Egyptian Magick: A Spirited Guide, by Mogg Morgan
Mandrake of Oxford, 1906958992, 432 pages, November 2020
The influence of ancient Egypt has remained strong in the imagination of Western magic through the Hebrew and Greek traditions and was popularized again in its revival during the Enlightenment. While this energy is still potent centuries later, it is often molded into the one-size-fits-all, easy-to-digest books that make this type of magickal practice easily accessible to the reader. This is wonderful for those who do not intend to delve into a full practice, but it often leaves those who seek to deepen their magick wanting. Cue Egyptian Magick: A Spirited Guide by Mogg Morgan, which is just the book for those who truly wish to expand their practice into a working system.
Morgan is both a practitioner and scholar of the occult. The level of detail described in Egyptian Magick duly reflects this combination, which clearly showcases the relationship between scholarship to inform practice and practice contextualizing scholarship. He has authored quite a few other titles, the most notable being Isis: Goddess of Egypt & India, Supernatural Assault in Ancient Egypt: Seth, Renpet & Moon Magick, The Ritual Year in Ancient Egypt: Lunar and Solar Calendars and Liturgy, and Seth & The Two Ways: Ways of Seeing the Demon God of Egypt. His area of focus is “the connections between the popular magick of ancient Egypt and its continuation/crossover with the living magical traditions of the middle East, and the Kaula/witchcraft of south Asia and beyond.”1
Egyptian Magick is Morgan’s compilation of the core ideas from his previous books all brought together to create one authoritative guide. And let me tell you, it is PACKED with information. I will admit, I was a bit intimidated when I began reading this book. With only a novice level of knowledge about Egyptian Magick, I instantly felt like I was in over my head. At first I did my best to find my footing in the book by dutifully going through it page by page, but quickly I realized I could jump around a bit within each chapter and slowly weave together the tapestry of information. This method helped me to not feel overwhelmed and discover my own method of working with the book rather than becoming inundated (and stuck!).
There are eight chapters in the book that are all filled with sub-sections and even more small headers with information. At times this can feel a bit choppy, but I also believe this style offers as much information as possible within the framework of the book. The book begins with an invocation and then delves into Heka & Hekau. This section really stands out because it describes all types of Egyptian magick: sleep magick, image magick, human sacrifice, funeral rites, and more! So often, scholarship wants to overlook these gruesome details within occult practices, but Morgan does not shy away from topics such as decapitation and reversals or cannibalism. It’s a bit gruesome, but at the same time enlightening, and almost liberating, to be able to delve into such taboo topics.
Reading on, Morgan expands on his reasoning for the basis for this work with contextual references to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Aliester Crowley. He writes, “I have come to believe that the real ‘Golden Dawn’ is an experience rather than an organization.”2. He then encourages the reader to “try to put aside what you know and approach the surviving records of ancient Egyptian magick with a fresh mind.”3 This sentiment really stuck with me, as many of the techniques and practices I’ve learned thus far have stemmed from the Golden Dawn. Some of the fascinating topics that resonated with me most were the correspondences of Greek vowels with elements, secret languages of magicians, the relationship between sigils and hieroglyphs, Egyptian numerology, and an impressive array of seals.
Chapter four, “The Temple of Imaginarium,” was probably my favorite in the entire book. Ever since I learned about this mind-mapping technique in Masonic Magician by Philipa Faulks and Robert L.D. Cooper, I’ve been fascinated but haven’t been able to learn more. Morgan explains it well in writing:
“What else is a temple but a representation, in material, of the cosmology of the people who built it? The temple represents the archeology of gnosis, the sequences of a journal through the temple represent the initiatory journey to the ‘holy mountain’.4 It can be an imaginarium or House of all Possibilities, a theatre in which to locate one’s magick.”5
Morgan offers a guided visualization to move through this temple to discover your own magical potency. You gain the ability to move through and access the energy of Egyptian deities, performing the role of a priest. I’ve only tried this once, but found it quite impactful. I plan on familiarizing myself with this exercise when I have time to truly dedicate to experimenting with the technique.
The following chapters detail the rites of initiation, lead the reader through the underworld, and then go into the longest chapter about the ritual year of the Egyptians. These chapters are the real key to opening oneself into this working system of Egyptian Magick. The rituals can be performed at the start of each month and help to orient the practitioner to the time of year and energy available. Since I prefer attuning to the spirit of the place where I physically am, I haven’t tried any of the rituals. However, for a reader who wishes to fully work this system, everything that is needed is within this chapter.
What strikes me the most about Egyptian Magick is the level of insight that Morgan has accumulated. I would guess this isn’t his last book, but in many ways it feels like a magnum opus. Without hesitancy, Morgan clearly elucidated occult practices with objectivity, reverence, and awe. The book is clearly shaped by Morgan’s unique perception, but in no way does it feel contrived to push a practice. Rather, it clearly lays it all out for the reader, from the taboo to the mundane aspects of this work, and offers an all-encompassing guide to Egyptian magick.
Overall, Egyptian Magick is a trustworthy source for expanding one’s knowledge of the Egyptian occult and how this magick can be practiced today. It beautifully blends scholarship with experience to offer a compendium of information. I hesitate to recommend it to a novice practitioner, but I do believe that is a must-have for anyone working with Egyptian deities or is interested in learning more about Egyptian practices. Within these pages is a year-round system of Egyptian magick that utilizes techniques that have amply survived the test of time.
As Morgan writes, “Ideally this becomes part of a practical theology by which the practitioner becomes, through ‘dynamic resonance’ the image of the gods or divine forces he or she emulates.”6 I feel putting this book into effect could absolutely achieve these results. It certainly is not for everyone, but Egyptian Magick is a reliable resource for those who are ready to take their practices to the next level.
Alanna Kali is an astrologer, numerologist, and pioneer spirit that loves to explore life through the lens of depth psychology. She has a passion for studying the humanities and social trends. Her academic work is centered upon reuniting body, mind, and spirit through eco-psychology. She loves reading, spending time in nature, and travel.