Bast Deity Guide

Who is Bast?

The Egyptian goddess is known by many as Bastet, her name is transliterated as b-ꜣ-s-t-t and is pronounced as “Bast”. The Hieroglyphs for her name look something like this: 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 or 𓎯𓏏𓏏

She is most notably a goddess of domesticity, the home, cats, and women. Bast was among the most popular Egyptian deities and her cult ran as far as Rome.

Originally she was depicted as a goddess with a lioness’ head instead of a cat, and she was closely related to Sekhmet, the warrior goddess. Bast’s role was that of protector and avenger of Ra Over time Bast’s depiction softened and she became a goddess related to domesticity and the home. However, she kept the ferocious side of her, only ever using it when needed. She was known to be loving and nurturing but also she was a force to be reckoned with. Bastet used this fury to avenge those who have been wronged, carried on through her son, Maahes, the protector of the innocent.

Due to her association as the Eye of Ra, Bast was more of a solar deity before she became conflated with the Greek Artemis.

Parents and Siblings

Ra (father)

Isis (mother, later in antiquity)

Horus (brother, twin brother later in antiquity)

Anhur (brother

Lovers or Partners

Ptah

Children

Maahes (son)

Nefertum (son, sometimes)

Epithets

Beautiful sistrum (rattle) player

The Golden One/The Beautiful One

The Lady of Dread

The Lady of Slaughter

The Eye of Ra - a title held by a group of deities.

Lady of the Ointments

Lady of the East

Goddess of the Rising Sun

Sacred and All Seeing Eye

Notes

Her name also is rendered as B'sst, Baast, Ubaste, and Baset

Though sometimes synchronized with Mut, the goddess Bast was never depicted as fully human. She was always depicted as either a cat or a woman with the head of a cat, lion, or desert cat.

In Ancient Greece, she was known as Ailuros (”cat”) and she was likened to Artemis. Because of this association, she was given a twin brother just like Artemis has: Horus became her twin brother and since Horus is Isis’ son, Bast became Isis’ daughter.

Bast was also synchronized with Sekhmet, Hathor, and Isis and picked up some of their associations throughout time.

The meaning of her name is uncertain though it’s possible that her name meant She of the Ointment Jar (Ubaste). This would also point to her relation to perfume.

The central city of her cult was Bubastis. People would travel to this city to have the bodies of their pet cats who have passed buried.

It’s common for people to view Bast as a sexual deity or a goddess of lust, but she tends to lean more toward domesticity and protection. This misunderstanding likely came from her later conflation with Hathor as well as one account from Herodotus who had observed the festival in Bubastis in honor of Bast.

An annual festival was held at Bubastis where supposedly all constraints on women were released and they would celebrate “by drinking, dancing, making music, and displaying their genitals" (Gerald Pincher, quoting Herodotus). This display depicted the fertility aspect of the goddess as well as being a sign of freedom from societal constraints.

Bast has been depicted holding a sistrum, a musical instrument similar to a rattle.

Bast is one of many gods who are referred to as the “Eye of Ra”, a title that belongs to deities that are protectors or avengers.

She has been known as the protector of the dead as well.

As cats were sacred to this goddess, to harm one was seen as a slight to Bast.

Mummified cats were often delivered to Bast’s temple as an offering.

Modern Deity Work

These are modern correspondences, anything with historical or traditional backing will be marked with a (T).

Correspondences

Rocks/Stone/Crystals

Gold (T) - Cats of royalty were sometimes known to don gold jewelry

Tiger’s eye

Cat’s eye

Bronze (T) - Bronze statues were used as votive offerings for Bast

Herbs/Plants

Ivy

Catnip

Rosemary

Mint (catnip is in the mint family also)

Animals

Cat, namely housecats but all cats could qualify

Symbols

Sistrum (rattle) (T)

Cat (T)

Eye of Ra (T)

Offerings

Cat imagery

Whiskers, claws, and teeth of cats (only if sourced ethically!)

Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Emerald, Carnelian, Quartz, Malachite, and Galena were used in Ancient Egypt for jewelry or various cosmetics and could be offered. (The Structure of Crystals. Early historical notes)

Perfume or scented oils

Alcohol (such as wine or beer)

Fruit

Grains

Honey

Incenses or resins (T)

Jewelry

Acts of Devotion

Donate to, volunteer at, or otherwise support cats at shelters.

Pray to her or write poems in her honor

Research her

Honor your mother or the mother figure(s) in your life

Protect and fight for the innocent

Dance!

Play music or curate a playlist in honor of her

Learn about perfume and scented oils and how they were used and made in Ancient Egypt

Take care of your home

Of course, these are only suggestions based on my research but when making offerings to deities it's always best to do what feels right to you. You can also reach out to the deity and ask them yourself if you feel comfortable doing so.

References and Further Reading

Bast - eqyptianmuseum.org

Bastet - Britannica

Bastet - World History

Bastet - ARCE

Per-bast.org (The whole website is informational but this link will send you to their sources page!)

Offerings for Bast - The Gourmet Witch (blog)

Kemetic Offering Guide - The Twisted Rope (blog)

SMALL DEVOTIONAL ACTS I DO FOR MY DEITIES

(THIS IS NOT A GUIDE, THIS IS JUST WHAT I DO)

ALL

Made them all a Pinterest board of their aesthetic

Made them all a separate Pinterest board for things of their choosing

Made them playlists

APOLLON

Play him songs on my ukulele

Play video games with the sound up

Read poetry to him

Write him poetry

Bitch about people to him

Honour him while I take my medication

APHRODITE

Practice self-care

Practice self-love

Honour her while I masturbate

Make an extra cup of tea whenever I have one

Sit in the shower and relax

Gush about my crushes (If Applicable)

PERSEPHONE

Take walks around my local park

Pick up rocks that I find

Drink herbal tea

Use all natural face-masks

Honour her while I work

Tell her all the things I learnt in class

Use pomegranate washing up liquid

HADES

Honour the dead by preserving animal bones

Offer hospitality to anyone that enters my home

Honour him while I take a day for myself

Take walks when I am feeling down

Sit in my garden at night

Stream calming games on a discord server for people who can't sleep

Use pomegranate washing up liquid

Use mint shower gel

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ninivspace

2 years ago

how the gods feel to me:

hades: grounding, calming, the warmth you feel when you press your cheek to the earth, quiet affection, tiredness, relishing in some rare luxury, unquestionable power and authority, loneliness, single-minded devotion, carefully unbuttoning your shirt after a long day of work

hermes: teasing, gentle, having your hand held as a child when you cross the street, restlessness, bubbling anticipation, finding beauty in the sound of a language you don’t speak, the satisfaction shared in an inside joke, the thrill of running and being chased, following train tracks and playing chicken with the train

hestia: turning on the oven to warm your home in the winter, empathy, familial love, the pride you feel for the accomplishments of a loved one, nostalgia, safety, motherly disappointment, black tea with milk and sugar, the smell of clean laundry, being held tightly as you cry, “let it out, I’m here”

apollo: joy, understanding, loud laughter, raucous applause, a kiss on the cheek or forehead, falling asleep in a spot of sun, confidence, bandaids on scraped knees, lullabies, old annotations in secondhand poetry books, gap teeth, calluses on fingertips from playing the guitar

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ninivspace

2 years ago

General Advice for Beginner Witches

A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)

Hex Positive Podcast Episodes

Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)

Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)

Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)

General Tips & Advice

I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know

I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?

Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?

How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?

How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)

Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

How Do I Organize My Study Materials?

How Do I Contact A Deity?

How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?

Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?

How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?

How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?

How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?

Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards

Practicing Your Warding Technique

Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space

Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards

Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing

Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods

Offerings for Hades

Hades is the Greek god of the dead and wealth, and the King of the Underworld. He is associated with the cornucopia, cypress, narcissus, keys, serpents, mint, white poplar, dog, pomegranate, sheep, cattle, screech owls, horses and chariots.

