Egyptian magic is never complete without those essential plants, tools, and biological materials. Egyptian magic or heka has a close association with hundreds of plants and biological materials. Nature exerted a profound influence on every aspect of Egyptian daily life; in many cases, several materials and things were purely symbolic in nature that also established a connection between the humans and the gods. Likewise, Egyptian magic attempted to provide men and women much-required safety and security from evil forces and enemies of the state.
There are several reasons as to why Egyptians used biological materials for magical purposes. Biological materials sourced from people and nature contains life substances that serve as entities for casting magical spells on adversaries. Many magical rituals integrated procedures require frequent use of biological materials and herbal substances. Many other spells required the application of special foodstuffs, aromatic plants, and oils, wax, and glue figurines, talismans made from biological materials like Arabic gum and other similar substances.
Plants and Herbs used for Magic
Early Egyptians were very proficient in using several herbs and plants for occult and magical purposes. Most of the ornamental plants found their use when one wanted to cast a love spell. On the other hand, priests used biological materials of animal origin, while casting spells to drive out evil spirits and demonic influences. Here are some plants and herbs used regularly for magical rituals:
Acacia
The twigs and bark of this plant are quite useful to awaken hidden love and to enhance physical and mental strength.
African violet
When burnt on a low fire, it enhances love, affection, resonance and harmony in a lover’s heart
Balm of Gilead
The buds of young flowers and leaves find their use in many love potions and amulets that help love bloom in the mind of a woman.
Catnip
An excellent herb with various magical uses and properties in fertility pendants and for magic spells for good luck
Cowslip
This plant strengthens beauty and passion.
Daisy
This wonderful plant was helpful in igniting love and eroticism between lovers.
Dandelion
Egyptians used this flower for help in love readings and fulfill the secret sexual desire and to attract women for sexual purposes.
Elder
The wood and the flowers of the elder plants are excellent for love magic, especially for those spells that invite love.
Apart from these plants and herbs, Egyptians also used some other unique plants like the ankh-amu plant, senepe plant, ‘Great-of-Amen’ plant, and ‘footprint-of-Isis’ plant. People burned Myrrh herb and frankincense plant for many magical rituals, as was the special Anubis-plant for casting love and passion spells. Magicians also used plenty of incense sticks mixed with Turpentine and styrax (storax), a fragrant gum from selected herbs.
It is a well-known fact that many Egyptian plants are important and critical ingredients in developing love spells, love potions and effective aphrodisiacs, monetary spells, protection, security spells, and they play an important role in the harmony of love and relationship.
More magical Properties of Plants, Herbs, and Trees
Tools and Equipment for Heka
Along with those elaborate rituals and ceremonies, ancient Egyptians used a number of tools and equipment for magic. These tools and types of equipment served a variety of purposes like casting spells, drawing circles, and cursing people. Here are some of the most important tools and materials used for Egyptian magic.
Crook and Flail
A favored tool of God Osiris, this convenient utility replaced the wand for magical procedures. Agricultural equipment used for threshing purposes to separate grains from the husk. On the other hand, a crook is a tool with a well-defined crook in it that was almost similar to a shepherd’s staff. Crook
Djed (Tet) Pillar
A perennial symbol of stability, Djed Pillar looks almost like a short pillar and contains four horizontal, vertically stacked platforms on the top portion. In fact, it forms the base of a bull’s spine that symbolically represents the tree that entombed the God Osiris, during his death at the hands of his brother. The Djed is the phallus of the god that also represented the Tree of Life. Anatomically is also symbolizes the human spinal cod.
Ankh
By virtue of its powers and tradition, an Ankh is a pronounced Egyptian symbol of life. It is as an Ansata cross with a visual representation of a sandal strap piece. It also represents the energy level of the human body; the horizontal and vertical bars of the lower tau cross-section signify the female and masculine energy. An ankh also symbolizes unlimited fertility and creative power. The top portion of the loop also signifies the power of sun resting near the horizon that indicates that there are reincarnation and rebirth. An ankh is the thoracic vertebra of a bull.
Sceptre or Staff
It is a staff made of dried bull’s penis, and it symbolizes power and domination.
Scarab
Scarab is a holy symbol of Ra, the well-known sun god of the ancient Egyptians. Scarab is a beetle that lays eggs in the dung and metamorphoses into an adult stage. The movement of the scarab in the dung is similar to that of the movement of the sun in the sky and its daily revolution. The night and the day are comparable with the scarab’s colorful wings. In essence, a scarab is an amulet that protects people and the land from annihilation.
Lotus Flower
Early Egyptians used this flower extensively in their daily magical rituals. Also known as Sensen, it is a symbol of the sun, creation, and reincarnation. Lotus has a curious habit of closing during the nighttime and opening again during the dawn. A significant symbol of the Upper Egypt region, Lotus depicted the throne of Osiris and symbolized the sacred symbols of Nephthys in her avatar as the goddess of mysticism and repose. Lotus also speaks for antiquity and serenity. The ancient Indians honored this flower as a holy flower, on which the Hindu creator of humankind, Lord Brahma, rose and did his creation work.
