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    African Names-The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Destiny and Power

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    African Names-The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Destiny and Power

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    African Names-The Ancient Egyptian Keys To Unlocking Your Destiny and Power

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    Antahkarana Hkn Hkn
    African Names-The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Destiny and Power

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Power & Destiny Hehi Metu Ra Enkamit / UTS ret eC Om ee ee Beer red African Names The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Power & Destiny Hehi Metu Ra Enkamit t Ser Ap-uat, Publishers Also by Hehi Metu Ra Enkamit (Lee Cook) The Itongo Speaks Published by Ser Ap-ust (Opener of the Way Publishing) Copyright © 1993 by Hebi Metu Ra Enkemit AL: rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and/or retrieval systems, without written permission from Ser Ap-uat Library of Congress cataloging in Publication Data Enkamit, Hehi Metu Ra African Names : The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Power and Destiny Includes index. 1. Affican-Names, 2, Aftican-Studies. 3. Aftican-Philosophy. 4, African-Religion. 5. African-American Studies I. Title ISBN 0-9638174.0-X 93-085845 Inguires may be addressed to Ser Apa Pfess P.O, Box 73205 Washington D.C, 20056-3205 Cover design by Carolyn Davis Photos by Kamal Hassan 1 Dedi T would like to dedicate this book to my Ancestors both Ancient and. recent who, though seemingly worlds apart, are in reality vital parts of the self same world, mine. With special mention of my Sheps — Hrasbaimdesom, and my Grandparents, Marshall and Lenora Reed, and David and Lena Cook. would also like to dedicate this book to my parents Lee and Arlera Cook and Martha Harold, for always being there and giving me the ‘most precious gifts of all, my life and their love Acknowledgements ‘The Author and Publisher would like to thank the following people for their assistance in this project Ra Un Nefer Amen I, the Shekhem Ur Shekhem (King Great King) ‘and Chiet Priest of the Ausar Auset Society who has served as my priesthood initiator, mentor, counselor, and friend since 1975. It was he who introduced me to the Great Spiritual teachings of Ancient Kamit, He has insisted that the value of these teachings is only realized by living them. To that end he has dedicated his life to ‘leveloping for our people an African Society inthe diaspora providing, 1s with the spiritual, cultural, political, and economic framework necessary for the living of these teachings. Tt was Shekhem Ur Shekhem who taught me the process of naming described in this book. He encouraged me to write this book, and patiently waited for me to begin, resume and finally complete it Infinite gratitude also to my family -- Ur Aua-t EnenTohaas-Ra, Ur ‘Aua-t Semsut Meat, Ur Aua-t Muima Maat, Shrima Su Meri, Amags Shantes, Sefu Kem Ha, Santemu Aakhu, Sehetemu-t Hensek Hetept, ‘amankh Keni, Sskira Heriut, Maamen Hermu, Saheter Kumba, Kubssaraim, Muwira Shem, and Metianikh Ietep for thoir support, snd many sacrifices through the years. The countless hours they have ‘endured without my presence due to the demands of my life's work has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Sister Ammu Aakinut Leight who put in many hours collecting and organizing the many picces of paper I had with assorted names soribbled on them, Her support was a much needed and valued ‘somerstone in this effort. ‘The Tebuti/Maat Clan members of the Washington D.C. Nome of the Ausar Auset Society -- Ur Aug-t Muima Mast, Metut Meni Ab, Khameri Ab Neter (Rabia Rayford), Marukasa Teptah, Kai Ab Neter, ‘Ayesha, ond Sia Siben Tesfa Bushen. Their willingness to share theit time and skills in organizing, typing. editing, and proofreading this work was invaluable. ‘Ur Aua-t Shemsut Maat and Gilberta Grimball for their willingness to struggle with my penmanship to type this book. Doris Ward for her support through it all. v Sefu Kem Hru Enkamit RaLee Cook), my son, for his technical expertise in layout, graphies, and customizing the Kamitie terms, ‘Shekhem-t Mut Shat Maat (Carolyn Davis) for her masterful cover design, technical, and graphical assistance. Sakesperan, Michelle Kelly, Amenta Muat (Valerie Lewis), Mary Charles, Resha Uakes, Aqkes Ariankh and Shekhem-t Sanekhem Nerta for accepting an [Ith hour call to help get this book to press on time. ‘Aqmen Sefu and Amtchat Meter for the use of their office/room uring our final produetion phase. Shekhem Mehab Neter Foy and family for allowing their child's naming ceremony to be photographed for this book and Kemal Hassan. for photographing the naming ceremony. To the members of the Ausar Auset Society who have joined me in renaming our world and SeniTchaasut Men Ab, Shekhert Maat Tchaas and Ur Auact Menkh-t Aur Ta for helping collect those names ‘To the Neteru, Priests, Priestesses, and their Shepsu who have, along with everything else, named many of our people, A special thanks to Ur Auact EnenTTchaas-Rs and her Sheps Roshamana Maa for the many names they have contributed through the years Lest, but not least, « special thanks to Sakhet Ra Maat fon “Having 4 Dream". In the text we discuss the role trance can play in the naming process. One of the most common trance experiences is dreaming, During the four years I have been working on this project I would often 20 five or six months (sometimes longer) without contributing anything towards its completion. In late 1992 Sakhet Ra Maat, not knowing I ‘was working on this book, came to me one day and said she'd dreamed of @ book I'd written end could she buy a copy. I looked at her for a ‘moment, told her I was in the middle of writing this book, and pulled out my Metu Neter Cards (don't leave home without them). I asked the Metu Neter oracle to comment on the significance of Sakhet Ra Maat's dream and received Seker tu maat / Sheps hetep. Space does not allow an extensive explanation at this time, but in essence the Sheps eard was telling her that the Ancestors were guiding her to provide the much needed structure and discipline (Seker) I needed to bring this project to a close. I cannot list all she has given to this effort, but i's completion is for her, truly, a "dream come true’. vr ‘Table of Contents Acknowledgements : 3 v Foreword .... finnaaaiak x ‘Table of Mustrations and Photographs. x1 Preface ...... 1 [Notes from the Author 5 Chapter 1. suaueaveiteiisivieie 8 ‘The Importance ofthe Name 8 ‘The Name as an Affirmation . ..... Seana Divisions of the Spirit ............. 16 Chapter 2... a Knowing Your Destiny . 2 ‘Tree of Life 4 ‘The Iocamation Objective (Destiny Renn 35 ‘The Importance of Clans . see a4 Deities as Role Models . a Chapter 3... fey 50 Procedures for Determining the Name. 30 ‘Consulting the Oracle 30 Methods for Determining the Names... 2s... sc... 34 Summary of Methods ‘Choosing the Last Name Chapter 4. sachin oii tisesst Nexis The Naming Coremony) eee n Libation . .. pe 9 ‘The Eartxiay (Bithday) Celebration Concluding Toward a New Beginning . vo Chapter 5. pi cee 7 mt ‘The Theme of the Name ees sins 9 The Metuty Combination and What They Mean 1 Chapter 6 esse eeeeeeee ePreeeerneeee (|) Pronunciation of Kamitian Terms oe 118 Names by Incamation Objective 120 Chapter T oe reesescene Scere 176 Other Names and Meanings... 0.00. 176 Chapter & esate SgEbEgTEt eau sexoenes ce see 409 English to Kamitic Dictionary... : 183 Chapter 9 eee eeeeseeeeeeeeeeees 213 Kamitic to English Dictionary «0.2... 213 Appendix A. -. 