Tag: Egyptian pantheon

Your Charm for February 8th is The Tusk

Your Charm for Today

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Today’s Meaning:      

There is a good vibration surrounding this aspect. It feels better than it has in quite some time. Maintain your faith in your deity of choice and this good vibration will remain. Waiver from your faith and this good vibration will dissipate.

General Description:  

This Etruscan talisman – a tusk carved in basalt, and elaborately mounted in gold filigree work – was worn as a protector from danger and evil influences. The charm was supposed to attract good fortune and success. The Tusk represented one of the horns of the Crescent Moon, which was a symbol of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who, in the course of time, became the most universal nad powerful of all the goddesses. The Etruscans, Greeks and romans had great faith in the reputed virtues of amulets, a belief which was greatly influenced by the Egyptians.

Finding Serendipity

Finding Serendipity

Author:   Mirage 

When I was first drawn to Paganism and Wicca, I had some high expectations. I thought that I could summon dragons and fairies and they would appear whenever I wanted. I expected sparks to fly out of the end of my wand and every love spell I cast would bring the man of my dreams right to my door. As we all know, those events never came to be. One thing I didn’t expect, or even consider for that matter, was the relationship I would develop with the Divine. The ironic thing is, the one expectation I didn’t have became the most profound part of my spiritual journey.

I was brought up hardcore Catholic. I only knew of ONE God and His fury if you did something that He disapproved. Not a very fulfilling spiritual experience if you ask me… I was dragged to mass on a weekly basis and I also had to suffer through religion classes as well. I was forced to receive Holy Communion and become a Confirmed Catholic. This was a very angering experience for me- it never felt quite right and it left me feeling empty. I am by no means bashing the Catholic religion; I am just sharing my experience with it.

I was spiritually lost and confused and I had nobody to turn to with my questions and doubts. For a while, I did not believe in anything at all and considered myself Agnostic. I questioned the existence of the Divine and wondered why I should waste my time praying and worshipping something that never responded.

On top of that, I was going through a rough time at school and at home- I didn’t fit in and everybody knew it. The worst part of the whole thing was that people always had to express their feelings of disapproval toward me and that just made things even more difficult and awkward.

When I hit rock bottom and pretty much didn’t care if I lived another day, the Egyptian Goddess Isis called to me. I can’t recall the exact moment that it happened, but I was strangely drawn to Her. I researched Her online and at libraries and also bought everything I could that related to Her (jewelry, statues, books, etc.)

At first I thought the fascination was just something to distract me from all of my emotional issues, but now that I look back on the situation, I think She saved me from myself and my situation. She gave me a new focus and a reason to live.

Unfortunately, I had to hide my beliefs because I was still living with my parents and they considered anything other than what they believed to be “devil worship”. I still continued learning and worshiping, trying to avoid their “blasphemy radar”- I know they knew what I was doing, but they had no proof since I would do most of it after they went to sleep.

I hate to say it, but even after Isis had called to me, I was still skeptical about the existence of the Divine, so I decided to conduct a little “test”. I made several requests to Isis and if they came to be, I told myself that I would never doubt the existence of the Divine again.

Sure enough, my requests were met- not always in ways that I expected, but Isis definitely got Her point across. In the midst of all this, I ended up leaving my parents house-for two reasons to be exact. First of all, I couldn’t stand them continually bashing my spiritual beliefs and trying to impose their beliefs on me again. They never made an effort to learn about my beliefs or ask me why I didn’t want to be a part of their faith any more, and I found that disrespectful. They just assumed I was trying to be rebellious and if they kept threatening me with the fires of hell I would come back to their church and their beliefs. Second, they disapproved the greatest gift that Isis had given to me- my husband (at the time we had just been engaged) .

Once I was out of my parent’s house, I was able to worship and learn freely. No more hiding books and statues… Isis was my fortress. With Her I felt like nothing could harm me- She would let me stumble to learn my lessons, but She would never let me fail completely. I continued my studies pertaining to Wicca and Egyptian Paganism, but I felt something was missing…

Isis was wonderful and She was everything I could possibly want in a Deity, but Wicca emphasized both a Mother and Father God and there were also several Egyptian Gods I read about in my studies as well. As you can well imagine, every time I thought about the idea of a male Deity, I would cringe because of my experiences (or lack thereof) with the Christian God who so happens to be male. I suppose my past had caused me to develop a negative view of the Male Divine. The thought would cross my mind every now and then, but I would brush it aside because it would bring back those uncomfortable feelings I had as a Catholic.

Several years passed and I met a man who was a coven leader. I was a solitary practitioner and still am, but I am always interested in the viewpoints of others. His coven was Ecclectic, so they dealt with various Pantheons and Deities. I refused to budge from the Egyptian Pantheon when it came to worship and working magick, but I was willing to listen and learn about other Pantheons and Deities. I was having some personal issues at the time, and I needed a way to effectively let go of issues in my life that were holding me back.

The coven leader and I held a small private ritual in which we asked the Egyptian God Set for help to clear away my issues. I was both skeptical and uncomfortable for a few reasons. First of all, in Egyptian mythology, Set murdered the husband of Isis so he could be ruler of Egypt. Basically people have viewed him as being evil. I was afraid that by dealing with Set, this would irritate Isis and I would lose everything I had with Her. Second, my issue with the Male Divine came to mind as well.

I decided to let things take their course and go from there.

Months passed, and things gradually got better for me. I moved to a better apartment, got a promotion at work, and improved my relationship with my husband. I also strengthened my relationship with Isis and began a relationship with Set. I began to look past the gender of a Deity and focused on their aspects and how to develop a relationship with them.

