Best Egyptian mythology book of Thoth study

[Freddie]

Hi All,

I am wondering what book(s) on Egyptian mythology/religion are the best for hermetic study. I am looking for a book that goes deeper than just everday stories. One of the benefits of working with Thoth is that one is that it always inspires me to keep studying and learning.



Freddie

 

[Abrac]

Hey Freddie. I haven't read any specific books that deal exclusively with that subject but it does sound like it would be interesting. I do know it was during the Ptolemaic period (304 b.c - 30 b.c) in Egypt that the fusion of Egyptian religion and Greek philosophy occurred that later became Hermeticism. Alexandria was the primary center of Greek philosophy and it was there that many elements of Western occultism were born, Gnosticism, Alchemy, Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, etc.

 

[ravenest]

Hi All,

I am wondering what book(s) on Egyptian mythology/religion are the best for hermetic study. I am looking for a book that goes deeper than just everday stories.

Whatever you can get your hands on, its all background. I find the Old Kingdom gets my interest up the most but its probably the least known area. There are the classic Hermetic writings of course. The Pyramid Texts (or collections known as The Egyptian Book(s) of the Dead) are probably the only originals. Modern takes on it and interpretations can be found with Budge, not too interesting and a little dated but this was the source for a lot of post Victorian British pseudo-Egyptology. Christian Jacq (not his Egyptian fiction ... exept for fun) is a bit thin and light. Schueller de Lubics (sic?) is more in depth, if you can understand him. Normandy Ellis has excellent (IMO) transliterations of the Pyramid and Coffin Texts - 'Awakening Osiris' her take on the 'Egyptian Book of the Dead'. I like Rosemary Clark (google her and Om Seti - her teacher, I find them interesting as they were accepted by native Egyptians) I have her two books on Egyptian 'Magic' and related arts, theory and practical - she has a good section on psychic anatomy ... although its all mixed up with some modern stuff eg. in the astrology. However no one really knows much so its all flavored with modern stuff.

 

[ravenest]

Hey Freddie. I haven't read any specific books that deal exclusively with that subject but it does sound like it would be interesting. I do know it was during the Ptolemaic period (304 b.c - 30 b.c) in Egypt that the fusion of Egyptian religion and Greek philosophy occurred that later became Hermeticism. Alexandria was the primary center of Greek philosophy and it was there that many elements of Western occultism were born, Gnosticism, Alchemy, Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, etc.

Yes, thats pretty much the case but most of the Greek stuff that blended with the Egyptian originally had an Egyptian source; if they were a Greek often their teacher was an Egyptian and in some cases a 'Greek' philosopher was actually an Egyptian but a Greek version of their name was recorded.

 

[Grigori]

Ravenest, there was a version of the Book of the Dead that you recommended previously. I can't find the link now, do you remember the one that was discussed?

 

[Aset]

I am wondering what book(s) on Egyptian mythology/religion are the best for hermetic study.

I can't say if this is good for Hermetic study, but I adore "Temple of the Cosmos" by Jeremy Naydler. Very good view of Egyptian theology.

 

[Minotauro]

have you seen the liberty tarot?

it is a clone or recreation fo the thoth tarot

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/liber-stars-eternal/

the minors are correspondedd with the decans

Im just about to receive it but a forum memember by the name of " scion" has made what I heard was a wonderful guide for it.

but the guide itself was based of another book the " liber hermetis" so you could get into that or read the guide to the minors

 

[Barleywine]

It may be a little more generic than what you're after, but Manly P. Hall has a fair amount of Egyptian mythology in The Secret Teachings of All Ages, and it's quite readable and readily available. The Wallace Budge books were recommended to me when I first started out, but they're as dry as the dust at the bottom of a sarcophagus

 

[ravenest]

Ravenest, there was a version of the Book of the Dead that you recommended previously. I can't find the link now, do you remember the one that was discussed?

It was probably the Normandy Ellis one, 'Awakening Osiris' ... I've been quiet keen on that for a while. Its been a long time since I've enjoyed another so I guess thats it.

 

[ravenest]

The Wallace Budge books were recommended to me when I first started out, but they're as dry as the dust at the bottom of a sarcophagus