Many systems of belief have set forth values in the form of a list. The most famous of these is the biblical Ten Commandments. But if you’re like me, you have found these to be thin and unsatisfying. We can say with confidence that all of the most popular systems of belief have been twisted into control systems. This is not to say that there is no wisdom in the Abrahamic religions, but these traditions and the writings they are based on cannot be trusted without a hefty dose of study in comparative religion, earnest spiritual practice, and discernment.

Therefore, I have found another value set that I feel is compelling and complete. It is the 42 Ideals of Ma’at. Ma’at is an Egyptian goddess. She is said to represent truth, justice, and morality. After the death of the body, it was thought that one’s spirit would be weighed. The weight of the spirit increases with the number of wrongdoings committed during life. These wrongdoings were enumerated in a list known as the 42 Laws of Ma’at.

The 42 laws are all negative confessions. That is to say, each one is expressed in the form of a wrong action which one either did or did not commit. For example, if one cannot honestly say, “I have not stolen,” then the weight of that wrongdoing is added to the soul. If the soul becomes overburdened with wrongdoing, it cannot ascend and falls back to Earth where the person must reincarnate and try again.

More recently, a collective of priestesses trained in Egyptian spiritualism has derived a new set of positive affirmations based on the 42 negative confessions. In my opinion, they are satisfying. They feel complete. They are life-affirming, loving, and good … again, in my opinion. These are the 42 Ideals of Ma’at.

The 42 Ideals of Ma’at

Each numbered headline listed below is as written by the aforementioned priestesses. The line itself should be all that you require. I discuss each one in the corresponding section, and the descriptions/discussions are nothing more than my opinions. I pray that it will be of value to you.

1. I honor virtue

A virtue, in my opinion, is a manifestation of value. Value can be attributed to an object, person, group, skill, or what-have-you. This Ideal means that we recognize what is good, speak well of what is good, and seek to preserve what is good. Admittedly, the word “virtue” usually refers to an attribute possessed by a person. Therefore, persons who exhibit virtue are to be honored for their virtues.

2. I benefit with gratitude

This Ideal requires experience in what I consider to be correct spiritual practice. For a start, being grateful is good for your health. But more importantly, those with a correct spiritual practice will know that when we express gratitude to Divine things, we receive more of what we are grateful for. It is the essential component of what is popularly referred to as “manifestation.”

3. I am peaceful

Being peaceful means that we do not initiate force in the form of violence. But more fully, it means that we are peaceful in the manner in which we carry and comport ourselves. A peaceful person is not scornful, deceptive, bitter, or cruel. A peaceful person does not coerce others into wrongdoing. This is an Ideal of which the vast majority of people on Earth fall short. Further Ideals will expand on this, thankfully.

4. I respect the property of others

The spiritually adept will understand that each person has a natural right to obtain and possess physical belongings to pursue safety, security, and pleasure, and to help secure these things for others. To take, damage, or otherwise disrespect things that a person has rightful possession of is to fall short of this Ideal.

5. I affirm that all life is sacred

This does not mean that we cannot kill. We may kill an animal to obtain food. We may kill an aggressor who cannot be stopped by gentler means. None of this prevents us from holding living things as sacred. Should the taking of life be necessary, we should not glory in it as a victory. This Ideal is supported by Sun Tsu’s assertion that “Weapons are ominous tools of destruction which should be regarded with dread and solemnity.”

6. I give offerings that are genuine

This refers to spiritual offerings, such as presenting a deity with something valuable to curry favor. But I feel it refers, more fully, to any offering made in any way. For example, if it is your turn to cook for your partner, do so in good faith to provide a pleasing and nutritious meal as well as you are able. 

7. I live in truth

We are limited beings, of course. This means that we can never know the whole truth fully. To live in truth means to pursue knowledge of what is true at all times, and to be honest with yourself. This is because when we lie to ourselves, we become lies. Further, this means to speak Truth as well as we are able to do. In my opinion, there are exceptions to this, such as when I want to tell a joke, I might tell a fictional story to do so. Also, if I know I will be harmed by someone if I tell him the truth, then he has already abandoned Truth. Therefore, if I tell him what he wants to hear, I have not been willfully dishonest.

8. I regard all altars with respect

An alter is property of course. But they cannot always be erected within a person’s obvious, rightfully held property. So this Ideal is necessary since we may encounter alters in strange locations. Because the Ideals recognize the necessity of spiritual discipline, it stands to reason that we should be compelled to respect the earnest spiritual disciplines of others and the artifacts thereof. 

