When brought into this world, we are all in the same position. We are completely susceptible to the circumstances that have been put there before us. As human beings we do not have the capabilities to invent, we can only copy what we see based off of the perception that we have. Whether these circumstances are helpful or damaging can be based on who put them there for us, what their agenda is and how that falls in line with society. Due to this vulnerability, it can be observed that the region of the world you are from and the values that are a part of that society will be all you know and shape how you live your life. The goals we come to have in life are not our own. They too have been put there for us to have but we are not able to see how a society shapes the people within it based on what the people who run the society want to achieve. This notion can be simply explained by using the example of a baby. A baby will learn how crawl, eat, walk and talk simply by observing those who are around him. If those who are around him want to help him learn these things in a faster time period, they then help him by providing tools that can better assist him with what he is trying to achieve. He will even learn at a quicker rate if he has more exposure to a model in people doing those things around him. You can see this in a young child as well. The behaviors that you see in them, whether they are positive or negative, can be found in the behaviors in their home, friends, family, and their teachers.

Thinking about this on a larger scale, in terms of how a whole society is affected by this notion, it is important to investigate the values a society holds and the roots of those values. America has often been compared to a melting pot because of the variety of people that reside in it from all over the world. Looking within American society, you can see that there are a variety of ways to apply what is known to the different things that people do. From the way we prepare our food, how we dress, the way we approach our work or our spirituality, there is no set standard, no definite right or wrong. For most, this is seen as a very positive thing. We have the freedom to choose what it is we want to do and who it is we want to follow. We can even take what we like from a variety of cultures and put together something of our own that best fits our lifestyle.

Take religions for example. No matter what religion you name you will find those who pick and choose what they want to practice based on what is favorable or convenient for them. Some people only go to church on Easter and Christmas yet claim to be devout Christians or servants of God. You can even find gay preachers or ministers who have fit some of the values held within Christianity to their needs, though their lifestyle is something clearly not in line with those values.

We also do this with different cultures all around the world. We are quick to point a finger of judgement when something is not to our liking though we don’t fully understand why things may be done or practiced in that particular way and are too impatient to see how the things we are judging can be beneficial. This  is a very dangerous path to go down because with everyone doing their own thing, no one can truly be held accountable for their actions and behaviors. Even a criminal, depending on who they know or their place in society, can still be looked at as an example and role model, no matter what it is that they have done. How many celebrities or public figures are there that have killed, stolen, etc. and never seen the inside of a jail cell? It is the perfect breeding ground for corruption and you can see that reflected in in all modern societies that have this trait.

We all need structure and guidelines in order to have forward movement as a people. If we are all focused, are working together and moving in the right direction, so much can be achieved. But where is it that we look in order to find our way? If you take any culture and go back far enough in history, you can find that their roots are in the traditional culture(s) of Merita/Kemet. It is there you can find the values of our ancestors and the key to living a harmonious life.

 The 19th of Tehuti is a very important Holy Day in the culture of Kemet because it is the day in which the world of humans was exposed to the Divine World. The Neteru (Gods) saw the state that we were in: living like animals, dirty, diseased, even trapping each other for food. We were nothing short of barbaric. Seeing this, they asked us what our agenda was. Because we do not have the ability to invent, only to copy, we saw the Neteru and their world and said we wanted to be like them. Their world was clean, pure and had harmony within it. We were asked if we were sure if we really wanted to duplicate the Divine World and we again said yes.

The Neter Wsr, our first ancestral father, then went to different Neteru to compile the guidelines we were to follow in order to achieve our goal in becoming like them. This is what we know as the 77 Commandments or the Book of Divine ordinances. Through exposure to the Divine World, we learned how to utilize the Earth in order to nourish our bodies, to heal ourselves to think and be intelligent and how to treat one another as brother and sister.  It was on this day that our ancestors received the tools that would enable humanity to reach the Divine and live a life with purpose.

It is vital for us to realize that over time we have been led away and forgotten the commitment we made years ago. We have degenerated back to a lifestyle where there are no rules, no one is held accountable and no one cares. It is time that we reclaim the values of our ancestors and live a life worth living. By keeping our eyes on the Divine and what they have given us we have no where to go but on the uphill path. It worked for our ancestors and is still working for those who choose to live a life of quality. Let us use this Holy Day to remember the knowledge our ancestors left behind to empower ourselves as we move forward together towards our goal of achieving quality.