• What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who only has eyes, if he is a painter, or ears if he is a musician, or a lyre in every chamber of his heart if he is a poet, or even, if he is a boxer, just his muscles? Far from it: at the same time he is also a political being, constantly aware of the heartbreaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. How could it be possible to feel no interest in other people, and with a cool indifference to detach yourself from the very life which they bring to you so abundantly? No, painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war. Pablo Picasso

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The Traveller’s Guide to the Duat

The Traveller’s Guide to the Duat: Amenti on Two Deben a Week

Planning a trip to the Egyptian spirit world?

Like any responsible traveller, you want to know something about the history, geography, and politics of your destination. You want to know what documents you need to have in order for customs and immigration, what precautions to take, how to book a boat tour, where to stay, what to eat, and when you’ll get the most interesting sightseeing opportunities.

The Traveller’s Guide to the Duat is your guidebook to the spirit world of ancient Egypt, inspired by The Egyptian Book of the Dead. Laced through its humorous presentation you will find extensive information about ancient Egyptian religion and magical practice – from the etheric anatomy of the human soul to what colour to make your protection amulets, and from the history of creation to the rites of judgment held in the Hall of Two Truths. Renditions of ancient spells in modern poetry mark each section, showing the ancient magical texts in a new light.

The Beautiful West awaits! Book your tour today!

The Traveller’s Guide to the Duat is an extended riff on the Book of Going Forth By Day, better known as the Egyptian Book of the Dead. It grew out of an offhand comment I made once over lunch – that the Book was “a cross between a hymnal, a grimoire, and The Lonely Planet Guide to the Underworld.” I chased that joke for years, eventually producing this volume.

My goal was to produce a book that was interesting and informative – not just about Egyptian culture and funerary traditions, but some level of theology, art, and spirit. Rather than expect people to plow through reams of dry prose, I’ve tried to wrap up little nuggets of knowledge tightly in humor and a lighthearted tone. Several people have told me I even succeeded.

This was a labor of love. It was also a labor of dogged, bloody-minded perseverance. Occasionally it was a labor of “I guess I have to write another sonnet for this bit.” Fortunately, it was only a labor of a single villanelle; now that I have written a villanelle I suspect I am cured of the impulse to ever do that again.

I hope you buy it and enjoy it.

E-book editions exist, but do not contain the internal artwork. They can be gotten at Smashwords and for the Kindle. I highly recommend the artwork, if that’s at all workable for you. It’s awesome.