A Kemetic genocide prevention ritual (long)
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Brandon
Apr 3, 2009, 12:19:43 AM4/3/09
to polytheist charity
A Kemetic group in California has performed the GPR, and sent an in-depth description of how it went. I found it particularly beautiful, so I'd like to share it here.
In other news, we got a registration from a Wiccan group in Michigan - our first registration from folks I didn't already know. Word appears to be spreading.
You can now view a free sneak preview of the new documentary film The Last Survivor, from Righteous Pictures:
http://www.righteouspictures.com/gpm/
And of course it goes without saying that it is now April, so if you were planning to do a GPR ritual, now's the time!
Brandon in Japan
---------------------------------
This ritual was performed in Los Gatos, California, by a group called Inner Journey.
A Kemetic Genocide Prevention Ritual
The ritual began with a more traditional blessing and creation of sacred space. Being Kemetic, the primary deities were Isis and Osiris (with Nephthys also present and placed behind Isis, initially, on the altar).
There was then some work done around personal growth beginning to take place in the attendees' personal lives, what actions are needed to cultivate that growth, and how they envision that growth coming to full ripeness and fruition in their lives.
This was then followed with a second portion of the ritual dedicated to the Genocide Prevention theme.
Once this was done, a smaller altar was set up in front of the main altar. Covered in a black cloth, Nephthys was brought forth to sit in the centre with a black candle to her left and right, and a white candle in front of her. Behind her was a vase of all yellow gerber daisies. Behind and above that, I had moved forward to "oversee" this portion the image of Osiris.
Using your three part structure, I had Remembrance, Awaken and Action sections.
In the first section, We Remember, I spoke of the six past events that are to be commemorated in April, including total numbers of dead that they represent as well as specific numbers for each. Following this, as the group continually chanted softly, "We Remember...We Remember...We Remember," they one by one came up and took a stone from a basket then placed it in front of the altar to create a symbolic grave for all those who have died at the hands of perpetrators of genocide. The black candle to the left of Nephthys was lit : We light this candle in remembrance of those fallen and taken from this life at the hands of others. May this flame serve as a reminder that the light of their soul never has been and never shall be extinguished, for the light of the soul shines through eternity.
For the second section, We Awaken, I had distributed pieces of paper to each attendee. One at a time, a person would stand (and remain standing) to read : I stand here today to give witness and to give voice to those who suffer from oppression and the threat of death in the country of [name of country]. These were the names of places where there are atrocities being committed today. In recognition of those who were not named, all attendees not already standing were asked to stand and repeat after me : We stand here today to bear witness and to give voice to all those who suffer from oppression and the threat of death Anywhere and Everywhere in the World. Me : So Say We All Attendees : So Say We All. The black candle to the right of Nephthys was lit : We light this candle as a reminder of the atrocities and acts of genocide that continue to take place around the world. May this flame continue to burn brightly and shed light into those areas of darkness and despair. May this flame continue to burn brightly and not let those affected suffer in silence. May this flame continue to burn brightly and fill the hearts of the perpetrators to enlighten them and guide them towards the path of love and what is right.
The third portion, We Act, I explained : The flowers here are of a single kind, like a single race of people, a single ethnicity, a single religious group, a single minority. Ancient Egyptians considered that no unexpressed thought had any reality. What made something real was its expression and transmission via the word, through symbol, by an act. Therefore, we shall create the reality of our commitment to continue to fight and overcome such acts of atrocity and genocide as we have given witness to here tonight. The attendees continually chanted quietly, "Never Again...Never Again...Never Again" as I held the vase of daisies over the grave and, one at a time, cut off the flowers and let them fall onto the grave stones. The white candle in front of Nephthys was lit : We light this candle to symbolise our will and courage to speak out and never let this happen again. May its flame burn bright as a beacon to lead out of the darkness. May its flame burn bright fuel our courage and passion to challenge, overcome an dbring to justice those who would commit such atrocities upon their fellow humans. May its flame burn bright until we have created a world in which its flame is needed no more. At this time, a friend of mine came forward to stand at the altar. As she sang Amazing Grace, the attendees, one at a time, came up and took flowers from the cauldron full of spring flowers used in the first portion, and laid them on and around the grave. Once finished, the singer completed her song and then...silence. We sat in a few minutes of silence in contemplation of Osiris illuminated by candlelight in front of his image, the vase of only flower stems in front of him, Nephthys illuminated by the three candles in front of the vase, the grave covered in flowers at her feet.
This portion of the ritual was closed with the following : As we leave here tonight, let it be known, let it be said and let it be heard that for now and for always, We Remember, that We Awaken the world and give voice to those who suffer today, and We Act so that Never Again becomes a reality absolute. Me : So Say We All. Attendees : So Say We All. Me : So Say We All. Attendees : So Say We All. Me : So Say We All. Attendees : So Say We All.
The owner of the store and her husband are taking a group of people to Tibet in April. We support approx 250 Buddhist nuns there through various fundraising efforts and, over the past 10 years or so, have helped them to build a road, put in water systems, buy a car, as well as smaller things. I offered the attendees, as one way of taking action, to make a donation, if the so desired, to the nuns that would be taken to them in April.
I don't know if this is what you (or the group promoting this) had in mind, but this is what grew out of the inspiration your ritual packet gave to me. Again, thank you for offering that and helping to promote this.
The day after the ritual, I took the stones and flowers of the grave and drove up to a spot that overlooks the area here. I reassembled the grave and lay the flowers on and around it, writing on the top stone,
We Remember
No One Shall Suffer in Silence
Never Again
to represent the three sections. I placed it at a curve in the road where people driving by would also see it as a way of those for whom this grave served as a symbol and reminder, their deaths/suffering was not done without witness.
