different levels. It is primarily a stimulus that can change the way we act and can be2. An awareness of stress makes it possible to discover more of Self and helps to re-centre ourselves. What makes it detrimental to health is the way we handle it negatively, when we do not realise its cause, when we throw the cause on to others or particular events. Of course, nothing ever happens by chance. While we continue to oppose the stressful conditions, it becomes a more negative factor and affects both the physical and spiritual aspects of being.
When we are in a prolonged negative stressful state, we make ‘bad blood.’ Some people manifest skin conditions like psoriasis, others digestive problems, or nervous conditions and depression. Negative thoughts poison the psyche through worries, negative emotions, and there is a general difficulty in rising above material circumstances to commune with the beneficial universal spiritual forces.
An awareness of stress makes it possible to discover more of Self and helps to re-centre ourselves.
The soul becomes imprisoned in a darkness. Preoccupied by fixed negative and disturbing ideas, a person cannot project a positive consciousness to levels of peace, harmony and goodness. Negativity releases hormones into the nervous system preventing harmony spiritually. This is exacerbated when there is too much emphasis on the ego and materialistic values.
The Spiritual State
Influence of Materialism and the Ego on the Physical and Mental Levels.
Materialism — Humanity currently benefits from the great progress made in the fields of communication and transportation, at least in industrialised countries. These conveniences should have freed individuals from material constraints and allowed for more leisure time, greater spirituality and reflection on Self.
However, the time for rest is occupied by increasing materialistic demands. The mind is almost exclusively concerned with the rational and the five senses flood the brain with material perceptions in the main. With a lack of deep thinking, humans are cut off from a relationship with the Divine and the spiritual energy of the universe, losing contact with nature. Rather, the attention is focused on the material world with the needs and passions it generates.
A lack of true spiritual values obscures the real meaning of life and diminishes insight into what we need to do to maintain proper health.
Computers and vehicles could liberate individuals but too often tend to plunge consciousness further into material values or an illusory world. Some realise this and are turning towards meditation, yoga and other ways to satisfy the inner life. However, not all methods used have a spiritual basis and may even reinforce materialism, giving the illusion of a spiritual practice. They merely amplify the ego.
A lack of true spiritual values obscures the real meaning of life and diminishes insight into what we need to do to maintain proper health. Those who take the time to meditate and attune to the divine gain information springing from the depths of their being. Isn’t the small voice within always aiming to keep us in balance, and fight against shortcomings such as egoism?
Weaknesses related to the ego — There are people who unconsciously keep themselves in a state of hate, resentment, spite, envy and jealousy. These spring from the ego and certainly from a lack of spirituality. Spirituality is not religiosity even though believers may associate the two. Spirituality is something all humanity has in common, and is innate, beyond belief and education.
A child born into a loving environment will show the characteristics of a spiritual nature. He or she will abound with energy, and growth under its influence produces an independent spirit. Gradually, this nature can be thwarted by external events, habits, living conditions, and suggestions that the material world is all important. Adolescents may go through a crisis period because of it unwittingly, where the spirituality of childhood becomes lost.
Egoism increases when young people are badly educated or brought up, and when the inner conscience is ignored. Of course, this may not directly affect the health but the moment when a debt (or Karma) intervenes, then a lack of spirituality may disturb the personality so much that the mind becomes greatly disturbed. Stress develops and perhaps physical illnesses. Depression is so common these days.
Part 2
The Physical Foundation of Health
There are four key physical foundations of health: food, drink, breathing and movement. The first three depend on a healthy non-polluted environment. The fourth can be adapted according to our age and physical condition.
The products we consume should be natural, not synthetic — It is increasingly difficult nowadays to avoid foods made of synthetic molecules that cannot match what nature has evolved for our wellbeing. Nature has virtually all the molecules that exist within our body, even the hormones. Organic chemists insist there is no difference between naturally occurring organic molecules and synthetic ones; and science does not readily accept the existence of a higher energy operating in nature and being present in matter. Louis Pasteur realised this when he fed yeasts with racemic acid synthetically produced and that these yeasts only consumed the acid in part. He deduced that there were two types of molecules which he called dextrorotatory and laevorotatory. Racemic acid is a mixture of the two.
Most medications and vitamins today contain this mixture. Our body generally accepts the laevorotatoric form, as it exists in proteins and carbohydrates. Nobody really knows what the dextrorotatory form does and it may well be toxic. Another difference between these forms of molecules is their spatial configuration, that for science remains a puzzle unless we postulate an energy capable of orientating the arrangement of carbon atoms for example (the building blocks of life), producing a weight, size and dimension to cradle life. The underlying energy is dual in nature and can explain the configuration in space of the DNA double helix.
The epigenetic phenomenon: foods act on our genes — It is easy to conclude that everything is genetically determined and that our genes determine our health and destiny. However, we are responsible for our destiny, a view that does not please creationists. Genes evolve during our life and can be modified through changing habits, our lifestyle, our food and no doubt our thinking. While our genetic inheritance may determine health to a large extent, various factors can intervene to favour or repress the manifestation of illnesses induced by them.
Epigenetics, a relatively new study, encompasses the environmental factors likely to affect the genes, and modify their beneficial or harmful activity. In some ways epigenetics is a study of the physiological functioning of the genome. A study of twins, for example, living in different environments and developing different states of health according to the polluted environment and poor nutrition, led to the idea that genes may be triggered to manifest some cancers. Such factors do not directly intervene as in genetic manipulation but influence the proteins around which DNA is entwined.
With bees, for example, we know that food can determine whether the larvae become queens or workers. This is epigenetics and can explain how species evolve, since repetitive events can reach an irreversible response on life, inducing a genetic mutation passed on to the next generation. Repeated contact with carcinogenic toxic products, or medications taken over a long period can modify the genes too. Children born of parents addicted to alcohol or drugs can be more aggressive, linked to a lack of serotonin in the life of the parents.
Daily discoveries are being made of industrial chemicals that affect our health: bisphenol A (BPA), for example, contained in plastic bottles and food containers, has been found to induce a resistance to insulin and effect adiponectin, a protein satiation hormone that protects us from diabetes. On the other hand, epigenetics has also shown the role of foods. Vitamins like B6, B9 and B12, provided they are natural, found in foods like broccoli, avocados have a protective effect and can have a reversible effect on pathogenic genes. The list of harmful and beneficial effects of many substances on health is endless.
With bees, for example, we know that food can determine whether the larvae become queens or workers.
Digestion starts on the plate with the secretion of enzymes — Salivary and intestinal secretions are triggered at the mere sight of food, triggering memory of taste and odour, in anticipation of what we are about to eat. The body is capable of unconsciously remembering what is good for it or unpleasant. When bad, allergies may be the reaction; hives, for example, may appear after consuming certain foods.
There is a link, of course, with thought processes, since at times, allergies appear if there has been psychological conflict or stress. In any case, digestion begins in the mouth when we salivate and start chewing; the happier we are eating, the more nutrients are digested, free from abdominal discomforts. We should avoid food filled with synthetic aromas and substances. Where natural fresh foods are not available, it is better to consume snap frozen products. Teaching children good eating habits and food choices is naturally very important.
The large peristaltic wave — A peristaltic movement operates right along the digestive tract to ensure the food is digested properly to provide the utmost nutrition. This movement remarkably follows a cycle; it starts from the back of the throat right through the intestine to the rectum.
There is also a slow recovery wave that depends on the parasympathetic nervous system, particularly the vagus nerve and is effective only outside mealtimes. Its action occurs independent of our will and its economy is very much dependent on our thinking. Discord and stress may upset its work and block it, causing reflux, with poor bile excretion, reacting with the acids of the stomach forming gas. Sitting down in a relaxed manner is best when eating.
Walking after a meal for digestion — Why is it good to walk after a meal? Firstly, to induce mental relaxation, and secondly to mobilise the lymphatic system for better circulation. It is partly through lymph and through veins near the intestines that nutrients are absorbed. Walking helps with this nutrient exchange.
However, it is important not to get cold during digestion and to not undertake too much strenuous physical activity straight away, diverting blood away from the intestine to the major organs. Smoking and alcohol do not aid digestion either but rather constrict the blood vessels. Research has shown that a ten-minute walk lessens the glycaemic load3. Less insulin is therefore required to regulate sugar in the blood and cells. A short walk after a meal can be more beneficial than a long walk at other times. An increase in glycemia causes weight gain.
Are the intestines our second brain? — It is in recent times that researchers have postulated that the intestine could be a second brain, as if we had a particular behaviour management system coming from our stomach! By definition, the satisfaction in eating motivates our behaviour; if we look at the animal kingdom, we can well believe this.
Of course, this does not only apply to food: seeking shelter, the pleasure related to reproduction, the quenching of thirst, are natural needs to be satisfied. For humans, why not consider the heart as the second brain rather than the intestines? Nevertheless, the conclusion of some scientists is that well-functioning intestines lead to good behaviour and attitude; conversely bad behaviour and attitude can affect the digestive system. The brain and the digestive systems communicate with each other through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
The intestinal brain depends on the flora of natural bacilli that live in the gut. It has been found that depressed people develop harmful flora; and given that good flora synthesises 95% of serotonin which the body needs, a substance enabling a person to be calm, we see that a vicious circle starts when the more dysbiosis or microbial imbalance exists inside the body, the less serotonin the brain has, and the more prone we are to depression. But it is difficult to say if depression has caused the dysbiosis or dysbiosis has caused the depression.
We are familiar today with faecal transplants to re-establish nervous harmony and good bacteria, clearly showing that we live in osmosis with good and bad bacteria, just as our cells react to our emotions, thoughts and acts. We have in and on us around 100 billion protective bacteria of some 500 plus species, that is, about 10 times more than the total number of cells.
Without realising it, they influence our thinking, psychic function, our aura in effect, and just like trees need all these micro-organisms in their roots and the billions of insects, we can appreciate we are part of an interdependent environmental system. Rather than say we have a second brain, we could say that a natural intelligence is in collaboration with us. Some experts have gone so far as to use psychobiotics to treat psychiatric disturbances.
Walking after a meal induces mental relaxation, and secondly mobilises the lymphatic system for better circulation.
Part 3
Physical Exercise Adapted to Our Needs
Physical exercise circulates and integrates energy, allowing us to get rid of mental problems. For maintaining good health, science has shown movement to be a must. This is not saying that physical activity must be intense but movement is nevertheless advised. Many believe that running or participating in sport is enough but in fact, walking or going for a swim are some of the most useful movements we can do on a regular basis. Being sedentary, sitting or lying down for too long, outside of sleep, is harmful. A study of 400,000 people has shown that 15 minutes of physical activity a day on average, or 92 minutes per week, will prolong life by 3 years as compared to sedentary people.
Throwing yourself into rigorous sport, no matter what your age, is obviously a mistake, along with taking steroids or stimulants to withstand the strenuous effort. Not every physical body is suitable to take up running, or playing tennis, cycling, weight lifting, etc. The consequence could be a body that develops deficiencies and oxidises, leading to a lowering of immunity, not to speak of infections, muscular, skeletal or joint injuries.
