Clothing: My only special clothes are my ritual whites. I wear a cotton thobe because itās simple, inexpensive, and easy to wash. I have 3 identical sets like this one.
Tattoos: None, nor plans to get any.
Jewelry: At the moment, nothing. Before my RPD (Rite of Parent Divination), I wore this silver sistrum pendant in honor of the goddess I knew as Het-Heru, and who is variously called Hethert and Hathor. She was the deity that brought me to the House of Netjer (thought She was not the first Kemetic deity I had encountered).
I have also temporarily worn a cord bracelet, sent by a Kemetic friend, in colors appropriate to my divine Parents Nit and Set, and related to a healing heka.
A little anecdote. The first piece of jewelry I ever purchased and wore was an ankh. It was perhaps 2Ā½" tall and made of a soft silvery metal. I understood then that it was an Egyptian symbol of life. That was in 1969 and I was 17 years old. I wore it to a rock festival.
Neheh thank you so much for being so open, and for providing the image!
My sister is actually a seamstress, so I will tell her about Ptah; in general do you approve or believe that kemetic pendants can bless people that have not yet converted?
Also do you have any thoughts on Kemetic symbols being worn simply for fashion purposes? I have noticed Ankh pendants are particularly popular.
Shaseni thanks a million for those links, and all the details, the explanations are really helpful!
Quick question, why did you stop wearing the silver sistrum pendant after your RPD?
Also, when you first wore the ankh did it attract you because of its Kemetic roots, or did you simply like the look if it?
p.s. If you donāt mind me asking a little off topic, who did you see at the festival?
The day after my RPD, I opted to take my Shemsu vows. These commit me to serving my parent deities first and foremost. Since my Parents are Nit and Set, removing the pendant was privately symbolic of that (though Het-Heru in the form of Sekhmet-Hethert was still a Beloved). Since then, I simply havenāt found a replacement I like enough!
I wore that ankh in 1969 for several reasons. In no particular order, (a) I did like the look of it, (b) I liked its symbolism of ālife,ā and (c) I wanted something that was a counterpoint to the crucifixes that so many others wore without being too different from them (cf. the Coptic crux ansata)ākind of like being a rebel but without being too antagonistic! (Though it was the late 60s and you could suddenly get away with a lot!)
Off topic: The rock festival was the Isle of Wight Festival 1969 with this big all-star line up. Names that people would still recognize nowadays include Bob Dylan and The Who.
for me I wear my Ankh necklace. I also have Yinepuās name in hieroglyphics tattooed on my arm. The reasons are simple, Ankh stands for life, something I struggle/d to hold onto through depression. Yinepu is my Divine Father hence His name
The necklace wasnāt custom made but I felt very lucky to find it. I saw it and just couldnāt stop thinking of Sekhmet as I looked at it so I bought it.
Haha, I really apreciate your explanation for the ankh, and its symbolism of counterculture for you. Do you by any chance still own it/honor it in a new way now?
Also how do you feel now, that you are a part of the House of Netjer, seeing other people wear Kemetic symbols for fashion purposes, or simply without religious context? Do you see a problem in the act? (I hope this question makes sense, please let me know, if not I can rephrase it for you)
Also wow that sounds like such a great festival!!
-D.
Interesting questions! I donāt know if the pendants and imagery will be as effective for those who have not felt the presence of the Netjeru. They may open a gateway for those that are sensitive?
I donāt have much thoughts about wearing them simply for fashion. It could be the case of a person who is attracted on an unconscious level to the mysteries of Netjer. But I dunno.
How cool that your sister is a seamstress! Now that I am retired, I continue stitching, but as a fiber artist making tapestries (most of them Kemetic related)~
I have an eye of Ra pendent I wear almpst everywhere, i find it brings me comfort wherever I go.
In terms of tattoos, I have a sacrab bettle with the eye of Ra with hieroglyphs reading āPraise Ra when He rises in the eastern horizonā, I got this tattoo about a month before I started the beginners course. It actually ended up fitting with my name Hezetra which means āthe one who praises Raā.
No, Iām sorry Davina, I donāt have that ankh anymore. It was more than 50 years ago and wouldnāt have survived the two dozen house moves Iāve had since then!
Itās true that many in their teens seek for a means of countercultural expression, and I was no exception. But in later decades I was more independent than contrary, and I studied (and sometimes practiced) other religions, from mainstream like Buddhism to pagan like Heathenry and much in between. It was a while before I returned to a Kemetic path.
I donāt have a problem at all with others wearing Kemetic symbols. For a start, who am I to judge whether or not the wearer has an underlying religious context or motive? (On occasion itās been an interesting conversation starter, seeing, for example, a cashier wearing a Sekhmet pendant.) There is no sense of appropriation, and historically our religion wasnāt āclosedā anyway. And if itās ever incongruous, I know many of our deities have a pronounced sense of humor!
What is more important to me, and I dare say to many Kemetics, is whether or not the wearer expresses maāat in their life, or whether they work against it. And I have far more problems with someone wearing symbols of their own religion in an aggressive or proselytizing way, or saying that one or more of our deities is evil.
I love your perspective, thats a very beautiful way of thinking about it. From what I have gathered so far, the Kemetic community seems to be extremely open, welcoming, and freeing (in that much materiality is left to personal interpretation as long as maāat remains respected and practiced). If I have interpreted incorrectly please feel free to correct me.
As I understand it Senut is daily prayer correct? So just to clarify, it is preferrable for clean, or clean white clothing to always be worn during Senut? As in, most will change daily into their clothing for Senut?
Iād really appreciate any and all clarification.
Senut refers to a specific ritual made for use in Kemetic Orthodoxy. It is desirable to aim for an at least once a week senut ritual I believe, though daily is obviously what we would all want. Clean white clothes are also highly preferred for senut but it is also advised any clean clothes can do. I believe most people change clothes for ritual even if they change right back, but Iām not too sure, Iāve never thought to ask.
