ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RELIGION

Osiris – Osiris Myth

father & mother: Geb & Nut

siblings
Set
Nephthys
Horus the Elder

wife: Isis (sister-wife)

children
Horus the Younger (being considered his posthumously begotten son)

Horus … also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor … in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and the sky. … Different forms of Horus are recorded in history, and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists. These various forms may be different manifestations of the same multi-layered deity in which certain attributes or syncretic relationships are emphasized, not necessarily in opposition but complementary to one another, consistent with how the Ancient Egyptians viewed the multiple facets of reality.

Wiki > Afterlife

Ankh

Judgement

[Image caption]
Judgment scene from the Book of the Dead. In the three scenes from the Book of the Dead (version from ~1375 BC) the dead man (Hunefer) is taken into the judgement hall by the jackal-headed Anubis. The next scene is the weighing of his heart against the feather of Maat, with Ammit waiting the result, and Thoth recording. Next, the triumphant Hunefer, having passed the test, is presented by the falcon-headed Horus to Osiris, seated in his shrine with Isis and Nephthys. (British Museum)

[Image credit] By PharaohCrab – Own work, CC0, Link

The idea of divine justice being exercised after death for wrongdoing during life is first encountered during the Old Kingdom in a Sixth Dynasty tomb containing fragments of what would be described later as the Negative Confessions performed in front of the 42 Assessors of Maat.

AUTHOR’S NOTES

FAQ

• How are the ancient old Egyptian gods still “in the game?” Still in the landscape of cosmic afterlife? Even as moral gatekeepers? [1]

Well, maybe because the cosmos is like the proverbial elephant that blind men describe. That religions “touch” and brand, and claim ascendancy for their codex.

Yet, regardless, the cosmos is the way it is. If there’s a moral arc to it – anything behind the curtain of mortal being, the job titles may change in earthly eyes but the responsibilities remain the same. The desires of mortals stay the same.

Old gods remain but fade in the press. Discovery builds out physical models of the universe. Models become more complex, more challenging to grasp. But the backdrop remains, as well as the quest for order in chaos, a moral alignment of the eternal and temporal.

For those requiring revelation to be more than rebranding – a replacement of the old with a new ensemble, a casting out of has-beens – and yet stay attached to and mindful of eternal truths, perhaps Osiris and other ancient deities remain as “subcontractors” to the honcho of celestial flow. Whether called Saint Peter’s pearly gates, the moral checkpoint continues. [2]

• What’s with all the figurines in Jimmy’s office?

Osiris’ operatives (as in the ODA) are adept at imitative magic. Hence, the common presence of figurines and sacred objects.

• The Ring of Osiris?

As synthetic life forms, Osiris’ terrestrial (vs. celestial) operatives can innately interact with Rusty with or without their rings (including a SOS mode). Osiris’ rings provide visible recognition and amplify magical connection.

TERMS / ACRONYMS

• imitative magic

from an AI Overview of imitative magic:

Heka itself was not viewed as supernatural, but as a legitimate force of nature – a divine power that allowed Egyptians to maintain maat (cosmic order) against chaos.

• the returned

the returned (unadvanced in status – with potluck outcomes) vs. the reborn (entitled continuity – with favored outcomes, familiar accoutrements and aspirations)

There’s a note below [3] about the metaphor of the brain as a computer. Why do I mention this metaphor?

• “In Ancient Egyptian mythology, the heart (ib) was considered the seat of intelligence, memory, emotion, and the soul’s moral worth, rather than the brain.”
• Cloning a corrupted (hollowed out) “brain” will not make a reborn person.

So, I distinguish between the returned and the reborn.

• Soul

I simplify the various aspects of the Ancient Egyptian conception of the soul:

• Khet or the “physical body”
• Sah or the “spiritual body”
• Ren or the “name, identity”
• Ba or the “personality”
• Ka or the “double” or “vital essence”
• Ib or the “heart”
• Shuyet or the “shadow”
• Sekhem or the “power, form”

to:

A spirit form in the Hall of Maat (judgement) which may or may not have an identity (like those with not much more than a name tag).

Those in life who lost themselves (due to cognitive disorders) are unable to claim identity (lacking memory or insight). Any trace of personality is elusive. There is no “self” to make declarations. If able to speak, these deceased may respond to questions oddly or with “I don’t know or recall.” They cannot address the Assessors.

