42 Laws of Maat

In the beginning, ATUM emerged from the ISFET of NU. ATUM created the god SHU and goddess TEFNUT from Nu. SHU is depicted in the Kemetic iconography as an ostrich feather.

ATUM: The Hidden One. A primeval cosmic god, Atum is the sun god as creator, the substance from which all creation unfurled. He is the Lord of the Universe. In his human form, he represents the king of Egypt, who wears the Pschent (the Double Crown of a united Upper & Lower Egypt. aka the Sekhmety.)
ISFET: Chaos
NU: Primordial Waters
SHU: The personification of air/cool dryness
TEFNUT: The personification of moisture
KEMET: The Original name of Egypt was Kemet, it means the “Black Land.” The name derived from the colour of the rich and fertile black soil which was due to the annually occurring Nile inundation (Flood).

Goddess MAAT: is The symbol for truth, justice, balance, and order. The iconography for MAAT in the hieroglyphs depict the single ostrich feather (Shu), worn atop Goddess Maat’s head. MAAT is designed to avert Chaos (Isfet) and maintain truth.

The DUAT (underworld as the place for judgment) is where the funerary scene of the Hall of Two Truths is depicted in the “Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Papyrus of Ani,” edited by E.A. Wallis Budge. A closer interpretation of the title from the Kemet language is said to be “Book of Coming Forth by Day.” The Budge translation was a funerary text written for the “coming forth” of the scribe Ani.

In Chapter 30B of The Papyrus of Ani we see the deceased scribe standing before his own heart/soul (ka) on the scale of Maat. On the opposite scale is the Goddess Maat’s feather of truth (Shu). The head of the Goddess Maat is depicted atop the scales of justice. THOTH, also known by other names such as TEHUTI, stands holding a tablet and a writing tool to record the results from the scales.

THOTH: Tehuti is known as the father of written language, and many other contributions to mankind are attributed to this legendary figure. Thoth was the god of the moon, sacred texts, mathematics, the sciences, magic, messenger and recorder of the deities, master of knowledge, and the patron saint of Maat scribes and priests. (The Greeks equated him with the God Hermes, and the Romans with Mercury.) He is often depicted as an Ibis bird, but he is sometimes depicted as a Baboon.

In Chapter 125 of The Papyrus of Ani, the petitioner is led by ANUBIS into Duat and pronouncing their 42 affirmative declarations, listed below from Budge’s public domain translation of the 42 Divine Principles of Maat:

  1. I have not committed sin.
  2. I have not committed robbery with violence.
  3. I have not stolen.
  4. I have not slain men or women.
  5. I have not stolen food.
  6. I have not swindled offerings.
  7. I have not stolen from God/Goddess.
  8. I have not told lies.
  9. I have not carried away food.
  10. I have not cursed.
  11. I have not closed my ears to truth.
  12. I have not committed adultery.
  13. I have not made anyone cry.
  14. I have not felt sorrow without reason.
  15. I have not assaulted anyone.
  16. I am not deceitful.
  17. I have not stolen anyone’s land.
  18. I have not been an eavesdropper.
  19. I have not falsely accused anyone.
  20. I have not been angry without reason.
  21. I have not seduced anyone’s wife.
  22. I have not polluted myself.
  23. I have not terrorized anyone.
  24. I have not disobeyed the Law.
  25. I have not been exclusively angry.
  26. I have not cursed God/Goddess.
  27. I have not behaved with violence.
  28. I have not caused disruption of peace.
  29. I have not acted hastily or without thought.
  30. I have not overstepped my boundaries of concern.
  31. I have not exaggerated my words when speaking.
  32. I have not worked evil.
  33. I have not used evil thoughts, words or deeds.
  34. I have not polluted the water.
  35. I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly.
  36. I have not cursed anyone in thought, word or deeds.
  37. I have not placed myself on a pedestal.
  38. I have not stolen what belongs to God/Goddess.
  39. I have not stolen from or disrespected the deceased.
  40. I have not taken food from a child.
  41. I have not acted with insolence.
  42. I have not destroyed property belonging to God/Goddess.

If the petitioner is deemed by the Goddess Maat to be in substantial compliance with the 42 Laws of Maat, the petitioner passes from Duat to the Field of Reeds (Arus) where OSIRIS sits as the final gatekeeper.

ANUBIS: also known as ANPU, is the God of tombs, crypts, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, cemeteries, and is protector of the dead. Anpu was the lord of the Dead & the underworld, before the God Osiris descended into the underworld and took his place. Anubis gave up his seat willingly..

OSIRIS: is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation. Osiris was the Primeval King of Kemet, who was famously murdered by his brother Set. His body was torn into 14 pieces by Set and scattered throughout Kemet. His wife the Goddess ISIS managed to find 13 of the pieces but could not find the phallus. She created one out of an Obelisk, to impregnate herself and bring forth her son the God HORUS to rise up and Avenge his father.

AMMIT: Those whose hearts weigh heavier than the Feather of Maat, are cast into the mouth of Ammit, and die a 2nd death. Ammit is a composite female creature with the head of a crocodile, the front legs of a lion, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Those who failed the judgment would “die a second time” and would be cast outside the ordered cosmos. or be doomed to stay in the Duat. Those who are favored in judgement, are permanently reborn in the Field of Reeds at “Aaru” where they become as Gods, and eat the food of the gods.

[Now that I think of it… I should have dedicated this tab to the DUAT the Egyptian Afterlife. I think I will continue this with another tab extending this one. Or! I can include the full details of the Kemetic/Egyptian afterlife in the tab I’ll work on next about the Kemetic belief of the 8 Parts of the Soul:

  • Khet or the “physical body”
  • Sah or the “spiritual body”
  • Ren or the “name, identity”
  • Ba or the “personality”
  • Ka or the “double” or “vital essence”
  • Ib or the “heart”
  • Shut or the “shadow”
  • Sekhem or the “power, form”

I’ll also add that this is where the philosophy of the Ordo Strigoi Vii is inspired from. Their fear of the 2nd death, and the belief that immortality is earned by living a certain way. In their vows, Death is the enemy of Vampyres. But I am not in agreement with this belief or view. It is okay to seek Oblivion, its okay to seek Nirvana (Nirvana means “To be Snuffed out”.) Its okay to desire an escape from the wheel of Samsara. (The Cycle of Life, Death and Rebirth. Where even incarnating into the realm of Gods is a spiritual prison or trap.) Its okay to seek to transcend beyond existence. If that is your truest desire. Only Mortals fear death. To the Vampyre death is an Illusion, there is no end only new beginnings. Incarnation or reincarnation should be a Choice, not something you are mandated to endure. Escape the Dream of Brahman, AWAKEN! (That is, if you so desire.)