This series was constructed on the same day as the Exalted Mercury Cazimi, but as the Sun descended over the Western horizon to enter the realm of the dead, during Luna’s hour. It is the second Sphere + Sundry collection empowered by the intelligence of a God, the first being Asclepius.

The cazimi itself took place in the third decan of Virgo, which Austin Coppock refers to in his currently out of print book, 36 Faces, as “The Sarcophagus”, and relates to matters of death and material fate. The fixed star Sirius, commonly known as the Dog Star and associated with the patron of this series, was conjunct the IC at the conclusion of the working, when the final prayers and consecrations were given.

Hermanubis (Ἑρμανοῦβις) is a hybridized psychopompic deity, a combination of the Greek Hermes and Egyptian Anubis. He was worshipped in this form during the Roman domination of Egypt and there is a surviving statue of him on display in the Vatican Museum. He is depicted as having the dog-head of Anubis atop the body of Hermes, holding a caduceus and often a feather.

Hermes was, among many other things, messenger of the Gods and deliverer of souls into Hades. Anubis was a protector of graves, master of embalming, and the original Egyptian Lord of the underworld before being later replaced, but remained the primary conductor of souls into the realm of the dead and oversaw the scale at the heart weighing ceremony, the results of which determined if a soul was to gain eternal life in the realm of Amenti.

My first introduction to this dual deity was in the “Armies of the Dead” section of Gordon White’s book The Chaos Protocols, where Hermanubis is introduced as “the most magically useful God you have never heard of”. In it, Gordon presents a modified spell from the Greek Magical Papyri and ritual formulas for approaching the God. I recommend his book, both generally and to those looking to work with Hermanubis, but it is not at all mandatory in order to employ items from this series.

The creation of which was overseen by Hermanubis and received his blessing, after being ritually invoked and given incense, wine, spring water, bread, and other offerings. Their charge is undeniable — dark, heavy, and potent.

These items act as powerful veil renders between the realm of the living and deceased, and shine as a lighthouse, drawing the dead to their brilliant flame. Hermanubis can be intentionally invoked as an intermediary to deliver specific souls and help them navigate the death realms (or find their way back to the land of the living), facilitate communication between incarnate souls and the deceased, and allocate offerings to specific dead, or classes of them. They can be used without formal inclusion of Hermanubis in other works of ancestral worship or necromantic rites.

Personal application can serve as a bridge to death-gnosis, encouraging confrontation with one’s mortality, excavating the power of the immortal soul beyond the shell of one’s current incarnate experience, and preparing the self for the process of navigating the death realms.

Offerings from the Hermanubis series contain hair of black dog, ritually harvested cemetery cypress, beeswax, 24k gold, and copper leaf. They act as beacons for the dead whether actively engaged or not, so it is best to keep them covered or stowed when not in use, lest you find yourself drawing random souls to your abode. Should you need to disperse any such hangers on, Asclepius water and ritual salt are excellent repellants of the deceased — as is rosemary.

Includes basic instructions for use and a prayer to Hermanubis. The full set and Opening of the Mouth and Eyes ritual also comes with a complimentary 3D printed Hermanubis statue in your choice of black or white.

For more on working with the dead, see this article.