Images of the Gods in Liber Resh vel Helios
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Liber Resh is not an ancient Egyptian ritual, though it is inspired by ancient Egypt.
My main purpose here is to post some images of what the Gods in Liber Resh look like. Most Gods have more than one form. According to Erik Hornung, the ancient Egyptians did not take these forms as literal pictures of what the Gods looked like, but rather as a hieroglyph or symbolic characterization of their nature.
Many Egyptian Gods have human bodies with animal heads. This form has its origins in a priest or shaman wearing an animal mask, in predynastic times.
One must keep in mind the conventions of two-dimensional Egyptian art. For example, Egyptian conventions in art show the face in profile, while the crown on the top of the head is sometimes shown in front view, sometimes in profile, depending on the style of the crown. When I can, I will also show a sculptural version of the God.
As a river people, one image Egyptians had was of the Sun as a boat floating across the sky. The boat, or barque, is usually shown as something fairly simple. The images I have of this sun barque are not exactly like the description in Liber Resh, as Liber Resh does not follow Egyptian mythology exactly.
Ra in the sun barque:
www.histoire-fr.com/images/ra_barque_solaire_apophis_thot.gifRa in the sun barque, with the benu bird (phoenix) Tomb at Deir el Medina:
innemedium.pl/sites/default/files/imagecache/400naszerokosc/images/mlw_0001_0004_0_img0171.jpg
www.dinosoria.com/egypte/re.jpgModel boat for a tomb:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_barque_model_Louvre.jpg
artnc.org/sites/default/files/EGYPTIAN,%20Model%20of%20a%20Boat,%2082_12,%20view%20A_0.jpg
ihathor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/egyptian_barque_model_louvre.jpgKhufu's Solar Boat found by the Great Pyramid:
www.phouka.com/pharaoh/egypt/photos/giza/solarBoat-01.html
www.touregypt.net/featurestories/greatpyramid5.htm
www.touregypt.net/featurestories/solar.htm
www.peccator.no/Images/By_Time_Place-Ancient/02egyptian/01/DOT_Egypt_Giza_Sun_Boat_1.jpg
(thanks to Lucero)"Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm."
The prow is the front of the boat, the helm is tiller to steer the boat at the back.
Tahuti is more commonly known as Thoth, which is what the Greeks called him. “Tahuti” is the Victorian rending of the Egyptian name for the God. Contemporary Egyptologists use “Djehuty”. Tahuti can be in the form of an Ibis, a man with the head of an ibis, or a baboon. Tahuti is the God of the moon, of writing, and of knowledge.
As a man with an Ibis head, in the Papyrus of Hunefer:
www.archaeowiki.org/Image:Thoth_%28detail%29_Papyrus_of_Hunefer.jpgAs a man with an Ibis head:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thoth.jpg
ravel.webshots.com/photo/1033326393033137413gfCpniTahuti enthroned, tomb of Queen Nefertari:
www.delange.org/Nefertari/nef6.jpgTahuti as an ibis:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:-332_Hieroglyphe_Thoth_anagoria.JPG
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ibis_of_the_God_Thoth.jpgPhotos of the sacred Ibis:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:African_Sacred_Ibis_RWD.jpg
orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/african_sacred_ibis_001.jpg
ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/African_Sacred_Ibis_MG_6948_Pat_Ayling.jpgStatues of Tahuti as a baboon:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_-Thoth-Baboon-_Walters_481543.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thoth_as_baboo_E17496.jpg
farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/8072261542_46960966e8_o.jpg
1.bp.blogspot.com/-odGv8Wmwadw/TZkbieUIXCI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/AUJiiOL8CkE/s1600/baboon.jpgPhotos of the African Baboon:
1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxN-GlntA30/UWaK-y4kK6I/AAAAAAAAAZg/77sxH7CZ2RA/s1600/baboon+Rodin.jpg
www.dsphotographic.com/g2/12654-3/Baboons+-009.jpg
images.travelpod.com/users/jonclark2000/africa-05-06.1140685380.baboon.jpg
Ra-Hoor is called “Re-Horakhty” by Egyptologists today. He is a syncretic God, which means he is a combination of two Gods. It is the idea of one God “inhabiting” another. In this case, Ra, (or Re, alternative spelling) is inhabiting Horakhty “Horus-of-the-two-horizons” – referring to the rising and setting sun. Confusingly, Ra and Re-Horakhty look exactly the same most of the time. You can only tell them apart from reading the inscription. He is a man with the head of a falcon, with the red sun disk surrounded by a cobra on top of his head. In two dimensional art, the sun disk is a front view but the cobra is shown side view.