Intensive sport requires careful preparation and training, and each person needs to listen to their body’s capacities. It is now well established by science that movement or physical activity can reduce the many causes of death like an improvement of the cardio-vascular system, the risks of cancer, improved attitude, sleep and the quality of life generally. It can reduce weight and reduce the risk of falling among the elderly.
Classifying physical activities according to their intensity.
We can identify four levels of physical activity…
Light physical activity like walking at about 4 km/h, for example. It does not lead to a shortage of breath or perspiration.
Moderate physical activity can lead to some shortage of breath and perspiration. Swimming, dancing, gardening, bike riding, climbing stairs, a 5 to 6 kilometre walk, for example, come into this category.
More intense physical activity like power walking at 6.5 km/h, quickly running upstairs, jogging, bike riding at 20 km/h. These produce significant shortages of breath and perspiration, and make conversation difficult.
Very intense activity producing a lot of perspiration and gasping for air, making conversation difficult for up to 10 minutes.
Effectiveness of physical activity for health and the precautions to take.
Contrary to accepted thinking, the intensity of the sport or physical activity is not the most important factor. Moderation is, as well as good breathing, avoiding polluted air and taking adequate rest. Three hours per week over three or four session lessens the chances of cardio-vascular disease.
It can be built up to five hours; daily regularity is important and a long session once a week or the weekend is not as effective, particularly not intense activity likely to cause fatigue fractures or muscular injuries. Walking is beneficial no matter at what age. Generally, it is advised to take 10,000 steps daily or 3,000 at moderate intensity.
A medical examination is always desirable before embarking on prolonged physical activity to check blood pressure and cardiac rhythms in particular. A warm-up activity for 5-10 minutes, to assist the muscles become supple and prepare the body for physiological changes is also advisable. During prolonged activity, enough water should be consumed, and some calories in the form of a banana, for example, are beneficial.
After activity, there should be adequate deep breathing and rest to return the body to normal blood pressure and heart rate. Any signs of irregular heart-beats, or too fast a rhythm, shortness of breath during normal exercise should indicate you need to consult a doctor. Obviously smoking during physical activity is not recommended and has its cardiovascular risks.
Supplementary foods and physical activity.
Physical activity will increase the need for extra energy and supplements can be taken to avoid deficiencies. Without going into the practices used at high level sports, certain carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and anti-oxidants in particular are required. Free radicals and acidity in the body can induce cramps and fatigue.
Anti-oxidants like krill oil, vitamins C and C2, black and blue berries, rose hip are nutrients that fight off free radicals. Microalgae like spirulina, Klamath, chlorella and sea algae like ascophyllum nodosum rich in anti-oxidants are useful for those who participate in sport regularly. The consumption of water to compensate for the perspiration is important and as well as sea salt.
The brain needs glucose and foods rich in fructose rather than sugary drinks are preferred. How we use the brain is important, of course. Exercise allows for the growth and renewal of tissue and the elimination of waste.
The Importance of Sleep
In recent years, interest in sleep and its mystery have been rekindled. Sleep is not merely a period of rest but a time of regeneration on the physical and mental levels. It is also the moment when our spiritual part can influence the physical and mental sides of being. In other words, during sleep, order is restored in our principal vital functions. There are generally five stages of sleep recognised today.
The Transition Stage.
It is a short period when we recognise the need for sleep. We cannot know exactly when we will fall asleep, hence the danger when at the wheel of a vehicle. The urge comes in cycles and if we miss it then we have to wait for the cycle to come around again. For this reason, it is a good idea to go to bed daily at the same time. The phase also depends on the secretion of hormones from the pineal gland, notably melatonin.
A deficiency will result in a difficulty falling asleep and waking often during the night. It can be alleviated by eating foods containing tryptophan like eggs, peanuts, tofu, pumpkin seeds or roasted squash, and making sure you get enough sunlight during the day. It is also important to be aware of what we are thinking when we fall asleep, avoiding anxious and worrying thoughts. Have confidence in the Divine in this instance, a phase the Egyptians referred to as “the little death”, and upon waking, we may have clearer thoughts and even solutions to some problems.
Light Sleep.
This is the longest phase of sleep in which we are neither awake nor totally asleep. There is some slowing down of breathing and heart rate but muscles are not totally relaxed and one is easily awoken. If sleep does not go beyond this level, then it is possible wake up feeling tired the next day. Outside stimuli that may cause waking up may include a poorly aired room and too much carbon dioxide, or a temperature that is either too cold or too hot, as well as sudden noises.
Into Deep, Slow Sleep.
During this phase, the body is regenerated. The first phase produces irregular and discontinuous brainwaves, and the second a regularisation of neurotransmitter secretions (delta sleep-inducing peptides) with regular brainwave activity. The more profound this slow sleep, the greater the recuperation. The hormone secretion has been shown to be reduce stress and chances of cancer.
REM Sleep.
This phase is referred to as the Rapid Eye Movement stage in which relaxed muscles contract as if receiving a magnetic impulse to energise them in a rather random manner. It is a phase that can coincide with dreaming which can take up to a quarter of the sleeping period. The dreams increase as sleep progresses and close to the waking stage. We spend nearly a third of our lives asleep and so we should see to it that it is beneficial. Having a bowl of water near the bed is useful in humidifying the air thereby inducing a more profound sleep.
Paying Attention to Breathing
Breathing is an exchange of energy, passive in the sense that we don’t have to consciously do it, in which the alveola in the lungs effortlessly relax within the protective thoracic cage. The lungs are like an inverse tree. Captured oxygen is transferred to our cells, where it meets hydrogen from our food (carbohydrates and lipids or fats) and the mitochondria of our cells frees this energy that maintains our life.
Rosicrucians have always maintained that there is an extra vital factor from the Sun that enters each breath. The oxidised residue in the process are then eliminated by the liver and lungs as carbon dioxide. Vitamin D is part of this cycle, that behaves like a hormone, a regularising energy for the whole body.
It is important to breathe through the nose, which purifies the air to some extent of impurities and dust. The air is humidified as it passes through the upper nasal passage and the pharynx, taking on the temperature of the body, an important stabilising factor. Breathing exercises are familiar to Rosicrucian students to make the breathing process more effective. It is a bodily function over which we can have some control; deep breathing may calm the nervous system, provide extra energy, lower the blood pressure etc.
The Eastern tradition also speaks of breathing through the left or right nostril, these alternating according to natural cycles. The normal breathing cycle is around fifteen to twenty times per minute, that can vary according to the amount of physical activity undertaken. Proper breathing helps the organs to function correctly. The quality of the air we breathe is clearly important. In towns and cities, exhaust fumes are a major pollutant while in some country areas so are agricultural chemical sprays a hazard. More hidden pollutants exist inside motor vehicles, in the home where some furniture, carpets, paints contain toxic elements.
Scientific studies have also shown that, on occasions, certain winds can have an effect on the body and mind; hot dry air with many positively charge ions can cause problems in unbalancing those sensitive to them. Conversely, wind that is humid and has a predominately negative ionised charge, can be calming and even healing in effect. Most humans instinctively know that to immerse oneself in nature is highly beneficial, from walks in the woods, the seaside, mountains, attending natural thermal springs, or some sunbathing all have their cleansing and restorative effects. Recent studies have shown of the beneficial effects of the energy emanating from trees. Trees emit phytoncides that protect against harmful insects and germs. People walking in forests receive this substance to stimulate their immunity, particularly lymphocytes (natural killers) that destroy cancerous cells. The aromas have a calming effect on the brain and lessen the secretion of adrenalin and nor-adrenalin.
More and more people are showing hyper-sensitivity to chemicals and vibrations emitted by modern communication systems, mobile phones in particular. Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance has been known since the 1950s and countries like the United States, Canada and Germany recognise these as true illnesses. Some cannot tolerate chemical odours like perfumes or touching some cleaning products; discomfort can result in the eyes, skin and breathing. Electro-magnetic radiation from telephone towers can induce headaches, a sensation of heat inside the head, muscle and joint pains, fatigue and trouble sleeping4. Home gadgets including computers also tend to emit either chemical or electro-magnetic radiation that can have a negative effect on the organism. Awareness of these is the key to enable life-style adjustments to be made.
Part 4
The Mental Foundations of Health
Mental health is more than healthy thinking. It includes the emotions. The word ‘psyche’ covers it more clearly. Our personality includes both thought and emotion, and in the long term, they determine our habits, behaviour and choices in life. Let us look then at four basic conditions of our psyche that affect health: positive emotions influencing the endocrines glands, good thoughts acting on the nervous system, harmonious contact with nature and the four elements describing personality types. ‘Psychosomatic’ is a term now frequently used but it usually has a rather negative connotation, describing the ill effects of problems affecting our body. Obviously, the reverse is also true: positive thinking has its beneficial effects.
Mental Outlook and the Endocrines Glands
Our thoughts and emotions, our character in effect, influence the secretion of hormones just as, conversely, a hormonal imbalance will affect our behaviour. For a long time, this fact was not known or overlooked, but today the interdependence between emotions and hormones can be illustrated. In a previous book by Dr Dupont, The Endocrine Glands and Your Health, direct links are well established between the thyroid and fear, between hypophysis and emotional outbursts, between the heart and anxiety, and between worries and pancreatic secretions.
Recent research has established how the vagus nerve acts on the brain. Prior to this, it was believed that the vagus nerve acted independently of the will, being autonomically controlled by various brain centres. Rosicrucians take great interest in the sympathetic or autonomous nervous system with its plexuses governing many organs and glands. Harmony between the two branches of this nervous system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagus nerve), results in good digestion, breathing, blood circulation, and according to recent research, proper brain function. Scientists have been able to temporarily bring a patient out of a deep areactive coma by simply stimulating the vagus nerve. The person experienced an awakening of sensations after a long time not moving or showing any sensory perception at all.
The sympathetic system allows the body to adapt to changing external conditions, when running for example, increasing the heart rate, directing the blood to the main organs and muscles. Following intense physical exercise, the parasympathetic system returns the body to a more stable condition. The systems are a sort of unconscious intelligence that maintain life, whether we are aware of it or not. Breathing and certain exercises can have some influence on these systems.
Cardio-respiratory Coherence
When we go to the doctor, our blood pressure and heart rhythm and rate are measured. The breathing rate, pressure and rhythm are not and yet they are so important, it being quite evident that there is a strong connection between breathing and heart function. Breathing is affected by our emotional state; a feeling of shortness of breath can be oppressive, stifling in an emotional situation, as the blood is starved of the oxygen it needs.
It is possible to suppose that a prolonged lack of coordination between the heart and breathing could become chronic and a source of illness. Breathing can slow down the heart rate, calm the body, a technique used for centuries by mystics in preparation for meditation. A trained person can move from 30 to 40 breaths per minutes to only about six breaths. The practice allows for greater clarity and concentration of thought.
The Influence of Thought on Health
A positive and optimistic outlook, and from those in the close environment, clearly gives a patient a better chance of recovery. It has to be said that sometimes, it is even better the patient does not know a condition rather than brood negatively upon it. Hence the importance of how clinicians relate a diagnosis to the patient; sometimes there are cultural factors to consider. The placebo effect is familiar to most people today. Epigenetics would suggest that a positive outlook in life, regardless of the obstacles to be faced, will influence the genes as they are transmitted to the next generation.
