Denton CUUPS Egyptian Summer Solstice

at DUUF: Saturday, June 20, 2009. Ritual begins at 7:30 PM

at White Rock Lake: Saturday, June 27, 2009. Ritual begins at noon.

temple setup

cabinet in back, sitting on table

main altar in front of cabinet

statues of Isis and Osiris

incense

offerings: incense, bread, water from Nile

canopy to cover cabinet and main altar

quarter altars at the four directions

obelisks

CUUPS altar cloths

statues of other gods and goddesses

container of Giza sand on South altar

gong

sistrums

rug for kneeling

altar cloths – white and gold sheets

incense, cloth, and oil in cabinet

bowl for sand

wadjet

feather

crown

bread and baskets (3)

procession setup

barque

canopy

statue of Horus

censer

Preliminary Ritual

Jamie: “I have come before thee, the Great One, my purity is on my arms. I have passed by Tefnut, tefnut having purified me. Assuredly, I am a prophet, the son of the same, of thy temple. I shall not liger. I shall not turn back. I am a prophet. I have come to perform the ritual. I have not come to do that which is not to be done.”

Undo knot, place Ausar and Auset on the main altar

John: “I have completely cast out all evils that pertained to me. I have come and I have brought the eye of Heru, which belongs to him.”

Cynthia: “May the gods be in peace (2x) Living spirits who strike your enemies. Your ba is with you, your power at your side. I have brought offerings to you, Lord of the two lands; Most Revered Auset. I kiss the ground, my face bowed. I offer Ma’at (all that is right) to its lord, and offerings to their maker, the void that birthed all life. There is no god which has made what you have made, great Ausar and Auset.

I have come as Thoth to see thee. Awake you that you may hear the voice of Ma’at. Our greetings to you, Ausar, Auset. I place my fingers upon you in the name of the gods. I place my hands upon you in the name of the gods.

I come and anoint thee with ungent. May it bind your bones, may it reunite your flesh.”

Jamie: “Your beauty belongs to you, your mrht cloth is around you. (Wrap stand in white cloth) I bring you this in protection. Adorn yourself in it. You possess your beauty, you possess your rainment, you are a god, oh Ausar, Auset. Take for yourself this shining cloth, the m’rht garment Take for yourself this Mrht cloth, that you may shine in it, that you may be splendid in it, in this its name of mrht, in this its name of idmi.” (Wrap red cloth around base)

John: “Take this the incense. The incense comes toward you. (3x) may this incense, this incense of wadjet, protect you. This incense protects you. Your enemies are turned back. The breath of the incense is your breath. The perfume of the incense is your breath.”

Reverently back away

Initial Arrangement

Priests in the main temple area

Players sitting to stage left

Musicians (including Gongmaster) to stage right

Informal Introduction

Intro Person: “The Egyptian Summer Solstice ritual is presented by the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, who for the past ten years have been providing Pagan and Earth-centered worship and celebrations on the quarters, cross-quarters, and the occasional full moon. We are an eclectic group whose members follow a variety of spiritual paths, including Wiccan, Druid, Norse, Celtic, and, of course, Egyptian.

Although today’s ceremony is drawn heavily from ancient Egyptian sources such as the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead, it is not “authentic,” in part because knowledge of ancient Egyptian religion is incomplete, and in part because we are modern Pagans and not ancient Egyptians. Still, we think you will find it both unique and meaningful.

Your part in our service today is to watch and listen and experience the presence of the gods. The ritual will include a Reversion of Offerings and we invite you to share the offering of bread. In ancient times this would have been reserved for the temple priests, but today we offer it to all who wish to participate.

Before the gods we honor today were called Osiris, Isis, and Horus by the Greeks, they were known as Ausar, Auset, and Heru by the Egyptians. For your convenience, we will use their Greek names, and we trust they hear us and you in whatever language we call.

Let us now begin.”

Formal Opening

John: “Hail, O Sun and God of the Sun. We welcome your presence as we celebrate the Solstice, the longest day, the pinnacle of your power; when you stand still in the Northern sky before you begin your journey Southward and the days grow shorter.”

