CHAPTER FIVE

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Divination

seś re en seśit

Unbolting the door of concealed things.

Divination was considered a form of magic in ancient Egypt, not a separate practice, as in contemporary magic. Ancient Egyptian divination tools and techniques are quite different from the tarot cards and astrology used today and can be used today with success.

The Leyden Papyrus can be of great value to you. It is the latest known papyrus written in “demotic” script, which is a business script used on documents from about 700 A.D. forward. It includes very early Coptic words—“coptic” being the original native Egyptian script. The manuscript dates from the third century A.D., and contains information on magic and medicine.1 The contents of the papyrus are thought to be much older than the actual date it was written by a scribe. Its discussion of magic includes techniques for divination and it was a main source in my research for the techniques presented here. The Leyden Papyrus briefly discusses medicine and ancient herbalism. In the next chapter, you will learn of ancient medical practices that can be of practical use today.

Most original Egyptian magical scripts can be used today. There are a few exceptions, such as a script that calls for the testicles of a bull. Fortunately, the Egyptians had several alternative instructions for each purpose. Practical and authentic scripts can therefore be given that require the gathering of simple materials and little preparation.

Here you will learn what divination is and how and why it works. Then more detailed divination techniques and scripts are offered, so that you can understand the phases of Egyptian divination necessary to achieve success. Finally, divination scripts are provided for your immediate use. All are accurate and intact. You can take pride in knowing that you practice this ancient art exactly as the ancient Egyptian priesthoods did. You will learn divination by a vessel of oil, an oil lamp, dreams, the Moon, the Great Bear constellation, and many more.

What is Divination?

Divination is the act of gaining insight into a present situation or question and thereby offering an indication of how the outcome of the situation may be controlled or manipulated by the inquirer. Divination gives you direction on how to achieve a particular goal, or what actions you can take to prevent an undesirable outcome. No matter what your question, you are given insight by which you can prepare for and take advantage of any situation. You determine the outcome of your own future. Divination is like a compass on which the symbols are guideposts to direct you on the road of life.

In ancient Egypt, divination was not used as a tool for self-exploration, as is often encouraged in contemporary divination practice. The Egyptian magician's primary goal was to seek answers about current situations for the purpose of making changes.

Divination can be used to predict the future, find objects and people, and read fortunes from dreams, visions, omens, and other divinatory implements. Through it, you can acquire spiritual and magical development. It is both an art and a skill. Proficiency depends on your natural psychic abilities and regular practice.

How and Why Does Divination Work?

When you note the hieroglyphs and created gods of ancient Egypt, it is clear that the ancient language of magic was expressed in images, objects, and symbols. This is also true for divination. A script or a magical spell is a symbolic act conducted in an altered state of consciousness. In divination, energy is projected through the symbol, image, or object, and examined by your intuitive and psychic mind to gain awareness. Actual divination systems, tools, and props are merely objects of focus for the magician. A divination system such as the tarot acts as a lens and a channel through which you can tap into the deeper levels of your psychic mind.

When you begin a divination, your mind shifts as you use images, objects, and symbols as focal points to occupy your consciousness. A shift of consciousness can lead to deeper levels of trance, which can open your psychic awareness, paranormal senses, and clairvoyant abilities. Through the trance state, you are able to connect with other beings, energy currents, shapes, and thought-forms. As you will note in reading the divination script here, each phase of the ritual coaxes the conscious mind to concentrate, allowing deep levels of the unconscious mind to unfold. Gradually, a trance state is achieved.

To understand how altered states of consciousness are possible, you need to understand the function of the brain. Your brain produces electrical discharges that, in medical science, appear as four brain rhythms:

The theta rhythm is desirable when conducting divination or magic. The realm of images can be accessed, as it is when you dream during sleep. Clairvoyance can occur and, through divination, images emerge from your unconscious levels. Theta can be obtained once you can concentrate your mind so that both halves of your brain harmonize.

Your brain consists of two hemispheres; the left and the right. The left hemisphere is that of logical thought, where input is detailed, organized, and arranged in categories. Speech is formulated here. The right hemisphere interprets shapes, is holistic and creative, and notices the totality of something rather than its details. The right hemisphere is the source of the unconscious mind, whereas the left controls the conscious mind. In most individuals, the left hemisphere is dominant. Your goal is to create a balance between the two hemispheres through concentration and visualization practice, and to obtain a synchronized pattern of activity. The greatest obstacle in achieving this balance is the “voice” of the conscious mind, which constantly monitors your behavior, offers daily reminders, and repetitively sings your least favorite song in your mind. Not only are outer distractions a concern, but also the inner distractions that the conscious mind produces.

Is what you experience in an altered consciousness/ trance state during divination real? Yes. It is a reality generated by the fundamental energy vortex that sustains and shapes the universe. It has a different composition than the physical world reality. Your cognition is not limited to your physical senses. You are capable of experiencing paranormal perceptions in which what you see is not seen by your physical eyes, what you hear is not heard with your physical ears. Here you will encounter symbolic interpretations and sensory forms that prompt your mind's deeper levels to gain insight. This will allow you to decide a course of action.

Your intuition works beyond the physical present. It reveals how things might be. This is much different from using your conscious, factual memory, which informs you how things used to be and presently are. Intuition is a tool of your imagination. It enables you to take note of physical details in any given situation and interpret those details in an imaginative fashion to construct how outcomes might be and what your best course of action is. Your intuition travels beyond the space-time continuum at great speed, reaching a destination far from this material world to bring back insight otherwise unobtainable.

To properly practice divination, you must balance your thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition. When balance is achieved, you are able to stand at the center of all levels and obtain a true, unbiased observance of the world around you. The distortions of the physical world are overcome. Acquiring this transcendent function of self provides success in your aims. Perhaps the best example of acquiring this transcendent function can be found in the psychological theory of Carl G. Jung.

Jung maintained that, for complete integration, all four mind functions should contribute equally: thinking should facilitate cognition and judgment; feeling should tell us how and to what extent a thing is important or unimportant to us; sensation should convey concrete reality to us through seeing, hearing, tasting, etc.; and intuition should enable us to divine the hidden possibilities in the background, since these too belong to the complete picture of a given situation.2 Once this is accomplished and information is obtained through divination, you must use your judgment, feeling, and thinking to properly act upon findings.

In one script below, the magician invokes, speaks personally with, and sees the god Anpu. You can achieve this same result, but it is difficult to determine if the entity of Anpu is an internally created force or an external being. The debate is truly of no consequence, however, because what is experienced in an altered state of consciousness can be internal and also objective. Furthermore, it can be real. The ancient Egyptians believed that the astral form of a god existed in the statues and talismans they constructed. Therefore, the ability to perceive and commune with Anpu or any being in a trance state of mind is real of an energy, astral form. The imagination of a trained mind is what sets an energy form into position for divination or magical work.

