Walk Like An Egyptian
By living a life based on wisdom and truth, one can discover the divinity of the soul, its union to the universe, the supreme peace and contentment which comes from satisfying the inner drive for self discovery. ~ Muata Ashby, Ancient Egyptian Proverbs
Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. ~ Anonymous (often attributed to Mark Twain)
All civilizations have their highs and lows, golden ages and catastrophic collapses, storied histories filled with myths and malfeasance. Because we did not just pop up out of nowhere, as a human collective we inherit layers upon layers of consciousness and culture from our ancestors — be it good, bad or ugly.
And just like individuals, civilizations — as a group of souls — go through an evolutionary process too, and Egypt was no exception. Depending on the era or epoch (it spanned over 3,000 years), there is much we can learn in terms of history not repeating itself (i.e., hello slavery), and perhaps some things we need to recall and revive, albeit in a more enlightened, modern version. With several major discoveries from that part of the world so far this year, it feels like the Universe might be asking us to do both as we find our current civilization at its own crossroads.
Back in the day, Egypt was revered by many — especially the Greeks and Romans — as a center of philosophy, mystical understanding and deep wisdom. One such concept was that of Ma’at, which represented truth, justice, balance, harmony and order.
There are many definitions of Ma’at, but a concise one is from John A. Cummings of DTR360 Books who writes: “Ma’at philosophy was the basis of Ancient Egyptian society and government as well as the heart of Ancient Egyptian myth and spirituality. Ma’at is at once a goddess, a cosmic force and a living social doctrine, which promotes social harmony and thereby paves the way for spiritual evolution in all levels of society.”
It was believed that when a person died and went to the underworld, their heart was weighed against the feather of Ma’at. If it was lighter than the feather, that meant the person had lived a virtuous life and could move on to their version of heaven. If it was heavier, well, you can imagine that fate.
Besides Ma’at, to me one of the best things we can embrace and apply from Ancient Egypt is a connection to the material as an extension, or inclusion, of the spiritual. They treated existence with great reverence and perceived this incarnation and all that comes with it as an expression of the divine; the here and now was a continuation or manifestation of the hereafter and vice versa.
Similar to many Native cultures and ancient peoples from the Amazon to Asia, they saw everything as sacred, including Nature, but Egypt seems to be one of the origin points. Everything physical — from bodies to buildings — was seen as an expression of spirit, and life here today was very much in preparation for or as a result of a life beyond.
And like any belief system, ideas can be taken to extremes and contorted in ways that become detrimental or pure superstition. But with our ever-increasing technological society providing more and more opportunities to distract and take us away from venerating the mundane or “satisfying the inner drive for self discovery,” it wouldn’t hurt to implement a little more of this profound perspective into our daily lives.
The Egyptians also worshiped the sun as a god or Ra, so what better time to reflect on this particular theme than while we are in the heart of the summer season (in the Northern hemisphere) — which also corresponds with the astrological sign of Leo, ruled by el Sol. In astrology, Leo rules the heart, and your sun sign represents the essence, the Light of who you are that connects you to all that is, and the qualities that you must express, bring forth and let shine.
I am no academic, let alone an Egyptologist, so these are broad generalities that, like in any religion, tradition or philosophy contain eternal truths that are worth mining, and remind us that we are descendants of those who practiced them.
In a world of extreme dualism, dichotomies and distraction coupled with leaders soaring the heights of hypocrisy, may we resurrect the ancient parts of ourselves that revere life and honor the Light of all other beings, no matter how different we are.
And may we work toward having a heart that is as light as possible, to giving meaning and purpose to our everyday existence, and to recognizing the divine that permeates all we are, have and do.
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Originally published via my PGG Newsletter on July 31, 2025
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Does this awaken something — besides that song by the Bangles — you would love to develop but are not sure where to start? This need, which I feel is a missing piece in our society, is why I am offering my new six-month course, How to Live a Spiritual Life. (It began on July 16 but it’s not too late to join, see below!).
If you missed my last three PGGs, you might want to check them out for more context as I talk more about this direction: Of Wonder, Woo & WTF?!, Life as Art & the Road Less Punk, and especially last month’s The Fabric of Our Lives. The topic is a very personal one that I claim no authority over other than for myself, but I am happy to share what I know, understand and have practiced, embody and continue to develop, evolve and grow as a work in progress on a daily basis for over three decades.
Curious? You can watch the free intro class on YouTube, a short that got over 1.5k views, and a clip from the first class, called The Truth About Being a Spiritual Person.
You can learn more about the course here, and you are invited to join a small group of curious souls who want to create some focus and structure around exploring their own spirituality in community. You will receive a recording of the first class, and the next one is Tuesday, August 12.
And if you are looking for one-on-one guidance and support, I have 18+ years and hundreds of client hours of professional career and life coaching behind me, plus six months of readings. Whether you do coaching or a reading, you get “more bang for your buck,” as having both intuitive abilities and coaching skills sets me apart from other practitioners out there.
In other words, I skew woo, but with a practical down-to-earth style, expertise and perspective.
Not sure what working with me looks like? Scroll down or check out the current offerings on my website or contact me for custom packages, and please share with anyone looking for a more holistic, intuitive approach to getting unstuck, feeling more connected to themselves and/or finding clarity and direction in career and life.
Looking for a powerful, positive tool for your daily practice or good vibes on the go? Check out my pocket-sized book Say It To Make It: Affirmations to Empower Your Heart, Mind, Spirit and Soul.
Don’t forget: I also offer inspiration and positive vibes throughout the week, so be sure to follow me on social media. You can watch many video clips and talks on my YouTube channel and Instagram. (Follow my IG stories for what I’m sharing on a regular basis — often super random but meaningful — and be sure to subscribe, like and follow ‘cuz #algorithms.)
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Kristina Leonardi is a nationally recognized career and life coach, speaker and author who for over 17 years has empowered individuals to make lasting professional and personal changes aligned with their true passions and talents while fulfilling their role in the world at large.
With a holistic and personal growth-oriented approach, she has helped hundreds of men and women improve their job performance, enter or re-enter the job force, change careers, better manage their time and stress, and live happier, more meaningful, balanced lives.
Her specialty is working with people who feel stuck or are in transition and can help you clarify exactly what you want to do, identify blocks, issues, and patterns in your way, and offer proven ideas, resources, and action steps to get you there.
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Read more about me and my work in these past PGG’s:
15 Candles |All Roads, Same Place | And Now, A Word from Our Sponsor | Strong Medicine | 10,000 Hours | A Decade of Doing What I Do | Express Yourself
