Gods of Estate Planning: Thoth will leave you LIGHTHEADED
Which Mythological God of Estate Planning Embodies Your Goals?
First things first, there are no "gods of estate planning." There were mythological gods of the sea, gods of war, and gods of agriculture across almost all ancient cultures because those aspects of reality were important to them. Well, those cultures clearly didn't value estate planning and that's why they're dead. You and I though? We're alive, and we have the opportunity to get our estate planning in place.
The perfect estate plan for you depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Some estate planning goals are universal, and some are very particular to you. Wouldn't it be neat if we explored those estate planning goals as embodied by those mythological gods most closely linked to lawyering. For part one, meet Attorney Thoth!
Thoth, god of estate planning
Thoth is the Ancient Egyptian god of magic, writing, science, wisdom, and art, the same virtues modern estate planning attorneys embody. This makes him the most lawyerly of the Ancient Egyptian pantheon, and a good candidate for god of estate planning as well.
Ancient Egyptians believed strongly in the immortality of the soul. After death, assuming the deceased's remains were not desecrated, the Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul would travel through the underworld of Duat and face a series of trials. At the end of those trials was the "Weighing of the Heart," a ritual in which the departed's heart was weighed against the feather of Maat, the embodiment of truth and justice.
Sins committed in life made the heart heavy. If the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul was worthy of joining the god Osiris in the afterlife. If the heart was heavier than the feather, the soul was devoured by the crocodile god Ammit, and thus annihilated for eternity. What an end!
Thoth worked with the god Anubis in the Weighing of the Heart. Thoth took on a lawyerly role for this ritual. Anubis was the handler of the heart, conducted the weighing, and served as lucky souls' guide to the afterlife. Thoth was responsible for making sure the scale was perfectly balanced and recording the results of each weighing.
For all of these reasons, Ed Lowe Law, with its full right and authority, grants the title "god of estate planning" to Thoth. As an estate planning god, Thoth embodies the estate planning goals of giving yourself peace of mind during life and lightening your soul for your passing.
Estate Planning Goal: Peace of Mind
When I meet with people, I'm curious about what their initial goals are. Almost everyone says, "I know I need to do something," or "I just keep thinking about it." People are looking to rid themselves of that nagging thought that claws at them day after day. Getting the right estate plan in place bestows upon you that precious peace of mind in knowing your affairs are in order. It lightens your soul in giving an amazing gift of time and money saved to your survivors. Thoth would be pleased to see such goals accomplished in a plan.
Many people are anxious in general about getting estate planning done. Some prefer to never even speak of it, lest talking about death invite it. If there's one thing we can be certain of in life, it's death. For the anxious estate planner, it may help to meet with an easy-going attorney. Perhaps someone at Ed Lowe Law can help?
Check Out the Estate Planning Gods of Other Mythological Pantheons
Hermes, Greek God of Estate Planning - Here
Bragi, Norse God of Estate Planning - Coming Soon
Nabu, Mesopotamian God of Estate Planning - Coming Soon
Ogma, Celtic God of Estate Planning - Coming Soon