Psychic abilities are increased through trance-induced divination, because the trance unlocks your mind and stimulates your inner vision and dormant sources of creativity. Through altered consciousness and your divination work, you break the barriers between your conscious and unconscious levels, which causes plans, ideas, and solutions to surface. Whether you ask a simple question or desire insight into a complex situation, this is how divination provides you with the tools to make changes or control outcomes.

The ancients recognized that there was an area of the mind not accessible during waking consciousness. This concept is spoken of in Egyptian hieroglyphs and papyri. They understood that, to access the depths of the dark, unconscious levels of the mind, it was essential to learn to change consciousness at will. There are many ways of learning to induce such a change. Relaxation, concentration, visualization, and scrying are all tools that can be used to achieve a change in consciousness. These techniques are discussed below.

It is not known whether the ancient Egyptians practiced meditation and relaxation techniques. Reviewing their papyri, it appears they did not. It can be said however, that any exercise and discipline leading to relaxation of the body, mind, and emotions is beneficial. It does seem that concentration, the effects of symbolism, and visualization were used by Egyptian magicians. Therefore, we will address concentration and visualization here.

Concentration and Visualization

Concentration and visualization focuses your mind upon a basic object or symbol. Through it, you physically view the object or symbol externally, and then attempt to transfer the image to be held internally in your mind's eye.

The following exercise disciplines your mind to focus your consciousness with clarity. Concentrating on the image for five to ten minutes during practice will eventually cause an altered state of consciousness to occur. With practice, you will be able to hold a self-created image in your mind's eye and achieve the altered state of consciousness necessary. When you daydream you practice exactly this—concentrating your mind through images, giving action and energy to all that you create in your mind's eye.

Patience and practice is key. When you begin, it seems frustrating and difficult to hold a fixed image in your mind for mere seconds. Do not be discouraged. Feel confident in knowing that you will succeed with regular practice. Anyone who daydreams or fantasizes can learn to perfect this skill and use it at will.

Concentration and Visualization Exercise: Any work of this kind should be conducted in a quiet, private, and safe place, where your perceptions of the outer world are minimal. You will need a simple object, landscape scene, or a symbol, paints or colored markers, and a sheet of paper.

  1. Use paints or colored markers to draw and color your chosen object, scene, or symbol on the paper.
  2. Place or hold the paper at eye level. Focus your complete attention on the image. Gaze over it, examining every color, contour, and detail.
  3. Close your eyes. You may immediately discover an “after-image” against your eyelids which, within seconds, disappears. From this, create an inner image in your mind's eye. Your image may not be three-dimensional or vividly clear, but these details will improve with practice. Many individuals claim to hold a “flat” image, which is fine.
  4. If you have difficulty, open your eyes and look at your paper, then try again.
  5. Repeat this exercise a couple of times each day.

Once adept at this exercise, use an actual object, such as an apple. Practice holding the three-dimensional image in your mind's eye. In time, you will be able to create an image in your mind's eye at will, such as the god Ausar standing within a desert terrain with a background of pyramids. Taking this a step further, you can then communicate with him or move about the symbolic landscape. Concentration and visualization are powerful tools for divination and magic.

Keep a diary of your practice and results. You can chart your progress and note important findings. Divination was performed by priesthoods or individuals who were trained in the methods and interpretations. As in ancient times, to gain the benefits of divination and magic, a high degree of discipline is required. With regular practice, you will develop and refine your natural psychic abilities. By maintaining a diary of results and insights, you will give order to your thought-forms and integrate your insights. Such practical exercises will enhance the link between your conscious and unconscious mind.

Egyptian Divination Purpose and Methods

The Egyptians practiced divination for two purposes: to inquire about the present and obtain useful information to make changes to a situation, and to beg or threaten for answers and assistance from a god to make desired changes to current circumstances. Thus the magician compelled the god(s) to do his or her will.

The primary methods used in ancient Egyptian divination were trance; mediumship; fire, water, and oil scrying; dream and dream interpretation; and oracles. The following is an outline of the preparations required once a divination is planned.

  1. First, prepare yourself. It is stated in papyri that the magician must be pure for three days, and specifies celibacy and “purity from every abomination.”
  2. Locate a secret place to divine. This is defined as a dark, clean recess. It is specified often that the recess face east or south.
  3. Gather all required divination tools. Commonly, the tools were: natron-water to purify the location, a new white lamp (or a lamp without red color; a vessel or bowl can be used instead of the lamp), a clean linen wick, lamp oil or kerosene, vegetable oil to pour in vessel or bowl, frankincense, natural ink to write magical symbols or words of power onto the linen wick, eye-paint to place into your eyes to assist in seeing invoked deities, and, at times, a crude brick to set the lamp upon.

Magicians usually practiced divination in secret, at night or at dawn. It was thought that at these times the psychic currents were strongest.

The script is recited seven or more times so that the conscious mind can concentrate on the work at hand. A trance state is induced. For this reason, it is very important that you follow the script specifications to obtain the best results. Depending upon the script, a god may or may not be invoked. One reason for a god not to be summoned is that the god Souchos dwelled in the liquid oil of the lamp.

There are a number of gods that may be invoked. The Leyden Papyrus tells us that the word “compeller” within the script refers to the invoked god who compels the gods to do the magician's will.3 One of four gods was usually invoked: Anpu, The Opener of the Ways, Tehuti, Chief Over The Mysteries, Pshoi, a Graeco-Egyptian god of Destiny, or Khons, a Moon god called upon in Moon divination. Any deity to whom you feel attuned with can be invoked. While it seems true that Egyptian scribes recorded and tested excellent scripts to be used “as is” without alteration, you may achieve the best beginning results by working with gods and goddesses that appeal to you.

Egyptian magicians divined alone, but often a young boy was employed to act as a medium. We can understand how a child, whose mind is unrestrained from adult concerns and conditioning, could provide an open mind and be a channel for insight. Only a boy who was pure and virginal could act as a medium. He worked with the magicians and acted as mediator between them and the invoked gods. Why the Egyptians did not employ girls in such work is a mystery. Most ancient Egyptian script, however, was written specifically to be conducted by men.

Today, using children as mediums might be seen as inappropriate, prompting questions as to whether the child would be frightened or was willingly taking part. In modern times, children are bombarded with stress. Those of us living in America do not live in a culture that encourages such practices with children. For a true picture of Egyptian divination practice, however, we will examine the mediumship of children.