At which point the Weighing of the Heart remains nevertheless.

I postulate that “blanks” (hollow, generic entities) may produce false negatives on Weighing of the Heart. [Remember those COVID-19 nasal swab test kits? – false postives / negatives.] Perhaps because there is no longer any possessor, the heart is rendered into an ambiguous state.

Maat’s scribes notice a statistical oddity, departing from historical normal distributions. Were worldly souls becoming more virtuous?

The data led to a moral quandary over the proceedings. In a sense, Maat “kicked the can down the road,” as sort of a quality control issue. Just an unusual (but manageable) defect rate. This posture cost Osiris nothing in practice, perhaps even embellishing his grace, and avoided any reputational damage of falsely relegating souls to oblivion.

The mythic landscape is a framework for moral social and political questions. How a society values people whose minds have been erased. Left without a remembered self. Via trauma or neurodegenerative disease. Particularly in the context of elder care. Can they be repurposed?

In what way is the divine order – here in the case of Maat’s cosmic order – reflected in the worldly order?

Maat oversees creation and prevents the universe from returning to chaos. I postulate that she sees chaos at work in the increasing rise of “blank” souls on worlds, as reported by her scribes.

Osiris charges Maat to investigate.

• 42 assessments (negative confessions)

Assessors of Maat > Negative Confessions and psychostasia

The deceased was accompanied in the presence of Osiris by the psychopomp god Anubis – where he would have declared that he was guilty of none of the “42 sins” against justice and truth by reciting a text known as “Negative confessions“.

The heart (ib / jb) of the deceased was then weighed on a two-plate scale: a plate for the heart, the other for the feather of Maat. Maat, in whose name the 42 judges who flanked Osiris acted, was the deification of truth, justice, rectitude, and order of the cosmos and was often symbolized by an ostrich feather (the hieroglyphic sign of her name).

The psychostasia episode is remarkable not only for its symbolic and even dramatic vivacity, but also because it is one of the few parts of the Book of the Dead with moral connotations. The judgment by Osiris and by the other 42 judicial deities, and the “Negative Confessions” themselves, depict the ethics and morality of the Egyptians. These 42 declarations of innocence were interpreted by some as possible historical precedents of the Ten Commandments:[11] but, while the Ten Commandments of Judeo-Christian ethics consist of norms attributed to a divine revelation, the “Negative confessions” seem rather as divine transpositions (each corresponding to one of the 42 judging deities) of daily morality.

• MATTIE (Mattie)
• RUSTY (Rusty)

Maat Apotheosized TerresTrial Interface Entity, a play on Tiny Maat, a Maat mini (à la Mac mini).

Each Mattie is manifest via agents of Horus, as facets of Horus. Collectively called Hori, but individually as a Rusty (or just Rusty).

• Maat

[Image caption] Maat is both the goddess and the personification of truth, cosmic balance, and justice. Her ostrich feather represents truth.

Author Jeff Dahl assumed (based on copyright claims). Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Based on Traunecker 2001, p. 52, Wilkinson 2003 passim, & the discussion at Jeff Dahl’s en-wiki talk page, I’m replacing all goddesses’ staffs with papyrus except in the cases mentioned or shown in Wilkinson.

The significance of Maat developed to the point that it embraced all aspects of existence, including the basic equilibrium of the universe, the relationship between constituent parts, the cycle of the seasons, heavenly movements, religious observations and good faith, honesty, and truthfulness in social interactions.

The ancient Egyptians had a deep conviction of an underlying holiness and unity within the universe. Cosmic harmony was achieved by correct public and ritual life. Any disturbance in cosmic harmony could have consequences for the individual as well as the state. An impious king could bring about famine, and blasphemy could bring blindness to an individual. In opposition to the right order expressed in the concept of Maat is the concept of Isfet: chaos, lies and violence.

In addition, several other principles within ancient Egyptian law were essential, including an adherence to tradition as opposed to change, the importance of rhetorical skill and the significance of achieving impartiality and “righteous action“.

• In one Middle Kingdom (2062 to c. 1664 BCE) text, the creator declares “I made every man like his fellow”.

• Maat called the rich to help the less fortunate rather than exploit them, echoed in tomb declarations: “I have given bread to the hungry and clothed the naked” and “I was a husband to the widow and father to the orphan”.

