Following the footsteps of Anubis

Fig.1 Anubis sitting on an portable coffin; replica, Tomb of Tutankhamun. (photo Corina Zuiderduin)

How do you find your way in changing and sometimes confusing times? The ancient Egyptians had some ideas about that, because whether you live in this time or a few thousand years ago, all times have had turbulent periods. Sometimes on a large scale, in the world, and sometimes on a small scale in your own life.

The ancient Egyptians had only one goal in mind: to become an Osiris. All myths and figures of gods depict this process. In all these representations, figures of gods often act as helpers, because on the way to Osiris you could use some help. One such a helper is Anubis.

Sniff

Anubis is often depicted as a jackal-like dog or as a human with a dog’s head. Anubis has several functions in the myths of Egypt. Anubis, like many other godfigures, can represent qualities in humans. When we look at the specific qualities of a dog, we gain more insight into the meaning of Anubis and why the Egyptians chose him as a symbol.

Fig. 2 One of the most beautiful statues of Anubis. THe colors are prefectly preserved; painted wood, plaster; Pelizaeus Museum Hildesheim. (photo Corina Zuiderduin)

A dog is watchful. He recognizes who is familiar and who is strange. As a faithful four-legged companion, he goes along with you on your way. Furthermore, a dog can smell well. The animal can be very accurate distinguish one scent from another. And a dog can unfailingly follow a trail and thus find its way and is therefore an excellent guide.

And this is exactly how Anubis is pictured in mythological representations. When Anubis is depicted on a coffin he sits gallantly erect, his ears pricked, alert, ready to sound the alarm. Anubis guards the body of the dead. Anubis also guards the secrets of the sungod, according to ancient texts. And Anubis guards the gateway to heaven. One of the places where Anubis is found in the Book of the Dead is on the border of the duat – the lower invisible world – and heaven. When someone wants to enter the realm of the gods, Anubis smells if he is pure. He ‘smells his odor as belonging to one among you’.[i] He smells whether he is one of the gods, and may enter their sphere. To do so, however, the Egyptian must meet certain conditions. Is someone loving, generous, honest, sincere, righteous and helpful? Does he not put his self-interest above that of others, but always acts for the good of all? Then he has become divine and can enter heaven.

[i] Book of the Dead 125A

Intuition

Another place where Anubis is found is at the scales where the Egyptian’s heart is weighed (Figure 3). This scene depicts the beginning of the dyingprocess, where man takes stock of his life. Anubis assists Thoth in this process and checks the plumb of the scales. This he does very meticulously. Is the scale properly adjusted? Anubis here depicts the intuition, being able to see truth (Maät) immediately. Anubis also depicts discernment at the same time. One have a very keen sense whether something was pure or not and whether something was right to do or not.

The deceased views everything he has done and experienced in his past life in the light of Maät. Maät is the law of the universe. According to the Egyptians, nature with all beings is constructed in such a way that all beings support each other in a harmonious balance.

This is not a static balance, not a stationary system, but consists of movement and growth. All the beings that make up nature are so closely connected with each other that they are of mutual help to each other. Because of this interconnectedness, what one person does always has an effect on another. The Egyptians called this construction of nature Maät. Maät means harmony, justice and truth.

At the beginning of the dyingprocess, the deceased looks not only at whether everything he did was just, fair and loving, but also at the causes and consequences of his actions. He looks at how the decisions he made are related to the thoughts he had. He sees the successive events that in turn resulted from them. As a result, he sees how his destiny was constructed. Renenutet, the goddess of fate, is therefore often found at the scales.

Fig. 3 The heart of the Egyptian is weighed against the feather of Maät. Anubis adjust the scales. One of the godesses on the left is Renenutet, on the right is Thoth; drawing from Ani;s Book of the Dead. (illustration Corina Zuiderduin)

A Good Helper

This process of judgment takes place within man himself. He himself weighs his heart. He does not view everything with his daily consciousness, but he weighs with a higher part of his consciousness. This allows him to see the connections more clearly. The Book of the Dead is about looking back on the past life, but we can also recognize this process in a small way during our lives, when we have completed an important task and we check what the results were.

You can then see how one action led to the next action which in turn also triggered a reaction. When you see the line of successive events and what thoughts and beliefs underlie them, you increase your understanding. This allows you to do things differently, or even better, next time.

We also recognize the scale before we make an important decision and we weigh something in our hearts. Anoebis as intuition and discernment is a great help on those moments.

Fig. 4 Anubis leads Hunefer to the scales and to Osiris. Detail from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer. British Museum London. (photo Corina Zuiderduin)

Clearing the way

Anubis is a good guide on the road to Osiris. In several images, he takes the Egyptian by the hand and leads him to Osiris. Anubis closely resembles another god, Wepwawet. Wepwawet also looks like a dog (Figure 5). Wepwawet is possibly another name for Anubis or depicts a particular function of Anubis.

Wepwawet was carried out during ritual processions on a standard before the king (pharaoh). Processions have symbolic significance. Wepwawet thus seems to take on the role of guide, as a signpost for the paths or choices taken in life. Actually, the name Wepwawet already conveys its meaning. Wepwawet means ‘opener of the ways’. Wep means ‘to open’ or ‘to discern’. Those who use their intuition and discernment open the way within themselves to Osiris. Wepwawet clears the way and whoever follows him always chooses the right path.

