Greco-Egyptian Offertory Rite: Version 1.0

Before performing, please consult the commentary to this ritual, which is included at the end.

1.1 Make sure that all of your supplies have been properly set up beforehand.

1.2 Cleanse yourself with a purifying bath.

1.3 Then dress yourself in proper clean attire, placing the garland-crown upon your head.

1.4 Prepare yourself mentally and spiritually.

2.1 Take up the vessel of holy water.

2.2 Walk the circuit of your ritual space, sprinkling everything you encounter with the holy water to purify it.

2.3 Recite the following as you make your circuit: “You are washed clean by the life-giving waters of the Nile! You are pure! No man has set foot on you, for you are the primordial mound rising from the broad depths of the Ocean at the First Time. You are pure!”

2.4 Take up the aparkhai and proceed to the shrine. Scatter the aparkhai and say:

“To the givers of life, life!”

2.5 Light the incense. Carry it in procession around the sacred site, fumigating the space. Then set the incense down before the veiled image. Say:

“May this scent be pleasing to you, O N., as the scent of you is pleasing to me. At your appearance the world is filled with your fragrance; it precedes you, intoxicating all who smell it, filling them with joy and a longing for you. The scent of you is in this incense: you are near! You are near!”

2.6 Take up the ankh. Hold it aloft for a moment, then touch it to your lips in a reverent kiss. Now turn to the four cardinal directions, pausing for a moment at each, before turning back to the shrine. Touch each of the items on the shrine with the ankh, including the veiled image of the deity. Then place the ankh upon the shrine itself. Do this in complete silence, mindful of the mystery.

2.7 Light the candle or lamp and say the following as you place it before the veiled image:

“Chaos is overthrown; the doors are opened wide and your presence fills the earth with its light and warmth. Let this light serve as a reminder of you in the dark, O N.; let this beacon guide you from the shining heights down to the home I have made for you here.”

2.8 Lift your hands up in a receptive posture and speak words to the following effect:

“O N, the sound of your name is pleasing to all who hear it; your power is respected throughout all lands; even the gods themselves gather to praise your form in the morning! You are the one whose soul is mighty in [the god’s city]; you are the one whose fame will never depart from eternal Alexandria; you are the one whose manifestations are beautiful in [your own city].”

Now recite a litany of the god’s epithets, attributes, spheres of influence, and any past benefactions they have performed for you or those close to you. When you are finished, say:

“O N., as you have heard my prayers and answered them in the past, hearken to me now! Come in peace, O N.! Send forth your spirit that it might mingle with your cult image and receive the host of pleasing offerings that I have brought for you!”

2.9 Pause for a moment, letting your mind be flooded with images of the god. Then lift the veil or unlock the doors of the naos and shout with joy:

“The god has appeared! Welcome in peace, O N., you who make the world peaceful in your coming!”

2.10 Offer proskynesis to the god.

2.11 Pour out the libation of wine. Say:

“As you have filled my heart with joyousness, O N., may this wine bring you abundant pleasure.”

2.12 Pour out the libation of oil. Say:

“As your blessings are manifold, O N., may this most useful oil find favor with you.”

2.13 Pour out the libation of milk. Say:

“As you care for mankind like the cow her suckling calf, O N., may this milk renew your goodwill.”

2.14 Pour out the libation of clear water. Say:

“As you have given comfort to the ancestors, O N., may this cool water be a soothing balm for you.”

2.15 The four libations complete, pause for a moment and reflect on the meaning of each.

2.16 Place your food offering upon the altar. Say:

“May this feast nourish your soul, O N., as your blessings have nourished my body.”

2.17 Touch each of the offerings and libation-bowls with the ankh and then transfer it to the image of the god.

2.18 If you have brought any further offerings, make them at this time.

2.19 Address the god in your own words.

2.20 Spend some time in silent communion with the god.

2.21 When the time has reached its completion thank the god in your own words for its blessings.

2.22 Remove your footsteps. The ritual is complete.


Commentary

Introduction

This is a modern Greco-Egyptian ritual of offering, intended for private domestic use. It borrows elements from both Kemetic and Hellenic practice, but it should not be understood as a proper reconstruction of any ancient ritual. To begin with, the act of combining these elements makes it novel; furthermore, while we do have a wealth of material on ancient religious practice – including complete ritual scripts in the case of the Egyptian material – these have a specific context, namely the temple, which are not applicable to most people’s situation today. While we know that the common man carried out a great deal of worship in his or her own home, precious little of that information has come down to us, especially in regards to the specifics of what he or she actually said or did to honor their gods. Therefore, it has become necessary to improvise by filling in the blanks, adapting the stuff we do have, and coming up with completely new material that is hopefully consistent with the spirit of ancient worship.

This text is provided simply as a suggested template for those who wish to have a regular formal ritual to perform for their gods: if people wish to adapt this further, or come up with their own version, they are by all means encouraged to do so! It is also provisional and subject to change as we learn new things and develop new traditions through our practice of this emerging faith tradition. Hence we are calling it the Greco-Egyptian Offertory Rite Version 1.0 – with the full understanding that other versions may be produced at a later time.

Good ritual, like good writing of all kind, is based on the principle of “show – don’t tell.” Proper ritual should communicate through its actions everything necessary for the effective performance of the ritual. I have unfortunately had to sit through rituals where every minute detail was bracketed with tons of explanation so that I felt like I was at a sporting event and being given a blow-by-blow description – not participating in an act of worship. This interrupts the flow of energy and ignores the fact that all of an individual’s senses need to be engaged during the rite, not just their intellect. However, ritual is a form of communication, a dialogue and drama (both between the participants and between the individual and the divine) with each action possessing a highly symbolic vocabulary. If you are not aware of what lies behind these things, chances are you’re going to miss out on a great deal of the metaphorical content of the rite. Therefore I have tried to keep that to a minimum within the actual ritual – only providing explanation where it was called for within the ritual, the act of recitation (legomena “things said”) being part of the sacred action (dromena “things done”) itself. All of the rest can be found here in the commentary.

