My shrine is a small wooden cabinet with doors. I bought it from a second hand shop years ago. Loved the look of it. Perfect space for a small shrine. I’m new to this myself, so I filled it with things appropriate to the deities I felt were calling me. I used objects I already had and painted/drew images. Alternatively, you can print out pictures of deities to start with. You don’t need a huge budget to make a shrine. Although I’ve been involved in lots of conversations on here, I only started posting about two months ago.
I’ve found this website helpful as a beginner:
My other advice is to practice Kemeticism and research/ask questions at the same time. I’ve found that spending time with the deities and reading about them goes hand in hand because they often direct my learning.
Ah how annoying. Discovered that I’m allergic to soy scented candles as well as incense and ordinary scented candles!
Not sure if I’m allergic to just the burning of them or the scents themselves. Wife doesn’t want me burning anything/scents anyway as she is not a fan.
This leads me onto another question… Other than burning things and scent, is there anything else I can do in Kemetic ritual instead?
As far as burning things go, that leaves you with just raw incense resins. My preferences are frankincense are myrrh which were common back then. Use them with charcoal disks. They will though tend to produce more smoke than candles.
Can’t remember if you said you have used a diffuser? I have both one that uses a tea light under a bowl of water where you drop some essential oil in, and I have an electric one which might suit you better as that can be easily switched on and off (I have that in the main room where those in the house that don’t like me burning can still benefit from scented air).
Turns out I’m not allergic to my Frankincense and Myrrh soy candle! Yay!
So that’s a no no to floral scents for me!
Reading up, Frankincense was used by the ancient Egyptians for lung conditions. I’ve also found out that it’s scientifically an anti-inflammatory. I’ve also read elsewhere that Myrrh has been used to treat asthma. The ancient Egyptians used it to purify the air as we know, but I’ve discovered that it actually gets rid of certain bacteria in the air.
I’m also going to try beeswax because scientifically, that does also neutralise bacteria and pollution in the air.
That is good news. Glad you got to the bottom of it. Yes Frankincense is an awesome material, which is why its been used for so long. It’s also a mild psychotropic too.
Its my favorite besides the Kapet mix I use which has it in as the primary ingredient anyway
Just thought I’d add a link to this thread for anyone who’s interested in the ancient Egyptian way of doing rituals. It’s a link from an academic source:
Hi all, does anyone else get caught up with the finer details of rituals sometimes?
At times I worry that I’m going to offend deities if I don’t do something ‘correctly’. Although I know that we don’t know everything about how the AEs practiced their rituals anyway.
Probably comes down to self doubt about whether I’m hearing deities properly and whether I’m understanding what they are saying/what their preferences are.
Ironically, worrying makes it even harder because it puts more of a barrier up.
I often find half way through something I’ve remembered I should have done such and such. Used to bug me but now I laugh it off and keep going. Confidence might be the root of it. It comes in time.
I recently bought that book and….to be honest I am often really lazy ….don’t think I could do his version of the “Opening of the mouth”. I will never speak the text by heart and couldn’t go outdoors with my statue in the sunshine…… my neighbours already know,that I am a bit weird, but this would be too much for them
I have done a personal adaptation/summerised version of the Opening of the Mouth ceremony previously, but last year I did one of the general rituals described in Richard Reidy’s book. I didn’t do it exactly the same though.
Haha, I have gone in the garden when I thought there was no chance of being seen lol!
I’m still pondering what to do for this Kemetic New Year though.
….don’t think I could do his version of the “Opening of the mouth”. I will never speak the text by heart and couldn’t go outdoors with my statue in the sunshine…… my neighbours already know,that I am a bit weird, but this would be too much for them 