objectsorpeople.Thesefeelingsarecausedbytheunconsciousimpressions,whicharecomingupto
thesurfaceoftheconsciousmind.Itisthisconglomerateofunconsciousimpressionswhichare
“judged”intheHallofMaat.Theydeterminewherethesoulwillgotonextinthespiritualjourney
towardsevolutionordevolution,alsoknownasthecycleofbirthanddeathorreincarnation,aswell
astheexperiencesofheavenorhell.ThefollowingsegmentfromtheAncientKemeticwisdomtext
“Instruction to Meri-ka-Ra” explains this point.
“Youknowthattheyarenotmercifulthedaywhentheyjudgethemiserableone.....
Donotcountonthepassageoftheyears;theyconsideralifetimeasbutanhour.
Afterdeathmanremainsinexistenceandhisactionsaccumulatebesidehim.Lifein
theotherworldiseternal,buthewhoarriveswithoutdoingwrong,beforetheJudge
oftheDead,hewillbethereasaneter(divinity)andhewillwalkfreelyasdothe
masters of eternity.”
Thereferenceaboveto“hisactsaccumulatebesidehim”alludestotheunconsciousimpressions,
whichareformedasaresultofone’sactionswhilestillalive.Theseimpressionscanbeeitherposit-
iveornegative.Positiveimpressionsaredevelopedthroughpositiveactionsbylivingalifeofright-
eousness(Maat)andvirtue.Thisimplieslivingaccordingtothepreceptsofmysticalwisdomorbeing
afollowerofHeru(ShemsuHor)andAset,thegoddessofmysticalwisdom.Theseactionsdrawone
closertoharmonyandpeace,thuspavingthewaytodiscovertheSelfwithin.Thenegativeimpres-
sionsaredevelopedthroughsinfulactions.Theyarerelatedtomentalagitation,disharmonyandrest-
lessness.Thisimpliesactsbasedonanger,fear,desire,greed,depression,gloom,etc.Theseactions
drawoneintotheouterworldofhumandesires.Theydistractthemindanddonotallowtheintellect
(Saa)tofunction.Thus,existenceatthislevelisclosertoananimal,beingbasedonanimalinstincts
anddesiresofthebody(selfishness),ratherthanaspirituallymaturehumanbeing,basedonreason,
selflessness, compassion, etc.
(Purification of the heart)
Howthenisitpossibletoeradicatenegativekarmicimpressionsandtodeveloppositiveones?The
answerliesinyourunderstandingofthewisdomteachingsandyourpracticeofthem.Whenyou
studytheteachingsandliveaccordingtothem,yourmindundergoesatransformationatalllevels.
Thistransformationisthe“purificationofheart”sooftenspokenaboutthroughouttheAncient
EgyptianPertMHeruorBookoftheDeadorBookofComingForthByDay.Itsignifiesaneradica-
tionofnegativeimpressions,whichrendersthemindpureandsubtle.Whenthemindisrendered
subtle,thenspiritualrealizationispossible.Thisdisciplineofpurifyingtheheartbylivingaccording
to the teachings is known as the Yogaof Actionor Smai Tawi Maat.
ThephilosophyofMaatisaprofoundteaching,whichencompassesthefabricofcreationaswellasa
highlyeffectivesystemofspiritualdiscipline.Increationstories,God(NeterNeteru)issaidtohave
establishedcreationuponMaat.ConsequentlyitfollowsthatMaatistheorderlyflowofenergy
whichmaintainstheuniverse.Further,Maatistheregularitywhichgovernsthemassiveplanetary