I have several personality characteristics in common with both Isis and Set and I think this is why I am so close to both of them. I know it is an odd combination of Deities to work with (for those of you who follow the Egyptian Pantheon, I’m sure you can see why) , but they have both shown me that faith doesn’t have to be a blind and empty ordeal- the Divine is out there and if you know how to connect with it in a way that is personally moving to you, you will feel it and experience it!

I guess you can say that Set allowed me to let go of my negative preconceptions of the Male Divine and also helped me balance my spiritual life with guidance and protection from both a God and Goddess.

What I’m trying to say here is not to take religion or spirituality at face value. You can get caught up in all the glitz and glamour of magic and such, but our path has so much more to offer us! Expect the unexpected and view it as a gift from the Divine. I hope my story has inspired you to take a look at your spiritual life and count your blessings as well 🙂

Brightest Blessings,

Mirage

Guide To The Goddesses

Guide To The Goddesses

A
APHRODITE: She is the Greek Goddess of sexual love. She was born from the bloody foam of the sea where Cronus threw the genitals of his father Uranus after castrating him.

ARACHNE: She is the Greek spider goddess. She was skilled in weaving and challenged Athene to compete with her. The contest was held and Arachne’s weave was flawless. Enraged, Athene turned her into a spider, doomed to eternally spin thread. She represents the spinning and weaving pattern of destiny.

ARADIA: She is the Italian goddess born from Diana and Lucifer. She came to earth to teach the witches her mother’s magick.

ARANI: Hindu Goddess of Fire, including female sexual fire. Her symbol is the firewheel. Her rituals include female masturbatory and/or lesbian practices.

ARIADNE: She is Cretan and Greek. Her festival is December 26th.

ARIANRHOD: She is a major Welsh Goddess. Is sometimes considered the goddess of the stars, to which souls withdraw between incarnations. She is the goddess of reincarnation. She is honored at the Full Moon.

ARTEMIS: She is the Greek Nature and Moon Goddess. Her name means “High Source of Water” which means she is the ruler of all waters, oceanic,psychic, and menstrual tides. She is invoked by women in childbirth. She is the protectress of youth, especially young women. She is also invoked by travelers to bring good weather.

ARIEL: European goddess fairy/queen linked to the magickal power of the moon.

ASTARTE: She is a fertility goddess. She is associated with the planet Venus.

ATHENA: She is the Greek Warrior Goddess. She is also the goddess of intelligence, war, and the art of peace. She is the protector of towns, heroes, and patroness of architects, sculptors, spinners and weavers.

ATHTOR: Egyptian Goddess. She is the personification of Mother Night, the element covering the infinite abyss.

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B
BAST: Egyptian cat Goddess. She represented the beneficent power of the Sun in contrast to Sekhamet who represented the destructive powers of the Sun. She is a kind goddess of joy, music, and dancing. She also protected men from contagious diseases and evil spirits.

BEAN-NIGHE: Scottish and Irish Goddess that haunts lonely streams washing the bloodstained garments of those about to die. A Bean-Nighe is said to be the spirit of a woman who died in childbirth, and fated to act this way until the day she was supposed to die.

BEFANA: The Italian witch-fairy who flies her broomstick on Twelfth Night to come down chimneys and bring presents to children.

BRIGHID: She is the Irish Goddess of fertility and inspiration.

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C
CALLISTO: The Greek Moon Goddess.

CERRIDWEN: She is the Welsh Goddess of the moon and grain, the giver of inspiration and knowledge. She is famous for her cauldron of wisdom.

CYBELE: Greek Goddess of caverns, the Earth in its primitive state, and worshipped on mountaintops. She ruled over wild beasts, and bees.

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D
DARK MAID, The: The Chinese Goddess who sends frost and snow.

DEMETER: The Greek Goddess of the fruitful Earth. She is the mother of Persephone.

DEVI: Hindu mother goddess. She embraces all things from a pure spirit. She is the goddess of Intelligence, the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water. She embodies the creative love and motherly love.

DIANA: Roman Goddess equivelent to Artemis. She is the Goddess of light, mountains, woods, and the Goddess of witches. She is invoked to protect the harvest against storms. She is also the Goddess of the Moon.

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E
EDAIN: Irish Goddess of reincarnation.

ERZULIE: Haitian voodoo goddess of love. She expresses the worshippers dreams of luxury and wealth.

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F
FAUNA: Roman Goddess of the Earth and fields.

FLORA: Roman Goddess of everything that flourishes, i.e. budding springtime, fruit trees, flowers, and the vine.

FREYA: Teutonic Goddess. She protected marriages and made them fruitful.

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G
GAIA: The Greek Earth Mother, the first to emerge from Chaos. She created the Universe, the first race of gods, and mankind. She presides over marriages, was invoked in oaths, and offered the first of fruit and grain.

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H
HATHOR: Egyptian goddess of the sky. She is the goddess of pleasure, joy, love, makeup, music, and dancing. She is the protectress of women.

HECATE: Greek Goddess of the Moon, Underworld, and magick. She is associated with the Crossroads, and is the Crone.

HEKET: Egyptian Goddess of childbirth and resurrection. She is the midwife of kings and queens, and also of the sun every morning.

HERA: Greek Goddess of marriage and maternity.

HESTIA: Greek Goddess of the domestic fire and of the home.

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I
INANNA: The Sumerian Queen of Heaven. She is the mother goddess, associated with Earth, love, grain, oracles, battles, weaving, and wine. She is also the goddess of sovereignty.

ISHTAR: She is the Assyro-Babylonian mother goddess. She is the goddess of Earth, fertility, love, battles, storms, marriage, the moon, and divination. She is honored on the Full Moon.

ISIS: Egyptian Goddess of reincarnation, rebirth, etc. She has a very rich history and the mythology stories about her are fascinating but lengthy.