To the Egyptian mind, Maat bound all things together in an indestructible unity: the universe, the natural world, the state, and the individual were all seen as parts of the wider order generated by Maat.

TOPICAL NOTES

[1] See Balancing of the books – just deserts for my contemporary take on moral accounting.

AI Overview: Psychostasia

Psychostasia refers to the ancient “weighing of souls” or lives, a divine judgment scene where a deceased person’s heart or soul is weighed against a standard, such as a feather (truth) or destiny, to determine their afterlife fate. It originated in Egyptian mythology but also appears in Greek and Christian traditions.
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
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Usage Examples & Contexts

Egyptian Mythology (Weighing of the Heart): The most famous example is in the Egyptian Book of the Dead (New Kingdom), where Anubis weighs the heart (seat of the soul) against the feather of Ma’at (goddess of truth/justice). If heavier due to sins, the heart is eaten by Ammit, the Devourer.

Greek Tradition (Kerostasia): In Homer’s Iliad, Zeus uses golden scales to weigh the “fateful portions” (keres) of Achilles and Hector to decide who dies.

Literature/Art: Used in descriptions of funerary art, such as: “The judgment of Osiris under the New Kingdom consisted essentially of the ceremony of the psychostasia”.
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
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Synonyms & Related Terms

Weighing of Souls/Hearts

Kerostasia (specifically referring to the weighing of fates/death portions in Greek tradition)

Judgment of the Dead

Psychostasis (alternative spelling)

Wikipedia
Wikipedia
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Key Characteristics

Etymology: Greek, from psych- (soul) + stasis (a weighing).

Purpose: A method of divine determination of fate, acting as a final, moral judgment on a person’s life.

Symbolism: Often features deities like Anubis, Osiris, or Hermes managing the scales.
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
+3

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[2] Google: in major religions from ancient times to modern day, what celestial figure is in charge of the heavenly checkpoint for moral standing in the afterlife?

• AI Overview [religious gatekeepers in the afterlife]

In major religions from ancient times to modern day, several celestial figures have held the role of judging moral standing and acting as guardians at the checkpoint of the afterlife.

Anubis is perhaps the most famous ancient example, acting as the jackal-headed guide and “guardian of the scales” in ancient Egyptian religion, where he weighed the heart of the deceased against the feather of Ma’at to determine their moral righteousness.
Facebook
Facebook
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Key Figures Across Traditions:

Ancient Egyptian: Anubis overseen the weighing of the heart in the “Hall of Two Truths,” while Osiris was the ultimate judge who presided over the final verdict, granting access to the Field of Reeds.

Hinduism: Yama is considered the god of death and justice (Dharmaraja), who judges souls based on their karma and dictates their reincarnation or temporary stay in heaven/hell.

Zoroastrianism: The Chinvat Bridge (Bridge of Separation) is the checkpoint where the souls are judged. The god Mithra (sometimes along with Rashnu and Sraosha) presides over the scales of justice, weighing good deeds against bad.

Ancient Greek: Hades ruled the underworld, where souls were judged by Minos, Aeacus, and Radamanthus. Charon operated as the ferryman across the river Styx.

Christianity (Tradition/Popular Culture): Saint Peter is frequently depicted as holding the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” at the “Pearly Gates”. In some theological traditions, Archangel Michael is seen as the psychopomp (guide of souls) who weighs souls on the scales of justice.

Islam: The afterlife involves questioning by angels, and at the final judgment, souls must cross the Sirat Bridge, a narrow bridge over hell. While not formally named in the Quran, Islamic tradition sometimes refers to a gatekeeper of paradise.

Buddhism [TBR]: Similar to Hinduism, Yama is often adopted as the judge in the underworld who passes judgment based on karma.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
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These figures function as judges or guardians, emphasizing the universal religious theme that moral choices made during life determine the soul’s destination in the afterlife.
Britannica
Britannica

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[3] Regarding synthetic consciousness – whether fancied or de facto, there’s a metaphor typically baked into the discussion – that the brain is a computer.

This take appears in Heinlein’s 1966 novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress:

Am not going to argue whether a machine can “really” be alive, “really” be self-aware. … Somewhere along evolutionary chain from macromolecule to human brain self-awareness crept in. Psychologists assert it happens automatically whenever a brain acquires certain very high number of associational paths. Can’t see it matters whether paths are protein or platinum. – Heinlein, Robert A. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. Kindle Edition (2018).

