The 10 Warrior Principles of Ancient Khemet were presented to me in around 1990 or so, and are shown around the edges of this talisman.
The 10 Warrior Principles of Ancient Khemet are, in order:
- Control of thought
- Control of action
- Devotion of purpose
- Faith in the sages to present the truth
- Faith in oneself to assimilate the truth
- Faith in oneself to wield the truth
- Freedom from resentment under persecution
- Freedom from resentment under wrong
- The ability to distinguish right from wrong
- The ability to distinguish the real from the unreal
I first heard these orally in a lecture by Shaha Mfundishi Maasi at a freezing cold weekend retreat in Connecticut in around October of 1990 or 91.
He also said at one point, “When I turned 50, I gave up idle chatter.”
Challenges
Pondering these over a long period of time, I wondered why these principles were so different from other “lists of 10” such as the 10 commandments. They end with a caution on delusional thinking: “The ability to distinguish the real from the unreal…”
Khemet
The word “Khemet” refers to ancient Egypt and is often used when emphasizing the African roots of early Egyptian thought. The word “alchemy” is said to have come from “al-khemi” in reference to Egypt. In an esoteric sense, alchemy refers to occult knowledge. This knowledge later influenced Greek thought, and Pythagoras among others was said to have studied in Egypt.
Talisman
In addition to the 10 Warrior Principles, this talisman and its surrounding altar reflect Buddhist, Golden Dawn, and Thelemic elements.
Osho Zen Tarot Deck
Two cards from this deck were particularly important: Transformation (#13 Death) and Thunderbolt (#16 Tower). Both have meditative figures that influenced the painting. You can see them on the altar, along with Baphomet.
Baphomet
Our favorite Pagan deity appears on the altar where the talisman is shown. He’s a whole story unto himself.
Gye Nyame
This African symbol appears underneath the lotus. My best understanding is “The supremacy of God”.
Art Before Science 