Horus, the God of Wholeness

The god Horus is one of the most significant ones in the mythology of ancient Egypt. His cult began in the fourth millennium BC, spreading from Edfu on the western bank of the Nile to then touch every point of time and space in the civilization of Upper and Lower Egypt. He has the appearance of a falcon, and he is often represented as a human figure with the head of a raptor.

He is venerated in two main forms. Horus the child is the son of Isis and Osiris, thus descending from the highest lineage imaginable. He was born after Osiris was killed by his brother Seth and then brought back to life by Isis and Neftj. Horus then became an antagonist of the envious Seth, who pulled out Horus’s left eye during a fight. Thot reconstructs the eye of the falcon god, who acquires more power and knowledge with it. The eye is the Udjat, present in many sacred representations.

The adult Horus – who is also called “Sun on two horizons” – is the personification of the pharaoh and his power: absolute, administered with wisdom, tinged with a deep love for the peoples he reigns over and for whom he is responsible.

The divinity Horus became ever more central in the Egyptian pantheon until he was the most elaborate and complete divinity, a bridge between the celestial world and the human world. He is pharaoh, thaumaturge, one who orders chaos, one who vanquishes and pacifies evil. He is a protector of his peoples and dynastic traditions.

The symbolic figure of Horus is also very precious in the Damanhurian tradition, because of his nature, because he represents the most important values that launch us into a new phase in the history of humankind. More than 40 years ago, his name was chosen as the name of the first organization created by Damanhurians, the “Horus Center,” and many of his images and statues are present on Damanhur lands and in the Temples of Humankind.

Today, what does Horus bring to humanity, humanity who is seeking its own path while, as Eastern and Western traditions say with different words but similar meanings, we are moving from one era to another, from one eon to another, from one age to another?

The Udjat, the eye of Horus that was lost and then healed, looks in the direction of the answer. It is the eye through which we see the reflection of death and rebirth, renewal. It is the eye that reproduces the pineal gland, the ability to observe within oneself, and in so doing, to develop perception, discovering other visions and interpretations of the reality we move through. It is the eye that Horus chose to accept as a sacrifice, to then receive it again, renewed and enriched by the intervention of Thot.

What is striking about Horus is his completeness. He is the son and father of a peoples, a god, and a pharaoh, divine, and human. He is not the only divine figure who has this dual nature, but this characteristic does not create any separation within him. It does not cause contradictory needs but rather guides his behavior toward complete coherence. Horus is the force that affirms that everything that exists can be composed in a single, harmonious framework. Today, the world continues to be divided into blocks; the distribution of wealth and the salvation of the planet seem to follow different paths. The quality of life for men and women is still very different. However, if we observe the flight of Horus, if we dream his dreams, if we listen to his ancient voice, within us, we can hear the breath of his words saying that it is possible to find a way where opposing forces find a common focus and manage to work together in order to solve the same problems. He knew how to transform the fight with Seth in his personal maturation, until becoming the protector of every pharaoh. Passing through loss, he has been able to make his eye a powerful tool.

In our small, everyday actions and in the contribution that we as citizens of the world can offer for our shared destiny, we too can learn to do the same: unite, overcome any kind of division that still mortifies the planet, transform every antagonism into an opportunity to double our strength in achieving common goals.

One last thing: Horus always acts in the first person, not delegating his responsibilities to others. Perhaps this is his secret, having Gods as friends and allies but acting personally. A year ends and a new one is announced, and the secret of Horus can now become ours.

Stambecco Pesco