Words have a power sometimes hidden in their pronunciation, in the idea they refer to, or in their etymology. Theurgy is a perfect example of this. This "divine work" embodies a tradition that goes back hundreds of years to the sacred land of Egypt. More broadly, this spiritual school initiated famous figures such as Iamblichus, Proclus, and Emperor Julian, among others.

This lineage spread to Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and even to France and England. But experiencing the Middle East, and more precisely Egypt, has remained the ultimate goal of many theurgists, as it is where this tradition first began.

The desire to experince Egypt was also the case for me many years ago. This pilgrimage awakened deep layers of my soul and has influenced my entire life in one way or another. Several aspects of the story I want to share with you clearly illustrate what theurgy is about.

Alexandria, Summer 1978. This was my first time visiting this sacred land. After a couple of days of travel after leaving Venice, Italy, I saw the sun rising above Alexandria's famous harbor for the first time. It was the start of a very deep and rich experience on all levels, which I want to share with you.

Egypt in the 1970s was different than today—or perhaps it's because I was much younger. Nineteen years old was a good age to spend several weeks traveling from one temple to the other, taking the time to nap with locals under the pylons of famous temples such as Luxor, Karnak, Abydos, or Dandarah. At the time I didn't know much about the theurgic tradition, besides its place of origin—Egypt. I knew more about psychic powers, mysterious ancient traditions, magic, and ancient initiatory fraternities, some of which were still alive. I knew how to connect with the memory of the land, the buildings, and the people living there. Sometimes you need to slow down and let things happen.

After being in Cairo for a couple of days, I decided to visit the pyramids of Giza. I wanted to witness their apparition as a revelation, so I took a taxi during the night to arrive before sunrise. (At the time, Giza was still separated from Cairo.) When the taxi dropped me on the plateau, the pyramids were not yet visible. The only thing I was able to see was a massive black triangle surrounded by the starry sky. The Great Pyramid of Giza was there but paradoxically manifested as an absence of any light. I moved at a good distance from the west side, sat on a block of stone, and waited. Then the light started to increase. I began to see the contour of the Great Pyramid and progressively, as the sun was rising, it appeared, surrounded by rays of light. I didn't know it at the time, but that location was the best way to see the energy field and feel the power of the Great Pyramid. I had no doubt a memory of an ancient life that was progressively coming back to me. I was feeling a strong connection with this place. It was as if the stones started to communicate with me, telling their stories and unveiling parts of their mysteries.

I remember spending the full day going from one pyramid to the other, walking in the ancient tombs called mastabas and meditating in contact with the famous Sphinx. Everything was very strong and I was feeling that something was about to happen. Young as I was, I didn't have much money and I couldn't afford to visit the interior of the Great Pyramid. Instead, I sat a short distance from the entrance, enjoying the fresh air of the desert as the sun was beginning to start its underground journey. It was peaceful. I heard the voices of the vendors eager to sell a ride on a camel to the last tourists coming back to their hotel. Then the guardian of the pyramid, who was holding the keys of the metal gate blocking the access to the entrance, started to talk to me. I don't remember much about the conversation, aside from discussing the power of the pyramid. He spoke about the experience offered to rare people spending the night inside. He then asked if I wanted to spend the night there and how much I was willing to pay. I had almost nothing to offer, but I felt it was more about giving a part of myself rather than a specific amount of money. It was a different time back then and it appeared to me that it was more about a kind of initiatory process. The only caveat was that I would not see anyone until the following morning, no matter how scared I felt during the night. But strangely, I had no fear. I knew that I was about to do something that was not totally new to me. I had read a story of Napoleon spending hours inside the pyramid and coming back shaken the next morning.

The last thing I heard was the sound of the key in the lock, followed by a deep silence. I was inside the Great Pyramid, a flashlight in my hand, the corridor in front of me, the sand on the floor, and nothing more. Here started my first major theurgic initiation. I decided to remove my shoes. They were in bad shape anyway and it was clear that I needed to be barefoot to connect with the energy, manifest my reverence, and simply say, be respectful of any invisible presence. I spent a good amount of time walking slowly, following the descending passageway to the subterranean chamber.

I shortly found myself in a deep, unfinished room that reminded me of a cave. It was a place of meditation, a chamber of reflection. I was aware of the layers of rocks above my head, but also of the solidity of this pyramid. I moved into the seated Egyptian position, back straight and hand on my thighs, before spending a large amount of time in meditation. I was really in a different dimension. I was fully in my body, but literally here-and-now. I was the solidity of the rock, the deep and absolute silence, the earth surrounding me, and the immobility of time. It was a sensation of impermanence and permanence at the same time. I don't really know how long I stayed in this position as time felt suspended, a feeling of eternity. Then something happened. It was as if someone had whispered words in the ancient language of this land. It was a sound I couldn't understand, but a sound that reminded me of home, from a different time. I knew that it was time to drink fresh water, clean my eyes, nostrils, ears, wrists, and hands. This is what I did as I walked back in the direction of the entrance before taking the ascending and horizontal passageways leading to the Queen's chamber located in a higher section of the pyramid.

