Thoth and the future of the Protectors of the Records

According to Manetho Thoth wrote 36,525 books. According to Seleukos it was 20,000. Either he was a prolific writer or the ancients were portraying him as the keeper of the books. Sometimes in history people commission the preservation of important books for future generations and are recognized for doing such.

Take for instance The King James Bible. His name is ascribed to the bible, but he was not the original author of all the books compiled in the Bible. Thoth was likely not the author of all of the knowledge and books modern translators say are ascribed to him. It is more plausible that he commissioned a library. Imhotep likely continued this tradition of preserving the libraries during his time. It was later in history that the Egyptians did not do such a good job at preserving their books when they were burned by invaders from the north. This practice continues even today.

Seshat was the first representation of the keeper of books. As keeper of the books students who wanted to learn knowledge would call to her, the women of time, at the midnight hour of the new year. It is my hope that in 2013 we do more to preserve ancient libraries and antiquities. Last week marked the day that many thought would be the end of the world. This misinformation was interpreted from a book that was alleged to have been preserved from a fire that burned a library belonging to the Mayans.

" Alonso de Zorita wrote that in 1540 he saw numerous such books in the Guatemalan highlands that “...recorded their history for more than eight hundred years back, and that were interpreted for me by very ancient Indians.” (Zorita 1963, 271-2). Fr. Bartolomé de las Casas lamented that when found, such books were destroyed: "These books were seen by our clergy, and even I saw part of those that were burned by the monks, apparently because they thought [they] might harm the Indians in matters concerning religion, since at that time they were at the beginning of their conversion." The last codices destroyed were those of Tayasal, Guatemala in 1697, the last city conquered in America.[4] With their destruction, the opportunity for insight into some key areas of Maya life has been greatly diminished."

The Mayan codices, written in hieroglyphic script on bark cloth from the fig tree, was a time keeping document developed around the 5th century. Among the thousands of books that were burned 4 remained and one that people today have relied on as a source of fact for things that are to come on earth. Many of these ancient books throughout the ages have been used as prophecy books. However, it is man that attributes meaning and translations to these ancient text, often out of context and with little information outside of a hunch. It is my deep concern that those who are the keepers of antiquities take the false information popularized from such interpretations and destroy the artifacts and books themselves. We are in the information age and our children will have the ability to analyze information in ways we are not able to today. For this reason, it is very important that we be the keepers of our libraries and hold this information for thousands of years into the future, as our ancestors have done. It is the most important gift we can give to future students, whether we can see it now or not.

Reflections on my dreams about 7

Here is an entry from my journal dated July 11, 2010 Sunday,

Early this morning I was dreaming I was in South Africa. On a practically free trip, like my recent trip to New Orleans. I was walking down 7th Street past several cemeteries looking for a place to stay for the evening. It was as if there were hotels surrounded by big overgrown tombs, like those in New Orleans. In this scene of the dream it was after a night I had already stayed in one such accommodation (reminded me of a hostel from my '98 trip). The beds were unusually comfortable in this dream. There were a lot of beds. While walking this time I could see the outside of the building which were kinda run down on the surface, not new but I said they were ok anyway, not the Marriott, but worth a free or $30 stay. So I was looking at the buildings and saw an address that was 68x(?cant remember the last number) 7th st and thought, since 7s keep appearing in this dream I should find one in the 700 block so I kept walking (yes, I was apparently lucid dreaming). I don't remember much after that outside of my husband being happy and saying I always add adventure, he loved that about me and wanted to stay in Africa longer. We missed our flight (I suppose why I didnt already have a room that night) and I was trying to reschedule it online but ended up calling in.

In reality, pulling me from my dream state was a preacher on the radio talking, its Sunday morning. He was talking about the book of Revelations. Something he said sounded straight out of Egypt and peaked my interest, I woke up fully to write down the scripture he quoted. I wrote down Rev 27 17-21. This turned out to be incorrect because there is no Rev 27. I looked at all the chapters from 17-21. I found that in 17-21 it mentions, "written in the Lamb's "Book of Life". That had to have been what woke me up from my free trip to South Africa.

It peaked my interest since I had been reading about Osiris, shepherds, the Book of Life: Coming Forth by Day, and the House of Life, etc. in Egypt. Was the scribe of this passage in Revelations using the language of the Egyptians, "The Book of", "The House of"? Added to this notion in verse 22 are found the words the "Tree of Life"with fruit of 12 kinds and leaves that nourish the nations, (Rev 22:19). I wanted to trace the etymology to know if they were indeed referring to an ancient Egyptian book. Could I find another book that would hint to being the actual "Book of Life"but mentioned in Egyptian text. I wanted to compare the words around the book of revelations with what I could find from hieroglyphs.

I thought again of Seshat's iconography and in New Orleans a picture I saw. I then came across the number 7 again in Rev 22:14. In 21:15 it mentions a golden need to measure. in 16:17 7th Angel=earthquake, 12:3 a great red dragon with 7 heads and 7 crowns, and 10 horns. Something about a dragon to a women giving birth to take the child which was to rule with a Rod of Iron. . Then in I read the Book of Thoth and saw the number again. I have come across this number and researched it a lot over the past year. Especially after the earthquake in Haiti.

