Wisdom through the Ages

O Thoth, God of Wisdom and Knowledge, give our leaders in Congress wisdom, clarify and common sense to lead us in to a great year. new GOP majority has vowed to battle President Barack Obama on health care, spending, taxes and other issues. Boehner, the perpetually tanned legislator who rose, fell and rose again in Republican leadership contests over the past two decades, told a packed chamber that Congress must tackle tough issues such as cutting spending and reducing the deficit. "No longer can we kick the can down the road," he said. But far-reaching accords will be difficult in Washington, where Democrats still control the Senate and Obama wields veto powers.

In the House, children and grandchildren of new lawmakers fidgeted, temporarily lending lighter moments to a chamber certain to see fierce debates and partisan votes in the next two years. House Republicans, for instance, plan to vote within days to overturn Obama's 2010 health care overhaul, but they acknowledge it's a symbolic gesture because the Senate will not concur. Nineteen House Democrats refused to vote for Pelosi as speaker, baring the lingering wounds from last fall's bitter elections. Countless GOP campaign ads had depicted Pelosi and her allies as out-of-touch liberals. Eleven House Democrats kept campaign promises Wednesday by voting for fellow centrist Heath Shuler, D-N.C.

The name Thoth means 'Truth' and 'Time'. Thoth was the Master architect who created the blueprint of our reality based on the mathematics of sacred geometry. It is here - in the Duality of our experience - reflected in gods and goddesses, the landscapes of Egypt including the pyramids and temples - the myths and metaphors - that we experience time and emotions.

Originally, Thoth was a god of creation, but was later thought to be the one who civilized men, teaching them civic and religious practices, writing, medicine, music and was a master magician. He took on many of the roles of Seshat, until she became a dual, female version of Thoth. Thoth was believed to be the inventor of astronomy, astrology, engineering, botany, geometry, land surveying. Thoth's priests claimed Thoth was the Demi-Urge who created everything from sound.

Thoth had a love affair with the Goddess Nut, wife of Re. When Re found out her affair with Geb and was pregnant; he curse her to not be able to give birth any day of the year. Re command Shu, Father of Nut and Geb, to separated the couple. Nut cried in pain from being pregnant. 

What mancan stand to see a woman cry? Not Thoth. He quickly soothed her by promising to find a solution to Nut's dilemma. 

And he did! Using his divine powers of persuasion, Thoth persuaded Khonsu, God of the Moon to gamble with him. The stakes were high. It was agreed that for each round that Thoth won, he would be rewarded with a bit of the Moon's light. The games continued for months on end, and, eventually, Thoth had managed to win enough light to create five entire new days.

Nut wasted not a precious moment of those blessed days, giving birth to a different child on each of the five days. Hence, Nut came to be  called  the  "Mother of the Gods". 

First born was a son she named Osiris. He was the son of Re and later became the god who was to rule all of the earth. The Egyptian Goddess Isis, daughter of Thoth, was born on the third day. Her father was Thoth.
Isis and Osiris loved each other deeply, even when they were still in Nut's womb. The myths of Isis and Osiris are among the most beautiful love stories ever told. Ruling together as husband and wife they created the first great nation of Western civilization during what was called the "Golden Age of Egypt" (around 2,500 BCE). The additional five days that Thoth had added to the solar year were spent in celebrations honoring the goddess Nut. Festivals were held in late February, just before the new solar year began. And this is the story of how our years came to number 365 days
Tefnut, the Eye of Ra, became estranged from her father and fled into Nubia, taking all of her precious water with her. In this land, she transformed herself into a lioness. She raged through the countryside, emitting flames from her eyes and nostrils. Viciously, she drank the blood and fed on the flesh of both animals and humans. As time went on, Ra missed his Eye, and longed to see her again - Egypt had dried, and the land was in chaos. He summoned Shu to him, along with Thoth, who was the messenger of the gods and famous for his eloquence. Ra issued the command that Shu and Thoth must go to Nubia and bring back his recalcitrant daughter. Before they set off on their journey Shu and Thoth disguised themselves as baboons. The baboon was an animal sacred to Thoth. Eventually, Thoth and Shu found Tefnut in Begum. Thoth began at once to try and persuade her to return to Egypt. Tefnut, however, wasn't interested. She liked hunting in the desert and was perfectly happy where she was. Thoth would not give up though, and wove stories to depict to her how gloom had descended upon Egypt since she had left. The people of Egypt would do anything for her if she'd just return home. Ultimately, wooed by Thoth's promises, Tefnut relented and returned to Egypt accompanied by the two baboons. All the way there, Thoth kept her entertained with stories. Tefnut made a triumphant entry back into the homeland, accompanied by a host of Nubian musicians, dancers and baboons. She went from city to city, bringing back moisture and water (the inundation), amid great rejoicing, until finally she was reunited with her father, and restored to her rightful position as his Eye.

When Ra retired from the earth, he appointed Thoth and told him of his desire to create a Light-soul in the Duat and in the Land of the Caves, and it was over this region that the sun god appointed Thoth to rule, ordering him to keep a register of those who were there, and to mete out just punishments to them. Thoth became the representation of Ra in the afterlife, seen at the judgement of the dead in the 'Halls of the Double Ma'at'.