Ra and Mithras - All Hail the Lords of Light! (plus Mithras God of the Morning by Rudyard Kipling)

Sunrise at Abu Simbel Egypt










Sun over the Valley of the Kings  Egypt










Ra


A Hymn to Ra

Ra Heru Khuti, Thy Mother Nut
the Arch of Heaven, giveth Thee birth
and Thou dost give light unto
the course of the Disk
Lord of Life, Thou Great Light
Fire Child of glittering rays
dispeller of darkness and gloom
Thou risest, Thou shinest
spreading abroad Thy light
commanding the Northwind
the celestial waters,
the staff of life and every flower
all the region wherein the Disk revolveth
is under Thy command
Thou makest Thy light to spread abroad
and floodest with light the Two Lands
and the World
The company of the Gods rejoice
and are glad at Thy coming
there is joy everywhere and
all hearts are glad
every face is happy and
everyone adoreth Thy beauty.

Adapted from ancient sources
by Isis Andersen for Summer Solstice
                              June 21, 2008

Mithras

Just some words before the poem regarding Mithras.  Mithras is a God of the Roman Legions that Franz Cumont believed to have been borrowed from Iran. Personally I have worked with this Being and He is definitely solar.   From a Judaeo-Christian point of view you might think of Him as being like the Archangel Michael.

This is just a poem that I love and it calls the energy of Mithras quite well!  To say this out loud can move one to tears... as it just did when I read it out loud with focus.  The Great Solar Being came to my call... and is here even now.  It is hot above and all around me like a Noon day Sun and I offer Mithras praise and thanks!  Hail Lord of Light!

There is a saying one hears amongst the pagan community that some say the Old Gods are dead but in truth they think we are!  Well certainly forgetful and unaware of a Divine Order that serves and supports the One Mystery out of which all beings and things have emanated.  So in my view there is no conflict between the One and those who represent and serve the One.   In Judaism we have the seven great Archangels before the Throne of God who represent God... one is Michael and He is a solar Being.
 
Interestingly each of the seven Jewish Archangels have their planetary association (or in the case of Sun and Moon not planetary but zodiacal).   The Jewish saying "Mazel Tov" means Lucky planets!  Also a note... the Jewish Archangels happen to also have been Old Chaldean Gods from the City of Ur, an old Akkadian City.  Sort of makes one think.   Which is why I began to look at religions beyond those now widely accepted.  

For those interested I encourage you to look into how Mithras nearly became the Lord of Light for the West rather than Jesus.  There are some possible interesting  connections with Christianity to consider. As for the Old Egyptian religion it was truly monotheistic at the root... for the Old Gods of that religion were "but the limbs of Ra".   Happy Summer Solstice!

PS.  An acknowledgement obviously not entirely happy or healthy but must say thanks to Rome and the Old Empire and their Roman roads and conquering ways for they brought the world together and many ideas from far flung places.... and eventually even inspired the "Sopranos" no doubt!
 
1. Mithraism

"Spirit of Spirit, if it be your will, give me over to immortal birth so that I may be born again - and the sacred spirit may breathe in me."
Prayer to Mithras

Celebrating the light and fire caused from striking of flints is an ancient tradition. Mithra is said to be forced out of a rock, wearing the Phyrygian cap holding a dagger and a torch of light. Mithra's birth is celebrated on the Winter Solstice.

Mithraism was popular in the Roman Empire with many Emperors following, not just the populace. It had seven sacraments, the same as the Catholic Church, baptism, and communion with bread and water. The Eucharist hosts were signed with a cross, an ancient phallic symbol which originated in Egypt, and the Egyptian cross (the ankh) still shows the original form which included the female symbol.

"More important even than the Vedic and Zoroastrian influences, the Mithras cult had a strong impact on Christianity. Mithras was the son of Ormuzd, and as a god of light himself, he engaged the powers of darkness, Ahriman and his host, in a bitter struggle. Mithras triumphed and cast his adversaries into the nether world. Mithras, too, raised the dead and will find them at the end of time. He, too, will relegate the wicked to hell and establish the millennial kingdom. [...]

Drews, too, believes that it was the influence of Persian, notably Mithraic, thought which led to the gradual transformation of the human figure of Jesus into a Godhead. Robertson thinks that the rock-tomb resurrection of Jesus is a direct transference of Mithras' rock birth, and that Jesus also became a sun-god like Mithras, so that they share their birthday at the winter solstice. Robertson, Niemojewski, Volney and others assert that as son-god Jesus had twelve apostles representing the twelve houses of the zodiac."

"Jesus Versus Christianity" by Alfred Reynolds, p78

A Song to Mithras

Mithras, God of the Morning,
our trumpets waken the Wall!
Rome is above the Nations,
but Thou art over all!
Now as the names are answered,
and the guards are marched away,
Mithras, also a soldier,
give us strength for the day!

Mithras, God of the Noontide,
the heather swims in the heat,
Our helmets scorch our foreheads,
our sandals burn our feet.
Now in the ungirt hour,
now ere we blink and drowse,
Mithras, also a solder,
keep us true to our vows!

Mithras, God of the Sunset,
low on the Western main,
Thou descending immortal,
immortal to rise again!
Now when the watch is ended,
now when the wine is drawn
Mithras, also soldier,
keep us pure till the dawn!

Mithras, God of the Midnight,
here where the great bull dies,
Look on thy children in darkness.
Oh, take our sacrifice!
Many roads Thou hast fashioned:
all of them lead to the Light!
Mithras, also a soldier,
teach us to die aright!

- Rudyard Kipling