Ashley: “From the dawn of time, men and women of every land have honored, revered, and worshipped you, knowing that without your light and warmth, there could be no life on the Earth. To the Celts you were known as Mog Ruith and Lugh. To the Greeks you were known as Apollo and Helios. To the Incas you were known as Inti.”

John: “For four thousand years, you saw the glory that was Egypt. Through the centuries, you were worshipped in many ways in many places, and you were known by many names, chief among them Amun and Ra.”

Ashley: “To begin this Day of Celebration in your honor, we pay tribute to the gods worshipped by the ancient People of the Nile. We build this temple, which is for us the first land, the first hill, the first pyramid, rising out of the primordial sea of Nun. May it be for us the reunion of Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld, which were separated at Creation. May it be a barrier against the chaos which threatens the established order of Ma’at. And may it be a good and proper dwelling for Isis and Osiris, their Divine guests, the priests who serve them and all who are gathered here on this holy day.”

Appeasement Offering to Set

Livvy: “Set, brother of Osiris and Isis, husband and brother of Nephthys, God of Wind and Storms, Ruler of the Desert and Lord of Chaos; we honor you with this offering of sand from Giza, brought from the shadows of the great pyramids and from the deserts over which you rule. Be satisfied with this tribute, we ask, and do not trouble our sacred rite.”

Michi: throw sand in container (DUUF) or on ground (White Rock Lake)

Opening the Temple

Gongmaster: strikes gong one time LOUD

John and Ashley: as the gong is vibrating, open and tie back the curtains

Michi: light incense on the main altar

Directional Invocations

Priests move to designated quarters

John (North): “To those who would come to destroy. I shall not permit you to do so. O thou who comes to push aside and do wrong, I shall not permit you do so. Instead I say to you, I protect those within, me, look at me. I am the protector. You are not permitted to destroy.”

Livvy (East): “To those who would come in anger and rage. I shall not permit you to do so. O thou who comes not in love, I shall not permit you to pass. I, myself, sit upon the hill and watch over those within. You are repelled.”

Ashley (South): “To those who would come to hinder. I shall not permit you to do so. O you who comes to choke the truth, I shall not permit you do so. I have set aflame the desert, and I illuminate the path. The path is closed.”

Michi (West): “To those who would come in deceit, with steps turned backward. I shall not permit you to do so. O you who comes with hidden faces, I shall not permit you to do so. I stand behind those gathered and repel all who would cause chaos. You are not permitted to enter here.”

Ashley: step into center of temple area “To those who come in love and friendship, I welcome you. You who have come to honor the Sun and the God of the Sun, be at ease. You who would pay tribute to the Gods of Egpyt, draw near as we invoke the Lord and Lady of this temple.”

Priests move back to main altar

Hymn to Osiris

John: “Praise be unto you, Osiris, lord of eternity, you whose forms are manifold, and whose attributes are majestic, you are the guide of the Underworld, whom the gods glorify when you set in the night sky of Nut. Isis embraces you with content, and she drives away the fiends from the mouth of your paths. You turn your face upon Amentet, and you make the earth to shine like refined copper. Those who have lain down rise up to look upon you, they breathe the air and they look upon your face when the disk rises on the horizon; their hearts are at peace while they behold you. Let your heart be content, O Osiris, for your son Horus is established upon your throne. Through you the world waxes green in triumph, O you who are Eternity and Everlastingness.”

Hymn to Isis

Livvy: “Most Revered Isis, giver of life, residing in the Sacred Mound, Satis, Lady of Philae; She who pours out the Inundation that makes all people live and green plants grow, Who provides divine offerings for the gods, and invocation-offerings for the Transfigured Ones.

She is lady of Heaven, Her spouse is Lord of the Netherworld, Her son is Lord of the Land, Her spouse is the pure water, rejuvenating himself and Egypt at his time. She is Lady of Heaven, Earth, and the Netherworld, having brought them into existence through what her heart conceived and her hands created, She is the spirit that is in every city, watching over her son Horus and her brother Osiris.

The Procession of Horus

Ashley: “Like all gods, the gods of Egypt can be where ever their spirits desire to be. But in ancient times, their images resided in temples, where they were cared for by their priests. Only on special occasions were they brought out into the open where the ordinary people could see them. In keeping with the traditions of the People of the Two Lands, we celebrate this festival with a sacred procession.”