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J
JANA: Roman Goddess, guardian of doors and of the turn of the year. January was named after her.

JUNO: Roman Goddess of the new moon and sky.

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K
KALI: Hindu Goddess, one of the DEVI. She is often called Kali Ma, which means “the black mother.” She is the goddess of demons, the creative force, she is a terrible but necessary destroyer.

KUNDALINI: Hindu Goddess, she is the universal life force.

KWAN-YIN: Chinese/Buddhist Goddess of healing and children. Her image is of sitting on a lotus flower and a child in her arms. She is a magician, a teacher of magick, sometimes a prostitute.

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L
LAKSHMI: Hindu Goddess of good fortune and beauty. She was an early mother and earth goddess.

LI: Chinese Goddess of solar feminine aspects, fire, the middle daughter, the lucid, the bride. She is associated with Mid-summer and noon.

LILITH: Hebrew goddess, Adam’s first wife. She would not subordinate herself to him and was thus turned into a demoness.

LILITU: Sumerian goddess that brought nightmares and other nocturnal menaces. She was also a storm goddess and the name is often associated with Lilith.

LUNA: Roman Moon Goddess, identified with Diana and the Greek Selene.

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M
MA’AT: Egyptian Goddess of justice, truth, law, and the divine order, the natural and inevitable order of the universe rather than artificially imposed rules. She played an important part in the judgement of the dead.

MAYA: Hindu Goddess of nature, she is the universal creatress. She is associated with magick, witches, and knowledge.

MESHKENT: Egyptian goddess of childbirth.

MINERVA: Roman Goddess of industry, commerce, and education. She was also a war goddess.

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N
NEMESIS: Greek Goddess of divine anger, against mortals who offended the moral law, broke taboos, or achieved too much happiness and wealth.

NEPHTHYS: Egyptian Goddess of the desert. She was a mourner with Isis and also guardian of the dead. She stood at the head of the coffin, Isis stood at the foot.

NIKE: Greek goddess of victory.

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O
None at this time.

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P
PANDORA: Greek Goddess. Each God and Goddess gave her a gift, Zeus put it in a box and gave it to her, instructing her not to open it. She did anyways and all the evils that plague mankind came out of it. All that was left at the bottom was Hope.

PARVATI: Hindu Goddess of love, metaphysics, and power.

PERSEPHONE: Greek Goddess, daughter of Demeter. She is an Underworld goddess, and a corn-seed goddess. Her attribute is the pomegranate.

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Q
None at this time.

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R
RHIANNON: Welsh Goddess of fertility, otherworld, horses, night, death, and the moon.

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S
SARASVATI: Hindu goddess of speech, music, wisdom, knowledge, and the arts. She was originally a river goddess.

SEKHMET: Egyptian goddess of war, the destructive power of the Sun, and also the defence of the divine order.

SELENE: Greek Moon goddess.

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T
TARA: Hindu star goddess, teacher of the gods, the founder of the lunar dynasties.

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U
UMA: Hindu Goddess of light and beauty, called the Golden Goddess.

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V
VENUS: Roman goddess of spring, protectress of vegetation and gardens, goddess of love.

VESTA: Roman goddess of fire both domestic and ritual. Her name means torch or candle.

VICTORIA: Roman goddess of military success, protectress of fields and woods.

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W
None at this time.

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X
XOCHHIQUETZAL: Aztec goddess of the moon and magick, the deity of flowers, spring, sex, love, and marriage.

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Y
None at this time.

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Z
None at this time.

Your Charm for September 24 is The Necklace of Charms

Your Charm for Today

Today’s Meaning:    

What you need in this aspect is a bit of understanding. You can find happiness in abundance if you understand and accept the differences of those with whom you share your life within this aspect.

General Description:

This is an Egyptian group of amulets. The center ornament is the Lotus, from which hangs the emblem of Millions of years — Thou shalt never perish, never, never come to an end. The Lotus bestowed upon the wearer Light and Understanding, the gifts of the god Ra, their sun god, king of gods and of men. The Fish, the symbol of the Egyptian goddess who controlled the rising of the Nile brought Abundance and Riches. The other pendant is in the form of a lock of hair, the meaning of which is obscure.

Calendar of the Sun for August 29

Calendar of the Sun

29 Weodmonath

Hathor’s Birthday

Colors: Rose and white
Element: Water
Altar: Upon cloth of rose and white set six white candles, incense of flowers, a chalice of fresh cow’s milk, white barley cakes, and a pair of cow’s horns surrounded by many flowers.
Offering: Flowers.
Daily Meal: Barley cakes and bread, and any dairy products.

Invocation to Hathor

Horned Goddess,
Cow-eyed lady,
You who appreciate your comforts,
You whose music spreads love
And harmony,
Nourish us with the understanding
That there can never be too much love
That it is an inexhaustible supply
That there will always be more where it came from.
Gracious goddess of the flowering fields,
Lady whose love thrives like green pasture,
You keep your home at the last outpost of Life,
On the road to the Underworld,
Where you give the traveling Dead their last meal,
And their last touch of Love.
Cow-eyed goddess,
Horned Lady,
Give forth your wisdom
Like mother’s milk
And we will be grateful for it.

(Each should approach the altar and give a flower to Hathor, and in return they receive a sip of milk and her blessing. The chalice is offered by the last one to drink. The remainder is poured out as a libation.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Your Charm for August 27 is The Tusk

The Charm for August 27

Today’s Meaning:  

There is a good vibration surrounding this aspect. It feels better than it has in quite some time. Maintain your faith in your diety of choice and this good vibration will remain. Waiver from your faith and this good vibration will dissapate.