234 Appendix B + 235 Appendix C ... : 736 Appendix D. 282 Index . rnin OAD vant Foreword It was a pleasant day in midtown Menbettan. ‘The midday sun was bright but not overbearing. Perhaps it was the slightly less than strong wind that reduced the sun’s ray to a warm caress on my skin, Or maybe I was too distracted by the comedians taking their tum on the outdoor stage. It was one of those summer entertainment events provided free by the city. I definitely forgot about the pleasant surroundings when a Black comedian began speaking about the conversation his girlfriend Latoyota had with Lakanishea about Loguisha. I found it impossible to join the crowd in laughter, Genocide is no joke. Yes! ‘The United Nations has defined as part cf genocide, the destruction of a people's culture. Neither the multitude cf Black women who make up ridiculous names for their children, nor the people who criticize and make fun of them are aware of the ‘genocidal factors behind this anomalous practice. Un one hand, many Blacks are leery of giving their childzen the white man's names, and on te other they reject names from their ancestral homeland--Africs-out cf ignorance, or shame. Both are the result of the systematie policy of westemers of denying Blacks our heritage by hiding, stealing, and cenigrating our culture, and history. That there is some form of sociological pathology at work in such practices, no psychologist or sociologist can honestly deny. When we consider the fact that in all cultures, names have meanings-~Wwhether individuals know them or not the practice of inventing meaningless names for their "exotic" sound is lear evidence of cultural backsliding. This has to be one of the \esired outcomes ofthe policy imposed by dominating racist nations on others, How important names are can be deducted from the many importent cultural and social attitudes that have ‘prung up around them. As something to be lived up to, it has spurred many people to great heights cf achievements, As something not to be dishonored, it has served as ‘strong moralizing and character building agent. And in those cultures x in which a major part of the name indicates some relationship with God-eg., “Jonathan,” meaning "Yahweh (Jehovah) has given a son. names play an important role in dynamizing and focusing people's spiritual life. What ean Vonetta do for you? We must weloome "AFRICAN NAMES: The Ancient Egyptian Keys 10 Unlocking Your Power and Destiny” by Hehi Metu Ra Enkamit with ‘much gratitude. This book is a premier on the true value and function of a name, especially from that ancient AVrican perspective developed by our ancestors in ancient Egypt. It is the product of the 20 year experience in the Ausar Auset Society that has seen the legal naming oof several hundred children according to the ancient Kemitie, and ‘contemporary African systems, The naming of people in this manner (the process for arriving at « name), the ceremony--not only of giving the name, but of the society members' rededication of themselves to the spiritual principles they must manifest in order to serve as examples to the children being welcomed in the world--and the revelations that unfold as the passing of the years show the events embodying the principles in the name, are so rich in spiritual happenings-- communicetions from ancestors, "deitin,* past lives revelations, ete, provide us with an important ritusl component to give meaning to our relum to the African spiritual way of life Ra Un Nefer Amen, Shekhem Ur Shekhem of the Ausar Auset Society Ashem Ur Ashem of Taui August, 1993, ‘able of Uustratlons and Photographs Following on page 49: Flowchart of Method 1 for determining a name. Flowchart of Method 2 for determining a name. Flowchart of Method 3 for determining a name. Following on page 52: ‘Metu Neter Oracle card ~ Sebek tm maat Following on page 75: Photo 1 : Libation Posture, Photo 2; The Sebek Sbrine. Photo 3: Priestess dancing Photo 4: Priestess in possession of Aust Photo 5: Priestess of in possesion of Sebek. Photo 6: Priestess energizes drummers, Photo 7: Mother and father in trance. Photo 8: Priestess in possession of her Sheps, Abasecca Meikwun. Photo9: Newborn Khum Ra Ankh Photo 10: Author Hehi Metu Ra Enkamit anointing the baby. Preface In the African centered world view the society includes the Supreme being, the Gods (Angelie natural forces), the ancestors and the "living". It is @ fundamental part of African life that we acknowledge and include all members of our community when major undertakings are considered. With this in mind, I initiated a request for input in this ‘work from many segments of our community, including those that we in the Ausar Auset Sooiety refer to as the Shepsu, which means enlightened ancestors. The Shepsu, the plural of Sheps, are those ancestors who dusing the course of their lives on earth focused on and achieved a level of (spiritual) growth beyond that of most people. As 4 result of their attainments, they can and do serve as teachers, counselors, and aides to those of us still striving for spiritual growth, Fortunately, a vital part of the legacy left by our Ancestors is the process of communicating with the spirit world. Within the Ausar Auset Society we have trained Priests and Priestesses who have cultivated their trance (meditation) skills and can make contact with the “enlightened ones* of old ‘As T mentioned in the acknowledgements, one of the invaluable contributors to the Ausar Auset Society at large, the Washington nome (region) of Ausar Auset, and specifically my work is a Sheps named Roshamana Maa. Several months ago I requested Roshamana Maa to provide me with some comments on this subject. Two days ago I received the answer to my request, three days before going to press. ‘The priestess who serves as the medium for Roshamana Maa was very inch aware of this project but had not read any of my manuscript, nor hnid we discussed any portion of this work prior to her communicating, with the Sheps. Since receiving this information, in these most hectic, ccosing hours, [have struggled tying to decide exactly how and where to incorporate his comments. In reading Roshamana Maa’s comments it is clear that they could fit very well in one of two places, the ‘beginning or the end. In the beginning, they could serve as summary preview and at the end they could serve as a summary review of the 2 principles and concepts I have labored with on "The Name* Finally, less than 12 houts before my date with the press, I have decided to place his words up front primarily for one reason: In the ‘African tradition, before we address an assembly, itis customary to ask ‘an elder for permission to speak. This is our way of showing respect, to the elder, and also allows him or her the chance to speak before us, if they wish, We thereby give precedence to their superior wisdom and hhonor to their presence. For this reason, before I "speak", I humbly offer the words of the ancient Sheps Roshamana Maa, The Sheps! enlightened words, when combined with the preceding words of Ra Un Nefer Amen, will provide a hook, capturing your interest and reeling you through Chapter 1 - The Importance of the Name, Chapter 2 - Knowing Your Destiny, Chapter 3 - Procedures for Determining the Name, and Chapter 4 ~ Nekheb - The Naming Ceremony, Sce you at the end - Concluding Toward A New Beginning, ‘Sheps RoshamanaMaa, who comes through Ur Aua-t EnenTehaas-Ra Enkamit. The Sheps (enlightened ancestor) spoke on namesinaming as follows: "You asked me about the names, the names..ahbhhhh. The name is ‘what is seen through the eyes of the spirit, the "spirits’. The name as you call it, is God's divine stamp upon the person. When the name is called, the divine power should be awakened. In this day and time those powers have been embedded and pushed into the background of your existence. This is why you must bring forth the ancient words so that the divine powers which slumber deeply shall be called again to manifest on this plane through individuals who seck to express their divinity on earth. So many seek the kingdom of heaven outside of their existence on earth; not comprehending that which is below shall be above and that which is above must be below. We come to you humbly yet energetically--ready to aid and assist in this voluminous task. Yes, your challenge is to cultivate your person so that you might assist others and especially the youthful ones. Be sure that you study the name fully. Take it into trance so that you might fully grasp not just the meening but the intent. What can be more inportant than to accomplish your spiritual goal, the only goal in life cf true importance. This is what we impart as a reflection in the gift cf your name. The light is shone upon your head so that you may see with the eye invisible, indivisible, yet myriad in form. Life's challenges and life's lessons are injeoted, inspected, and inspired within the name. ‘The power, the fortitude, and the perseverance to accept, enjoy and grow from these experiences is embodied in the name as well We want you to realize that "your" name is "our name” in the ‘Ancient Tradition, The name that brings divine life, divine light, divine love, This is why you should not tamper with them onee they are given. Why would you have ceremonies of chant and dance if you ‘wore not thanking Neter (God Divine) for the opportunity to live and help others live up to their goal and role in society? Why would you ‘come together as a community to do such if you were not sincerely pledging your eternal support for the person(s) receiving the name? ‘They are but extensions of you. Youre but extensions of one another. We are but extensions of each other in the eitele of life and death, Tt is Neter (God) which binds us together always, Our, the Ancestor's, charge is sweet and simple. We are firmly rooted in the traditions that you once knew. We are firmly committed to helping you re-membes your place, your role as spiritual beings. ‘hat truth and righteousness shall reign once again on earth as in the sacred kingdom of Amenta. We mentioned the chant briefly, but make no mistake, it is the foundation for your Ren (name). Not that you speak this English so well, but that you insperienee the Ren each time it is spoken. This is your melody for Heaven. This is Heaven's melody for you. Yes, the "vibration" as you call it, is a sacramental sound which transforms the spirit in those who maintain receptivity. Ah