Health, Nature, Temperaments and the Four Elements
Ancient Greek thinkers had observed the influence of the four elements on health. Earth, Water, Air and Fire influence our humours and determine the four temperaments: sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic, describing not just physical types but also psychological and psychic temperaments.
While not a predominant notion held today, there are nevertheless some connections between the psyche and these four temperaments: lymphatic types, corresponding to the brain, are the most sensitive and have more difficulty getting rid of problems, while bilious types, corresponding to the liver, are more inclined to be dominant and have episodes of anger.
The melancholic types, corresponding to the lymphatic system, tend to have a depressive and grumpy outlook. The heart correlates to the sanguine types. Relaxation techniques enable people to find a balance, including those suffering from pathological illnesses, coupled with auto-suggestion that utilises the forces of positive visualisation.
The Healing Power of Water
For a long time, Rosicrucians have practiced a technique of ‘magnetising’ water to enhance its healing property, by using concentration and visualisation, as well as the body’s radiant energy. Japanese studies have demonstrated in double blind experiments that thought can change the structure of water crystals, transmitting thought from Japan to California. While the experiments did not prove that water has a direct influence on health, it did show that concentration and projecting good thoughts of love, health, order, well-being etc on water seemed to organise its molecules into a more aesthetic and geometric manner, even at distance. If thought can have this influence on water, then why not on our body which is predominantly water?
Conversely, negative thoughts disturb the equilibrium of the psyche and can pollute it in the same way chemicals may pollute water and air. Thoughts of envy, hate, jealousy, mischief are destructive and are a form of mental poisoning. The nocebo effect, the opposite to the placebo effect, can result in illness because it penetrates the subconscious areas of mind. Prolonged drug usage, and modern society is addicted to many strong forms of them, diminishes the nervous system that regulates the balance between thoughts and emotions, making people more vulnerable to negative suggestions. For some the outcomes are paranoia, schizophrenia, antisocial behaviour and general psychiatric problems.
The Spiritual Foundations of Health
The Universal Force
The faithful in many religious traditions throughout the world pray for many reasons and particularly to maintain their health and that of loved ones. It underscores a belief in the existence of an energy in the universe capable of doing so.
While scientific materialists may be sceptical about this, statements from many testify to its efficacy. Where does this force come from? Is it the Sun? But does not the Sun find its energy elsewhere? This universal force is the source of movement and manifests as growth of cells, as in all living matter, perhaps even in minerals. Forces manifest as those of attraction, repulsion, gravity and so on, but in our bodies and in all living things, it should be considered as a vital force.
Universal Love
It is not necessary to be a believer but simply comprehend the conception that within us is an invisible aspect of the universe, that upon death, returns to its source, the body having served as a temporary vehicle. Our material ego gives us the illusory perception that we are irrevocably separate from the rest of the universe and so to conceive of a consciousness or intelligence as part of a universal intelligence or consciousness, that some may call God, is a difficult thing for everyone to accept. Yet within this great universe, this intelligent macrocosm, there is an infinite consciousness called Universal Love. It is closest to the love our heart may express for others, nature, animals and even self in an impersonal and personal way.
Some people confuse love with passion, or the love of goods and temporary pleasures. Relaxation, fun, amusements and being happy are, of course, a form of love but with their limitations. The Love cultivated inwardly is the love that knows no limits for the reason that it is not motivated by materials desires, but by an altruism and impersonal communion with the whole of Creation.
Inspired by this Love, acts become altruistic, offering aid impersonally, with compassion, sharing, the gift of a smile to others and so on. According to an ancient law of compensation, we must be ready to receive the gift of universal love. The more we give the more we receive. It should also be noted that in the area of health, the true healers who have been able to render cures or aid others are those personalities who are filled with the love of their fellow human beings.
Spirituality is Firstly Turning Within
To perceive the spiritual, it is not necessary to escape the physical body. Spirituality lies in the capacity to experience who we are, to develop ourselves, and to realise we are not separated from the whole which is perfect. The key to healing is in our desire to be perfect and to become better.
When faced with illness, depression we often ask to be healed physically and spiritually. The force within only asks to be allowed to express itself. Is it sufficient to ask to not be ill? We may not intellectually understand what perfection is, or that the Whole is perfect, and that this lies within us. Nevertheless, we can sense the energy and intelligence within.
Methods for Realising Spiritual Health
True spirituality does not exclude any persons seeking to connect with ineffable principle within, regardless of background and belief. For health, acting spiritually consists of doing certain exercises based on “Know Thyself.” The exercises prepare for the initiatic path using breathing, relaxation, concentration, meditation, communion, prayer, contemplation and union with the Divine. They enlarge the field of consciousness. They lead to the human virtues of patience, goodness, generosity and so on.
Recent studies suggest meditation has an influence on the aging process, preserving particular areas of cerebral activity, especially regarding the emotions and memory. Meditation protects the telomeres, the aging clock in every cell. Telomeres get shorter each time a cell copies itself, but the important DNA stays intact. Eventually, telomeres get too short to do their job, causing our cells to age and stop functioning properly.5 There is a difference between relaxation and meditation; listening to relaxing music does not bring the same results as inwardly meditating with strong thoughts of altruism, well-being, harmony and so on, that can in fact repair and lengthen telomeres.
Imagery from magnetic resonance indicates that meditation can augment neuronal connections in the brain, functions located in the prefrontal cortex. This area is important for planning activities, long term memory, scaffolding strategies and finding solutions to complex problems. Meditation also affects the anterior cingulate cortex that influences functions like attention, motivation, regulating emotional responses.
Lastly, meditation affects the hippocampus, the part of the brain that deals with memory, the perception of space and places. A particular form of meditation, mindfulness, in which distracting thoughts and memories are minimised, has shown an increased volume of the left hippocampus related to memory and its classification.6 Studies have indicated a reinforcement of the inferior frontal gyrus that processes speech and language, and where the individual can inhibit certain impulses and improve intentional and emotional control.
Spirituality lies in the capacity to experience who we are, to develop ourselves, and to realise we are not separated from the whole which is perfect.
It has been mentioned earlier in these articles that visualisation can maintain health and cause improvement in conditions. In medical circles this is also known as imagery rehearsal therapy. Rosicrucians have practised it for centuries although perhaps called by something else like “imaginatio” which had its application for spiritual work initially, along with prayer. These practices work on harmonics that attract higher forms of energy present within us and around us and are capable of acting on others independent of time and space.
While science will be able to replace many more parts of the body in the future, it may not be able to stop the aging process of cells. And why should it? Nor will it be able to necessarily balance the mind or prevent us from having experiences that test our mettle. Hopefully science will soon acknowledge the metaphysical aspect of life in the body and find ways of helping reach the summum bonum, the Supreme Good. In other words, for each individual to maintain health, scientific progress may help people in life through the art and metaphysical science of the God of its Heart.
The idea of the music or harmony of the spheres date back to ancient Greece among the Pythagoreans, who saw the universe as a harmonious or ordered whole, governed by the principles of numbers and balance. They believed that the Divine was encapsulated in the Tetraktys, which is the sum of the first four integers (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10). This “Decad” symbolized both the totality of existence and the fundamental essence or completeness of all things. Their curiosity also extended into the realms of astronomy, astrology, and cosmology, which they placed at the intersection of physical and metaphysical exploration.
The Pythagoreans posited that as stars moved through the cosmos, they produced sound, leading them to assign musical notes to the so-called esoteric “seven planets” of the heavens.
Esoteric Planet
Musical Note
Week Day
Sun
E
Sunday/Domingues
Mercury
F
Wednesday/Miercoles
Venus
G
Friday/Viernes
Moon
A
Monday/Lunes
Mars
D
Tuesday/Martes
Jupiter
C
Thursday/Jueves
Saturn
B
Saturday/Sabado
Also these early principles relating to days of the week and musical notes carried forward into occult symbology, Arabic numbering shapes and Qabalah.
The Maxims of Ptahhotep or Instruction of Ptahhotep is an ancient Egyptian literary composition by the VizierPtahhotep around 2375–2350 BC, during the rule of King Djedkare Isesi of the Fifth Dynasty.[1] The text was discovered in Thebes in 1847 by Egyptologist M. Prisse d’Avennes.[2] The Instructions of Ptahhotep are considered didactic wisdom literature belonging to the genre of sebayt.[3] There are four copies of the Instructions, and the only complete version, Papyrus Prisse, is located in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.[4] According to William Kelly Simpson, scholars tend to believe that the Instructions of Ptahhotep were originally composed during the Middle Kingdom, specifically the Twelfth Dynasty. The earliest extant copies of the text were altered to make them understandable for the Egyptians of the New Kingdom.[4] The text presents a very good picture of the general attitudes of that period.[4] The Instructions of Ptahhotep addresses various virtues that are necessary to live a good life and how to live accordingly to Maat, which was an important part of the Egyptian culture.
Summary
According to Simpson, the Vizier Ptahhotep was an elderly man of 96 years, ready to retire and was ready to pass down his position.[2] The king approved of Ptahhotep’s son succeeding him as vizier, but noted that the young cannot be born with wisdom and that they need the experience given by advanced age.[5] Typically viziers were replaced by someone older that had experience, so the Vizier Ptahhotep wrote the instructions to his son to give him wisdom and advice that can only be attained through experience.
This demonstrated the significance of growing old in ancient Egyptian society and the importance of having the wisdom to make the right decisions. The Instructions of Ptahhotep were texts that were constantly read and copied by students, scribes, and men that held a higher position.
The purpose of Instruction texts was to teach the youth how to live well and were usually written by elders. The main themes Ptahhotep focuses on are silence, timing, truthfulness, relationships, and manners.[2] The text helps to reconstruct the social context of that time by describing the cultural space in which the writings were influential.[6] In this way, this text can help a historian analyze the history of the period in which it was written.