In an excerpt taken from The Leyden Papyrus (Col. XXV, page 153), we learn how such a divination was worked. The ceremony was conducted in a dark place. The door was opened to the east or the south, and there was no cellar beneath the area. Light was not allowed to come into the place. The niche was purified. A new lamp with a clean linen wick was brought from a temple and set on a new brick, brought fresh from the mold and untainted. The brick was set upright and the lamp placed on it. Genuine oil or Oasis oil filled the lamp. Myrrh was offered upon a willow leaf before it. The boy's back was pushed against the opening of the niche. The magician sat on two new bricks and the boy sat between his feet. The following charms were recited over the head of the boy, as the magician covered his eyes with his hand.

The boy spoke these words to the lamp: “Te, Te, Ik, Tatak, Thethe, Sati, Santaskl, Kromakat, Pataxurai, Kaleu-panket, A-a-tieui, Makat-sitakat, Hati, Hat-ro, E-o-e, Hau, E; may they say to me an answer to everything concerning which I ask here today, for I am Harpocrates in Mendes, for I am Isis the Wise; the speech of my mouth comes to pass.” He said this seven times. The boy was then questioned: “What do you see?” He told the magician what he had seen and answered everything asked of him.

The Egyptian divination script given here are those that the magician conducted alone. Below, you will learn how to use eye-paint. (Instructions on how to make eye-paint are given in chapter 3). You will also learn several original scripts that can be used immediately.

An Egyptian Divination Setup

In most papyri, instructions on how to prepare and set up materials for the divination are provided by the scribe. The process of gathering materials and preparing them was called “spirit-gathering.” (This does not pertain to invoking unworldly spirits.) The following is a sample taken from The Leyden Papyrus (Col. III). It is provided so that you may gain an understanding of how spirit-gathering and divination was accomplished.

Spirit-gathering: You will need an oil lamp, lamp oil or kerosene, matches, a vessel or bowl for scrying, (and vegetable oil), seven new bricks, seven clean loaves (bread), and seven lumps of salt. This divination is to be conducted in a dark place.

  1. Take the seven new bricks and lay them side by side, facing each other.
  2. Place three bricks under your containers of lamp oil and vegetable oil and, with the other four, form a square to sit or stand upon so that no part of you touches the ground.
  3. Take the seven loaves and seven lumps of salt and arrange them around the oil, in a circle.
  4. Sit upon the bricks and gradually pour the vegetable oil into your vessel or bowl for divination.
  5. Gaze into the oil and begin divining.

As you learned in chapter 3, seven was a sacred and powerful number in Egypt. It serves many uses in spirit-gathering and script.

Eye-paint: You learned how to make eye-paint in chapter 3. This paint is placed directly onto the eyes. Its purpose was to enable the magician actually to see any god invoked. When you desire to make an inquiry of the lamp, fill your eyes with the liquid. When you pronounce an invocation over the lamp, you will see a figure of the god standing behind the lamp. He will speak with you about any questions you wish. If the god does not come for any reason, pronounce his compulsion. He will come.

Be cautious in using any eye-paint if you are prone to an allergic reaction to any plants. It is best to test the liquid by applying it to your skin and leaving it there for forty-five minutes prior to use. Eye-paint is not a necessity. Many Egyptian scripts do not include its use.

Ancient Egyptian Divination Scripts:
n t mte, “From the Midst”

In reading the scripts below, you will notice the instructions for spirit-gathering do not follow the format of earlier instructions given in this book. The scripts in this section appear in their original form, as taken from papyri. Some of the words of power, magical names, and other terms used were difficult to define or transliterate precisely. Translators of Egyptian hieroglyphs and papyri do the best translations they can. At times, however, this involves making educated guesses. The meaning of some Egyptian words will always remain a mystery.

The scripts, as recorded by the scribe upon the papyrus, were not given fancy headings. Most are labeled with simple titles like “A vessel inquiry,” or “Another vessel inquiry.” Each script given below contains the name of its original papyrus source. Any important notes the scribe made regarding the script and the spirit-gathering are also included. Important and foreign words of power, magical names, and other terms are defined at the end of each script—researched in the notes of papyri translators and other reputable guidebooks.

A Vessel Inquiry of the Lamp

This script is based upon one that appears in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. XVIII). The scribe recorded that a physician in the Oxyrhynchus Nome (the capital of the nineteenth Nome of Upper Egypt), gave it to him.

Spirit-gathering: You will need a dark, purified, private location, an oil lamp, a clean linen wick, a band of linen threads (for knot magic, see chapter 2), lamp oil or kerosene, matches, and one brick.

  1. Put the wick in your oil lamp, fill your lamp with genuine clean oil, such as commercial lamp oil or kerosene, and place it on the brick.
  2. Tie your linen band around your bicep.
  3. Light your lamp, and concentrate on the lamp flame for a moment.
  4. Relax. Then close your eyes, and recite the following script nine times:

    Sabanem, Nn, Biribat, Hol Sabanem, Nn, Biribat, Hoi O god Sisiaho who art on the mountain of Kabaho, in whose hand is the creation of the Shoy, favor me, may he enchant the light, for I am Fair-face [another roll says, “I am the face of Nun] in the morning, Halaho ay midday, I am Glad-of-face in the evening, I am Phre, the glorious boy whom they call Garta by name; I am he that came forth on the arm of Triphis in the East; I am great, Great is my name, Great is my real name, I am Ou, Ou is my name, Aou is my real name; I am Lot Mulot, I have prevailed, I have prevailed, he whose strength is in the flame, he of that golden wreath which is on his head, They-yt, They-yt, To, To, Hatra, Hatra, the Dog-face, the Dog-face. Hail! Anpu, Pharaoh of the underworld, let the darkness depart, bring the light in unto me to my vessel-inquiry, for I am Heru, son of Ausar, born of Auset, the noble boy whom Auset loves, who inquiries for his father Ausar Onnophris. Hail! Anpu, Pharaoh of the underworld, let the darkness depart, bring the light in unto me to my vessel-inquiry, my knot here today; may I flourish, until the gods come in, and may they tell me answer truly to my question about which I am inquiring here today, truly without falsehood. Hail! Anpu, O creature, go forth at once, bring to me the gods of this city and the god who gives answer today, and let him tell me my question about which I am asking today.

  5. Open your eyes and see the light. Invoke the light, saying:

    Hail, O light, come forth, come forth, O light, rise, rise, O light, increase, increase, O light, O that which is without, come in.

Do this nine times, until the light increases and Anpu comes in. When Anpu enters your sacred space and takes his stand, say: “Arise, go forth, bring in to me the gods of this city.” Anpu then goes out for a moment and brings the gods in.

When you know that the gods have come in, say to Anpu: “Bring in a table for the gods and let them sit down.” When they are seated, say to Anpu: “Bring a wine jar in and some cakes; let them eat, let them drink.” While he is making them eat and drink, say to Anpu: “Will they inquire for me today?” If he says, “Yes,” say to him: “The god who will ask for me, let him put forth his hand to me and let him tell me his name.” When the god tells you his name, ask him that which you desire to know. When you have finished asking him, send them away.