Of course, the Stele of Revealing shows Ra-Hoor:
amesa.abrahadabra.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/stele.jpgThis site has a couple of pictures of Ra and Re-Horakhty with an essay:
www.touregypt.net/featurestories/re.htmThis essay on syncretism has some nice images of Re-Horakhty:
www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sync.htmLady of the West and Re-Horakhty in the tomb of Queen Nefertari:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Maler_der_Grabkammer_der_Nefertari_001.jpgHorus as a falcon:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tutankhamun_Falcon1_(retouched.jpg
farm1.static.flickr.com/152/435580385_3e2f9aa178.jpg?v=0
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-schmuela-_IMG_7082.jpgHorus as a falcon, sculpture:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egypt.Edfu.Temple.01.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_Falcon_(Le_Louvre_(8225557913).jpg
farm1.static.flickr.com/240/459924227_025744a752.jpg?v=0
farm1.static.flickr.com/247/452745893_c6e1935443.jpg?v=0Photo of the Lanner falcon, Egypt:
www.netcore.ca/~peleetom/Lanner%20Falcon.jpg
inyurl.com/ybxhat6Realistic painting of a Horus falcon by Fen Lansdowne, click on the upper left painting:
clicks.robertgenn.com/larks-owls.ph
Hathor is a mother Goddess, and also the Goddess of love, beauty, music and dance. She can also take a very fierce form, as the Eye of Re. She is frequently depicted as a woman with the sun disk on her head with two cow’s horns. She is also a cow, and less often, a woman with a cow head. She is also shown as a woman with the ears of a cow on the capital of pillars, and the handles of mirrors.
Hathor in human form:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hathor_y_Seti_I.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dendera_Römisches_Mammisi_21b.jpg
Hathor & Queen Nefertari: Hathor is on the left, with a sun disk and cow horns on her head, Queen Nefertari on the right with a vulture crown.
www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/pschmid1/essays/Nefertari/hathor.nofretari.jpegHathor heads - face of a woman with cow's ears:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S_F-E-CAMERON_EGYPT_2006_HATSHEPSUT00195.JPG
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ny_Carlsberg_Glyptothek_-_Hathor.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris_703.jpg
farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/1773700164_488d2ffc87.jpg?v=0Hathor as the Heavenly Cow:
farm4.staticflickr.com/3160/2931264377_8d89cde09e_o.jpg
mifflin.soaringweb.org/images/EGYPT/Egypt_4008_1536x1042.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BD_Hathor_Mistress_of_the_West.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_of_Hathor_.jpg
Tum, more commonly known as Atum, was a man, sometimes crowned as a king, other times without the crown. He was a creator God.
Essay on Atum, with photos:
www.touregypt.net/featurestories/atum.htmOsiris & Atum, Tomb of Nefertari.: Osiris is on the left, with green skin, Atum is on the right, with the double crown of a Pharaoh.
www.kingsacademy.com/mhodges/11_Western-Art/03_Egyptian/1200s-BC_Tomb-of-Nefertari_Atum+Osiris_GGW-039.jpgStatue of Pharaoh Horemheb worshipping Atum:
inyurl.com/bmjc5e
fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390541_493235554038496_1771113533_n.jpgAtum - modern drawing
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atum.svg
Khephra, also spelled Khephera, Khephri, was a scarab beetle. This beetle lays its eggs in dung, which it then rolls into a ball. So another conception the Egyptian had of the sun was of a ball of dung rolled by a great beetle across the sky. Khephra could be depicted as simply a beetle, or as a man with a beetle for a head. (I like to think of him as a man with a beetle mask.) The scarab beetle was also much used as an amulet, by the living and the dead.