Parkinson argued that ancient texts should be broken apart to properly understand the meaning of the text and to discern if any of it is accurate.[7] Since most of the wisdom literature was written like poetry, some parts may be true and others fictional to attract the reader. Most of the wisdom writings were accepted by the readers for their choice of words, for the author’s elite position held in society, and also based on the author’s personal experiences.[7]
There are four known copies of The Instructions of Ptahhotep, the first copy was written in the Old Kingdom and other copies were considered part of the Middle Kingdom. The Instructions from the original text were considered to originate from the Old Kingdom because it matched the social and intellectual thinking of that time period.[7] The copy on Papyrus Prisse, which is dated in the twelfth dynasty is considered as the original source. However, there are other Twelfth Dynasty versions and New Kingdom versions that omit some phrases, add phrases, and sometimes change the sequence of the words.[5] Papyrus Prisse contained three literary texts which were titled as “Instruction” or “Teaching”, and the only complete text within this papyrus was the Instruction of Ptahhotep.[6]
Select quotations (taken from Christian Jacq, The Living Wisdom of Ancient Egypt.[8])
“All conduct should be so straight that you can measure it with a plumb-line.” (p. 27)
“Injustice exists in abundance, but evil can never succeed in the long run.” (p. 32)
“Punish with principle, teach meaningfully. The act of stopping evil leads to the lasting establishment of virtue.” (p. 32)
“The human race never accomplishes anything. It’s what God commands that gets done.” (p. 41)
“Those whom God guides do not go wrong. Those whose boat He takes away cannot cross.” (p. 43)
“Follow your heart all your life, do not commit excess with respect to what has been ordained.” (p. 66)
“If you work hard, and if growth takes place as it should in the fields, it is because God has placed abundance in your hands.” (p. 74)
“Do not gossip in your neighbourhood, because people respect the silent.” (p. 74)
“Listening benefits the listener.” (p. 74)
“If he who listens listens fully, then he who listens becomes he who understands.” (p. 76)
“He who listens becomes the master of what is profitable.” (p. 76)
“To listen is better than anything, thus is born perfect love.” (p. 76)
“God loves him who listens. He hates those who do not listen.” (p. 76)
“As for the ignorant man who does not listen, he accomplishes nothing. He equates knowledge with ignorance, the useless with the harmful. He does everything which is detestable, so people get angry with him each day.” (p. 77)
“A perfect word is hidden more deeply than precious stones. It is to be found near the servants working at the mill-stone.” (p. 78)
“Only speak when you have something worth saying.” (p. 79)
“As for you, teach your disciple the words of tradition. May he act as a model for the children of the great, that they may find in him the understanding and justice of every heart that speaks to him, since man is not born wise.” (p. 85)
“A woman with happy heart brings equilibrium.” (p. 107)
“Love your wife with passion.” (p. 107)
“As for those who end up continually lusting after women, none of their plans will succeed.” (p. 108)
“How wonderful is a son who obeys his father!” (p. 112)
“How happy he is of whom it is said: ‘A son is kind-natured when he knows how to listen.'” (p. 112)
“Do not blame those who are childless, do not criticise them for not having any, and do not boast about having them yourself.” (p. 113)
“May your heart never be vain because of what you know. Take counsel from the ignorant as well as the wise…” (p. 119)
“So do not place any confidence in your heart in the accumulation of riches, since everything that you have is a gift from God.” (p. 126)
“Think of living in peace with what you possess, and whatever the Gods choose to give will come of its own accord.” (p. 127)
“Do not repeat a slanderous rumour, do not listen to it.” (p. 139)
“He who has a great heart has a gift from God. He who obeys his stomach obeys the enemy.” (p. 140)
“Those who[m] the Gods guide cannot get lost. Those they forbid passage will not be able to cross the river of life.” (p. 143)
SOURCE: Wikipedia 11/6/2024
Teaching of Ptahhotep (Complete English Translation)
The Introduction
The Teaching is set at court, with the highest official (‘vizier‘ in Egyptological translation), a man named Ptahhotep, requesting retirement from the king. The official paints a bleak picture of old age, evidently to convince the king that retirement is necessary, and asks that he be replaced in office by his son as ‘staff of old age’, a term also found in a late Middle Kingdom legal document to denote a son taking the office of his father, presumably on condition that he continues to support the father (UC 32037). This term, the Middle Egyptian syntax and the late Middle Kingdom date of the two earliest surviving manuscript copies, point to a Twelfth Dynasty date of composition.
The king consents to the request of Ptahhotep, with the observation that the young cannot be born with wisdom – by implication they need the experience given by advanced age. The Teaching presents then both a positive and the dramatised negative aspects of growing old in ancient Egyptian society.
Transliteration after Devaud 1916, using the copy on Papyrus Prisse as principal source. The section divisions here are those suggested by the red highlighting in Papyrus Prisse: after each section number are given the corresponding line-numbers in Papyrus Prisse.
Transliteration (using A, i, y, a, w, b, p, f, m, n, r, h, H, x, X, s, S, q, k, g, t, T, d, D) with translation
red: part of the text written in red in Papyrus Prisse
1 (Papyrus Prisse, column 4, line 1 to column 5, line 4)
sbAyt nt imy-r niwt TAty ptH-Htp xr Hm n nswt bity issi anx Dt r nHH imy-r niwt TAty ptH-Htp Dd.f ity nb.i tni xpr iAw hAw wgg iw iHw Hr mAw sDr n.f Xdr ra nb irty nDsw anxwy imrw r gr n mdw n.f ib tmw n sxA.n.f sf qs mn n.f n Aww bw nfr xpr m bw bin dpt nbt Smt irt iAw n rmT bin m xt nbt fnd DbA n ssn.n.f n tnw aHa Hmst wD.t(w) n bAk im irt mdw iAw ix Dd n.f mdw sDmyw sxrw imyw-HAt pAw sDm.n nTrw ix ir.t(w) n.k mitt dr.tw Snw m rxyt bAk n.k idbwy
The teaching of the Overseer of the City and Vizier Ptahhotep before the power of the dual king Isesi living for ever and eternity. The Overseer of the City and Vizier Ptahhotep declares: O my sovereign, Old age has struck, age has descended, Feebleness has arrived, weakness is here again. Sleep is upon him in discomfort all day. Eyes are grown small, ears deaf, Mouth silent, unable to speak, Heart emptied, unable to recall yesterday. Bones ache his whole length. Goodness has turned to evil, All taste is gone. What old age does to people is evil in every way. Nose is blocked, unable to breathe, how old (it feels) standing or sitting. Let a staff of old age be decreed to be made for this humble servant. Let him be told the speech of those who assess, the advice of the ancestors once heard by the gods. Then the same may be done for you, strife may be removed from the populace, and the Two Shores may toil for you.
2 (Papyrus Prisse, column 5, lines 4-6)
Dd.in Hm n nTr pn sbA r.k sw r mdt Xr HAt ix ir.f biA n msw wrw aq sDm im.f mtrt ib nb Dd n.f nn msy siA
Then the Power of this god said: Teach him then the speech from the past that he may provide the example for the children of the great. May hearing enter into him, the measure of every heart. Speak to him. For noone can be born wise.
3 (Papyrus Prisse, column 5, lines 6-8)
HAt-a m Tsw n mdt nfrt Ddt.n iry-pat HAty-a it-nTr mry nTr sA nswt smsw n Xt.f imy-r niwt TAty ptH-Htp m sbA xmw r rx r tp-Hsb n mdt nfrt m Axt n sDm.ty.fy m wggt n nty r tht st
Beginning of the collection of fine words Said by the man of the elite, foremost of arm god’s father and beloved of the god eldest son of the king of his body overseer of the city, vizier Ptahhotep in teaching the ignorant to be wise according to the rules of fine words, something useful to whoever heeds, and something harmful to whoever transgresses it.
4 (Papyrus Prisse, column 5, lines 8-10)
Dd.in.f xr sA.f m aA ib.k Hr rx.k nDnD r.k Hna xm mi rx n in.tw Drw Hmwt nn Hmww apr Axw.f dgA mdt nfrt r wAD iw gm st m-a Hmwt Hr bnwt
Then he addressed his son: Do not be proud on account of your knowledge, but discuss with the ignorant as with the wise. The limits of art cannot be delivered; there is no artist whose talent is fulfilled. Fine words are more sought after than greenstone, but can be found with the women at the grindstone.
5 (Papyrus Prisse, column 5, lines 10-13)
ir gm.k DAisw m At.f xrp ib m iqr r.k xAm awy.k XmsA.k m TA ib.k r.f nn mn.n.f n.k sand.k Dd bin m tm xsf sw m At.f nis.t(w).f m xm-xt pw rmn.n dAir ib.k aHa.f
If you meet an opponent in his moment A director of heart who is superior to you, bend your arms and bow; do not take up your heart against him, for he will not be swayed for you. You can belittle bad speaking by not clashing with him in his moment; it will mean he is called a fool, when your self-restraint has subdued his excess.
6 (Papyrus Prisse, column 5, lines 13-14)
ir gm.k DAisw m At.f mitw.k nty m rmnwt.k dd.k xpr iqr.k r.f m gr iw.f Hr mdt bint wr wfA in sDmyw rn.k nfr m rx n srw
If you meet an opponent in his moment Your equal, a man from your levels, silence is how you establish your superiority over him, while he is bad mouthing, greatly to the disgust of the assessors, and your name is the good one in the mind of the officials.
7 (Papyrus Prisse column 6, lines 1-3)
ir gm.k DAisw m At.f m Hwrw n is mitw.k m Ad ib.k r.f xft Xss.f imi sw r tA xsf.f n.f Ds.f m wSd sw r isy ib.k m ia-ib n nty xft.k qsn pw HDDw Hwrw ib tw r irt ntt m ib.k Hw.k sw m xsf n srw
If you meet an opponent in his moment Who is a poor man, and not your equal, do not vent your hear on him by his wretchedness. Put him on land for him to oppose himself. Do not pour out your heart at the man facing you. The demolition of a wretched heart is a difficult matter. What you wish will be done; beat him with the hostility of the officials.
8 (Papyrus Prisse column 6, lines 3-6)
ir wnn.k m sSmyw Hr wD n sxr n aSAt HH n.k sp nb mnx r wnt sxr.k nn iw im.f wr mAat wAH spdt n Xnn.t(w).s Dr rk wsir iw xsf.tw n swA Hr hpw swAt pw m Hr n awn-ib in nDyt iTt aHaw n pA DAyt mni sp.s iw.f Dd.f sxt.i r.i Ds.i n Dd n.f sxt.i Hr Hnt.i wn pHwy mAat wAH.s Ddw s w it.i pw
If you are to be among leaders at a command for the condition of the multitude, seek out for yourself every effective moment, until your condition reaches faultlessness. What is right is great, and (its) keenness enduring. It has not been overturned since the time of Osiris. The one who overlooks laws is punished; that is what is overlooked in the sight of the greedy. It is the small-minded that seize riches, but crime never managed to land its rewards. Whoever says ‘I snare for myself’ does not say ‘I snare for my needs’. The final part of what is right is its endurance; of which a man says ‘that is my father’
9 (Papyrus Prisse column 6, lines 8-10)
im.k ir Hr m rmT xsf nTr m mitt iw s Dd.f anx.i im iw.f Sw m t n tp-r.f iw s Dd.f wsr.i iw.f Dd.f sxt.i r.i siAt.i iw s Dd.f Hwt.f ky iw.f pH.f rdi.t(w).f n xm.n.f
Do not cause fear among people God punishes with the same. Anyone who says ‘I can live by it’ will lack bread for his statement. Anyone who say ‘I can be powerful’ will have to say ‘I snare against myself by my cleverness’. Anyone who says he will strike another, will end by being given to a stranger.
10 (Papyrus Prisse column 6, line 11- column 7, line 3)
ir wnn.k m s n Hmsw r st Tt wr r.k Ssp ddt.f diw r fnd.k m dgA r nty m-bAH.f m sti sw m gmH aSA bwt kA pw wdt im.f m mdw n.f r iASt.f n rx.n.tw bint Hr ib mdw.k xft wSd.f tw iw Ddt.k r nfr Hr ib ir wr wnn.f HA t sxr xft wD kA.f iw.f r rdit n Hssy.f sxr pw n grH xpr in xm anay.f Hr.s
If you are a man at a sitting at the table place of one greater than you, take whatever he causes to be set before you, do not stare at what is before him, do not pierce it with many glances Pressing it is an offence to the ka. Do not speak to him until he has requested: you never know what may displease. Speak when he questions you, and your speech will please. A great man, when he is at a meal, behaviour following the command of his ka, he will give to the one he favours, that is the night-time behaviour that happens – only a fool complains about it.