In this vessel inquiry, the line that reads, “in whose hand is the creation of the Shoy,” is believed by translators to mean “the fortune produced by the god of Fate,” whose name is Shoy. There is also a goddess of Fate and Destiny, called “Shai.” She is usually accompanied by another goddess, “Renenet,” who is commonly regarded as the lady of fortune.4 If you prefer, you may substitute either goddess for the god. One potential problem with this substitution, however, is found in Budge's Egyptian Book of the Dead (page cxxv of the introduction). Budge, in referring to the papyrus of Ani, addresses Shai as a male god. It may be that this deity is recognized to have both male and female qualities.

The line which reads: “I am he that came forth on the arm of Triphis in the East” means either the goddess Triphis, or possibly, the constellation Virgo.5

A Vessel Inquiry of Anpu

This inquiry is taken in part from The Leyden Papyrus (Col. XIV).

Spirit-gathering: You will need a dark, purified, private location, a bronze bowl, an engraving tool, water, oil lamp, lamp oil or kerosene, matches, vegetable oil, three bricks, a cup of sand, a censer, frankincense or myrrh incense, and a cloth sheet or towel.

  1. Take the bronze bowl and engrave the figure of Anpu on it.
  2. Fill the bowl with water and allow it to settle, being certain that the Sun does not reach it.
  3. Pour vegetable oil over the water's surface.
  4. Place the bowl on three bricks, with their lower sides sprinkled with sand.
  5. Set the lighted oil-lamp to your right and the censer of fire to your left. Put incense, such as frankincense, on the fire.
  6. When ready, kneel or sit, and bend over the vessel for scrying. Drape a cloth over your head, allowing dim light from the lamp and fire to reflect on the oil in the bowl.

Recite the following script seven times over the vessel as you gaze into it with concentration:

Open my eyes; open thy eyes, open thy eyes, open thy eyes, Open, Tat; Open, Nap, Nap, Nap. Open unto me, Open unto me, Open unto me, for I am Artamo, born of Hame-o, the great basilisk of the East, rising in glory together with thy father at dawn; hail, hail, Heh, open to me Hah [say this with a drawling voice], Artamo, open to me Hah; if thou dost not open to me Hah, I will make thee open to me Hah. O Ibis, O Ibis, sprinkle that I may see the great god Anpu, the power, that is about my head, the great protector of the Uzat, the power, Anpu, the good ox-herd, at every opening of the eye which I have made, reveal thyself to me; for I am Nasthom, Naszot, Nashoteb, Borilammai, Borilammai, Mastinx, Anpu, Megiste, Arian, thou who art great, Arian Pi-anuzy, Arian, he who is without. Hail, Phrix, Ix, Anaxi-brox, Ambrox, Eborx, Xon, Nbrokhria, the great child, Anpu; for I am that soldier. O ye of the Atef-crown, ye of Pephnun, Masphoneke; hail! let all that I have said come to pass here today; say, hail! thou art Tham, Thamathom, Thamathomtham, Thamathouthi, Amon, Amon, thy correct name, whom they call Thorn, Anakthom; thou art Itth; Thou-thi is thy name, Sithom, Anithom Op-sao, Shatensro black; open to me the mouths of my vessel here today; come to me to the mouths of my vessel, let my cup make the reflection of heaven; may the hounds of the hulot give me that which is just in the abyss; may they tell me that about which I inquire here today truly, may they tell me that about which I inquire here today truly—there being no falsehood in them Makhopneuma.

When Anpu comes to you, recite to him: “Thy bull Mao, hoi Anpu, this soldier, this Kam, this Kem…Pisreithi, Pisreithi, Sreithi, Sreithi, Abrithi is thy name, by thy correct name.” Ask him that which you desire. When you have finished speaking with him, call out to him seven times. Then dismiss him to his home with these words:

Farewell, farewell, Anpu, the good ox-herd, Anpu, Anpu, the son of a jackal and a dog, Nabrishoth, the Cherub of Amenti, king of those.

Hame-o may mean “great carpenter,” but it is difficult in translating to decide whether to give English equivalents or whether to transcribe the words phonetically.6 A basilisk is a mythical, lizard-type of monster with a fatal glance and breath.

When you say “O Ibis,” you are invoking Tehuti. In the phrase “sprinkle that I may see the great god Anpu,”: “sprinkle” is actually a request by the magician that Tehuti conduct a ritual sprinkling of the floor for his reception with Anpu. You do not sprinkle the floor yourself; rather, you ask that this be done for you, as your double body stands before the heavens awaiting Anpu.

Uzat indicates the full Sun. Hurlot is a determinative of a locality, but of what locality is unknown. Arian is believed to mean, “this bringer of prosperity.”7 Shatensro black, is thought to refer to a black ram.

Another Vessel Inquiry

This inquiry can also be found in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. XXVIII).

Spirit-gathering: You will need a dark, purified, private location, a bronze lamp, lamp oil or kerosene, a clean linen wick, matches, a bronze vessel or bowl, natron water or salt water, vegetable oil, and a clean, linen robe.

  1. Go to your chosen place. Take the bronze vessel and wash it with water of natron/salt. Put a measure of vegetable oil in it. Place it on the ground.
  2. Light the bronze lamp and place it on the ground by the bronze vessel.
  3. Cover yourself and the vessel with the clean linen robe. (It is unclear if this means that you drape the linen robe over yourself and the vessel.)
  4. Recite the following script into the vessel seven times with your eyes shut:

    I am the lord of Spirits, Oridimbai, Sonadir, Episghes, Emmime, Tho-gom-phrur, Phirim-phuni is thy name; Mimi, Bibiu, Bibiu, Gthethoni, I am Ubaste, Ptho, Balkham bom of Binui, Sphe, Phas, I am Baptho, Gammi-satra is thy name, Mi-meo, Ianume.

  5. Open your eyes. Ask the vessel what you wish. If you wish to make the gods of the vessel speak with you, with their mouths to your mouth, cry out “Iaho, Iph, Eoe, Kintathour, Nephar, Aphoe.”

The gods will make answer to you concerning everything that you ask. If they do not tell you an answer, recite this other name: “Gogethix, Mantounoboe, Kokhir-rhodor, Dondroma, Lephoker, Kephaersore.” If you recite these, then they will answer truthfully.

Another Vessel Inquiry

This inquiry is also found in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. XXVIII). It uses the same spirit-gathering (preparation) as above, except that you place vegetable oil into the vessel and tie a linen band around your arm. Then recite the following script several times:

Speak unto me, speak unto me, Hamset, god of the gods of darkness, every demon, every shade that is in the West and the East, he that hath died, rise up to me, rise up to me, O thou living soul, O thou breathing soul, may my vessel go forth, my knot here today, for the sake of the vessel of Auset (Isis) the Great, who inquireth for her husband, who seeketh for her brother; Menash, Menash, Menanf, Menanf.

