At Thebes and Saqqara, graven images of Egyptian priests are clad in stiff ceremonial robes and hint at the eternal rewards that will await them in the sacred regions if they remain devoted to the gods. When we enter these sites, we can read long lists of titles the ancient clergy achieved, years spent serving at the temples, and noble deeds accomplished in their towns and cities. Despite their verbosity, they lack the information to tell us about the specifics of this very honorable tradition, how they filled their days and nights, and what inspired their pursuit of spirituality.
We would err by viewing the Egyptian Temple merely as an imposing edifice governed by a regimented clergy who followed a collection of liturgical recipes derived from archaic, lifeless traditions. The monuments we see today-temples, tombs, and pyramids-reflect ancient Egypt's fundamental, vital notion, the transformation of the human condition into divine substance. We have also seen how each of the monuments dispensed a particular aspect of this Sacred Science through the distinctive practices of the Solar, Lunar, and Stellar temple traditions. It was only possible with the active participation of highly trained participants in the technology of these traditions and who were capable of transmitting it consistently and reliably. This process involved stamina, devotion, and a level of wellbeing that could sacrifice ambition and restlessness, at least temporarily-one that was content with a routine that was rewarded more by spiritual credit than material reward.
