Sounding the Sistrum: Rhythms and Rituals

From deTraci Regula, author of "The Mysteries of Isis" and "The Sacred Scarab Oracle" comes a book devoted to the sacred noisemaker of Ancient Egypt and beyond - the sistrum. Find out the fascinating history of this magical instrument, discover its many uses in rites and rituals, learn chants and lore, and even learn how to make and use your own sistrum. 130 pp. Includes index and bibliography. Profusely illustrated with photographs and line drawings. CONTENTS The Origin of the Sistrum 1 The Earliest Sistrum 1 The Naos Sistrum 2 The Looped Sistrum 3 A Sixth Dynasty Sistrum of Stone 5 Deities of the Sistrum 7 The Hidden Goddess in the Sistrum 8 Priestesses of the Sistrum 11 The Materials of the Sistrum 13 Number of Disks 16 The Rods or Bars 16 The Frame 19 The Sistrum in Plutarch 22 The Hieroglyphic Sistrum 22 Sistrums Around the World 26 The Sistrums of Ethiopia 29 The Barcoo Dog of Australia 31 The Sensual Sistrum34 The Scented Sistrum 38 Some Suggested Scents for the Sistrum 39 Playing the Sistrum 42 A Chant for Sistra 46 Why We Play the Sistrum 51 As a Magical Instrument - To Attract 51 Sistra Plays 55 The Magic Sistrum 56 Orchestrating Sistra 56 Sistrum First Aid 57 Changing the Sound of a Sistrum 58 The Magical Sistrum 60 Consecrating Your Sistrum 60 Sistrum Purifications 63 How to Use The Sistrum to Bless and Purify 64 Self-Purification with the Sistrum 66 Creating A Sistrum for A Purpose 68 A Prosperity Sistrum Rite 69 A Sistrum Rite for Love 69 Scrying with the Sistrum 71 Blessing with the Sistrum 72 Offering the Sistrum to the Divine 73 Isis, the Festive Goddess 77 House Blessing with the Sistrum 78 The Sistrum In Coins 81 Collecting Sistra 84 Displaying Your Sistrum 85 Wood-framed Sistra 89 Sistrum Tales 97 Playing an Ancient Sistrum 97 My Quest for Philo's Sistrum 101 Appendix Making Your Own Sistrum 106 Appendix Incarcerated Sistrums 109 Selected Bibliography 111