Isis' Search for Osiris: Reclaiming Lost Parts of Self

BY NICOLE LAU

When Set murdered Osiris and scattered his body across Egypt in fourteen pieces, Isis searched the entire land to find every fragment. With love, magic, and unwavering determination, she gathered the pieces and made him whole again. This myth is the ultimate template for reclaiming lost parts of yourself—the aspects you've scattered, denied, or lost through trauma, conditioning, or life's trials. This ritual guides you through Isis' sacred work of gathering and integration.

The Myth: Isis Gathers the Scattered Pieces

Osiris was murdered by his jealous brother Set, who dismembered the body into fourteen pieces and scattered them across Egypt. Isis, Osiris' wife and sister, refused to accept this ending. She searched every corner of Egypt, traveling by boat through the marshes, asking everyone she met, never giving up until she found every piece (except one, which had been eaten by a fish—she created a replacement with her magic).

Once all pieces were gathered, Isis used her magic—with help from Anubis—to reassemble Osiris, wrap him in linen, and resurrect him. He couldn't return to earthly life, but he became the eternal King of the Underworld, whole and powerful in a new way.

The Teaching: What's been scattered can be gathered. What's been broken can be made whole. What's been lost can be reclaimed. It requires searching, magic, and love—but it's possible.

When to Perform This Ritual

This ritual is for times when you feel fragmented, scattered, or like you've lost parts of yourself:

- After trauma that caused dissociation or fragmentation
- When you've given away parts of yourself to relationships, jobs, or roles
- After major life transitions where you feel you've lost yourself
- When recovering from addiction or destructive patterns
- During integration work after shadow exploration
- When you're ready to reclaim what you've denied or abandoned

Note: This is deep integration work. If you're dealing with severe trauma or dissociation, work with a therapist alongside this ritual practice.

Preparation: Creating Sacred Space

You will need:
- Fourteen small objects (stones, crystals, pieces of paper, or actual puzzle pieces)
- A large bowl or basket (to gather the pieces)
- A mirror
- Blue candles (Isis' color)
- Incense (myrrh or frankincense—Egyptian scents)
- A piece of linen or white cloth
- Journal and pen
- Optional: Image of Isis, ankh symbol, or Egyptian imagery

Space Setup: Scatter the fourteen objects around your ritual space—some hidden, some visible, some easy to reach, some difficult. This represents the scattered pieces of Osiris (and of yourself). Place the bowl in the center—this is where you'll gather the pieces.

Timing: Perform during the waxing moon (gathering energy) or full moon (wholeness). This ritual can be done in one session or over fourteen days (one piece per day for deeper integration).

The Ritual: Isis' Sacred Search

Part 1: Invoking Isis

Light the candles. Sit before your altar and invoke Isis:

"Isis, Great Mother, Mistress of Magic, She Who Gathers the Scattered—I call upon you. Guide me as I search for my lost pieces. Give me your determination, your love, your magic. Help me make myself whole again. I am ready to reclaim what I have lost."

Set your intention: What are you gathering? What parts of yourself have been scattered? Name them (you'll explore this more deeply as you find each piece).

Part 2: The Search (Finding the Fourteen Pieces)

You're going to search for and gather the fourteen pieces, one by one. As you find each piece, you'll identify what part of yourself it represents and reclaim it.

The Fourteen Pieces (Traditional Interpretation):

