The Ancient Egyptian "False Door" by Kerry Wisner

In almost every temple and tomb in Ancient Egypt simple carved niches made to look like doorways can be found set in solid walls. While no rooms lay immediately behind them, they were frequently aligned with the inner chambers of the structure (1). These "false doors," as Egyptologists have come to call them, were strictly for magical use.

Dr. Lanny Bell explains that the false doors "were gateways permitting direct, magical communication between earth, sky and the netherworld." He continues, "Ordinary mortals could not cross their thresholds, but the blessed dead and the living king, as well as priests and other initiates, could pass through them to the kingdom of heaven" (2). These false doors functioned as physical points of focus which connected the temporal world with the spiritual. It is clear from Egyptologist’s research that only those who had been trained could understand how to use these marvelous portals effectively.

In a funerary context the false door acted as a niche at which food, water, incense and other offerings were left for the deceased. The Ka, or ‘double’, of the deceased was expected to pass through the entrance and enjoy the spiritual essence of the offerings. However, the false door was also recognized to be a portal through which the spirit of the individual could return to the realm of the living and visit, as well as complete needed tasks. It is for this reason that we find false doors painted the sides of coffins as well as on the cabinets of magical servants known as "shawabti" (3).

In the case of false doors found in temples, these were magical openings between the realm of Neteru and the physical plane. Just as with the mortuary function, the temple false doors were the focal point of offerings and rituals dedicated to the Neter of the temple. And, just as the Ka, or double of the deceased could travel through these openings, so too the Ka of the Neter was perceived as being able to travel between the realms via this entrance. And these doors opened both ways. As Dr. Bell eluded to, initiates could visit the Neteru by means of these doorways. To do so required the use of trance in order that the Ka of the magician could temporarily leave the physical body and cross the threshold of the false door, in this way traveling to the spiritual realm (4).

The magical use of doorway images has been a well guarded secret of many esoteric orders. Here, I would like to present the method that Akhet Hwt_Hrw’s initiates use. For we have found the "door of the sky", as these devices were called in Egypt, to be one of the most potent tools available when conducting trance work, and particularly as an aid to the projection of the magician’s Ka/double. For this you will need to observe some basic guidelines for successful trance work:

1. Do not attempt any type of trance work when you are sick. This especially applies should you be taking medication that may tend to alter your state of consciousness. This would include, but is not limited to, depressants and stimulants.

2. You should not attempt to enter trance when you are overly tired, stressed, nervous or angry.

3. You need to be free from distractions. Choose a time when family members will not be around to interrupt you. Be sure to take the phone off the hook, and keep any pets out of the room where you will be working.

4. When attempting trance you need to relax. It is imperative that you are as relaxed as possible. Remember that deep rhythmic breathing will be a vital help here.

6. Decide on the purpose of the trance work in advance. Some of the most common purposes that our initiates have used trance include the desire to receive a message from a Neter; the wish to merge consciousness with a Neter while remaining aware of one’s self during the process; evocation of a Neter into a specific place; complete yet temporary invocation of a Neter into one’s body; projection of one’s Ka (double) to visit either distant physical locations, or spiritual realms; to search the deep mind learning of past lives, to visit a loved one who has passed.

8. No matter what happens in your attempts at trance never ever berate your subconscious for what may seem at the time to be failures.

This operation should take place in the normal area that you perform your rituals. Ideally you may want to have a physical representation of a "false door" in the ritual area— the larger the better. However, in actual practice we have had excellent success by simply visualizing the door that will be used.

You will need all of your normal ritual equipment plus a straight back chair that will be placed in the middle of the room facing the altar. After preparing for ritual through the normal fasting and bath, perform the opening cleansing rite from the Daily Rite:

Mix some salt (or natron) with water. Then take up a separate bowl of salt/natron and sprinkle this lightly as you walk four times around the ritual area. Replace the bowl on the altar and then do the same with the water that you had just mixed the salt/natron in. Return this to the altar. Then light the oil lamp. Repeat the following:

"Come, come in peace, O glorious Eye of Heru,
be strong and renew your youth in peace.
For the flame shines like Ra on the double horizon.
I am pure, I am pure, I am pure, I am pure."

"The fire is laid, the fire shines;
The incense is laid on the fire, the incense shines.
Your perfume comes to me, O Incense;
May my perfume come to you, O Incense.
Your perfume comes to me, You Neteru;
May my perfume come to You, You Neteru.
May I be with You, You Neteru;
May You be with me, You Neteru.
May I live with You, You Neteru;
May You live with me, You Neteru.
I love You, You Neteru;
May You love me, You Neteru."

Carry the incense around the room four times clockwise, then return it to the altar. Now sit in the chair. Clear your mind as you begin rhythmic breathing, slow and even. At this point begin to imagine yourself, your double, in detail. Imagine standing before the altar dressed as you are for ceremony. Place yourself in the moment, seeing and feeling all that your ‘imagined’ double experiences. In your mind see and feel yourself performing the same ritual gestures you have just done. Slowly and methodically imagine going through the opening portion of this rite with the same or even more intensity then previously; mixing the water and salt/natron, sprinkling this around the room four times, offering the incense and carrying it around the room four times. In your mind clearly feel the sensations that your double would be experiencing as it performs the ceremony.

