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What
is INK all about?
Is Kemeticism a goddess religion?
Why don't you include "new age" groups in your definition?
Are you some sort of separatist group?
Were the ancient Egyptians monotheistic?
What holidays are celebrated by Kemetics?
Do you perform rituals exactly as they were done in Egypt in the
ancient times?
Did the ancient Egyptians worship animals?
Can I worship alone, or does a priest have to officiate at a temple?
What would I need to start worshipping? Do I need a temple? A sacred
space?
Are there any special skills I need as a Kemetic? Do I need to
be able to sing, dance, etc?
INK is primarily a networking organization, and we wish to provide venues for meeting other Kemetics, socializing, and information-sharing and teaching. We are working on compilation lists of groups, temples and schools, as well as artisans and businesses that are Kemetic-friendly or Kemetic-owned. We will also have lists of individual Kemetics, discussion lists, newsgroups, message boards, etc., book reviews, text recommendations, and articles on myriad subjects of interest to Kemetics. [Top]
Is Kemeticism a goddess religion?
No. Kemeticism is not "Goddess spirituality." The Neteru, like humans and other living beings, are male, female, hermaphroditic. Kemetic observance is not gender-based and gender is not a focus of rite or worship. [Top]
Why don't you include "new age" groups in your definition? Are you some sort of separatist group?
INK has nothing against any religion or spiritual path. We created our Definition so that all will have a clear understanding of what information we will be providing on this site and what we won't. There are a great many websites that cater to Wiccan and other sorts of eclectic needs. What we saw was a gap in easily locatable information that would be of the most interest to those Kemetics who do not share an eclectic mindset. We don't dictate what anyone can or should include in their worship, Kemetic or otherwise. We have simply made the editorial decision to include only information that pertains directly to Ancient Egyptian religion and modern attempts to use that information in our daily lives. Anyone can join our forum and mailing list, but they should be aware of what topics we specifically address in our site. [Top]
Were the ancient Egyptians monotheistic?
Both polytheism and monotheism were a part of the theological understanding of the ancients. This can be difficult to understand for those coming from a religious background that emphasizes strict dualities (there is god and then there is everything else) or universalities (all gods are one god). The ancient Egyptians felt perfectly comfortable with their deities being separate individual Neteru while also being a unified part of the whole idea of Neter. The AE were also henotheistic, in that they did not doubt the reality of the Gods of other lands and peoples. [Top]
What holidays are celebrated by Kemetics?
Our holidays are based on the ritual calendar of ancient Egypt. We begin with the New Year, which for us is in late summer and is marked by the helical rising of the star Sirius (Sopdet) in the eastern sky. There are hundreds of feasts, festivals, holy days in the religious calendar. Observance of specific festivals will vary amongst temples dedicated to specific Neteru, others, such as the Mysteries of Ausir (occurring in the fall) are important to Kemetics of all stripes. [Top]
Do you perform rituals exactly as they were done in Egypt in the ancient times?
We perform ritual as faithfully as we can to the practices of the ancients. Naturally, there does not exist the extensive temple space and large priestly staff today that was extant in ancient times, but the structure of ritual, both simple and complex, follows that of the ancients. Purification and declarations of purity, light and incense, invocation, praises, offerings, are all aspects of ritual that remain practically the same to this day. [Top]
Did the ancient Egyptians worship animals?
The ancient Egyptians worshipped the Neteru. These people often saw the presence of the Neteru in various animals and other aspects of nature: Heru's majesty is echoed in the flight of the hawk; Sekhmet's strength is easily seen in the powerful lion; the rebirth of Ausir was evoked by the cycle of barren drought and renewal in the annual flood of the Nile. These animal and animal-human representations are meant to identify the Neter in question with respect to that Neter's personality and behavior. The hawk, the lion and the Nile were not worshipped as gods, rather through these elements of nature, the influence and essence of the Neteru was and is seen. [Top]
Can I worship alone, or does a priest have to officiate at a temple?
Yes, one can worship alone. In most ancient cultures, the AE included, people had shrines for their Gods in their homes. Today, we continue this, honoring Ntru, making offering, meditating, etc. Some temples do exist and groups do larger rites, but this isn't necessary to honor Ntru. [Top]
What would I need to start worshipping? Do I need a temple? A sacred space?
A temple for a single practitioner or family/group, can be a room, part of a room, or small area set aside for just this purpose; it is the House of Ntru, where one approaches, meditates on, makes offering to and honors one's Ntr. It can be a small altar table in one's bed area, or an entire room set aside for worship. The most important thing about one's temple space is that it be somewhat private and that it not also be the focus of normal daily activities. [Top]
Are there any special skills I need as a Kemetic? Do I need to be able to sing, dance, etc?
Artistic and handicraft skills are always useful, but aren't necessary for the practice of Kemeticism. A sincere desire for knowledge, a love of Ntr, and curiousity about all things Egyptian are the most important things one needs. [Top]