Egyptian Ceremony of Lighting the Fire

September 13-14 is the Egyptian Ceremony of Lighting the Fire, an Egyptian All Soul's day honoring Nepthys and the spirits of the dead. This was a festival of light, people placed candles, lanterns and lamps in front of their deities and statues of their ancestors who were encouraged by the light to journey back to loved ones for a visit.

• Themes: Death; Spirits; Rebirth
• Symbols: Fire; Basket; Myrrh
• Presiding Goddess: Nepthys

About Nepthys:

This Egyptian funerary goddess has a hawk for a sacred animal. Together they guide and watch the souls of our loved ones in the afterlife. In Egyptian tradition, Nepthys lives in the east, where she can receive the rising sun, a symbol of the hopefulness she can instill and of resurrection.

To do today:

Today was Nepthys' festival day in ancient Egypt. As with other festivals for the dead, it was a time not only to propitiate the goddess with offerings of aromatic incense like myrrh but also to satisfy any wandering spirits. If someone you care about passed away during the last year, burn some incense for this goddess and leave a small basked filled with a token for her on your altar. This acts as a prayer to Nepthys to keep a watchful eye on that soul and grant them peace.

If you find your sense of hopefulness waning under everyday pressures, light a candle honoring Nepthys today, and every day, until you sense a difference in attitude. Try to choose a candle whose color represents hope and change to you (sprout green is one good choice). Inscribe the candle with a symbol of what you most need to turn things around so that this goddess can shine dawn's revitalizing light into your heart and begin lifting some of that heaviness.

From: 365 Goddess