Preparation

1.1
There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a ritual and realizing that you forgot something important. You either have to do without it at that point, or break the flow, run out and grab it, then try to get back into the swing of things. Careful planning beforehand can resolve all of that. Make a checklist of all the items you will need before you start:

• Image of the god (a statue, a picture, or anything that reminds you of them)
• Flat surface or altar to place offerings on
• A veil to cover the sacred image if you don’t have a proper naos-cabinet (preferably black, white, or gold – but you may also use a color appropriate for the deity: red should only be used for Seth)
• Decorations for the shrine (i.e. symbols associated with the deity, an altar cloth, things to hang up around the shrine, etc)
• A vessel for water
• Holy water (prepared beforehand using either natron or khernips)
• A branch or whisk to sprinkle ablutions (may also use your own fingers)
• Food offerings (bread or cakes, at the least, though fruits, vegetables, and meat are also proper)
• Wine
• Milk
• Pure water
• Oil (preferably olive)
• Separate bowls to pour all of your libations into (you could pour them all in one large bowl, but that’s messy and ugly, and thus it’s recommended to have several smaller ones)
• Aparkhai “first-fruits offerings” such as barley groats, grain, flower-petals, seeds, grass, sand, earth, etc.
• A stephanos or garland-crown (can be made using flowers associated with the deity)
• An ankh (symbol of life)
• Incense (different scents are appropriate for different deities – but a mixture of frankincense and myrrh is a good standby, as well as kyphi for the Egyptian deities)
• Censer or incense-burner (needs to be portable)
• Candles (at least one, though more may be called for – you can also use a lamp if you have this: colors may be chosen as befits the deity, though black, gold, and white are a good de facto choice)
• Lighter (best if you have one reserved solely for religious use, though in a pinch any will do)
• Appropriate music if you wish to have accompaniment during your ritual
• A print-out of any prayers or spoken lines you don’t have memorized (try to use this as little as possible: not only is it good to have your hands free, but it can interrupt the flow of the ritual, shifting your focus from experiential to cognitive, and the act of memorizing this material can be a form of devotion on your part outside of ritual: but let’s face it, not all of us have the time or mental discipline to memorize this stuff, so it’s okay to use a script: just try to keep it as unobtrusive as possible)
• Divinatory tools (if applicable)
• Anything else you think you’ll need during the ritual, such as flowers, special gifts, additional ritual tools, etc.

Before you get started, set everything up properly. You may want to have several small stands to place the offerings and other tools on while they wait to be used in the ritual. Make sure that you will have plenty of space to navigate around in during the rite: for instance, you don’t want to have the vessels and offerings too close to the divine image so that they get knocked over when you lift the veil. If you’re going to play music, make sure that the song selection is ready to go, so that you don’t spend 10 minutes skipping around until you’ve found it. You may also want to pour your libations into separate vessels before the start of the ritual for aesthetic reasons, that way you’re not making the offering directly from the milk carton or wine bottle – but that’s a matter of personal preference, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with doing it the other way. Once everything has been set up, double-check it, just to be on the safe side. Go over the script even if you have things memorized, that way it’s fresh in your mind from the outset. You’ll find that once you’ve done this a couple times it will begin to sink in and feel like second nature: you won’t even have to think about it, your brain and body will pick up on clues and the actions will follow naturally one after another. But until such a time, it’s handy to give yourself a refresher before you start.

1.2
Egyptian temple complexes had pools built in so that the priests could bathe before they entered the sanctuary. (Serge Sauneron, The Priests of Ancient Egypt pg 36) Herodotos remarked that the Egyptian priests bathed three or four times a day (2.37), and the lowest rank of Egyptian priests was called wabu, “the pure/clean ones.” Cleanliness – both internally and externally – was of paramount importance. For an explanation of why this exterior purity is so important, please consult my article on ritual etiquette. There is, however, another reason why it is important to bathe before performing ritual: the act of doing so puts us in the proper mindset and helps spiritually regenerate us. For the Greeks and Egyptians, water was the holiest of all of the elements. Every river, spring, lake, stream and well had its presiding spirit, deity or nymph. Both Greeks and Egyptians agreed that water was the primordial element out of which all life emerged. (Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris 364 D) In Greece Okeanos and Tethys were the divine progenitors of the gods themselves (Iliad 14.200-244), while in Egypt we find in the Pyramid Texts the belief that originally only the watery abyss of Nun existed, before Atum caused the first mound of earth to emerge, upon which the gods could stand and life could flourish. The annual flood of the Nile made life possible in the rain-scarce lands that bordered the Egyptian desert. Without it, there would only be death and desolate destruction. As the river overflowed its banks, it deposited the rich black alluvial soil that the farmers needed to tend their crops so that they could feed their children and life could prosper. Neilos was a potent, generative force: barren women would drink from it to conceive; the sick would wash away their illness in it; during the Imperial period the water from the river was collected and sent to Isiac temples as far away as Rome, Spain, Germany, and England to be used for purification and renewal; and any who drowned in its depths was granted instant immortality and given cultus as deified heroes.

