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Author Topic: Accidental damage to images of deities  (Read 2105 times)

Miquna

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Accidental damage to images of deities
« on: March 18, 2018, 08:20:23 pm »
In a ritual last night, I unfortunately caused some minor cosmetic damage to my statue of Djehuty/Thoth. I had not worked with oils before, and had gotten undiluted essential oils- as would happen in such a case, a few hours after anointing his image I learned that I had made a mistake, and upon examining the statue, found the paint had corroded in a few places (I didn't use much oil, and wiped it away once I realized the problem, so not much damage was done, fortunately).

So I'm asking to see if others here have had similar experiences, and what they have done to apologize or make things right; a Kemetic perspective would be helpful, but not essential. I apologized in prayer, and offered incense, and I would have a hard time finding paint of the same color to hide the damage. While I don't have much in the way of spiritual discernment, I did not feel any sense of anger, and I believe that Djehuty understands that I am fallible and only human, and knows that I am sorry- nevertheless I would like to communicate my apologies. Keeping in mind that I am very much a beginner to rituals and offerings, what should I do? Simply offer more generously and more attentively for a while? I already do volunteer work at the library, so perhaps being more mindful there?

Morbid

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2018, 09:02:09 pm »
In a ritual last night, I unfortunately caused some minor cosmetic damage to my statue of Djehuty/Thoth. I had not worked with oils before, and had gotten undiluted essential oils- as would happen in such a case, a few hours after anointing his image I learned that I had made a mistake, and upon examining the statue, found the paint had corroded in a few places (I didn't use much oil, and wiped it away once I realized the problem, so not much damage was done, fortunately).

So I'm asking to see if others here have had similar experiences, and what they have done to apologize or make things right; a Kemetic perspective would be helpful, but not essential. I apologized in prayer, and offered incense, and I would have a hard time finding paint of the same color to hide the damage. While I don't have much in the way of spiritual discernment, I did not feel any sense of anger, and I believe that Djehuty understands that I am fallible and only human, and knows that I am sorry- nevertheless I would like to communicate my apologies. Keeping in mind that I am very much a beginner to rituals and offerings, what should I do? Simply offer more generously and more attentively for a while? I already do volunteer work at the library, so perhaps being more mindful there?

Obviously I can only speak from my own experiences but I've found that generally the deities are quite forgiving when it comes to such things.  I mean it seems to me that you've made your apologies and that it was very clearly an honest mistake.  I would say that the lack of feeling of anger is evidence of that. 

But if it makes you feel better, perhaps you could strip the statue and repaint it from scratch, using similar colors as a way to honor the God and reestablish the statue.   
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Yei

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2018, 10:57:44 pm »
In a ritual last night, I unfortunately caused some minor cosmetic damage to my statue of Djehuty/Thoth. I had not worked with oils before, and had gotten undiluted essential oils- as would happen in such a case, a few hours after anointing his image I learned that I had made a mistake, and upon examining the statue, found the paint had corroded in a few places (I didn't use much oil, and wiped it away once I realized the problem, so not much damage was done, fortunately).

So I'm asking to see if others here have had similar experiences, and what they have done to apologize or make things right; a Kemetic perspective would be helpful, but not essential. I apologized in prayer, and offered incense, and I would have a hard time finding paint of the same color to hide the damage. While I don't have much in the way of spiritual discernment, I did not feel any sense of anger, and I believe that Djehuty understands that I am fallible and only human, and knows that I am sorry- nevertheless I would like to communicate my apologies. Keeping in mind that I am very much a beginner to rituals and offerings, what should I do? Simply offer more generously and more attentively for a while? I already do volunteer work at the library, so perhaps being more mindful there?

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I bought several statues in Mexico, but had some trouble getting them home. Two suffered minor damage, but one had completely broken in half. Plus, they were ceramic, so my bag was filled with pottery shards. I bought some modelling clay and rejoined the two parts. It doesn't look too bad, but still not great. But I cannot really replace it at the moment.

Still, I haven't encountered too many problems. At least none I can attribute to this.

Sobekemiti

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2018, 11:11:09 pm »
In a ritual last night, I unfortunately caused some minor cosmetic damage to my statue of Djehuty/Thoth. I had not worked with oils before, and had gotten undiluted essential oils- as would happen in such a case, a few hours after anointing his image I learned that I had made a mistake, and upon examining the statue, found the paint had corroded in a few places (I didn't use much oil, and wiped it away once I realized the problem, so not much damage was done, fortunately).

So I'm asking to see if others here have had similar experiences, and what they have done to apologize or make things right; a Kemetic perspective would be helpful, but not essential. I apologized in prayer, and offered incense, and I would have a hard time finding paint of the same color to hide the damage. While I don't have much in the way of spiritual discernment, I did not feel any sense of anger, and I believe that Djehuty understands that I am fallible and only human, and knows that I am sorry- nevertheless I would like to communicate my apologies. Keeping in mind that I am very much a beginner to rituals and offerings, what should I do? Simply offer more generously and more attentively for a while? I already do volunteer work at the library, so perhaps being more mindful there?

Minor damage is minor damage, it's happened to a few of my own statues and it's never been a problem once fixed up. Though most of mine has involved headgear breaking off, and having to find just the right glue to stick resin back together. (Cyanoacetate super glue works best, I've found, in case you need this information later on.) I've repainted statues before with just bog-standard acrylic paints and sometimes the occasional use of metallic paint markers, if you need options for fixing up the paint work. You can also varnish them when they've been repainted if you want to protect the finish.