General Description:   

This Etruscan talisman – a tusk carved in basalt, and elaborately mounted in gold filigree work – was worn as a protector from danger and evil influences. The charm was supposed to attract good fortune and success. The Tusk represented one of the horns of the Crescent Moon, which was a symbol of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who, in the course of time, became the most universal and powerful of all the goddesses. The Etruscans, Greeks and romans had great faith in the reputed virtues of amulets, a belief which was greatly influenced by the Egyptians.

The Wicca Book of Days for March 5th – The Ship of Isis

The Wicca Book of Days for March 5th

The Ship of Isis

March 5 marked the start of the sailing season in ancient Greece and Rome. The return of ships to the sea after their dry-dock overwintering was celebrated with a festival dedicated to Isis Pelagia (“Isis of the Open Sea”), the Egyptian goddess in her capacity as the protector of sailors. The high point of the Navigium Isidis (“Ship of Isis”) ceremony was a procession led by the priests of Isis bearing items sacred to her, the focal point being a cart carrying an ornately decorated model ship. When the company arrived at the shore, this ship of Isis was launched as a placatory offering to the goddess in the hope that she would avert disasters at sea.

 

Treat Your Tresses!

Being ruled by Pisces, March 5’s polarity is feminine, so take advantage of ts womanly vibes. Women enacted smoothing Isis’s hair with ivory combs during the Navigium Isidis, so why not splash out on a top-quality hairbrush or deep-condition your locks?

Today We Honor The Goddess Nekhbet

The Goddess Nekhbet

In Egyptian mythology, Nekhbet (also spelt Nechbet, and Nekhebit) was an early predynastic local goddess who was the patron of the city of Nekheb, her name meaning of Nekheb. Ultimately, she became the patron of Upper Egypt and one of the two patron deities for all of Ancient Egypt when it was unified.

She was seen as a goddess who had chosen to adopt the city, and consequently depicted as the Egyptian white vulture, a creature that the Egyptians thought only existed as females (not knowing that, lacking sexual dimorphism, the males are identical). They were presumed to be reproducing via parthenogenesis.

Egypt’s oldest oracle was the shrine of Nekhbet at Nekheb, the original necropolis or city of the dead. It was the companion city to Nekhen, the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt at the end of the Predynastic period (c. 3200–3100 BC) and probably, also during the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3100–2686 BC). The original settlement on the Nekhen site dates from Naqada I or the late Badarian cultures. At its height, from about 3400 BC, Nekhen had at least 5,000 and possibly as many as 10,000 inhabitants.

The priestesses of Nekhbet were called muu (mothers) and wore robes of Egyptian vulture feathers.

Later, as with Wadjet, Nekhbet’s sister, became patron of the pharaohs, in her case becoming the personification of Upper Egypt. The images of these two primal goddesses became the protecting deities for all of Egypt, also known as the “two ladies” and one of the titles of each ruler was the Nebty name, which was associated with these goddesses and beginning as [s/he] of the Two Ladies… with the remainder of that title.

In art, Nekhbet was depicted as the white vulture (representing purification), always seen on the front of pharaoh’s double crown along with Wadjet. Nekhbet usually was depicted hovering, with her wings spread above the royal image, clutching a shen symbol (representing infinity, all, or everything), frequently in both of her claws. As patron of the pharaoh, she was sometimes seen to be the mother of the divine aspect of the pharaoh, and it was in this capacity that she was Mother of Mothers, and the Great White Cow of Nekheb.

The vulture hieroglyph was the uniliteral sign used for the glottal sound (3) including words such as mother, prosperous, grandmother, and ruler. In some late texts of the Book of the Dead, Nekhbet is referred to as Father of Fathers, Mother of Mothers, who hath existed from the Beginning, and is Creatrix of this World.

When pairing began to occur in the Egyptian pantheon, giving most of the goddesses a husband, Nekhbet was said to become the wife of Hapy, a deity of the inundation of the Nile. Given the early and constant association of Nekhbet with being a good mother, in later myths she was said to have adopted children.

Wikipedia

 

The Goddess Bastet

The Goddess Bastet

 

Bastet is the name commonly used by scholars today to refer to a feline goddess of Ancient Egyptian religion who was worshipped at least since the Second Dynasty. Her name is also spelled Bast, Baast, Ubasti and Baset.

Name in hieroglyphs
W1 t B1
Major cult center Bubastis
Symbol the cat, the lioness, the sistrum
Parents Ra, Atum

Bastet, the form of the name which is most commonly adopted by Egyptologists today, is only a modern convention, which offers one possible reconstruction. In early Egyptian, her name appears to have been bȝstt, where ȝ represents an aleph. In Egyptian writing, the second t marks a feminine ending, but was not usually pronounced, and the aleph ȝ may have moved to a position before the accented syllable, as witnessed by the Aramaic spelling ȝbst.By the first millennium, then, bȝstt would have been something like ‘obest’ or ‘ubesti’ in Egyptian speech.

The town of Bastet’s cult (see below) was known in Greek as Boubastis (Βούβαστις). The Hebrew rendering of the name for this town is Pî-beset (“House of Bastet”), spelled without Vortonsilbe.

What the name of the goddess means remains uncertain. One recent suggestion by Stephen Quirke (Ancient Egyptian Religion) explains it as meaning “She of the ointment jar”. This ties in with the observation that her name was written with the hieroglyph “ointment jar” (bȝs) and that she was associated with protective ointments, among other things.

From the third millennium BC, when Bastet begins to appear in our record, she is depicted as either a fierce lioness or a

Originally she was viewed as the protector goddess of Lower Egypt. As protector, she was seen as defender of the pharaoh, and consequently of the later chief male deity, Ra, who was also a solar deity, gaining her the titles Lady of Flame and Eye of Ra.