Meditate on this as you bathe before your ritual. All rivers are connected; not only do they flow into each other many times, but there is only a finite number of water molecules in existence, which are constantly being recycled through evaporation and rainfall. No matter where you are, at least some of the water molecules that you are bathing in belonged at one point to the most holy Neilos! So as you submerge yourself in the watery depths, think about yourself bathing in the Nile, or going back to the primordial waters of creation, Okeanos and Nun. Feel yourself washed clean, all the grime and pollution that you encounter on a daily basis dissolving away from you, your frustrations and fears drowning in the depths so that you are focused, holy, and clean. Feel the healing, generative powers of the water flow into you, suffusing your spirit. Feel yourself come into contact with that primordial divine potency that grants life, abundance, beauty, and purity. And when you emerge from the waters, emerge as if you were just coming into being, as things did in the First Time, when the world was still new. You are a pure creature, reborn and refreshed. All of your faults, your doubts, the hardships you’ve had to bear are washed away; all that remains is your love and devotion to the gods. You are now fit to stand before them, pure in the presence of the pure ones.

If you don’t have the chance to take a full bath before the ritual – say, if you’re doing this in a public place or with a group of people – then use some of the holy water to purify yourself. Especially wash your hands and face, and place some over your eyes, in your ears and mouth. Feel the water enter into you and cleanse your body.

1.3
Some people dress up in replicas of ancient garments or have special ritual attire which they reserve solely for their worship. This is a fine thing, especially if it helps put the individual in the proper state of mind. (The act of dressing up in strange clothing can send signals to the brain letting it know that one is not in a normal setting, and therefore to act accordingly, to delineate between the mundane and sacred sides of one’s persona; these vestments, further, through their exclusive contact with the holy can become imbued with its properties, and can thus become powerful talismans of a sort.) However, I would like to point out that this is not in any way necessary. There is nothing inherently sacred about ancient costumes: the Greco-Romans wore khitons and togas during their rituals because that’s what they wore the rest of the time. If a modern-day person were to put on clean, nice clothing – perhaps a little dressier than jeans and a t-shirt but nothing as extravagant as a tuxedo – then they would be doing exactly as the ancients had done. So what you choose to wear is entirely up to you.

However, there are some considerations. First off, it’s best to wear linen during ritual. Wool and leather were forbidden inside the Egyptian temples (as well as several Greek ones) because these came from unclean animals. (Herodotos 2.81) We also find numerous injunctions to wear white clothing, as white symbolized purity (Saunerson pgs 40-42) – although less frequently we find other colors suggested, such as black for Isis (Orphic Hymn 42), saffron for Dionysos (Seneca, Oedipus 401) or Hekate (Orphic Hymn 1), and so forth. The magical papyri numerous times forbid anything red to be used (PGM LXII. 1-24), since this color was associated with Seth-Typhon and thus was proper only to him. If you associate specific colors with a deity, you can wear these as a way to feel closer to them – but otherwise you should go with white or black, and try to avoid clothing with brand names or slogans on them, as that can be distracting. It’s best if you have a set of clothing reserved solely for temple use – a robe or modern Arabic thoub, perhaps, or loose-fitting shirt and trousers, like those worn by Yoga practitioners. Another consideration is foot-wear. Generally speaking, the sneakers you wear to work and play aren’t appropriate inside a holy space. Egyptian priests wore special palm-sandals or went barefoot (Instruction for Merikare 17), and you should too. If you are doing the ritual outside, however, exceptions can certainly be made.

The stephanos or garland-crown was an important feature in ancient Greek worship, and was also worn by Egyptian priests. They considered it essential for prayer, and donned them every time they entered a temple, took part in a festal banquet, or did something important such as speak in front of the council or claim their victory at the games. The crown signified joyousness and festivity: it drew a tangible divide between normal reality (when one didn’t wear them) and being in the presence of the sacred (when one did). Placing the crown on one’s head imbued the wearer with the properties of the crown. They received generally the abundance and life of the fresh green leaves of the plant, and different qualities depending on what the crown was made of: purity for Apollon’s laurel, civilizing intelligence for Athene’s olive, heated ecstasy for Dionysos’ vine, cool for his ivy; beauty and love for the rose and violet of Aphrodite; khthonic fertility for the myrtle, and so forth. (See Athenaios’ Deipnosophistai for an exhaustive treatment of the symbolism of festal crowns.)

If you do not have the time or inclination to string flowers and leaves together into a temporary crown, you can make a permanent artificial one using strands of plastic vegetation found at most craft stores. These can be quite lovely and serve as decoration for your shrine when you’re not wearing them.

1.4
At this time take a couple moments to get yourself ready internally. Clear your mind of all external concerns. Several temples had injunctions to maintain reverent silence once one entered the temenos and that all profane things were forbidden beyond that point (IEdfou 3.361.1). This held not just for unclean persons or taboo items – but also for errant thoughts, at least according to an inscription at Asklepios’ temple at Epidauros.

Just as you have prepared yourself externally to enter the presence of the divine, you must do so internally as well, making your soul a worthy receptacle for the divine. You shouldn’t be worrying about what your asshole co-workers said earlier in the day, how you need to balance your checkbook, what stupid celebrities are dating this month, or even concerns you might have about how successful the ritual will be. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths, calming yourself and filling your heart with love for the gods. Call up their image inside your mind: think about their epithets and attributes and all of the symbols and ideas associated with them. Feel yourself relaxing, slipping into a reverent mood. Let desire for the sacred take hold of you until you are trembling to be in their presence.

The Ritual Begins

2.1
This holy water should be prepared beforehand, either before you take your bath or before things are set up if you’re doing the ritual with others. There are a number of different methods for making it.

Option 1: Gather the water from a river, lake, or spring or set out a vessel to collect pure rain water. Because this water comes directly from the divinities, it is considered holy by nature and requires no further preparation. You should, however thank the nymphai or spirits of the water for their gift, and leave something in return for taking it.