11 (Papyrus Prisse column 7, lines 3-5)
ir wnn.k m s n aq hAbw wr n wr mty Hr qd hAb.f tw ir n.f wpwt mi Dd.f aHA t(w) m sDw m mdt skn.ti wr n wr n dr mAat m sn.s n wHm.tw is ia n ib m mdyw rmT nbt
If you are a man of entry sent by official to official, be precise in the form he sent you carry out the mission for him as he says. Guard against harming with words, embroiling official with official. Grasp what is right by its likeness; an outburst of the heart is not repeated from the speech of all people.
12 (Papyrus Prisse column 7, lines 5-7)
ir skA.k rwd m sxt di st nTr wr m-a.k m sA r.k r-gs hAw.k wr irt Hryt nt gr ir nb qd m nb xt iT.f mi msH m qnbt m twA n iwty msw.f m Hwr m aba im iw wn wr it m Ahw mwt mst Htp kt r.s in wa sxprw nTr iw nb wHyt nH sSms.f
If you plough for plants on the margins, the god grants it to be great by your hand Do not inflate your mouth beside your neighbours; to inspire awe by being silent is greater. A master of character who is master of wealth, he seizes like a crocodile in the council. Do not scorn the childless man, do not bemean by boasting over it. Even a father can have his plenty of grief; a mother who has given birth may be less happy than a maid. It is the lone man that the god fosters, while the lord of a clan may beg to be followed.
13 (Papyrus Prisse column 7, lines 7-9)
ir Xs.k Sms s iqr nfr sSm.k nb xr nTr m rx.n.k nDsw xntw im.k aA ib.k r.f Hr rxt.n.k im.f xntw snd n.f xft xprt.n.f n iy is xt Ds hp.sn pw n mrrw.sn ir Ttf iw sAq.n.f Ds in nTr ir iqr.f xsf.f Hr.f iw.f sDr
If you are weak, follow a man of excellence and all your conduct will be good before god. When you have known lesser men before, do not be proud against him, from what you knew of him before. Respect him according to what he has become, for goods do not come of their own accord. This is their law for their desire. An overflow – he has assembled it of himself. It is the god who makes him excellent, and protects him while he sleeps.
14 (Papyrus Prisse column 7, lines 9-10)
Sms ib.k tr n wnn.k m ir HAw Hr mddwt m xb tr n Sms ib bwt kA pw HDt At.f m HAw n grg-pr xpr xt Sms ib nn km n xt iw sfA.f
Follow your heart as long as you live. Do not make a loss on what is said, do not subtract time from following the heart. Harming its time is an offence to the ka. Do not deflect the moment of every day beyond establishing your heart. As things happen, follow (your) heart. There is no profit in things if it is stifled.
15 (Papyrus Prisse column 7, line 10 to column 8, line 2)
ir wnn.k m s iqr ir.k sA n simA nTr ir mty.f pXr.f n qd.k nw.f xt.k r st iry ir n.f bw nb nfr sA.k is pw nsw sti kA.k im.k iwd ib.k r.f iw mtwt ir.s Snty ir nnm.f th.f sxr.k btn.n.f Ddt nbt Sm r.f m mdt Xst bAk.k sw r r.f mi qd.f wd r.k m xbd.n.sn wdd sdb n.f pw m Xt n nnm.n sSm.sn n gm.n iww.sn DAt
If you are a man of excellence and produce a son in the favour of god, if he follows precisely the outline of your character, and ties your things to their proper place, do everything good for him, for he is your son, he belongs to the shooting of your ka Do not separate your heart from him. Seed may make a disputant; if he wanders, and breaks your advice, and has rebelled against all that is said, and his mouth wanders into evil speech, battle him in all his words. He who attacks you is the one they have condemned. It means it was decreed that he be smitten (from the time he was) in the womb. Their guidance does not stray, their stranded never find a ferry.
16 (Papyrus Prisse column 8, lines 2-6)
ir wnn.k m rwryt aHa Hms r nmtt nbt wdd n.k hrw tpy m swA xpr Snat.k spd Hr n aq smi wsx st nt iAS.n.f iw rwryt r tp-Hsb sxr nb xft xAy in nTr sxnt st n ir.tw rdiw qaH
If you are in the approach hall stand and sit at every step as was ordered to you on the first day. Do not waver – that causes your expulsion The sight of the one who enters to report is keen, the space of the one he has summoned is broad. The approach hall follows regulations, every move according to the measure. It is the god who promotes a place Those who push forward are not made.
17 (Papyrus Prisse column 8, lines 6-11) ir wnn.k Hna rmT ir n.k mrt n kfA-ib kfA ib iwty pXr.f Dd m Xt.f xpr.f m Tsw Ds.f nb xt m-m sxr.f rn.k nfr nn mdwy.k Haw.k DfAw Hr.k r hAw.k ab.tw n.k m xmt.n.k wnn ib sDm n Xt.f di.f knt.f m st mrwt.f ib.f Akw Haw.f XsA iw wr ib rdiw nTr iw sDm n Xt.f nsw xfty
If you are to be with people appoint for yourself people you can trust, and be trustworthy. The man without speech running through his body is the one who becomes a commander himself. A master of goods – what is he like? Your good name is that you do not speak. Your body is fattened for you more than your contemporaries. You receive praise from those you do not know. When a heart heeds only its belly, it puts resentment of it in place of love of it. His heart is afflicted, his body unkempt. The great of heart is the gift of god, the one who obeys his body belongs to the enemy.
18 (Papyrus Prisse column 8, lines 11-14)
smi sSm.k nn am-ib di sxr.k m sH n nb.k ir Ttf r.f xft Dd.f nn qsn r wpwty smi nn wSb.tw m A rx st in wr r xt.f nnm ir kA.f r xsf.f Hr.s iw.f gr.f Hr iw Dd.n.i
Report your matters without hesitating give your advice in the council of your master. Anyone fully fluent in speaking, will find no difficulty in being a messenger in reporting. Noone will contest ‘but who can know it?’ It is the one who exceeds his field who comes unstuck – if he intends to prevail by it, he has to be silent at the words ‘I said so’.
19 (Papyrus Prisse column 8, line 14 to column 9, line 3) ir wnn.k m sSmy wstn sxrw m wdt n.k irr.k xt tnw sxA n.f hrw ii Hr-sA n iy mdt m qAb Hswt bss kApw xpr sfAt
If you are a leader with broad scope in what is commanded to you, you should do outstanding things, so as to be remembered in days to come. A (legal) case does not arise out of the midst of praises. The hidden beast intrudes – and then there is resistance.
20 (Papyrus Prisse column 9, lines 3-7)
ir wnn.k m sSmy hr sDm.k mdw sprw gfn sw r skt Xt.f m kAt.n.f Dd.n.f st mr Hr iw iat ib.f r irt iit.n.f Hr.s ir ir gnw sprt iw Dd.tw iw tr r-m th.f st nn sprt.n.f nbt Hr.s m xprt.sn snaa ib pw sDm nfr
If you are to be a leader be patient in your hearing when the petitioner speaks, do not halt him until his belly is emptied of what he had planned to have said. The victim loves to sate his heart even more than accomplishing what he came for – if a petition is halted, people say ‘but why did he break that rule?’. Not everything for which he petitions can come to be, but a good hearing is soothing for the heart.
21 (Papyrus Prisse column 9, lines 7-13)
ir mr.k swAH xnms m Xnw pr aq.k r.f m nb m sn m xnms r-pw r bw nb aq.k im aHA tw m tkn m Hmt n nfr n bw irw st im n spd n Hr Hr pxA st iw ngb.tw s xA r Axt n.f At ktt mitt rswt iw pH.tw mwt Hr rx st Ts pw Xs sti xfty pr.tw Hr irt.f ib Hr win.f ir whh m snk Hr.s n mar.n sxr nb m-a.f
If you wish friendship to last within a house you may enter, as master, as brother, or as friend, anywhere you may enter, resist approaching the wife. It is not good for the place where it is done, It is not clever to open it up, A thousand men are tied against what is good for them; a little moment is like a dream, but death is reached by knowing it. It is a vile twist to shoot the enemy, it comes out on his doing, the heart restraining him. The one who fails by lusting for her, no plan succeeds by his hand.
22 (Papyrus Prisse column 9, line 13 to column 10, line 5)
ir mr.k nfr sSm.k nHm tw m-a Dwt nbt aHA tw Hr sp n awn ib xAt pw mrt nt btw n xpr.n aq im.s iw.s sibt itw mwtw Hna snw Hr mwt iw nS.s Hmt TAy TAwt pw bint nbt arf pw n xbdt nbt wAH s aqA.f mAat Sm r nmtt.f iw.f ir.f imt-pr im nn wn is awn ib
If you wish your conduct to be good and to save yourself from all evil, resist the opportunity of greed. It is a sore disease of the worm, no advance can come of it. It embroils fathers and mothers, with mother’s brothers. It entangles the wife and the man, it is a levy of all evils, a bundle of all hatefulness. The man endures whose guideline is Right, who proceeds according to his paces. He can draw up a will by it. There is no tomb for the greedy hearted.
23 (Papyrus Prisse column 10, lines 5-8)
m awn ib.k Hr psSt m Hnt n is r Xrt.k m awn ib.k r hAw.k wr twA n sfA r nxt and pw prr Xr hAw.f Sw m int n mdt in nhw n awnt Hr.s sxpr Snty m qb Xt
Do not be greedy over a share, do not be jealous of what is not your due, do not be greedy against your kin. The mild man receives more respect than the strong. The one who goes out under his kin is a miserable man, deprived of the profit of speech. A fraction of the object of greed creates a quarreler out of a cool temperament.
24 (Papyrus Prisse column 10, lines 8-12)
ir iqr.k grg.k pr.k mr.k Hmt.k m-Xn Hsb mH Xt.s Hbs sA.s pXrt pw nt Haw.s mrHt sAw ib.s tr n wnnt.k AHt pw Axt n nb.s im.k wDa.s ryt sHr.s r sxm dAir.s Da.s pw irt.s mAA.s swAH.s pw m pr.k Snay.k s mw pw kAt dit.s n awy.s Snnt.s ir n.s mr
If you are excellent, found your household, love your wife within reckoning. Fill her belly, clother her back, ointment is the remedy for her body. Gladden her heart as long as you live. It is a field of benefit for its lord. Do not impose her in affairs. Distance her from power, restrain her. Her eye is her storm when it sees. This is what keeps her in your house. Your quelling her, is water. The womb puts her in her arms. In her turmoil a canal is made for her.
25 (Papyrus Prisse column 11, lines 1-4)
sHtp aqw.k m xprt n.k xpr n Hssw nTr| ir whh m sHtp aqw.f iw Dd.tw ka pw aAb n rx.n.tw xprt siA.f dwA kA pw kA n mty Htpw im.f ir xpr spw nw Hswt in aq Dd iywy n in.tw Htpt r dmi iw in.tw aqw wn Aq
Make your staff happy with what has come to you, it has come to one whom the god favours. Anyone neglecting the happiness of his staff is called a spirit of hoarding. Noone know what is coming, when planning tomorrow. The spirit of the correct man is the spirit that brings happiness. If moments of praising arise, it is the staff who would cheer. Food cannot be brought to town staff are fetched when there is shortage.
