Today’s Goddess…

Welcome everyone to my least eloquent daily Goddess post so far. It’s still sweltering hot and humid in my office and I can’t hardly think straight (this is also why this is so late today…motivation is just non-existent right now). Couple that with the fact that today we have a visit from a Goddess of the Egyptian pantheon, one that you all know I am the least connected to, and you have the makings of a dreadful post. But we’ll give it a whirl and see what we can come up with today! Today’s Goddess is…

Bast

“Your independence is a foundation of your strength and success.”

For most people, the first association to anything that they think of when they think of Bast is cats. Bast is often depicted either as a woman with a feline head or as a full on feline in the form of a domestic cat, as opposed to Sekhmet who is connected to the lion. There is debate about Bast and Sekhmet being incarnations of the same Goddess in either different forms or in different places in Egypt but this seems to be something that doesn’t hold much weight with some since they’re not related either through family or myth it’s thought that there really is no connection between them.

Bast’s name is interesting. Her name comes from a hieroglyph found on heavy jars that often held very exotic and expensive perfume oils that were found throughout Egypt and were considered quite valuable. Perfume was a hot commodity in the high heat of Egypt and so these jars and their contest were often sought after. Because of this name connection it’s believed that Bast was somehow related to the oils contained in these jars, and possibly to perfumes in general. Bast’s son, Nefertem, was a God of perfumes as well as alchemy so this could stand to reason and create this connection. All of this brings us to one of the translations of her name, “She of the perfumed jar”.

Bast has a rare distinction of being both a sun and moon Goddess. Her older, more “original” depictions show her with the head of a desert sand cat where she seemed to have more warrior like connections. It was in later translations that she gained the head of a domestic/house cat and somewhat softened her image. The connections and qualities that she has been given literally run the gamut from warrior to fertility Goddess. She is said to be a protector of woman and children and that she carries the grace and loyalty of a cat and possesses the energies that are associated with cats.

Her message here with regards to independence is connected to the energy of the cat. For anyone that has ever owned a cat, you know how strong willed and independent they can be. No matter what you might tell them or what you may tempt them with, they will do whatever it is that they wish and you will just learn to like it. Here Bast asks for us to take a little bit of a lesson from watching our feline companions and seeing what lessons they can teach us about our own independence.

No matter how much our cats might love us and us them, they still need their time alone and they make sure to take it. I have three cats, but one of them, Loki, is typically with me just about everywhere I go (and I do mean wherever because he even follows me into the bathroom because he doesn’t seem to like the idea of me being behind a closed door without him). Loki sleeps on top of me at night, he sits by my feet during the day while I work, and he stands guard when I do manage to get behind a closed door without him. Even still, he always takes a little time to himself and he runs off to his hiding spots for alone time (either by hiding inside a cabinet or inside a bathtub). Does this mean he doesn’t love me? Of course not; it means that he, like all of us, needs a little time to be alone.

So here Bast reminds us that sometimes we need to take a time out to be on our own and assert our independence. Here are some things to consider. When was the last time you spent a day doing something on your own that you truly wanted to do? Do you find yourself giving in to what other people want most of the time? Are you easily influenced by those around you to think or believe a certain way even though in your heart you might not agree? If you find that you can relate to these ideas or other similar things, then take a lesson from Bast and her feline friends and take a little time out. Spend some time on your own and reflect on your own thoughts, beliefs and desires and see if they are truly yours or are they things that have been impressed upon you by others. If you don’t feel a connection with these things and you do feel others have placed them on you, take back your independence! Reformulate your thoughts and beliefs and call on Bast to give you the strength and protection, not to mention the courage, to not only follow your true convictions but also the have the ability to stand by them and not give in to others.

If you have any cats of your own, spend some time playing with them and observing them. It’s sad that some people have pets and almost pay them no mind. If you’ve been a little disconnected from your own feline companions, spend some time this weekend getting to know each other again. Get them a new toy or some special treats and show them your loyalty and they show theirs to you. See what they can teach you. And if you don’t have a cat, or any other animal companions, consider going to a local shelter and finding a cat that needs a home. It could be the beginning of a wonderful and magickal relationship.