Here is Khephra, as a man with a beetle head:
img2.allposters.com/images/BRGPOD/218239.jpg
www.crystalinks.com/khepri.htmlScarab Amulet from King Tutankhamen,
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tutankhamun_scarab1.jpgBreastplate amulet from the mummy of King Tutankhamen, Scarab in Sun Boat, with Tahuti on each side:
www.blingdomofgod.com/entryimages/scarab_pec_cover-thumb.jpgWinged Scarab amulet from the mummy of King Tut – actually hieroglyphs spelling his name:
farm1.static.flickr.com/130/420305412_96b98ad055.jpg?v=0The scarab in the sun barque:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nun_Raises_the_Sun.jpg
www.uux.cn/attachments/2011/06/1_201106301006241UkhG.jpgStatue of the scarab at Karnak temple:
www.planetware.com/i/photo/granite-scarab-karnak-egy291.jpgPhotos of the beetle species, scarabaeus sacer:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scarabaeus.sacer.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scarabaeus.JPG
1068.photobucket.com/user/linnaeus1758/media/917779365.jpg.html
fw.so/uploads/posts/2012-06/1340025822_1.jpgIt's not just any beetle, it's a specific species. They are quite large, and they can fly. They come out in the summertime. They aren't as common in Egypt today as they were in ancient times.
Love is the law, love under will.
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thank you tamara! this is awesome!
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WOW! Tamara....WOW! Thanks so much, this is great.
Man that Khephra man with the beetle head is CREEEEEEEPY!
But SO AWESOME!!!
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So today I did began Liber Resh. I performed the morning adoration, and the mid-day adoration. (I missed it at noon and was late, but will try harder...it's difficult with my work schedule). My impressions are that it felt good in a way I can't describe, but at the morning Adoration I felt self-conscious. I didn't go outside or anything, just faced the East. By the second Call I was willing to say it in the loud voice.
I think I'll have to keep doing it through so I can memorize the words, which should be easy as short as the adorations are, but then I want to be able to visualize the appropriate god forms when calling out the adorations. I want to find Eastern attributions though, as I simply do not feel strongly connected to the Egyptian pantheon...I feel empty inside about it, as opposed to the Hindu and Buddhist ones. Anyone know who the Eastern equivilants would be of the god forms? I will research it myself, but I thought I would throw that out there.
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Well for me personally the whole concept of Gods is man-made. They are just our attempt to describe the ineffable. I mean the choice of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses is effective, just as effective would be the use of Mayan and Aztec gods and goddesses (since all archetypes of Gods and Goddesses cultural relate to one another in some form or fashion).
In ritual I usually like to mix things up between Hindu, Egyptian, Viking, American Indian and other Godforms that I take on.
As humans evolve I think we will stop seperating ourselves from the Cosmos. We are each fractals of the whole, we are the Gods, Aliens and Demons of our past.
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Liber Resh is a very significant ritual to me because it is directly related to the geometry of the cosmos, in this case the rotation of the earth on its axis, while other seasonal rituals are related to the orbit of the earth round the Sun i.e especially the equinoxes and the solstices, this culmulatively implies that being aware of one´s position in relation to the cosmos at all times is important. I postulate ultimately mutable things may be understood/categorized in terms of position and relative accelaration, and hence Liber Resh is one point of intersection possibly between a more secular and geometric perspective and Magick.
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unfortunately, many of the links are dead....
It would be nice to see if the images could be hosted here?
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I will try to update it again soon.... I can't post the images directly because of copyright concerns.
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@Frater Sabaechi said
"Well for me personally the whole concept of Gods is man-made. They are just our attempt to describe the ineffable.
"I'd tend to agree, provided that it is understood that the gods are subconscious / unconscious / intuitive constructs rather than intellectual ones. The popular "atheist" myth going around that the gods were initially intellectual constructs thought up to solve philosophical problems is complete rubbish. The most primitive peoples who don't care a hell for explaining how a tree or a mountain got where it was, have their gods, and all those gods are very accurate "descriptors" of the intuitive relationship they have with their environment (and themselves).
EDIT: Oops, never noticed that I replied to a post that's more than a year old.
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OK, I updated the links that had died. If a link goes bad, you can google it on google images.
93's
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Thank you for your update.
