As traitorous and cruel goons continue to kidnap our neighbors from home, school, and work, as this fucked-up and evil regime continues its attempts to strip rights from women and anyone else not white, heterosexual, and male, and as it actively works to plunder and destroy the earth for its own corrupt profit, a friend recently asked which epithets of Isis we might call upon to aid our ongoing Works of Resistance.
It is an excellent question.
Binding Magic, Protection Magic
The ancient Egyptians were all about the protection from, and vanquishing of, enemies. The funerary texts are full to the gills with declarations that the deceased has defeated their enemies and no harm shall come to them. The magical papyri, written in Demotic, Coptic, and Greek, record ancient Egyptian modes of magic—including binding rites.
In such binding spells, the ancients often employed images, such as the ubiquitous “bound prisoner” motif. Such images are found all the way back to predynastic times in Egypt. Essentially, it’s a small figurine of the enemy, kneeling and with his hands bound behind his back.
Modeling clay, wax, or oven-hardened clay would make a fine medium for your enemy image. Give it the appropriate features and name it by the enemy’s/enemies’ name/s. Sometimes, as part of their punishment, convicts were given a new name (things like “Re hates him,” for example)—so any denigrating names you’d care to bequeath upon the enemies would be very appropriate.
Then call upon the power of Isis the Magician, Iset Hekaiet (EE-set Hek-KAI-Yet), to empower your spell.
As you create your image, chant its name/s into it. Then call upon Isis the Magician to bind and destroy the enemies. Do this by stating your intention, then vibrating, chanting, or singing Her name and epithet, Iset Hekaiet, until you achieve a light trance. When you feel complete with this, declare the spell to have worked, “according to the voice of Isis the Magician, the Lady of Magic, who bewitches everything, Who is never bewitched in Her name of Isis the Magician.” This last statement is a line from one of the spells in the Demotic Magical Papyri. (Demotic is late Egyptian, so this is indeed an ancient Isis spell.)
And because your enemy is bound, you are protected from them. As a final piece of your spell, you could visualize Isis’ wings about you to reinforce that protection. Plus, it feels really good.
Other epithets of the Goddess that you can use for such workings are Her names of power:
Iset-Sakhmet (EE-set SAHK-met), “Isis the Powerful One;” also, Isis joined with Sakhmet
Iset Useret Weret (EE-set OU-sehr-ett WEAR-ett), “Isis the Great, Powerful One”
Iset Nebet User (EE-set NEH-bet OU-sehr), “Isis, Lady of Power”
Iset Baet er Sakhemu (EE-set BAH-ett air SAHK-hem-moo), “Isis, More Mighty than the Divine Powers”
Breaking Red Pots
Alternatively, rather than binding, try breaking. This is another traditional, ancient Egyptian magical ritual for subduing enemies. The Egyptian term for the rite is Sedj Desherut, “Breaking Red Pots.” Out in the desert, in the Red Lands, archeologists have found broken red pots and figurines with curses written on them. Such curses usually go by the name “execration texts.”
To do your own Sedj Desherut rite, obtain a red pot (such as a terracotta plant pot, or you could get a ceramic pot from the thrift store and paint it red). Write the enemy’s name, with appropriate curses, on it (Sharpie markers work well for this). I’d suggest getting at least three pots to break, because you’re gonna like it. Then set up somewhere safe for breaking things (like a tarp on a hard surface so clean up is easy), use eye protection, and have at it. (Caution: do NOT use glass; it’s too splintery.)
Scream out your anger as you call upon Isis in any of Her power names above and SMASH! the pots. If you’re still not satisfied, you can take a bat or stick and beat the broken pieces into even smaller pieces. Believe me, it’s highly cathartic. We did it in Sakhmet’s name at our last local summer solstice rite, and folks did not want to stop.
