Taken from the Cannons: "The Daughters of Artemis"
                            copywrited 1948
                                  By
                              Megaera Lee
                          All Rights Reserved


First of twelve dissertations dealing with the comparative
Noumena of the Great Multiplicity.

This comparison covers only the Noumena specific to "The Tradition"
and how it applies with our deep roots in and to the Egyptian culture.
A complete list of The Egyptian  Neter, would be too extensive.  By
necessity, it would have to include many Noumena that are so specific
to Egypt & the  culture of that ancient  land,  that they can not have
counter parts in any other culture past or present. In compiling this
list, we have tried to stay with only  those Noumena of the
Multiplicity, that play a part in the ceremonies, festivals and rites,
kept alive & sacred by;  The Daughter's of Artemis.

     Egyptian   Pan Hellenic   Roman    Christian      Celtic
1.   Amen Ra:   Apollo         Apollo   The Christos   Dagda (Patrick)

Amun Ra "The Hidden One" or "He that is not seen" Amun Ra is the
Noumena vilified by early Christians as "The Dark One". His ,
occasional depiction as a ram, led to some of the more silly,
sometimes despicable speculations regarding  Old Tradition rituals and
its beliefs.

In actuality, all of those listed in this comparison were in one way
or another, associated with herding, & shepherding. The King of Egypt
carried a shepherd's staff as a symbol  of his authority and
responsibility. The wand has come down as the traditional substitute
for the shepherds staff. It symbolizes the ability to organize the
forces of nature and our ability to guide their directions.

In most sources on ancient Egyptian Mythology,  you  will see, Amun,
Ra  &  Amun Ra called , "Sun Gods". While in a sense this is correct,
this characterization is a gross over simplification. The Sun was and
is the the symbol of time. It not only measures out the day by its
place in the sky, it also measures out the year by its rising position
along the horizon. In the beginning of Egypt's very long history, the
pole star was also a symbol for Ra. (Thus his symbol; a circle with a
point in the center. ) The stars of the Northern Hemisphere, were
called the "Stars that never die"  as they did not rise (be born) and
set (die) unlike the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. The Never dying
Stars  represented time "on the next plane of existence".

Some time during that first 2000 years of Egypt's very long history,
it became obvious that Ra's star  was no longer the pole star.
Concurrently, for the same astronomical reasons, Ra also , no longer
rose out of the familiar constellation  on the first day of the year.
Amun became identified with the center, during  the 2000 + year period
that there was no actual pole star, because of his name "He that is
not seen" . Originally he symbolized the sun just before it rose or
"the pure light" .The Egyptians had no problems with all this
shuffling around names with symbology, because they, unlike the
Greeks, did not make anthropomorphic individuals out of the Natura.
They believed that All were only aspects of the One.

In Egypt Amun" High festival was held at the time of the Spring
Equinox., not as a renewal or spring festival, but because that  was
at the time, the sun rose at a point along  the horizon that
corresponded with the junction of Upper & Lower Egypt. In our
tradition  we hold a solemn ceremony at that same time of year. We
include here a brief summery of that rite.

A circle of 12 is formed around the alter and the members move counter
clockwise, mirroring the movements of the "The never dying" stars that
circle the pole star. Two hymns are sung, The first to Amun Ra,  the
second a lamentation directed to Baste/Artemis, to renew the Faith *
(in other word reestablish the power of the Central Woman.  The circle
is broken & they move off in threes, going east, west, so. and north
to wear each of the four sacred objects have been previously
sequestered. The forth, being  held by the Faith. The objects are
placed on the alter, the circle is recreated, while the Faith
sanctifies each of the sacred objects and places them back in the
trunk of the alter. A sacrifice, consisting of one drop of blood, is
made by each of the 13, to honor Artemis for Her help. This is
followed by a communion, consisting of meat, bread & wine (grape juice
for those who abstain. (Although in my group there aren't many.
Standing out side in the middle of a cold March night -- grape juice
just doesn't get it.)  At that point, The protector of Amun Ra (That
person picked to guard maintain all sacred to Amun Ra) asks permission
to leave the circle.

She returns with a carved wooden box painted gold. (When i was a child
the box was gold gilt, later gold leaf, now painted gold - how far the
noble have fallen. The box contains a statue or icon of Amun. In my
group, we actually use a statue of Apollo. The box is placed on the
alter. A third and final Hymn to Amun Ra and the ceremony is concluded
as each of the members comes forward  to kiss the box and leave
something personal of theirs on the alter.

* In Gaelic dialect the word or name "Faith" means seerer.  See
glossary for terminology used by DOA