DIALOGUE

On the heels of Egypt's first year revolution, I believe it is imperative that we, in our own unique way, recognize and celebrate this momentous event. It echoes our own war of independence and marks a significant change in the Middle East, one that heralds the possibility of democracy, respect for human rights, etc. To this end, I offer a passage from my book, Embodying Osiris, to pay tribute to Egypt's golden past:

Much of what is popularly known of ancient Egypt is based on Greek
historians like Plutarch and Herodotus. While I will at times refer to
their writings, my first preference will be the original Egyptian texts.
Additionally, it is important to consider an endless number of people
who either through error or enthusiasm added to the Osiris myth. In
point of fact, most of the historical record of Egypt comes to us from the
Greeks. Yet, there are significant differences between the two cultures.
While, for example, Greek gods were immortal, the Egyptian gods and
everything else that existed under the desert sun were not meant to live
for eternity. Alas, even the great Egypt, in the end, disintegrates.

Another important difference lies in the fact that, unlike in ancient
Greece, initiation into the mysteries was not taught in Egyptian schools.
Rather, the way of transcendence came by self-discovery, spurred on by
an insatiable need to find one’s place among the stars. What I intend to
show is the genius of the Egyptians’ brilliant insights into the nuances
of natural energy and how these energies manifest in divine and human
form. Further, we will grasp the subtle way that energy changes
form, moving toward ever-greater states of being.

This work is subtle, requiring long pauses, daydreaming, and laying
aside the ordinary ways we think about things. No words can capture
what people of ancient Egypt were actually thinking. No amount of
archeological study can tell us the psychology behind mummy masks,
false doors, and the embalmer’s art. About the best we can do is rely
on the myths “they used . . . to convey their insights into the workings
of nature and the ultimately indescribable realities of the soul.”8
Of course, beyond any description of this amazing land is a world completely
alien to ours, and yet, as we shall see, Egypt possesses a wisdom
that is timeless and in# nitely helpful in enriching our lives. I say this
in light of those philosophers, scientists, and scholars, including Plato,
Democritus, and Pythagoras, who knew what treasures Egypt possessed
and devoted many years to learning their sacred science.

Excerpt from Embodying Osiris, the Secrets of Alchemical Transformation, Quest Books, Nov 2011, pp 8 - 9P.S. CONGRATULATIONS TO EGYPT'S FIRST YEAR REVOLUTION!