Her role in the pantheon became diminished as Sekhmet, a similar lioness war deity, became more dominant in the unified culture of Lower and Upper Egypt

In the first millennium BC, when domesticated cats were popularly kept as pets, Bastet began to be represented as a woman with the head of a cat and ultimately emerged as the Egyptian cat-goddess par excellence. In the Middle Kingdom, the domestic cat appeared as Bastet’s sacred animal and after the New Kingdom she was depicted as a woman with the head of a cat or a lioness, carrying a sacred rattle and a box or basket.

History and Connection To Other Gods

Cats in ancient Egypt were revered highly, partly due to their ability to combat vermin such as mice, rats – which threatened key food supplies – and snakes, especially cobras. Cats of royalty were, in some instances, known to be dressed in golden jewelry and were allowed to eat from their owners’ plates. Turner and Bateson estimate that during the Twenty-second dynasty c.945-715 BC, Bastet worship changed to being a major cat deity (as opposed to a lioness deity). With the unification of the two Egypts, many similar deities were merged into one or the other, the significance of Bast and Sekhmet, to the regional cultures that merged, resulted in a retention of both, necessitating a change to one or the other. During later dynasties, Bast was assigned a lesser role in the pantheon, but retained.

In the temple at Per-Bast some cats were found to have been mummified and buried, many next to their owners. More than 300,000 mummified cats were discovered when Bast’s temple at Per-Bast was excavated. The main source of information about the Bast cult comes from Herodotus who visited Bubastis around 450 BC during the heyday of the cult. He equated Bastet with the Greek Goddess Artemis. He wrote extensively about the cult. Turner and Bateson suggest that the status of the cat was roughly equivalent to that of the cow in modern India. The death of a cat might leave a family in great mourning and those who could would have them embalmed or buried in cat cemeteries – pointing to the great prevalence of the cult of Bastet. Extensive burials of cat remains were found not only at Bubastis, but also at Beni Hasan and Saqqara. In 1888, a farmer uncovered a plot of many hundreds of thousands of cats in Beni Hasan.

The lioness represented the war goddess and protector of both lands. As the fierce lion god Maahes of Nubia later became part of Egyptian mythology, during the time of the New Kingdom, Bastet was held to be the daughter of Amun Ra, a newly ascending deity in the Egyptian pantheon during that late dynasty. Bastet became identified as his mother in the Lower Egypt, near the delta. Similarly the fierce lioness war goddess Sekhmet, became identified as the mother of Maashes in the Upper Egypt.

As divine mother, and more especially as protector, for Lower Egypt, Bastet became strongly associated with Wadjet, the patron goddess of Lower Egypt. She eventually became Wadjet-Bast, paralleling the similar pair of patron (Nekhbet) and lioness protector (Sekhmet) for Upper Egypt.

Later perception

Later scribes sometimes renamed her Bastet, a variation on Bast consisting of an additional feminine suffix to the one already present, thought to have been added to emphasize pronunciation; perhaps it is a diminutive name applied as she receded in the ascendancy of Sekhmet in the Egyptian pantheon. Since Bastet literally meant, (female) of the ointment jar, Her name was related with the lavish jars in which Egyptians stored their perfume. Bast thus gradually became regarded as the goddess of perfumes, earning the title, perfumed protector. In connection with this, when Anubis became the god of embalming, Bast, as goddess of ointment, came to be regarded as his wife. The association of Bastet as mother of Anubis, was broken years later when Anubis became identified as the son of Nephthys.

Lower Egypt’s loss in the wars between Upper and Lower Egypt led to a decrease in the ferocity of Bast. Thus, by the Middle Kingdom she came to be regarded as a domestic cat rather than a lioness. Occasionally, however, she was depicted holding a lioness mask, hinting at her potential ferocity.

Because domestic cats tend to be tender and protective of their offspring, Bast also was regarded as a good mother, and she was sometimes depicted with numerous kittens. Consequently, a woman who wanted children sometimes wore an amulet showing the goddess with kittens, the number of which indicated her own desired number of children.

Eventually, her position as patron and protector of Lower Egypt led to her being identified with the more substantial goddess Mut, whose cult had risen to power with that of Amun, and eventually being syncretized with her as Mut-Wadjet-Bast. Shortly after, in the constantly evolving pantheon, Mut also absorbed the identities of the Sekhmet-Nekhbet pairing as well.

This merging of identities of similar goddesses has led to considerable confusion, leading to some attributing to Bastet the title Mistress of the Sistrum (more properly belonging to Hathor, who had become thought of as an aspect of the later emerging Isis, as had Mut), and the Greek idea of her as a lunar goddess (more properly an attribute of Mut) rather than the solar deity she was. The native Egyptian rulers were replaced by Greeks during an occupation of Egypt that lasted almost five hundred years. These new rulers adopted many Egyptian beliefs and customs, but always “interpreted” them in relation to their Greek culture. These associations sought to link the antiquity of Egyptian culture to the newer Greek culture, thereby lending parallel roots and a sense of continuity. Indeed, much confusion occurred with subsequent generations; the identity of Bast slowly merged among the Greeks during their occupation of Egypt, who sometimes named her Ailuros (Greek for cat), thinking of Bast as a version of Artemis, their own moon goddess. Thus, to fit their own cosmology, to the Greeks Bast is thought of as the sister of Horus, whom they identified as Apollo (Artemis’ brother), and consequently, the daughter of the later emerging deities, Isis and Ra. Roman occupation of Egypt followed in 30 BC, and their pantheon of deities also was identified with the Greek interpretations of the Ancient Egyptians. The introduction of Christianity and Muslim beliefs followed as well, and by the sixth century AD only a few vestiges of Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs remained, although the cult of Isis had spread to the ends of the Roman Empire.