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Slightly off topic... The signs given in Resh have elemental correspondence. Do they have anything to do with the tattvic flow from the sun described in the G.D. papers on the tattvas? i.e. the signs of LVX are given at dawn, when akasa is the predominant element radiated from the sun...
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@Kraven said
"Slightly off topic... The signs given in Resh have elemental correspondence. Do they have anything to do with the tattvic flow from the sun described in the G.D. papers on the tattvas? i.e. the signs of LVX are given at dawn, when akasa is the predominant element radiated from the sun..."
The Grade Signs correspond with the Sephiroth not the elements.
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@Kraven said
"Slightly off topic... The signs given in Resh have elemental correspondence. Do they have anything to do with the tattvic flow from the sun described in the G.D. papers on the tattvas? i.e. the signs of LVX are given at dawn, when akasa is the predominant element radiated from the sun..."
They aren't given due to elemental correspondences (and, in fact, they primarily have sephirothic correspondences, not elemental). They are given as positional in relation to a person standing at the intersection of Tiphereth and Yesod.
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Where can one find more info on Liber Resh? For something done as often as suggested or required, take your pick, I'd like to know more about it. Thanks.
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@sphinx666 said
"Where can one find more info on Liber Resh? For something done as often as suggested or required, take your pick, I'd like to know more about it. Thanks."
First, it's pretty simple - not all that complicated - so there isn't a huge amount to say.
Nonetheless, I wrote an article on it for In the Continuum some years ago. I don't know the issue - maybe someone else can look it up. You can get all copies of ITC for free here: helema.org/publications/itc.html
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@sphinx666 said
"Where can one find more info on Liber Resh? For something done as often as suggested or required, take your pick, I'd like to know more about it. Thanks."
there's something that I recently translated to english, which may be of help for your further personal meditation on the subject:
"an excerpt from Liber Zelotes:
Q: a) Why is Liber Resh really important? b) Isn’t the Sun equally worth as any other planet? c) Can you give me an example of a correct attainment in Liber Resh, through concrete examples – in the notes of your ‘probationers’ (and students) or yours?
A: Liber Resh is one of the simplest and most practical method of awakening the counsciousness of the True Nature and Will. Let me be clear – every of the rituals has to be that in its own way, the difference is in the ‘folklore’ i.e. symbolism and procedures, but the goal is one.
a) Resh is the Sun, which makes it clear that by this ritual a certain Bhakti yoga practice is being performed, which leeds the aspirant into the awareness of the ‘Sun’ and certain, different, aspects of it. Liber Resh (as well as ‘our’ other rituals) contains in itself the keys of a truly balanced method of attainment of that consciousness of the ‘Sun’.
b) The Sun is not a planet, the Sun is a STAR, it is the center of the ‘Solar system’. Sun is the All-creator and God of the Macrocosm, as Phallos is its ‘representative’ in the Microcosm. All the planets ale “equally worth” since it is a whole of the system, but they are ‘only’ frozen ‘sprakles’ created by the Will of that Sun.
Every planet has its own nature and characteristics, but they are created out of Sun and in the Sun is their essence.
c) The ‘correct attainment’ is simply – awareness, pure Gnosis, direct Expirience of the Truth of the Sun.Q: I have a problem with expiriencing the Sun (Resh) in Midnight. Can it be corrected or should I do something additional?
A: You didn’t precisely define what exactly those problems’ in expiriencing the Sun (Resh) in Midnight are. I suppose it’s about some vagueness and confusion which impede you to free your consciousness for the experience of the nature of the sun. It’s no wonder, Ruach - the Mind (lower and higher) is by itself volatile, flirty and if not put in service of Will, as a weapon and tool (machinery) of performing the Will, then it can obstruct with its unharmonious functioning. (Actually, unharmonious functioning does not exist, it is your Angel acquainting you with yourself, so that you can confront yourself and use your nature, powers and abilities for realization of that Will which the ‘Angel’ himself represents).
There are two usual “medicines” which are often prescribed:- Invoke often!
- Enflame yourself with prayer!
The only thing that cal lead you to attainment is your WORK.
Q: What is the exact effect of giving the sign of the grade before this such an important ritual?