Piece 1 - The Head (Mind/Consciousness):
Find the first piece. Hold it and ask: "What part of my mind have I lost? What thoughts, beliefs, or mental clarity have I scattered?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my clear thinking. I reclaim my consciousness. I reclaim my mind."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 2 - The Heart (Emotions/Love):
Find the second piece. Ask: "What part of my heart have I given away? What emotions have I denied?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my heart. I reclaim my capacity to feel. I reclaim my love—for myself and others."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 3 - The Throat (Voice/Expression):
Find the third piece. Ask: "Where have I silenced myself? What truth have I not spoken?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my voice. I reclaim my truth. I reclaim my right to speak."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 4 - The Hands (Action/Creation):
Find the fourth piece. Ask: "What creative power have I abandoned? What have I stopped making?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my creative power. I reclaim my ability to create, to build, to make."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 5 - The Solar Plexus (Power/Will):
Find the fifth piece. Ask: "Where have I given away my power? When did I stop believing in my own strength?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my power. I reclaim my will. I reclaim my sovereignty."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 6 - The Sacral (Sexuality/Pleasure):
Find the sixth piece. Ask: "What pleasure have I denied myself? What sexuality have I shamed?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my sexuality. I reclaim my pleasure. I reclaim my sacred desire."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 7 - The Root (Safety/Belonging):
Find the seventh piece. Ask: "Where have I lost my sense of safety? When did I stop feeling I belong?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my right to exist. I reclaim my safety. I reclaim my belonging."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 8 - The Spine (Integrity/Structure):
Find the eighth piece. Ask: "Where have I compromised my integrity? When did I lose my backbone?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my integrity. I reclaim my structure. I reclaim my ability to stand tall."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 9 - The Legs (Movement/Direction):
Find the ninth piece. Ask: "Where have I lost my direction? When did I stop moving toward my goals?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my direction. I reclaim my movement. I reclaim my path."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 10 - The Feet (Grounding/Presence):
Find the tenth piece. Ask: "When did I stop being present? Where have I lost my grounding?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my presence. I reclaim my grounding. I reclaim my here-and-now."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 11 - The Eyes (Vision/Perception):
Find the eleventh piece. Ask: "What vision have I lost? What can I no longer see clearly?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my vision. I reclaim my ability to see truth. I reclaim my perception."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 12 - The Ears (Listening/Intuition):
Find the twelfth piece. Ask: "When did I stop listening to myself? What intuition have I ignored?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my listening. I reclaim my intuition. I reclaim my inner knowing."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 13 - The Crown (Spirit/Connection):
Find the thirteenth piece. Ask: "Where have I lost my spiritual connection? When did I forget I'm divine?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my divinity. I reclaim my spiritual connection. I reclaim my crown."
Place it in the bowl.

Piece 14 - The Phallus (Life Force/Generativity):
Find the fourteenth piece. In the myth, this piece was lost—eaten by a fish. Isis created a replacement with her magic. Ask: "What part of me is truly lost and must be recreated? What life force must I generate anew?"
Reclaim: "I reclaim my life force. What was lost, I recreate. What was destroyed, I regenerate. I am Isis—I have the magic to make myself whole."
Place it in the bowl.

Part 3: The Reassembly (Integration)

All fourteen pieces are now in the bowl. You've gathered what was scattered. Now comes the sacred work of reassembly—making yourself whole.

Sit before the bowl. Look at all the pieces together. Say:

"I have searched. I have found. I have gathered. Now, like Isis, I use my magic to make myself whole. These pieces are not separate—they are me. I am not fragmented—I am complete. I reassemble myself with love."

The Wrapping: Take the linen cloth. Wrap the bowl (with all the pieces inside) as if you're mummifying Osiris. As you wrap, say:

"I wrap myself in love. I wrap myself in wholeness. I wrap myself in sacred integration. What was scattered is now gathered. What was broken is now whole. What was lost is now found."

Part 4: The Resurrection (Becoming Whole)

Stand before the mirror. Unwrap the cloth. Hold the bowl of pieces. Look at yourself and say:

"I am whole. I am complete. I am integrated. Every part of me—even the parts I lost, even the parts I denied, even the parts I had to recreate—is here now. I am Osiris, reassembled by love. I am Isis, who gathered myself. I am whole."

The Ankh Gesture: Cross your arms over your chest (the ankh position, symbol of life). Feel all the pieces within you, integrated, whole. Breathe into this wholeness.

Journal: Write about the experience. What did you find? What did you reclaim? How does it feel to be whole?

After the Ritual: Living as Whole

Keep the pieces: Don't scatter them again. Keep them together in a sacred space as a reminder of your wholeness.

Notice integration: Pay attention to how the reclaimed parts show up in your life. Are you speaking your truth more (throat)? Feeling your emotions (heart)? Moving toward your goals (legs)?

Repeat as needed: You might need to perform this ritual multiple times as different parts surface. That's okay—Isis searched until she found every piece. So can you.

Honor Isis: Thank her for showing you the way. Consider creating a small altar to Isis as the one who gathers, who makes whole, who never gives up on finding what's lost.

The Gift of Isis' Magic

Isis teaches us: What's been scattered can be gathered. What's been broken can be made whole. You have the magic to reassemble yourself. You have the love to make yourself complete. You have the determination to search until every piece is found.

You are not broken beyond repair. You are not too fragmented to be whole. You are Osiris—and you are also Isis, the one with the magic to gather, to heal, to resurrect.

The search is complete. The pieces are gathered. You are whole.