Provided is the full B02 explanation from The Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth. "The writing of 7,000 is not in Glosser. It is the best reading, although actually 1,000 +77 might be understood in B02; we follow L01 here. These are naturally mythologically significant numbers. 7,000 bottles of beer, for example, are prepared to intoxicate Sakmet in the "Destruction of Mankind,"Sethe, Zahlen, p36. On the numbers, 7,000 and 77, see Leitz, Tagewahlerei, p245; Derchain, "Miettes,"RdE 26 (1974): 7-8 (on the multiples of 77 and 777 to express an infinite number). One may also add the "7,000 measures"mentioned in Baines, "The Stela of Emhab,"JEA 72 (1986): 42. The author is obviously interested in the significance of "7", since in B02, 4/16 he speaks of the "seven reeds" and "seven fields" of Thoth. In general, see now Rochholz, Schopfung, Feindvernichtun, Regeneration. An interesting parallel is in Matthew 18:22, where Jesus declaires: "I say no: unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven."Cf. also Genesis 4:24." (Jasnow, 209). This explanation comes from the translation by Jasnow of the Book of Thoth. It reads very much like a script for a stage play, including stage directions and titles for each speaker. This section of the papyrus has a commentary that goes on between two individuals speaking about a women who provides access to a gate. I have written about this book in previous blogs for more background on the content and treatment of this book. However, for my dream and its relationship to biblical scripture and the number 7 the commentary from this ancient script on p 204 is provided for your reading pleasure translated by Jasnow. ... and ? indicates areas that were missing from the papyrus and unclear translations. He also notes that his translation of the "Mighty-one" may have been the scribes writing of ss = "open" like "the openers"in the book of the dead or intended Sst in reference to Seshat. I do think that everything about this passage denotes a lesson of instruction on how to communicate with Seshat.

From the Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth:

"May one say to me the nurse who nurtures language// that I may suck from her breasts.
He speakes, namely, The-one-of-Heseret, (The-one-who-praises-knowledge), he says: "Take for yourself "The Mighty-one"which protects bas. // Praise her. // Let her answer you.
You causing that your voice be loud (means) // her wish to hear you (and) // her coming quickly to you.
If you should praise her (graphic of man with arms extended) at the occasion of the New Year, // "The Mighty-One" will return so as to answer you.
If you understand her (and if) you comprehend her praises, // she will make her place at your mouth, you being thirsty.
Open the doors of your divinity before her. // Call out to her 120 times. // She hears.
Great is the immense number which the intelligent jackal (epithet of Thoth) listens to her, // and she loves him (the intelligent jackal). Great is the immense number which she listens to him, this one, the intelligent jackal and she [loves him.]
She does not disdain to act (for) the one humble of face. // Hers is the intelligent dog (?), and she hastens to answer him.
And he calls out to her seven thousand times seventy-seven times // and she does not come at his voice.
She looks before her.... // She completes millions. They do not complete her.")
Your seeking her (means) her coming quickly. // On your day of desiring her, you find her.
The-one-who-loves-knowledge, he says: "What is writing? // What are its places of storage? // Compare it to its like, O overflowing one!
He speaks, namely, The-one-of-Heseret, he says: "Writing (or "a book") is a sea. // Its reeds are a shore. // Hasten therein, little one, little one!
Hurry to the shore! count waves (?) (or difficult passages). // As for its body, it is a myriad. // Do not be weak with regard to it (the sea) until its lord permits that you swim in it // and he makes a perfect place (?) (or very fair wind) before you. The seven reeds which resemble the plow in the seven fields of "He-who-understands-the-Two-Lands (epithet of Thoth)."

Jasnow also provides additional resources for references to the seven fields. "On the various fields of the Underworld, see Hermsen, Zwei Wege, p. 14. there are basically two different important fields: the Field of Yaru and the Field of Offering. There is also a "Field(s) of Thoth" in the Book of Two Ways, see Hermsen, Zwei Wege, p20. The number 7 plays a role in the so-called "Gefilde des Thot"section of the Coffin Texts, see Hermsen, Zwei Wege pp 208-09. In section eight the deceased travels seven sections of heaven in order to reach Horus the elder in the "middle of the sky,"imagery, see Williems, Heqata, p 168-69; compare also the Book of the Dead Spell 52: "I live on these 7 loaves of her whose loaves have been brought by Horus and Thoth,"Allen, Book of the Dead, p 52. See now the useful discussion of the association between the number 7 and Thoth in Rochholz, Schopfung, Feindvernichtung, Regeneration, p 136-40." (Jasnow, 213).

