Aeon Of Ma'at
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@Frater Em Hotep said
...something called the Aeon of Ma'at? Apparently it's the Aeon to come after the current Aeon of Heru
Yes, that's the way they tell us it's scheduled, and Ma'at does certainly seem to be functioning as the Hiereus of the present Aeon (having advanced from Hegemon, just as Horus advanced from Hiereus to Hierophant).
(Though evidently some think it's already here?)
The kindest and most diplomatic thing I can say about this is, "Yes, you're right, there are some people with that opinion."
I read that according to Kenneth Grant the Aeon of Ma'at is here already
I think (I could be wrong about this) that Grant only reported that others - particularly Achad - had that view. I don't offhand recall encountering Grant actually holding that view. (In any case, I would not take him seriously as an authority on the subject.)
I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts/opinions on this.
Yes, people do have thoughts/opinions on this.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Ma'at does certainly seem to be functioning as the Hiereus of the present Aeon (having advanced from Hegemon, just as Horus advanced from Hiereus to Hierophant)."
This seems to clarify some key differences between the previous Aeon and the current one. In the Aeon of Osiris, darkness was met with force, the aspirant went into battle with the demons, and the shadows were vanquished (Molinos and several others made it clear that the passions were to be starved out of existence). In the Aeon of Horus, darkness is met with rationality and impartiality. The demons are examined, the aspirant is free of judgment and superstition, and the light is shown into the shadows, revealing their true nature and thus redeeming them.
My questions is this: who is functioning as the Hegemon in the current Aeon?
My first thought is Osiris. But that would indicate that the three officers merely rotate between the roles from Aeon to Aeon, which doesn't really make sense since Isis was on the Hierophant's throne a couple of Aeons ago. Osiris would have to be Past Hierophant (if the metaphor can be stretched that far).
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@Herr Meow said
"My questions is this: who is functioning as the Hegemon in the current Aeon?"
Anubis - who was the Kerux of the last aeon. (Primary floor positions rotate one notch per Equinox of the Gods.)
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Of course! Never occurred to me. Thanks, Jim.
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This, of course, is theory. It's theory that I find to work exceedingly well. - But I thought I should add this note as a stand against superstition.
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Seems to fit perfectly. In the previous Aeon, the path to the light was characterized by abstinence and an effort to transcend the passions. In the current Aeon, the contents of the underworld (in which are to be found the suppressed passions, among other things) are put into service on the path to the light, they're redeemed and used instead of being left behind.
In a secular sense, previously we had priests, now we have psychotherapists
It does make me wonder about some of the other offices though. As far as I know (and despite the published work of at least one person who claims otherwise), in the original GD there were no God-forms for the Stolistes and Dadouchos roles (and perhaps Sentinel?) Now we seem to have 2 sets - Auramo-ooth/Neith and Thaum-Aesch-Neith/Selket (and Anubis of the West for Sentinel). Thaum-Aesch-Niaeth I can certainly see in the Kerux role for the Aeon of Horus ("Perfection through Fire manifesting on Earth"), Selket not so much. Also, I would wonder who is the new Sentinel. Perhaps the candidate from the Aeon of Osiris? It would make sense in a way - many of the books on the A.A. Student grade reading list are spiritual classics from the previous Aeon, barring the entrance to the Temple for those who haven't assimilated their contents.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Anubis - who was the Kerux of the last aeon. (Primary floor positions rotate one notch per Equinox of the Gods.)"
Not to get off topic, but how are the positions determined? (Aeon of Anubis... sounds interesting, especially if the natural level of consciousness is Iechidah.)
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The pattern that has been followed is the archetypal god-form pattern of the Golden Dawn's floor officers. (Anubis was Kerux in the Aeon of Osiris, and thus promoted to Hegemon at the Equinox of the Gods inaugurating the Aeon of Horus. H would be expected to be Hiereus in the Aeon of Maat, therefore... which is quite an astounding pair.)
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I think (I could be wrong about this) that Grant only reported that others - particularly Achad - had that view. I don't offhand recall encountering Grant actually holding that view."
You are wrong on this. It is clear from various writings, for example Outside the Circles of Time, that Grant wasn't simply reporting the views of Achad as developed in his 1948/1949 correspondence with Yorke, but was developing those views. For instance, he regarded the egg, which plays such a prominent role in the Amalantrah Working, as being an early precursor of the Aeon of Maat.
Best wishes,
Michael.