Man, Know Thyself: Revealing the Mysteries of the Ancient Egyptian Concept of the Soul

BIBLIOGRAPHY

PREFACE

The idea to write this book originated from my general interest in religion and Holy Scripture. My earliest thoughts on religion are steeped in the Islamic and Christian traditions. This early focus on religion eventually led to an interest in Ancient Egyptian spirituality. The first time I began to think about Ancient Egypt was in 1986, when I purchased a poster of King Tutankhamen at a rummage sale. Little did I know that my curiosity surrounding the golden funerary mask captured in the poster would lay the foundation for what became my passion.

From the time that I tacked the poster on my wall until the present, I have often vicariously thought of life during the Ancient Egyptian dynasties. Then, a point arrived when I decided to articulate and to put to paper what I knew intuitively. Man, Know Thyself was the end result of that creative process. From start to finish, Man, Know Thyself was completed in four years. However, if we take into account the effort to write Psychostasia, which proved instrumental in gaining more insight into Ancient Egyptian spirituality, Man, Know Thyself actually took eight years to finish. Although the book may not at first appear to deal directly with religion, it is a treatise on the Ancient Egyptian concept of the soul, which has definite religious implications.

The Egyptian notion of the soul differs substantially from our own, so the material might be unsettling for some readers. The subject matter can be dense; therefore, the book should be read and studied in light of the table of contents and its organizational structure. By following this advice, the reader can avoid the initial shock of having to readily absorb the inherently arcane information contained within. If the readers can do so, and make a conscious and sincere decision to see life from the Egyptian perspective, I believe that this book will resonate with them, affecting all those who have even some remote curiosity about Egypt.

There was much adversity involved in putting together this book. Most of the challenges centered on the fact that I am the product of a school system where I graduated ill-equipped, with little knowledge of how to read or write. Therefore, I owe a great deal of gratitude to the editors whose literary skill-sets contributed significantly to the book's completion.

Finally, after scratching the surface of such an important aspect of the Ancient Egyptian knowledge paradigm, it is difficult to imagine having to leave Earth without knowing something of their culture and specifically, of the Ancient Egyptian concept of the soul. The words of the cliché ring true, in that there is something more valuable, more precious, than fine jewels, rubies, gold, diamonds, and pearls in this world – the soul. El Principe

INTRODUCTION

Throughout antiquity the injunction Man, Know Thyself was without equal in expressing the idea that the pursuit of understanding, knowledge, and wisdom is the noblest of all endeavors.¹ The proverb, usually linked to ancient Greece, would have been quite popular considering the degree of spiritual and intellectual awakening that captivated Crete, Eleusis, and Athens. But other nations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea equalled the Grecian intellectual pilgrimage. In antiquity, many such highly cultured city-states surrounding the Mediterranean Sea were familiar with this maxim. Ancient Egypt would certainly have subscribed to a similar philosophy.

Some scholars, with good reason, have proposed that the Egyptian priesthood was first to inscribe the words Man, Know Thyself on temple walls.² The premise, therefore, is that the Egyptians used the proverb's profound wisdom to inspire its citizens to develop the soul's finer qualities. Over time, the slow accumulation of self-knowledge inevitably led to what some view as enlightenment.³ Egypt and its enlightened spiritual culture believed itself to be on a mission to bring light into the world by fostering an environment or building the architecture whereby the souls could work toward enlightenment on their own accord. So, it would not be unusual for Egypt's priests to inscribe such a statement on their temple walls.

If the reader agrees that Ancient Egypt was the leading nation dedicated to a worldwide ancient spiritual and intellectual uprising, we cannot help but wonder why the modern world, with Western civilization leading the way, neglects its Eastern cultural and spiritual roots. Is there anything of value in the saying Man, Know Thyself for modern times?

During the latter stages of Egyptian history, specifically during the Ptolemaic dynasties, the saying Man, Know Thyself and the wisdom it embodied may have had its greatest impression on the world. The author theorizes that Egypt's worldly influence was at its height during this period via the exportation of its particular brand of civilization along with certain spiritual techniques used to facilitate the soul's quickening. The Egyptians were adept in the processes to illuminate the soul, which was a valued cultural commodity during antiquity.

One could construe the Egyptian value system as a process of dusting the link to deity. Man is at all times connected to the divine, it is just a matter of removing the things that hinder the linkage. From this environment arose a host of enlightened beings who dedicated their lives to elevating the world's collective consciousness. A nation or world is only as strong as the souls residing therein and since Egypt had been the pinnacle of world civilization, the land served as a metaphorical carpal tunnel attracting many great souls to the land of milk and honey.

