Warrior Sciences University; African Warrior History Part 3 (Spiritual sciences in warrior culture)

Spiritual Sciences in ancient African / Kemetic warrior culture

Science of Maat in Kemetic / African warrior culture and the Medjay of Pan Kau Ra Shen

The Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) ancestors were the originators and first practitioners of spiritual development practices as well as other societal teachings (ethics, laws codes, tenets etc.) of truth, righteousness and justice. These teachings and disciplines were all contained within the science of Maat. Society at large engaged in the practice of the “science of Maat” or the “wisdom teachings of Maat”. Those that engaged in the advanced teachings were the royal or ruling class, the warrior class, and the skilled craftsman.

The wisdom teachings of Maat encompassed truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality and justice. Maat herself was the goddess that embodied and represented these teachings. The wisdom teachings of Maat predate any other warrior codes (like Japanese Bushido for instance, and others) and are the root of where yogic practices and sciences of India later came / originated from. The wisdom teachings of Maat “unifying the mind and heart to obtain balance” led to the ancient Kemetians having the most advanced society of ancient times, and being the source of intellectual as well as spiritual enlightenment. This was due to society as a whole being cultivated by the teachings of Maat, as well as the advanced study of these wisdom teachings by craftsman, priests, scribes, local leaders, the warrior class and kings.

At the advanced levels, the wisdom teachings of Maat, on a spiritual note, were about the illumination of Ka (spirit) and elevation of Ba (soul). The 42 Divine Principles of Maat were like the blueprint of practices to aid in physical discipline that led to development of spiritual elevation. For the warrior class, these teachings as a whole were followed by the ancient Kemetic warriors, the Medjay, much in the fashion of how a group like the Samurai of Japan followed Bushido “the way of the warrior”. The Medjay followed the wisdom teachings of Maat and lived by the 42 divine Principles. They cultivated themselves spiritually to unlock their Ka or spiritual energies and to elevate their Ba or soul. Much like the later descendant yogic practices of meditation and cultivation of the bodies energy centers (chakras). For the ancient Kemetic warrior or Medjay, their intellectual capacity and knowledge base as well as spiritual training and development combined with their advanced fighting abilities and undoubtedly bolstered them. This made the Medjay, elite in every sense of the word. Besides their mental and spiritual education from the wisdom teaching of Maat, they were the practitioners of the warrior science (martial art) of Pan Ka Ra Shen.

Pan Kau Ra Shen is an ancient Kushite fighting science and the direct forerunner to Greek Pankration. Pan Kau Ra Shen means “fighting with the power of Ra” or Fighting with the spirit of Ra” with Ra being the representing the “great power” and creative life force. It has been misunderstood as the “Sun God” or referenced as such due to the sun being used as his symbol by the Kamitians. Their relation and respect for the sun comes from their spiritual sciences holding the sun in reverence as a life giving force which we all know is scientific fact. Our spiritual energy also, emanates from the center of our being, the way the rays of the sun go outward from its source, hence another conceptual relation.. In the wisdom teachings of Maat, they speak on the teachings as a way to “unlock the light” metaphorically, so with that in mind, it makes sense that the sun being used as a symbol for Ra which is “ the great power and life giving force”. This also explains why Ra be an integral entity and source of power to draw from. Pan Kau Rau Shen was not a sport or entertainment activity. It was a practice that merged spiritual discipline with physical ones. It was total combat for the battlefield with a heavy spiritual base. Pan Kau Rau Shen consisted of fighting in all ranges using all manner of techniques. From long, mid and close range striking, to trapping, locks and holds, to standing grappling and ground fighting using techniques seen in many martial arts of current day. Weapons’ training was also integral, being it was a battlefield system. There are many later or more modern “martial arts” that descend from Pan Kau Rau Shen in some way, shape or form. Be it techniques, concepts or methodology. Pankration is a direct descendant from the ancient Greeks travels to the tombs of Egypt of Baquet the 3rd, Khety, and Amenemhat. That knowledge also influenced the whole of the Greco / Roman aspects of fighting and combat. To name a few, systems like Japanese Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Sombo, catch wrestling or “ catch as catch can wrestling” , Russian Sombo and many more have overt likeness and relations to Pan Kau Rau Shen.

Being a highly developed and cultured society, law was very important among such spiritual and ethical people. Even the Greeks referred to them as “the blameless ones”. Unlike modern day law in some (which directly borrows from the systems the ancients began) in ancient times, law’s foundation stemmed from the Kemetians spirituality or a spiritual base, and not merely the “man made” whims, opinions, preferences, or personal logic of those in power. The best of the Medjay warriors were the elite paramilitary police force. These elite of the Medjay were tasked with special duties and missions and also had more specialized training and skills and weaponry. Over time the Medjay became synonymous with policing and were used to protect valuable areas of the Pharaoh like capital cities, royal cemeteries and the borders of Egypt. To many, they would be well known for guarding royal palaces and tombs in Thebes and nearby territories. The Medjay presence and reputation permeated both upper and lower Egypt, with each regional unit having their own captains.

