by Cerridwen Iris Shea
Mention “sphinx” and the image that comes to mind is the Great Sphinx near Giza, but sphinxes differ in type and in country or origin. The Great Sphinx near Giza, for example, is an androsphinx, who has a human head on a lion’s body. There are also sphinxes with a lion’s body and a ram’s head (crisosphinx) and a lion’s body with a hawk’s head (hierocosphinx).
The word sphinx itself is thought to have derived from the Greek sphingo (“to strangle”) or sphingein (“to bind tight”), which is the way the Greek creatures of this description dispatched their victims. The Great Sphinx of Egypt predates the Greek stories of these creatures, and it is not known what the race of creatures was originally called by the Egyptians. It is known, however, that around 1500 bce, one of its several names was Ho-em-akht (“Horus on the Horizon”).
One of the uses for sphinx statues was as temple guardians. Some pharaohs had their likenesses cut into androsphinx statues. Hatshepsut, one of the female pharaohs of Egypt, had many sphinx statues carved in her likeness. Most of them had their faces hacked off in the years after her death, when attempts were made to wipe her existence as pharaoh from the historical record. Some of the remains of her sphinxes can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
To stand in the room with these beautiful stone sculptures and stare at what is left of the faces is to feel the power when myth meets humanity. Power, knowledge, and sadness roll off the pieces in waves. The Riddle of the Sphinx that Oedipus so famously answered is miniscule compared to the power and knowledge stored by this stunning race of creatures.
Working with the Sphinx
Several questions have to be answered in order to work with the race of the Sphinx. The first is why do you want to work with them? What do you think you can gain from sphinx work? Power? Knowledge? Strength? And what will you do with what you receive from them? If your answer to these questions is something as simple and thoughtless as “I thought it would be cool to see what it felt like to work with a sphinx,” or “I want the power of the Pharaohs” you will be greeted only with silence.
In other words, don’t waste their time. Ask yourself the important questions about your life’s path, your life’s work, and your life’s desire before you start your magical workings. You can’t approach the Sphinx with any sort of wavering. The Sphinx does not guide or encourage but works in absolutes. Before going to the Sphinx with desires, you have to know exactly what they are and why you want them.
Sphinx work is about soul-purpose rather than the daily details of life. Once you’ve chosen a path and presented it to the Sphinx, the Sphinx won’t tell you if it’s the right or wrong path. It’s the path you’ve chosen. It will tell you how you now have to earn it. You may be given riddles. You may be sent on a quest. You may be refused. Refusal doesn’t mean returning to ask for the same thing over and over again. A human is not going to wear down a Sphinx. It means going back and re-examining your goals, your desires, and your reasons for them. It means dissecting the innermost parts of yourself, facing parts you may not want to see, and using them to create a whole spirit.
When working with the Sphinx, you have to earn respect on Sphinx terms, not human terms. Yelling, screaming, and waving swords or muttering spells will not impress a Sphinx. The Sphinx demands more. It demands to know your soul. You must approach the Sphinx with an open heart, a solid understanding of what you seek and why you seek it, and honesty. Don’t try to hide or pretend that what you seek is for the good of all if it’s merely for the good of you. The Sphinx can always smell a lie.
Once you have truly determined your desires and fully acknowledged your intentions, the question is how do you work with the Sphinx. Answer: Slowly, carefully, and mindfully. It’s not work for someone just starting on a spiritual path. Working with Sphinx energy is something a soul needs to grow into. It comes out of emotional maturity, a sense of being grounded and centered, a wholeness, a sense of accomplishment in life, and a happiness in the things of the world. The Sphinx will not offer options when you’re at a crossroads in your life. The Sphinx will wait and let you make the decision and then force you to earn passage down that path.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t honor and enjoy the Sphinx before you do the actual work. Keep a statue or photo of a
Sphinx where you can see it often, or keep it within your sacred space. Read as much history, archaeological description, and mythology about the Sphinx as you can. Visit museums, read books, and watch documentaries. Listen to all points of view. See what resonates with you and what doesn’t. If you get a chance to visit the Great Sphinx or any other such statue, do so. Feel the calm, contained, knowing energy of the centuries emanating from the statues.
While feeding your interest in the Sphinx, work on your own life. Deal with the past, create a beautiful present, and visualize a positive future. Take active steps to become the most positive, whole spirit that you can be. Take responsibility for your thoughts and actions. Treat others well. Protect, serve, and stand up for what you believe. Stop berating yourself for not being perfect; enjoy being human. Walk lightly on the planet and make a positive difference.