Livvy: “Today Osiris and Isis welcome their son, Horus, who journeys from afar to visit this temple.”

Michi: “Let the doors of the temple be open to Bright Horus, Hera-Karte, the Avenger, Lord of the Sky, God of the Rising and Setting Sun, Ruler of the Earth, He Whose Eye Protects All.”

John: “Behold, the procession of the Great God Horus!” dramatically points to the procession.

Gongmaster: strikes gong one time loud

The Procession: The statue of Horus is carried in a barque, covered with a canopy. A priest goes in front with a censer. As they process, priests in the temple are shaking sistrums while others are doing vocal intonations. Celebrants follow behind with drums or other instruments.

When the procession arrives in the temple, Cynthia reverently removes Horus from the barque (which is then set aside) and places Horus on the main altar with Osiris and Isis. As he is being placed on the altar, the priest with the censor continues to cense the statue.

When all is in place, the processors and celebrants move to stage right behind the musicians.

Offerings to the Gods

Cynthia: “We come before you, O Great Gods, our purification upon our arms. Assuredly, we are priests of this temple. We shall not linger, we shall not turn back. We are priests. We have come to perform the ritual, and we have not come to do that which is not to be done.”

Michi: takes the incese, holds it in a gesture of offering

John: O, Isis, Osiris, Horus

This incense is for you.

We have brought you this offering of incense,

That the air you breathe may be sweet and pure.

We have brought you this offering of incense,

Placing it at your feet.

We present that which flows forth from You.

That Your heart shall continue to beat.

For it is with you that all come forth at the sound of your voice.

Michi: places the incese at the feet of the statues

Michi: picks up bread, holds it in a gesture of offering

Ashley: “This bread is for you,

O Isis, Osiris, Horus.

May you be nourished by this gift

That you may nourish your people in return”

Michi: places bread at the feet of the statues

Michi: picks up water, holds it in a gesture of offering

Livvy: “This water is for you,

O Isis, Osiris, Horus.

May you be refreshed by this gift

We have brought you this offering of water,

Placing it at your feet.

We present that which flows forth from You.

That Your heart shall continue to beat.

For it is with you that all comes forth at the sound of your voice.

Michi: places the water at the feet of the statues

Michi: picks up karkady, holds it in a gesture of offering

Cynthia: This drink is for you,

O Isis, Osiris, Horus.

May you be refreshed by this gift

Because of you the world is fertile, and so we live.

For this we praise you with what comes from you,

Returning it, to be given again.

Michi: places karkady at the feet of the statues

Ritual Play

John: “Let us now honor the gods with this play, to tell the world of their great and mighty deeds.”

Priests move to the Players area at stage left.

Thoth: Walks on stage “Hear me now. I am Thoth, the voice of truth. I speak these words. In the time of my father’s father, Umat the great void birthed up those great gods whom today you honor. Great AmunRa, Lord of all Egypt, who hears all prayers and knows the hearts of the faithful. Mut, mother of all, lady of the rapids of the Nile, whose beauty lights the stars at night, bore in turn their children. Great ones according to their names, lords by virtue of their father, goddesses by virtue of their mother. Behold:”

Osiris walks on stage

Thoth: “There were two sons, Osiris the elder, most compassionate, Lord of grain and clean water. He who is the black land from which all good things spring.”

Set walks on stage

Thoth: “Set, the younger, god of the Red Land, the great desert, and the beasts it holds.”

Thoth: “Long was their strife until Set by cunning and treachery murdered his brother and in a rage scattered his body to the four corners of the earth.”

Osiris goes to back of stage and assumes the ‘mummiform’ stance we most associate with him

Set stands triumphant with staff and flail in hand

Isis: walks on stage, over to Osiris “Long did I, myself, Isis, Lady of Magic most merciful, search for my husband’s remains, until I could see him whole and reborn anew, returned to life, Lord of the Tuat. And together we made a son, Horus Herakate, Avenger of his father, to be the Lord of both Kingdoms of Egypt.

