How the 42 Ideals of the Egyptian Goddess Ma’at Offer a Soulful Blueprint for Today

Written by Gayatri Lindsey Robertson, Executive Contributor

Gayatri is unique as she combines 30 years of training and teaching since 2012 into everything she does.

---

In a time of digital noise, political unrest, and collective burnout, many are quietly asking: What does it mean to live a good life? Not a successful one. Not a productive one. But a life in right relationship with ourselves, with each other, and with the natural world.

Long before modern systems of law or moral philosophy, the ancient Egyptians turned to a single principle to guide both personal and cosmic order: Ma’at. Goddess of truth, justice, balance, and harmony, Ma’at was more than a deity; she was a way of being. A spiritual standard for how to live in alignment.

Who is Ma’at?

Ma’at is the daughter of the sun god Ra and the wife of Thoth, god of wisdom and writing. She is the keeper of the feather of truth, the very symbol used in the afterlife to weigh the soul of the deceased. In the Hall of Truth, one’s heart was weighed against Ma’at’s feather. If the heart was light, free of wrongdoing, the soul could pass on. If heavy with injustice, it was consumed by chaos.

Ma’at represents cosmic balance, a divine harmony between humans, the gods, and the natural world. She is not law in the punitive sense. She is truth, alignment, and integrity made sacred.

Why the 42 ideals still matter

At the heart of Ma’at’s teachings are the 42 Ideals, often called the "Negative Confessions" in their original form, which were declarations of purity spoken by souls in the afterlife. Today, they’ve been lovingly reimagined into positive affirmations by modern priestesses, such as Lady Loren Vigne of the Temple of Isis.

These ideals are not commandments. They are reminders. Gentle touchstones. Daily invitations to return to harmony.

A modern re-writing of the 42 Ideals of Ma’at.

1. I honor virtue

2. I benefit with gratitude

3. I am peaceful

4. I respect the property of others

5. I affirm that all life is sacred

6. I give offerings that are genuine

7. I live in truth

8. I regard all altars with respect

9. I speak with sincerity

10. I consume only my fair share

11. I offer words of good intent

12. I relate in peace

13. I honor animals with reverence

14. I can be trusted

15. I care for the Earth

16. I keep my own council

17. I speak positively of others

18. I remain in balance with my emotions

19. I am trustful in my relationships

20. I hold purity in high esteem

21. I spread joy

22. I do the best I can

23. I communicate with compassion

24. I listen to opposing opinions

25. I create harmony

26. I invoke laughter

27. I am open to love in various forms

28. I am forgiving

29. I am kind

30. I act respectfully

31. I am accepting

32. I follow my inner guidance

33. I converse with awareness

34. I do good

35. I give blessings

36. I keep the waters pure

37. I speak with good intent

38. I praise the Goddess and the God

39. I am humble

40. I achieve with integrity

41. I advance through my own abilities

42. I embrace the All

    
    

In an era of overstimulation and reactionary culture, these simple truths feel radical.

Living Ma’at in the modern world

To live in Ma’at is to resist chaos without becoming rigid. It is to hold firm in truth without becoming righteous. It is to walk in grace, aware that each step leaves an imprint.

Here’s how we might begin:

• Choose three Ma’at ideals each week to reflect on.

• Bring them into meditation, journaling, or conversations.

• Ask: What does it mean to live this today? In my body. In my voice. In my actions.

It could be as simple as:

• Choosing not to gossip.

• Tending to your finances with honesty.

• Speaking kindly in the face of tension.

• Saying no when your energy is being siphoned.

Ma’at reminds us: living ethically is sacred. It’s a form of prayer in motion.

Closing blessing: An invocation of Ma’at

Goddess of Truth, Justice, Balance, and Harmony,

Daughter of Ra, beloved of Thoth,

Keeper of the Feather, we honor you.

May our hearts be light and our intentions clear.

May our words be true and our actions kind.

May we walk in Ma’at with ourselves, with each other, and with the world.

Let this be not just mythology, but a way of life. Let Ma’at live again through us.

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!

Read more from Gayatri Lindsey Robertson

---

Gayatri Lindsey Robertson, Wellbeing Teacher and Coach

Gayatri combines all of her experience into a unique offering as a Wellbeing Teacher and Medicine woman.

---

Resource:

• Song Goddess Maat on YouTube