For the ancient Kemetic people, Maat was the cosmic and spiritual energy force throughout existence. The Kamitians understood balance and it was the root of their practices. Later, this is where the principle of yin and yang came from in Asiatic philosophies. With chaos being a threat to life and society, the practice of the wisdom teachings of Maat were meant to counteract chaos and maintain balance. This would maintain harmony between heaven and earth and equilibrium in the universal energy, the divine cosmic order of the sun, moon, stars and seasons as everything moved throughout its natural respective cycle. These practices also maintained balance within the individual performing them, harmonizing their mind, body and spirit. This enables you to unlock all of your mental, physical and spiritual potential as an individual. This in turn, enables you to master yourself, chosen craft or skills, and manipulate the energy of your life for path for success, abundance and prosperity. In the end, all of the training and learning was to reach an enlightened or elevated level of being. The ancient Kamitians were the originator and practitioners of this sacred learning.

42 Divine Principles of the Maat

1. I have not committed sin.

2. I have not committed robbery with violence.

3. I have not stolen.

4. I have not slain men or women.

5. I have not stolen food.

6. I have not swindled offerings.

7. I have not stolen from God/Goddess.

8. I have not told lies.

9. I have not carried away food.

10. I have not cursed.

11. I have not closed my ears to truth.

12. I have not committed adultery.

13. I have not made anyone cry.

14. I have not felt sorrow without reason.

15. I have not assaulted anyone.

16. I am not deceitful.

17. I have not stolen anyone’s land.

18. I have not been an eavesdropper.

19. I have not falsely accused anyone.

20. I have not been angry without reason.

21. I have not seduced anyone’s wife.

22. I have not polluted myself.

23. I have not terrorized anyone.

24. I have not disobeyed the Law.

25. I have not been exclusively angry.

26. I have not cursed God/Goddess.

27. I have not behaved with violence.

28. I have not caused disruption of peace.

29. I have not acted hastily or without thought.

30. I have not overstepped my boundaries of concern.

31. I have not exaggerated my words when speaking.

32. I have not worked evil.

33. I have not used evil thoughts, words or deeds.

34. I have not polluted the water.

35. I have not spoken angrily or arrogantly.

36. I have not cursed anyone in thought, word or deeds.

37. I have not placed myself on a pedestal.

38. I have not stolen what belongs to God/Goddess.

39. I have not stolen from or disrespected the deceased.

40. I have not taken food from a child.

41. I have not acted with insolence.

42. I have not destroyed property belonging to God/Goddess.

Ancient Afro / African Science of the Nine Powers

The ancient ones passed knowledge that there were nine powers that bought forth strength and life to a man’s spirit. These nine powers were the following;

Ka – Spiritual energy (Kemetic), in this instance it means “double energy or body”

Ba – The heart or soul, where you receive feelings

Ab – Mind or mental level, the source of intelligence

Khat – Your body physically, made of expression on the physical plane of existence (physical body)

Khabit – The shadow, the embodiment of reflection

Ku – Your body spiritually where your morality rests

Sahu – Your spiritual body in general, where your Ku spirit exists

Sekhem – Spiritual power

Ren – Considered “the name” it is the attribute that makes all others come into being

These nine powers make one whole and if any were missing, the others would cease to exist. In ancient African warrior culture, the name of a warrior was very, very important. Many warriors were named after Gods, spiritual beings, or supernatural powers. In being named in such a fashion, the warrior could take or draw on the attributes of their namesake to give them strength, and so forth. Things like this and much more related to it was secret. Only those meant to learn it, ever attained the knowledge. The attributes or characteristics that opened the door of the mind to this level were the custodians of knowledge. The custodians were the nine powers of the soul. This encapsulated things such as divine worship. In divine worship, there was prayer, fasting, abstinence, meditation, sacred language, and the seven liberal arts. The seven liberal arts are familiar to everyone as they give general knowledge that everyone apart of society needs to know. They are logic, proper language, (reading , writing) proper speech, mathematics, astronomy and the arts.

In the science of the nine powers, to take on the strength of an animal or person, special phrases had to be retained. It is believed that once spoken, these phrases would unlock and bestow powers or attributes desired. These speeches were known as prayers of transformation. The ancient warrior- masters of Africa passed the knowledge that man draws his strength from the earth and is both a warrior and guardian of the earth. This is so because man dies on earth and is reborn divine and as a warrior and attains understanding from the Gods. The Gods received the blood of the warrior through death of the warrior’s enemies slain in battle, to allow them to do physical battle on earth. The ancient warrior masters held the keys to elemental and universal forces and had thorough understanding on how to use them. This level could only be attained through mastery. This in its self says a lot about the ancient ones. The power of the ancestral warrior lived on in each following generation from man’s beginnings, be it dormant or not. This cosmic and spiritual power lives on, as it is energy, and energy never dies, it is just transferred from one vessel or place to another one.