One way of looking at the Fayum Grave Masks is that these people wanted to extend their lives through the paintings and sketchings that were on their graves. To “bring down” anything from the Thought realm into the Material realm, man started out by using sketchings and paintings.
Eventually, we developed symbols, that became writing, to express complex ideas – as well as everything we saw around us.
But, what does sketching and painting do? Why have we found it so quick and beneficial even to today?
For one thing, sketching unifies minds and solidifies thought. The ancient Romans knew that, after death, their bones would desintegrate and turn to dust… but, through a portrait or grave mask of themselves, they could “live” – through thought and remembrance from others – for a longer and extended period of time.
These portraits go from the eyes… to the mind… to thought consciousness.
But, also reversely… from thought consciouness… to the mind… to the eyes… to the portrait.
The Fayum portraits trigger a two-way street between our subtle and objective realms.
Moreso, we make a connection between Life and Death when we observe one of these portraits. Our remembrance or imagination of these people’s lives go much DEEPER. And in this state of mind, we – as observers – are transformed.
If not for their Fayum portrait, the person would just vanish into the realm of thought… and be forgotten.
How many millions have marveled at Queen Nefertiti??