9. I speak with sincerity

This is an extension of Ideal 7. It means that what we say should be said with the intent suggested by the words themselves. If I tell you a joke, it should be clear in the way I tell it, though the story itself is not true. If someone intends to do me harm should I relate true facts, I should speak words intended to peacefully redirect his violent intent. 

10. I consume only my fair share

By now you may have noticed that there is some redundancy in this list. But, in this instance, I feel it’s appropriate. One could say that this Ideal is covered in the admonition to respect the property of others. However, if we take more than we can rightfully use, others may not be able to peacefully obtain the things they need to flourish and contribute. Thankfully, when it comes to the consumption of food, nature provides a biological mechanism to deter gluttony. In my opinion, this Ideal corroborates Christ’s assertion that money is the root of all evil, because money makes it possible to get away with having more than one needs and be praised for it, a fact which degrades entire civilizations. 

11. I offer words of good intent

Once again, we have a useful redundancy. Ideal #9 could be said to cover this. However, this seems to me to agree with my notion that an untruth can be spoken to express humor or avoid the pain that might be inflicted by those who have abandoned Truth. In short, when we speak, we should only do so with the intention to cause a beneficial outcome for all affected. 

12. I relate in peace

Yet another redundancy. This covers ground that Ideals 9, 11, 8, and 3 only suggest. It may be possible to offer words of good intent in a way that is not peaceful, strictly speaking. Therefore, this Ideal helps to inform the others.

13. I honor animals with reverence

Some teachers I admire warn against meat eating, and this seems to agree with them. However, it is possible to eat meat sparingly, while respecting the creatures we prey on. Responsible hunters do this. They aim to kill only older animals, knowing that as animals age, they are almost certain to be killed in a much more brutal way and suffer much more profoundly when they are slowly torn apart by a predator. So, while I admit that killing an animal for food may be wrong, when done with care and reverence it can reduce the aggregate suffering in an animal population.

14. I can be trusted

This Ideal could stand alone and be a complete system of morality. A person who can be trusted will not steal, murder, abuse, or disrespect. If you take only one thing seriously on this list, let it be Ideal #14. Notice that Trust has the same root as Truth. Do not think this is an accident. 

15. I care for the Earth

This is an extension of Ideal 14. If we rape the Earth and spoil resources, we make it impossible for others to acquire their fair share as well. Worse, we deprive other living things of natural beauty, which is certainly a crime.

16. I keep my own council

A police officer or soldier follows orders. They care not for the letter of the law and even less for the Truth. These, and many others have offloaded their duty to act and reason righteously onto their masters. In order to do so, they must deceive themselves in their hearts and become the lie. Only the still quiet voice in the heart can council us correctly. These people know they are wrong and the pain of their guilt makes them dangerous.

17. I speak positively of others

If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing. This is another balancing Ideal that informs earlier ones.

18. I remain in balance with my emotions

Here, we are asked to comport ourselves with dignity. We should feel and act in a way that is on par with circumstances. We may become excited, angry, or love-struck. But we should not let our feelings sweep us away. Our emotions can be like wind in our sails, or they can rip the mast from the deck.

19. I am trustful in my relationships

This may be an admonition to take care in the relationships you enter. If you cannot trust those near to you, seek out ones you can trust, and then obey Ideal 19.

20. I hold purity in high esteem

This has long been forgotten by the modern mind. But purity is equal to integrity. Your intentions, food, actions, and the air you breathe, should all be pure. Purity may evade us, but we should seek it out.

21. I spread joy

Surely, you can’t expect to make others joyful at every moment. But we can certainly angle toward joyful consequences in everything we do. 

22. I do the best I can

No one is perfect. We have limited energy, time, reach, and power. Overextending yourself will reduce your ability to act rightly over time. We should work within our limitations intelligently. 

23. I communicate with compassion

This could be a correction for #17, allowing us to recognize the failings, weaknesses, or misfortunes of another without being cruel.

24. I listen to opposing opinions

We must always understand that we may be wrong and know that we have more to learn. We should listen with the expectation that even someone we disagree with can teach us something.

25. I create harmony

This Ideal is telling you that it is not enough to avoid being disharmonious. We must strive to create more harmony. We’re here to become bigger than our problems, not just evade them.

