Use of the Systrum aka Sistrum for your own Ritual and/or Ceremonial Purposes ....
May this beautifully crafted instrument empower hand-drumming enthusiasts
who may have found themselves challenged to learn various techniques
or who may have been prohibited by arthritis or other physical limitation(s)
to thus discover the joy of playing percussion ala this wonderful & historic
easy-to-use instrument associated with rich millennia-old traditions.
We believe it will inspire meaningful intentional ritual and creative authentic living in our daily lives.
~ SSSsssSSSsssSesheshet ~
Companion document: Click here
In Ancient Egyptian culture processionals to the temple included a variety of percussion and melodic instruments and yet, research indicates, the sistrum was the only instrument to have been used in the innermost sanctuary of the temple. It is believed to have been used to clear the space, allowing for the presence of the Divine to usher in
So too might we use this instrument in similar fashion: Clearing and creating sacred space in our homes ~ for example, allowing the stress of the day to be cleared away as we transition from work to home and family.
Shake the sistrum and/or play rhythmic patterns for a few minutes; feel the blessings descend.
You might also enjoy starting your day by carving a little niche of time as follows: Upon awakening, drink a glass of room temperature water and then proceed to the spot in your home which you have designated as a private corner ~ that is, one which everyone in the household understands is a space they need to respect, a place where you are left alone undisturbed. [Suggestion: borrow the idea from hotels and put a "DO NOT DISTURB" sign on the door knob]
Comfortably position yourself and gently shake the Ceremonial Systrum™ with the intention of invoking the Divine to bless you and the day ahead, to guide your thoughts, words and actions in the highest good for all concerned. Remain seated quietly for a few moments focusing only on your breath. On a count of four slowly breathe in inhaling new oxygen all the way down into the belly; pause, enjoying new life force filling every cell of your body; and on an equally methodical count of four exhale, slowly allowing the breath out. Enjoy the calm... do your best to carry this calm with you throughout the day ...
Perhaps you will also find it helpful to follow this procedure in the evening before retiring to bed. Of course, there are many other applications of meditative practices you might explore... these are but a few suggestions.
Shake the Systrum
Follow the Rhythm
Listen to your Inner Guide and...
Enjoy the blessings bestowed
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Thank you Carmel Boss, fournder of CoAbode.com* for allowing me to share your art:
Blue Lotus - Hathor. oil on canvas.
Carmel Boss
"The ancients often portray energy vibration as a snake moving on the ground or in water,
creating the waveform or 'sine wave' which came to symbolize
unity becoming duality—the cosmological bases of all philosophical and artistic expressions,
including music, which in Egypt is personified by the Goddess Hathor."
*an online'mom-matching' service which connects single moms for house sharing opportunities
... verses below excavated from Hathor Temple in Dendera, Egypt:
We sound our drum for her Spirit
We dance her Grace
We see her lovely form in the Heavens
She is our Lady of Sistrum
Hathor!
Lady of Delight,
Mistress of Dance
Lady of Sistrum & Queen of Song ...
For more .... Click here for .pdf
* * *
Hymn of the Seven Hathors from the Temple of Dendera
We play the tambourine for Your Ka,
We dance for Your Majesty,
We exalt You
To the height of heaven.
You are the Mistress of Sekhem,
The Menat and the Sistrum,
The Mistress of Music,
For whose Ka one plays.
We praise Your Majesty every day,
From dusk until the earth grows light,
We rejoice in Your Countenance, O Mistress in Dendera!
We praise You with song.
You are the Lady of Jubilation, the Mistress of the Iba-dance*,
The Lady of Music, the Mistress of Harp-playing,
The Lady of Dancing, the Mistress of Tying on Garlands,
The Lady of Myrrh, and the Mistress of Leaping*.
We glorify Your Majesty,
We give praise before Your Face.
We exalt Your Power
Over the Gods and the Goddesses.
You are the Lady of Hymns,
The Mistress of the Library,
The Great Seshat
At the head of the Mansion of Records.
We propitiate Your Majesty every day.
Your heart rejoices at hearing our songs.
We rejoice when we see You, day by day.
Our hearts are jubilant when we see Your Majesty.
You are the Lady of Garlands, the Mistress of Dance,
The Lady of Unending Drunkenness.
We rejoice before Your face; we play for Your Ka.
Your heart rejoices over our performance.
Mariette: Dendérah, Tome 3, pl. 60.From the 5th Crypt of the Temple of Dendera
*The iba is a sedate religious dance for the Gods. The title "Mistress of Leaping" refers to the kes-kes, called the "Hathor Leaping Dance" by R. Hannig but possibly also a dance with bending and bowing movements, if it is related to the word qsi, meaning "to bow." See: www.hethert.org
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June 2021 Update: I see more and more examples of the way Hathor is "showing up" ... I recently saw this lovely collage on Instagram and asked Melissa Madeline Lohse @elissamadelene if I might share and she agreed. Enjoy!
About the collage: Pillar of the temple of Hathor from Dendera and real hieroglyphs from a temple cut out from a coffee table book about Egypt and
images of real crystals from a fashion magazine to resemble the necklaces the pharaohs and the priestesses wore in ancient Egypt.
Melissa's post said: I love Egypt and the gods and goddesses of Egypt. It has inspired me to make a new collage.
This is a art collage of the Egyptian Goddess Hathor.
She is a goddess of love, sex, healing, birth, and beauty.
She is also of goddess of self-worth.
Many women struggle with a low self-worth.
Love yourself and do something nice for yourself as often as you can.
You have to fill yourself up with good energy before you can be of service to others.
Is your cup full or is it empty?
If you struggle with your self worth, you want to be a better healer
or have a more juicy love life and experience sacred sex
then you can invite the healing energy of Hathor into your life.
Maybe she will heal you on some level or give you some new inspiration.
....Say a simple prayer (of gratitude) to her in your own words.
Have a wonderful inspirational day filled with joy.