Option 2: Fill a bowl with water, either bottled spring water or from the tap. Drop a couple granules of natron (salt and sodium bicarbonate or baking soda) into the water and let them dissolve. As you stir the mixture together, envision the natron mingling with the water and purifying it as if with a golden light like that of the pure rays of the Sun, transforming it into a salty substance like the tears that Isis wept over her beloved Osiris, which removed the grime and blood and made his body fit for burial. If you choose, recite words to that effect over the water, or simply visualize the whole process.

Option 3: Fill a bowl with water, either bottled spring water or from the tap. Take a branch (can be of laurel or pine or some other sacred tree) light it – with or without saying a blessing – and then dip the flaming branch into the water, extinguishing it. The purity arises from the meeting of all the elements.

2.2
You can either use a branch or whisk for this, or simply use your own fingers. Dip it into the holy water and then sprinkle whatever you come across. Use this method to purify any participants in the ritual, as well as all of the ritual tools, the offerings, the altar, the image of the god, etc. The idea is to have the water touch everything – not necessarily to douse it, so be conservative in your sprinkling!

Only do this, however, if you have already undergone preliminary purification yourself. You don’t want to put your dirty (from a religious perspective) finger in water you intend to cleanse the sacred space with after all.

2.3
Repeat this phrase as many times as necessary until you complete the circuit. As you speak the words think about the imagery associated with them: feel the sacred space becoming clean and renewed, full of the creative potential of life.

2.4
Aparkhai are “first-fruits offerings.” In Greek ritual the supreme example of these are barley groats (Odyssey 4.759-67) – though grain, flower-petals, seeds, grass, wool, oil, and earth itself were also used for this purpose (Philiskos’ Hymn to Demeter 4-15; Walter Burkert’s Greek Religion). The Egyptians scattered sand across the temple floor at the opening of the ritual (Byron E. Shafer ed. Temples of Ancient Egypt pg 22), so one could include that as well.

The aparkhai is a preliminary sacrifice which can be understood in a number of different ways. First, it acknowledges that the gods are the bestowers of life and nourishment and all of our material blessings. It is therefore only proper to give a portion of that gift back to them in gratitude, especially as we are about to approach them and seek further blessings from them during the course of the ritual. It also symbolizes life in its germinal state – the raw potential of the seed before it reaches maturity. The act of scattering the aparkhai disperses life, spreading it across the altar and the sacred space so that everything it touches becomes imbued with the essence of that life and newness, making it a fitting receptacle for the divine to manifest itself in. Sallustius (On the gods and the world 16) observed that things can only approach and commune with things that are similar to their own nature; thus life is the medium through which living things may approach their makers, the gods who are the source of all life. As such, the aparkhai is both a sacrifice and a form of purification, by making the altar living and new.

One may choose to scatter the aparkhai in different ways. As one processes towards the altar, they can scatter handfuls of aparkhai across the sacred space. This definitely purifies the ground – but also makes a terrible mess that can be impossible to clean up if you have carpeting. Therefore some people prefer to wait until they reach the shrine, and merely scatter a handful across the altar and sacred image or even onto a small plate reserved for this purpose. Either method is fine – though it must be admitted that there is a singular pleasure in scattering the aparkhai as far as possible and making a great mess.

You may choose to make an aparkhai offering of any of the substances above, a combination of some, or all of them together.

2.5
For the use of incense in ritual, including recommendations for various deities, consult the following article: http://neos alexandria.org/incense.htm.

2.6
The ankh is the hieroglyphic representation of eternal life, combining the male and female reproductive organs into one. It is a potent symbol which was touched to the lips of the mummy during the embalming ceremony to give it continued vitality in the afterlife. Most deities were depicted carrying the symbol in their hands to show that they were both in possession of this potent force and its ultimate bestowers, and it was further inscribed on temple walls and worn as an amulet of protection.

The ankh is to be seen as a conduit through which the force of animation can be transferred from the realm of potentiality into the material world. By lifting it up you are activating the conduit: feel it take on the warmth of life in your hands and the energy of creation coalesce in its form. Touch it to your lips to join your life (bios in Greek) with this eternal life (zoe) and as you turn to greet each of the cardinal directions, beginning in the east where the Sun rises and ending in the West, the abode of the dead, feel the life-force spread from there to the ankh and from the ankh back out into infinity. As you touch each of the items on your shrine with the ankh feel the breath of life pour into them, awakening them and charging them for holy service. They are no longer simple crude implements – but are now full of life and all of the potential that that life contains. You are setting the stage for the appearance of the divinity, whose coming fills the world with life, power and beauty.

This act is to be performed in complete silence. The silence signifies the state of formless creation before life emerged from potentiality and also to allow your mind to be focused completely on the action of transmutation. It is a holy mystery and nothing else should be permitted to intrude into your awareness.

2.7
An important feature in the daily ritual of the temples was the opening of the gates to allow the rising sun to touch the cult image or the lighting of lamps when this was not possible. This opening or lighting symbolized the daily rebirth of the sun and its triumph over the dark forces of chaos which sought to devour and destroy it during its nocturnal travels in the underworld. In the solar theology of later Egypt, all the gods were seen to derive their power from the sun, so this triumph of the sun was viewed as a triumph of all the gods collectively. Even when the deities were not specifically solar in nature, it was still thought necessary for the rays of the sun to alight upon the cult image in order to reenergize it.

Both Greek and Egyptian deities were thought to reside in a brilliant heavenly abode – Olympos meaning “brightly shining” in Greek and Akhet “light-land” or the “horizon” in Egypt. Their epiphany was often described with terms signifying the appearance of light or gold (Plato Phaedrus 250; Aristides Sacred Discourses 3; Plutarch On the Soul) – even the more khthonic deities such as Hekate who nevertheless bore the epithet Phosphoros or “light-bringer.”

