Take a look at the 7 Gates (Arits) described in Chapter CXLVII of the Egyptian Book of the Dead (p.402 of this book). Could this describe a journey up the sub-Supernal Sephiroth? See what you think.
(Disclaimers: I am not an Egyptologist. I know enough Hieroglyphics to find my way around a Middle Egyptian dictionary, but no more. I am using Budge as a link here because he's out of copyright, unlike more recent, and presumably more accurate, translators. However, I have checked his translation of this spell against Faulkner's, and the differences are minor: if anything Budge appears more literal. I don't know enough yet to go into the names of the Doorkeepers, Watchers and Heralds at this point, though I have done some preliminary work on them and will follow this up later if this interests anyone.)
(Disclaimers: I am not an Egyptologist. I know enough Hieroglyphics to find my way around a Middle Egyptian dictionary, but no more. I am using Budge as a link here because he's out of copyright, unlike more recent, and presumably more accurate, translators. However, I have checked his translation of this spell against Faulkner's, and the differences are minor: if anything Budge appears more literal. I don't know enough yet to go into the names of the Doorkeepers, Watchers and Heralds at this point, though I have done some preliminary work on them and will follow this up later if this interests anyone.)
First Arit — Malkuth?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Sekhet-her-asht-aru. The name of the Watcher is Smetti. The name of the Herald is Hakheru. The Osiris Ani, whose word is truth, shall say when he cometh unto the First Arit: "I am the mighty one who createth his own light. I have come unto thee, O Osiris, and, purified from that which defileth thee, I adore thee. Lead on. Name not the name of Ra-stau to me. Homage to thee, O Osiris, in thy might and in thy strength in Ra-stau. Rise up and conquer, O Osiris, in Abtu. Thou goest round about heaven, thou sailest in the presence of Ra, thou lookest upon all the beings who have knowledge. Hail, Ra, thou who goest round about in the sky, I say, O Osiris in truth, that I am the Sahu (Spirit-body) of the god, and I beseech thee not to let me be driven away, nor to be cast upon the wall of blazing fire. Let the way be opened in Ra-stau, let the pain of the Osiris be relieved, embrace that which the Balance hath weighed, let a path be made for the Osiris in the Great Valley, and let the Osiris have light to guide him on his way."In the spell to be recited for this Arit, the speaker identifies himself with the spirit-body of Osiris, then asks Ra to admit him to Restau, the entrance to the Underworld. We can think of this spell as a prayer addressed to Tiphareth from Malkuth, asking for the way to be opened for an ascent up the Tree.
Not much time spent describing the conditions of Malkuth here: more about getting out and up from it.
Second Arit — Yesod?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Unhat. The name of the Watcher is Seqt- her. The name of the Herald is Ust. The Osiris Ani, whose word is truth, shall say [when he cometh to this Arit]: "He sitteth to carry out his heart's desire, and he weigheth words as the Second of Thoth. The strength which protecteth Thoth humbleth the hidden Maati gods, who feed upon Maat during the years of their lives. I offer up my offerings [to him] at the moment when he maketh his way. I advance, and I enter on the path. O grant thou that I may continue to advance, and that I may attain to the sight of Ra, and of those who offer up [their] offerings.""Sitteth to carry out his heart's desire": Moon/Yesod receives the light from Sun/Tiphareth. "Weigheth words as the Second of Thoth": Thoth had a lunary aspect, but also note how this can describe how images placed in Hod travel down to the visual imagination in Yesod. I can't make much sense of Maati Gods, but note that Maat, as Corn, is both an Earth symbol, and as vegetation links also to the Moon.
Third Arit — Hod?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Unem-hauatu-ent-pehui. The name of the Watcher is Seres-her. The name of the Herald is Aa. The Osiris the scribe Ani, whose word is truth, shall say [when he cometh to this Arit]: "I am he who is hidden in the great deep. I am the Judge of the Rehui, I have come and I have done away the offensive thing which was upon Osiris. I tie firmly the place on which he standeth, coming forth from the Urt. I have stablished things in Abtu, I have opened up a way through Ra-stau, and I have relieved the pain which was in Osiris. I have balanced the place whereon he standeth, and I have made a path for him; he shineth brilliantly in Ra-stau."The Judge of the Rehui = Thoth: so now the speaker identifies himself with the correct god for Hod. "I have done away the offensive thing which was upon Osiris" refers to the point at which Thoth spoke out for Osiris against Set. "I have established things in Abydos (town sacred to Osiris, = Malkuth)" refers to Thoth teaching mankind writing and agriculture: bringing them into the material world. Thoth's knowledge (Hermeticism) allows a path through Restau, and every invention "relieves the pain which was in Osiris" (improves our standard of living).