A: Signs of the grades are certain Divine ‘Mudras’ through which a harmonious attunement and awakening of the consciousness of corresponding Deity, element etc could be realised.
Therefore this signs are given during the certain invocation. For example, in the morning Ra is greeted when he is rising on the horizon, toward the East which is ascribed to the element Air, and hence the appropriate sign is that of God Shu – which (as the Greek Atlas does) supports the Sky. This attunement is happening on many levels.
With the body – physically, by visualisation – astrally, by words – mentally, by Wiil – spiritually. By making a full circle during the day, a balance in respect to the hub is established, during which a spontanuos (or willing) opening of the ‘veil’ can occur and an influx of LVX in the center, i.e. into the Magician him/herself.Q: Can the Holy Guardian Angel be expirienced and manifested in this ritual? Could this ritual be adapted for every grade, with the additional requests for every grade, or is it universal?
A: One can meet the Holy Guardian Angel at any time and any place, when one is attuned with his/her True Nature and becomes aware of its Beauty (and the meaning of that Will).
For attainment of Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel no particular ritual is asigned – because everyone has his/her own method for that attainment.
Everyone can adapt Liber Resh according to his/her will, in accordance to his/her nature and with adequate correspondences, attuned with this and by personal inspiration. Nothing should be restrained.Q: What is really the meaning of this fourfold adoration of the Sun? Do you also know the highest form of this adoration (mentioned in “Magick Without Tears”)?
A: “I have made a secret door Into the House of Ra and Tum, Of Khephra and of Ahathoor...” this is obviously one of the most important items to which the verses of Liber Legis point out. Liber Resh itself was created to fulfill this verse. The real meaning of the fourfold adoration of the Sun is thus – opening of this ‘secret door’ which anables the magician to set his foot on the floor of the palace of the Sun. And that Sun is Heru Ra Ha, which unites Ra Hoor Khuit and Hoor Paar Kraat.
But, back to the basic staff: firstly, one should study what do Ra, Tum, Khephra and Ahathoor ‘mean’ and what are their qualities. You should (if thus be your Will!) think, contemplate and meditate on this – that is a regular practice – to regularly salute the Sun in its four positions. Secondly – you should endure (if your Will be to gain that understanding) even when the ‘visible‘ meaning is lost and when meaninglessness and ‘darkness’ cover this Work. Thirdly – if one does not aim towards the Sun, as the centre of the Tree of Life and the place-abode of the Holy Guardian Angel, then every work can swerve into self-indulgence which has limitation for its purpose, and not the ‘Beauty of Ligft of the Sun’.It could be said that the higher form of this adoration can represent the sexo-magickal operations (different forms of them) – because the symbol of the Sun is the union of the Point and the Circle – which are symbols for Phallus and Kteis – which are the Rose and the Cross. In this we are, for example, instructed in the most obvious way by the name of the God Khephra: K-Kteis + Ph-Phallus + RA, they are united in the Light of the Sun – in LVX.
I could also say that the ‘secret door’ is – the Gate of the Sun God – the gate is BAB, God is AL, and the Sun is ON – it is BABALON! The ‘secret door’ is thus Kteis, while the Sun is – Phallus."
[p.s. anyone with language-correction suggestions, feel free to jump in
- pm me, to not stray from the topic here] -
Thank you for the info Jim and Danica. I will find the info in the ITC and post.
I was performing it at midnite with the full moon lighting the night sky. I had such a great experience really locking into the sense of the earth spinning and moving while the sun remained still. It was similar to looking down from atop a ferris wheel just over the bar as the wheel and car moved, almost dizzying.
From that moment it completely changed my awareness of my relationship (on a moving planet) to the sun. Similarly, it awakened me to the impression that my HGA is as big, profound, and as patient as that sun waiting for me to complete my orbit...
It is simple -
@Jim Eshelman said
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Nonetheless, I wrote an article on it for In the Continuum some years ago. I don't know the issue - maybe someone else can look it up. You can get all copies of ITC for free here: helema.org/publications/itc.html"
Assuming...
Commentary By Frater Iacchus
ITC Vol. IV, No. 4 pg 4 or ITC 4a pg146 of 238Thanks,
Marc