Then say: “Menash, Menanf, Phoni,” a multitude of times, followed by, “Depart, O darkness; come to me O light.” Now open your eyes at once. The gods will come in and tell you answers to everything.

A Vessel Inquiry to See the Bark of Phre

This inquiry can be found in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. X).

Spirit-gathering: You will need a bronze cup or a vessel of pottery; pure water; vegetable oil; a kohl-stick (see chapter 3); a strip of male-palm fiber, natural fiber, or clean linen; and eye-paint.

  1. Place a small amount of pure water and a small amount of vegetable oil into the bronze cup or pottery vessel. (You can use just oil.)
  2. Bind the kohl-stick around your waist with a strip of male-palm fiber, natural fiber, or clean linen. Secure it by tying a knot at your side.
  3. Have your container of eye-paint ready.
  4. Carry your materials to an elevated place opposite the Sun outdoors. Put the eye-paint into your eyes and recite this script several times:

    Open to me heaven, O mother of the gods! Let me see the bark of Phre descending and ascending in it; for I am Seb, heir of the gods; prayer is what I make before Phre my father on account of the things which have proceeded from me. O Heknet, great one, lady of the shrine, the Rishtret, Open to me, mistress of the spirits, open to me, primal heaven, let me worship the Angels! For I am Seb, heir of the gods. Hail! ye seven Kings, ho! ye seven Monts, bull that engendereth, lord of strength that lighteth the earth, soul of the abyss; ho! lion as lion of the abyss, the bull of the night, hail! thou that rulest the people of the East, Noun, great one, lofty one, hail! soul of a ram, soul of the people of the West, hail! soul of souls, bull of the night, bull of bulls, son of Nut, open to me, I am the Opener of earth, that came forth from Seb, hail! I am I, I, I, E, E, E, He, He, He, Ho, Ho, Ho; I am Anepo, Niri-po-re, Maat lb, Thibio, Aroui, Ouoou, Iaho.

You shall receive answers for whatever you ask.

“Phre” is one of the many names of the Sun god, a personification of Ra. The Egyptians also attributed a boat to the morning and evening Sun, which sailed over the sky. We see evidence that this is the meaning within the script in the second sentence, “Let me see the bark of Phre descending and ascending in it.”

The “bark” of Phre is actually a boat. The following exerpt from E. A. Wallis Budge's Egyptian Book of The Dead (page cxi of the introduction), suggests this is so: “In the pyramid texts the soul of the deceased makes its way to where Ra is in heaven, and Ra is entreated to give it a place in the ‘bark of millions of years' wherein he sails over the sky.” The bark was also represented by a portable shrine shaped like a ship in religious practice.

Note the reference to the seven Kings. The identity of the seven Kings is a mystery, but there is mention of seven spirits in chapter 17 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. It is possible that the seven Kings correspond to them. Seven is a number associated with Hermonthis, the city of Mont,8 which had an ancient principal cult-center called Montu.9 Hermonthis is known by the modern name Armant.

The references to “Lion as a lion of the abyss,” and “bull of the night, hail!” may represent an obscure lion god or bull god that ruled over and was worshipped by cult-centers in various parts of Egypt. In the line, “son of Nut, open to me,” the son of Nut might be either Ausar or Set, probably the former.10 In stating, “I am Anepo,” the magician is thought to be identifying himself to be the great, or elder, Anpu.

An Inquiry of the White Lamp

This inquiry is found in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. VI).

Spirit-gathering: You will need a clean, dark indoor location with an opening facing east, an oil lamp, lamp oil or kerosene, matches, a clean linen wick, natural ink, a reed or other pen, one brick, and frankincense.

  1. Fill your lamp with the oil.
  2. You must write the following on your linen wick: “Bakhukhsikhukh,” along with the figures or hieroglyphs on page 147, and the words, “whose name is hidden in my heart; Bibiou (Soul of souls) is his name.” (The name is a solar name, possibly representing Ausar.)
  3. Place your lamp on the new brick. Insert the rolled-up wick with the written magic on it and light the lamp.
  4. Place frankincense on your brazier. Recite the following script seven times:

    Art thou the unique great wick of the linen of Tehuti? Art thou the byssos robe of Ausar, the divine Drowned, woven by the hand of Auset, spun by the hand of Nebt-het? Art thou the original band that was made for Ausar Khentamente? Art thou the great bandage with which Anpu put forth his hand to the body of Ausar is the mighty god? I have brought thee today—ho! thou wick, thou mayest make reply to every matter concerning what I ask here today. Is it that you will not do it? O wick, I have put thee in the hand of the black cow, I have lighted thee in the hand of the female cow. Blood of the Drowned one is that which I put to thee for oil; the hand of Anpu is that which is laid on thee. The spells of the great Sorcerer are those which I recite to thee. Do thou bring me the god in whose hand is the command today and let him give me answer as to everything about which I inquire here today truly without falsehood. Hoi Nut, mother of water, ho! Apet, mother of fire, come unto me, Nut, mother of water, come Apet, mother of fire, come unto me Yaho. [Scribe's note: you say it drawling with your voice, exceedingly.]

Then say: “Esex, Poe, Ef-khe-ton” (otherwise pronounced “Khet-on”) seven times. Lie down without speaking to receive your answers from the god, Bibiou. If you do not receive an answer after a few minutes, rise and recite Bibiou's summons, which is his compulsion:

I am the Ram's face. Youth is my name; I was born under the venerable persea in Abydos, I am the soul of the great chief who is in Abydos; I am the guardian of the great corpse that is in U-pek; I am he whose eyes are as the eyes of Akhom when he watcheth Ausar by night; I am Teptuf upon the desert of Abydos; I am he that watcheth the great corpse which is in Busiris; I am he who watcheth for Light-scarab-noble.

Lie down again to receive your answers.

The second line of the script refers to the myth that Ausar was drowned, sunk in the waters for three days and three nights after Set tricked him into getting into a chest during a banquet, shut him inside, and threw him into the Nile. (See the Bibliography to locate a source for this legend of Ausar as god of resurrection). The statement, “Art thou the original band that was made for Ausar Khentamente,” describes the linen used by Anpu to wrap the mummy of Ausar. The line, “Do thou bring me the god in whose hand is the command today…,” refers to one of the 365 gods, each of which presided over a day of the year. You are requesting the god who falls on the day on which you work this inquiry.