Recorded history speaks of great souls such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aristocles, Ammonius Saccas, Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Plutarch, Archimedes, Origen, and many others who contributed considerably to the foundation of Western thought. Virtually all of them had one thing in common: Egyptian Hermetic Science. Whether these individuals were born in Egypt, studied there, or just maintained connections to the Egyptian knowledge paradigm, Egypt was the source of their spiritual and metaphysical blossoming. The living histories of these souls beg the question, Were these figures part of that saintly class of beings mentioned in Scripture who dared to challenge a corrupt world?⁴

Neo-Platonism and Plotinus

Not too long ago, the planet was filled with religious schools, secret societies, and organizations dedicated to the enlightenment process. These established schools of thought naturally fostered a more expanded religious philosophy than that offered today. Platonic philosophy, specifically Neo-Platonism, was at the forefront of an ancient pagan religious movement preparing souls for the universe. Neo-Platonism also laid the foundations for Western conceptions of God. Because of the nexus among Christianity, the Egyptian religion, and Neo-Platonism, we must conclude these systems centered on a belief in the soul's everlasting nature.

An example of such a being who participated in these ancient schools was the Egyptian-born third-century A.D. Roman philosopher, Plotinus, who stated at his death:

Now I shall endeavor to make that which is divine in me rise up to that which is divine in the universe.⁵

What was Plotinus referring to and how did he come to the realization that the onus for the spiritual birth was on him? The use of the phrase spiritual birth emphasizes an idea normally associated with Ancient Egypt thus tying the discussion to the Neo-Platonic knowledge paradigm. The Egyptian belief in the afterlife can be inferred because Plotinus speaks of an existence post-mortem absent his physical body. The answer to the question of how Plotinus gained such gnosis is at the heart of the presentation on the Egyptian soul concept.

Notice how Plotinus' words lacked a sense of anxiety or apprehension towards death. He welcomed it with a level of conscious awareness absent in modern-day organized religion. The doctrines of the world's dominant religions do not even approach the wisdom inherent in Plotinus' so called heretical view. Plotinus believed the soul must consciously pursue its divinity through what the Neo-Platonists called theurgy. The result of these theurgical practices led to what the Greeks called henosis, or the full recognition of the soul's unitary nature. Hence, Plotinus' statement dealt with a level of gnosis superseding the mundane.

Scripture accords with Plotinus' spiritual vision. Hebrews 4:12 intimates that the word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Just as Plotinus hinted of enduring some type of judgment process, the verse implies the soul must undergo an examination of sorts that holds it accountable for thought, word, and deed as a prerequisite for a greater union with the divine. Plotinus was merely returning his portion of deity to its origins, blending both the microcosm with the macrocosm, which is consistent with the Ancient Egyptian soul concept.

As such, Egypt's influence on world civilization was made complete through the development and exportation of enlightened beings. The process would have elevated the world's consciousness to such a degree that it removed, or at least subjugated, some of the vestiges of man's animal instincts. Man, the prototypical sentient being, is fully capable of receiving and resurrecting the soul's divine essence, which the Neo-Platonists intended. Man's complicity with ignorance directs him onto the path of spiritual perdition (Hosea 4:6). Because humans possess varying degrees of consciousness at any given time, the Egyptian priests saw fit to inform the curious, the spiritually discerning souls, or those with the ears to hear and the eyes to see so they too could properly receive Egypt's eternal message – Man, Know Thyself.

The author's interpretation of the aphorism is just as applicable today as it was in Ancient Egypt. The saying's impact on the conscience is clear – you must seek self-knowledge to overcome the power of the grave. In this instance, the grave refers to either the soul caught in a perpetual cycle of life and death or simply the soul succumbing to deception leading to ignorance (Matthew 24: 11-12).

Man's spiritual and intellectual enlightenment depends on his ability to connect to his essence, his inner universe. The desire to seek knowledge and to lessen death's grip requires man to engage his spiritual life on a level palatable to that of the Ancient Egyptians. Today, spiritual elevation would certainly require a mastery over the fear of death. The Egyptians, being familiar with the soul's departure from life, harnessed death's bite. Hence, they gained the reputation for being preoccupied with death. The Egyptian effort to move beyond a reasonable doubt regarding what was expected during death actually fostered new life. Out of this newfound respect for life and death arose a knowledge paradigm concerning the human soul unequalled in the rest of the world and sacrosanct in that land.