The House of Life plays a role in the ceremonies of the New Year. Goyon, "Confirmation du pouvoir royal au nov velan. p 38-41. House of Seshat p. 69 Goyon. What is also interesting that Jasnow notes is that the book, or script to me, is written such that the divinity (nurse) is a gate or portal (sbhy.t) and the dialogue is concerning a seeker and a gate such as found in "The Book of Gates". Brunner, "Die Rolle von Tur and Tor im Allen Agypten Das Horene Herz p248-70. The Mighty One may read Seshat - the goddess "can help the deceased enter the underworld gates: The portal is opened for you by Seshat" Faulkner, Coffin Text vol 1 p7. 120 is 1/2 of the 360 day calendar year. NTRWJ - Blades - "Fingers, stars, and the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony."
Papyrus roll= sea, pens=reeds.

"Study, even if their are obstacles (Line14) don't wait for the deity to remove all difficulties." proclaims the speaker in this ancient text to the student referring to Seshat. (see Jaslow, 212)

Seven reeds may refer to the 7 pointed headdress of Seshat which have been explained as reeds, Budde, Seschat p 37. Seven gates of the underworld. 7 lands covered by inundation used to grow crops. Also check out "Kushite Abnormal Hieratic Land Leases"Proceedings of the Seventh International Congress of Egyptology p 341 which mentions that 1/4th of the harvest was paid as rent to the lessor. Thoth says he divides up 1/4 barley.

It is here that I ended my journal entry. I left myself with much to follow up on in research,  nearly 2.5 years ago. I always try to tie these ancient writings into the cultural practices of the people of today. Where do we look to find the actions of the Ancient Egyptians still in practice? Undoubtedly across the globe, but most certainly in the land of Kush. It is my opinion that these ancient text have consistently recognized Seshat in the areas of writing, astronomy, and knowledge, however, through various titles and names weakly translated. Why her imagery has remained so elusive over the years is beyond me. This I know: that because of advances in technology we are able to go back and review ancient text in ways that our ancestors were unable to to, even a generation ago. We can look at them again with new eyes for greater understanding if we take the time to study.

As I reflect back about how the preacher pulled me off of the 700th block of 7th St in a random comfortable hotel in South Africa to research the biblical connections between the book of Revelations, Genesis, and The Book of Thoth's usage of the number 7 at the mere mention of a "Book". Still over 2 years later, the question remains in my mind. Why did the scribes of the bible use capitol letters when stating the Book of Life? Were they speaking of an actual book in the physical, not just in the spiritual realm? Could this book have been one of the books preceded over by the Mistress of the House of Books? Could the Book of Life be connected in someway to the House of Life in Denderah? The House of Life which is also associated with Seshat and the New Year as well as the House of Bread? I want an expert in these areas to intervene and answer these questions. If you are reading this, I would a appreciate a post from you. 

"Letter writing, SHE is an ART form now, the scripting..." history will never tire of writing and the importance of pen to paper on the human soul.

Song to Seshat: The Song of Didiu

This song seems to be similar to what is done when beginning meditation. Calling one's body parts to relax, or sleep. Eckart Tolle describes this process as important in meditation. This process can take ones attention away from thinking. Can I feel the energy inside my hands, can I tell they are there without touching them. After a while most people can tell. That is an enormous step, states Tolle. This causes thinking to slow down. Can you incorporate your whole body. There is no anchor for presence. the inner body is a wonderful anchor for the stage of presence but you have to actively go through the process, not just say I am going to stop thinking about an unpleasant experience and it be turned into a pleasant experience. The mind will do little when really in the body there is not much thinking anymore, asserts  Tolle. These states from Tolle are similar to statements you will find from anyone who does meditation in modern times. But what about in Africa? What were the ancients speaking of or doing when they called their body parts during prayer. Seshat was certainly a part of this process. As was her star symbol. Provided are some snippets are of ancient Egyptian text for you to ponder.

From http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/nobles/antefoqer/e_antefoqer_04.htm
The song of Didiu is a long sequence of dark and obscure references, within which is often found a word translated as "Ninen"

"Heaven is pregnant with the Seshat-star, heaven brings forth the Seshat-star. The Seshat-star is to her mother. Ninen belongs to health, .... belongs to health. The vizier Antefoqer, born of Senet, belongs to health, Ninen belongs to life. The Seshat-star .... 0 Seshat(?), make yourself for Ninen(?) .... Ninen [belongs to] life, the vizier [Antefoqer] belongs to health .... I sleep, I make my own body, these my breasts, these my ...., these my ...., these my fingers, these [vertebrae] of my back. These my .... have not given you to .... Night approaches, it breaks(?), ...., it divides(?) its cup, it pours evil(?) The Seshat-star is to her mother.".

I am interested to know why this piece is called a "song". I have seen this process before in the Book of Coming Forth by Day in which separate body parts are mentioned individually. Taking into consideration that these words are a translation and not exactly what was said the process could have conceivably flowed similar to the meditation process we know of today. For instance, I sleep could mean I am in a relaxed state of rest then proceeding to acknowledge and calling attention to the different parts of the body. Not all are listed here because of the missing parts of the papyrus. Cosmic energy and the Seshat-star concept are very similar in the context of transcendental states. More specifically I am thinking about the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony and its connection between humans and the cosmos.