Nut: Sky Goddess, Solar Conveyor and Regenerator
A Divine Archetype Par Excellence — for the Winter Solstice
“O my Mother Nut, stretch Yourself over me, that I may be placed among the imperishable stars which are in You, and that I may not die.” Nut was thought to draw the dead into her star-filled sky, and refresh them with food and wine: “I am Nut, and I have come so that I may enfold and protect you from all things evil.” — Papyrus of Ani: Egyptian Book of the Dead”, Sir Wallis Budge, NuVision Publications, page 57, 2007
Nut is an ancient Egyptian sky goddess. She was born from a union between Shu, the god of vital breath, of air, wind and supporter of the sky, and Tefnut, goddess of moisture, dew, rainfall and heat. With her brother/husband Geb, god of the Earth, Nut conceived the divine siblings — Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. Nut is frequently depicted arced over the Earth, her inky naked blue body full of stars. Nut’s fingers and toes were seen to touch the four cardinal points, she had her head in the West and feet in the East.In some of the myths of ancient Egypt, Nut swallows Ra — the Sun each night as he sets in the West. As the great god of light passes through the dark night of Nut’s body, the lunar God Thoth — Djhuety takes over as guardian of humanity.
Nut can frequently be seen on the inside lids of coffins. In this context she is believed to protect the deceased in their eternal night, sheltering them with the ceiling of her heavenly body — as she does eternally for her earthly lover Geb. Nut acts as conveyor for the deceased — and those merely dreaming in bed — carrying the deceased and sleeping through the perilous darkness and oblivion of night towards complete and perfect renewal. Her celestial, nourishing body providing a divine rebirth into every new day.
As a vault of heaven, Egyptologist Manon Y. Schutz suggests the roof-like form of Nut’s body echoes the ancient Egyptian hieroglyph for sky 𓇯 ‘pt’, usually pronounced ‘pet’. The goddess’s other symbol is the water pot 𓏌 ‘nwt’ which identifies her as a holder of celestial waters and reflects her role as a key creatrix within the Ennead of Heliopolis. I͗wnw is the ancient Egyptian name for the city and means ‘Pillars’. In the Old Kingdom Pyramid Texts the city is referred to as ‘House of Ra’. It became Heliopolis — City of the Sun during the later Hellenistic period, when the Greeks associated Atum-Re with their own sun god Helios).
The city was a cult centre for the worship of Atum or Atum-Ra, who according to their cosmogony was self-engendered out of Nun — an infinite expanse of dark primordial waters. Out of Nun emerged the primeval mound, giving foundation to creation and acting as a platform for Atum to manifest in the form of Ra — the Sun.
Nwt
Lady of Heaven
Ever embracing womb of stars
Through curving currents carry
A cold heat of distant gods collected
Pin pricks of ancient long-gone lights
Her darkest flesh swirled through
Lady of Heaven
Glowing eddies of the firmament
Blood of the cosmos
The boiling Ra
A pregnant fluid
He glides into the mirrors of her night
Lady of Heaven
Ib of astral radiance
Ever longing for earth
Longing is her alchemy
In desire and dream
The sleeper reborn is as Ra
DREAM HEKA, Winter Solstice Dream Incubation Ritual ONLINE EVENT:
Winter Solstice Dream Heka Ritual // Nut and Ra Incubation
Online
Wed 21st December 2022 6:00PM
TICKETS: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/theexplorersclub/t-pqljmpq
Eastward the gradual dawn prevails Where softly-burning fires appear,
Making to tremble all those veils
Of grey and golden gossamer.
- From Dewy Dreams, James Joyce
Winter Solstice is the longest night and shortest day of the year. Solstice marks the start of winter. After the shortest day, the sun starts to return, bringing the warmth and light of new life.
This 1 and half hour dream incubation session is designed to help you release any burdens, resentments or negative attachments you may have formed over the last year and to crystallise personal intentions, identify new healthy boundaries, goals and desires for the coming year. The waning moon is a good time for untangling magic and releasing trauma, and the rebirth of the sun is an ideal time to look towards future powers and positive manifestation.
The first 45 mins of this session will be spent exploring the history of the dream as a magical act, and the power of the sun to act as a regenerative force in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece. In the spirit of ancient dream mysteries you might like to wear white, to symbolise your rebirthing, and you could also have some chamomile tea as solar sacrament — chamomile is the solar flower of sleep, and a beeswax candle (dinner size would be ideal) for the ritual magic part. We will be engraving this candle with hieroglyphs and the candle will stand as the symbol of the solar light slowly returning to us. It may even see us all the way through to wild garlic season. In the fire of the sacred flame we shall release that which no longer serves us, we will petition the otherworld gods for healing and insight.
The final part of the session will be a Nut (Sky Goddess) and Ra (Sun God) ancient Egyptian inspired dream incubation ritual. This will be a guided hypnagogic meditation, leading you towards the edge of conscious dreaming, provoking lucid memory and encouraging vivid imagery. Working with these primordial, imaginal beings, we shall attempt to engender a divine, ecstatic dream.
An optional dream circle will take place over Zoom the following day.
Participants will receive a recording of the session.
ALTERNATIVELY PAYMENT CAN BE MADE USING PAYPAL:
Send £20 via PayPal // Ref: HEKA sarah@awakeandaway.co.uk
Power to your Ka!
SJ
