Truth, Justice and Harmony
While the Full Moon is still in Libra I’d like to offer a meditation on the Egyptian goddess
Ma’ at (pronounced May et).
Ma’at is the goddess of truth, justice, harmony, and balance (a concept known as ma’at by the ancient Egyptians). The goddess is portrayed as a winged woman with a white ostrich feather on her head. This feather was an integral part of the Weighing of the Heart of the Soul ceremony in the afterlife where the heart of the soul of a dead person was weighed in the scales of justice against Ma'at's feather.
Ma'at came into being when Ra spoke the world into creation and her spirit of harmony and balance infused the world.
The principle of ma’at in ancient Egypt referred not only to the need for balance in all things but also the need for right attitude. The goddess herself was more of a concept or principle than a deity with a story like Isis for example. This means that people honoured her not by building temples but by living in accordance with the highest principles of truth, justice, and harmony. Ma’at, therefore, was the model for human behavior.
Ma’at’s White Feather Of Truth
When a person died, it was believed that their immortal self (Akh) appeared before the god Osiris in the Hall of Truth and in the presence of the Forty-Two Judges. There you would have your heart (Ab) weighed in the balance on a golden scale against Ma'at's white feather of truth. If your heart was heavier than the feather, it would be devoured by the monster Ammut and you would cease to exist but if your heart was lighter than the feather you could enter paradise.
Ma’at reminds us to behave in ways that help maintain order and restore balance. This means...
We speak the truth
We do not steal
We don't intentionally harm others
We don't break the law.
Etc
And we behave in ways that are in harmony with our personal values.
On truth-telling
In iconography, Ma’at is usually at the side of Ra in his heavenly solar barge helping him defend his barge from the serpent Apophis by night. This is symbolic of course, of light vs darkness and good vs evil but also on another level a reminder of the importance of being a light-bearer.
Someone who improves the lives of others including their own.
Be courageous enough to let out whatever “weighs heavy on your heart” for the truth will indeed set you free.
It will save your soul and help clear the way for a more enlightened future but perhaps more importantly - in the here and now - stop you from expending energy on people and things that do not add beauty and sweetness to your life.
For journal questions and added information, you can download the Full Moon In Libra workbook here.
xo
Yolanda