Horus walks on stage and joins Isis and Osiris

Set: “Long did they cower in the marshes too weak to take the throne of Egypt, which I, myself, Set, son of great Ammun Ra, did claim after the death of my brother.”

Horus: “Long indeed did I train in secrecy until I, the son of great Osiris and most revered Isis, grew strong enough to challenge my dread uncle for my birthright, and avenge my father.

Horus takes up staff and walks over to Set

Thoth: “Longer still did the battle rage between Bright Horus and Set, Lord of the Red Lands.”

Set and Horus have "fight".

Set: “Why are we fighting? You are my nephew. I was a child with your parents. Surely we can be family and not enemies. Stop this now.”

Set delivers parry blow and lightly ‘hits’ Horus

Set: “Here now you are injured, let me help you.”

Set puts staff to side. Horus is uncertain but lets Set reach for him. Set ‘smacks’ him in face with one hand holds head and reaches over with other hand to ‘pull out eye.’

Horus grabs eye and runs to Isis.

Thoth: “By cunning and treachery again, Set bested Horus as he had his father and sent him wounded to his mother.”

Isis: Touches Horus on head to "heal" eye. “Once again your uncle has cheated. He does not follow Ma’at, and so you must be even more riotous than ever to avenge your father. Here, I have placed your father’s strength and all my protective magics in this amulet, in the shape of the eye Set did try to steal from you. Take this wadjet and avenge your father.”

Horus goes back to Set and they have second fight. Set is defeated, but runs to Thoth.

Set: “Great Judge, leader of the Ennead, I would plead my case to the 42 who sit in judgment.”

Thoth: “Speak only truth, for I will weigh your words against the feather of Ma’at. Holds up feather

Set: “Horus is not the true son of my brother, Osiris, not a god, or a man, but a creature in between conjured by his mother’s magic. I am the living son of Great Ammun Ra, God of all Egypt. I should rule.”

Horus: walks over to stand next to Set in front of Thoth

Isis walks over to stand beside Horus

Horus: “I am Horus, Herakate, the Avenger of my father, the most revered Osiris. I am a god by virtue of my mother; I am Lord of Egypt by virtue of my father. And I have beaten Set in combat for my father’s throne.”

Thoth: Holds up hand and everyone waits for judgment “Long would the Ennead listen to both cases, yet I, myself, god of truth shall decide this. Step you both into the light of Ma’at, the great Ureas who combines the glory of AmmunRa’s sun disk and Mut’s light of stars.”

Set and Horus step forward

Flash of light from Thoth

Thoth: “Lo – truth is shown to me! Here is my decision and Judge of All Things. (Points dramatically to Horus) Here is the son of Osiris, Lord of the Tuat and most revered Isis, Lady of the Black Land. He is victor over his Uncle, Set, Lord of the Desert. And to him, Horus the Avenger, goes the crown of both lands of Egypt, so that we and Ma’at may continue.”

Isis embraces Horus

Set stomps about unhappy, ‘scaring’ priests

Thoth: “Set, you are yet a son of Great Ammun Ra, and so you are not cast into the abyss from which none return, but shall join thy father on his great barge in the sky, where you shall thunder and be feared.”

Set stomps off, placated if not happy

Isis takes crown from Osiris and places it on Horus.

Thoth: “Therefore as it has been, and forever shall be, did the son take up his father’s crown and chaos was driven back so that the black land could know crops, and the people could know contentment, and the gods could continue in the ways of order.”

Players return to stage left, Priests return to the temple area

Invocation of Blessings

John: “It is the height of Summer, the light of the year, when the life-giving rays of the Sun ripen the grains and make possible the harvest that will feed us all for the coming Winter.”

Ashley: “But there are many days and nights that must pass before the crops are ready, and many perils which may yet befall us, which may endanger the sacred order of Ma’at.”

Michi: “Likewise, we have sown the crops of our lives, and while we tend to our livelihoods and loved ones like the farmers tend their fields, we know that storms and pestilence can take many forms.”

Ashley: “Therefore it is fitting and good that we ask the blessings of these ancient gods on the crops of our fields and the crops of our lives.”

John: “Osiris, Lord of Life and Death, you are the God of Grain. Though you are cut down, yet you rise again, bringing life to the world. Protect our fields, we ask, that we and all people may have a bountiful harvest.

