Last night the Beginners of the Kemetic Orthodoxy were invited to attend the Night Vigil for the Kemetic Orthodoxy, which I'm quite grateful for.

Though the desire to sleep kept probing at my mind and my eyelids grew heavier with each hour, I was able to remain in the chat into dawn. It was nice being with the Reverends, newly made Remetj, and other members of the community; it definitely emphasized how family-oriented the KO is. Additionally, being surrounding by such a group, all focused on Wesir, whether they were familiar with him or not, was powerful and quite beautiful. Personally, I haven't really reached out to him all that much, but I could really feel his presence last night.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Mysteries, they are essentially an annual, reconstructed ritual to bring Wesir from death into the next world, also known as the afterlife.

During the first hour, despite my laptop screen bathing my bedroom in white, the heaviness of the gloom seemed to weigh down on me. It didn't feel like I was suffocating, but I felt engulfed by the darkness, almost as if it was wrapping itself around me, almost like an assuring embrace. I centered myself, my thoughts trained on Wesir and the ritual being typed out before me. And other than my dog snoring quietly beside me, everything was silent.

I could feel his presence there; his energy was radiant. It was gentle and calm. Comparatively, the energy he had reflected that of a humbled person on their deathbed. They are aware that it is their time, and they are not afraid. It was moving and once the first hour concluded, it took me a bit to bring myself back into the chat. Though I was reading the prayers, I had become completely focused.

In the next hour, two of the Kemetic Orthodox priests, during the ritual, spoke on the behalf of Aset and Nebthet and their mourning. Recently I have been reading a fairly lengthy book on Aset, and earlier this month I had read about Aset's association with resurrection and Wesir. The idea that resurrection and rebirth were the most crucial functions performed by her and her immense grief were portrayed rather prominently in this hour.

As the prayers encouraged him to "advance with his ka", or move, I could feel his presence stir. Speaking with the analogy I had made again, it was as if that person on their deathbed was being told to let go. To no longer teeter on the brink of neither living nor being dead. Grief hung in the air as he began to move away, beginning his move throughout the Duat. Aset is separated from him, and I admire how strong she is, being able to face such a hardship.

As each hour rolled by, the ones that inched closer to sunrise felt refreshing (though also with each hour, I was growing increasingly tired). Similar to the sun rising above the curve of the earth, shedding its golden rays, signifying the start of a new day, there was a sense of renewal that carried with the last few prayers. And then there was purification; Wesir was no longer a dead god.

Once the sixth hour concluded, I let myself go lax. My mind was lulling, but I wanted to make sure I had a record of some of the emotions I had felt or the thoughts I had. Writing out a summary of what happened, my feelings, my thoughts, and my connections really helped me reflect and come to a better understanding. The experience was eye-opening, and it allowed me to not only understand Wesir more, but also Aset, Nebthet, and Heru.

Dua Wesir!