Dear Lady Bast
Shining, bright one
Goddess of Egypt
Deity of the moon
And Patroness of cats and women.
Guide me,
Bless me,
Light up my life with your divine intervention.
So mote it be.

The ritual of Bast

Begin the ritual with a breathing exercise to relax the participants and enliven their energy. Now light the anointed candles which stand before the goddess. Next, construct a cone of power. The cone is a travelling one, and the participants must visualize it leaving this world, travelling through space back in time to ancient Egypt, and alighting in the desert.

The visualizer now takes over, and says:

Step out of the cone and into the desert. Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and the burning heat of the sand beneath your feet. In the distance you can see a vast temple rearing up to meet the sky. Begin to walk towards the temple, noting anything that you see on the way. As you draw closer you pass by an oasis pool surrounded by tall palm trees. Lionesses doze in the shade of the trees and as you pass by they lift their heads as if to grant you passage into the temple.

Walk on, past the lionesses, towards the temple. As you get closer you begin to realize what a massive structure it is. It is constructed of vast columns, which are intricately carved with symbols and hieroglyphs. Ahead of you there is a wide sandstone path leading up to the main entrance, which is flanked by two huge obelisks. These are constructed of rough golden sandstone and are so tall that they seem to reach up to the sky. Walk up the path and amongst the columns. Once you are in their shade the air feels cool and refreshing. It seems like a haven from the relentless heat of the desert. You can smell a strong fragrance of cut blooms on the air and the subtler scent of exotic musky incense.

You find that you are standing in the outer courtyard of the temple. There are trees cultivated here and in the centre you can see a large circular pool. This pool reflects the burning gold of the sun in the daytime and the silver light of the moon by night for these are both aspects of the Goddess. There are temple staff around you, all going about their duties. Many of them smile at you in greeting but none approach you. It is as if you are expected here.

At the back of the courtyard you can see a huge doorway which leads to the outer shrine. Walk towards it. Either side of this great doorway you can see that the walls are carved with pictures of cat headed people and seated cats. You can reach out and run your hand over the warm stone. Feel the contours of the carvings beneath your fingers.

Step inside the shrine now. The room is dimly lit, let your eyes adjust after the bright sunlight outside. After a moment you can see that before you stand a statue of a great cat carved from smooth, black stone. It wears thick gold earrings and an ornately crafted collar of faience. At its feet lie offerings left by visitors to the temple. You can see many flowers and perfume jars, as well as statues and figurines. Priests and priestesses are in the shrine, tending a multi­tude of cats. The air around you is full of the music of the cats; their purrs and cries. Pause to pay your respect to the sacred cat of Bast, and then walk on down a corridor to your right.

You are making your way towards the inner sanctum of Bast down a short corridor lit with flickering lamps and candles. At the far end the corridor opens out into a vast room lined by pillars. At the other end of the room, so huge that it fills your vision, is a flight of golden steps that leads up to an immense golden statue of the goddess. She is depicted as a beautiful cat-headed woman. She wears heavy jewellery at her ears and throat and is swathed in a robe carved from gold. In her hand she carries a golden sistrum, her sacred rattle, and at her feet are tiny golden kittens. The steps below her are covered in cats, sleeping, grooming, playing. The room is full of soft but lively music, played by priestesses on flutes and drums and rattles. Other priests and priestesses dance sinuously to the music, like cats themselves. The floor is covered in petals and as you walk upon them, they release their heady fragrance. Approach the foot of the stairs and raise your arms.

The visualizer shakes a sistrum three times. The charge-reader says:

Oh, Bast, lady of Asheru,

ruler of Sekhet-Neter,

Ruler of the divine field, lady of Ankhtawy, Life of the two lands,

We, your priestesses call to you.

Hear our prayers.

We come before you in love.

We come before you in peace.

We come before you in joy.

And ask that we might speak with you.

May your essence enter into the statue before us.

And become your living body in this world.

Dwell here in gentleness, Bast,

And let your blessings be upon us.

The whole group shake their sistra, conjuring the Heka ofBast to enter the statue, both in the visualization and in the statue at home.

Concentrate on this happening. When you feel a change in the energy of the room let the shaking die away. (A group may need a few attempts before they sense energy in unison but it will happen with practice.)

The visualizer resumes:

Now visualize that the statue before you begins to comealive. The eyes become the living eyes of a cat, and gradually the gold turns to furry skin. The kittens at her feet begin to play and the folds of her dress flow softly. The goddess begins to descend the stairs towards you, her eyes full of benevolence and peace.

While this is happening, you must cast your inner eye back to the room where your statue of the goddess stands before the anointed candles. Imagine that the light of these candles shines into the statue, which is like an extension of the senses of Bast in the temple. Through the light of these candles, Bast can see your soul, and recognizes you.

The visualizer shakes the rattles. The charge-reader says:

Oh, Bast, queen of all cats, Daughter of Ra,

We bring offerings to you

As symbols of our love and respect.

We offer food to the great goddess in the temple of Bast.

We offer drink to the cat of the heavens.

We offer incense to the gentle cat.

We offer love to the daughter of Ra.

Now burn some incense and eat the feast, but leave a small portion of each item you eat for Bast. These morsels should be pIaced in a separate dish. The feast can be shared with any cats that are present. Pass round a goblet of wine (which can be refilled as often as you like), each person present splashing a little of it over the other offerings in the dish. Try to imagine that you are still in the temple rather than at home; the visualization has not ended. After this has been done, place the dish of offerings on the altar before the statue. Now close your eyes and make yourself comfort able to return to the visualization.

The visualizer shakes the sistrum three times, and says:

See the temple clearly once more around you.