Buckle of Isis
This particular object is an essential part of Egyptian mythology that provides life. Alternatively, Egyptians also used terms like the Knot of Isis and the Blood of Isis. The Blood of Isis is a funerary amulet created out of red stone or colored glass. In the later parts of Egyptian civilization, this was associated with the goddesses like Nephtys, Hathor, and Nut. Almost all gods of ancient Egypt provided powers of resurrection and eternal life, by using an amazing object called Buckle of Isis.
Sistrum
Ancient Egyptians employed the musical instrument (of percussion family) that produces amazing notes of heavenly music. The sistrum is also a sacred instrument used in royal courts for dancing and for conducting religious and spiritual ceremonies, especially while worshiping the goddess Hathor. Egypt was a flood-prone country by the marauding floods of River Nile. There was a general belief that when someone shook this instrument, it unleashed a power that drove away from the storm god, Set. In fact, one can still see goddess Bast holding a Sistrum in her hand; goddess Bast represented joy, glad tidings, happiness, dance, and festivity.
Eye of Horus
Originally, the Eye of Ra, Eye of Horus, symbolizes royal power and courage. Ancient Egyptians also believed in its capabilities to assist in rebirth and reincarnation. In Egyptian mythology, people believed that the god Horus is a sky god. One of his eyes was the almighty sun while the other moon. The Eye of Horus represents protection and power, and the eagle-like-eyes marked the advent of royal power and pharaonic reach all over the country. In the Old World Egyptian language, the word for this mark was “wedjet”, whose real meaning in English is blue.
Uraeus
Uraeus is the spitting cobra of Africa, and this animal signifies sovereignty, royalty, aristocracy, freedom, deity, and divinity in ancient Egypt.
Maat’s Feather
It is the Ostrich feather used for magical ceremonies, and one could replace it with a peacock feather.
Amulet
An amulet is an object or ornament created with various materials and substances. An amulet was a typical ornament used widely by almost all Egyptians to protect their body and soul from ill omens, bad spirits, ghosts, and evil gods. Egyptians used amulets to adorn both dead and living people. Click here for the ancient Egyptian amulets and their meanings.
The word amulet means “to bear” or “to carry”, and thus an amulet is a thing carried in person or worn on the body.
An amulet could be anything in nature and design, but it always signifies many supernatural powers. Legend says that amulets were the most preferred objects used for guarding the owner against harmful animals and serpents. With more improvements to the designs of the amulets, Egyptians started using amulets for defending the living people from wretched witches and talisman. Each member of the family had their own type of amulets that provided them a series of specific types of protection. These amulets protected family members from bad snakes, worms, mildew, toads, frogs, rotten creatures, and decay.
Nemes
It is a striped headcloth worn by the mighty pharaohs for covering the head to prevent harsh sun and heat.
Fetish
Egyptian gods Osiris and Anubis were the owners of an animal skin hanging on a piece of a long stick.
Ushabtis
In literary words, Ushabtis means, “to answer,” and in practical matters, it is a small mummy life figure placed in the tombs to perform duties in the afterlife for the deceased royal souls. In a typical royal tomb, temple priests used to put 401 numbers of ushabtis: one for each day and the others for inspecting the duties performed by these ushabtis.
Gold and precious stones
In ancient Egypt, gold was synonymous to the skin of gods, while silver to the bones of the gods and precious stones like lapis lazuli and other gems. The surreal sense of beauty was the most pleasing thing to the heavenly gods.
Knots and Numbers
Knots represent the convergence of several forces of nature, while the numbers to the abstraction of a knot. In Egyptian mythology, the number seven possesses many compelling powers.
Wax figures
Those objects used as objects of immense hatred and anger.
Letters to the Dead
Early Egyptians used to write letters to their deceased relatives and friends for help, counseling, and forgiveness.
The Lamp
A special type of light used to represent the good and evil forces of nature.
Biological Materials
Ancient Egyptians were also efficient in using a multitude of biological materials for use in heka and other magical rituals. The use of a particular biological material depended on the type of magical result desired by the person. Here are some of the most popular biological materials used for magical rituals:
Blood
This was (it is no longer used) probably the most important biological material used for both good and bad magical rituals; royal priests used blood for casting off evil influences and demonic forces troubling the royal palace, while inferior occultists used it for ulterior motives like cheating and fraud. The most common source of blood was the one extracted from fowls and goats. Once the blood pools up in the vessel, magic spell-caster may mix the warm blood (with hoopoes, nightjars, worms, puppies and geese extracts), semen, oil, and water. Many a time, a priest may also use a woman’s menstrual blood for the purpose.
Animal matter
A person who is carrying out the magical ceremony may also use animal matter like head shavings of a dead man, crocodile eggs, gall bladder of gazelle, and liver portion of hens. Though it looked very ugly to carry out this act, people believed in the efficacy of such a ceremony. (No longer used in modern Egyptian Magic)
Hair strands
However, the most popular biological matter is the hair strands of the person who needed a spell. More often, the ritual expert wanted hair strands with their roots.
Nail pieces
Nail pieces of enemies and traitors are probably the most suitable biological materials for magical purposes.
Tear Drops
They contain many sub materials needed for casting spells.