In other news, we got a registration from a Wiccan group in Michigan - our first registration from folks I didn't already know. Word appears to be spreading.
You can now view a free sneak preview of the new documentary film The Last Survivor, from Righteous Pictures:
http://www.righteouspictures.com/gpm/
And of course it goes without saying that it is now April, so if you were planning to do a GPR ritual, now's the time!
Brandon in Japan
---------------------------------
This ritual was performed in Los Gatos, California, by a group called Inner Journey.
A Kemetic Genocide Prevention Ritual
The ritual began with a more traditional blessing and creation of sacred space. Being Kemetic, the primary deities were Isis and Osiris (with Nephthys also present and placed behind Isis, initially, on the altar).
There was then some work done around personal growth beginning to take place in the attendees' personal lives, what actions are needed to cultivate that growth, and how they envision that growth coming to full ripeness and fruition in their lives.
This was then followed with a second portion of the ritual dedicated to the Genocide Prevention theme.
Once this was done, a smaller altar was set up in front of the main altar. Covered in a black cloth, Nephthys was brought forth to sit in the centre with a black candle to her left and right, and a white candle in front of her. Behind her was a vase of all yellow gerber daisies. Behind and above that, I had moved forward to "oversee" this portion the image of Osiris.
Using your three part structure, I had Remembrance, Awaken and Action sections.
In the first section, We Remember, I spoke of the six past events that are to be commemorated in April, including total numbers of dead that they represent as well as specific numbers for each. Following this, as the group continually chanted softly, "We Remember...We Remember...We Remember," they one by one came up and took a stone from a basket then placed it in front of the altar to create a symbolic grave for all those who have died at the hands of perpetrators of genocide. The black candle to the left of Nephthys was lit : We light this candle in remembrance of those fallen and taken from this life at the hands of others. May this flame serve as a reminder that the light of their soul never has been and never shall be extinguished, for the light of the soul shines through eternity.
For the second section, We Awaken, I had distributed pieces of paper to each attendee. One at a time, a person would stand (and remain standing) to read : I stand here today to give witness and to give voice to those who suffer from oppression and the threat of death in the country of [name of country]. These were the names of places where there are atrocities being committed today. In recognition of those who were not named, all attendees not already standing were asked to stand and repeat after me : We stand here today to bear witness and to give voice to all those who suffer from oppression and the threat of death Anywhere and Everywhere in the World. Me : So Say We All Attendees : So Say We All. The black candle to the right of Nephthys was lit : We light this candle as a reminder of the atrocities and acts of genocide that continue to take place around the world. May this flame continue to burn brightly and shed light into those areas of darkness and despair. May this flame continue to burn brightly and not let those affected suffer in silence. May this flame continue to burn brightly and fill the hearts of the perpetrators to enlighten them and guide them towards the path of love and what is right.
The third portion, We Act, I explained : The flowers here are of a single kind, like a single race of people, a single ethnicity, a single religious group, a single minority. Ancient Egyptians considered that no unexpressed thought had any reality. What made something real was its expression and transmission via the word, through symbol, by an act. Therefore, we shall create the reality of our commitment to continue to fight and overcome such acts of atrocity and genocide as we have given witness to here tonight. The attendees continually chanted quietly, "Never Again...Never Again...Never Again" as I held the vase of daisies over the grave and, one at a time, cut off the flowers and let them fall onto the grave stones. The white candle in front of Nephthys was lit : We light this candle to symbolise our will and courage to speak out and never let this happen again. May its flame burn bright as a beacon to lead out of the darkness. May its flame burn bright fuel our courage and passion to challenge, overcome an dbring to justice those who would commit such atrocities upon their fellow humans. May its flame burn bright until we have created a world in which its flame is needed no more. At this time, a friend of mine came forward to stand at the altar. As she sang Amazing Grace, the attendees, one at a time, came up and took flowers from the cauldron full of spring flowers used in the first portion, and laid them on and around the grave. Once finished, the singer completed her song and then...silence. We sat in a few minutes of silence in contemplation of Osiris illuminated by candlelight in front of his image, the vase of only flower stems in front of him, Nephthys illuminated by the three candles in front of the vase, the grave covered in flowers at her feet.
This portion of the ritual was closed with the following : As we leave here tonight, let it be known, let it be said and let it be heard that for now and for always, We Remember, that We Awaken the world and give voice to those who suffer today, and We Act so that Never Again becomes a reality absolute. Me : So Say We All. Attendees : So Say We All. Me : So Say We All. Attendees : So Say We All. Me : So Say We All. Attendees : So Say We All.
The owner of the store and her husband are taking a group of people to Tibet in April. We support approx 250 Buddhist nuns there through various fundraising efforts and, over the past 10 years or so, have helped them to build a road, put in water systems, buy a car, as well as smaller things. I offered the attendees, as one way of taking action, to make a donation, if the so desired, to the nuns that would be taken to them in April.
I don't know if this is what you (or the group promoting this) had in mind, but this is what grew out of the inspiration your ritual packet gave to me. Again, thank you for offering that and helping to promote this.
The day after the ritual, I took the stones and flowers of the grave and drove up to a spot that overlooks the area here. I reassembled the grave and lay the flowers on and around it, writing on the top stone,
We Remember
No One Shall Suffer in Silence
Never Again
to represent the three sections. I placed it at a curve in the road where people driving by would also see it as a way of those for whom this grave served as a symbol and reminder, their deaths/suffering was not done without witness.
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