As you light the candle or lamp, meditate on these associations. Feel the triumph of light over darkness and what this meant to a world with no electricity, in which the dark was all-consuming and terrifying. Feel the heat and radiance as a herald to the shortly coming full divine presence. Think about the warmth and joy you feel on a sunny summer day, the flush of love in your cheeks, the conviviality of the hearth flame, how fire makes civilization possible – and how all of these are a blessing from the gods. See the light as a beacon rising from your shrine up over your city, your country, the world, shining across the vast expanse of space, that the gods might be able to follow it back from their heavenly abode to your humble shrine.

2.8
This invocation is meant to express the unique nature of the gods in Greco-Egyptian thought. The gods possessed names, souls, and bodies. (See Jan Assman’s The Search for God in Ancient Egypt for a much fuller and more precise discussion of the following.) The name signified their absolute, eternal, perfect, and unchanging nature. The idea of the god, as Plato might say. The soul signified how the god manifested in the world, the unique area of influence that it possessed, those concepts and activities associated with it, but which are not of its fundamental nature. Thus, for instance, Aphrodite and Hathor are both goddesses of love, concerned with its promotion and protection in the world – but they are not the concept of love itself, as evidenced by the fact that they have other, more complex functions as well. And finally, the body of the god, which was usually contained in its tomb or temple, whether thought to be an actual relic of the god or simply a symbolic representative image of the deity, and was highly localized and thus distinct from place to place.

This plays into the notion of divine manifestation: the deity remained always in the realm of the eternal – however, it could choose to send a portion of itself out and either manifest spiritually through dreams, visions, and similar things, or through natural phenomena such as a rain-storm, a sunrise, or the growth of plants. Alternately, it could temporarily inhabit objects – the cult image, a sacred place, or else its holy animal or a priest in a trance state. These distinct manifestations could be simultaneous – the god would remain in heaven, while also being present as a numinous energy felt by all of its Worshipers, and additionally being manifest in its statue hidden deep in the temple’s sanctuary. More so, the god could be present in multiple locations at the same time – thus if people were doing synchronized rituals in Rome, Athens, and Memphis at the same hour, the god could be at each one even though great distances separated these places.

However, the highly localized nature of the body of the god – the materials used in its construction, the specific locality where it could be found, the variant traditions that had developed around the cult center – assured that there were also differences, despite the ultimate idealized unity of the godhead. It was important to emphasize the specific form of the god you were calling on, the version of the deity that you had a previous relationship with, where he or she was originating from, and so forth. It wouldn’t do to call on the abstract idea – you had to trace them through their localized manifestation, through the proximity of their “body” since this was where their potency lay. Thus, for instance, we always find in the invocations Horus of Behedet, Osiris of Abydos, Hathor the mistress of joy, Anubis the guardian of the necropolis – never simply Horus, Osiris, Hathor or Anubis. Curiously, we can also find multiple forms of the same deity in a single invocation – Osiris of Restau beside Osiris of Tauenenet (Theban Recension of the Book of the Dead). The same holds true of the Greek deities – their names are always accompanied by local descriptors (Pythian Apollon vs Clarian Apollon) or epithets (Athene Ergane, Demeter Thesmophoros) and we can even see distinctions between these manifestations: thus when Xenophon sets out as a Greek mercenary in the employ of the Persian Cyrus he is under the guidance and protection of Zeus Basileios (Anabasis 3.1.5-8), but later on meets with obstacles set in his path by Zeus Meilikhios who is angry because the general hasn’t sacrificed to him in this form since leaving Athens (7.8.3-6) or the way that Dionysos Meilikhios puts an end to the raging madness of Dionysos Bakkhios. (Athenaios 3.78c) They are ultimately the same god – but also meant to be approached as distinct entities.

The invocation also further emphasizes the distinct spatial and temporal manifestations of the god – first in its original home, the cult center found in ancient religious practice and mythology (which can further be viewed as an anchor in eternity) – secondly through mention of Alexandria, which serves as a medium between the ideal and the local, anchors the god in the past, and also bonds together all those who are using this same formula, and finally through the mention of one’s local city, which suggests that the gods did not cease to be active in some remote period in history, and are not distant and cut off from us – but manifest right here, right now, a constant presence for those capable of seeing them, and further reveal themselves to the individual in a personal form.

And as mentioned earlier, that personal connection is vitally important. Thus the central space in the invocation has been left blank so that the individual can fill it in with their own understanding of the god and mention of past experiences. This is an important nod to the ancient Greek side of our faith, based as it was on the concept of kharis or reciprocal action. Basically, the whole relationship that the ancient Greek had with his gods was established on a series of gift-exchanges: the gods had given the individual assistance in the past (good crops, inspiration, help in a tight spot) and in return he thanked them through sacrifices and devotional activities or promises to do these if the prayer request was met, which produced good will in the god, inclining them to further beneficial actions, which in turn called forth additional praises and offerings. This wasn’t simply a mercenary exercise to bribe the gods: it was rather an acknowledgement of their importance in our lives and a continual effort at mindfulness and gratitude. It further reminded people that nothing in life was free, that everything required hard work, and if you are going to ask something from the gods, you have to be willing to carry out your side of the bargain through the fulfillment of your oath. It also set the stage for future interaction with the god by bringing to mind – both for yourself and for them – the ways in which your life had intersected with theirs in the past.

As you speak this part of the invocation, remain mindful of that. Try to speak from the heart. Don’t worry about using a preset formula of address – let the epithets and descriptions rise poetically from your soul, even if they are inelegant and you stumble over them. In time this will come naturally to you, and you’ll have a whole stock of expressions to employ – some of them drawn from the lore, some entirely personal and based on your own understanding and experiences with the god.

