Ra Creates the World, Isis and Osiris, the Death and Rebirth of Osiris


Book Description

Ra wills himself into being from the black sea of nothingness and creates the city of Thebes. But Ra is lonely. What will he do? Hoping to remain the all-powerful one, Ra puts a curse on Nut. How will Nut remove the curse? Gentle and peace-loving Osiris dies at the hands of Set. How does the undying love of his wife, Isis, bring him back to life? Read these myths to find out.




Following Osiris


Book Description

Osiris, god of the dead, was one of ancient Egypt's most important deities. The earliest secure evidence for belief in him dates back to the fifth dynasty (c.2494-2345BC), but he continued to be worshipped until the fifth century AD. Following Osiris is concerned with ancient Egyptian conceptions of the relationship between Osiris and the deceased, or what might be called the Osirian afterlife, asking what the nature of this relationship was and what the prerequisites were for enjoying its benefits. It does not seek to provide a continuous or comprehensive account of Egyptian ideas on this subject, but rather focuses on five distinct periods in their development, spread over four millennia. The periods in question are ones in which significant changes in Egyptian ideas about Osiris and the dead are known to have occurred or where it has been argued that they did, as Egyptian aspirations for the Osirian afterlife took time to coalesce and reach their fullest form of expression. An important aim of the book is to investigate when and why such changes happened, treating religious belief as a dynamic rather than a static phenomenon and tracing the key stages in the development of these aspirations, from their origin to their demise, while illustrating how they are reflected in the textual and archaeological records. In doing so, it opens up broader issues for exploration and draws meaningful cross-cultural comparisons to ask, for instance, how different societies regard death and the dead, why people convert from one religion to another, and why they abandon belief in a god or gods altogether.




Book of the Dead


Book Description

Discover how the ancient Egyptians controlled their immortal destiny! This book, edited by Foy Scalf, explores what the Book of the Dead was believed to do, how it worked, how it was made, and what happened to it.




Egyptian Gods & Goddesses


Book Description

Gods and goddesses—in human, animal, and other forms—were central to the ancient Egyptian way of life. Identified with the natural world, daily living, and the afterlife, they maintained order and prevented chaos from permeating the human world. The figures documented in ancient hieroglyphics are given dimension in this absorbing volume, which examines the characteristics and significance of many of the Egyptian gods and goddesses and also looks at related topics such as ancient symbols and the influence of Egyptian mythology on other cultures and belief systems.




The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys


Book Description

A definitive collection of the ancient Egyptian liturgy's many textual variants. An ancient Egyptian liturgy, The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys tells the story of how two sister goddesses resurrected the murdered god Osiris. No single version of the poem exists, and various forms have been discovered for use in both formal religious ceremonies and private funerary services. This edition collects all known copies and variants of the ritual text alongside extensive commentary from two leading scholars.




Myths of Babylon


Book Description

Babylonian myths, inherited in Mesopotamia from Sumeria, influenced by the ancient Assyrians represent a pinnacle of human achievement in the period around 1800 BC. Here we find humankind battling with the elements in their Flood myth, a grim creation story and the great Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest recorded literary treasures. Babylon, a powerful city state at the time of the ancient Egyptians was a centre of profound spiritual, economic and military power, themes all represented in the fragments and myths of this book of classic tales. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.




Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt


Book Description

This classic study remains the best single introduction to the Egyptian mythological world. The Egyptians lived apart from the rest of the ancient world, and it is this isolation that makes their ideas so difficult to appreciate and interpret. Egyptian though was presented in terms of mythology: myth was used to convey insights into the workings of nature and the ultimately indescribable realities of the soul ...




Greek and Egyptian Mythologies


Book Description

The seventy-two entries in this volume explore, among other topics, the history, geography, and religion of Greece, Plato's mythology and philosophy, the powers of marriage in Greece, heroes and gods of war in the Greek epic, and origins of mankind in Greek myths. Ancient Egyptian cosmology, anthropology, rituals, and religion—closely linked to Greek mythology—are also discussed. "In a world that remains governed by powerful myths, we must deepen our understanding of ourselves and others by considering more carefully the ways in which the mythological systems to which we cling and social institutions and movements to which we are committed nourish each other. Yves Bonnefoy's Mythologies not only summarizes the progress that has already been made toward this end, but also lays the foundation for the difficult work that lies ahead."—Mark C. Taylor, New York Times Book Review "The almost 100 contributors combine, with characteristic precision and élan, the arts of science and poetry, of analysis and translation. The result is a treasury of information, brilliant guesswork, witty asides, and revealing digressions. This is a work of genuine and enduring excitement."—Thomas D'Evelyn, Christian cience Monitor




Isis Magic


Book Description

Isis Magic: Cultivating a Relationship with the Goddess of 10,000 Names enables the many women and men who are today exploring Goddess spirituality to build a relationship with the Divine Feminine by focusing their exploration through the worship of one of the most well-known and well-loved Goddesses of all time: the Egyptian Isis. Today, as in ancient times, Isis, known as the Goddess of Ten Thousand Names, can become for Her devotees the One Goddess Who is All Goddesses. Isis Magic begins with a well-researched and in-depth history of the nature and worship of Isis from Her ancient Egyptian origins to the modern day. In the first part of the book, readers discover the many faces of Isis, from Ancient Bird of Prey Goddess and Lady of Magic to Queen of the Mysteries and Savior. Readers will learn how Isis later became disguised as a Black Madonna, a historical Queen of Egypt, and even as an Alchemical Principle--as well as how Her true identity as a Goddess was retained in the inner teachings of secret societies. Finally, readers follow Isis into the 20th and 21st centuries as Her undisguised worship is revived, first by colorful personalities like Dion Fortune and influential groups such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and today by worldwide associations like the Fellowship of Isis. The book's second part applies this knowledge to a four-part spiritual journey to the heart of the Goddess. With each step, the reader enters a successively deeper stage of relationship with Isis. By participating in exercises, meditations, and powerful, beautifully written rituals, readers can initiate themselves into the magical religion of Isis and become, if they so desire, a dedicated priestess or priest. Written by M. Isidora Forrest, an ordained Priestess of Isis and Hermetic Adept, Isis Magic brings the worship of Isis to life. It is the perfect resource to aid the individual seeker, to inspire a circle, coven, or Iseum, or to serve as a program of spiritual growth and personal development for those called by Isis to be Her priestesses and priests.




The Egyptian Amduat


Book Description

In the Amduat, the night-journey of the Egyptian Sungod is divided into twelve hours, each of them containing an enormous amount of insight into the human psyche. The entire Amduat could be called the first 'scientific publication' of humankind describing or mapping the dangers, but also the regenerative capabilities of the night-world, providing answers to basic human questions. The synopsis of the different scenes of the Amduat, all in colour, together with its explaining text, is unique. This book is a treasure for all those who want to explore the archetypal structure of the objective psyche, with its helpful but also with its dangerous forces.