•  
A+ A A-

Ra - Egyptian Sun God

 

gods_in_sun_barque

Egyptian Sun God Ra

The ancient Egyptian culture was centered around the pantheon of gods and reveled in their glory and worship. The most important amongst these gods was Ra, the main god of the ancient Egyptians.

Ra, the Sun God symbolized the creation of every living soul. It was widely believed that Ra was the first being and all the other beings were born later or were his progeny. He is depicted as a man's body with the head of a hawk with an ankh and a scepter in his hands. He was largely worshiped in Heliopolis (Greek for city of the sun) which was the cult place in ancient Egypt.

The Egyptians thought of him as the conqueror of evil and lies by bringing light to this world and also as a symbol of good and truth. The hawk head represents the sun's 'flight' across the horizon. Ra is also shown in a boat called the 'Barque of Ages', sailing across the sky. At the end of the day, he was believed to be traveling in another boat through the Underworld. The sun disk on the head of this Sun God had a cobra around it. Ra was also known by different names representing the various positions of the sun in the sky.

barque_of_ages

Khepri or Khepera (The Rising Sun)

The rising sun was a symbol of birth and creation. Egyptians believed that the dead were reborn again in the after-life each day with the rising sun. This version or alter-ego was named as Khepri.

Atum (The Setting Sun)

The setting sun was a symbol of the passage of the humans from birth up to death.

Ra (The Noon Sun)

This name was used only for the noon sun, when it was at the zenith. Some pharaohs proclaimed him as 'Amun-Re', the king of all gods and pharaohs and the leader of the military. His appearance as the head of a hawk and the body of a man was his form for greeting the mortals.

egyptian_god_ra

A legend goes that the Sun God Ra divided his body into a number of parts which created the other Egyptian gods. The first creation of his body or his divine children were 'Shu' the god of air or wind, and his wife, Tefnut, the 'spitter' or goddess of rain. He was the grandfather of Geb, the god of the Earth and his wife Nut, the goddess of the sky.

The pharaohs were thought of as Gods, not kings, so that after death they would be united with Ra. Humans were believed to have evolved from the tears of Ra. The temples or complexes built for sun worship were always without a roof, so that the sun could shine through the structure. The pharaoh Amenhotep who reigned during the 14th century BC, promoted the worship of the sun-disk over the other deities. He prohibited the worship of other Gods against the beliefs of Egyptians. This tradition was subsequently curbed by future rulers because it contradicted the Egyptian belief in multiple Gods, a very popular concept religiously followed those days.

barque_apophis

Another popular belief states that Ra traveled the sky through twelve provinces, representing the twelve hours of daylight. At the end of the journey or the dusk, Ra was believed to have been dead and hence embarked on his night voyage. This dead form was referred to as 'Auf' meaning corpse. The day journey was in the Manjet-boat or 'The Barque of Million Years' and the night in the Mesektet boat or night-bark. During the course of his journey, he was believed to have fought many battles with a snake named Apep. The stormy days or an eclipse period was when Ra was defeated by the snake. In the Underworld or the night journey, Auf brought light to the dead souls as he passed through.

In the later Egyptian cultures, the belief was that Ra combined with another Egyptian God Amon and became Amon-Re. He also combined with Horus to become Re-Harakhte. The association of Ra with the Egyptian civilization has existed for a long period of time. Hence, there are a large number of Egyptian myths, legends or stories where there is mention of Ra in different contexts.

amen_re

However, the fact remains that the Sun God had a prominent place in the ancient Egyptian culture, throughout its history.

By Prashant Magar

Source Here

 

Pin It

Liked this article? Dive deeper into personal growth and wellness! Check out CrystalWind.ca for spiritual wisdom or explore AromaWorx.ca for natural well-being tips. Spread the positivity—share this with friends on their happiness journey!

Let’s Chat! Drop Your Thoughts Below! Scroll down to comment

Keep CrystalWind.ca free—your gift matters now!
Help us spread light today. Thank you, supporters!

Follow this blog

Thank You for Visiting CrystalWind!

We’re honored to be part of your journey.

Share your thoughts at .

Let’s grow together!

The Crystal Wind Oracle App
Shatter Illusions – Gain Clarity Now!
Instant Access On:
Apple | Android | Amazon
New! 53-Card Deck for Deeper Wisdom

Imagine a world of inspiration and healing, free for all—made possible by YOU!
Donate Now—Ignite the Magic at CrystalWind.ca!

Support CrystalWind.ca Today!

Unlock Your Light: Join Lightworkers Worldwide on CrystalWind.ca!

Call For Writers

Call For Writers!

Follow Us!

Featured This Month

Page:

Citrine

Citrine

The Clearing Stone Citrine’s wide range of colours enables it to help balan... Read more

Cornplanting Moon

Cornplanting Moon

Deer – Moss Agate – Yarrow – Green and White Read more

The Hawthorn Tree - May 13 - June 9

The Hawthorn Tree - May 13 - June 9

Celtic Symbol : The Chalice Zodiac Degrees : 21º00` Taurus - 17º59 Gemini ... Read more

Litha - The Midsummer Solstice

Litha - The Midsummer Solstice

The Litha festival is one of the lesser Sabbats of the Witches annual calend... Read more

Sun in Gemini

Sun in Gemini

Sun in Gemini May 21 through June 20 An Overview of Sun Sign Characteristic... Read more

Deer Medicine

Deer Medicine

Deer is not only a medicine someone can carry, it is a Native American birth... Read more

Litha Sabbat - The Summer Solstice

Litha Sabbat - The Summer Solstice

Gardens are blooming, and summer is in full swing. Fire up the barbeque, turn ... Read more

Crystal Gem: Grids and Gridding

Crystal Gem: Grids and Gridding

What are Crystal Gem Grids? They are tools for empowerment, for blessings, ... Read more

Birth Totem - Deer

Birth Totem - Deer

Birth dates: May 21 - June 20 Birth Totem is: Deer Read more

Celestite

Celestite

The Divine Listener Stone Celestite has remarkable relaxing and uplifting a... Read more

Rutilated Quartz

Rutilated Quartz

The Energy Buster Stone Rutilated Quartz is an illuminator for the soul, pr... Read more

Gemini Mythology

Gemini Mythology

The Story Behind the Gemini Zodiac Sign Read more

Yarrow

Yarrow

Helps you create the future of your dreams Read more

A Simple Summer Solstice Ritual with Crystal…

A Simple Summer Solstice Ritual with Crystals

June 20, 2016 is this year’s summer solstice, marking&n... Read more

X

Right Click

No right click