Knowing a deity is highly personal, and even after years of experience you can only begin to scratch the surface of what it means to know a deity. All I can do is speak from my own experiences over the last nearly 18 years....

Signs from Anubis

Keep in mind these are my experiences, and they may not necessarily be your or anyone else’s. Anubis is the Silent Guardian. He’s also the Master of Secrets and Mysteries. He often appears quietly and unannounced, sometimes when you’re not expecting him or looking for him. That can make it exceptionally difficult to determine what’s a sign and what’s not. Some of the physical signs I’ve either gotten or heard from others over the years include, but are not limited to:

-Symbols – the ankh, pyramids, bones, eye of Horus
-Animals – dogs, jackals, wolves, coyotes, foxes, leopard (there’s a story behind this one)
-Relevant colors – primarily black and gold, but even brown, white, or gray

It took me quite a while to actually realize that I rarely get physical signs from Anubis, though I sometimes do....I think, for me, the signs that I receive are closely tied to being pushed to trust my intuition and letting it guide me rather than expecting to see a sign every time I turn the corner.

I do receive strong signs when I’m missing something in my relationship with Anubis. Perhaps I’ve been neglecting my commitment to him, or perhaps I forgot to honor him for something I’d asked for. On at least 4 occasions, I’ve had statues of him mysteriously break when no one was around. I can’t guarantee that it’s attributed to this specific situation, but to me it seemed to coincide with times when I needed to pay more attention to my practice and to my gods (in this case, Anubis).

So how does he communicate with me? I’ve learned that I can best communicate with him when I am quieted. Those moments when you are more relaxed and your brain isn’t full of thoughts buzzing around. For some, it’s during meditation, but for others, including myself, it can be as simple as walking, driving, or something else mundane. Often times, I get an inner voice or a relevant thought that pops up....

On rare occasions, I get visions of him during meditations....[W]hen the mind is clearest, we are more open to receiving messages and visions.

But the biggest, number one way I know he’s near? It’s a feeling. Perhaps it’s a knowing, perhaps it’s an energy, or maybe it’s a little of both. I had two people ask me recently what Anubis’ energy feels like to me, and the only way I can explain it is that it feels like this strong, solid, grounded, protective energy that I feel in my core.

Answering

I can’t tell you what Anubis wants from you. That is a very personal experience between you and the Guardian of Souls....

What I would recommend is reaching out to him in return, if you feel comfortable doing so. The simplest method would be to find a quiet moment and just speak to him openly. Not sure what to say? Write it down or take notes. Perhaps light a black candle. You can keep it simple as you want.

Leave offerings. It’s impossible to list all of the things you could potentially offer to Anubis, but here are some ideas:

-Incenses such as frankincense, myrrh, cedarwood, sandalwood, etc.
-Stones such as obsidian, smoky quartz, hematite, tiger’s eye
-Darker breads, such as whole wheat or rye
-Dark ales, whiskey, rum, or cool/cold water
-Spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg
-Creative offerings – art, music, writing, etc.
-Volunteering or donating to help dogs or other canines
-Honor your ancestors and departed loved ones
-Leave flowers on the grave of a stranger

One key thing I would suggest is keeping a journal of the things you see, hear, feel, find, etc. Keep a record of the signs, the messages, the visions, the dreams, or even the feelings and sensations that you have. Explore these. Keep track of them over time and see what develops. Are there any patterns?

Anubis is Khenty-Amentiu [(https://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/201 ... of-anubis/)], Lord of the Dead. His worship as prominent god of death predates that of Osiris and many other deities in Egypt. He was so widely important in Egypt that there were many necropoli and catacombs dedicated to him. At a place in modern Egypt called Saqqara, just south of the capital of Cairo, 8 million mummified animals [(https://www.npr.org/2015/07/04/41807971 ... -catacombs)], mostly dogs, were found placed at the catacombs there. Egyptologists and professors believe that, rather than being sacrificed as it might be presumed, people would make a pilgrimage to the catacombs at Saqqara to have the mummified remains of their beloved dogs placed there as a gift to Anubis.

