The Western Gate

Song of Hathor
Kerry Wisner
Troy Books

The second book of Kerry Wisners Egyptian Cycle, I believe a third is coming.
There is mention, much, of his first book, The Eye of the Sun, throughout to the extent if you picked this book up you’d feel a bit cheated, like watching The Empire Strikes Back first and for the most part reading away whilst having a quizzical look.
I’ve read that first book and was still tempted to re-browse at the hints and pointers as sometimes it felt the explanation was missing without referring as indicated back to The Eye of the Sun.
Standing on the shoulders of our predecessors sometimes means you merely echo them.
I would suggest that this book, is a resource, a reference. In fact had it been laid out more explicitly as a reference guide it would I feel serve more purpose. It has lots of merits, I enjoyed his books on ‘ The Geassa‘, a trilogy of his take on Traditional Witchcraft.
It does feel somewhat irritating when we are told to refer to this and that, it was my irk with Dion Fortune, forever peppering her books with pointers and whispers and not actually holding out her arms to embrace and say, welcome we’re home, look no further.
I’m dramatizing, being over critical of course, its a world of clickbait, where promises are made and nods and winks given. ‘answers in the comments section, see my website for proof, subscribe to get the full context etc etc.
Just open the damned box Pandora and stop faffing about.

There will always be calls of appropriation and why? apologies beforehand for degrading into mayhaps racist euphamisms;- why would the Rose yield to the Lotus ? Why would King Arthur Muse over the XIX dynasty of Egypt, further, as oft said in the pages of this idle chitter chatter scribble scrabble, of what synchronicity is there for a soul bound in the temperate climes to pray towards the God of the Desert? Whether that be Yahweh, Pazuzu or Set, (Do they come in threes too?)
There of course I raise my hand as a hypocrit. My resonance to Maat, as a double Libran both in symbology and fact, alike to Lakshmi, who balances the life of the enjoyer to that of the spiritual wanderer. And thus to all that symbolize and represent Justice, Balance and Equilibrium ~~Betwixt the need for Chaos and Stagnant Perfection. Therefore~ Guilty as charged.
Does it matter whether the source is taken from the spring in the highlands of Scotland or the waters of the Cornish Moors? or indeed from the turbulence of the Thames or the Nile? Some say the local nature is inherent within you, and others that Nature’s design is imprinted throughout, the archetype, and this why the stories of a ‘messiah’ followed by 12 is repeated, not that one is true and all others false, but because it emulates the cycle of nature, the distinct notes of the octave as the 12 , the division of visible light as the 7 et al
Kerry Wisner acknowledges Maat, where many who would also spout the Egyptian method would sidestep the necessity of Maat, because it’s ‘boring’ and not as Juicy as Isis or Set. This gives credence, and who am I to Judge anyway. Kerry Wisner has years of experience and dedication, and understanding/research of the Egyptian ‘way’. Condensed then he offers the reader a chance to wade in the shores of the receding Nile.
Imprinted into the mind are the observations of the celestial clock, in tune, or turn, with the seasons. The yearly dance we neglect as apprentices because it’s too long, we cannot see it, and yet as age traps us, we witness the turning of the Earth as easily as each footstep on the crossroads. Spring comes alive just as quickly as we greet the leaves falling in Autumn.

There are lists, some repetitive, and not just from the echoes of his book, Eye of the Sun, but of any book on Egypt long past. Sometimes it’s necessary, sometimes there is a cursory raising of the eyebrow and a need to make plagiarised notes in ones own journal/BookOfShadows, and sometimes it feels like an album filler (viz. the sort of track that wouldn’t normally make the cut, but ends up on the record anyway just to pad out the runtime.)
But there they are, and fair enough, completeness means to firm the ground as well as to adorn the summit.

And then there are the rituals, contemporary, adapted from, and up to the reader whether they care to indulge. It would be difficult after all for any practitioner to emulate the original rituals of the Egyptians, and which dynasty would we mirror?
It is a book both browsable and also to read page one to end. Perhaps it is because you feel as you must own the first book in order to satisfy the conditions of this book that I feel something missing. But it’s not. That said I still feel authors shouldn’t point fingers at where to look, either mention the scenery or don’t tempt at all, I would say. It is easier said than done. As a waster and digresser myself, we’ve all skipped over facts for want of time, aye~ our time is short, If it is relevant it should be noted, footnoted or summarised rather than telling the traveller to turn back and look at something he may have passed over or already well-footed.
For myself, all ritual is indeed the dance of nature, I would not plea for works of creation in the waning moon, less so the darkening moon in autumn.
Maat praise the Blood Red Rose, as Hathor acknowledges the Blue Lotus? Their mergence is the Royal bloodline. Symbolism is the universal language.
Hathor is the protector of cosmic order, A Goddess, both Loving and Destructive, each of these traits in accordance to restore Maat. Unleash Sekhmet to quell the disorder. The rhythm and the dance, as Folk Tales are born of the people, and Nursery rhyme the song;-

Hush now, child, the sky is bare,
Neith is waking in the air.
In the dark the shining grows,
The silver thread, the Moon arose.

First a sliver, thin and white,
Creeping slowly through the night.
Waxing, waxing, tarry, tarry.
The JAckals Sun at night adored.

Maat keeps watch so none may stray—
What must grow must fade away.
What climbs high must someday fall,
Balance binds and measures all.

Round at last the lantern pure,
Smiling wide beloved Hathor.
Mother Moon with milk-pale face,
Lighting field and forest glade.

But hush now, child, the light won’t stay,
The Mother soon will fade away.
In light what have travellers learned?
Will Mother send them out again.

For if you wake when night is deep,
And silver light disturbs your sleep,
Do not call and do not stir—
The Moon is woven,
threefold by her.