Bast is standing before us, enjoying the offerings we have given her.

The visualizer shakes the sistrum three times again. The charge-reader says:

Oh Bast. daughter of Ra. Divine cat, lady of all magic,

Accept our offerings for they are given in love.

Grant to us our desires and come to our aid.

Reach out to us with gentle hands,

And let your blessing be upon your priestesses.

So it is spoken, so it is done.

Each member of the group now visualizes clearly in pictures exactly what he or she wants from Bast. Imagine yourself as happy, carefree, loved and loving, but show it in pictures rather than words. After an appropriate time, the visualizer shakes the sistrum and the charge-reader says:

Oh Bast, queen of cats, Lady of laue and pleasure,

We offer you our humble thanks for all that you have granted to us.

Continue to share with us your strength and your fire.

Lend us your understanding, show us your wisdom.

Give us the courage to be all that we may be

And the ability to know ourselves as you know us.

May we take with us from this temple a feeling of peace that will be with us in the days and weeks to come.

May we feel enlivened and liberated from all care.

May you strengthen this sisterhood,

With love, unity and grace.

We ask this in your name, Bast, Lady of Ankhtawy, lady of Asheru,

Ruler of the divine field,

Ruler of Sekhet-Neter.

Continue the visualization for a few moments. It is time for all present to commune privately with the goddess. She may have. knowledge to bestow or gifts to impart. She may take you to other parts of the temple, or elsewhere in her realm. You may meet other people or gods. After an appropriate time, the visualizer shakes the rattles, and the charge-reader says:

Oh, Bast, we thank you for this audience.

We go from your temple with your presence in ourhearts.

We are your priestesses and will do all in our power

To protect your children on this earth.

When we make love, we will do so as an offering to you.

When we partake of delicious food and drink, we will do so as an offering to you.

When we dance, we will do so as an offering to you.

When we sing, we will do so as an offering to you.

We give you our love and our gratitude,

Be forever in our hearts, Bast, even when we here present are apart.

The visualizer resumes:

Now bow to the goddess, and see her begin to retreat up the stairs. When she reaches the top she assumes her normal position and turns back into a sleeping statue of gold. When you are ready, bid farewell to the priests and priestesses, and to all the cats. Walk back down the corridor again. In the outer shrine it is time to have a few thoughts for your own cats. Perhaps you may like to ask for Bast’s protection for them. You can also ask for her blessing for any other loved ones. When you have finished bow your head to the statue to show your thanks and continue on out of the temple. Make your way back through the outer courtyard and out of the huge entrance again. You can see the cone of power shining in the distance. Walk towards it, past the oasis pool and the lionesses. Once you reach it step inside and sit back down.

The person designated to construct the cone now brings it back to present space and time, and dismantles it. When this is done, he or she says, ‘When you are ready, open your eyes.’

After the ritual

Once everyone has opened their eyes, it is a good idea for them to talk about their experiences. Some people might feel that their visu alizations are too personal to discuss at that time, and this must be respected. In our group, we always tape the results of a working, and type it up afterwards as a permanent record. You may like to make a note of your experiences in your magical diary.

After the discussion, we always enter party mode. The first thing we do is dance for Bast. We play our favourite songs and usually sing to them – badly, it has to be said, but we are sure Bast does not mind that! On many ritual nights we have sat up drinking wine and talking until dawn. These are special nights, and everyone should enjoy them as they see fit.

The remains of the feast should be cast out over a garden or some other appropriate spot. During the following days, many of us also like to make some kind of donation to a charity associated with cats, whether in cash or simply a can of cat food in one of the many charity dump bins in pet stores.

This rite can be adapted for use as a simple ‘thanks’ ritual. Instead of asking Bast for her help, the time in the ritual apportioned for requesting boons can be spent simply thanking the goddess for past help and for her presence in our lives. We think it is as important to do this as any potent ritual to improve a situationor create opportunities. The aid of the gods should never be taken for granted.

 

 

Now visualize that the statue before you begins to comealive. The eyes become the living eyes of a cat, and gradually the gold turns to furry skin. The kittens at her feet begin to play and the folds of her dress flow softly. The goddess begins to descend the stairs towards you, her eyes full of benevolence and peace.

While this is happening, you must cast your inner eye back to the room where your statue of the goddess stands before the anointed candles. Imagine that the light of these candles shines into the statue, which is like an extension of the senses of Bast in the temple. Through the light of these candles, Bast can see your soul, and recognizes you.

The visualizer shakes the rattles. The charge-reader says:

Oh, Bast, queen of all cats, Daughter of Ra,

We bring offerings to you

As symbols of our love and respect.

We offer food to the great goddess in the temple of Bast.

We offer drink to the cat of the heavens.

We offer incense to the gentle cat.

We offer love to the daughter of Ra.

Now burn some incense and eat the feast, but leave a small portion of each item you eat for Bast. These morsels should be pIaced in a separate dish. The feast can be shared with any cats that are present. Pass round a goblet of wine (which can be refilled as often as you like), each person present splashing a little of it over the other offerings in the dish. Try to imagine that you are still in the temple rather than at home; the visualization has not ended. After this has been done, place the dish of offerings on the altar before the statue. Now close your eyes and make yourself comfort able to return to the visualization.

The visualizer shakes the sistrum three times, and says:

See the temple clearly once more around you.

Bast is standing before us, enjoying the offerings we have given her.

The visualizer shakes the sistrum three times again. The charge-reader says:

Oh Bast. daughter of Ra. Divine cat, lady of all magic,

Accept our offerings for they are given in love.

Grant to us our desires and come to our aid.

Reach out to us with gentle hands,

And let your blessing be upon your priestesses.