Guardian
Anubis is Tepy-Dju-ef, Guardian and Protector. Many, if not most, people in ancient Egypt would pray to Anubis throughout their lifetime for protection and that they may be guided to the afterlife upon death. Anubis’ image and name were painted and etched in tombs and upon sarcophagi and coffins for protection and guidance, and statues were placed within the tombs themselves.

He is the Obsidian Lord that watches quietly in the dark, offering a strong, solid presence. Carry a stone such as obsidian or black tourmaline. In times where you feel that you need protection, you can call to Anubis and ask for his protection:

Dua Anpu!

Walk with me.

Guard me on my path.

Shroud me in your dark cloak of protection.

Quick relevant lesson – Anubis is the name given to him by the Greeks and the most frequently used name. Anpu is the closest estimate of how his name would be transliterated into modern language. I honestly use the two interchangeably, depending on where my intuition takes me.

The In-Between Spaces
As Liminal Lord, Anubis rests in the spaces between the Earth, the Underworld, and the Stars. The Earth and the Underworld are his realms as he walks with the spirits of the living and the dead and guides them towards the afterlife. He is the shadow that exists between the physical and the light. Black and Gold are his colors, and he rests in and between both. There are also loose associations between Anubis and the Sirius star, connecting him to the astral realm and to the mysteries and secrets hidden there. As Samhain is (roughly) the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, it’s a liminal time in itself.

Connecting with Anubis on Samhain
Samhain is a night of liminality, of mystery and of secrets. Connect with Anubis as Hery-Sesheta, Master of Secrets. He holds the keys to the secrets and mysteries of the universe. For me, I find that I can connect with him using a symbol of some sort. Personally, the key is often symbolically represented in the Ankh, the Utchat, the infinity loop, scales, or a key – it depends on what intuitively calls to me.

Here’s an example of something I’ve done to connect with him on Samhain in past years. I love to go on a nice stroll in the chill night air. Doesn’t have to be anywhere in particular, but perhaps somewhere quieter where you can really connect with his spirit. This is my time to mentally commune with Anubis – my walking meditation where I simply let my mind explore the deeper mysteries. I may be speaking directly to him, sometimes, too.

When I return home, I will usually do some sort of ritual bath. Afterwards, I will sit down in front of a black candle (or sometimes black and gold to represent he who is between worlds), often anointed with sandalwood or frankincense with images of one of the symbolic keys drawn or etched on it. There is always incense on hand to be lit as both an offering and a means of getting into the right headspace to connect with Anubis.

I like to have smoky quartz and mugwort on hand, as these help me to connect with him as Liminal Lord and Hery-Sesheta. A nice, steady rhythmic drum beat, or something that will get me into the rhythm and magick, helps, too. If the mood strikes, I will say or chant Dua Anpu, or perhaps simply mentally repeat his name or one of his epithets.

Divination is a good way to connect with Hery-Sesheta and ask for messages and guidance. In tarot, He often appears to me as the Death card, Judgement, King of Swords, or sometimes something else entirely. It varies depending on the message he has for me. A simple question of ‘what message do you have for me, Anubis?’ will do.

Magickally speaking, shadow workings or any kind of shamanic journeying are good to do with Anubis and on Samhain, too. I’ve used him as a guide to connect with parts of me that need healing. I’d recommend taking time to read my articleTransformation & Anubis [(https://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/201 ... on-anubis/)] for starters, and then continuing with Beginning Emotional Healing with Anubis [(https://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/201 ... th-anubis/)].

As you step out into the dark, chill, starlit Samhain night air, call to Anpu. He is Khenty-Amentiu, the Lord of the Dead. He is Tepy-Dju-ef, Guardian and Protector. He is Hery-Sesheta, Master of Secrets. Seek Him. Walk with Him.

(Note: descriptions of epithets used here are not literal translations, but translations of meaning/intention as I’ve interpreted them in my own practice).

Anubis Knows and Sees all. Everything. He sees into People at their very Core. His Power makes us all seem Insignificant in comparison.
If you get Information, it is something He lets you See and Know. Your own Psychic abilities do not matter in the slightest when He is around, if He wants to Show you, that is. I know from experience. Something way too much to say out loud. I have seen His Power, Pretty Extreme, and that isn't much of it at all. I am not bragging, I wish I never did see it, but I have. I am just saying what I have experienced, as I do not want to lie about it.