Invoking Her for Justice
Those of you who are at least a bit familiar with ancient Egyptian culture will likely have heard of the Egyptian concept of Ma’et, “Rightness,” “Truth,” “Justice.” If there is one thing we know about the US today, it’s that we are WAY out of “true,” out of alignment. We are decidedly not Ma’et.
Naturally, Ma’et is also a Goddess, and Isis is often assimilated with Her. You can read more about Iset-Ma’et here.
For this spell, you don’t need anything other than yourself and your personal shrine, altar, or wherever you usually connect with Isis. Using simple prayer and invocation, in your own words, ask Isis to help make things ma’et.
Here are some epithets you can use to call upon Her:
Iset Ma’et Weret (EE-set MAH-ett WEAR-ett), “Isis-Ma’et the Great”
Iset Ankhet em Ma’et (EE-set ANKH-ett ehm MAH-ett), “Isis Who Lives on Ma’et”
Iset Nebet Tep Nefer (EE-set NEH-bet tep NEF-air), “Isis, Lady of Righteousness” (literally, “Isis, Lady of the First of [all that is] Beautiful/Good”)
Iset Nebet Ma’a Kheru (EE-set NEH-bet Mah-a KEH-roo), “Isis, Lady of Vindication” (relates to the vindication of the Judgment before Osiris, but I think it can be applied more broadly)
Iset Sahkperet Ma’et em Ta (EE-set Sakh-PEAR-ett MAH-ett ehm Tah), “Isis Who Brings Forth Ma’et on Earth”
Iset Hetemet Isfet (EE-set HEH-tem-ett EES-fet), “Isis Who Destroys Unrightousness” (Isfet is the opposite of Ma’et.)
Invoking Her for Motherly Protection
Iset Mut (EE-set Moot), “Isis the Mother,” or Isis joined with the Goddess Mut
Iset Mut Weret (EE-set Moot WEAR-ett), “Isis the Great Mother”
Iset Khut (EE-set KOOT), “Isis Who Protects”
Iset Reset (EE-set REH-set), “Isis Who Watches”
Iset Nedjetyt Neferet (EE-set NED-jet-yit NEF-air-ett), “Isis the Good/Perfect Protectress”
And Remember to Make Offering
Anytime we’re asking our Divine Ones for something, it is good practice to make offering in return. The actions of asking and offering, offering and receiving, receiving and offering again are some of the ways that energy moves in the universe. And for the accomplishment of any task, energy must move.
While it would be fine to offer Isis the usual bread, water, and flowers that we often give to Her as offerings, may I suggest a different kind of offering for your Spells of Resistance? In this case, consider offerings such as: giving money to support groups working for justice, if you can, add your body and voice to protests, make Resistance art, write to your representatives, vote—even in small local school board elections, and share (fact-checked, please) information in whatever channels you have available.
But this is just the beginning. What are other acts of Resistance that we might call upon Isis to empower? And in what other names might we call upon the Powerful One to aid us—She Who Destroys Isfet?
*Please note* that all pronunciations are approximate, and may Isis forgive my bad ancient Egyptian.
Isiopolis 
Great article, thank you. I have a sincere question. Is binding not black magic? As it may protect you from an enemy, but what of them being restricted? Does that not create karma?
I genuinely would like to know. I love your work and appreciate all
you do.
Good question. For the ancient Egyptians, the underlying concept is Ma’et, not karma. By binding enemies, they sought to retain (or regain) what they considered to be correct balance/rightness/truth for Egypt. Our case of Resistance is similar. By binding the “enemies,” we seek to prevent them from doing things that are not Ma’et: disregarding due process, taking away established rights from large groups of people, destroying the earth, and so much more. (If someone is trying to rob us, do we not have the right to restrict them and stop them?) Now, will one person’s act of binding magic accomplish all that? Doubtful. But by many people both working magic, and also working against Isfet (opposite of Ma’et) on the physical and political levels, we can build the momentum to gain the justice and balance of our own Ma’et.