hab! One must maintain the element of receptivity. You will speak the name, you should also chant the name and help your children to do so periodically for the sake of raising the name above the mundane in the personal view. At Jeast once every Moon at the very least once every Sun, There are times when the name must be changed due to a change in the rate of ‘one's spiritual vibration. ‘This oan be influenced by a few things which most priests can speak on. ‘The conferring/taking of the Ren is a major step, a major initiation 4 tool. Preferably, it be consecrated at birth. The nurturing, the cultivation, you must implement asthe inition continues in stages throughout one's existence. Ending in beginning, Beginning in ending, Take this spiritual quest seriously thereby maintaining receptivi one's divinity ei ig receptivity for Anetch Hak AtsEMutNeter,Itaom Ausr Ase Society, nem Sheps Hramkum, Itaem Sheps Roshamana Maa oct Ten Neer Toma Neeru am Shops Notes From the Author My interest in names and naming was sparked in the summer of 1982 ‘at an annual Ausar Auset outing in New Jersey. The Ausar Auset Society, of which at that time I had been a member for seven years, is tan Aftican traditional society based on the teachings of ancient Egypt, ‘once known as Kamit, Ra Un Nefer Amen, the Shekhem Ur Shekhem or King of Kings of the Ausar Auset Society, appointed me Shekhem or chief (power) of the ‘Washington D.C. Nome (region). For five months or so I was perfeetly content with being called Shekhem Lee Cook, until I was scheduled to speak at an annual Kwanzaa program. All of a sudden I was struck with ‘strong impression to change my name, I now realize it was the Ren within say spirit (which TMT explain later) responding to the change generated by the energy I had received from my promotion to Shekhem, Tealled Shekhem Ur Shekhem and explained to him I had to adéress the program that evening but I just could not do it as Shekhem Lee Cook. [needed a Kamitian name. He laughed, asked for my destiny reading and told me he'd call me back. Approximately 30 minutes later [received the return call and my new name "Hehi Metu Ra EnKamit’ "Hehi" means seeker, "Meta" means words, "Ra" means the life force ~ vital energy and "Enkamit® means of the ancient Black Lend (Egyp!) ‘The meaning of my name seemed to galvanize and pull together many of my experiences which seemed unrelated upon initial review. 1 began to see a more pointed view of where I had been, and more importantly, where I needed to go. The name and its meaning were translated into an affirmation and associated image which has served os fa constant reminder of my purpose for living. There sre many ‘motivational speakers who proport the "if you believe it, you can do it” philosophy. Though each of them use different real life stories to illus~ Irate how you can achieve suecess in life, they each express common principles on the procedures you should follow. Let me offer you @ simple, four step, process based on the teachings of our Ancient Kamitian Ancestors, This process will set the foundation for your being suecessful in life 6 STEP I. Identify with Your True Self (Ausar), the Indwelling Intelligence within (which is explained in chapter 1) STEP 2. Discover your life's purpose, your destiny (which is explained in chapter 2). Before you can accomplish a task you must first establish your goal. Many people never accomplish their goal in life because they never discover what that goal is, STEP 3. Choose @ name, an affirmation (which is explained in Chapter 3), which will constantly remind you of your date with destiny. ‘The more you hear something, the more you will believe it, You must keep that belief (Your name) in your awareness, constantly reflecting on it, Make it your rallying ery. If you affirm and reaffirm that belief, it will provide you with the confidence you need to schieve your goal STEP 4. Animate your nome, your affirmation, with strong imagery (this is explained in Chapter 4). Employ the power of joy, which is expressed through music and danee, as you visualize the accomplishment of your goal, Constantly imagining your person enjoying success is a eritical ingredient in this formula The meaning of my name hes served to affirm and reaffirm within ‘my spirit the keys to my being sueeessful in life. am constantly reminded that the words (metu), and energy (Ra), of our ancient past hold the Keys to my success. The "words" translate into an image of me studying the philosophical concepts and beliefs of my ancient ancestors ‘of Kamit (Egypt). This image has translated into my naming hundreds ‘of people and teaching thousands more the philosophy of Kamit. ‘The “energy” translates into the visual image of me tending to my health and seeing the importance of health and healthy practices to my The receipt and use of this name literally tured on a passion within ‘me for the process of giving names. After a period of tutorship under the Shekhem Ur Shekhem, I was given the green light to seck the words and vital energy, ie. the names (Ren) of those who wish to return fo Ancient Kamit via the Name. 1 What 1 son selized was, even with others inthe Avsar Aust Soviaty lamin the proces of giving names, the need fortes mes womch gear tan he owes we hadat Gat ine, Wie Ind Shehem Ur Shekher suggetd I write a book. This bok i Sesigned to provide out people with th process we have used succesauly within the Attar Auset Society for over twenty Yeas This book wil enable you to choose Afton Numes~ The Ancient Egyptian Keys to Unlocking Your Power and Destiny. Chapter 1 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NAME Ducig the soure of your ie one ofthe words you wil Rear most frequently will undobtedy be your own name. From the erade tothe azave, Your name is used t grab your attention, convey felng, lead inor flow information, make nw finds anor eaabish a pot of reference Isha, however, the oa vale of your name? feat, what other values does it hold? . Webvere Thitt_ New Inemation Diclonay_of the Enis snguage_Uasbrdgsd lis the following. definitions of the word 1. Aword or sound or a combination of words or sounds by whieh sm individual or a elaes of individuala (aa persons or things) is regularly known or designated, 2. A symbol of divinity or an actual vehicle of divine attributes, 3. A descriptive or qualifying appellation based on character attributes or acts, 4, Reputed character: good or bad reputation 5. The designation of an individual regarded as his individuality or character, 6. The appellation of a thing in distinction to the reality, 7. The mystic essence, character, or spiritual attribute of a person. We are all too familiar with the practice of names being used as labels (definitions 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6). In that light we find most people 9 in the Western World approach the selection of « name with Shakespeare's sentiments on its importance. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo ponders, "What's in a name ? ..That which we call a *Rose" by any other name still smells as sweet.” In other words, the name is just a label affixed to something, But what about definitions 2 and 7? Is there another, perhaps more significant usage for the name? And if so, ‘what's the seientifie basis to support the assertion that a name carries either the essence, character, or spiritual attribute of a person or divine attributes? Let's return to Shakespeare's assertion that the name has little of nothing to do with affeeting characteristics (would not a rose by any other name smell as sweet?), In this assertion Shakespeare ‘makes two implications which must be disputed. They represent fundamental differences between the African and Western comprehension and usage of words, and how each group comprehend its relationship with the world in which it lives. Implication { - Words do not have any effect on the characteristics and or disposition of the rose, Meaning, whatever you call a rose is okay because it is not affected by what it hears. This is not true Through the use of extra sensory faculties, the people of Kamit discovered that all Living entities were inhabited by a spirit, which by its essential nature is able to establish some form of communication ‘with other entities. * For example, in traditional Africa, talking to plants is quite common and essential in some practices, Calling the plants by name, the traditional healer will talk with the herbs he or she is intending to use in order to elicit the plant's "cooperation in the healing process, Once the plant's agreement and consent are received, that plant's vital essence, which acts beyond its chemical properties, is activated into a healing force. Without receiving the plants "cooperation" the healer ‘would pursue another plant with the same properties but a "sweeter" disposition. ‘Westerners who witness this and other similar practices would most "BA. Wels Bodge, Zhe Gade of the Eguptians Voll, (ew ‘York: Dover Publisher, Ine, 1969) p. 10. 