If the readers can sense the power of the phrase Man, Know Thyself and understand why it was considered the definitive embodiment of Egypt's eternal wisdom, then they can also see why modern man must take from the Egyptian knowledge paradigm that which might aid the present world during one of the planet's darkest hours. What is it that man needs to know about himself that he does not already know? For the most part, modern man is content with life to the point that he does not need a reminder of Egyptian glory. We do not need to resurrect a level of Egyptian piety, profundity, and seriousness just to confront death. Modern man is content and enamored with the glamour of a physical existence without having to delve too deeply into the recesses of the collective unconsciousness. Life viewed from the Western perspective seems to render Egypt's lofty pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, for the most part, obsolete. The idea further begs the question, Does modern man lack something in terms of how he understands the purpose for the human soul and its interaction with the phenomenal world?

The Ancient Egyptian belief system brilliantly places the concept of the soul in its proper context, allowing the internal and the external to coexist peacefully. The Egyptians preserved such wisdom over an extended period by cleverly expressing soul technology and the science of the mind through symbol, language, and myth.

The Egyptian mythos outlines the struggle between the internal and external man, which concerns the human psyche. Modern psychology calls man's inner dilemma the battle between the conscious and the unconscious mind or in theological terms the battle between good and evil. Through their mythos, the Egyptians balanced life's equation and left an everlasting mark on the world's soul. Considering how our present world so woefully disregards such a spiritually profound culture, we may imagine the power once harnessed by the Egyptians looming above our world like a hungry lion waiting for the right moment to pounce on its prey. Modern man is found wanting in all respects regarding the Egyptian path to enlightenment. So, if it is enlightenment that we seek, then there can be no harm in accessing a portion of Egyptian wisdom.

Thou Shalt Know the Universe

A second clause to the expression Man, Know Thyself is just as important as the first stanza. The complete phrase is Man, Know Thyself and thou shalt know the universe (or the Gods). The second clause resolves two of the major questions of our day: What are we doing on the planet; and What is the meaning of life within the vastness of space and time? Such questions are still valid since the modern world refuses to address with due diligence the reason life exists on Earth, let alone the universe.

The second clause provides a glimmer of hope and exemplifies the Egyptian awareness of man's place and destiny among the stars. The belief that the universe is filled with life aligns with Egyptian cosmology, which describes a universe filled with intelligent life. Still, for man to participate in such a higher order of life, he must first realize that he is not alone in the creation and, second, he must gain the knowledge of how the universe operates. To literally and figuratively walk the stars, man must attain some level of proficiency in crawling on Earth. Once man places himself (the microcosm) within the universal structure (the macrocosm), the door to an even greater perception of the universal experience is thrown wide open.

The proverb's second clause relates to the universal laws of correspondence. The processes that bring the universe into existence are the same methods by which the soul develops within the mother's womb. Therefore, by applying this approach to the mundane experience and the means by which the soul elevates to the supernal realms, we can see the earth as the quintessential womb.

Similar to the manner in which the bond between mother and child forms in the womb, the Egyptian symbols indicate the soul must first join itself with the solar system. It is as if the soul has intentionally decided to involve itself in a process of life that facilitates soul development. Hence, for man to know who he truly is, he must regain the knowledge of that spark of spiritual essence that allows him to grow (Mark 8: 36-37). In this context, the soul is a formation of a previous state of being, involution, into a secondary experience we call life, evolution. The revelation that man should strive to become a divine living soul is the beginning of the end of the evolutionary course. Our interpretation of human evolution unfolds the mystery of the saying Man, Know Thyself in the context of the Ancient Egyptian concept of the soul.

The development of the soul is the most valuable quest we can take because it prolongs an abundant life. Whenever the idea of the soul comes to mind, we immediately envision the harmonious and beautiful aspects of life. We cherish the moments when we experience a soulful song, consume a soulful dish, or are blessed to be in the presence of a soulful personality. A level of innocence and a strong presence of life permeates those experiences. Human intuition is silently informing us of the allure of a higher order of things in life. The presence of a higher order manifests itself to us through the harmony and beauty reflected from the things we see and from the people we interact with during life. We are naturally attracted to the symmetry and beauty of life: the soul.