As expected, the room was empty, but this time it was not made of rough rock but instead large stones. On a wall, I saw an empty niche. I immediately felt something unusual, like a presence, even if I was not seeing anything there. I decided to sit on the large slabs in the cross-legged Egyptian pose. My hands were placed on my thighs, palms up. After a few seconds, I felt as if two spheric vases were placed in my hands. They were round offering vessels, called nu–pots. As I kept this sensation in my mind, I began to feel my clothes being replaced by ancient Egyptian clothes. Almost at the same time, I started to notice a vibration in the niche. It was like an evanescent undulation of heated air in the desert. Something was reactivated and I started to see the shape of a statue. The only thing I can say is that it was neither fully human, nor fully animal. A strong energy began to appear. It soon became obvious that this manifestation was divine. This statue had already been there for a very long time, but on a different level of reality. Three flows of energy began to pour within. They were associated with the three energies used in Egyptian theurgy, called Ankh, wedjat, and seneb, meaning life, strength, and health. I don't remember how long I maintained this powerful connection, but it was quite difficult to stand afterwards. I then felt it was time to ascent to the "King's Chamber," which was previously called the "House of the eternal light," and sometimes, "Gate to the Gods."

With my flashlight in hand, I ascended to the third chamber. For those who know a little about the initiatory process, it is not a surprise that you must bend before entering this room. There is a passage a few feet in length with a very low ceiling. Upon entering, at first glance, it didn't appear to me as a place of light, but as a room with a high, granite-lined vault in V-shape and a large sarcophagus of red stone not exactly in the middle of the room. It appeared to be more like a cistern in stone than a sarcophagus, but it was massive. I knew what I had to do. I stepped over the side into it and lay down. Strangely, it was exactly my size, with only a few free inches under my feet and above my head. I felt immediately at peace. I started to breathe more deeply. I felt the thin layer of sand under my back and was almost immediately taken six feet above my physical body, in the same position, looking at the stars through the countless layers of blocks above me.

I had previously experimented with various stages of the out-of-body experience, but this time was different. It happened smoothly, as a natural and instantaneous process. What I saw and understood cannot really be explained, but the effects were powerful. My energetic centers and my aura were purified and opened. Psychic abilities still dormant at the time were awakened and connections with the invisible world were created. It was an ascent and an enlightenment of the highest parts of my subtle bodies. It was literally the beginning of a new life. It was a reactivation of an ancient duty. At the same time, I was a reconnecting with an ancient theurgic past and reactivating the inner abilities any theurgist should master to be able to advance on this path.

I cannot say how long this experience lasted, but suddenly I was back in my physical body. I stood, left the sarcophagus, and walked back to the entrance of the pyramid. By then, the sun had already risen. I saw the guardian through the metal gate, which he opened. I made a sign of gratitude and walked away, spending a few hours walking in random paths around the pyramids and the Sphinx. I was floating above the ground while at the same time feeling a strong pressure above my head. This sensation remained for almost a full day and progressively vanished by the following night.

I had only just begun my first travel in Egypt and my spiritual path was reactivated. I knew what I had to do and how. Theurgy was born here, on this land blessed by gods and goddesses. Of course, from that time, the prediction given by the Corpus Hermeticum was accomplished:

"The time will come when Egypt will appear to have in vain served the Divinity with pious mind and constant worship and all its holy cult will fall to nothingness and be in vain.

For that Divinity is now about to hasten back from Earth to Heaven, and Egypt shall be left; and Earth, which was the seat of pious cults, shall be bereft and widowed of the presence of the Gods.

And foreigners shall fill this region and this land; and there shall be not only the neglect of pious cults, but—what is still more painful,—as though enacted by the laws, a penalty shall be decreed against the practice of [our] pious cults and worship of the Gods—[entire] proscription of them.

For Darkness will be set before the Light, and Death will be thought preferable to Life. No one will raise his eyes to Heaven; the pious man will be considered mad, the impious a sage; the frenzied held as strong, the worst as best."¹

We now live in the twenty-first century. The thrice-greatest Hermes—the Egyptian "Djehuti," the "Lord of the Divine Words," and the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods—can be seen today through the worldwide presence of immaterial means of communication. The Internet and digital tools of communication have become the core of our modern civilization.

We are not speaking here about the spiritual path of theurgy founded by Thoth-Djehuti, yet in a way, his magic is present and effective everywhere. The recent rise of Large Language Models (LLMs), which gave birth to Artificial Intelligence, can also be seen as a manifestation of the Lord of the Divine Words—perhaps giving birth to a new kind of being.

Beyond this manifestation that is changing the world, the spiritual path of Hermeticism and theurgy remains deeply relevant. It is a holistic path embracing ritual practices, philosophy, astrology, and much more. There is no doubt that this remarkable tradition can provide the best keys to enthusiastically embrace this new era of humanity.

