This post is part of the Kemetic Round Table, which aims to answer some of the most common questions and provide a wealth of diverse options for the Kemetic novice to explore.

Can I work with other pantheons? Can I perform rituals that aren’t Kemetic based?

Short answer: Yes and yes. Netjer is not a jealous divinity, and while individual Netjeru may request or expect certain priorities or amounts of attention/time from you, that’s between you and Them on a case-by-case basis. I don’t know of any broad-strokes Kemeticism rule that says you can’t engage with non-Kemetic pantheons, rituals, mythology, magic, etc; many Kemetics that I know have a second or multiple other paths.

Longer answer: All of the above, plus an additional consideration – do you want to blend practices, or keep the two practices strictly separate?

I’ve seen some considerable discussion around about the acceptability of blending two practices into one; for example, calling on a Celtic goddess and a Kemetic goddess in the same festival, or using an Asatru ritual format to invoke a Kemetic triad. While I don’t ever recall running across a protest of having two separate practices, and I myself dabble in other mythologies in addition to being primarily Kemetic, the question of “will it blend?” is a tricksier one.

My best recommendation would be to humbly approach the entities involved and ask Them if They’re okay with blending a path. If Brigid, Hestia, and Bes are down with being spiritual roomies in your hearth shrine and in your homebrew rituals, then carry on! So long as you act thoughtfully, deliberately, and respectfully, and so long as everyone involved is amenable to the blend, I don’t see why it can’t happen. I really can’t stress enough the importance of addressing the issue before performing any blended work, though—in much the same way as you wouldn’t invite two friends to stay in the same guest room without introducing them to one another first and making sure they don’t mind bunking together, one does not smush deities together from different cultural backgrounds without at least letting Them make Their opinion known.

I do admittedly fall on the preference of keeping my practices separate, if only because it helps me approach each deity with the particular style and reverence that Their culture has accustomed Them. Gods know I can’t recreate ancient Egyptian rituals or temples, but if I honor the core ideals of ancient Egyptian religion and philosophy when interacting with Kemetic Netjeru, then I’ve done the best I can do as a modern practitioner. I don’t feel it’s personally appropriate to apply that particular religious culture to non-Egyptian deities, but that may be partially due to how radically different Kemetic and Celtic spiritualities feel to me. Trying to get those two atmospheres to mesh nicely is well beyond my willingness to accept a challenge.

To put it more simply, sometimes two spiritual paths are peanut butter and chocolate. Sometimes they’re more like peanut butter and sushi. They might go great together!… or it may be best for all involved to enjoy them separately. :)

PS~ Pretty sure Kemeticism is almond butter.

If you enjoyed this post, please check out the other takes on working with non-Kemetic pantheons by my fellow Round Table bloggers!