mentalhealthfromaspiritualperspective,relativetothepracticeofpsychiatry(thebranchofmedi-
cinethatdealswiththediagnosis,treatment,andpreventionofmentalandemotionaldisorders)and
itsspiritualramifications.TheAncientEgyptiangodDjehutiwasknowntotheGreeksasAescu-
lapius,theGreekgodofmedicine.HewasalsocalledHermesorThothbytheGreeksandRomans.
Hewasthefirstpractitionerofhealing.Hisartwasnotlimitedtohealingthebody,butalsothemind,
foritisonlywhenthereishealthofmind,thatitispossibletoperceivethegloryoflifeandtheDiv-
ine essence.
The Ancient Egyptian Origins of the Western Medical Symbols
Djehuti, The God of Healing
Figure 27: Left: The Ancient Egyptian God Djehuti holding the Caduceus in his left
hand and transmitting the life force with the ankh amulet in his right arm. (From the
Temple of Asar (Osiris) in Abdu (Egypt, Africa)
Figure 28: Right: Modern caduceus (staff with a serpent coiled around it).
The Healing Power of Djehuti
ThehealingpowerofDjehuticonsistsofrestoringtheconditionoftheEye,the
symbolofhealthyspiritualConsciousness,toitsstatebeforetheimpurities(ignor-
anceabouttheHigherSelf,anger,hatred,greed,lust,etc.)camein,thatis,theEn-
lightened state. Thus Djehuti speaks:
“IcameseekingtheEyeofHeru,thatImightbringitbackandcountit.Ifoundit(now
itis)complete,countedandsound,sothatitcanflameuptotheskyandblowaboveand
below...”