Ra

Ra
In one of his many forms, Ra has the head of a falcon and the sun-disk of Wadjet resting on his head.
Name in Medu Neter
Major spiritual center	Innu
Symbol	The sun disc
Parents	Ocean Nun

Ra is the most important Neteru in the city of Innu (near modern-day Cairo).

His name is thought to mean "creative power", and as a proper name "Creator". Very early in Kemetic history, Ra was identified with Heru, who was often represented by a falcon. He was represented as a hawk-headed man or as a hawk. A combination of the two, Ra-Hoor-Khuit, "Re, who is Horus of the Horizons" showed the two as manifestations of the singular Solar Force. (also, see Heru-em-Akhut)

Re was the father of Shu and Tefnut, grandfather of Nut and Geb, great-grandfather of Asar, Set, Auset, Nebt-het, and great-great-grandfather of Heru.

Seeing as that the sun was made of fire, the Afrikans of the Nile Valley believed that in order to travel through the waters of heaven and the underworld, one required a boat and so Ra traveled in one. In the day, the boat was a great galley known as Madjet ("becoming strong") that rose in the east from behind "Manu" the mountain of sunrise and passed between two sycamores. As the sun set the boat Re used was a small barge called "Semektet" ("becoming weak").

The course that the boat took was determined by the Neteru Ma'at. During his travels he had plenty of company. Several gods took the journey with him and their job was to help navigate the boat and thus make it's passage successful. Djehuti and Ma'at stood on either side of Heru, who steered the boat and was also apparently the captain of the ship. In front of the boat swam two pilot fishes known as "Abtu" and "Ant". Other passengers include: Geb, Hu, Sia (intelligence) and Hike (magic). At night the Neteru Upuaut (the Opener of Ways) stood at the prow.

Dualistic meaning of Ra

Ra, as stated, represents the Light-aspect of the Sun. However, remaining Conscious of the importance of Duality to the Khemtnu, Ra also represents the Light given to the Hidden Consciousness of the Human Mind. As Heru is perfection of the Physical Realm, and uWasar is perfection of the Astral Realm, Ra is the perfection of the Transcendental Realm, or "Light of the Highest Spirit". Ra, in this sense, brings forth Light (Consciousness and Understanding) to Amun, or hidden essence in all things. Along with Amun (city of uWo'se) and Ptah (city of Hwt-Ka-Ptah), Ra (city of Anu) completed an Earthly representation of the en(Light)enment of the Physical, Mental and Spiritual levels of Human existence.

References

• Ashby, Muata (2006). "Pert-M-Heru: The Book of Coming Forth by Day". Cruzian Mystic Books.