intercoursewithwomen(appliestofemaleinitiatesnothavingintercoursewithmen
as well).Figure 6: KemeticSymbol for a Bed of Lettuceof Min
IntheMysteriesoftheAncientEgyptiangodandgoddessAsarandAset,respectively,Asar’sbrother
Setrepresentsthelowerhumannature,andAsar’sson,Heru,thehigher.SetkillsAsarandusurpsthe
throne,whichrightfullyshouldbelongtoHeru.InvariousrenderingsofthecharacteristicsofSet,itis
statedthatSetispromiscuous.Mostinterestingly,bothHeruandSetarevegetarians.Theirfavorite
foodislettuce.AnotherformofHeruisthegodMin.Hesymbolizessublimatedsexualenergies.His
favoritefoodisalsolettuce,andinancienttimesthisfoodwasseenasanaphrodisiac.Therefore,
throughthismyth,theteachingthatvegetarianismincreasesthepotentialforspiritualadvancementis
beinggiven.Withthisunderstanding,itisclearthatcontrolofthesexualurgetoconservepotential
spiritualenergyandpurificationofthedietarenecessarypracticesonthespiritualpathwhichenable
the aspirant to achieve increased spiritual sensitivity.
Amostimportantpointtorememberwhenbeginningpracticesforthepurificationisthattheyshould
beimplementedgradually,preferablyunderthesupervisionofanexperiencedperson.Ifthese
changesresultinaninabilitytoperformyourdailyduties,thentheyaretooextreme.Thekeytoad-
vancementinanyareaissteady,balancedpractice.Theremustalwaysbeabalancebetweentheprac-
ticallifeandthespiritual.Inthisway,spiritualadvancementoccursinanintegralfashion,intensify-
ingeveryareaofone’sliferatherthanoneparticularareaexclusively.Allareasmustbemastered,
secular as well as non-secular, in order to attain spiritual perfection, Enlightenment.
Sincethephysicalbodyandallworldlyattainmentsarechangeable,fleetingandultimatelyperish-
able,itwouldbewisetopursueawayoflifewhichdirectsthemindtowardunderstandingtheSelf
andnottopursuehealthasanendinitself,butasameanstoyourowngrowthandspiritualevolu-
tion,whichwillcontinueevenafterthedeathoftheyourphysicalbody(i.e.carryontoyournext
lifetimewhenyoureincarnate)ifyouhavenotattainedenlightenmentuptothetimeofphysical
death.Theholisticdevelopmentofanindividualmustbedirectedtoachievingastateof
consciousness
whichisnotdependentonthephysicalbodyforpeaceandcomfort.Thebodyisaninstrument,which
youhavecreatedthroughyourthoughtstoallowyoutopursuethegoalofenlightenmentandthereby
experience the fullness of life.
11- See #1.