Man will never regain his divinity if he views himself as the result of a billion year evolutionary process. That line of thinking lacks proper reason. If natural selection as a theory of evolution holds true, then the author's presentation on the soul, resting on a sound interpretation of Egyptian symbols, language, and mythos, is nothing more than gibberish.

Although man's physical being is a composite of the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, his spiritual essence descends from above. A slow awakening to man's divine composition and a sincere desire for gnosis places man back on Truth's path. From this perspective, a component of the soul must be buried so deep within man it serves as a catalyst to activate the desire to resurrect the prestigious spiritual state. This moment of inception is a residual of that which came down from Heaven. Therefore, an understanding of our essential nature is the key to becoming the master of our own destiny.

The Egyptian Concept of God and Egyptian Morality

Two major factors provide the reader with a better understanding of the Egyptian soul concept. The first discussion point focuses on the Ancient Egyptian concept of God while the other concerns the Egyptian sense of morality. The two-step process penetrates the Egyptian mindset and its approach to reality. Egyptian theology formed the basis of religious instruction that developed harmonious, positive habits in contrast to routines that deadened the connection to the spirit. The Ancient Egyptian moral principle worked in conjunction with Egyptian theology, advocating the proper expression of the ego.

The author's systematic approach toward understanding the Egyptian soul concept validates and aligns with antiquity, where it was common for the initiate to study several disciplines setting the foundation for enlightenment. In general, six disciplines are associated with the philosophic life: metaphysics, logic, ethics, psychology, epistemology, and aesthetics.⁶ The combination of metaphysics, ethics, and psychology best relate to the author's proposition that the Egyptian God concept and Egyptian morality were at the heart of their ability to perceive the human soul. The study of ethics and metaphysics are precursors to a scientific understanding of mental life, or psychology, otherwise understood as the study of the soul. Well-developed God concepts coupled with the adherence to proper morality are the pillars of the soul's realization of its unitary nature. Before delving into the discussion surrounding the Egyptian God concept and morality, the material uses Christian doctrine to segue into the broader and more relevant discourse.

The Biblical Conception of God

The Bible is the best-documented and most recognized literary source available that is consistent with the author's views on Ancient Egyptian spirituality. The technique of using Holy Scripture to explain Egyptian religious beliefs is the first of many to come. It eases the reader into the Egyptian knowledge paradigm. Even though there are similarities between the Egyptian and Christian systems of salvation, they diverge on their sincere pursuit of enlightenment. As it stands, the West's external search for God is antithetical to the Ancient Egyptian spirituality and is a deviation from Truth. Christianity's redeeming qualities depend on the proper interpretation of Holy Scripture, which the author contends relies on an ability to decode Egyptian wisdom permeating Christian allegory and doctrine. Still yet, the link between Holy Scripture and the Egyptian religion is a major factor in establishing the author's voice.

Egyptian theology would look upon modernity's version of religious expression as a time when the soul is locked in a mundane existence. For the soul to be restrained to the mundane is the basis for Egyptian notions of evil. According to the Ancient Egyptians, if the natural way of conceiving the divine is maligned or distorted in any way, then the soul concept would be equally distorted. We find ourselves in the same situation today. Western thought has grossly corrupted both the God concept and man's perception of soul when compared to Egyptian spirituality.

The Bible is unique among religious texts because it outlines an ongoing relationship between God and man. Even though Christianity espouses the idea of man being capable of establishing a relationship with the infinite being, it also suggests an intimate physical relationship. How can man reconcile the tension between the non-physical and physical? How can the Creator manage the universe from a locale beyond space and time and at the same time physically build a relationship with man, the microcosm? From man's limited point of view, the idea seems impossible. With regards to the non-physical relationship, the Bible is quite clear when it states that God is Spirit and if we hope to establish a relationship with God, we must do it in spirit and in Truth (John 4:24). If there is any validity to the verse's wisdom, it compels man to seek a spiritual link to the Creator through serious internal investigation by means of meditation, spiritual activities, and worship techniques.

The biblical God concept rests on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The doctrine can also be construed as the Father, Holy Spirit, and Son. Each of the three comprise the Godhead, but the repositioning of the Son from second to third references involution and evolution processes. When the Son is in the world and not of it, he relies on the Holy Spirit for spiritual elevation. However, the Son of God, in his ascended state, does not rely on the Holy Spirit because he is one with the Father. Therefore, from a doctrinal standpoint, Christianity's belief in Christ's return rests on a spiritual awakening taking place during the mundane perspective and not from the elevated state or immortality.

