THE ANKH
The Ankh is the most familiar Egyptian symbol known also as Crux Ansata or Breath of Life. It is known as the original cross, which is a powerful symbol that was first created by Africans in Ancient Egypt. Its influence was felt in every dynastic period and survives as an icon possessing mystical powers throughout the Coptic Christian Era. The true origins are debated amongst many archeologists and Egyptologists, but one thing is for sure, the Egyptians revered the Ankh as a sacred, spiritual symbol. In the Egyptian hieroglyphic system of writing the ankh represents the concept of eternal life, the universe, power, and life-giving, a symbolic representation of both Physical and Spiritual Life. The Ankh also resembles a key and is considered the key to eternal life after death, and because of its powerful appeal, the Ankh was used in various religious and cultural rituals involving royalty.
The Ankh is typically associated with water which was believed by Egyptians to regenerate life, but also with air, the sun, as well as with the Gods, who are frequently pictured carrying an Ankh. It was believed that the Ankh bestow immortality on anyone who possesses it and that life energy emanating from the Ankh can be absorbed by anyone within a certain proximity. An Ankh serves as an antenna or conduit for the divine power of life that permeates the universe. As an amulet, it also provides the wearer with protection from the evil forces of decay and degeneration. Many people are also buried with the Ankh in order to ensure their ‘life to come’ in the afterworld. It is usually worn as an amulet to the extent the life of living and placed on the mummy to energize the resurrected spirit.
The Egyptians not only knew the world was round, they knew the force which turned it was a perpendicular electric and magnetic field. They used elements of electronic circuitry to represent the spiritual nature of life. . . The Ankh circuit is a relaxation oscillator, charging and discharging through the spark gap, to provide excitation for the loop circuit. The shape of the ankh, when wrapped in coils, allowed it to carry an electromagnetic charge. This assertion further supports the theories that ancient Africans were the first to experiment with and harness the power of electricity. The ankh of Maat for example is instrumental in the realm of law and righteousness. Maat is the goddess of truth and balance, indispensable in the cause of justice. The ankh she is holding, is the oracle of truth, operating on a principle known as galvanic skin response (GSR)
The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is defined as a change in the electrical properties of the skin. The signal can be used for capturing the autonomic nerve responses as a parameter of the sweat gland function. The measurement is relatively simple and has good repeatability.
The Loop of the Ankh represents the feminine discipline or the (Womb), while the elongated section represents the masculine discipline or the (Penis). These two sacred units then come together and form life. The Ankh proclaims that DUALITY (the masculine /feminine or positive/negative force) has been overcome by NEUTRALITY. This is the neutral place within the spinal column. The spot in the spine which spirals us to our reunion with our creator. We are no longer thinking of ourselves as male or female, but an aspect of ALL THAT IS.
The two symbols contained in the Ankh, the cross and oval, were said to be the two generative principles of heaven and earth and, of course, the Egyptian deities of Osiris and Isis. It is also considered a symbol of femininity and fertility. The oval section at the top is representative of the womb, and the horizontal piece of the ovaries. The long vertical section is said to represent the birth canal.
Paola Luciani Fulbright
