Rite of Parent Divination
The Rite of Parent Divination is a ritual which is performed by the Nisut (AUS) of Kemetic Orthodoxy for members (Remetju) of the faith who wish to learn their spiritual Parents and any Beloveds.
Parents
In Kemetic Orthodoxy, all followers wishing to become Shemsu must undergo the Rite of Parent Divination (frequently abbreviated as RPD) to discover their spiritual Parents. A Parent, to a follower of this faith, is one or two Names of Netjer who create an individual's ba, or immortal soul. The ba follows the individual eternally, through any multiple incarnations. These Names are the ones which the Shemsu or Divined Remetj will be primarily devoted to in his or her spiritual practice.
Usually, a follower will be divined as having only one Parent; however this is not a rule. There are many instances of "Dual Parents" in Kemetic Orthodoxy, where the individual has two Parent Names instead of just one. This pair of Names does not have to be "male" and "female"; one may have two Mothers or two Fathers, or a Mother and a Father.
Beloveds
Beloveds are Names of Netjer which create the ka, or fleeting soul, of an individual, or take a special interest in the individual's life. The ka is the part of the soul which goes on to be judged after death, and may become an Akh, or blessed ancestor. The ka stays with the ba for only one life. Beloveds are important in the devotions of Shemsu and Divined Remetj, but not quite at the level of a Parent, therefore while a Shemsu or Divined Remetj may be devoted to his or her Beloved(s), his or her Parents would come first.
Beloveds are responsible for the active and visible part of one's soul, sometimes considered one's personality. One can have a number of beloveds. As many as 5 have been divined for one person so far. Other individuals do not have any beloveds, meaning their Parent Name or Names created their ka as well as their ba.
The "Parent->Ba Beloved->Ka" analogy was given to the Shemsu of Kemet by a deity in Saq several years ago. It has been said that this dichotomy was merely given to aid in the understanding of the interaction between Parents and Beloveds, and that the Beloveds do not actually create the ka. This explains the primary devotion to the Parents in life, as the ba is considered to be relatively unconscious, and the ka is more active. The idea that the Beloveds create the ka has created some debate as to why the Parents are the center of devotion if they have created the part of the soul which is relatively unconscious. This is why it may be more advantageous to consider the Beloveds "teachers" or "companions" to the individual, rather than having a hand in the creation of the soul at all. However, as with most things, it is between the individual and his or her Parent(s) and Beloved(s).
Other Netjeru
Some disagree strongly with this practice, as it seemingly shuts down the importance of individual experience and personal revelation. What many fail to realise is the fact that many individuals know the identity of their Parents and less frequently their Beloveds before the actual Divination takes place. Also, even if a specific Name to whom the individual has been devoted does not appear in the RPD, the individual may still remain devoted to this Name, as long as his or her Parent(s) come(s) first.
