Ra Un Nefer Amen was born in the Central American country of Panama. His initial exposure toย African culturecame through his visits to the island of San Miguel where many enslaved Africans had escaped to after being brought to Panama in the 18th century by Spaniards to work in the gold mines. These Africans, of primarily East and Central African descent, have been able to maintain much of their traditional culture through the intervening period. It was the early experiences of this phenomenon that shaped his young self.
Amen attended Panama's Conservatory of Music when he was six years old. He arrived in the United States on May 30, 1960 to continue his formal musical training and graduated from the Brooklyn High School for Boys inย Brooklyn, New Yorkย in 1961. Upon graduating, Amen continued his formal training atย Juilliard Prepย (Pre-College Division) andMannes College of Music.
Spiritual work
Trained originally as a concert pianist, composer, and music theoretician, Amen passed on opportunities in the music industry to devote time to the spiritual education and uplift of African people. To accomplish this goal, he has written and published several books on the subject of ancient Egyptian philosophy and spiritual culture, most notablyย Metu Neterย (Vols. 1-7) and theย Metu Neter Oracle.
One of Ra Un Nefer Amen's early works,ย Meditation Techniquies of the Kabalists, Vedantins and Taoistsย provides specific instruction for student initiates. Instructions are provided for "moral laws" (pg. 16) or body-mind laws required for returning to a correct way of living, i.e., a way of living not deviated (see fall of man) or based upon unnatural conditionings. Adherence to these laws will produce in the practitioner an understanding of the Soul, Will and Consciousness (the three principles that constitute an exact knowledge of the Self). Returning to a proper way of living is a prerequisite bridge to be crossed through methods which include maintaining a proper diet. R.A. Straughn (as he called himself at the time of the book's publication in the late 1970s) pointed out, for example, that the most people eat a diet "severely low in fresh fruits" (page 20). Included is a specific regiment for Hatha Yoga techniques including postures Asanas and breathing exercises Pranayama including, specifically, a technique called Dhumo Breathing used for the purpose of cleansing the energy channels of the subtle body).
The book describes the three states of consciousness from Yoga science which were perhaps first documented inPata-jali'sย Yoga Sutra's: Dhyฤna, Dhฤraแนฤ, and Samadhi. Emphasis is placed upon the ability to control these states of consciousness, and thus avoid "sowing" in to one's consciousness, the "seeds" of thoughts which enter without the operation of one's will (only to cause un-willed thoughts to return again later and thus increase the likelihood of producing action and a further binding to one's conditionings).
The book also includes an introduction to the Chinese I Ching Oracle--a method of Divination for providing answers to questions about one's path. The book warns practitioners not to use the I Ching improperly, and only ask questions which the student has made every effort to answer before submitting them to the I Ching (abuse of the I Ching will lead to answers which cannot be comprehended, appear nonsensical, or offer no value).
Ra Un Nefer Amen currently leads an internationalย following as the "Shekhem Ur Shekhem" ("Chief Priest and King") of the Ausar Auset Society headquartered inย Brooklyn, New York.