Heru-ra-ha (which, according to Crowley, means "Horus and Ra be Praised!") is a composite deity within Thelema—a religion established in 1904 with the writing of The Book of the Law by Aleister Crowley—composed of Ra-Hoor-Khuit and Hoor-par-kraat.[Book of Thoth, XX, The Aeon.] He is associated with the other two major Thelemic deities found in The Book of the Law, Nuit and Hadit, who are also godforms related to ancient Egyptian mythology. Their images link Nuit and Hadit to the established Egyptian deities Nut and Hor-Bhdt (Horus of Edfu).
Active aspect
Ra-Hoor-Khuit (Egyptian: Ra-Har-Khuti), more commonly referred to by the Greek transliteration
Ra-Herakhty, means "Ra, who is Horus of the Two Horizons." An appellation of
Ra, identifying him with
Horus, showing the two as manifestations of the singular Solar Force. Ra-Hoor-Khuit is the speaker in the Third Chapter of
The Book of the Law. Some quotes from his Chapter:
- "Now let it be first understood that I am a god of War and of Vengeance."
[AL III:3]
- "Fear not at all; fear neither men nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything. Money fear not, nor laughter of the folk folly, nor any other power in heaven or upon the earth or under the earth. Nu is your refuge as Hadit your light; and I am the strength, force, vigour, of your arms."
[AL III:17]
- "I am the warrior Lord of the Forties: the Eighties cower before me, & are abased. I will bring you to victory & joy: I will be at your arms in battle & ye shall delight to slay. Success is your proof; courage is your armour; go on, go on, in my strength; & ye shall turn not back for any!"
[AL III:46]
- "There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt."
[AL III:60]
Within Thelema, Ra-Hoor-Khuit is called the Lord of the Aeon (which began in 1904 according to Thelemic doctrine), and The Crowned and Conquering Child.
According to Crowley in "Liber V val Reguli", the symbol of Ra-Hoor-Khuit is a downward pointing red triangle of fire.
Passive aspect
Hoor-pa-kraat (Egyptian: Har-par-khered), more commonly referred to by the Greek transliteration
Harpocrates, means "Horus the Child";
Horus, the son of
Isis and
Osiris, distinguished from Horus the Elder, who was the old patron deity of Upper Egypt; but the worship of the two gods became confused early in Egyptian history and the two essentially merged. Represented as a young boy with a child's sidelock of hair, sucking his finger. The
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn attributed Silence to him, presumably because the sucking of the finger is suggestive of the common "shhh" gesture.
Also known as "The Babe in the Lotus", Hoor Paar Kraat is sometimes thought of as the Baby Ra Hoor Khuit and sometimes as the son of Ra Hoor Khuit. Heru Ra Ha, is Crowley's term for the Thelemite version of the Holy Trinity (in Hinduism known as the Trimurti) Heru Horus- Conquering Child, Ra - fiery Father and Ha - joyous spirit).
See also
Notes
References
Thelema | Egyptian gods
Ra-Hoor-Khuit