Maat is associated with balance, wisdom, and faith according to the beliefs of Ancient Egyptian mythology. Maat herself is an Ancient Greek goddess who personifies the truth and the world’s harmony (Van Blerk, 2018). She symbolizes God’s order and laws, and according to these laws, seasons change each other, birth substitutes death, and gods and people interact with each other, symbolizing harmony itself. The principles of Maat are interesting to examine to understand how they can be applied to modern life to achieve life balance.
The first two principles are especially relevant and interesting; they tell about the control of thoughts and control of actions. Even though these aspects are simple, indeed, in modern society, some people violate these ordinary rules. Some people believe that God can hear what humans are thinking about at the moment. It explains the necessity of a positive mindset; a person should not think about harming themselves. For instance, there is a belief that thoughts shape our minds. Therefore, people should think positively to keep their wellness and happiness. Nowadays, it is possible to apply the first principle of control of thoughts to contemporary humans.
The second principle speaks about control of actions; it follows the first principle. Control of actions is crucial for the safe living of everything in this world. For instance, a person who thinks about the consequences would never kill another human. In addition, people who have ever cognized suffering will not abuse children and animals. If people stuck to this principle, there would be no wars and armed conflicts. Therefore, these two principles are closely connected and are applicable to modern life to achieve harmony and peace within society.
According to Ancient Egyptian mythology, every person should stand before 42 Gods after their death. Next, they should commit themselves guilty or not guilty in 42 sins which are listed in 42 Negative Confessions. Gods would ponder whether the person goes to hell or paradise, considering the number of sins he committed. The fifth, the ninth, and the fortieth confessions speak about stealing the food; this means that the person should confess whether or not they took the meal away from somebody. It can be explained by ancient traditions and the value of the food; various products were costly and difficult to grow.
Therefore, people appreciated every piece that they gained from the Earth. Illegal theft is compared to sin because, by the act of stealing food, a human betrays the person who raised it and the God who gave it. The twelfth and the twenty-first confessions are about adultery; thus, a person who cheats on their partner is a sinner. They betray their own choice imperceptible to their lover but in front of God. The thirty-second and thirty-third confessions narrate about work with evil. It means that the work should flow in a positive mood because it is a creation.
If everyone followed these principles and confessions, the world would be peaceful and amicable. People would not betray each other; everyone would be well-fed and happy. Justice and order would flourish around the globe, and there would be no wars and struggles between people and countries. Indeed, these principles and confessions remain an ideal model of behavior that should be implemented in society. People should remember these aspects of the afterlife of ancient Egypt to live a better life.
References
Van Blerk, N.J. (2018). The emergence of law in ancient Egypt: The role of Maat. Fundamina, 24(1), 60–88. Web.