Tree of Life + Pyramids

[Myst]

Wildchild recently sparked my interest in some sort of connection between these two things, tho I've been unable to find very much information. Any insight or information as to the links between Egyptian beliefs and the pyramids and the Tree of Life and surrounding philosophy/theology would be appreciated.

http://ancientegypt.hypermart.net/pyramids/index.htm

[Melysande]

**grins** Interesting URL.

For myself I see the link between the tree of life and the pyramids as the goddess who owns my head: Seshat.

Seshat literally means " The Female Scribe." Among her duties as a scribe and architect, she was associated with the pharaoh at the 'stretching the cord' foundation ritual (usually for new pyramids), where she assisted the pharaoh with the measuring process. And she was also responsible for recording the names and deeds of all people who ever lived onto the leaves of the tree of life.

The tree of life itself was a sycamore and sometimes, you would see five small birds in the tree. These are said to represent the stages of life and maturity of a person.

[Mithrea]

How did I *know* that you would be the one to answer Melysande? :D :D :D

Very interesting though and I love that pic. :) Wish I had something to contribute . . .

[Melysande]

**grins** Magic? Telepathy? ESP?

[Myst]

Guess I'm going to have to do a lot more research then.

There's something that needs to 'click' about this.

[Theres]

maybe there's a mathematical connection between the two?
could there be significance in the number 22 and the dimensions of the pyramids? (although it seems that almost ANYTHING can be found to be linked to mathematically the pyramids!)
oh well, just thinking out loud.

[Mithrea]

Myst, I have been looking for hours on this. I'm sure that though I found some fascinating stuff, it wasn't what you are looking for. Next time I'm at school, I look into it on the academic databases/search engines. see if I come up with anything.

[Myst]

Oh thanks, I really appreciate that. I'm beginning to wonder if it's just one of those ephiphanies that I'll stumble across.

[unoriginalnames]

In one of my math classes, I (along with the rest of the class) was so close to failing that our teacher allowed us to help our grades by writing a paper on a mathematical subject. Seeing as I have the Eye of Ra tattooed on my lower back, I chose the pyramids. While these measurements may or may not be helpful to you, I figured a post couldn't hurt:

Giza's Great Pyramid was 146.5 meters tall before losing its capstone. It now measures 137 meters. The base is 13 acres, and all sides face true north, south, east, and west. Each side is 230 meters or 500 cubits, which is believed to be the Egyptian unit of measurment, with a difference of less than eight inches on its longest and shortest sides. Excepting this, the base is a perfect square. The construction itself consisted of 2,300,000 blocks wach weighing about 2.5 tons.

Some mathematical relationships have been discussed. Most of the ones I have are based on the work of Edme-Francois Jomard, from Napoleon's army. He used the metric system to try and standardize the cubit. His measurements were as follows: side--230.9 meters, height--146.6 meters, and apothem--184.7 meters. All angles from bottom to top measure 51 degrees and 9 minutes. Using these numbers, John Taylor noted that the perimeter divided by two times the height is approximately pi. Charles Piazzi Smythe found that the perimeter in pyramid inches(1/25 of a cubit) equals exactly 1,000 times 365.2, the number of days in a year. As an astronomer, he also noted that the position of the pyramid had interesting effects: the shadow disappeared entirely during the Spring equinox, and the sun at winter soltice traces the Sphinx's head perfectly from a portal nearby. This brought him to argue that the Egyptians not only had superior mathematical knowledge but superior astronomical knowledge as well.

Hope this helps a little. I don't have anything on the Tree of Life, but you have piqued my interest, and I'll check when I hit the college library next week. Take it easy--Uno

[mato]

mexico and south america are the way to go to find the connection... the man made mountain might be your next stop...

I have been using that connection for ever saves time and money, tiny cross on my alter instead of huge building below it... though I am not opposed to building a few new mountains in ill. it is too flat here!

China's man made mountains also has some cool links to the world tree, dont limit yourself to the land of the pharos ego trips...

[Mithrea]

Originally posted by mato
dont limit yourself to the land of the pharos ego trips...

Actually, since some of the people that were discussing this are Kemetic or Tamerans (or exploring those faiths) they probably most definitely will limit themselves to Egyptian deities and beliefs.

[Myst]

Yeah. I'm Tameran, that's kind of half the point.

[mato]

Never heard of 'em. Sounds egyptian (or what my understanding of egyptian is) to me. Actually it sounds like star trek but I wont go there :D.

[Melysande]

Tamerans (myself included) in general take more of a modern-day Pagan view of the Egyptian religion. They call themselves Tamerans because Ta'meri was an alternate name for Egypt. It means Beloved Land, as opposed to the more traditional name "Kemet", which means Black Land. There is also the name "Deshret", which is where we get our word Desert and which is the name that the ancient Egyptians gave to the Red Land (that's the literal meaning of Deshret), which is what Egypt became when the annual Inundation Season was over and the land dried up again.