Fourth Arit — Netzach?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Khesef-her-asht-kheru. The name of the Watcher is Seres-tepu. The name of the Herald is Khesef-at. The Osiris the scribe Ani, whose word is truth, shall say [when he cometh to this Arit]: "I am the Bull, the son of the ancestress of Osiris. O grant ye that his father, the Lord of his god-like companions, may bear witness on his behalf. I have weighed the guilty in judgment. I have brought unto his nostrils the life which is ever lasting. I am the son of Osiris, I have accomplished the journey, I have advanced in Khert-Neter."The speech here namechecks the "godlike companions" of Ra, the father of Osiris, as well as identifying the speaker as the "son of the Ancestress of Osiris". This has some resonance with Netzach as the sphere in which we find the gods. We might possibly consider the Bull as the natural consort to the Cow-goddess, Hathor (= Venus). The speaker now identifies himself with the son of Osiris, rather than Osiris himself.
"Weighing the guilty in Judgment" — having travelled along the Tower path, Peh, presumably the speaker has now integrated his Personality?
Fifth Arit — Tiphareth?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Ankhf-em-fent. The name of the Watcher is Shabu. The name of the Herald is Teb-her-kha-kheft. The Osiris the scribe Ani, whose word is truth, shall say [when he cometh to this Arit]: "I have brought unto thee the jawbone in Ra-stau. I have brought unto thee thy backbone in Anu. I have gathered together his manifold members therein. I have driven back Aapep for thee. I have spit upon the wounds [in his body]. I have made myself a path among you. I am the Aged One among the gods. I have made offerings to Osiris. I have defended him with the word of truth. I have gathered together his bones, and have collected all his members."Clearly Tiphareth, I think. The speaker has "gathered together his manifold members" — integrated his Personality. He has also driven off Aapep, the Serpent that the Sun-god Ra daily slays. "The Aged One Among the Gods" — the one older than the gods (found in Netzach), the one creating them, the Individuality whose life spans many incarnations. "Made offerings to Osiris" — the Individuality has communicated with the Personality. "Defended him with the word of truth" — HGA, access to True Will, also shown the Personality how to integrate based on the image of the Individuality.
Sixth Arit — Geburah?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Atek-tau-kehaq-kheru. The name of the Watcher is An-her. The name of the Herald is Ates-her-[ari]-she. The Osiris the scribe Ani, whose word is truth, shall say [when he cometh to this Arit]: "I have come daily, I have come daily. I have made myself a way. I have advanced over that which was created by Anpu (Anubis). I am the Lord of the Urrt Crown. I am the possessor [of the knowledge of] the words of magical power, I am the Avenger according to law, I have avenged [the injury to] his Eye. I have defended Osiris. I have accomplished my journey. The Osiris Ani advanceth with you with the word which is truth."Again, clearly Geburah here. "I am the Avenger according to law, I have avenged his Eye, I have defended Osiris. The Osiris Ani advanceth with you with the word which is truth". Avenging according to the law found in Chesed describes Geburah exactly. Advancing with the word which is Truth — Ma'at — means making the Adjustments — the path of Adjustment leading from Tiphareth to Geburah.
Seventh Arit — Chesed?
The name of the Doorkeeper is Sekhmet-em-tsu-sen. The name of the Watcher is Aa-maa-kheru. The name of the Herald is Khesef-khemi. The Osiris the scribe Ani, whose word is truth, shall say [when he cometh to this Arit]: "I have come unto thee, O Osiris, being purified from foul emissions. Thou goest round about heaven, thou seest Ra, thou seest the beings who have knowledge. [Hail], thou, ONE! Behold, thou art in the Sektet Boat which traverseth the heavens. I speak what I will to his Sahu (Spirit-body). He is strong, and cometh into being even [as] he spake. Thou meetest him face to face. Prepare thou for me all the ways which are good [and which lead] to thee."Again, clearly Chesed. The speaker arrives purified — he now resembles the divine Image held in Chesed. Chesed sees Ra through the Hermit path, which describes rather well "wandering round heaven, and seeing the beings who have knowledge"! "Hail, Thou One!…He is strong, and cometh into being even as he spake" all sounds rather like Demiurge speaking, doesn't it? "Thou meetest him face to face" — finally, the speaker can come face to face with God, now being the image of god, free from the encrustations that accumulated on his Individuality and Personality.
