Daughter of Isis, Lilian Nirupa [books to get back into reading .txt] 📗

supplement the Temple of healing. The Temple of Love was more like a psychic and emotional frustrations healing center, as well as preparation for marriage and motherhood.
When Ishtar-la became a young widow of twenty-three, a high priestess of the Temple of Isis asked her to take over the Temple of Love’s direction.
This had happened 10 years ago. Many young princesses, priests’ family members, rich and powerful businessmen and other members of the powerful classes tried to get their daughters into this prestigious school of love at the Memphis Isis Temple.
Only a few were admitted every year and within that privileged group already a more selected group was to work directly with Ishtar-la as her own private disciples.
Ishtar-la dropped her memories now as she looked in the mirror made of polished bronze. Now 33, she showed a striking beauty that combined the best of their Babylonian upbringing and her mother’s and husband’s Egyptian refinement.
Her Babylonian training had helped her to convey in her own quiet and personal way the ability to open up the hearts of her different disciples who came from many different cultures and backgrounds. But a woman’s heart is a woman’s heart, she said to herself, while she devoutly glanced at her favorite statue of the Goddess Ishtar, and sneaked a brief glance at the magnificent picture of Isis hanging on the wall of the Temple corridor.
She was happy and successful in her work. But sometimes she felt some special groups were challenging. Today’s group filled her with apprehension; Lizla was in line for Royal Ascension; rumor had it that Psusennes – a second cousin of Lizla by being born to the late Pharaoh’s younger sister– was in love with her. Psusennes was also a favorite disciple of Ra-Ta – the highest priest in Memphis, who acknowledged haven given Lizla initiation into the Egyptian mysteries. What powers did Lizla have and what would be her promised, exalted future? Ra-Ta would never talk to her; he was inaccessible to women, the palace rumors said, but he had been kind enough to send her a copy of Lizla’s astrological chart. Did that really mean he agreed with the training? Ishtar-la said to herself rather amused. The old Babylonian ways and humor took over as she regarded as funny to find any man who was afraid of women – no matter how holy such a man could be. He’d better be a priest, she laughed inwardly.
Now Ishtar-la reviewed the chart of her other new disciples: Lakshmi was Suryananda’s daughter, a bright girl brought up in the tradition of an Indian Brahmin family. Curiously, she had an open mind and a flair for business. Maybe that is why she was transplanted to a rich country like Egypt. Interesting challenge to develop, thought Ishtar-la, since Brahmins were very zealous of their caste system and sacred mission as custodians of their millenarian wisdom. But the Priests of Thebes had similar concerns. Ishtar-la made a note to include several trips to Thebes within their learning programs.
Annouk-Aimee was Mikos’s and Diogenes’s younger sister. She had recently been seduced by a Nubian and she was pregnant, so some healing and preparation for motherhood surely were indicated in her training. The other two girls were Gemeti and Suma, the twin sisters born from the Babylonian aristocracy. They were the daughters of the Babylonian ambassador. Ishtar-la had a close relationship with the embassy and the Ambassador’s family. She knew they were particularly eager to see their daughters being educated in the Temple of Love by such a successful priestess and teacher: a fellow country lady teacher who would provide a bridge of culture and emotional understanding for the foreign upbringing of their daughters.
It was not easy living in Egypt as a foreigner, particularly for the privileged classes. Egyptians were famously proud of their civilization’s success as well as a strong sense of decorum or “ma’at” – which covered every aspect of their lives. Bathing twice a day, wearing very thin linen garments of white or purple coded colors, depending on the occasion and level of prestige and power of the individual, it made their lifestyle very formal and somewhat threatening or boring to a foreigner. Babylonians were used to warmer clothes of multiple colors, elaborate ornaments and heavier food, which made them often overweight and somewhat uncivilized to the Egyptian standards of desert lightness.
Living in the desert climate creates fears of the heat and leads to much needed protection against the dryness and even killing power of the desert sun. That was part of the reason behind the lightness of the clothing and diet and a frequent bathing. The Egyptian unique form of government was a unified Theocracy supported by an elaborate caste of powerful priests and princesses. This created and confirmed the rather rigid but very stable family and political traditions of the Egyptian culture. Most of the foreigners from all around Egypt who came to visit, study or stay commented on their difficulty in adapting their Greek, Nubian, Indian or Babylonian mores. Those who came from more nomadic races, or farmers from multiple season lands, found difficult to integrate into this Egyptian pyramid-like monolithic culture where they felt politely tolerated but not often welcome.
Ishtar-la was very aware of this problem, as she had experienced it firsthand. However, she had had her own Egyptian background and the love and protection of her rich and powerful Egyptian husband which had made the transition not as difficult for her as it would be for the new disciples. Ishtar-la remembered her mother’s admonition, which coincided with her own mentor, the high priestess of the Temple of Isis: “When in doubt, about issues of the heart, especially when women are concerned, turn to Isis.”