26 (Papyrus Prisse column 11, lines 5-8)
im.k wHm msk n mdt n sDm.k sw prw pw n tA-Xt wHm mdt mA n sDm.n st r-tA rsst mk xft Hr.k rx iqr iw wD.tw TAwt irt.s sxprw r iTt.s msdt mi hp iw mski mi sp n rswt mk sswn rswt pw Hbs.tw Hr.s
Do not repeat slander and do not listen to it. It is the result of the hot-headed. Repeat a word after seeing, not heard entirely skewed. See, what is before you is fine knowledge. When a levy is decreed to take place, the one made to exact it is hated, by law. Slander is like a moment of dreaming, See what is the remedy for the dream – concealment.
27 (Papyrus Prisse column 11, lines 8-11)
ir wnn.k m s iqr Hms m sH n nb.f sAq ib nb r bw iqr gr.k Ax st r tftf mdy.k rx.n.k wHa.k in Hmww mdw m sH qsn mdt r kAt nbt in wHa.s dd.s r xt
If you are as a man of excellence, sitting in the council of his master, rally every heart to excellence. Your silence is more benefit than creeping talk. You should say what you know how to explain. There are artists of words in the council, speaking is more difficult than any labour. The one who can explain is the one who makes it work.
28 (Papyrus Prisse column 11, line 12 to column 12, line 6)
ir wsr.k dd.k snd.k m rx m hrt Dd m wD tp n is r sSm iw Stm aq.f r iwt m qA ib.k tm.f dHi m gr sAw xn.k wSb.k mdt n nsr shr Hr.k Hn tw iw nswt nt tA-ib sXr.f an xndw qd mtn.f mnS n hrw r Aw.f nn ir n.f At nfrt wnf ib n hrw r Aw.f nn grg n.f pr stw mH mi Hmw sp r tA ky nDrw iw sDm.n ib.f r Hn A
If you are powerful in causing respect for you, by knowledge, by calming in speech, do not order people, except by the guidelines. The aggressive man ends up in trouble. Do not have your heart too high, or it will be brought down. Do not stay silent if it makes you stumble. When you answer the speech of a fiery man, distance your sight, restrain yourself. The spear of a hothead flies past, but a fine mover has his path smoothed. A man who worries all day long will never be allowed a good moment. A man who lazes all day long will never have a solid house. A shot filled is like an oar abandoned on the ground, when another is taken, his heart has obeyed the wish ‘if only I had…’
29 (Papyrus Prisse column 12, lines 6-9)
m xsf tw m At wr m sHnw ib n nty Atpw xpr sdb.f r Snt sw sfx kA m mrr sw dd kAw pw Hna nTr mrrt.f irt n.f sqd r.k Hr m-xt nSn iw Htp xr kA.f iw sdb xr xfty kAw pw srwd mrwt
Do not block the moment of a great man do not constrain the desire of one who is laden down. Barriers from him arise against the one who disputes with him, there is release for the ka with the one who shows love for him. This is the gift of sustenance, this and the god. What he loves is action for him. When the face is turned back to you, after a storm, there follows peace before his ka, and barriers before the enemy. Planting love brings sustenance.
30 (Papyrus Prisse column 12, lines 9-13)
sbA wr r Axt n.f sxpr Ssp.f m Hr rmT di.k xr sAA.f Hr nb.f wnn DfA n.k xr kA.f iw Xt nt mrwt r Htpw iw sA.k r Hbs Xr.s wn Ssp.f Hr.k r anx n pr.k xr saH.k mrr.k anx sw Xr.s ir.f qaH nfr im.k gr wAH grt mrwt.k pw m Xt nt mrrwt tw mk kA pw mrr sDm
Instruct the great in what is useful for him Foster his image in the sight of people, cause his wisdom to fall in front of his lord, and there may be rewards for you too before his ka. The stomach of the loved will be content, your back will be clothed by it, his image will be over you for the life of your house, Your noble, the one you love, he is alive by it. When he makes a good gesture, do not be silent. This is indeed the guarantee of your love in the body of those who love you. See, it is the ka that loves to listen.
31 (Papyrus Prisse column 13, lines 1-4)
ir ir.k sA s n qnbt wpwty n hrt aSAt Sd mAdw nw a mdy.k m rdi Hr gs sAw Dd.f sxr.f srw rdi.f mdt Hr gs iry wdb sp.k r wDat
If you play the son of a man of a council, a messenger for pleasing the multitude, select the fringes of action. In speaking do not take sides, in case he speaks his opinion: ‘officials, he sets the case on that side’, and your mistake is turned into judgement.
32 (Papyrus Prisse column 13, lines 4-6)
ir sf.k Hr sp xprw gsA.k n s Hr aqA.f swA Hr.f m sxA sw Dr gr.f n.k hrw tpy
If you show mercy on a past failure, incline to a man for his virtue. Pass over him, do not recall it, since he might stay silent for you on day one.
33 (Papyrus Prisse column 13, lines 6-9)
ir aA.k m-xt nDsw.k ir.k xt m-xt gAt tp im m niwt rxt.n.k m sSAw xprt n.k xntw m kfA ib.k Hr aHaw.k xpr n.k m rdiw nTr nn tw HA ky mitw.k xprw n.f mitt iry
If you are rich after your impoverishment, and acquire property after lack of it, in the city that you have known, with awareness of what happened to you before, do not place your trust in your wealth. It came to you by the gifts of the god, so you will not be behind another like you, but the same could happen to him
34 (Papyrus Prisse column 13, line 9 to column 14, line 4)
Xms sA.k n Hry-tp.k imy-r.k n pr nswt wnn pr.k mn Hr xt.f DbAw.k m st iry qsn pw itnw m Hry-tp anx.tw tr n sft.f n xA.n qaH n kftf m TAwy pr sAHw m dAir xt tkn im.k nn st Ax n st im.f siw r.k r sDmt.k im pw n ib bqbq ir rx st iw.f r Sny qsn pw n itnw m st tknt
Bend your back to your superior, your overseer of the king’s domain, and your house will be fixed on its goods, your rewards in their place. The man who struggles with the superior is an irritant. You live as long as the superior is pleased with you. The shoulder is not injured by being exposed. Do not seize the house of neighbours, do not suppress anything close to you, it gives no results in anything. Let him not speak ill of you before you have heard. A troublemaker is a man with no mind. Whoever is known as a quarreller, there is trouble for the struggler in places near to him.
35 (Papyrus Prisse column 14, lines 4-6)
im.k nk Hmt Xrd rx.n.k xsfwt r mw HAty.f nn qb n ntt m Xt.f im.f swxA r irt xsfwt qb.f m-xt HD.f ib.f
Do not have sex with a child woman when you knew the approach to the water of its chest. There is no cooling what is in his body. Do not go mad on making the approach. He is cool after damaging his heart.
36 (Papyrus Prisse column 14, lines 6-12)
ir Dar.k qd n xnms m Snn r.k tkn im.f ir sp Hna.f waw r tmt.k mn xrt.f DAis Hna.f m-xt aHaw wSm ib.f m sp n mdt ir pr mAt.n.f m-a.f ir.f sp Spt.k Hr.f xnms sw r-pw m iTw Hr sAq m wbA n.f mdt m wSb m sp n shA m wi tw r.f m hbw sw n pA sp.f tm iw n wh.n.tw m SA sw
If you seek out the character of a friend, do not make your own enquiries, go direct to him, make the case with him alone to avoid suffering in his matter. Debate with him after a period of time, and try his heart in the matter of the case. If what he has seen come out through him, and he does the matter that angers you about him, or that makes him a friend, do not seize the sight, be collected, do not deluge him with words, do not reply with a slight, do not react against him by destroying him. His moment cannot fail to come. Noone can escape from what is fated for him.
37 (Papyrus Prisse column 14, line 12 to column 15, line 2)
HD Hr.k tr n wnn.k ir pr m mXr n aq.n in t n psSt Hnty Hr.f srxy pw Sw m Xt.f xpr itnw m sAhhw m ir sw r tkn im.k sxA pw s iAmt n rnpwt imt-xt wAs
Let your face be bright as long as you live. Whoever leaves the store cannot enter. It is the bread of sharing that causes envy. A man with an empty stomach is a man to complain; the opponent is born out of impoverishment. Do not make him into someone to approach you. Favour is the memory of a man in the years after ruin.
38 (Papyrus Prisse column 15, lines 2-5)
rx Swt.k wnn xt.k m Xs biAt.k r xnmsw.k wdb.f pw mH.f wr sw r Spssw.f sw xt ky n ky Ax biAt nt sA s n.f iw qd nfr r sxAw
Know your plumage and your property will last. Do not be mean in your character towards your friends. They are his river field when it floods, more important than his riches. They are the property of one for another. The quality of a son of a someone is good for him; good character will be remembered.
39 (Papyrus Prisse column 15, lines 5-6)
xsf Hr tp sbA Hr qd iw nDrt xw r mnt biA ir sp n is Hr iyt rdi xpr anay pw m itnw
Punish from the head, teach by character. The force against a criminal will be a model example. Any instance except for results is what makes a moaner turn into an active opponent.
40 (Papyrus Prisse column 15, lines 6-8)
ir ir.k Hmt m Spnt wnft ib rxt.n niwt.s iw.s m hpwy an n.s nw m nS.s imi r.k wnm.s iw wnft ib sip.s aqAA
If you marry a good-time girl A joyful woman known to her town, If she is wayward, and revels in the moment, do not reject her, but instead let her enjoy; joyfulness is what marks calm water.
41 (Papyrus Prisse column 15, line 8 to column 16, line 2)
ir sDm.k nn Dd.n.i n.k wnn sxr.k nb r HAt ir sp n mAat iry Spss.sn pw rwi sxA.sn m r n rmT m-a nfr n Tsw.sn in.n.tw mdt nbt n sk.n m tA pn Dt irt.s Ssrt r nfr mdw srw r.s sbA s pw r Dd n m-xt sDm.f st xpr m Hmww sDmw nfr Dd n m-xt ntf sDm.f st ir xpr sp nfr m-a wnn m Hry-tp wnn.f mnx n nHH iw sAA.f nb r Dt in rx sm bA.f m smnt nfr.f im.f tp tA sA.tw rx Hr rxt.n.f in sr Hr sp.f nfr m-a n ib.f nst.f aqA spty.fy iw.f Hr Dd irty.fy Hr mAA anxwy.f twt Hr sDm Axt n sA.f ir mAat Sw m grg
If you heed these things that I have told you all your conduct will move forward. Their holding true, that is their wealth. The memory of them moves in the mouth of people from the excellence of their phrasing. When every saying has been brought, it does not perish in this land forever. Doing it is a matter for goodness, the words of the officials follow it. This is the teaching of a man to speak to posterity, hearing it he becomes an attentive craftsman. It is good to speak to posterity, for it will hear it. If there good cases arise from the one who is the superior, he will be eternally effective, all his wisdom will last forever. The wise man nourishes his soul by establishing his goodness with it on earth. The wise man is famed for what he has learned, it is the official who is after good conduct. from the action of his heart and his tongue, his lips are reliable when he is speaking, and his eyes in seeing, his ears intent in hearing what is useful for his son. Who does what is right, is free from falsehood.
