The approach taken in the temples, by the professional magicians/healers and the private home all differed. This was for many reasons. Do we have any preference for one over the other? A mix of all of them?
This is very much a personal point, in my opinion, and I think depends on what the Netjer/Netjeret/Netjeru that you follow asks of you, and what your status is, as conferred by Them.
One point where I disagree with a lot of the modern pagan practices, such as in Wicca, is the thought that we are all a priest or priestess in our own right. In Kemetic practice, it is not the case, and you can be a follower but not be part of the priesthood, and the priesthood, as it did back then, has its own various types of priests and priestesses.
To become a priest or priestess takes dedication, and is something that is decided between you and the Netjeru. As such, practices and approaches to things depend very much on what is asked of you.
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Some good points there. I do agree with the point on being an automatic priest/priestess. Yes, the ancient priesthood functioned in a way that most traditions would understand; the main thing being that the bulk of the priesthood was on rotation from the community. Once their time was done in the temple they would return home.
I my talk that prompted this topic title, I do mention that once those who had served their time in the temple returned home, they may or may not have some knowledge they had picked up from their service which could benefit both them (in a local professional sense) and their community.
I could quite easily imagine that while in the temple (where they would have often been paid in left overs from the offerings) they would have learnt a few things such as divination or basic healing skills which they could easily supply to their community. We certainly know that professional magicians operated in the community and considering education was limited they must have come from somewhere - most likely the temple systems.
Preisthood too, especially in later times was a much more privialged position through inheritance and assignment by high ranking officials and so to take on a mantle or title of priest or priestess would be out of the reach of most of the lower levels.
So as far as our practice now, priest and priestess should be held as a special role and not one we should take at a whim to feel cool. As you say, what our destiny is in the eyes of the gods will show what that role is and how, and I feel its no less important if we are the high and mighty and down to those who just acknowledge the gods at home. In the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, the gods were everywhere and all had access.
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I agree with this. It’s a matter of different roles, and different approaches and practices, and how things can differ or be similar between the home and temple, if you will. We are all important to the Netjeru. To carry the Netjeru in our hearts is to carry Them everywhere…
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