2.9
Pause. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply for several long moments. Feel the heat of the candle flame before you, smell the incense surrounding you, hear the soft music playing in the background if you have chosen to use any, feel yourself in the midst of this holy service and let it carry your thoughts towards the gods. Conjure up images of the god within your mind: the symbols, colors, scents, plants, animals, and ideas connected with them; how they have been represented in art down through the ages; how you think they may appear or have seen them appear in the past. Let all of these things flow through your mind, changing from one to the other and back again; alternately try to capture a single image of the deity and concentrate upon it until it crystallizes in your mind and becomes as real to you as the face of your own beloved. Then watch as the image of the god moves about, traveling from their natural abode until they have descended into the cult image hidden from sight. See them animate the image, bringing it temporarily to life so that it can breathe and move and open its eyes if the god would only will it to do so. Then, when you feel with absolute certainty that you are standing in the presence of the god, open your eyes and behold the image concealed.

Up to this point, the cult image should be carefully kept from sight. In ancient Egypt the statue of the god was concealed from all but the highest of priests and the King. It was stored in a naos or shrine which was locked away inside of the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the temple, around which numerous rooms and passageways had been built to insulate it from contact with the profane outer world. (Byron E. Shafer ed. in Temples of Ancient Egypt provides an excellent introduction to the architecture, function, and economy of the temple-complex.) Even when common people kept a private shrine in their homes they would build a small niche in the wall with a cabinet door that hid the image except when it was taken out on special festival days. Many Kemetics today build small naos-shrines or cabinets to keep their statues in when they are not being used. If you cannot build one of these yourself – or afford to have one for all of your gods – you can substitute the use of a veil to cover the statue at the start of the ritual. The veil can be of whatever color you like – except red unless it’s for Seth – though gold and white are choice colors, symbolizing purity and divinity, with black or dark blue (especially decorated with stars) also working, as these symbolize the fertile earth or the vault of heaven. Although this is primarily a Kemetic practice, it can also be used for Greek deities, since their cult images were also kept from profane sight in the recesses of the temple.

When you speak the words, shout them as loud as you can. Let your voice ring with joy and relief, as if you had just been reunited with a loved one after years of being apart, the beloved whom you had despaired of ever seeing again but who is now standing right there before you. Let yourself feel wonderment at being in the presence of the god. This is the god, after all: powerful, majestic, and beautiful beyond description, the source of mankind’s hopes, dreams, fears, and highest aspirations down through the centuries. The noblest literature and finest architecture ever produced was made in their honor – and now here they stand, before you, in the humble shrine you have created for them with your own hands. Let all of that spill out in your exclamation. Let the god know just how much you appreciate their presence. Don’t worry about looking foolish or making a racket: you are here to honor your god, and nothing is of greater importance than that!

2.10
Proskynesis is a formal gesture of adoration. The Greek word literally means “inclining/bowing towards” often with the intent to kiss the feet or cheek of the one being adored. The Greeks felt that this intensely intimate act should be reserved solely for the gods, and when Alexander the Great adopted the elaborate Achaemenid court procedure which contained the act he met with great resistance from his Makedonian soldiers who were offended that the act should be performed on behalf of a mortal (Arrian 4.10.5-12.5). In the Ptolemaic period the Greeks used the term to translate the Egyptian henu, and it came to mean the whole process of adoration, not simply the act of bowing. In personal letters we find numerous accounts of people performing proskynesis on behalf of friends and family (sometimes for specific requests such as healing or financial assistance) much as we today would say, “I will pray for you about such-and-such a matter.”

There are different forms of proskynesis/henu. The simplest is a slight addition to the standard Greek prayer posture. Normally, when a Greek would approach a statue or temple he would stand with his arms stretched out, palms either pointing up towards heaven or extended in the direction of the holy object. (For khthonic deities and spirits, his arms would remain outstretched, but his palms would be facing down towards the earth – or else lying flat on the ground, arms outstretched, palms touching the ground beneath him.) With proskynesis he would touch his hand to his lips, kiss his palm, and then extend it towards the holy image, much as people blow kisses to each other today. He might also, at this time, make a slight nod of his head in the direction of the thing he is paying his respects to. This was often done in the street, while passing a wayside statue or temple.

The next form, slightly more intimate and thus indicating a greater deal of respect, would have the Greek go down on one knee, incline his head and possibly extend his arms. This is similar to the way that many Catholics genuflect before taking their seat, at special times during the celebration of the Mass, or when a holy icon passes by.

The third form, the most intimate and also the rarest except in the case of cultus for the khthonioi, would have the Greek kneel or lying flat, with his head touching the ground. The Greeks were always a little uncomfortable with this form, since it smacked of servility to them.

All three forms were found in Egyptian practice. In the first instance, the Egyptian would stand upright, with his arms extended straight out to the side, but bent at the elbows with forearms extending vertically or in a 90 degree angle. This was known as the Ka posture since it replicated the hieroglyph for ka or “soul.”

The next form had the Egyptian go down on one knee; with one arm he would beat his chest several times and then hold his closed fist over his chest, above his heart, while the other arm was flung back behind him with the elbow bent. It is uncertain what this gesture symbolized, aside for adoration and respect for the deity or King – but one can surmise that it conveyed deep emotion, perhaps suggesting that the heart in his chest beat in excitement at being in the presence of the holy.

The third form, called “full henu” or the “kissing of the earth” saw the Egyptian bend completely forward, with his head resting on the floor, often at the feet of the King or the god’s statue. The person was literally kissing or worshiping the ground that the divinity walked on, since its potency was thought to extend from the divine being and pervade all that it touched.

You may choose to adopt any of these postures, or even a series of them. Remember, though, that it is a profound act of worship since it gives expression to our deep-seated reverence through our bodies. Our whole being is brought into the worship of the divinity – not just our intellects or souls. It can also show extreme gratitude, devotion, and even submission to the divine. However, it is a personal expression of one’s relationship to the god, and therefore you should only do what you are comfortable with, especially if you are paying respects to a divinity that you are not especially close to.