26. I invoke laughter

Good humor is a sign of good will. Laughter is medicinal. It binds spirits together and inspires forgiveness. Consider this an extension of #25.

27. I am open to love in various forms

We know that 2% of any human population will be homosexual. It’s coded in the gene pool. Of course, this is just an example of a variation of love. But it shows us that we must respect different forms of love when it is earnest and right. It must be harmonized with.

28. I am forgiving

No one is perfect, all-knowing, or incapable of error. Without forgiveness, no one would survive.

29. I am kind

In case half the Ideals above didn’t make it clear that kindness matters, #29 is provided.

30. I act respectfully of others

Respect means to look again. Once again, we can be wrong in our apprehensions. Every person deserves to have their ways, thoughts, and actions looked at a second time. Some people deserve even more.

31. I am accepting

This is yet another admonition to act in a way that corrects for the fact that we can be and often are wrong. We must also be accepting because we cannot force others to understand what is right and wise. We require long exposure to Truth to achieve a right worldview. People must be accepted while they struggle to learn.

32. I follow my inner guidance

Here, we are reminded to keep our own council in a way that makes it clear that there is a font of wisdom within every heart. The still, quiet voice waits to be heard, always. 

33. I converse with awareness

This Ideal reminds us to speak thoughtfully and use words that are appropriate for the time, place, and people around us. I feel this is also a directive to speak with dignity.

34. I do good

We can mean well and do harm. This is an admonition to be aware of the results of our actions. Good intentions are fine, but good intention without intelligent retrospection is a form of cowardice. 

35. I give blessings

This Ideal recognizes a spiritual reality. But, of course, we can also give blessings as a gesture. It can be a way to show good will even when understanding fails.

36. I keep the waters pure

This reiterates Ideals 10, 15, and 4. Water and food should be considered sacred. To defile these is a form of violence to those in need, and we are all in need.

37. I speak with good intent

This Ideal covers what the other Ideals regarding speech only suggest. In case we fail to apprehend the spirit of those, 37 is here to provide clarity. 

38. I praise the Goddess and the God

Regardless of the name, image, personality, or attributes of any particular God or Goddess, The Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine are the foundation of all but the highest reality. The Creator has given us entities like Mother Earth, Father Sky, Sunna/Sol, The Green Man, guardian angels, spirit guides, and others to provide for and watch over us because the Source of life is considered to be unknowable. We are all made of feminine and masculine impulses and this Ideal is there to ensure that we revere and develop each. It is an echo of the Biblical commandment to honor thy mother and father, and it is a subtle reminder to remain grateful.

39. I am humble

Humility is the companion virtue of gratitude. True humility does not mean that we can’t admit it if we are attractive, strong, intelligent, virtuous, or talented. It means we do not presume to be better than others. It means we do not attempt to needlessly overwhelm others. It also means that we understand that we are in the care of higher beings, and that to appear haughty in their sight is unbecoming. 

40. I achieve with integrity

This could be read as a commandment not to exploit others, take credit for their accomplishments, or lie about the value we produce. It could also be a warning against absentee ownership, rent-taking, usury, and other exploitative practices. 

41. I advance through my own abilities

This is an extension of #40 and could be seen as a refinement of #4, #10, #14, #15, #19, and #22. We must not benefit from the work of others unless they willingly offer us a share of the value they produce. This Ideal addresses what #40 leaves vague. 

42. I embrace the All

Just as #38 directs us to revere the whole of creation, this Ideal reminds us that all things flow from The Great Spirit, Creator, Oversoul, Source, or whatever you call the being in whose mind the universe exists. The ultimate God is Love itself. We are made of him and it is our destiny to join him.

Conclusion

I recommend reading these daily. Take just one as your mission each day and commit yourself to it from the moment you wake until bedtime. While they are a bit repetitive, I feel that they build on each other, clarify and expand each other. 

The authors of these Ideals admit they are human in origin, not brought down from some magical summit, and that they may therefore be flawed. However, I consider them to be more complete than any other simple list of spiritual directives. You could spend years learning them, and few are likely to ever master them.

But their simplicity, the ease with which they can be understood, and the clear goodness of these 42 Ideals make them beautiful in my view.

Recommended listening: Nick Cave: Today’s Lesson

Source material: https://www.egyptconnection.com/42-laws-of-maat/

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