The wired book review (below) notes that this posit is called “computational functionalism” – an abstract notion of consciousness as bloodless, bodiless, and oblivious to biology.

Computational functionalism takes as its starting point the idea that consciousness is essentially a kind of software running on the hardware of what could be a brain or a computer – the theory is completely agnostic.

[Setting aside such an assertion, perhaps that at least leaves us with the notion that consciousness must have mass, eh. So, might that exclude the notion of a completely photonic conscious brain?]

• Wired > Book Review > AI Will Never Be Conscious by Michael Pollan (2-24-2026) – Has an informal taboo surrounding conscious AI suddenly started to crumble?

[AI Summary]

The possibility of conscious AI challenges human identity and our understanding of consciousness. While some believe conscious AI is inevitable and could even be morally superior, others question the assumptions behind this belief. The debate raises concerns about the implications of conscious machines on society and our moral obligations towards them.

The Butlin report argues that consciousness can exist in multiple substrates, including computers, but this conclusion relies on the flawed metaphor of brains as computers. Unlike computers, brains are not interchangeable and are physically reconfigured by experiences, making the idea of a universal consciousness algorithm implausible. Additionally, the report’s proposed standard for determining AI consciousness, based on unproven theories, overlooks crucial aspects like embodiment and the role of feelings.

Adapted from Michael Pollan’s “A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness,” published by Penguin Press in 2026.

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[4] Google: LA area non profits founded by ex-convicts or for ex-convicts reentering the workforce

AI Overview

LA-area non-profits founded by or for formerly incarcerated individuals focus on workforce reentry, housing, and advocacy. Key organizations include the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), Homeboy Industries, 2nd Call, and A New Way of Life, providing mentorship, training, and job placement to reduce recidivism.

Leading Reentry Non-Profits in Los Angeles

• Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC): Founded as a peer support network, ARC provides comprehensive reentry services, including housing, mental health support, and workforce development for formerly incarcerated people.
• Homeboy Industries: Known as the world’s largest gang rehabilitation and reentry program, it provides training, education, and job placement in various social enterprises for formerly gang-involved and incarcerated individuals.
• 2nd Call: Founded to support individuals navigating the reentry process, offering mentorship and employment opportunities to transform lives.
• A New Way of Life Reentry Project: Focuses on providing housing and comprehensive support for formerly incarcerated women, aiding their transition back into the workforce.
• Friends Outside in Los Angeles County (FOLA): Offers the SECTOR program for job training, living-wage employment, and case management specifically for justice-involved adults.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) – LA: Specializes in providing immediate, comprehensive employment services to people recently released from incarceration.
• Timelist Group: A non-profit focused on rehabilitation, crime prevention, and providing resources for successful reintegration.
• Project L.A. / San Quentin Trust: A nine-month program providing practical resources, including mentorship and workshops to help individuals transition from prison to society.

These organizations focus on building skills, fostering a supportive community, and providing mentorship to help individuals build stable careers and lives.

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[5] Leverage points

• Twelve leverage points

The twelve leverage points to intervene in a system were proposed (1997) by Donella Meadows, a scientist and system analyst who studied environmental limits to economic growth. … a scale of places to intervene in a system.

Meadows started with the observation that there are levers, or places within a complex system (such as a firm, a city, an economy, a living being, an ecosystem, an ecoregion) where a “small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything” (compare: constraint in the sense of the theory of constraints).

She claimed we need to know about these shifts, where they are, and how to use them. She said most people know where these points are instinctively, but tend to adjust them in the wrong direction. A greater understanding would help solve global problems such as unemployment, hunger, economic stagnation, pollution, resources depletion, and conservation issues.

• Leverage (statistics)

In statistics and in particular in regression analysis, leverage is a measure of how far away the independent variable values of an observation are from those of the other observations. High-leverage points, if any, are outliers with respect to the independent variables. … This makes the fitted model likely to pass close to a high leverage observation. Hence high-leverage points have the potential to cause large changes in the parameter estimates when they are deleted i.e., to be influential points. Although an influential point will typically have high leverage, a high leverage point is not necessarily an influential point. The leverage is typically defined as the diagonal elements of the hat matrix.