2.11
Wine is a magical drug, a gift of the gods. Dionysos introduced it to mankind to ease our sufferings through forgetfulness and to bring joyous ecstasy into our lives. It signified peace and prosperity, since the cultivation of the vine was difficult work that could only be carried out in the absence of warfare. The Egyptians associated it with Osiris and the plentitude of the earthly paradise which awaited the righteous in the world to come. It was also called the Green Eye of Horus restored and complete and was given to the gods to symbolize that wholeness.

2.12
The goddess Athene was justifiably praised for her gift to mankind, the olive. Not only could its meat be eaten, but the oil pressed from it had countless uses. It could serve as fuel for one’s lamps, keeping the dark at bay; it could be used to wash the body, protect it from the elements, give the skin elasticity and vibrancy, and was also used for lubrication in sports and other physical activities. Furthermore, it was used as a base in perfumes and sacred unguents such as were needed for anointing kings, priests, and the statues of the gods, as well as being a staple in funerary offerings. There was a high demand for olive oil in the ancient Mediterranean, and thus extensive contacts were made through trade and travel, confirming the civilizing nature of this important gift to mankind.

2.13
Milk is a potent symbol: it conjures images of the mother’s breast, source of life, nourishment, security, peace, and love, our earliest and deepest memories even when we cannot recall anything else about our childhood. It also suggests a return to that primordial state of youthful vigor manifest in the suckling animal. Poets and theologians have exploited this image for millennia: Hathor the heavenly cow who protects the Pharaoh; Herakles at the breast of Hera, or Horus nursed by Isis, or the Madonna and Child; the Orphic initiate falling like a kid into an ocean of milk; Canaan the land of milk and honey; the Galaxy or Milky Way in the heavens; even popular advertisements that assure us “Milk – it does the body good.” By making this offering, one is attributing all of these qualities to the deity.

2.14
Cool water is the traditional offering to the deceased. Deities such as Osiris and Persephone were asked to give the dead a drink from the fresh spring in the underworld to quench their thirst after the arduous trek through the harsh wastes between the mortal realm and that of blessed Elysium. It revitalized them and caused the dead to forget the suffering they had left behind. This water, especially when it came from a holy spring or lake, also had healing and rejuvenating qualities. Thus in making this offering one is honoring the deity for the benefactions they have shown to those in the past – especially one’s ancestors – as well as symbolically returning all of those positive qualities to the deity, which will hopefully put them in a more kindly disposed spirit.

2.15
The number 4 was a sacred number in Egypt – it symbolized fullness and completion, the totality of space through the cardinal directions, and thus ritual phrases were often recited and specific actions such as circumnavigation performed four times. This is why there are four libations to be offered. Think about the symbolism behind the libations – you are not just giving the material substances to the god, but also the ideas behind them. You are also offering wholeness and completeness to the god by making four separate libations.

2.16
You may choose to offer the god whatever type of food you wish, though you should choose an offering that it suitable to them. Bread, cakes, cereals, fruit, and vegetables are generally okay (with the exclusion of beans, which are only acceptable for khthonic deities) though meat is problematic, since certain animals were considered taboo. (It is generally wise to consult the lore or perform divination before making such offerings.)

While the general sacrificial procedure in ancient Greece was to burn the fat, entrails, and bone on the altar (the fragrant smoke being the actual substance of the offering) while the rest of the animal was shared by the participants in the feast – there were other forms, such as the theoxenia where the deity was invited to dine with its Worshipers and a full place setting was made for them. Additionally the offerings could simply be left at a wayside shrine. Unless you have access to a fire-pit or indoor hibachi, consider yourself to be following the second procedure.

2.17
The Egyptians did not believe that their gods derived nourishment from the actual food and drink offerings themselves. Instead they believed that the god consumed the vital spiritual essence of the stuff, leaving the remainder for the priests to consume themselves. Thus, during the ceremony they would touch the offerings with the ankh and then pass that to the lips of the statue, symbolizing the transference of the life-force of the food to the deity. (Byron E. Shafer ed. Temples of Ancient Egypt pg 23-24) Although this practice is not attested for Greek deities, a similar notion may be behind the explanation that it wasn’t the animal carcass that they consumed, but only the fragrant smell of the roasting flesh.

The Egyptians and their gods detested wastefulness, which is understandable in a land of such scarcity. Thus after the essence of the sacrifice had been bestowed to the gods, the priest and worshiper consumed the offerings themselves. This is one profound difference between Egyptian and Greek sacrifice: the portion that was given to the Greek gods belonged entirely to them once it was given. It could not be touched, consumed, or used for any mundane purposes. The rest of the sacrificial animal was shared by the worshipers and priests – but not that belonging to the gods.

Now, there are several options here.

Option 1: Maintain those cultural and religious distinctions. When you are making offerings to the Greek gods, do not eat what you have given to them, while it is important to consume the offering if it is for an Egyptian god. (And, of course, it is made even more problematic if you are honoring both Greek and Egyptian deities in the same rite. Perhaps you could make separate offerings to each, and treat them accordingly.)

Option 2: Compromise. Take a bite of the offering, while leaving the remainder of it for the god. This would be a nod to both traditions, while leaving neither out entirely.

Option 3: Ask the gods themselves how they wish to be honored in this matter. Really, this should be your primary concern anyway, taking precedent over traditions, however well established they might be. I have been quite surprised at the answers I’ve received: some deities who I thought would certainly be sticklers for this kind of thing haven’t cared in the slightest, while others for whom I thought it wouldn’t matter considering their laxness in other areas have insisted rigidly on this and other ritual forms. So, by all means, play it safe and ask the gods before you do anything – including using this whole elaborate syncretic ritual formula to honor them.

