The Ancient Egyptian Conception of the Soul

illustration from Lucy Lamy, Egyptian Mysteries; p.26 (Thames !u"son, Art an"
#magination Series$
The ancient Egyptians ha" a profoun" insight into the %arious principles that ma&e up
the in"i%i"uality. Ancient Egyptian 'elief referre" to a num'er of souls that together
constitute" the in"i%i"ual. Accor"ing to the funerary te(ts, man is compose" of a mortal
'o"y, &ha, an" at least three su'tle, immortal or at least a'le to sur%i%e 'o"ily "eath$
elements, the &a, 'a an" a&h (see a'o%e "iagram$. These are sometimes translate" as
)"ou'le), )soul) an" )spirit), 'ut these *estern terms "o not really gi%e the full nuances
of the concepts implie". *hat is more, in a""ition to the &a, 'a an" a&h, there are further
principles, so that one is left +ith a 'e+il"ering array of "ifferent psychic an" spiritual
principles. ,ust consi"er the follo+ing ('rac&ets "escri'e the i"eogram use"$-
.hat or .ha / (a fish$ / the physical 'o"y, the corpse, something +hich is lia'le to "ecay,
an" can only 'e preser%e" 'y mummification.
.a / (a pair of upraise" arms$ / the "ou'le, image, character, "isposition, or in"i%i"ual
ego, +hich is create" +ith, or e%en 'efore, the physical 'eing. 0riginally the "aimon or
genius or spiritual "ou'le of the pharaoh, +hich gui"e" him in life an" protecte" him in
"eath; it later 'ecame the human presence +hich remains in tom', an" parta&es of
funerary offerings; an a'stract in"i%i"uality or personality +hich possesses the form an"
attri'utes of the man to +hom it 'elongs. The .a has the follo+ing po+ers-
Can +an"er a'out at +ill.
#s in"epen"ent of the man an" can "+ell in any statue etc of him.
Can eat an" "rin&. 1reat care +oul" 'e ta&en to ensure clean foo" an" "rin&.
2a / (a human/hea"e" 'ir"$ / the )soul). Connecte" +ith the &a, in +hom or +ith +hom
it "+ells. #n many te(ts the 2a also li%es +ith 3a or 0siris in hea%en. The 2a seems to 'e
a'le to assume a material or immaterial form at +ill; as a material form is "epicte" as a
human/hea"e" ha+&. Although the 2a ascen"s to the hea%enly realms an" en4oys an
eternal e(istence there, it can also return to the tom' an" parta&e of the funerary
offerings. Seen 'ringing air an" foo" "o+n to the 'o"y. Can %isit the 'o"y at +ill.
A' / (a %essel +ith ears as han"les$ / the )heart). Closely associate" +ith the soul; hel"
to 'e the source 'oth of the animal life an" of goo" an" e%il in man. The source of goo"
an" 'a" thoughts; the moral a+areness of right an" +rong. Can mo%e freely, an"
separate or unite +ith the 'o"y, an" also en4oy life +ith the go"s in hea%en. 3egar"e" as
'eing the centre of the spiritual an" thin&ing life, an" as the organ through +hich the
manifestations of %irtue an" %ice re%eal themsel%es, typifying conscience.
.hai'it / (a fan; an o'4ect +hich intercepts the light$ / the )sha"o+); Closely associate"
+ith the 2a an" regar"e" as an integral portion of the human 'eing. Li&e the .a an" 2a
it parta&es of funerary offerings; an" is a'le to "etach from the 'o"y, +ith the po+er of
going +here%er it might. 3eferences to the .hai'it are infre5uent, an" the meaning
usually o'scure. #t may 'e that it +as a re"un"ant hol"/o%er from an earlier magical
conception of the physical sha"o+.
A&h, .hu, or A&hu / (the i'is or phoeni($ / the )spirit). 0ften mentione" in connection
+ith the 'a. The .hu cannot "ie, an" "+ells in the sahu (spiritual 'o"y$. #t is the ra"iant
shining one; the transfigure" "ea" +hich ascen"s to hea%en an" "+ells among the go"s,
or among the immortal pole stars +hich ne%er set. As spirit, the a&h is the opposite of the
perisha'le 'o"y, &ha. )A&h is for hea%en, &ha is for earth), +e rea" in the 6yrami" Te(ts.
Se&hem / the po+er or form; generally the references are o'scure. The incorporeal
personification of the %ital force of a man, "+elling in hea%en among the .hus.
3en / the )name), +hich e(ists in hea%en. 7ital to a man on his 4ourney through life an"
to the afterlife. #n any psychically (as oppose" to spiritually$ 'ase" magical philosophy /
an" in this conte(t the Egyptian system is no "ifferent / to &no+ the secret name of a
person or entity is to ha%e po+er of that 'eing.
Sahu / (a mummy an" a seal$ / the )spiritual 'o"y); / forms the ha'itation of the soul;
springs from the material 'o"y. *ithin it, all the mental an" spiritual attri'utes of the
natural 'o"y are unite" to its po+ers. A 'o"y +hich has o'taine" a "egree of &no+le"ge
an" po+er an" has thus 'ecome incorrupti'le; it associates +ith the soul, an" can ascen"
into hea%en an" "+ell +ith the go"s. There is an interesting parallel here +ith the Taoist
conception of the )immortal spirit 'o"y).
http-88mfs%oila.'logspot.com829:;8:98'log/post<6;9;.html
http-88+++.&heper.net8topics8Egypt8egyptian<soul.htm