"Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped." African Proverb
Shem Hotep ("I go in peace").
Essential elements of spiritual discipline.
1. Be virtuous at any cost-Virtue is the road to immortality
2. Physical Exercise-The body is the temple for the spirit. Keep it healthy through moderate exercise which balances the energies in the body, such as Afrikan Yoga, Chinese Chi Kung, or Tai Chi
3. Breathing exercise-Breathing properly produces health by proper distrubution of Ra-Sekhem Life Force, Chi, Prana and develops spiritual vitality
4. Silence-2 hours daily -"The abomination of the soul: too much talking it is!"
The mind is fond of indulging in debates, argument and nonsense, curtail its opportunity to develop impure thoughts by keeping it quiet, and thinking before you say anything.
5. Study teachiings-Study the teachings and take time in silence or in a study group setting to think about them and/or discuss them as they pertain to your life,the community, the world and the cosmos.
6. Listen-Keep your ears open to the words of wisdom. Always be willing to listen and to accept the truth, even if it seems to contradict old teaching you had accepted as truth.
7. Reflection-Think about the teachings every time you read or hear them, it sometimes takes a while for them to be fully understood and accepted by the mind.
8. Meditation-When you are able to stay still in a quiet room or other location, begin the practice of meditating even 5 minutes a day,building up to longer periods.
9. Right action-Perform selfless service at least once a day, expecting no reward. Remember Charity begins at home
10. Hekau-Utter words of power in any language but with full understanding of the meaning repeatedly beginning with 5 minutes a day and gradually building up to an hour or more each day. Utter prayers in morning upon waking up and in the evening before bed.
11. Vegetarian Diet
12. Wake Up with the sun
13. Go to bed with the moon
14. Do not use drugs or alcohol
15. Cultivate Contentment-You will be surprised at the number of things you can do without. Unnecessary wants and cravings agitate the mind.
16. Keep a diary-Stick to a spiritual routine.The dairy will help you understand yourself better.
17. Do not speak to much on spiritual matters-Too much debating causes mental agitation; also those who are not ready to understand the teaching may consider you insane. "Speak to those who understand you"
18. If at all possible, keep company and study under a spiritual perceptor.
19. Do work that is keeping with your personality, goals and aspirations.
20 be the judge of yourself before judging others.
21 always be able to do self criticism.
22 be able to take constructive criticism.
The 42 Divine Principles of the Goddess Maat.
1. I have not committed sin.
2. I have not committed robbery with violence.
3. I have not stolen.
4. I have not slain men or women
5. I have not stolen food.
6. I have not swindled offerings.
7. I have not stolen from God/Goddess.
8. I have not told lies.
9. I have not carried away food.
10. I have not cursed.
11. I have not closed my ears to truth
12. I have not committed adultery.
13. I have not made anyone cry.
14. I have not felt sorrow without reason
15. I have not assaulted anyone
16. I am not deceitful.
17. I have not stolen anyone’s land
18. I have not been an eavesdropper
19. I have not falsely accused anyone.
20. I have not been angry without reason.
21. I have not seduced anyone’s wife.
22. I have not polluted myself.
23. I have not terrorized anyone.
24. I have not disobeyed the Law.
25. I have not been exclusively angry.
26. I have not cursed God/Goddess.
27. I have not behaved with violence.
28. I have not caused disruption of peace.
29. I have not acted hastily or without thought.
30. I have not overstepped my boundaries of concern.
31. I have not exaggerated my words when speaking.
32. I have not worked evil.
33. I have not used evil thoughts, words or deeds.
34. I have not polluted the water
35. I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly.
36. I have not cursed anyone in thought, word or deeds.
37. I have not placed myself on a Pedestal.
38. I have not stolen what belongs to God/Goddess.
39. I have not stolen from or disrespected the deceased.
40. I have not taken food from a child.
41. I have not acted with insolence.
42. I have not destroyed property belonging to God/Goddess.
These 42 declarations were pronounced by the deceased after Anubis took him/her to the presence of the Goddess Maat and the Divine Judge Tehuti. If the Principles of Maat were respected the heart of the deceased would have nothing weighing down, so it would be lighter than the feather and everlasting life would be given due to respect of these laws that balance the Universe.
It is from these Principles, erroneously called the 42 Negative Confessions by European Egyptologists that the Christian religion got it’s 10 Commandments. Unlike the Spook principle of Idols and exterior divinity our ancestors manifested the indwelling divinity and said “I have not” instead of being ordered “Thou Shalt not”.