10 often discount them as a "primitive" mind at work; for how can the words you utter to a plant affect the usefulness of its properties and how can a plant talk to a person? Peter Thompkins, in "The Secret Life of Plants," documents numerous elinical studies detailing how Westem science has stumbled upon the "seientifie” basis to support the Alricen, so called "primitive", assertion that the plant is affected by ‘What it "hears" and can communicate with a person. Like his African brothers, George Washington Carver, the man Henry Ford referred to as "the greatest living scientist, explained to all the basis of his success as, "All flowers talk to me and so do hundreds of litele living things in the woods. I learn what I know by watching and loving everything." * Let's briefly summarize some of the things the plants said to Mr. Carver As a horticulturalist, Carver had noticed that the peanut was incredibly self-sufficient and could grow well in poor soil. As & chemist, he discovered that it equaled sirloin steaks in protein and potatoes in carbohydrates. Late one evening while pondering the problem in his workshop Carver stared at a peanut plant and asked, "Why did the Lord make you?" In a flash, he received the briefest of answers: "You have three things to go by: compatibility, temperature, and pressure." With this slim advice Carver locked himself in his laboratory Working round the clock, he analyzed and synthesized, took apart end recombined, broke down and built up the chemically Gifferentiable parts of the peanut until at last he had two dozen bottles, each containing a brand-new product. (Dr. Carver)..showed how a comucopia of products could also be ‘Peter Thompkins, The Secret Life of Plans. (New York Hiuper and Row, 1972), 136. u extracted from the sweet potato, a tropical vine of which most ‘Americans had never heard, that throve in the South's eotto soil, When World War I broke out, and the shortage of dye stutTs presented itself as a serious national problem, Carver rambled at aybreak through the mist end dew, inguiring of his plant friends which of them eould alleviate the deficit. From the leaves, roots, stems, and fruits of twenty-eight volunteors he coaxed 536 separate dyes, which could be used to color wool, cotton, silk, und even leather, producing 49 of them from the scuppernong grape alone, lebased At last his labors attracted national attention. When it was [reported] that at Tuskegee Institute they were saving two hundred pounds of Wheat per day by mixing two parts of ordinary flour with a new flour derived from sweet potatoes, a flock of dieticians and food writers interested in cooperating with the wartime drive to economize on wheat came to investigate. Invited to Washingion, Carver davrledt government officials with dozens of products, including a starch valuable to the textile industry which later became 2 component in the glue of billions of U.S. postage stamps, Next it came to Carver that peanut oil could help the atrophied muscles of polio victims, Results were so astonishing..By 1930, the peanut's one-time worthlessness had been converted, through Carver's Clairvoyance, into a quarter of a billion dollars for Southern farmers, and had ezeated huge industry. Peanut oil alone was valued at $60 sillion a year and peanut butter was establishing itself as one of the favorite foods of even the poorest American child. Not satisfied with his achievements, Carver went on to make paper from a local Southern pine tree which ultimately helped to spur lumberers to cover millions of Souther acres with productive forests where only scrub woods had existed In a celebrated public lecture, Carver related how be had been able to call forth from the low mountains of Alabama hundreds of natural colors from clays and other earths, including a rare pigment of deep 2 blue which amazed Egyptologists, who saw rediscovered in it the blue color found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, as bright and fresh after so many centuries as it was when it had been first applied. * In the book Black Inventors and their Economie Impact on the United States, which is scheduled for publication in late 1993 or early 1994 by Kamit Corporation, we find an extensive list of Dr. Carver's accomplishments The important thing to remember, however, is thatthe foundation of Dr. Carver's accomplishments was his spiritual communication with plants. By his own admission his formal education (Masters Degree) 4id not equip him for such discoveries. ‘Thompkins verifies that the mood and disposition of plants are very much affected by words and thoughts they hear as well as the sensations (felings) they perceive ‘Asa result, a person directly involved with plant ean direetly affect, it by words and behavior. Why? Because speaking to plants, using sound, actually affects them on the material and non-material level. How? "The term "person" literally means “through" (per), and sound” (gon, sona),whuch] implies that a part of our being serves to convey (per) a sound (sona). St. John ..states.."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the word became flesh and ‘came to dwell among Men.", meaning the parson is e vehicle in which God dwells and through which God affects the World through the Word (sound) which is God's being ‘To truly understand the significance of this we must go deeper into the African side ofthis science, into the heart of the matter and answer the question -- What is the word? There are two different types of words; 1: ‘words of power" (Hickat or Mantras) which have no meaning and 2: "words of meaning" which Tompkins, The Sere Life of Plant, pp.138-141, ‘a Un Nefer Aman, Meta Netr‘Tho Gres Ortle of Teh snd the Exvotian Systm of Spinal Cltvation VoL L, (New York: Kant Corp, 1990), .116 B lave no power. "We know from the literature of Egypt how great « role power played in its magical and religious systems, and how the believer hoped to oblain all his desires by the utterance of special ames, of word, of formulae.”? Ra Un Nefer Amen, states that, "words o° power directly alfect Re, the life force (Radiant Energy, Vital Fssenee) of things and that words of meaning can indirectly affect the life foree if the meenings of the words can be translated from verbal information into images and sensations."® This means the plan's Silty to translate words of meaning ~ that which it is called ~ into the sensation of joy, stimulate its life foree which then alters the effect of the plant on the person, It is interesting to note that vegetation on the whole, and roses specifically are under the domination of the Komitian Deity Het-Heru whose power is generating the sensation of joy in the imagination. So if the plant "rose" was called something denoting or connoting foulness, would its essence still be translated into sweetness? Not for long From the above we ean conelude two points which can be applied to the name. When the name contains Hekau (words of power) it will directly affect persons life-force and, when the name contains words cof mesning, the effect on the life foree will be effected by translating the meaning of the name into an image, suggesting « given effect. ‘The Name as an Affirmation ‘The process of initiating the manipulation of the life-foree with ‘yords of meaning has been popularized by motivational speakers as the development of an affirmation. An affirmation is a statement of beliet which when memorized (programmed into the spirit) will produce thought sequence designed to direct a course of action. When that thought sequence is then converted into an enjoyable visual image it serves as the motivation propelling the individual toward the achievement of their goal "dg, The Gode of tho Eauptias, VoL, p.301 “aoven, Motu Note, 9296, “4 People are successful when they have a positive belief (affirmation) in their ability to accomplish, maintain a positive image (visualization) of their being successful, and if they can tap into the Divine power necessary for that accomplishment. IfT select a name that embodies a positive affirmation, that name will serve to direct my life's course by consistently reminding me of the ‘major theme that gives unity and direction to my life. If, on the other hhand, Tselect a name which does not have any meaning (and no words ‘of power) this name ean not direct me towards eecomplishment since it is not affirming anything. Even when the name I select hes a ‘meaning, it ean only guide me where I need to go, if the meaning of that name reflects my destiny.” This is the basis of the African system ‘of naming - the name must have correct meaning. Cosmogony Implication 2 - Shakespeare was using the rose #8 an analogy for a person. The assumption is that what holds true for plants and animals, "Tho name you place on a rose docen' affect it", aloo holds true for humans, To respond to this assumption we must employ the African Cosmological view of life. In the Met Neier Vol, Fon page 46, Ra Ua Nefer Amen defines eosmogony as"... a blue-priat to guide our steps in life to the true fulfillment of our mission on Barth" and cosmology as follows: the study of cosmogony...which has two fundamental