If you do want to repair it, I'd fix it up, and once the paint is dry, wash and cleanse it with natron or salt water, leave it in the moonlight (since it's Djehuty), and it should be good to go. You could always do a little offering ritual once you bring it back inside and set it on your shrine. Maybe offer incense and food or drink or something else. And the repair itself can be a devotional act.

For the record, I've been anointing my Sobek statue with frankincense oil for a long time, and it's never damaged the paint. Soap and water is all I need to clean it off. If you want to anoint your statue once it's been repainted, I would avoid the painted areas, because that will damage the paint and you'll be back to where you started.
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Sefiru

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2018, 06:31:52 pm »
For the record, I've been anointing my Sobek statue with frankincense oil for a long time, and it's never damaged the paint. Soap and water is all I need to clean it off. If you want to anoint your statue once it's been repainted, I would avoid the painted areas, because that will damage the paint and you'll be back to where you started.

OP's statue probably had oil-based paint on it; you painted your statues with acrylics, which are water based. That's probably why the different reaction to oils. "Oil and water don't mix" isn't just a saying.  ;)
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Sobekemiti

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2018, 09:17:15 pm »
OP's statue probably had oil-based paint on it; you painted your statues with acrylics, which are water based. That's probably why the different reaction to oils. "Oil and water don't mix" isn't just a saying.  ;)

Oh, yeah, I know. I used acrylics because that's what I have and what I am best at using. But there's no reason you can't use oil-based paints either for repainting. Oils just aren't my medium. D:
Sobekemiti | Hekatean Witch, Kemetic Orthodox Shemsu, Sobek Devotee | My pronouns are they/she

Miquna

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2018, 09:21:22 pm »
Minor damage is minor damage, it's happened to a few of my own statues and it's never been a problem once fixed up. Though most of mine has involved headgear breaking off, and having to find just the right glue to stick resin back together. (Cyanoacetate super glue works best, I've found, in case you need this information later on.) I've repainted statues before with just bog-standard acrylic paints and sometimes the occasional use of metallic paint markers, if you need options for fixing up the paint work. You can also varnish them when they've been repainted if you want to protect the finish.

If you do want to repair it, I'd fix it up, and once the paint is dry, wash and cleanse it with natron or salt water, leave it in the moonlight (since it's Djehuty), and it should be good to go. You could always do a little offering ritual once you bring it back inside and set it on your shrine. Maybe offer incense and food or drink or something else. And the repair itself can be a devotional act.

For the record, I've been anointing my Sobek statue with frankincense oil for a long time, and it's never damaged the paint. Soap and water is all I need to clean it off. If you want to anoint your statue once it's been repainted, I would avoid the painted areas, because that will damage the paint and you'll be back to where you started.

Thank you for your advice! I don't really have the spoons to repair or repaint the statue at the moment, but I think I will clean it and give offerings. I'm reminding myself that I'm not a temple, just a private worshipper, and mistakes can and do happen- a lot of people in history have had household shrines, and they must have run across similar problems, after all.

Sobekemiti

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2018, 09:33:32 pm »
Thank you for your advice! I don't really have the spoons to repair or repaint the statue at the moment, but I think I will clean it and give offerings. I'm reminding myself that I'm not a temple, just a private worshipper, and mistakes can and do happen- a lot of people in history have had household shrines, and they must have run across similar problems, after all.

It's okay, this is something that tends to come up every now and then within the Kemetic community. I know some dispose of broken statues, and that was definitely a Thing in ancient Egypt to bury them in the ground, but I don't. The cost of buying statues is just too expensive for me to just replace them when they break, so I always try to repair mine. I think the only one I ever felt I needed to get rid of was a tiny statue of Ma'at, when her feather broke off, and I just felt Her tell me to bin it and get a new one.

I've still got the first statue I ever bought. It was just a little winged Isis statue, and She's now nearly 18 years old. I bought Her while I was still in high school, and yes, She has had a few breaks, but nothing some super glue couldn't fix. I don't use Her in my shrines anymore, but I couldn't bear to part with Her. The statues we use in worship, sure they might have some wear and tear, but to me, that shows they have been used and loved. Just give Djehuty some love and care and a good clean, and repair Him when you feel ready to do so. He might have some guidance for you as to how He wants it repaired, if you just sit with it for a while, too. <3
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Hariti

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Re: Accidental damage to images of deities
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2018, 02:54:50 pm »
So I'm asking to see if others here have had similar experiences, and what they have done to apologize or make things right; a Kemetic perspective would be helpful, but not essential. I apologized in prayer, and offered incense, and I would have a hard time finding paint of the same color to hide the damage.

Not Kemetic, but I have had similar experiences. I have damaged my Yantra several times, and it's always been frustrating and mildly embarrassing. I think trying your best to repair the damage, and apologizing in prayer, should probably be sufficient.
"The worshippers of the gods go to them; to the manes go the ancestor-worshippers; to the Deities who preside over the elements go their worshippers; My devotees come to Me." ... "Whichever devotee desires to adore whatever such Deity with faith, in all such votaries I make that particular faith unshakable. Endowed with that faith, a votary performs the worship of that particular deity and obtains the fruits thereof, these being granted by Me alone." - Sri Krishna

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