Nut is the goddess of the sky and Apet is most likely a birth-goddess. “Abydos” is a sacred place in Upper Egypt where an ancient cult-center worshipped Ausar.11

“I am he whose eyes are as the eyes of Akhom. probably refers to the eagle-like mummified hawk figures placed on the corners of Egyptian coffins to guard over and watch the dead. “Teptuf” is the old title of Anpu, and “desert” probably refers to “necropolis.”12 “Busiris” is in Lower Egypt, where the script states Ausar's, or the solar god's, corpse lay.

Alternative Invocations

The scribe of The Leyden Papyrus offers two alternative invocations for your use. Both of these are to be said after the gods are initially summoned in whatever script you are using.

In the first, you repeat this nine times: “Iaho, Iphe, Eoe, Kinta-thour, Nephar, Aphoe.” The god of the day who takes a stand then commands you to state what you ask him of. If there is a delay, or the answer is not given to you immediately, recite this other name nine times, until you receive a truthful answer: “Gogethix, Mantou, Noboe, Khokhir, Hrodor, Dondroma, Lephoker, Kepaer-sore.” Then, say the following names seven times: “Iaho, Eiphe, On, Kindathour, Napher, Aphoe.”

The second invocation is similar, but uses the following words of power: “Arsinga-label, Bolboel, Boel, Boel, Loteri, Klogasantra, Iaho, is my name, Iaho is my correct name, Balkham, the mighty one of heaven, Ablanathanalba, griffin of the shrine of the god which stands today.” (A griffin is a mythical animal with the body and mane of a lion, the head and face of an eagle, two front lion-legs with talons, and the wings of an eagle.)

Moon Divination

The fact that Egyptian magicians practiced Full-Moon divination is unknown to most people. As in contemporary scrying and the use of the Moon symbol in the tarot deck, the Moon in divination represents a period of introspection. It prompts reflective thought. In using the Moon in divination, your intuition often succeeds where reason fails to analyze a situation.

The Egyptians acknowledged the influence of the Moon upon the Earth and upon life on Earth. Its physical influence is essential to marine life, the weather and climate, and factors of agriculture. The tides of the Earth's waters are conditioned by the gravitational forces of the Moon. We can agree that the Moon does affect life on Earth. Therefore, harnessing its forces for divination and magic is desirable.

Nearly every individual can think of a certain phase of the Moon that makes him or her feel differently. There is an internal acknowledgment that some form of energy has changed, intensified, or decreased. The Moon affects our physical and etheric bodies, and arouses our psyche. At the Full Moon, there is a strange, real sense that whatever decisions we make, whatever actions we take, will have great power.

How does the Moon influence you and your world? Scientifically, the phases of the Moon cause a mutation in the Earth's electrical and magnetic fields. Many magicians and healers can sense the subtle fluctuation. As the Moon reflects the light of the Sun, it also reflects reality to your mind. It does so by stimulating your imagination and intuition to achieve psychic, prophetic thought-forms.

The Moon was considered a masculine aspect of nature in Egyptian practice. In some papyri, the scribes refer to the Moon as feminine, which is evidence that they were influenced by Greek magic.

Both of the following scripts can be found in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. XXIII).

To Divine Opposite the Full Moon

Spirit-gathering: You will need a high place outside to stand; a bronze, brass, or other vessel; water; vegetable oil; frankincense; a censer; and eye-paint (optional). You address the Moon when it is full, on the fifteenth day of the month. You must be pure for three days prior to the ceremony; pure from sexual contact and all abominations.

  1. Fill your vessel with water or vegetable oil, or both.
  2. Place the frankincense on the censer.
  3. Fill your eyes with eye-paint, if desired.
  4. Stand on a high place, outdoors, at night, for instance on a hillside.
  5. Look into the vessel of oil or water to scry. Ideally the Moon's reflection should appear on the surface.
  6. Pronounce the following invocation to the Moon seven or nine times, bent over the vessel, until the god of the Moon appears to you and speaks to you:

    Ho! Sax, Amun, Sax, Abrasax; for thou art the Moon, the chief of the stars, he that did form them, listen to the things that I have said, follow the words of my mouth, reveal thyself to me, Than, Thana, Thanatha, otherwise Thei, this is my correct name.

Khons was a Moon god of Egypt who was often referred to as “the Lord of Joy.” He is the son of Amun and Mut. Although his name is not mentioned here, it is probable that Sax, Amun, and Abrasax represent him.

In 1412 B.C., the priests of Amun claimed that Thebes was the origin of the whole universe, where Amun ruled as “Lord of Time who makes the years, rules the months, ordains the nights and days.” Therefore, it is fitting for him to be invoked in this script.

There is a considerable difference of opinion as to the meaning and derivation of the name Abrasax, but there is no doubt that he was a form of the Sun god. He was intended to represent some aspect of the creator of the world. The name has been recognized since the second century as being invincible and was, still earlier, believed to possess magical powers of the highest degree. The name is frequently found in the ancient Gnostic system. The meaning of the names in the last line of the script is unknown.

Another Moon Divination

Prepare as instructed above. Then stand opposite the Moon at night, and say the following, nine times:

I am Hah, Qo, Amro, Ma-amt, Mete is my name; for I am bai, So, Akanakoup, Melkh, Akh, Akh, Hy, Melkh is my true name, Melkh is my true name…eternity, I am Khelbai, Sete, Khen-em-nefer is my name, Sro, Oshenbet, is my correct name.

You will see the figure of the god in the vessel and he will then speak with you about everything that you wish.

Dream Divination

The Egyptians believed that the divine powers frequently made their will known through dreams. Thus they attached considerable importance to them. The figures of the gods and the scenes that they saw when dreaming seemed to prove the existence of another world that was not very different from the one already known to them.13

The knowledge and skill to procure and interpret dreams was greatly valued in Egypt. It was accepted that the future revealed itself through dreams. A priest or official who possessed such a gift was given high status and received honorable recognition. From the Christian bible (Genesis: xl., xli.) we learn that Joseph, who was not Egyptian, rose to honored status in Egypt for his ability to interpret dreams.

Dreams are a pathway to your unconscious—a primary link between your conscious and unconscious mind. With increasing scientific interest in how and why we dream, researchers have produced some awesome findings. Using an electroencephalograph machine on sleeping volunteers, researchers have learned that brainwave activity changes and that throughout the test, sleepers experienced cycles of ascending into a light sleep, then descending to a deep sleep. Four or five times a night, with normal sleeping patterns of at least seven hours, the subjects experienced an ascending level of a dream state termed “rapid eye movement.”

Modern society does not credit the contents of dreams, but at least we are aware that dreams are necessary for mental and emotional well-being. Most people agree that dreams are one way all of us deal with stress in life through symbolism.

Dreams can expand your awareness by bringing the contents of your dreams to waking consciousness. If you recall part of a dream, sometimes scrying can help you to remember the whole dream. The ancients believed that scrying could produce shifts in consciousness similar to those that occur during dreaming.