goals. First, it provides an ordered and unified (synthetical] view of who and what is God, Man and the forces that administrate and sustain the world. ‘No understanding of a subject ean take place without an ordered and unified presentation of its whole and parts. Second, cosmology (ike all blueprints and maps) provides a framework that guides thinking and action through the vast array of seemingly unrelated life situations to the successful identification and attainment of the goal Destiny is explained in Chapter 2 15 of living. It achieves this by showing how all the events in a person's life are integrally related to his/her destiny. Through it is reveled the spiritual value of each and every event in a person's life... With a partial view of Man's identity, and worse, no knowledge of his origin and destiny, people go on to create innumerable institutions, life goals and underiakings, What if someone offered proof to the world that all things making up the world are an integral ‘and inseparable, functional and structural components of one Being? ‘The unity of all things in the world ean be understood by the study ‘of biological entities, as they are based on the same cosmogonical structure (blueprint)? In Cosmogony, we are shown that this “one unified" Being has seven divine divisions or levels to ite spirit, which encompasses all manifested and created reality. Furthermore, we are shown that all ereatures are a part of this unified Being, but have access on and to different levels of its spirit. In fact, the only created entity which has access to all seven divisions is man, Men shares these divisions with the God, in whose image he was made ‘The importance of what distinguishes man from the other ereatures can be realized by a brief outline of each division of the Spirit, as summarized in the following chart “amen, Meta Neer, p46, Division Name Accessed by of spirit: I Ba God, Man 1 Khu God, Man m1 Shekhem God, Man Vv Ab God, Man v Sahu God, Man, Animals, Plants vI Khaibit God, Man, Animals, Plants Minerals var Khab God, Man, Animals, Plants, Minerals From the preceding chart we can identify the relationships between God and the various forms he/she has ereated, Beginning at the lowest level we see that God and all of her creation utilizes this level of cenorgy/matter (Spirit). Division VII, the Khab includes oll things composed of energy in its most dense form = atomic and molecular structures ~ in short, what we term the physical body (or matter). Division VI, the Khaibit, also called the enimal (from the Latin "Anima - to make, to move) spirit, is composed of electro/magnetic ‘energy which serves as the animator (the mover) of the Khab, the physical body. ‘The Khaibit also provides the physical body (Khab) with its sense of perception. In short, the Khaibit (Division VI) enables the Khab (Division VI) to move, grow, ond respond to things in the environment, on a sensual level. In the mineral kingdom, for example, the ability of minerals to expand and contract in response fo sensory _{vhermal) changes is enabled by the Khaibit, In the human body the ” sensory role of the Khaibit can be illustrated most dramatically by the phenomena of the "phantom limb", After having @ physical limb amputated, individuals sometimes continue to feel sensations as if the limb was still present. The Khaibit (Division VI) provides the phy sical body with its sensory abilities, that is, our ability to feel, smell, touch, see and hear are all enabled by the Khaibit. These feelings are continued because the Khaibit, the electro/magnetic body, is not severed with the physical limb and remains intact for a short period, aller which it dissipates back into the earth's electro/magnetic body. ‘The existence of this electro/magnetic body, though known for thousands of years to Africans, was “uncovered” by a Russian named Kirlian when he eaptured it on film in the 1950's Division V, the Sahu, is the lowest of the mental or metaphysical” parts of the Spirit. This division provides the faculties of memory, the ability to formulate and receive thoughts and to translate those thoughts ino images. It is important to note that this division of the Spirit's perceptive capabilities are restricted to the extemal characteristics of, thngs. Memories are stored based on how the thoughts and images manipulated ate translated through the senses. If, for example, one tastes broccoli and the sensetion is formulated into the thought "I don't this memory will continue to replay that thought and accompanying imoges to the person regardless of his age. Which explains why this division of the spirit is considered to be under the demain of the child, Therefore, until the higher (Adult) division of the spirit becomes active, the way a thing appears to the senses will determine its value to that person. Furthermore, if the adult part of the spirit fails to develop, a person in his or her seventies will still spond asa child and refuse to eat his broccoli! "The next level, Division IV, the Ab represents the faculties which ‘shila Ostrander, Prvchi Discoveries Behind th Lon ‘Curtain, New Yorke Bantam Books, 1970} p.7 *yleta means heyond hence metphysial moans beyond the physical 18 separate man from other forms of creation which can be summarized as the ability to make choices which are not determined by the sensory part of being Division VI). All creatures except human beings have nno option but to respond to their senses, what we call instinctive behavior. A bear senses when it's time to hibernate, and having felt that impulse is powerless when it comes to resisting that energy. Humans, like bears, also have a natural urge to sleep but unlike the bear we ean choose to "override" that urge and stay awake ‘The faculty which provides us with the option to make a choice to deny the animal part of the spiri’s control over our behavior is our will. This faculty provides @ person with the option of identifying with: a) his or her true Sel? (God, who is not controlled by compulsions but rather controls compulsions) or b) his or her person (the complex of established behaviors and beliefs) which is controlled, like the bear, by compulsions from the Khuibit, (the animal spirit), The fourth division of the spirit, the Ab, provides a person with the abilities of: reason (to diseriminately see beneath the external appearances of things into the principles governing existence); justice (the ability to respond to the sight of all exeatures to be ensured what exch needs to accomplish ite destiny); and love (the ability to adhere to the natural laws of life as represented by the interdependencies and interrelationships of ereation) It must be here noted that humankind’s aecess to the Ab on the whole is limited to the will with reason, justice and love being beyond the functional abilities of the majority of the human population. Likewise, the highest three levels of the spirit are not functional in ‘most people but let's briefly summarize them, Division I, the Shelthem, is the part of the spirit through which people are able to express their divine power of omnipotence. Itis the Shekhem division of the spirit which serves as the womb through ‘which all things are created and itis exercised through the use of words, of power. Division II, the Khu, is the part of the spirit through which we are able to express our divine power of omniscience. The Khu enables one to know the correct response (ruth) in any and all situations. Last but ‘most importantly, the Ba part of the spirit Division 1) enables us to experience the omnipresence of God, the living of oneness with all. In the previous brief synopsis of the lowest three divisions of the 19 spirit(7, 6 end 5), we see that all creation is able to utilize them with varying degrees of ability. ‘Therefore, if these were the only parts of the spirit, we could accept Shakespeare's premise that the name you sive a person would have no more effeet on his/her characteristios than the name you give to the rose. By the same token, we could also accept Western "science's" claim that a person is nothing more than an animal with an enhanced use of its faculties. Fortunately, our African Ancestors, through their system of cosmogony, have provided us with the ability to clearly see the similarities and distinctions between the various forms which exist in the world, Thus, we are able to determine that although we share common spiritual traits with other forms of ereation, divisions 5,6, and 7 represent the lowest of our abilities. Furthermore, by examining the remaining divisions of the spirit (1,2,3, and 4) we clearly see that commonality of ability is matched only with God, in who's likeness we are made. This is the basis of our identity and provides the answer for life's most important questions: "Who am I and what is my purpose for living?” For as stated in the Metu Neter Vol. I page 82: Who and what is man can only be understood by reference to the purpose of the creation of the world. Earlier we learned that the ‘essential state of the Supreme Being is one in which Its energy/matter isnot