Chapter 11 – The Mysteries of Egyptian Love
Ishtar-la looked apologetically to her small statue of the Goddess Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of womanhood and prayed: “I will turn to Isis as I believe here in Egypt both you and her are the one.” Then with her rich melodious voice, she intoned the Isis invocation.
Soon quietly she went into meditation. A rosy glow in her heart let her know that her question was being answered.
“Mother of love,” said a sweet voice full of musical tones, in tones of both authority and compassion. “Who do you seek?”
Ishtar-la was startled; she expected some form of inspiration, but not a direct answer. A swift thought of concern ran through her mind. She remembered earlier teachers in her own country guarding against demons and possession. But this voice was healing and reassuring, seeming to spring from her own heart.
“Who are you?” asked Ishtar-la in a trembling voice filled with awe and astonishment.
“Mother of Love, do not fear – your loving concern for these five girls entrusted to your care in my Temple of Love and Healing is very pleasing to me. I am Isis, whom you invoked. Are you looking for guidance?”
Ishtar-la took a deep breath and replied reverently, “Well yes, I find this task challenging, they are all so different and it seems that there is so much at stake.”
The Goddess smiled. Ishtar-la could not see her smile, but somehow she felt she caught it in the Goddess’s voice. “Yes indeed, you are right on both accounts,” the Goddess continued, “but you have your own ability as a devout and loving woman to guide them in what they need to learn from you, and in that, they are not very different. Do you see?”
Ishtar-la felt she heard right and that she had understood, but decided to ask for further guidance. “And what is that they have in common, that I can find them, pray please tell me?”
The Goddess answered in a more authoritative and solemn tone now. “Well, the mystery of womanhood and the power of this mystery, where I will guide you. Please go to the Temple Library and get a book that I will leave there for you, ask the Librarian. You have my blessings now.”
The soft rose glow disappeared, leaving behind an exquisite perfume like Jasmine. Exhausted, Ishtar-la fell asleep.
Two hours later, she woke up and went up to the Library. She was astonished again, as the Librarian was ready with her present.
“Who gave this to you?” inquired Ishtar-la; still not sure the whole thing was not a dream.
“A young boy with a Persian accent who said this was a present for you from a foreign Queen.” Then the librarian was interrupted her explanation as she turned around to answer a student’s insistent question. The young girl librarian was a bit afraid she had offended the princess.
Ishtar-la smiled and said: “Don’t worry; it is fine, let me have the package.” As she unwrapped her present, the most beautiful picture of Isis and Osiris holding hands was engraved on the cover of the papyrus box that contained the roll. Under the picture was a note written in golden sacred hieroglyphics: “The Mysteries of Egyptian Love.”
Ishtar-la took the sacred gift and returned to her palace.


Chapter 12 – Ishtar-la’s gift
Unbeknown to each other Lizla and Annouk-Aimee had the same idea; to take a stroll around the forest that surrounded the man-made lake on the western side of the temple. Lizla loved trees, they were a rarity in the Egyptian climate and only the richest and powerful people could have a profusion of them to gather shade for men, flowers, and lovers. The Temple of Love had several groves with these trees; some of them produced fruits like orange and pomegranate while others gave figs and olives. But Lizla’s favorite was the one with the magnolia trees, an exotic specimen imported from China. Their fragrance was magnificent, and somehow she had felt drawn to them as she remembered the first time she had seen Altamira and her cousin in a passionate embrace under those trees. Lizla felt her cheeks burning at the memory and quickly sat down on a fallen tree trunk to open the papyrus preparation material she had received from Ishtar-la as an introduction to the first Temple of Love lesson.
She was happy to see the Isis invocation at the very beginning of the scroll. That calmed some of her original apprehension. Having a Babylonian teacher, even one as refined as Ishtar-la, was a concern for a royal Egyptian princess. But this familiar invocation seemed both an invitation to trust as well as a blessing from the Goddess.
All of a sudden, she heard steps coming from behind her. Rolling back her papyrus, Lizla sat up in rapt attention.
Singing a soft Greek love song, Annouk-Aimee was strolling with delight as she entered the famous magnolia tree grove, favorite of lovers and poets. She was absentmindedly collecting the pretty fragrant flowers and adding them to the tresses of her golden hair. Then she sat down by the pool and looked at her bright blue eyes and blonde tresses that revealed fair skin and a serious disposition. She also noticed the dark circles under her eyes and a spectrum of fear that she was not used to seeing in her former self, when she was in her beloved Greek home. How she missed her mother and the more free-flowing manners of her native country. People were given to sports of mind and body, for every Greek that had the good fortune of attending a good Greek school like she and her brothers had, had developed a healthy love of debate and competition: both on the horse racing trail, as well as with the many sports of the javelin, archery, and fencing. Even the ladies participated in argumentative debates, at least the most adventurous and intelligent ladies.
But here in Egypt, everything was regulated. Even the chariots and horses were adorned by the nobles in elaborate ceremonies. Everything was a ritual and it created order and security, but