XPost: alt.history.ancient-egypt, alt.paranormal.reincarnation,    
   lt.culture.egyptian   
   XPost: soc.culture.egyptian   
   From: egylist@deadspamgriffis-consulting.com   
      
   On 4 Oct 2004 15:12:40 -0700, rewindme@lunarmagazine.com (Aquatic   
   DubMonkey)  in alt.history.ancient-egypt, wrote the following:   
      
   >Hello all. A while back I read something that noted in passing that a   
   >woman doing research into the history of Freemasonry (English in   
   >particular) had found that there was a belief in groups of Freemasons   
   >(which most likely originally stemmed from an Egyptian belief) that   
   >once the soul finishes its Human/Earthly learning experience that it   
   >is given seven choices as to where it is to incarnate for further   
   >learning. One of the choices was to incarnate as an intelligent form   
   >of life in the Sirius system.   
   >   
   >  Does anybody know who this women is,  and/or where I can find out   
   >more about this??? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.   
   >Thanks.   
      
   As another poster noted, this is likely a fairly modern theosophy belief   
   rather than an ancient Egyptian belief.  Based upon the funerary texts   
   of ancient Egypt, there was not a belief in "reincarnation" in any form   
   as we know it.   
      
   However, belief that the bA (eternal spirit) of a person may become a   
   star after death does have its origins in ancient Egyptian stellar cults   
   of the Old Kingdom.  However, it was usually limited to the king alone   
   being made into a star after death.   
      
   There was no particular emphasis upon Sirius in funerary belief for the   
   deceased, AFAIK.  Overall, the rising of Sirius as Sothis during the   
   summer months was a symbol heralding the onset of the new year.   
      
   Perhaps you might like to check   
      
   Sellers, J. B. 1992. _The Death of Gods in Ancient Egypt: An Essay on   
   Egyptian Religion and the Frame of Time._ London: Penguin.   
      
   for more information on Egyptian stellar cults.   
      
   HTH.   
      
      
   --   
   Katherine Griffis-Greenberg, MA (Lon)   
   Member, International Association of Egyptologists   
          American Research Center in Egypt, ASOR, EES, SSEA   
      
   Oriental Institute   
   Oriental Studies Doctoral Program [Egyptology]   
   University of Oxford   
   Oxford, United Kingdom   
      
   http://www.griffis-consulting.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)