Is It Socially Acceptable To Ask Your Neighbor To Come Smell Your Art Project? I Mean, I Know When Something

Is it socially acceptable to ask your neighbor to come smell your art project? I mean, I know when something smells like sulfur and death warmed over, but. That's my limit. I need test subjects. Sincerely, An incense maker with anosmia

Altar for when your style is cramped, featuring: One Kleenex A cigarette lighter A cup of cheap but delicious sangria Two icons made from salt dough for Nuska (left) and Nisaba (right), respectively A candle with a stick of incense in it 
In the background is also a naked Dr. Pepper bottle full of ritually purified water. Which basically amounts to me praying to Enki for him to purify it. 
I’m not going to make a habit of altar posts, but considering my upcoming video and the number of people nervous about not having elaborate altars, I figured it was appropriate. This was set up on a bedside table, the only place I could. You can easily substitute water for sangria, because what is more sacred than water? I usually pair it with water crackers and an apple, but. Style is very cramped right now.

At some point I'll try to do a post on the World Order, but this is fairly relevant to Sumerian polytheist practice, if not precisely in the same way.

My take on Ma’at

as answered to an ask (thought I’d post it in case it may be useful)

Being serious about following Ma’at is great stuff - I go for that as well.

Before I tell you some of what I do (and hope it may be of help), I’ll leave some links here about Ma’at, its essence, intents of description and views on it by fellow kemetics who also take this seriously:

An article about small Maat by Helvetica12point, which actually ties well modern views to what I would call “commoners” Ma’at in Ancient Egypt: https://helvetica12point.tumblr.com/post/159128222601/in-support-of-small-maat

A well written summary of some of the pillars on which Ma’at stood and (still) stands by @oasisofkemet. Especially interesting the connection to tradition, standing social structure and law: https://oasisofkemet.tumblr.com/post/170065000584/what-is-maat

Well chosen quote from Saunerons book on Ancient Egypt’s priests by @amdk62rulez. It shows the spiritual aspect of it: https://amdk62rulez.tumblr.com/post/162763806692/maat

The most abstract definition with the greatest coverage I read up to now provided by @bigbadjackal: http://bigbadjackal.tumblr.com/post/162335899665/as-a-guiding-principle-maat-is-a-point-of

Something I understand clearly when it comes to Ma’at is, that there are two sides of it: the one that concerns the state/law/administration/pharaoh and the one concerning ppl like you and me without political power. Ppl with political power (and a position in the state framework), have other responsibilities kemetically speaking. Understanding this sometimes causes some confusion in the community.  This is why I have provided the links I did. They boil down to what really concerns life outside of politics/power/state affairs.

Some more info you can get by looking up the hashtags #Maat and #Ma’at in these blogs (and others of course, but I want to keep the list short and to the point):

@bigbadjackal @helvetica12point @starsandepithets @intaier @inthemarshes​

Now to the tip part:

Ma’at is what I do as an individual to improve what is around me - my fight against entropy I call it.  I do not limit it to the society I live in, but also include the ecosystem in which I dwell as it is also part of creation. By doing Ma’at I am helping to keep Isfet at bay.

I switched job taking a huge risk. My old one was wearing me down. Health torn to shreds, no way of caring for friends and family properly anymore. If that is not Isfetian - then I don’t know. So I went for a new one that actually also allows me to actively participate in improving some social related things and also improving the place I work in. Small scale, but I am just me.

Helping wildlife protection projects, especially if it involves avatars of our Gods. I am active in regards to the bald ibis (akhu avatar). This is connected to my experiences with death in the last years and with my general affinity to that other side of things (and well, they are majestic beings - they went extinct because ppl considered them to be a delicacy: more obligation to return them to their living places).

Being social.

I keep contacts with my peers, with friends and acquaintances. I do active networking even if what I want is just to stay away from all of it. Part of doing Ma’at is just this. Be there when somebody has a (real) problem, party with friends, have a good time. Be generous.

I avoid lies, social misbehavior. Also I strive towards being kind. Standing for just behavior when injustice happens: don’t letting bullies (using the word in a wide sense) get their way. I usually take care of ppl succumbing to these kind of things - or will just speak up if somebody is being mistreated, for example in public transport. Small things. Donating would also be an option, but I am more the active type of person.

Extremisms of any kind are something I avoid and do not support. Extremisms lead to Isfet regardless their intentions. Intentions can be very idealistic, but the way humans defend them always decide over Ma‘at or Isfet as a result.

Staying in the boundaries of law. This actually is important. Creation as an organized and structured environment is governed by laws. Be it laws of nature or of men. Law is structure and thus Ma’at. (Here you actually can see also why extremism can’t be Ma’at - it is not even “necessary” Isfet as some may call it, because Isfet has to be fought. There can never be a necessity for Isfet. Even Seth is a part of what Ma’at is, part of the structure of creation). If something needs change, then the ways the law(s) have provided for change have to be respected and taken. It always takes work and effort to change something.

I am not sure what else to write. Maybe I would summarize this in:

Live a good life, be a just, honest person people will remember with kindness. Because the last thing about Ma’at is: remembrance. One’s memory lingering on beyond death, at least in the family or among close friends.

That is how I view Ma’at for now. It is not set in stone, but I doubt there may be any fundamental changes.

Hope it is useful.

Senebty.

Gugulanna, as depicted by Fate/Grand Order. Most videogame/media depictions of my gods I'm not a huge fan of. Check out Marvel's Ningal to see what I mean. There's DnD's Tiamat, probably Nergal (Nurgle) in Warhammer40k. I don't even like Ishtar in the Fate series, really. But Gugulanna? Good gods this art is beautiful.

the fight is harder each year.