Info from Sunday, October 14

A PERSONAL SHRINE RITUAL¹

1. Prepare food and drink offerings
2. Remove your shoes
3. Wash your hands, face and mouth
4. Move your shrine box to its place of orientation (if it was stored elsewhere)
5. Kneel on the floor (or sit in a chair) before your shrine box
6. Open and set up the shrine
7. Bow before your shrine
8. Anoint your forehead with a perfume, cologne or natural oil of your choosing
9. Light incense and place it in a censer (incense holder)
10. Ring a chime or hand-held bell to focus your attention
11. Recite an excerpt from a hymn to Amen (or Amen Ra)
12. Recite a summary version of The Declarations of Innocence as a verbal “Presentation of Ma’at”. (If you have a figurine, present it as you speak.)
13. Gather your food and drink offerings
14. Purify them with censing and sprinkled water
15. Present your food offering while reciting a short version of the “Hetep Di Nesu”²
16. Pour or sprinkle a libation. (You may use the “Akan Model.”)
17. Ring your chime or bell
18. Meditate
19. Request that all sentient beings be blessed, especially the ill, suffering and poor
20. Give thanks for your blessings (and place a request, if you so desire)
21. Revert (consume) the remaining food and drink offerings
22. Bow towards your shrine uttering words of closing (for example, “khetem”)
23. Clean and store your shrine implements. (Do not store lighted incense or embers.)
24. Close and reposition your shrine box (if this applies).

¹ The temple ritual was performed twice daily; at dawn and sundown.

² “A gift I provide so that my ancestors will receive offerings that are pure.”

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Dr. Raymond Davis, 10/13/07