42 (Papyrus Prisse column 16, lines 3-13)
Ax sDm n sA sDmw aq sDm m sDmw xpr sDmw m sDmi nfr sDm nfr mdt sDmw nb Axt Ax sDm n sDmw nfr sDm r ntt nbt pr mrwt nfrt nfr-wy Ssp sA Dd it.f xpr n.f iAwt Xr.s mrrw nTr pw sDm n sDm.n msddw nTr in ib sxpr nb.f m sDm m tm sDm anx wDA snb n s ib.f in sDmw sDm Dd mrr sDm pw ir r Ddt nfr-wy sDm sA n it.f rS-wy Dddy n.f nn sA an.f m nb sDm sDmw Ddw n.f st mnx.f m XtimAxy xr it.f iw sxA.f m r n anxw ntyw tp tA wnnt.sn
Hearing is good for a son who hears, hearing enters into the hearer. The hearer becomes one who is heard. Hearing is good, as speech is good. The hearer is the master of what is useful. Hearing is good for the hearer, hearing is better than any other thing; love of good comes into being. How beautiful it is when a son receives what his father says. Old age is achieved for him by it. The hearer is one whom the god loves. The one whom god hates does not hear. The heart is the creator of its master. Do not hear from the one who does not hear. A man’s heart is his life, prosperity and health. It is the hearer who hears the speaker, the one who acts according to what is said is the one who loves hearing. How good when a a son listens to his father. How joyful is the one to whom this is said. A son who is handsome is a hearing lord. The hearer to whom it is said is effective in the body. Mempory of him is in the mouth of the people, Those who are on earth, and those who will be.
43 (Papyrus Prisse column 16, line 13 to column 17, line 4)
ir Ssp sA s Ddt it.f nn nm n sxr.f nb sbA.k m sA.k sDmw iqr.ty.fy Hr ib n srw sSm r.f r Dddt n.f mAw m sDmw sA iqr.f nmtt.f tnw nnm bs n tm sDm dwA rx r smnt.f iw wxA mDd.f
If the son of a someone receives what his father says, There can be no wavering for any of his plans. Instruct your son to be a good hearer, who will be excellent in the hearts of the officials, guiding his mouth according to what he has been told, seen as a hearer. The son who excels, his steps are distinguished, but there is no straight way in for the one who fails to hear. The morning of the wise man will be his security, while the fool is pressed down.
44 (Papyrus Prisse column 17, lines 4-9)
ir wxA iwty sDm.f nn ir n.f xt nbt mA.f rx m xm Axt m mnt ir.f xbdt nbt r Tsst im.f ra nb anx.f m mwtt Xr.s aqw.f pw xbn Dd biAt.f im m rx n srw Hr mwt anx ra nb swA.t(w) Hr spw.f m-a aSA n iyt Hr.f ra nb
As for the fool unable to hear, nothing can ever be done for him. He sees wisdom as ignorance, and what is good as what is painful. He commits every error, to be accused of it each day. He lives on what one dies of, corrupt speect is his food. His character in this is well-known to the officials, saying ‘living death’ each day. His faults are passed over from the sheer number of faults on him each day.
45 (Papyrus Prisse column 17, line 10 to column 18, line 12)
sA sDmw m Sms Hr nfr n.f m-xt sDm.f iAww.f pH.f imAx sDd.f m mitt n Xrdw.f m smAw sbAw it.f s nb sbA mi ir.f sDd.f xr msw ix Dd.n.sn Xrdw.sn ir biA m rdi anDt.k srwd mAat anx msw.k ir tpi iy Xr isft ix Dd rmT mAAt.sn mitt is pfA pw Dd n sDm.ty.sn mitt is pfA pw gr mAA bw nb sn sgrH aSAt nn km.n Spss m xmt.sn m iT mdt m in.s m rdi kt m st kt aHA tw m wn ini im.k sAw tw r Dd rx xt sDm r.k mr.k smnt.k m r n sDmyw mdwy.k aq.n.k m sp n Hmww mdw.k r sp n qn wnn sxr.k nb r st.f
A son who hears is a follower of Horus It is good for him after he hears. In his old age he achieves revered status. He can tell the same to his children, renewing the teaching of his father. Every man teaches by his deeds. He tells on to the children, and they can tell their children. Show character, do not pass on your weaknesses. Securing what is right, is the life of your children As for the principal who arrives with wrongdoing, people say what they see ‘that is exactly how that man is’ to say to those who will hear ‘that is exactly how that man is’ too. Their everyone sees, and the multitude is pacified. There is no profit in riches without them. Do not remove a word, do not add it. Do not put one in place of another. Fight against opening up the bonds on you. Guard against a man of experience saying ‘listen up, if you wish to be secure in the mouth of those who hear; speak up when you have penetrated the case of the craftsman’. You speak at the case of closure, and all your plans will fall into place.
46 (Papyrus Prisse column 18, line 12 to column 19, line 3)
hrp ib.k Hn r.k ix sxr.k m-m srw mtr Hr qd xr nb.k ir r Dd.n.f sA pfA pw r Dd n sDm.ty.sn st Hs grt msy.n.f sw Dd.k xt tnw ix Dd srw sDm.ty.sn nfr wy prw n r.f
Flood your heart, restrain your mouth then your plans will be among the officials. Be straight in character before your lord. Do as he has said, that is the son, sothose who hear it say ‘indeed favour gave birth to him’. Say things of distinction, so the officials who hear may say ‘how perfect is the issue of his mouth’.
47 (Papyrus Prisse column 19, lines 3-8)
ir r Ddt nb.k r.k nfr wy sbA.n it.f pr.n.f im.f xnt Haw.f Dd.n.f n.f iw.f m Xt r-Aw wr irt.n.f r Dddt n.f mk sA nfr n dd nTr rdi HAw Hr Dddt n.f xr nb.f ir.f mAat ir.n ib.f r nmtt.f mi pH.k wi Haw.k wDA nswt Htp m xprt nbt iT.k rnpwt m anx nn Sr irt.n.i tp tA iT.n.i rnpt Snt mD m anx n dd n.i nswt Hswt xnt tpyw-a m-a irt mAat n nswt r st imAx
Do as your master has said for you. How good is one instructed by his father when he emerged from him out of his body, and he told him, while he was in the body, entirely, May what he has done be greater than what he was told. See, a good son, by the gift of the god, surpassing what he was told before his lord. He does what is right. His heart has acted according to his set steps. As you reach me, your body intact, the king content with everything, take years of life. What I have done on earth is not little. I took 110 years of life by the grant of the king to me, favour ahead of the ancestors, from doing what is right for the king until the stage of revered status.
There follows an end-note confirming the unity of the composition (Papyrus Prisse, column 19, line 9):
iw.f pw HAt.f r pHwy.fy mi gmyt m sS
‘this is its completion, from beginning to end as found in writing’.
I am not sure where to start with this one…or the many.
I feel everything is One, therefore any god, spirit, demon, cacodemon, elemental are all me…or me them…All One.
Do I want to let ME be completely unmanaged or for that matter unhinged? No.
The magical texts, grimoires or spirit evocations do not impress me because they are written by someone else or someone else’s perceptions. To believe that someone can simply draw a prescribed sigil and say some specific words or a spirit name, does not impress me at all. For those who study and do, know that it is the intent and consciousness, as well as will, heart and mind that create (or perceive) reality.
I have used and do study many magical/grimoires of magicians past and am not impressed, other than they did “their” work and documented it for all of us the read/study/re-do.
Do not misunderstand my comments, my evocations are as real as real gets with things/beings appearing and moving in my (and others) physical perceptions, but I profess that these are manifestations of real “magick”.
They are not necessarily black or white magick, because intent is the most significant factor in magick (i.e. the grey space between). If you are looking for change, intent, focus and action are most important. If you are looking to explore, reflect that many explorers of past have brought on many unexpected troubles.
Here, the most significant I quote/paraphrase and agree. “The spirits of the Goetia are portions of the human brain.” (Aleister Crowley’s Illustrated Goetia, by DuQuette/Hyatt/Wilson). The senses are key as elaborated below.
Magical phenomena…are willed, and their cause is the series of real magick. The brain, heart and mind are influence by the senses and/or execution of the ritual. There is (1) Sight (The sigils, circle, square, triangle, vessels, lamps robes, implements, etc.), (2) Sound (The verbalization of the invocations and/or evocations), (3) Smell (The incense and perfumes), (4) Taste (The Sacraments), (5) Touch (The implements and Temple space), (6) Mind.
The combination of all these and reflection on their significance. These unusual impressions (1-5) produce unusual brain-changes hence their summary (6) is of unusual kind. Its projection back into the apparently phenomenal world is therefore unusual. Herein then consists the reality of the operations and effects of ceremonial magic.
If you choose to study or practice/experiment with someone else’s grimoires (texts), then know that it is all you and us for that matter.
Be conscious and focused during your executions and know that it is real and part of the All.
Seq Goetia Spirits Description 1 Bael invisibility, secrecy, disguises 2 Agares reunites, truce, communication 3 Vassage knowledge of the past and future, recovers lost articles, protection 4 Samigina or Gamigin sciences, contact the dead, discovery of secrets, correcting mistakes 5 Marbas logic, shamanism, shape shifting 6 Valefor discover lost objects, obtain magical familiars 7 Amon luck, prosperity, wealth, influence, love, friendship, familiars 8 Barbatos animal communication, wealth, discenchantment 9 Paimon personal magnetism, charisma, honors, arts, bondage 10 Buer healing and with herbs 11 Gusion information-past, present and future, honor, dignity 12 Sitri sexual attraction, desire 13 Beleth sexual passion 14 Leraje triumph over obstacles, physical strength, winning, corruption 15 Eligos strategy in life and love 16 Zepar infertility, barrenness 17 Botis truce, reconciliation 18 Bathin transformation, astral travel, physical travel 19 Sallos love 20 Purson assistance, special favors 21 Marax wisdom, method 22 Ipos eloquence, presence, courage 23 Aim victory, stimulation 24 Naberius spirit guide, spirit communication 25 Glasya-Labolas commanding, endings 26 Bune wealth, spiritual protection, wisdom, knowledge, helps make decisions, necromancy 27 Ronove charm, gain through charisma 28 Berith honor, power, status 29 Astaroth practicality, clarity 30 Forneus fortune, fame, recognition 31 Foras understanding wisdom, longevity 32 Asmoday intelligence, skill 33 Gaap astral travel, ignorance 34 Furfur transformation, attraction, violence 35 Marchosias prosperity, strength 36 Stolas success, psychic protection 37 Phenex artistry, harmony 38 Halphas rise to power, ambition 39 Malphas aspiration, strength 40 Raum justice, luck, loss 41 Focalor uncrossing, failure 42 Vepar karmic balance, destruction 43 Sabnock triumph, construction 44 Shax confusion, immobility 45 Vine psychic protection, exposure, excellent for helping magicians 46 Bifrons past lives, spirit channeling, memory 47 Vual sensuality, luxury, antiquity 48 Haagenti transformation, alchemy, change 49 Crocell intuition, pleasure 50 Furcas divination, psychic power 51 Balam revelation, invisibility, wit 52 Alloces psychic and astrological understanding, wisdom, brings familiars 53 Camio intuition, diplomacy, interspecies and alien communication 54 Murmur restraint, information, philosophy, spirit communication 55 Orbas fame, recognition, dignities, honors, influence, friends, foes 56 Gremory treasure, gain, reward, love 57 Ose transformation, answers, secrets 58 Amy treasures, knowledge, astrology, gives familiars 59 Orias prediction, transformation, treasures, honors, astrology 60 Vapula expertise, knowledge, philosophy, science 61 Zagan transformation, wealth, wisdom, wit 62 Valac discovery of treasure, discovery of hidden enemies 63 Andras overthrow, create discord 64 Haures balance, beginning, justice to enemies 65 Andrealphis measurement, cunning, mathematics, transformation 66 Cimeies strength, structure, communication, charm, finds lost objects 67 Amdusias manipulation, music, gives familiars 68 Belial mastery, dignities, political power, favors, gives familiars 69 Decarabia apparitions, mystic visions, illusions 70 Seere swiftness, motion, translocation, discover thieves 71 Dantalion persuasion, reveals secrets, brings love, telepathy, visions 72 Andromalius retribution, regains stolen goods, punishes thieves, and reveals underworld dealings
‘TOO MUCH IN THE SUN’ As already mentioned, it is a misconception that the heliocentric theory in itself sparked off a notorious religious fervor. Although Copernicus dedicated his book to Pope Paul III, he was not, as many assume, simply boot-licking in an attempt to head off papal disapproval. After all, Paul was quite happy with Copernicus’ theories ten years before On the Revolutions was published. In the dedication, somewhat airily, Copernicus explained his reluctance to go public by saying he wanted to avoid harsh words from lesser scholars: he was not concerned it might stir up theological controversy, let alone accusations of heresy.
