A Poem

Aug30

Drench me in rain
Wrap my body in dark clouds
Drown out the suffering
With your mighty thunder
My heart will embrace
This raging storm

KRT: The Blessed Dead and how I Honor Them

Aug13

Because just a little after 3am on the day of strikes me as the best time to write this.

Akhu basics: Do akhu play a role in your practice? How do you work with the akhu (shrines, rites, etc)? How do you set up an akhu practice?

I’ll be breaking down the questions so I can have a more structured post (and contain my thoughts more efficiently since I tend to go on, and on, and

Okay, first question. Do akhu play a role in your practice?

Yes, I think I can easily say that the Akhu play a role in my practice. When I originally started the beginner’s class in KO my first time around they did not. I was actually incredibly intimidated by the idea of ancestor veneration coming from a christian religious background. By the time I started going through the beginner’s class for a 2nd time (and actually completed it) I had a much different view of ancestor veneration and my own Akhu.

Currently my Akhu have an active role in my practice, but I don’t think it comes off as evident as with other people. I’ll describe that under the next question.

How do you work with the akhu (shrines, rites, etc)?

I do indeed have an Akhu shrine. A small wooden box that contains letters to my Akhu as well as a list of them. I would like to have pictures of them and some of their belongings in my shrine at some point, but those possessions are currently owned by my mother, and I highly doubt she’ll be handing them over to me any time soon. So my shrine for my Akhu is very, very simple compared to some of the Akhu shrines I have seen.

Outside of human veneration, I also have a separate space set up for veneration of my deceased pets. They are family to me, and I personally choose to honor them in their own space separate from my human Akhu shrine.

I pray to the Akhu, although I could honestly pray to them even more frequently. After my RPD I am learning just how intimately my Akhu have been involved in my life, and this has led to a desire to become more open with them about my problems in day to day life.

Also I participate in HoN’s Akhu Duas when I can. I’ve always found the experience quite wonderful.

Eventually I would like to get a more formal shrine set up so I can present more offerings as well as have pictures up of my Akhu. This past year I finally found a book compiled by my maternal grandmother with information about my mother’s side of the family and I have been absorbing the information like a sponge. It is amazing to read and touch something she has worked on, and I have never felt more connected to her as I do now.

How do you set up an akhu practice?

Okay, please bear in mind these are just my personal recommendations. All of these things I have done to help my practice.

Personally, I have:

*Prayed and asked certain ancestors if they would be okay with me venerating them

*Set up a space for those ancestors who I choose to venerate

*Offered various things to my Akhu (to be perfectly honest the majority of my offerings are not physical, except for the cool water and incense I offer them)

*Strived to get to know them better (how they were in life, and how they are now as Akhu)

*Participated in Akhu Duas

*Written letters to Them

*Prayed, prayed, prayed and oh yes, prayed to them for guidance with life (life decisions, housing help, financial help, wisdom, guidance, and etc)

So obviously, each person’s individual practice varies. Some of these things might work for you, others not. These are YOUR Akhu, do what makes you feel comfortable and personal to you. If you don’t feel comfortable honoring certain ancestors, don’t. If you feel like you want to incorporate your deceased pets into your veneration, do. I cannot stress this enough: it is your practice, do what feels comfortable and right to you!!!!!!!

Late post- Epagomenal Day 4: Aset

Aug2

Yesterday I was feeling very sick, so I did not do much for Aset’s day.

I did the little ritual Hemet posted, and left an electronic candle on for a couple of hours. I also offered chai and some palak paneer.

One of the most productive parts of my day is when I cleaned the bathroom. I didn’t have much energy, but it certainly looked much nicer afterward.

I always find cleaning a little therapeutic as well. 🙂

So, unfortunately I didn’t do much, and didn’t really feel any connection to Aset… But I hope she enjoyed the offerings.

Epagomenal Day 3: Set

Aug1

So my day has been a little more hectic than the past two days, but I kind of expected that. xD

Lots of stuff has been going on at home, including me getting to watch a dog who is on more medications than I am. 😛 Plus me worrying over the oracle of the year (which I feel much better about thanks to reading people’s positive posts and such). But yeah, admittedly still a bit apprehensive about what the new year will bring.