[mato]

Oh, well thank you for that info. Are wiccans who worship isis included in such classifications? Or what about pantheists who involve egyptian gods in their acts?

[Melysande]

Tamerans fall into two categories: Those whose worship is primarily Wiccan but who work with Egyptian Gods and Goddesses (this is because Tameran is a bona fide Wiccan Trad); and those who are too Kemetic to be Wiccan and too Wiccan to be Kemetic (like me). **grins** I frequently joke and wonder whether that makes me a Tametic or a Kemeran. It's kind of a gray area.

I tend to call those who practice Isis magick and only commune with Her are "Isians", but I believe they could also be considered Tamerans or else Kemetics.... depending on their beliefs and practices.

As to the pantheists, I think it would be up to them to decide which (if either) of the two definitions they would like to be known by. They could go either way or neither way, depending on their specific beliefs and practices.

[Raevyn]

It's even more convoluted for me, as I haven't been Wiccan in years, and am working with Kemeticism and Ceremonialism, emphasis on the former ;)

[mato]

so like wicca there is no set form for those individuals and no particular way to be known as a Tameran? It is what you call yourself not what has been given to you by another Tameran?

[Melysande]

Well, if you're part of a Tameran Wiccan tradition, then you *do* have a set form. You follow your tradition's Wiccan ways with an Egyptian bent. :)

Sure... ask me to define the religion that I'm still trying to understand for myself. :p I've only been officially studying this Path since January when I dedicated myself to Them (after being "courted" by Them to the point of Them driving me nuts if I didn't finally give in).

From what I've observed so far in my studies of all of the Websites and written book material I could find, the other version of Tameran is a bit looser, but generally, they work mainly (if not exclusively) with Egyptian deities (sometimes all, sometimes just one or a few), they frequently observe Kemetic holidays, they frequently observe new and/or full moon Esbats and the eight Sabbats, they generally agree to live ma'at (the ancient Egyptian code of ethics, as it were) and sometimes they also adhere to the standard "An' it harm none, do as ye will."

Some of us are more ceremonial than others, and this is perfectly acceptable.

I myself tend to be on the fence about which I want to be, Kemetic or Tameran. I practice Kemetic holidays, but I cast circle (which is Tameran Wiccan). Kemeticism says no one who is bleeding (from their menses or even from a cut) can perform magickal rituals while they are bleeding. But a possible way out of that is to cast circle, which Tamerans do but Kemetics don't. Kemetics also tend to be more ritualized and formal than I prefer to be when communing with deity or engaging in spellwork. So, again, Tameran is the way to go because it allows me to be less rigid. Kemetics start their new year based on the rise of Sirius over a certain point above the Nile, which would have signalled the annual Inundation period. But the Nile has been dammed and I'm not in Egypt. So, as a Tameran, I can start my new year whenever is appropriate for me. (So I start it on my birthday, June 21). In some Kemetic Houses (Orthodoxy) there is a Nisut (aka a Pharaoh) who is treated as the living incarnation of the god Heru (Horus). As much as I respect Her Holiness Hekatawy I (AUS) of Per Ankh (I do respect her and I like her daily devotions page), I will not consider her a god.

So it's a line I walk every day, trying to see what I am. I call myself Tameran simply because it does give me more leeway while I learn, and it keeps me from infringing on the identity rights of truly Kemetic people.

[Raevyn]

Originally posted by Melysande
In some Kemetic Houses (Orthodoxy) there is a Nisut (aka a Pharaoh) who is treated as the living incarnation of the god Heru (Horus). As much as I respect Her Holiness Hekatawy I (AUS) of Per Ankh (I do respect her and I like her daily devotions page), I will not consider her a god.

As far as Kemetic Orthodoxy, consider that like a "Wiccan coven", in that there is some standardization and I believe titles are bestowed upon dedicants by others, and so on. Whereas other Kemetics and Tamerans have more freedom (especially the Tamerans, as Melysande has done such an eloquent job of explaining).


So it's a line I walk every day, trying to see what I am. I call myself Tameran simply because it does give me more leeway while I learn, and it keeps me from infringing on the identity rights of truly Kemetic people.

Exactly how I feel.

Incidentally, I've been delving into Sacred Geometry, the Golden Dawn, etc. which is starting to open up doors about how somehow I felt I needed to find a relation between pyramids/ancient egyptian beliefs and the kabbalah etc. It's actually very fascinating and mind-boggling. Thanks Melysande for helping me get on this path.

[Melysande]

:) Glad to be of service.

**nod** Sacred geometry does sound fascinating. **grins** It's on my spiritual studies To Do list. (I have more lists than I know what to do with lately...)

I just want to finish reading all of these history books I've been given, and then work my way through my hieroglyphics primer book first. Figured I'd give myself a year of the basics and observing the holidays and then move on to more esoteric studies.