Dream Interpretation

The subject of dreams and dream interpretation is extensive. We will concentrate on interpreting dreams for the purpose of divination.

When conjuring a dream for a specific purpose, as instructed here, your best tool is a journal. The moment you awake and recall a dream, write the details into a notebook. Many important details can be lost otherwise, since throughout the day, your mind will focus on other matters.

Symbols and images brought to mind through dreams are described in the general divination discussion at the beginning of this chapter. Consulting a dream dictionary, or dream expert, is useless. You are your own best interpreter. Your analysis requires two levels of interpretation: an inquiry into the theme of your dream, and an understanding of the symbols of your dream. When considering the theme of a dream, look for the dream's main content or expressed point. For example, if you dream that you are being hunted, perhaps the theme is that you feel somehow under attack in an area of your life. Define the theme, then analyze the symbols and images in the dream itself.

Everyone dreams of people, places, objects, creatures—some that are known to life and others that seem an incredible form from another world. All are symbols. To interpret any symbol, you need to consider how you feel about the symbol itself, as separate from the theme. How you objectively and logically consider a symbol does have significant impact on why it is part of your dream. No two individuals have the same feeling about, or understanding of, a symbol. That is why only you can decipher your dreams.

What does a symbol represent in a dream? Is the meaning of the dream subjective or objective? If the meaning of your dream is not obvious, it is best to consider it subjective. Step outside of yourself; ask your psyche to reveal the meaning of each symbol to you. Once you analyze each symbol independently, you can take your readings and incorporate them into your theme to interpret a complete meaning.

Egyptian Methods

Egyptian magicians desired dreams and visions in which the outcome of situations and the future would be revealed. There is script to procure dreams for self and for seekers by several methods, such as reciting magical words or drawing magical pictures. Below is a script for obtaining a dream using a lamp, taken from a British Museum Papyrus (No. 122, lines 64 ff. and 359 ff).14 Conduct this script at your bedtime, being certain that you are pure from food and all defilement.

Spirit-gathering: You will need a clean, small linen bag, an oil lamp, lamp oil or kerosene, matches, natural ink, and a reed pen or other writing instrument.

  1. Write the following names on the linen bag: Armiuth, Lailamchouch, Arsenophrephren, Phtha, Archentechtha.
  2. Fold it up and make it into a lamp wick.
  3. Pour oil carefully over the linen wick, and light it in the lamp.
  4. Approach the lamp and repeat the following script seven times:

    Sachmu…epaema Ligotereench: the Aeon, the Thunderer, Thou that hast swallowed the snake and dost exhaust the Moon, and dost raise up the orb of the Sun in his season, Chthetho is thy name; I require, O lords of the gods, Seth, Chreps, give me the information that I desire.

  5. Extinguish the lamp and lie down to sleep.

The first three words of the script are words of power, the meaning of which is not known. The god of thunder is Set, but the name “Chthetho” is not found in relation to him in my research.

This second script to procure a dream, taken from The Leyden Papyrus (Col. V), is more complex. You must be pure. Choose a dark location with its face open to the south. Purify it with water.

Spirit-gathering: You will need a new, white lamp, a clean wick, lamp oil or kerosene, matches, myrrh ink (or any natural ink), a reed pen or writing utensil, one brick, a cup of sand, frankincense, and a censer.

  1. Take the white lamp and place the wick in it. Fill the lamp with lamp oil or kerosene.
  2. Write the following name and the figures on the wick with myrrh ink (or any natural ink): “Bakhukhsikhukh” and the figures, images
  3. Lay the lamp on a new brick in front of you, its underside spread with sand.
  4. Display frankincense in a censer before the lamp. Light the lamp and the incense.
  5. Speak this script seven times:

    Ho! I am Murai, Muribi, Babel, Baoth, Bamui, the great Agathodaemon, Muratho, the…form of soul that resteth above in the heaven of heavens, Tatot, Tatot, Bouel, Bouel, Mouihtahi, Mouihtahi, Lahi, Lahi, Bolboel, I. I. Aa, Tat, Tat, Bouel, Bouel, Yohel, Yohel, the first servant of the great god, he who giveth light exceedingly, the companion of the flame, he in whose mouth is the fire that is not quenched, the great god who is seated in the fire, he who is in the midst of the fire which is in the lake of heaven, in whose hand is the greatness and the power of god; reveal thyself to me here today in the fashion of thy revelation to Moses which thou didst make upon the mountain, before whom thou thyself didst create darkness and light, I pray thee that thou reveal thyself to me here tonight and speak with me and give me answer in truth without falsehood; for I will glorify thee in Abydos, I will glorify thee in heaven before Phre, I will glorify thee before the Moon, I will glorify thee before him who is upon the throne, who is not destroyed, he of the great glory, Peteri, Peteri, Pater, Enphe, Enphe, O god who is above heaven, in whose hand is the beautiful staff, who created deity, deity not having created him. Come down to me into the midst of this flame that is here before thee, thou of Boel, Boel, and let me see the business that I ask about tonight truly without falsehood. Let it be seen, let it be heard, O great god Sisihoout, otherwise said Armioouth, come in before me and give me answer to that which I shall ask about, truly with falsehood. O great god that is on the mountain of Atuki (of Gabaon), Khabaho, Takrtat, come in to me, let my eyes be opened tonight for any given thing that I shall ask about, truly without falsehood…the voice of the Leasphot, Neblot…lilas.

  6. You will see the god about the lamp. Lie down on a rush mat without speaking to anyone. Then, he will answer to you by dream.

Moses was a hero in the legends of the Jews both before and after Christ. The Christian bible (Acts: vii., 22) tells us that Moses “was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,” and that he was “mighty in words and in deeds.” The Egyptians had great respect for Moses and his magic, which they witnessed when he parted the sea, which is written of in Egyptian papyri as well as in the bible. “Abydos” was a cult-center that worshipped Ausar. “Phre” refers to the god Ra.

Dreams can reveal insights into plans, emotions, and other peoples' motives as well as your own. Information concerning events and situations in your life can be gained from them. All of this is possible through interpreting your unconscious mind's symbolic language.

Horoscope and Numerology in Egypt

The Egyptians were superbly skilled in casting nativities. By knowing the precise moment of birth of a person, they could construct a horoscope.

The Table of Democritus

One Greek horoscope in the British Museum has an ancient note attached to it stating that the Egyptians were laboriously devoted to the art, had discovered it, and had handed it down to posterity.15 Indeed, we have evidence that the origin of the horoscope may have been Egyptian.