So it is spoken, so it is done.

Each member of the group now visualizes clearly in pictures exactly what he or she wants from Bast. Imagine yourself as happy, carefree, loved and loving, but show it in pictures rather than words. After an appropriate time, the visualizer shakes the sistrum and the charge-reader says:

Oh Bast, queen of cats, Lady of laue and pleasure,

We offer you our humble thanks for all that you have granted to us.

Continue to share with us your strength and your fire.

Lend us your understanding, show us your wisdom.

Give us the courage to be all that we may be

And the ability to know ourselves as you know us.

May we take with us from this temple a feeling of peace that will be with us in the days and weeks to come.

May we feel enlivened and liberated from all care.

May you strengthen this sisterhood,

With love, unity and grace.

We ask this in your name, Bast, Lady of Ankhtawy, lady of Asheru,

Ruler of the divine field,

Ruler of Sekhet-Neter.

Continue the visualization for a few moments. It is time for all present to commune privately with the goddess. She may have. knowledge to bestow or gifts to impart. She may take you to other parts of the temple, or elsewhere in her realm. You may meet other people or gods. After an appropriate time, the visualizer shakes the rattles, and the charge-reader says:

Oh, Bast, we thank you for this audience.

We go from your temple with your presence in ourhearts.

We are your priestesses and will do all in our power

To protect your children on this earth.

When we make love, we will do so as an offering to you.

When we partake of delicious food and drink, we will do so as an offering to you.

When we dance, we will do so as an offering to you.

When we sing, we will do so as an offering to you.

We give you our love and our gratitude,

Be forever in our hearts, Bast, even when we here present are apart.

The visualizer resumes:

Now bow to the goddess, and see her begin to retreat up the stairs. When she reaches the top she assumes her normal position and turns back into a sleeping statue of gold. When you are ready, bid farewell to the priests and priestesses, and to all the cats. Walk back down the corridor again. In the outer shrine it is time to have a few thoughts for your own cats. Perhaps you may like to ask for Bast’s protection for them. You can also ask for her blessing for any other loved ones. When you have finished bow your head to the statue to show your thanks and continue on out of the temple. Make your way back through the outer courtyard and out of the huge entrance again. You can see the cone of power shining in the distance. Walk towards it, past the oasis pool and the lionesses. Once you reach it step inside and sit back down.

The person designated to construct the cone now brings it back to present space and time, and dismantles it. When this is done, he or she says, ‘When you are ready, open your eyes.’

After the ritual

Once everyone has opened their eyes, it is a good idea for them to talk about their experiences. Some people might feel that their visu alizations are too personal to discuss at that time, and this must be respected. In our group, we always tape the results of a working, and type it up afterwards as a permanent record. You may like to make a note of your experiences in your magical diary.

After the discussion, we always enter party mode. The first thing we do is dance for Bast. We play our favourite songs and usually sing to them – badly, it has to be said, but we are sure Bast does not mind that! On many ritual nights we have sat up drinking wine and talking until dawn. These are special nights, and everyone should enjoy them as they see fit.

The remains of the feast should be cast out over a garden or some other appropriate spot. During the following days, many of us also like to make some kind of donation to a charity associated with cats, whether in cash or simply a can of cat food in one of the many charity dump bins in pet stores.

This rite can be adapted for use as a simple ‘thanks’ ritual. Instead of asking Bast for her help, the time in the ritual apportioned for requesting boons can be spent simply thanking the goddess for past help and for her presence in our lives. We think it is as important to do this as any potent ritual to improve a situation or create opportunities. The aid of the gods should never be taken for granted.

 

Homage to Bast

 

Oh Bast, Lady of Aheru, ruler of Sekhet-neter

 

Lady of Ankhtawy, ruler of the Divine Field

 

Life of the Two lands

 

We call to you.

 

Hear us and awaken to our presence.

 

Bast, you are beauty, health and gentleness.

 

You comfort those who are made mad by the moon,

 

When you walk at their side in the shadow lands.

 

You, oh lady, are of the gods who protect this world.

 

Thunder and lightning strike the skies,

 

But you return in glory with your father, the sun.

 

You can blast and you can forgive

 

You can punish and you can reward

 

You can grant sunshine unto children

 

You can grant moonshine unto lovers

 

You have died and yet you live.

 

It is whispered that if one man or woman should believe in your power

 

You can hearken to the prayers of all the world. Hear us, oh Bast,

 

You can twist the skein and weave the thread of destiny.

 

You are sacred and beautiful, a lady of music.

 

You are lustrous and all-powerful,

 

And the world rides upon the arch of your back.

 

You are venerated and called the Lady of the East.

 

Bast the divine, ruler of the night, goddess of love, Infinite, all-wise and all-knowing.

 

Grant blessings unto us who follows in your ways.

 

Great cat, who is the cat of the heavens,

 

Grant to us our desires.

 

Be favourable unto us.

 

From Sekhem Heka written by Storm Constantine

 

Your Charm for 4/17

Your Charm for Today
 
 

The Tusk
 
Today’s Meaning:
There is a good vibration surrounding this aspect. It feels better than it has in quite some time. Maintain your faith in your diety of choice and this good vibration will remain. Waiver from your faith and this good vibration will dissapate.General Description:
This Estruscan talisman – a tusk carved in basalt, and elaborately mounted in gold filigree work – was worn as a protector from danger and evil influences. The charm was supposed to attract good fortune and success. The Tusk represented one of the horns of the Crescent Moon, which was a symbol of the Egyptian goddess Isis, who, in the course of time, became the most universal nad powerful of all the goddesses. The Estrucans, Greeks and romans had great faith in the reputed virtues of amulets, a belief which was greatly influenced by the Egyptians.