Hello everyone, I have been using meditation to try to find out what my true name is. For those who don't know a true name is in simple words: the name of the soul of a being, it is believed that if someone knows the true name of another that they would have power over them. If anyone has every read the story of the Goddess Isis, where she created a snake either from the sun god Ra's saliva and mud or something else and mud, Isis had the snake bite Ra. This caused Ra to become sick, Isis told him that her magic could heal him but that she would have to know his true name. Ra eventually gave in and whispered into Isis's ear his true name. Isis did her ritual and spoke Ra's true name, Ra was then healed but at the same time Isis gained power of him. If I'm not mistaken I believe that's how Isis become associated with the sun or something like that. Please keep in mind I'm trying to tell this story in simple terms so it's easy to understand. Now I have found a name through meditation. But I'm wondering if I did it right. I had faith when I used meditation to find the answer and I still have faith. What I'm wondering is, for a true name is it an actually name? like seth for example. Because when I learned about true names, I always though a true name was something that wasn't a word but a string of letters that make a sound such as Nekwaheew for example. Also Nekwaheew is just something I made up as an example. I've been open minded about both ideas of a true name being an actual name and a string of letters. Does anyone have any insight into this matter? Thanks
well a 'true name' is a belief, so some might not believe in this at all. some believe this name [or similar anyway] is given to you by your mother at birth she will whisper it in your ear. other believe the gods bestowed a sacred name on you at birth, and others feel [though many different methods] one has a magickal name you can use when addressing the gods. so really it depends on your path. if it feels right to you, try asking your God/Goddess about the name, if they know it, or that you wish to be called by the name you've discovered. if it feels right to you use the name, but don't tell people if you feel it will give them power over you. this is meant to be a powerful name that gives you special strengths and others could use this to control your will.
my memory of the creation of Egypt is a bit rusty [and there are several variations with a similar theme] but the tale you're referring to is where Ra is harming the people of Egypt and Isis tricks Ra. [there's another tale where he refuses to stop ruling Egypt so he sends the eye of Ra (aka 'Daughter of Ra' or Wadjet, Bast, Sekhmet, and a ton of other Goddesses depending on the region. personally i go with Sekhmet) to destroy people and only after he see's the error of his ways does he give up the throne] anyway it was dust and spit that made the snake which bit Ra and because the spit was part of Ra he could not cure himself. once Isis was told his true name she could cure him, but now she was his equal for she knew his true name and that's how she convinced him to give the throne to Osiris [which then goes into the tale of Seth and Horus and mummification and long creation tales i could yak about all day]
Knowing your true name, in Kemetic terms, is a bad thing as if you were to utter it incorrectly it could potentially wipe you out of existence or if you give it out to people, intentionally or otherwise, they can use it to control you (or wipe you out of existence for the same reason).
Also, those myths are a bit off Neko, Ra (while sometimes petulant and petty) is not nearly that bad. He's not harming anyone in the story of His true name, He's actually an aged man and lacks to see the snake that comes out and bites Him. This myth, if anything, is a story of the cunning and devious nature of Aset/Isis as She intentionally creates the snake in order to learn His name.
(He also doesn't refuse to give up His throne; it's humanity attempting a coup against Him as He's gotten older and they see Him as weak. He then sends out Sekhmet or another of His Eyes, who he loses control of as She fulfills Her bloodlust. He then sends out Others to convince/trick Her home, at which point She becomes Hethert/Hathor. At the end of the Book of the Establishment of the Heavenly Cow, Ra climbs on Hethert-Nut (the Heavenly Cow) and asks Her to raise Him into the sky, so that neither could He be hurt, not tempted to hurt us.)
It is not a result of knowing Ra's name that Wesir/Osiris gains the throne; Aset is literally the throne itself linguistically. It's through knowing His name that She gains His power, which She then passes onto Her son, Heru-sa-Aset/Horus-son-of-Isis. It is through this that He is powerful and has the right to rule. Not that Ra and Others didn't dispute His claim to the throne.
@ Shapash oh i know Ra isn't a bad guy, there's just a ton of myths about the same thing depending on region. when i was originally studying Egyptian Mythology my book had 3 versions of the same story [seen above] so i just stuck to the first one. i heard another version where the people rebelled against Ra and stormed the palace so he turned Bast into Sekhmet to destroy the non-believers but once she tasted blood she went on a killing spree turning the silt red. another version he heard people talking bad about him so he tore out his eye to destroy them. on top of that back in Ancient Civilizations class my teacher told a fourth version. the key plot points are usually the same Ra gets upset, punishes those who deserve it, gets out of hand. [even how he stops the eye/daughter changes. one version he got Sehkmet drunk, another he asked Isis for help, another i think he got Toth or someone to assist him. again, a ton of versions with the same talking points]