In connection to the horoscopes of ancient Egypt, there was a “table” known as the Table of Democritus, from which predictions of life and death could be made. Its contents are included here as it is simple and thought very accurate (see table, page 150). The Leyden Papyrus (Col. xi., l.lff.) gives these instruction for using the table:

Ascertain in what month the sick man took to his bed and the name he received at his birth. Calculate the course of the Moon and see how many periods of thirty days have elapsed; then note in the table the number of days left over. If the number comes in the upper part of the table, he will live, but if in the lower part, he will die.

Table of Democritus

1  10 19
2 11 20
3 13 23
4 14 25
7 16 26
9 17 27

5

15

22

6

18

28

8

21

29

12

24

30

It is not known if the table was used for making other predictions. If you have an interest in numerology, you may find more uses for it.

A Scout-Spreader Spell

To further support the theory that the horoscope originated in Egypt, below is a “scout-spreader spell” which can be found in The Leyden Papyrus (Col. IV). The meaning of its name is unknown. Note the astrological properties. This spell is worded somewhat differently than earlier scripts, clearly demonstrating Greek influences.

The scribe tells us this is “A scout-spreader, which the great god Imuthes makes.” Imuthes is invoked in other papyri as “Imhotp-wer (the Great), son of Ptah and Khretankh.” We can assume his presence to be the same here.

This spell requires basic knowledge of astrology. With a quick study, you would be able to use this script effectively.

Spirit-gathering: You will need a wooden table (olivewood if possible), a tunic, four bricks, a clay censer, matches, incense charcoal, myrrh-resin incense, a personal astrology/horoscope journal with the constellation alignments at the time of this divination, a papyrus or paper sheet, natural ink, a reed pen or other writing utensil.

Spend the night of the spell without speaking to anyone. Be certain you are pure from all abomination. Conduct this spell in a clean, purified room. The wooden table should have four legs and never have been sat upon by a man. The table should be clean.

  1. Place the table beside you, and drape it with a tunic from its top to its feet.
  2. Put the four bricks under the table, one on top of the other.
  3. Place your clay censer before the table with charcoal of olive-wood (use modern charcoal) in it. Light the charcoal. Place myrrh resin on it. If you have extra myrrh, place it by your side.
  4. Kneel toward the table, with your head being close to it. Speak the following script three times:

    I invoke thee who art seated in the invisible darkness and who art in the midst of the great gods sinking and receiving the Sun's rays and sending forth the luminous goddess Neboutosoualeth, the great god Barzan Boubarzan Narzazouzan Barzabouzath, the Sun; send up to me this night thy archangel Zebourthaunen; answer with truth, truthfully, without falsehood, without ambiguity concerning this matter, for I conjure thee by him who is seated in the flaming vesture on the silver head of the Agathodaemon, the almighty four-faced daemon, the highest darkling and soul-bringing Phox; do not disregard me, but send up speedily in this night an injunction of the god.

  5. The god then comes. You will see the god in the likeness of a priest wearing fine linen and wearing a nose at his feet.16 He then speaks to you, with his mouth opposite your mouth, in truth.
  6. When the god has finished and goes away again, stand up and place a tablet of “reading the hours” (astrology journal that records the constellations) upon the bricks. You write the stars upon it (the horoscope/ star alignment at the time of this divination).
  7. On another piece of papyrus, write your purpose for the divination. Place this paper on top of the tablet.
  8. Relax. Concentrate. The god then reveals to you the future horoscope of star alignments when your desires will be met.

“Phox” is thought to be a magical name, but its origin and meaning is unknown.

Divination to Identify a Criminal

Detective work, coupled with magic, was used by Egyptians to seek out criminals or wrong-doers. Just as modern police departments sometimes consult psychics for clues in finding a missing person or criminal, Egyptians put their psychic abilities to use for this purpose.

The criminal could be a person who broke the laws of society, or a person who had somehow wronged the magician. For example, if someone worked magic against the magician or slandered his or her reputation, or caused something the magician valued to be ruined, these spells acted as weapons to detect the perpetrator. In some cases, such spells served as a means of acquiring cosmic justice. This is a form of divination, although today we might consider it psychic magic with a specific aim.

Bringing in a Criminal by Lamp or Bowl

The Leyden Papyrus (Verso Col. XV) offers this script for use with your lamp of oil, or a bowl of water and oil. In this example, we will use a bowl.

Spirit-gathering: You will need an oil lamp, lamp oil or kerosene, a clean wick, matches, a bowl, water or vegetable oil, natural ink, and a reed pen or other writing utensil. There are no specific preparation instructions given by the scribe in The Leyden Papyrus. It is not known for certain if the script below and its use of a bowl originated from the ruler-king Nectanebus, but it is probable. You must be pure and free from abomination before performing this rite.

  1. Retire to a private, purified chamber and fill your bowl with water or vegetable oil for scrying.
  2. On the outside of the bowl, write the following names of the gods, whom you invoke to bring in a criminal or an enemy: “Maskelli, Maskello, Phnoukentabao, Hreksyktho, Perykthon, Perypeganex, Areobasagra, otherwise Obasagra.”
  3. Once you have written the names, light your oil lamp for scrying.
  4. Recite the above names over the bowl seven times. (The scribe notes: “This script will do mighty work in identifying a criminal.”)

To be successful in any form of divination, you must master your mind through discipline. Try to identify areas of weakness, such as having trouble focusing your mind, and practice the concentration exercises described earlier. Daily physical exercise (the ancient Egyptian magicians walked frequently and got plenty of exercise) is difficult to begin, but highly recommended. Daily practice of concentration and visualization, and keeping a record of your progress, is also suggested. Practice, patience, and persistence are the key elements to becoming adept in divination.

1  F. L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus: An Egyptian Magical Book (New York: Dover, 1974), Preface I.

2  Carl G. Jung, The Collected Works of C. G. lung, Vol. 6, Psychological Types (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 19711, 2nd ed., p. 519, 1900.

3  E L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, p. 22, 1.10.

4  E. A. Wallis Budge, Egyptian Magic (New York: Dover, 19711, p. 222.

5  E L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, p. 120.

6  F. L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, p. 99.

7  F. L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, p. 99.

8  E L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, D. 79.

9  Barbara Watterson, Gods of Ancient Egypt (New York: Facts on File, 19841, p. 14.

10  E L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, p. 80.

11  Barbara Watterson, Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 14.

12  E L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson eds., The Leyden Papyrus, p. 54.

13  E. A. Wallis Budge, Egyptian Magic, pp. 213, 214.

14  E. A. Wallis Budge, Egyptian Magic, p. 216.

15  E. A. Wallis Budge, Egyptian Magic, p. 229.

16  Apparently, as seen in late sculptures of the gods, the gods had jackals’ heads/noses on their feet indicating wariness and swiftness. F. L. Griffith and Herbert Thompson, eds., The Leyden Papyrus, Col. IV, p. 41.