Even the notorious preface, apologetically explaining that the ideas contained therein were just theories, no more valid than any other about the workings of the heavens, was designed to placate scholars. The preface was actually written by a Lutheran theologian, Andreas Osiander, who oversaw the printing of On the Revolutions after Copernicus’ death. But because Osiander didn’t make his
authorship clear, many readers assumed the preface expressed Copernicus’ own position. Georg Rheticus, the mathematician who persuaded Copernicus to go public with his theory, later threatened to beat Osiander up for his audacity.
The heliocentric theory raised no major theological difficulties anyway. True, there are a handful of implications in the Old Testament concerning the immobility of the world. The First Book of Chronicles, for example, states that, ‘The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved’,38 and Joshua is said to have convinced God to stop the sun in the sky, which implies that it was the sun, not the Earth, which moves.39 But in the end few churchmen thought Copernicus’ theory was worthy of oiling the rack and heating the pincers.
Ironically, any religious objections came not from the Vatican but from Protestants, although even the most hellfire-and-damnation regarded the theory as mere folly as opposed to blasphemy. Martin Luther himself ridiculed it, but mainly because he was aghast at the suggestion that astronomy could have got it so fundamentally wrong for so long. This was also largely the position of scholars, who too were disturbed for another reason, which is less obvious today. Proposing that traditional astronomy was profoundly flawed seemed intimidating, since it implied that human understanding of the order of the universe, and the way one part influenced another, was seriously lacking. If Copernicus was right, then everything changed.
This was not yet the era of science as we know it in the modern sense. Even learned men such as Copernicus and Johannes Kepler believed that a greater understanding of the movements of the heavenly bodies would improve the accuracy not only of astronomy but also its esoteric twin, astrology. No astronomer at that time believed the workings of the universe were due to impersonal physical forces. To them, God had decreed that the universe should operate in the way it did. As such, discovering how it worked offered an insight into the divine mind, and might also throw light on God’s plan for all creation. This mindset drove the likes of Kepler who, building on Copernicus’ work, established the laws of planetary motion.
Kepler (1571–1630) was another great name of the scientific revolution who was steeped in the Renaissance occult tradition. He believed that the planets, including the Earth, are living entities with their own world souls and that the seat of the anima mundi is in the sun. As an astrologer he wrote that a new star that appeared in 1604 portended major changes on Earth.
Unsurprisingly, his writings also reveal a detailed knowledge of the Corpus Hermeticum.
SOURCE: The Forbidden Universe, The Occult Origins of Science and the Search for the Mind of God by Lynn Picknett, Clive Prince)
Sturgeon’s law (or Sturgeon’s revelation) is an adage stating “ninety percent of everything is crap”. It was coined by Theodore Sturgeon, an American science fiction author and critic, and was inspired by his observation that, while science fiction was often derided for its low quality by critics, most work in other fields was low-quality too, and so science fiction was no different.[1]
Modern Magick, Donald Kraig Reference and Elaboration
Sturgeon’s Law. This law states that 90 percent of everything is crap. It is named in honor of science-fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, who used it (originally calling it “Sturgeon’s Revelation”) because he was tired of defending science fiction to various literary critics in the 1950s. Supposedly, after being asked if he didn’t agree that 90 percent of science fiction was crap, his response was that 90 percent of everything was crap.
For the discussion here, I’m simply using this law to point out that of those thousands of books, much is repetitive, and much more is useless guessing by people who haven’t even tried the simplest ritual. That is, much of it really is crap. This course will leave you with the best of thousands of books, plus over twenty-five years of personal research and practice.
Leo’s Take On It Relating to the Esoteric Internet
The internet has so much data but is not organized for the seeker or learning mystic nor is it rated on quality of the information. The reality is “people just make shit up”.
The ritual of the pentagram has had so many different versions and interpretations, over many centuries, by so many different people and groups of practitioners.
What is correct? Remember magick starts in your mind and heart!
First, whether or not you are moving or drawing paths clockwise (deosil) or counterclockwise (widdershins), or upright versus inverted, intent and will are much more important than directions or having specific implements. For that matter, what archetypes or words of power you use are also not as relevant as intent.
There are also the so-called lesser and greater versions of the Ritual of the Pentagram. The lesser is version is very simplified. I have found this version to work very well for the quick setups and it works very well for the beginners (because it is less distracting from the mission), as well as the experienced (because the will and intent are usually very clear), and thus it returns back to what the practitioner is thinking, feeling, visualizing and where their intent and focus are.
I have used invoking and banishing, clockwise and counterclockwise, elements rearranged, upright and inverted for over 35 years. All of them work if your mind, heart, will and intent are in the right place.
First, choose one method/system, understand it, learn it, know it, and feel it in your mind and heart. The most important, is what you visualize, know, see and feel. It is very real!
O.T.O./Thelema Greater Ritual of the Pentagram
Golden Dawn Ritual of the Pentagram
A great description of why the Golden Dawn chose the method they use, which is not consistent with the other GD practices (see GD Hexagram Ritual), is excepted below from LBRP Theory – Q&A – Hermeticulture, Nicholas Chapel.
Q: Why are the pentagrams traced clockwise in the LBRP, rather than counterclockwise? Shouldn’t banishing be performed widdershins?
In order to understand why the LBRP’s pentagrams are traced clockwise, you have to gain some understanding of the larger Adept-level Pentagram Ritual within the Golden Dawn tradition. The four elements crowned by Spirit are arrayed around the figure of the Pentagram as follows:
While there is some problematic history here regarding the Pentagrammaton, I will not go into it here: for further information on that front, watch the video, in which I briefly digress into the history of the Pentagrammaton and the ordering of the letters around the Pentagram. Suffice it to say that this diagram did not originate with the Golden Dawn, but represents the key to understanding the Pentagram Ritual.
While we are used to the trope of “invoking = deosil/clockwise” and “banishing = widdershins/counterclockwise” in modern occulture, this isn’t how it’s done in the Pentagram Ritual. Here, it isn’t whether you’re moving clockwise or counterclockwise that determines whether you’re invoking or banishing; it’s whether you’re moving towards or away from the element you’re working with.
In the LBRP, you start and finish with the Earth vertex of the Pentagram. Earth is used here as a substitute or stand-in for a general banishing, as it is the heaviest and densest element. You can see this same logic behind the use of the Saturn Hexagram as a general banishing figure within the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram.
So far, so good. Things get complicated, however, by the fact that the lower “X” of the Pentagram—the paths joining Fire/Air and Water/Earth—are reserved for the element of Spirit or Quintessence, as those two paths connect and unite the active and passive elements respectively. Consequently, these two paths are unavailable for use in drawing an Earth banishing pentagram. In the LBRP, you start at the Earth vertex and move away from it to banish. Because you can’t use the path of Spirit Passive to do this, however, you use the path between Earth and Spirit instead, tracing the figure the only way you can—which is clockwise.
Now, note however that when you perform the LBRP, you are NOT banishing the element of Earth! The LBRP is a general banishing ritual that works on the microcosmic level—that is to say, the elemental and terrestrial realm. Remember that Earth here is just used as a shorthand or signature for the overall operation, and is used as a stand-in because it’s the heaviest and densest element. But again, it’s not an Earth banishing or even a specifically elemental ritual when you’re talking about the LBRP.
Because of the symbolism of the pentagram and its connection to Gevurah (or Geburah), it may be more accurate to say that the LBRP is a Gevuric ritual than an elemental one, insofar as it operates in the same manner that tracing a protective magic circle on the ground with a sword does in the grimoiric tradition—especially when the LBRP is performed using the Sword of the Hiereus or the Magic Sword of an Adept.
The pentagram, also called the five-point star, pentacle, pentalpha, or pentangle, is the star polygon.
It is a pagan religious symbol that is one of the oldest symbols on Earth and is known to have been used as early as 4000 years B.C. It represents the “sacred feminine” or “divine goddess” (Brown 2003, pp. 35-37). However, in modern American pop culture, it more commonly represents devil worship. In the novel The Da Vinci Code, dying Louvre museum curator Jacque Saunière draws a pentagram on his abdomen with his own blood as a clue to identify his murderer (Brown 2003, p. 35).
In the above figure, let the length from one tip to another connected tip be unity, the length from a tip to an adjacent dimple be , the edge lengths of the inner pentagon be , the inradius of the inner pentagon be , the circumradius of the inner pentagon be , the circumradius of the pentagram be , and the additional horizontal and vertical distances be and as labeled. Then the indicated lengths are given by simultaneously solving the system of seven equations
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
to obtain
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
This gives the ratio
(15)
where is the golden ratio (Wells 1986, p. 36; Brown 2003, p. 96). The tips of the pentagram are therefore golden triangles.
The area of the filled pentagram with unit tip-to-tip edge length (as above) is given by
(16)
(17)
while the area of the tips only (corresponding to the even-odd winding rule) is given by
(18)
A series of embedded pentagrams can be constructed to form a larger pentagram, as illustrated above (Williams 1979, p. 53). If the central pentagram has center (0, 0) and circumradius 1, then the subsequent pentagrams have radii
.
, the edge lengths of the inner pentagon be 
, the inradius of the inner pentagon be 
, the circumradius of the inner pentagon be 
, the circumradius of the pentagram be 
, and the additional horizontal and vertical distances be 
and 
as labeled. Then the indicated lengths are given by simultaneously solving the system of seven equations
is the 
, where 
is the