Livvy: “Isis, Lady of Magic, you performed the first Rite of Rebirth, giving Osiris eternal life. Teach us your ways, we ask, that we may grow strong in the ways of Spirit and bring healing to our communities near and far.”

Cynthia: “Horus, Ruler of the Earth, you took your throne from he who murdered your father. We ask you to bring justice to our world, that the innocent may prosper, and those who break the sacred law of Ma’at may be brought low.”

John: “Hear us, O Gods of Egpyt. We who follow the Old Ways in this New Land ask your blessing and your boon, that we may learn and grow in peace and love.”

All: “Ai hetrum heset nataru!”

Cynthia: “Grant us your grace, O gods!”

Reversion of Offerings

John: “O Osiris, O Isis, O Horus, you have taken sustenance from our offerings, and you have imbued them with your divine power. For this we thank you.

Worshippers of the Gods of Egypt, let us now partake of their blessings.”

sharing of drink by priests – karkady, a hibiscus / pomegranate tea

John, Michi, Livvy: distribute bread to the assembly – Cynthia to make

As the priests distribute bread to the assembly, the musicians sing

Song Lyrics:

Duhr, Duhr,

Ra, Herakte, Ra Herakte

Kem ahket emrehnef

Em shu ni tinen e ten

Anku jet nehkek

Nebeh shen eh-net

Nebeh ti eh-ten

Nebtet Nebta

Ribni Herul iten

Neb akheteten

Duhr, Duhr,

Nebeh shenn eh-net

Nebeh ti en-ten

Nebtet Nebta

Ribni Heru iten

Neb akheteten

Recession of Horus

John: “As our rite comes to a close, it is time for Horus to depart.”

Cynthia carefully and reverent replaces Horus in the barque

As Cynthia is doing this:

Ashley: “Hail god, son of a god!

Hail heir son of an heir!

Hail Horus emerged from Osiris, born of Isis the goddess.

We have spoken with your name,

We have recited from your words of power,

We have spoken with your words of light,

We have conjured with your speech,

created by your heart,

to seal the mouth of every serpent,

to make people live,

to make the gods content,

See, your name is called today.

May you create the raising of your renown,

when you have lifted by your words of light.”

(from the Horus stelae http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/art/horusstelae.html)

Cynthia leads the priests and celebrants back the way they came, carrying the barque, again led by a censer

Shake sistrums until the procession clears the assembly

Closing Ritual

John: “O Osiris, you bring forth the grains, and so we live.

We thank you for your presence and your blessings.”

Livvy: “O Isis, because of you the world is fertile, and so we live.

We thank you for your presence and your blessings.

Ashley: “Through you the people are filled with pleasure and joy, and so we live.”

Michi: Gently and with reverence, replace the statues in the cabinet

Livvy: “As Thoth has rescued the Eye of Horus from his enemies, Neither shall any enemy, male or female, enter into this sanctuary. We close the door, we set the seal.”

Michi: close door, set seal, back away from altar

Livvy: “We have left, with your great faces behind us.”

Gongmaster: strike gong one time

Livvy, Michi, Ashley, and John take two steps backwards, then turn to face the assembly

Formal Closing

John: “For the ancient Egyptians, life was never certain. Food, water, and the next harvest were not guaranteed: the desert is always waiting, and Set is never sated. The daily temple rituals insured that the sacred order of Ma’at would be maintained and that civilization would continue.”

Ashley: “Our modern lives are far less fragile: technology keeps the elements at bay, and our most common problem is too much food, not too little. Yet we are not so different from our Egyptian ancestors, and we still struggle to maintain balance in our work, with our families, in our country, and on our planet. By the performance of our rituals and our daily spiritual practices, we maintain the sacred order of Ma’at in our lives and in our land.

John: “Go in peace, and may Horus walk between you and the dark places you must travel.”

Gongmaster: strike gong one time LOUD

Informal Closing (John)

thanks for coming

we’ll be available to answer questions

look, but don’t touch

next CUUPS events:

adopt-a-spot clean up next Sunday 6/28

Lughnasadh Saturday 7/29

DUUF Sunday service – Father’s Day