I drew Set in a party hat with a balloon and cake to kind of kick things off.

Set’s been showered in food and drink offerings today. Cool water, chai, raspberry chocolate wine, green curry, and white chocolate raspberry icecream. I was getting a hard core “sugarsugarsugar” nudge from him. Please enjoy your sugar overdose, Set.

Participated in the House’s Set Celebration. My letter to him was much more intense than the letters I wrote to Wesir and Heru-wer. I don’t always agree with his methods, but Set has pulled me out of some seriously dark times in my life and is honestly who I believe kicked my butt into gear and led me back to HoN after a year off.

Things are not perfect. Life has not been perfect. But I am better off than I was, and have more confidence and strength than I thought I had. I am so grateful to Set for what he has done and continues to do in my life, and I am so so happy he showed up in my RPD lineup even though I was uncertain.

Hope you have an awesome birthday Set!

And please, stop laughing when I ask about how next year will be. 😛

From 7/30: Epagomenal Day 2: Heru-wer

Aug1

[originally posted to my tumblr on 7/30]

Let’s see…

The day started off super early. I woke up before the sun even rose, so I waited until it had risen, wished Heru-wer a happy birthday just as I did for Wesir, and then proceeded to fall back asleep.

This evening I participated in HoN’s Heru-wer chat. 😀 I offered up amber incense, cool water, chai, and raspberry chocovine (raspberry chocolate/red wine goodness).

Today I felt much more comfortable offering things up to Heru-wer than I did with Wesir. It was a much more warm, comforting feeling when I participated in the heka. The things I wrote to him about are things that I really want help with in the new year, as well as thanking him for any strength he has given me so far.

All in all, it felt very nice. It was awesome to celebrate his birthday and ask for his help in the new year.

😉 I imagine he is enjoying all the drinks he has gotten tonight (and other days for those celebrating in their timezones).

From 7/29: Epagomenal Day 1: Wesir

Aug1

[originally posted to my tumblr on 7/29]

Ahhhhhhhhhh, my first time celebrating the Epagomenal Days…….

So, for Day 1:

I literally walked over to my shrine and said “HAPPY BIRTHDAY WESIR”. Then proceeded to run over and tell my spouse what was up. XD

Later… Did some heka in HoN’s Wesir Celebration chat. Also for offerings I offered him cedarwood incense, cool water, cherry coke slurpee, and chai.

I’m not really sure what else to say. When I do heka (whether with a group or alone) I always feel a bit more “in tune” I guess with whichever Netjeru the heka is related to. Beyond that though, I didn’t feel much of a connection with Wesir (and I haven’t before either). However, I certainly respect him and his power and hope that my offerings were okay.

Soooooooo much to update on!

Jul31

I’ve been terrible at maintaining this xD

I had my RPD and was divined a child of Nefertem-ra, and a beloved of Set.

I also had my naming. My Shemsu name is Mehinefertemra which means “Nefertem-ra fills me”

Those are the most standing out updates I can think of for now.

I’ve also been celebrating the Epagomenal Days and I will repost my tumblr posts relating to the first two days.

I finally did it!

Jun21

I finally got up the courage to present prayer petitions to Nefertem and Shezmu. They have been asking this of me for awhile, and I’ll admit I have been so afraid of doing it that I spent a lot of time avoiding the possibility. Now that I have gotten over my fear, I feel so much lighter. I am so, so happy to have finally done this. 

Pictures can be found here and here

The prayers I presented were all from the House prayer requests, but in the future I will accept petitions via Tumblr as well. 🙂 (I was a little too intimidated to open for petitions this time)

For Hethert

Jun20

(cross-posted to my tumblr)

—-

Radiance springs forth

From my mouth as I sing

Your praises

 

Bring me close, Mother of Mothers

Envelop me with your warmth

Healing my pain

 

Shine, O Golden One

Watch as I dance before you

Joy in my heart

Eyes lifted to the sky

 

Teach me to share

This wonderous love