4th Year Diviniversary

Today marks my fourth year as a shemsu of the Kemetic Orthodoxy.  Four years ago today, I was divined the daughter of Set and Hethert-Sekhmet, beloved of Heru-Wer, Djehuty, and Amun.  “That’s a lot of god,” I hear you thinking.  Yup, that is a lot of god.

Year One was a year of self discovery.  Year Two was a year of community. Year Three was a year of finding and achieving purity.

Year Four began with me as a freshly-minted w’ab priest.  I had my hands publically washed in front of the community on Wep Ronpet.  One year ago today my life was a heap of bricks, waiting for me to make it into whatever I wanted.  With everything holding me back left behind, I did just that – whatever I wanted.   Slowly, one step at a time, one brick at a time, I  built the foundation upon which I will continue building my life.  I took near the entire year to build this foundation because I intend for this new life to last.

I spent this Year living in Nubia, which is a reference to my Mother, the Wandering Goddess, and her journey to Nubia  where she had to be coaxed back home through bribery and deceit.  Nubia is a wonderful place, full of music and dancing and being care-free. Nubia was where I stayed, affording myself the peace and the joy, which allowed me to rebuild my life.  I found wonderful friends, I rediscovered new passions and pursuits, I fell in love with my local community, and I fell in love with a boy.

But Nubia is not my home.  Once I felt I had things settled and in place, I wandered back to Kemet.  Without bribery, without deceit, completely on my own accord.  This is where I begin Year Five as a shemsu: back home and trying to rediscover my place in it.

Thankfully, Nubia (as I am using it) is not an actual place but is instead a concept, an idea.  Which means that I can carry Nubia with me in my heart, and I will always have access to the joy and dancing and carefree living it promises without having to stray from my home and my family.   Returning from wandering, I brought back with me a secret of Balance.

I have had a working State shrine since January 2011.  I have a beautiful shrine name, and very happy Parents.  As I stand on my balcony, penthouse of a downtown high-rise, and look out over my city, I take stock of my achievements over this past year.  I heave a great sigh of contentment.  I won.  I have everything: two fulfilling jobs  – one as a training lead and another as a priest, I have a beautiful apartment in an incredible location, I have my education and experience, and I have an incredible boyfriend who makes me feel so loved and appreciated, I simply cannot get enough of him.  There is nothing more that I need or want, except to make everything better.

But how do I do that while still maintaining Balance between it all?

That, I believe, is going to be my homework for my fifth year as a shemsu.  I’ve come a long way, baby.

Celebrating four years of making sense as a person. Nekhtet. 🙂