Ptah
Intention: Value creation through thought made real, skilled craft
Offerings & Symbols
- A small crafted object
- A staff or scepter image
- Something you thought through before making
Culture: Ancient Egyptian Domain: Creation, craftsmanship, thought made manifest
Ptah, patron of Memphis, is credited in that city's theology with creating the world through thought and speech alone, conceiving all things in his heart (mind) before speaking them into being with his tongue, a strikingly abstract creation account for its time. He is also the patron of craftsmen and skilled artisans.
Associations
Creation through deliberate thought, craftsmanship, the power of speech to manifest intention.
Ways people honor him (modern)
- Think through an intention fully before speaking or acting on it
- Take up or honor a skilled craft or trade
- Keep a handmade object on the altar
- Read the Memphite Theology, an important surviving account of his creation myth
Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.