When finished, rather than picturing your double sitting in the chair, imagine yourself standing before an Ancient Egyptian temple doorway, a doorway that is richly decorated in gold and hieroglyphs. In your mind realize that this is your personal doorway, your personal portal to the worlds beyond this physical plane. No one else, here or beyond, can use that door . . . only you. This is vitally important. This door is your personal entrance to realm of the Neteru. See this in your mind. Imagine yourself, your Ka, standing before this incredible doorway as you place your palm gently on its surface. The rich texture from the inscriptions seem alive with power beneath your fingertips. I want you to realize at this point that only your hand, your palm can unlock and later lock this door. No one else’s can do this as this is your portal. Go ahead now, imagine placing your palm directly on the surface of the door. As you do the bolts slide from the locked position and the door gently swings open. In your mind you will want to repeat:

For now simply look inside. Do not step forward. Just look inside and carefully observe all that you can see. Be aware of any colors, shapes or images. At the same time be aware of any thoughts or feelings that may occur. This is the first phase in actually traveling into the other realms in which the Neteru function.

On the first attempt we do not recommend that the student spend too much time at this. Simply allow yourself time to look ‘through’ the doorway to get a view and then gently close the door as your return to the material world. Once the door is closed place your palm to the surface of the door and imagine the bolts sliding back into place locking this for the time being. In your mind you will want to repeat:

This was your first attempt with the "door of the sky." Don’t be discouraged if the images that came through initially as you looked beyond the threshold were vague; this is natural at first. Again, the key to success here is practice. We advise that students perform this first operation— without stepping beyond the threshold— a minimum of four times, once a week for four weeks. As you do, the images and impressions will become clearer.

Once you feel comfortable with this opening operation and have performed this a minimum of four times you may decide to step over the threshold and visit the realm that awaits. In doing so know that you are perfectly safe at all times. And, at any time you may simply return through your door back to the material world. For only you have control over the door.

Put out the oil lamp flame. Replace the chair to it normal spot. Then, with a broom, ritually "remove the foot" by sweeping the area beginning at the altar as you back out of the temple area. Upon leaving the ritual area set the broom aside, bow touching your hands to your knees. If your ritual area has a door on it say the following after you have closed this. If your ceremonial space doesn’t have a door, imagine an elaborate, solid double door with sliding bolts slowly closing as you repeat:

"Djehuty has come. He has delivered the Eye of Heru from the hands of His enemies. No evil shall enter this temple. Ptah has closed the door, Djehuty has set it fast. The door is closed, the door is set fast with the bolt."

In these realms you will be encountering a variety of beings, energies and intelligences. The following are some basic yet vital rules that need to be strictly observed to ensure success and personal safety:

1. You should never, ever allow any of the beings you encounter to use your doorway in order to come onto this plane of reality. Remember only you can use the doorway. A being of a higher order such as a Neter will have the knowledge and ability to enter this realm on their own. They won’t need your doorway at all. Any being that does try to convince you to allow them access through your portal is of a lower level and does not belong in this physical realm. I can not over emphasize the importance of this. Should you allow this type of being to use your door, once through and on this plane they can move unseen by most people and wreak real havoc in both your life and the lives of those around you.

2. While in the realms that are beyond the doorway’s threshold you should not accept any food or drink from any being there.

3. Do not become involved in the activities you observe. You are there as an observer to learn. As your proficiency increases with practice and experience you will find yourself viewing a wide variety of very unusual settings and activities. It is best to simply watch and learn.

4. When traveling beyond the threshold you may encounter beings who may pass themselves off as a guide. Unless one is absolutely certain of the identity of the being we do NOT recommend using or following such entities. Just as in the material realm there are those who take advantage of other people, so too, beings of similar intent exist in other realms. Like life on the material plane, use common sense and have faith in your own ability.

5. Upon returning to the physical realm, always shut and lock the doorway. Never forget this step (5).

As ominous as these warnings may seem traveling through the "doorway of the sky" is a powerful and highly effective magical procedure that will reap many rewards. You simply need to follow the rules of safety and use common sense.

There are two different approaches you can take once you become somewhat proficient with this magical technique. The first is to simply open the door and step into the realm that has been made ready for you. This can be a very valuable experience, as the Neteru know your level of development and will have prepared a setting that is likely to help you learn. We advise that initially students follow this lead and experience the realm that awaits them. This can be very rewarding.

In time though it may become desirable to choose where one would like to go. This must be decided before performing the ritual that day, rather than after one has already stepped over the threshold. By far the easiest way to travel to a specific realm or visit a specific Neter is to visualize the hieroglyph that relates best to the desired being. For example, should one wish to visit Hwt_Hrw using this method, one would picture any of a number of ‘glyphs that relate to this goddess blazed in

either a brilliant gold or electric blue across the door before opening it. This same procedure would apply to visits with the other Neteru.

Should you decide that you would like to visit someone or someplace here on the physical plane all you will need to do is decide prior to the ceremony on exactly where you will go or who you will be seeing. The same rules of safety apply even though one is traveling to a physical locale. For this type of work you may want to begin with a simple and fairly close location. Some place that you can later go to physically and check the accuracy of your Ka’s visit. This is an excellent exercise that will build your skill level and teach you how the Ka operates during these procedures. As always, keep a journal of your experiences so that you may judge your progress.