Preparing Sacred Space

( Extract from the book - "Heka - The Practices of Ancient Egyptian Ritual & Magic by David Rankine - for more information on this book click here)

The sanctuary of the God was usually approached through a hall, entered from an open-air courtyard. This marked the transition from the human realm to that of the divine. In terms of our modern lifestyle and houses, we can still emerge cleansed from the primal waters (bath or shower) and walk through the house (courtyard and hall) to enter the divine sanctuary to perform our rites (temple room).

Before performing ritual, the space would be sprinkled with water and swept with a special broom. This practice still occurs today within Wicca. A layer of clean sand would be spread on the ground, which in modern terms would translate as making sure you have vacuumed or swept the floor! The area would then be censed with incense smoke, which may also have had the added benefit of removing insects. A circle might be marked on the floor with an apotropaic wand.

The following recitations are taken from the twenty-nine episodes on the walls of the chapels at the Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos (c. 1300 BCE), and give some of the words and actions performed in preparing the space. There is no complete set available, but the first and eleventh are relevant for preparing your temple space for Egyptian ritual.

Entering the Temple (Episode 1)

Words spoken to Atum:
"I have come before thee, the Great One following me, my purification upon my arms. I have passed by Tefnut, Tefnut having purified me. Assuredly, I am a prophet, the son of a prophet of this temple. I shall not linger, I shall not turn back. I am a prophet. I have come to perform the ritual. Indeed, I have not come to do that which is not to be done."

Spell for cleansing the Sanctuary (Episode 11)

Words spoken to Atum:
"I am Horus; I have come seeking for my two eyes; I shall not allow that it should be far from you, Re-Harakhte. Atum, Lord of the Great Mansion, who resides in the Mansion of Menmaetre, behold me carrying it! May you come in peace! It has driven out all your impurities, for you have assembled it, Atum, father of the gods, who resides in the Mansion of Menmaetre."

When within a sacred space, time did not have any meaning to the Egyptians. Stepping into a sacred space was perceived as returning to the beginning of time, to enable the magician to tap into the energies of creation for performing magic. Again we can see the parallel in modern practices of the magic circle being between the worlds.

After ritual vessels and utensils that had been used would be washed in water from the sacred lake, i.e. specially blessed water, as it was believed to have special purificatory powers.

( Extract from the book - "Heka - The Practices of Ancient Egyptian Ritual & Magic by David Rankine - for more information on this book click here)