differentiated into things. Hence, God lacks experience in Iis essential state. God modifies It's essence into the World as the ‘means through which to have experience. Although there is an infinitude of creatures making up the world, only one of them was created for the express purpose of serving as the vehicle through which God can transfer It's consciousness into, and realize the illness of its Being. This creature is Man. The knowledge of this spiritual fact has been expressed in many of ‘the scriptures of the world, In the Kamitian (Ancient Egyptian) seripture, The Book of Knowing the Manifestations of Ra (about 2800 B.C), [we are shown that Ausar| ... is the symbol of the man, or ‘woman who has completed his/her spiritual growth, enabling God to » manifest itself in the world through him, or her." ‘What can we use as evidence to verily our true identity as Ausar (God)? In the Ausar Auset Society, we refer to the God within (Ausar) as the indwelling intelligence, that which direets us from within. This indwelling intelligence is different from the intelligence which runs the outer phases of our lives, which we eall the person, We send "the personal intelligence" to school to "educate" it, We cultivate" it with movies, books, music and the like, We "socialize’ it with conversation, familial and societal relationships. At the magical age of 18 or so, we choose to release this "personal intelligence" to conduct the affairs of our lives. Tt now is free to seck employment, further its education, procreate and so forth, all based on the experiences in its earlier years Depending on the nature of those experiences, and the aggregation of subsequent uctivities, this personal intelligence can accomplish many amazing things. For example, plastic which is derived from oil, has become a nearly indispensable material in the western world, During the las forty years for ceramics, wood, glass, metals, skins, rubber, and natural fibers. Thirty years ago, cars had cloth seat covers, leather dashboard, a wooden steering wheel, « metal body and glass lens. Today, the car is almost all plastic. ‘The development of the process of turing oil into a car body, window or siding for a house is one example of the many amazing things the personal intelligence is eapable of. Men and women develop their personal intelligence in the knowledge of chemistry to become professors, researchers, authors, and scientists in the finest universities and corporations. Inspite of all that, when we look within our body, we see evidence ofa chemical process which, upon comparison, dwarfs those developed by the world's most intelligent chemists. When we examine our bodies’ digestive process, which is essentially chemical, we witness something, far more complex than turning oil into a shoe thas gradually beon molded (exouse tho pun) into a replacement "amen, Met Net, 9.82 21 For example, when we eat an apple, our body is able to take that apple and chemically convert a portion of it into blood, another portion in bone, and still more into tissue. This whole process takes place ‘within our bodies without our involvement or direction, and, unlike the chemistry that is directed by the personal intelligence, does not create ‘useful product on one hand and a serious problem on the other. ‘The chemistry of the body has not been duplicated by the “chemical genius" of the personal intelligence. With all of their education and training, not one scientist can convert an apple into blood. The body has not been to school, yet the most intelligent of our chemists cannot do what is done within the body. Therefore, there must be 2 greater intelligence in the body running all of our vital functions, ‘That greater intelligence, available to all of us through spiritual culturation, is Ausar (God), our true Self, Ausar as our stated identity, sets the basis for our proposition that our name should be considered as Webster Dictionary (definitions 2 and 7) suggests, "a symbol of [our] divinity or an actual vehicle of divine attributes" or * the mystic coacnee, charactor, or spiritual attributes of our person Chapter 2 KNOWING YOUR DESTINY I.you don't know where you're going ANY road will take you there! We have established that our true identity is Ausar (God) and that ‘our porpose for living isthe realization of Ausar as a manner of living. But how do you become Ausar? What's the process? What happens if you die before you achieve Ausar? And finally, what is the ‘connection, if any, between becoming Ausar and your name? Before we can answer the question on Ausar and the name, we must first deviate for a moment to answer the questions about the process and timetable for becoming Ausar. From the African perspective, life neither hegine with hirh (or conception) nor ends with death, In establishing our true identity (Ausar) as being one and the same with the Supreme Being, the people of Kamit declared the essential state of man’s being to be immortal. Therefore, living on the earth plane is viewed as part of « continuing set of experiences woven together through relationships uniting the individual with all of existence through time and space. ‘This interdependence determines the role of each segment. The living ‘experience is to be fulfilled according to the Divine plan and, as such, it determines our "purpose for living" The accomplishment of "Ausar” as our functional identity (the ability to experience being God functioning on earth as She does in heaven) even under the most ideal circumstances is a lengthy and spiritually demanding process. In the previous chapter, we established that the majority of people have yet to grow beyond the Sahu division of the spirit, Furthermore, we ean see that based on the description of the Sahu, few will escape its control during their lifetime. It's the rule, not the exception, that most people will end their life still controlled by 23 “salues* dictated by the animal division of the spiri's sensual perceptions. Nearly all will leave this life still responding to conditionings (likes and dislikes) many of which were established in childhood. Few will escape "valuing" things based on conditioned responses to external appearances, The spiritual power to resist following the "emotional" dictates of the animal spirit will remain dormant in most. Drawing conclusions based on the collection of isolated external data (information) will continue to lead nearly all to imaccurate conclusions. Not being able to experience the interdependencies and apply the law of natural relationships to one's life, will limit nearly all to responding to others out of fear or in an "unnatural" way. Nearly everyone will depatt from this world without taining the ability to affect the course of their life and that of others through the power of the word. How many, if any, will be able to intuitively see into the essence ofa situation without the limitations of lime and space and know the truth of « matter? How do we then reconeile the established goal of life -- the realization of one's Divinity (Ausar) on earth as it is in heaven, with the failure of ueaily all t achieve dhe youl dusing dhe couse of their life? What are the factors impeding the attainment of Ausar? Furthermore, if Man is immortal, what hoppens to her when she "dies" urfulfilled? Or perhaps Jesus was wrong when he told his followers don't be marvelied by the miracles you see me doing, eg. sestoring sight to the blind, enabling the lame to walk, giving life to the dead, (uining water into wine, walking on water, not being controlled by the ‘urges, sensations, emotions and desires he felt, being able to feed thousands with a fish and a loaf of bread, "for you ean do this and even seater things", To answer this we must again return to the African cosmological system. The following chart is called the Tree of Life. Itis used by the cosmological practitioner as a master anatomical guide for the Spirit, the body, of God/Man. Shekhem 3rd Division of the Spirt Elder skill Use of words of power Ba ‘st Division of the Spirit ge RG Mars 10 Geb Earth aB 4th Division of the Spirit Age 36 - 49 ‘Adulthood Sahu Sth Division of, the Spirit ‘Age 0 - 28 Houses the Ren Khabit 6th Division of the Spirit Khab 7th Division of the Spit 25 According to the Tree of Life we can sce "Ausar* being achieved by the age of 70. Assuming a person began their life without any prior experiences, and in a society that fosters spiritual growth, this chart 1mgps the spiritual accomplishments which should be attained at various chronological points. For example, domination of the 3 lowest divisions; Sahu - the lowest metaphysical, Khaibit - the electro/magnetic, and the Khab - the physical, should be concluded by the 28th year of life which, in the African cosmological system, is the petiod of childhood, The significator (that which signals an event) is sphere number 9 on the Tree of Life, whose planetary ruler is the moon, The Mem Nerer Vol. J, describes the 9th sphere as: the faculty that governs Man's learning during the early part of ife..it corresponds to His spiritual infancy. A. person's