Practice of the Rising of the Ba
Goal: This practice is not an out-of-body experience per se in the modern sense of that phenomenon. It is rather the birth of the Ba as luminous awareness. It will expand our understanding of reality, connect us to the spiritual world of the Neteru (the Egyptian deities), and prepare us for a solar rebirth.

What You Need:

• Three amulets:
  • Udjat (protection and inner vision)
  • Scarab (rebirth)
  • Djed (stability)
• Candle (or oil lamp)
• Incense (Myrrh, Kyphi, Olibanum)
• A mat (for example, a yoga mat)
• A A printed copy of the Hypocephalus disk
• Clothing made of organic, natural fibers—white if possible

1. Preparation of the Place
Choose a place and a time quiet enough to practice without being disturbed. Dim the lights. Place the mat on the floor along the South–North axis, with your head toward the South and your feet toward the North.

Take the Hypocephalus disk in both hands and say: "You powerful disk of fire, you who make the spirit shine in the night, be my throne of light and the gate I will cross to the invisible world."

Or, according to the words of one of the most ancient traditions: "Rah en khet sekhem, netter ah en khet, per set-ha akh em gheroo.Weset en akhet, ah tah mekheet en hehtepoo shetah."

Place the Hypocephalus disk on the mat where your head will rest.

Light the candle (or oil lamp). Move to the South, and with your lamp trace a circle clockwise around the space where you will perform your ritual. When you return to the South, raise the candle toward the four directions (South, West, North, and East), then to the sky, and finally place it in the South, at the top of where your head will be.

Proceed in the same way with the incense, then place it on the floor in the North.

Kneel on both knees and take the first amulet, the Djed, in both hands, palms up.

Breathe for a few seconds in silence, then say: "Power of the Djed who pushes chaos away, magic of Osiris, may the Ka claim your glory and manifest balance forever."

In Egyptian: "Wass Ded, khé-sef set, hé-ka en O-sir. Ka khe-nou em Ded ne-heh."

Replace the Djedbeside you and take the Scarab, following the same process.

Say: "O Khepera, Great God rising from the horizon of Re, purify my heart, protect my Ka, and be reborn for eternity."

In Egyptian: "Kheper, net-er ah, per em akhet Ray. Djaw ib, oudja en ka, ren-nou em kheperou ne-heh." Replace the Scarab and take the Udjat, the Eye of Ra, following the same process.

Say: "Udjat, Eye of Re, mistress of the heart. Appease my heart and make the Ba powerful in the beauty of Re." In Egyptian: "Oudjat Ray, irt hénout hat. Se-hetep ib, sekhem ba em néfrou Ray."

Replace the Udjat and stand up. Raise your arms for a few seconds, breathing peacefully.

2. Animation of the Disk
Lie down on the mat, with the back of your head resting in the center of the disk.

Place the Udjat at the base of your throat, just below the glottis. The Scarab should be on the sternum, above the solar plexus, and the Djed just below the sternum. The three amulets should be aligned along the central axis of your body.

Close your eyes and breathe slowly, beginning with a short period of relaxation.

Visualize the disk beneath your head beginning to shine, making your head warm, light, and surrounded by golden rays.

3. Invocation of the Ba
While maintaining your visualization, say: "My soul-Ba rises in the Light, power of Re on the horizon."

In Egyptian: "Ba n Peret em Heru, sekhem Rê em akhet."

After a few breaths, say: "Hail to you, Djehuti, Lord of the sacred words, who has the power to bring life into my heart."

In Egyptian: "Dua Djehuti, neb medou, petah ankh en ib." Then say three times: "May my spiritual body rise in the glories of Ra."

In Egyptian: "Sahu i per em neferu Rê."
(Pronunciation: Sah-hoo ee pair em ne-fe-roo Ray.)

During this invocation, visualize a golden light leaving your skull and slowly taking the form of a bird with a human head—your Ba—floating above you and looking down at your physical form.

4. Out-of-Body Phase
Let the Ba rise vertically, still linked to your physical envelope by shining rays of light.

Feel the lightness, and gradually move your consciousness into the Ba. Do not try to "see" in a physical way; rather, feel what you are experiencing. Progressively, you will begin to perceive through the heart.

5. Coming Back
When your focus begins to fade, inhale slowly three times.

Move your awareness back to your physical body and recall your Ba, saying: "My soul lives in the Ka, and the light of Ra makes my body reborn."

In Egyptian: "Bah ee ahnkh em Kah, wah Ray khe-per set khah."

Take the amulets one by one, placing each for a few seconds on your forehead and then to your side.

At your own pace, stand up, offer your greetings to Re and Djehuti, and extinguish the flame. ¹The Perfect Sermon, or the Asclepius, Part 9:24 and Part 9:25-2, translated by G. R. S. Mead, 1906.