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“Sekhmet the Eye of Ra” presents us with one of the key episodes in the solar mythos. The lioness-headed Sekhmet is known from a sacred drama as a enraged, fire breathing and bloodthirsty lioness, whose terror is unleashed on the enemies of the Sun-God. This is the episode being illustrated here; however, we also have a reference being made to the theology of Annu or Heliopolis which states that at dawn, Ra as the Great Tomcat slays the serpent-demon Apep with His knife beneath the sacred persea tree, the Ished. The Goddess here is the very embodiment of the destructive power of the Sun-God Ra, whose flaming Wedjat Eye She carries in the sun disk upon Her head.

Sekhmet is here an embodiment of the eastern direction by virtue of Her being depicted facing the western or right side of the panel. She also carries the sun on Her head, which insinuates the rising sun. It is is the rising sun, the eastern sun, because the time of day when Ra slays Apep beneath the Ished Tree is p...

Ptahmassu Nofra-Uaa is an internationally recognized artist, writer, human rights spokesperson and spiritual teacher, whose scholarship and vision have been noted by significant members of the metaphysical and cultural arts communities. Born in San Diego, California into a family of artists, he began at six years of age to receive instruction in figure studies, watercolor technique, and Old World oil painting methods from his father, an accomplished portrait and landscape painter. At the age of six, Ptahmassu began what has evolved into a life long obsession with the civilization, art and religious practices of the ancient Egyptians. Even at this tender age, the boy astonished (and not a little horrified) his parents when he declared...