On the mountain

Another title for both Anubis and Wepwawet is ‘who is on his mountain’. Now this may be meant literally because dogs and jackals like to hang out on and around the mountainous areas of the desert, but it probably also has a symbolic meaning. In many cultures, sitting on a mountain in mythic language means being at a high level of consciousness. Gods, for example, reside on a mountain in many myths. From his mountain, Wepwawet surveys both the whole and also the details. From his high position he sees no obstacles, he oversees the whole and thus leads man step by step to his goal. Wepwawet leads man ‘on the right path’, as many proverbs indicate. Wepwawet is sometimes equated with Horus and with the sungod, another indication that Wepwawet represents a higher aspect of man.

Fig. 5 Wepwawet is usually depicted upright on a stand. He is often accompanied by cobras; bronze; Louvre, Paris. (photo Corina Zuiderduin)

Thoth

Anubis is closely associated with Thoth, the god of wisdom. Thoth, like Anoebis and Wepwawet, depicts an aspect within man. Wisdom is found deep within everyone. And Thoth, too, is called ‘Opener of the Ways’.[i] He makes paradise accessible to those who follow Maät, according to the Book of the Dead.[ii]

When a person acts in harmony with all beings, the roads open to him. There are then no blockages between him and his inner god. He is free of everything that keeps him from elevating his consciousness and is therefore able to receive insight and inspiration.

On Anubis Feet

There is an inner source from which everyone can draw. According to an ancient Egyptian text, you can turn to Thoth, your inner wisdom, by becoming quiet and silent and not being distracted by turbulent emotions and negative thoughts. [i]

The more a person ponders how everything and everyone is connected, the better he is able to make good decisions. For example, the Egyptian Intef says he is someone ‘who ponders Maät in his heart’. He is calm, ‘kindly and not short-tempered’. He is ‘accurate like the scales’. He is ‘straight and true like Thoth’. As a result, he is always able to say the right things, even in difficult situations. [ii]

[i] Prayer to Thoth, papyrus Sallier

[ii] Stela of Intef, son of Sent

[i] Book of the Dead 182

[ii] Book of the Dead 182

You can keep increasing your insights. Intef says he is ‘a knower who taught himself knowledge’. Insights bubble up from your own depths. Intef uses his accumulated wisdom and also shares it with others when it is useful to them, he says.[i]

[i] Stela of Intef, son of Sent

Thoth stands for intuitive wisdom. Insights often come in a flash, as if Thoth brings them to you at lightning speed from the divine realms. Probably is this the reason why he is frequently depicted wearing Wepwawet-shoes (Figure 6). Thoth leads man forward with rapid strides.

Secret name

There is another type of statue wearing Wepwawetshoes. Images of mysterious figures, half woman and half cobra, have been found. Figure 7 shows one such figure. This fascinating wooden sculpture probably depicts Renenutet. We already encountered Renenutet at the scales. Renenutet represents not only fate, but also man’s individual character. The fate of man and his character, according to the Egyptians, are closely related.

Renenutet gave each child its secret name at birth. Besides an ordinary name, the name by which everyone knows each other, every Egyptian also had a secret name. No one, including a child’s father and mother, knew this name. The secret name is an indication of a person’s specific character. The word Renenutet gives more clarity about its meaning. Renenutet is derived from the words Ren – the name, and renen – raising. Renenutet refers to raising the name, which means raising the character. Renenutet refers to self-development. Your character, according to the Egyptians, is not static. Your character can grow. When you change your thoughts, feelings and habits – in short, your character – the choices you make and the path you take also change. You react differently, which in turn causes people to react differently to you. Your interests and your relationships change. Other people come your way. Your destiny, which you create from that moment on, changes.

As a person becomes more loving, his character becomes more and more like Osiris. It is Renenutet who ‘will raise you up’ to heaven, according to the Book of the Dead. [i] It is the beautiful character who finds the way to happiness.

[i] Book of the Dead 170

Fig. 7 Cobragodess with Wepwawet-feet; wood; Egyptian Museum, Cairo. (photo Corina Zuiderduin)

Track to the sun

There is an inner development for everyone. For everyone this path is different. Nature consists of millions and millions of beings. And all those millions of beings are unique. Not one being is exactly the same. Therefore, each person follows his own unique path to Osiris. His intuition helps him do that. It tells him not only which direction to take and what the best decisions are, but also who to trust and who to watch out for, who is honest and who is not. This saves him from many unnecessary difficulties and sorrows. For example, Intef says he can recognize flattery. He can distinguish insincerity from genuineness.[i]

Man’s intuition also puts him on the trail of where to find inspiration to go down this path of growth. Books and people whom he can learn a lot come his way.

[i] Stela of Intef, son of Sent

From every experience you can learn something. The further a person grows, the more he expresses his inner, pure divine nature. The crown of Osiris has two ostrich feathers on either side. They are the feathers of Maät. It indicates that man in his deepest core carries within him the harmonious law of the universe. His inner being is harmony, is justice, is truth, is mutual cooperation, is Maät.

Every man and every being follows his own path. He is free to choose which path he takes. A wise and loving man naturally and voluntarily connects with the law of the universe, with Maät. He knows that everyone and every being is in his core one. He does not experience this bonding as a limitation, but as happiness. And whatever fate may bring him, he who allows himself to be guided by his intuitive wisdom experiences life as a great adventure, full of inspiration.

Fig. 8 Osiris, the inner god, wearing his specific crown with the feathers of Maät on either side. National Museum of Antiquities Leiden. (photo Corina Zuiderduin)

This article is published in Bresmagazine 349 january/februari 2025