learning comes from other people and creatures. All gets of learning involve imitation and following. And given the immaturity of this level of bing, such imitation is indiserimiuate, This applies sll educational experiences, from the cradle to post-graduate; from the streets to the academic halls; secular or spiritual. It is indiscriminate imitation that makes professional scientists sweat by the "scientific ‘acts* of their days that are later on proven to be no more than false theories. People's adherence to traditions and customs, whether ‘hese are seeular, "scientific," religious, cultura, ete. comes about in the same way. ‘This process of indiscriminate imitation is represented by the moon indiscriminately reflecting whatever portion of the sun's radiation it "sees", The symbolism here is that as long as one is under the lunar influence they are spiritually a child and since it takes the moon 28 years to retum to the exact place it was when one was born, its circle of influence is 28 years, amen, Met Neer, p94, 26 Continuing on page 94 of the Mem Neter: ‘This sphere [9th] is also the seat of memory..nothing that has been experienced is ever forgotten, no matter how out of view, or difficult to recall it may be..many of our stored memories, especially, those that are difficult to recall, because of psychological suppression, exert powerful influences in shaping our beliefs and behavior. Given the Tact that these types of memories (patterns for imitation) are stored in the infancy of our spirituality, they are illogical, and irrational, Not only does it store experiences, it associates them on the basis of external qualities..the majority of people who, due to the fact that the faculty of Self-identty - the fist sphere - is unevolved (dormant), assemble their self-identity out of the memories of experiences that are stored in the 9th sphere. It amounts to "I am these failures and successes, as my memory informs me." It is precisely this acceptance of one's identity as being the collection oF indiseriminately stored memories whieh keeps the majority of people from "paychieally aging” in step with the biological elock. How can cone possibly learn the talents of the higher divisions (LIV) if their experiences are all tied into repeating the indiscriminately imitated pattems reinforeed in every quarter of society? This is especially damaging in Wester societies end those non-western societies which have moved away from the traditional Rites of Passage processes. It is in the Traditional Rites of Passage processes that the person was shown how to eseape the control of the "ehildish” (Sahu) spirit. Allow ‘me to recount one experience to illustrate this point A few years back I was hosting a middle aged man from Ghana, West Africa, who was raised in the traditional system. This was his first tip abroad and as such, he was unfamiliar with many things he was experiencing, and was very hesitant to experiment with food. If they didnt have it in Ghana he wouldn't eat it. This naturally became a frequent topic of our discussions, and we tried to encourage him to tuy something new. One day I bought a box of cookies and offered one to my friend which he promptly refused. T asked him why he woulda’t try a cookie, was it because they didn't have them in Ghana? To which 27 he responded, that they did have them but adults would be ridiculed if they were seen eating sweets because those are things that only a child would eat. ‘The importance of this is fully realized when we examine the practice of eating sweets. In essence, the eating of sweets is a behavior of sensual gratification (responding to the dictates of the animal spirit) by caling to satisfy one's likes or dislikes based on the sense of taste as, ‘opposed to nutritional needs. The "adult (the Ab, division of the spirit) cts for nutritional value regardless of whether the palate likes or dislikes the food, Becoming an Adult is the result of effort made (training, rituals, ete.) for and by the child, Where no such effort is made the "child" merely gets older until death comes, leaving the person unfulfilled, Billions of people live and die but never see the world through anything other than the "childs" (Sahu) eyes. How purposeless and spiritually unfulfilling. living would be if we were limited to only one lifetime. Fortunately, ‘we can again fall upon the wisdom of our Ancestors and take heart in the fact we are no more limited to one lifetime to complete our spiritual growth than we are limited to one year to complete our educational growth. Without numerous opportunities few, if any, could "Know Thy Self. Let's return to the Afetu Neter, Vol. I pages 14 and 1S where we find a discussion on the value of trance in the African Spiritual system: First hand knowledge of man's metaphy cal (higher) vehicles, and the "insperience” of man's trac relation with God, and all other creatures are attained..The ability, through trance, to communicate with deceased beings has ed Blacks to the greatest understanding of the nature of immortality of Man. Immortality is not merely the survival of the spirit, but of one's identity aeross incarnations. On ne hand, because of the priselessness of the revelation that Mian is immortal, and on the other hand, because of the unparalleled guidance that ancestors provide, rituals for communion with the sncestors (60 called ancestor worship) play a prominent role in the rsligion of Black nations, It is instructive to note thatthe greatest axchitectural marvels of the ancient civilizations (Kamit, Mohenjo 28 Daro, ete.) were burial shrines. Entire cities were filled with these structures (pyramids, ele.) that surpassed in opulence the dwellings ‘of even the kings...Only from the ancestors, the "living proof of life after death," could have been leamed the observances and practices that lead to immortality (the survival of an individual's identity across incamations). Such practices and observances became the fundamental doctrines for the spiritual development of men and nations Jn an article written by Patrick Bower, "The Ancient Wisdom in Africa” we find the following quote delivered by @ Zulu priest to Me. Bower, who is European: "Your teachers are doubtless learned men, But why do they strive to force their beliefs on us without first leaming what our beliefs are’? Not one of them, not even Sobantu (Bishop Colenso - 4 great authority on Native Tongues), knows anything of our real belief ‘They think that we worship the spirits of our ancestors; that we believe our spirits, when we die, enter the bodies of animals. They, without proof or without inquiry, condemn us, the Isanusi, as deluders of our more ignorant brethren; or else they declare us to be ‘wicked wizards having dealings with evil spirits. To show how ‘ignorant they are, 1 shall tell you what we teach the Common Man (ordinary Native). We teach that he has a body; that within that body isa soul; and within the soul is « spark or portion of something ‘we call Ttongo, which the Common Man interprets as the Universal Spirit of the Tribe, We teach that after death the soul (Idhlozi) after hovering for a space near the body, departs to a place called Esilweni (Place of Beasts). This isa very different thing, as you can see, from entering the body of a beast. In Fsilweni, the soul assumes 4 shape, part beast and part human. This is its true shape, for man’s nature is very like that of the beast, save for that spark of something higher, of which Common Man knows but little. For a period which is long or short, according to the strength of the animal natore, the soul remains in Esilweni, but at last it tarows aside its beast-like shape and moves onward te a place of rest. There it sleeps tl a time 29 comes when it dreams that something to do or to leam awaits it on earth, then it awakes and returns, through the Place of Beasts, to cearth and is born again as a child. Again and again does the soul travel through the body, through the Place of Beasts, to its rest, dreams its dream and returns to the body; until at last the Man becomes true Man, and his soul when he dies goes straight to its rest, and thence, after a space, having ceased to dream of earth, moves on ‘and becomes one with that form from which it came - the Itongo. ‘Then does the Man know that instead of being but himself, apart, he is wuly all the tribe and the tribe is he, This is what we teach, I say, for this is the utmost the Common Man is capable of comprehending; indeed many have only @ vague comprehension, even of this much. But the belief of us, Wiser Ones, is something far wider and greater, though similar, It is far too wide and great for Common Man's comprehension - or for yours, at present, But I may say this much, that we know that the Itongo is not the mere Spirit of the Tribe, but is the Spirit within end above all men - even all things; and that at the end, all men being one in Spirit, are all brothers in the flesh". ‘The preceding excerpts clearly illustrate that we are each on a spiritual quest to realize our true Self (Ausar, Itongo} und this process