What is the meaning of being the guide of the sun through the underworld? Every force in the order of the natural world was thought to exist for a purpose whether human beings were comfortable with it or not. The fierce heat and winds and sandstorms that darkened the sky were thought to serve the purpose of driving the great serpent away from the kingdom of life, and well, this might have had a rather literal parallel in making the Nile river delta difficult to attack from anywhere but the coast. So the enemy of my enemy being my friend applies there.

Set was a protector of the sun? Yes. He was the protector of the way of the people of Khem even if inadvertently. Perhaps like Hades, who typically is seen in a sinister (which is Latin for left handed) light, Hades was the guardian of the Elysian fields as well as Tartarus. The Elysian fields = Greek heaven.

To follow Set is to sit ‘outside’ at the border, protect the natural order and progress it, guide it? Indeed. This answer the question? For the Egyptians, their homeland was the land of the gods as well. So by being the wild and aggressive being he was, he kept the serpent Apophis at bay, not swallowing the sun as he wanted to.

Perhaps a little about Anubis would make this even more clear. Set was an elemental being in that he behaved according to his nature regardless of peoples personal paths. If you fail to properly respect Set, you die. But Set isn’t the one who lead you there. The guide in that case was Anubis. He was the one laying in wait for you to meet your end where he would take your heart and soul to the underworld for judgement, and if you were found unfit, your heart and thus your soul would be fed to the beast that dwelled in the lake of fire there. Have I lost you or answered the question?

It’s an interesting network of relationships. Social networking on a cosmic scale, and well, ritual and reverence served the same purpose it does among human beings today.

And the family all supports each other in complimentary ways. Indeed, and like family they don’t all get along. The law or ma‘at still stands regardless though.

Was Set believed to have an influence on human behavior as later gods and goddesses did? Yes. He was the inspiration behind wanderlust and the changes that travel brings to a persons awareness. This is why he was associated with deceit. When people had contact with outsiders for very long then returned to Khem, they often didn’t feel the same sense of connection to their society that they previously had.

How you going to keep them down on the farm after they’ve seen Paree? Yes, that sums it up pretty well.

I’ve felt that myself after seeing places like Africa and China. Having seen Africa, my description of the spirit of Sutekh probably makes even more sense, no?

Yes. That whole culture kind of feels ‘border.’ Sort of lost among the elements? Delicate even?

Yes, and seeing some mystery there.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~