2.18
At this time give any additional offerings you may have brought. Some suggestions would be flowers, more incense, sweets (the gods especially seem to like chocolate), special liqueurs, jewelry, further items for their shrine such as new ritual implements, hand-made votive statues of clay or wood, pretty rocks or stones, a candle or lamp, artwork (whether original or something nice you’ve found elsewhere), or anything of that sort. Another option is to do something entertaining for them: recite poetry or a short story you’ve written in their honor (or something you’ve found that especially reminds you of them), a special piece of music (either something you play yourself or an appropriate song you associate with them), or dance in their presence. (The gods really seem to like this last bit, even when you’re not especially talented. Sometimes precisely for that reason – we are, after all, trying to entertain them, and what’s more entertaining than someone willing to make a fool of themselves for your amusement?)

2.19
Talk to the god. Be as formal or casual as your relationship permits. Thank them for any past blessings they have bestowed upon you or those close to you. Reiterate how important they are to you. Talk about any ongoing devotional projects you are doing for them – or would like to do in the future. If you’re dealing with some difficult problems, share these with the god and ask for their wisdom, guidance, or assistance. Make prayer requests on behalf of your loved ones.

2.20
Take a seat on the ground before the shrine or stand comfortably. Let yourself just be in the presence of the god for a while. Don’t talk, or think about anything specific, just let yourself feel their nearness and your thoughts flowing back towards the god. Listen for their voice, in case they have anything to communicate to you. Sometimes this will appear as a soft voice in the back of your head. Sometimes it will be felt as a force directing your thoughts in a specific direction, filling your mind with a set of images or associations. Sometimes you will see patterns emerge in the flickering flame of the candle or the smoke rising from the incense or in the play of shadows upon their sacred image. Sometimes the gods will set their message in your heart and you will just intuitively know the answer to something. Sometimes there is nothing but silence and stillness – and this too is a holy communication. Be open to the multitude of ways that the divine can speak to you.

You may get a sudden urge to perform divination: follow it at this time in order to hear their message more clearly, though do not try to force the message, especially if you have already received a subtle but clear communication from them.

2.21
Thank them for coming. Thank them for their past blessings. Thank them for hearing you, and for anything they have communicated to you during the ritual. Thank them simply for existing.

There is no set formula for the thanksgiving – the words must come from your heart, born of your genuine gratitude to the god. You may also choose, at this time, to reaffirm any promises you have sworn to them, or to make them anew. However, you must make every effort to ensure that what you speak will come to pass, so do not speak idly or falsely, for the gods hate those whose words are not true.

2.22
“Removing your footsteps” is the closing formula in the traditional Egyptian ritual. The priest would extinguish the flame, remove the offerings, return the statue of the god to its naos, and sweep clean the floor of the chamber, banishing every sign of his presence, including his footprints so that the temple was left as if he had never been there. He did all of this while backing out of the sanctuary: he never turned his back to the god, for this was seen as the gravest of insults.

It is not necessary to do all of this, however. The priest performed these actions with such care because he was leaving the temple and letting the stuff go could result in the temple burning down or vermin sneaking in to get at the food and despoiling the place. Since your shrine is, in all likelihood, within your home and you will probably be remaining there afterwards, it’s okay to keep things going for a while longer. Some people, myself included, prefer to let the spirit of the ritual linger on: allowing the candles to burn down on their own, the incense to keep going until it dissipates, the offerings to remain, lending their beauty to the place. Cleaning up right after seems rushed and artificial, and you can always come back and straighten things up afterwards. But other people are bothered by messiness and disorder. They want a clear delineation between sacred time and profane time, and the act of cleaning up helps articulate that. Others may be okay with leaving some of the items intact, but wish to remove perishable items or clean up the incense ash and scattered aparkhai. They may also wish, at the least, to conceal the image of the deity since the ritual is over.

There isn’t a single right way to handle this. You have to do what feels proper for you, personally, and what the gods themselves indicate is their preference. (Some gods might be okay with stuff sitting for a while: they may be taking their time enjoying the offerings after all – additionally, they may abhor disorder as isfet and thus be insulted by your leaving things a mess. You never can know until you ask them.)

The only absolute in this regard is that when you are leaving the immediate area of the shrine, you back away slowly, without turning your backside to the shrine. Not only is this properly respectful, but it ensures some gradual transition from ritual time and space to the mundane. You don’t want to go immediately from worshiping the god to looking at internet porn, if you catch my drift.

If you have any tangible offerings left, especially food and drink – i.e., you do not consume them in the Egyptian manner – you will eventually want to dispose of them in an acceptable way. That has been dealt with in After the Smoke Clears. (While written from a Greek perspective, this can apply equally well to Egyptian deities.)

And that, in a nutshell, is the Greco-Egyptian Offertory Rite Version 1.0. Not too complicated, especially compared to some of the other reconstructed Kemetic and Hellenic rituals out there – but that’s also part of its appeal. Worship should be a natural thing, rising organically out of our everyday lives. Even this ritual is intended only for those times when you want something more formal and structured. Mostly it’s sufficient simply to cultivate a mindful, gracious state. To recognize the divine as it pervades the natural world and influences our lives in countless subtle ways. To have prayers spontaneously rise from your lips when you contemplate the beauty and majesty of the gods, or when confronted with an unexpected boon to reflectively leave an offering or pour out a libation as a tangible sign of our appreciation, because that is simply the proper and automatic response to such things. Religion needs to be lived, woven into our everyday existence – not just something we do infrequently, say on rare festival days or when we happen to remember to do it. But sometimes we want something more than a casual piety, and thus this formal ritual was composed to meet that need. Hopefully it will help you draw closer to the gods – or inspire you to come up with your own ways of doing so.

© 2009 H. Jeremiah Lewis