is accomplished in stages. Each lifetime is built upon a previous one and each has its own objective which opens the door for a new, more advanced set of experiences, ‘The Name as @ Tool for Self Development When objectives are set in school, tools are provided to aid the learner toward the completion of his course. Ifthe tools are inadequate, ‘earning is impaired, ifthe tools ure properly selected the work is made ighter and the probability of success enhanced. Each lifetime also has ts given objectives, and we are likewise provided with tools to work our way through life. The better the tools ~ that is, those tools which pais Bower, "The Ancient Wisdom in Africa", Studies in ‘Comparative Relig, Vol. 3, Spring 1969, pp.113-114 30 match the objective ~ the easier the work and the grcater the probability of success. ‘One of the most valuable tools we can have in our life's work is our name. On the Tree of Life, we noticed that a part ofthe Sth division of the spirit, the Sabu, is the Ren." The Ren is the part of our spirit where our name resides. Each of us has several names which are recorded in the Ren to be used at different stages in our lives. In Osiris [Ausar] end the Egyption Resurrection, we find the following: "A King of Egypt usually possessed five names, and each of these proclaimed his strength, valor, and power.. the custom of giving such "mighty names* to the King of Egypt finds its parallel in the custom which is widespread among meny modem African peoples of calling the chief or king by "Strong Nemes". Thus the king of Bakalai has seven titles, one of which he does not receive until after his death." In the Asante Kingdom of Ghana, West Africa when a new King of Kings is enstooled, he not only receives the "strong names” Asuntehene (King of all Asante) and Otumfo (the Grest Power) but he also assumes a new "regular name." For example, the current Asantchene's new "cegular name" is Opoku Were II (the second reign of Opoku Were), ‘The practice of receiving a new name is not limited to African Kings, but can apply to non "Royals" as well. The accomplishment of different initiations during one's life is often accompanied with a new name, These new names are to be used privately by others involved in that initiation cirele while publicly the person's name will remain the same. What's important to comprebend here is that these names are prerecorded at birth into the Ren part of the spirit by Tehutl (the ‘Mouth of God, the Oracle, the Giver of Names). In the Book of the sce p24 EA. Walls Budge, Osis and she Egyptian Resurrection, E. A. Walls Budge, Vol I, (New York: Dover Publications Ino, 1973), pp. 242-283. 31 Dead by Wallace Budge we are told that Tehuti also declares at birth, Uhrough the forms of the Gods Shai and Renenit, "what should happen to @ man during the course of his life and his "good fortune" respectively". In Ancient Kamit everything of importance was organized under the personification of a deity (God). This reference to the "Gods" has lead ‘many to claim that Africans are polytheistio meaning worshipping many Gods. However, this claim is easily dismissed by the following: In the Kamitian Book of Knowing the Manifestations of Ra, written sround 2500 B.C. (although the doctrine is much older), we have: ‘The words of Nebertcher (Lord of the World) which he spoke after ‘coming into being; Iam he who eame into being in the form of the “infinite power of manifestation (Khepera)." I became the creator of what came into being. After my coming into being, many were the things which eame into being, coming forth from my mouth [words of power]. Not existed heaven (the noumenal division of the Objective Realm), not existed earth (the phenomenal division of the Objective Rely), wot lad been created the things of the earth, and creeping things in that place. I raised them out of Nu, from the state of inactivity (of energy). Not found Ia place to stand wherein. T radiated words of power with my will, laid a foundation in the law (Maau), and I made all atributes, Fas alone, for not had I spit out, the form of Shu (the thermal, yang prineiple of the world), not had | emitted Tefnut (the moisture, hydrogenoid, yin principle of the world), not existed another who worked with me, I made a foundation by means of my will, and there came into being the ‘multitude of things...1 became from God one, Gods three, that is from out of myself...The text continues with the ereation of men, and other things in the world through the interaetion of Shu (yang) and Tefnut (in). Besides corroborating what has been said thus far in this chapter, it introduces a very important point that eannot be passed up. “6.A. Wallis Budgs, The Exyatin Book of the Dead, (New ‘York: Dover Publication, Ine, 1967), ex. 32 Here we have written confirmation that monotheism existed in ancient Egypt much earlier that the birth of Abraham, and over 1000 years before Alchenaten, and Moses.” Just as we have evolved a system of classification which enables us to assign specific functions within our body to specific organs so to, did our ancestors in Kamit establish a system of classification referencing our spirit. In observing the many systems and trillions of cells within our body we see they are not isolated, but rather ierrelated and interdependent parts of our one body. Our ancestors viewed the "Gods" not as a multitude of separate entities to be focused ‘on in isolation but rather they were seen a3 integral parts of one God (body) Therefore, we reject the "polytheistic” label as being false as well as the 'monotheistic" label "since the term Monotheisn fails to convey the reality that the one God functions lives through & plurality of integral parts.. In this book, I will use my coinages, "Systheism’, and " Syntheism™ [which both carry] the besic meaning of a *whole ‘compounded of several pars". Syatheism then enables us to synthesize the Kamitian world view into a system we can incorporate into our lives, which, as we see from the following quotes, begins with the receiving of the name. On page 125 of his book Muntu, Janheinz Jabn quotes Ogotommeli, a sage of the Dogon people: "Yet this Nommo, which effeots conception and then calls forth bith, is not sufficient to produce a complete human being, a personality, 2 muntu. For the new-born child becomes a muntu only when the father or the "sorcerer" gives him a name and pronounces it. Before this the litle body is a kintu, a thing; if it dies, i s not even mourned (Emphasis added). Only the giving of e name adds the rmagara principle to the buzima principle. A creature which is amen, Metu Net, pp.50S1 Amen, Meta Neter, p67, 3 sharply distinguished from the animal and has its place in the community of men is produced, not by the act of birth, but by the word-seed: it is designated. To this giving of a mame, the designation of the human being, corresponds the designation of images, and even the designation of the gods..." We find this same principle reflected in Anoient Kamit as well "The Egyptians attached very great importance to the knowledge of | names, and the knowledge of how to use and to make mention of names which possessed magical powers was necessity both for the living and the deed... To the Egyptians, the name was as much a part of man's being as his soul, or double (Ka), of his body..Without @ name no man could be identified in the judgement, as a man only came into being upon this earth when his name had been pronounced..*"* ‘The importance of the name is further emphasized in the following two quotes from E.A. Wallis Budge, Osiris, Vol 11, pages 173-175. ‘The existence of every god, and indeed of every being, was bound up in his secret name, and he who knew these names and how to utter them was their mastr...The most remarkable use ofthe name of a god as a word of power is related in the book of Overthrowing Apep British Museum, no. 10, 188). In this the god ‘Tem describes how he created the world and all the generations thereof. There was a time, he says, when no one and nothing existed except himself, A desire came over him to exeate the ‘world, and he carried it into effect by making his mouth utter his own name as a word of power, and straightway the world and all therein came into being. ‘The things which came into being as the result ofthe ullerance ofthe seoret name of Temu contained some of the power of that name, which existed henceforward in the secret names which they possessed, What the secret name of Tem ™audge, Bevin Magic, 162-162, 4 really was the papyrus does not say, but it is quite clear that the Egyptians thought that heaven, earth, and the Other World, and everything which were in them, existed by virtue of it, To possess the knowledge of the secret names of God, and those of the gods, and of things animate and inanimate, was the magician’s chief ‘object in life... for.. it made him master of the powers in this world. Given all that's been said above regarding the importance of the name well as the people of ancient Kamit's practice of identifying which

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