Where I Fit In

In the Kemetic community, I often hear people talk about a longstanding fascination with Ancient Egypt.  Their interest in the art, culture, mythology, gods, etc., is often what inspires such individuals to seek out Kemetic faith.  I love hearing these stories because they are often told with a feeling that they have come home.  Or at the very least, with the humor that comes with realizing something ridiculously obvious, like when someone spends 15 minutes looking for their keys, only to find that they were in their hands the whole time.

But those stories also make me feel lost.  I’m sure I cannot be the only budding Kemetic for whom this is true, but I had about as little interest in AE as a person could possibly have.  Even the gods I wasn’t terribly interested in, other than one or two specific Names.  Being a Polytheist, my relationship with Bast wasn't too surprising.  The big surprise was that, as I mentioned in my first post, it was she who nudged me towards Kemetic Orthodoxy, despite the fact that I was very hesitant about it at many points along the way.  The nerd in me loves learning, so there was some allure there in learning about Kemetic religion, and specifically KO... but other than that sort of curiosity that I feel for most things, there was nothing special I felt about Ancient Egypt.  No fascination, no insightful childhood story, no lightening bolt moment.

Conversely, I’ve always had a deep interest in Celtic culture and deities.  I had that "coming home" feeling when I joined my (now former) temple and began learning Seancreideamh, the Old Belief.  The most important part of my personal beliefs as a whole are the virtues I've gleaned from Irish myth; ideals to achieve honor, such as loyalty, honesty, hospitality, seeking justice (and more importantly, seeking the right action to achieve justice), and treating others with kindness.  These are principles that I’ve always felt, and finding a culture and religion that fit these sentiments was very important for my walk upon that spiritual path.

A few weeks ago, while I was on one of my nightly walks, I was pondering for the millionth time where exactly I fit into Kemetic belief, or how it fit me.  I don’t remember exactly how I came to the conclusion, but it must have been my lightening bolt at last: Ma’at.  Balance, truth, justice, and much more, I’m sure.  These very virtues are mirrored in Celtic belief, and in the ideals that have shaped me more than anything else as I’ve tried to live by them.

So what was I saying about ridiculously obvious things?

Anyway, that seems to have been the turning point for me.  I had finally found where I fit into this spiritual path, and I’m happy to say that I feel like I am beginning to understand and appreciate who the Netjeru are any what the Egyptian myths are really about.  My interest in the life and culture is even growing to match.  I wouldn’t say I’ll be ready to join in any discussions of the Umpteenth Dynasty and Pharaoh Fantabulous anytime soon, but at least I’ve got a place to start.