Anubis is the ancient Egyptian god of mummification, embalming, and the afterlife, often depicted as a jackal or a man with a jackal's head. His name likely derives from the Egyptian Inpw, possibly meaning 'royal child' or 'to decay.'

Position on the Tree of Life

Anubis corresponds to Path 15, the connecting link between Chokmah (Wisdom) and Tiphareth (Beauty) on the Tree of Life. This path is associated with the Hebrew letter Vau and the astrological sign of Taurus, emphasizing stability, transformation, and the threshold between the divine and the manifest.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

In the 777 system, Anubis is linked to the planet Mercury, reflecting his role as a psychopomp and guide of souls, as well as his association with communication between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Historical context

Anubis appears in the earliest Egyptian funerary texts, such as the Pyramid Texts (c. 2400 BCE), where he is described as the god who presides over the embalming process and the 'Opening of the Mouth' ritual. As the son of Nephthys and Osiris (or Set, in some traditions), he was the protector of the dead, weighing the heart against the feather of Ma'at in the Hall of Two Truths. His cult center was at Cynopolis (modern el-Ques), but his worship was widespread throughout Egypt. In the Greco-Roman period, Anubis was syncretized with Hermes as Hermanubis, combining his funerary role with Hermes' psychopompic and alchemical functions. This syncretism influenced later Hermetic and alchemical traditions, where Anubis appears as a guardian of thresholds and a guide to the underworld.

Closing paragraph

In Liber 777, Anubis appears at step 15 (Path 15) in the column for the Egyptian pantheon, standing as the jackal-headed psychopomp who presides over the mysteries of death and rebirth, a fitting symbol for the transformative energy of this path on the Tree of Life.