A more reasonable approach to Christianity's God concept suggests man's recognition of his own divinity is a component of his assimilation to the unitary principle, which is an alternative way of construing the Christ principle's mundane awakening. Since Christianity maintains Christ has already blessed the earth with his presence, the second coming is a reference to a future time on Earth when man reestablishes a new relationship with God. If you take the saving potential of an external Jesus Christ and internalize that message, you border on envisioning how the Egyptians understood Jesus. What the author wishes to impart to the reader is that the idea of Christ returning to Earth to reestablish a relationship with man must be viewed within the context of the multitude's blossoming and becoming part of the trinity.

The Biblical Conception of Soul

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Armed with the knowledge that the biblical God concept correlates to the soul's divinity, it is important to explain Christianity's soul concept. The author uses two biblical verses to expound on the Holy Scripture's understanding of soul. The first verse comes from Hebrews and the second concerns Psalms. Hebrews 4:12 confirms definite intangible soul qualities we can dissect and understand with reason. The verse clearly outlines how man is endowed with spirit and soul. The proper interpretation of the verse demonstrates that man possesses a spirit-soul, or a state of awareness fit for the spirit world; and a mundane soul, which manifests during mundane phenomena. What the Bible construes as spirit is that aspect of existence linking man to the Creator. It seems as though God maintains a level of control over sentient beings cognizant of their portion of divine essence. Through the allocation of the Holy Spirit, the infinite being inspires the creation through a manipulation of man's astral essence. Since Spirit is eternal, then Spirit guides and judges the soul as it ascends and descends the dimensions.

The second point concerns the meaning of the Word of God. Christianity assigns the title of Word of God to its external understanding of Jesus Christ. The author, on the other hand, equates language such as the Word of God to a specific state of existence. Hebrews 4:12 suggests the Word of God is superior to spirit and soul. Thus, the Word supersedes celestial and mundane phenomena, including life within the space-time construct. Furthermore, Hebrews 4:12 states that the Word is an element within man so powerful that it permeates the essence of his entire being and is able to anticipate man's thoughts and intentions. The Word of God differs from the soul and the spirit because it is the catalyst that unites soul and spirit. Here, we confront an aspect of a manifested divine thought that controls how the soul perceives reality. The manifested divine thought is involved in a process of authenticating a holographic experience.

The essential mind component links man to Deity. Since man is not always conscious of such a connection, his existence is based on the principle of restraint. So, it is through the ego's build-up of mental restraint on one's essence – the word – that the illusory holographic experience becomes believable. Man's subjection of the ego and the development of the proper mental state while in the world links him to God. The Biblical expressions Son of Man and the Son of God hint at the anointing power of God to make the connection complete. At which point, man gains gnosis.

What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor.

Psalm 8: 4-5

A second verse found within Psalms accords with the general idea of an interconnection between the God concept and the soul's divinity. Christians usually interpret Psalm 8: 4-5 as upholding Jesus Christ as the central figure and places him in a familial relationship with God as part of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The interpretation is a prime example of the pervasive nature of Christian dogmatics. The proposition that a single man inherits the abundance of God's kingdom does not hold weight when put into a broader spiritual context. An alternative interpretation of Psalm 8: 4-5 allows the possibility for an intimate relationship to exist between man and deity.

Psalm 8: 4-5 sees man evolving from an existence where the Lord is mindful of His creature and visits man during his ascent. The verse culminates man's evolving nature by suggesting that man is fully capable of reaching angelic status. Psalm 8: 4-5 confirms deity is in constant communication with man by either being mindful of him or through spiritual visitation. True, the verse states that man is a little lower than the angels but the argument is that as man recognizes his potential to become the son of man, the angelic status is within sight.

The combined interpretative view of Hebrews 4:12 and Psalm 8: 4-5 reveals that soul, spirit, and mind function together to elevate the consciousness. The Judeo-Christian understanding for the purpose behind the three aspects of the soul – soul, spirit, and mind – resonates with the Ancient Egyptian soul concept. However, the Egyptians came up with no less than twelve parts for their concept of the soul – the Khat, Sahu, Khaibit, Ren, Ab, Ba, Sekhem, Ak, Ka, Akhu, Aten, and Khu.

The Ancient Egyptian Concept of God

The Ancient Egyptian concept of God is polytheistic in nature, incorporating a multitude of deities to express their world view. Religion based