Offerings

- Bread and Cakes

- Black Coffee or Tea

- Pomegranates

- Apples

- Cerberus or Dog Imagery

- Mint

- Peopermint-Flavoured Foods

- Rosemary

- Thyme

- Coins

- Black Crystals

- Fossils/Bones

- Keys

- Snake Skin

- Dog Fur

- Dark Chocolate

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ninivspace

2 years ago

plants 🍃

x - x / x - x / x - x

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ninivspace

2 years ago

21 Day Newbie Devotee Challenge!

Are you just starting a relationship with a deity? Or have you been working with a deity for a while, but feel as though you’re stuck in a rut? Or do you just want to take the time to research your deity a little bit more? Despite being called the “Newbie” Devotee Challenge, this challenge is perfect for both beginners and well-seasoned devotees! This challenge is perfect for helping you reflect on both your deity, and your practice.

Tag all posts with “newbie devotee challenge” so we can all see your hard work! And please reblog this post if you plan on doing this challenge!

Day 1: Name the deity you will be working with for the remainder of this challenge. Give a quick overview of your relationship with that deity.

Day 2: What initially drew you to that deity? (Did they call you? Did you call them? How did you discover their identity? Etc.)

Day 3: Does your deity have any alternate names or epithets? If they do, what are they, and what do they mean? What does the name you call your deity mean?

Day 4: What symbols/animals/plants/etc. are associated with your deity? Start out by listing the ones that you know. Then, do a little research to see if you can find more. In a separate list on the same post, list those ones, too. Make note of which ones you think fit and don’t fit your deity.

Day 5: Describe your favorite story/myth that involves your deity. Discuss why this one is your favorite, and if this story/myth somehow influences your practice.

Day 6: Describe your least favorite story/myth that involves your deity. Why is it your least favorite? (Is it because it shows a different aspect of your deity that you don’t see often?) Try to turn that negative into a positive, and use this as a learning experience.

Day 7: Discuss your UPG for your deity. What inspired those UPG? Afterwards, do a little research and try to find other popular UPG. Do you agree or disagree with that UPG, and why?

Day 8: Describe what you have placed on your altar for this deity. If you don’t have an altar yet, discuss what you would put on the altar if you had one. Is there anything “missing” on your altar/are there items you wish you could add? What are they, and why do you want to add them?

Day 9: Discuss your daily/weekly/monthly/etc. worship “schedule.” What do you do for your deity? What offerings do you give? How often do you pray? And so on. Are you happy with how much/little time you give your deity? If not, what could you do to change that?

Day 10: What method(s) do you usually use to contact your deity? (Tarot, godphone, etc.) Why do you like using that method?

Keep reading

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ninivspace

2 years ago

💀Unusual Death Witchcraft💀

Visiting natural history and art museum. Not only for the spirit work (museums are surprisingly rife with spirits) but also the reflection on the objects themselves that are imbued with death energy due to their age.

Kitchen witchcraft with fermentation. I’m talking both home starters/yeasts and drink based fermenting! The process of encouraging fermentation is literally a controlled necromancy if you think about it! Also your own fermented product will be excellent to use in spellwork!

Upcycle crafting! The process of reusing items in a new way that you already had or seeking out items to use instead of letting them become trash is also working with death energy!

Playing death related games or watching movies with friends and family. Death witchcraft tasks and energy work doesn’t have to look witchy! If you have a weekly or monthly hangout where you play tabletops like Betrayal at House on the Hill or even online games. Or watch documentaries or movies with loved ones that related that totally counts! Especially as a lower spoon option.

Drawing or photographing abandoned buildings/architecture. So often people forgot that the decay of manmade objects and places do hold death energy and weight. Tapping into this side of death witchcraft can be an interesting experience.

Visiting a 24 hour store or restaurant in the middle of the night. This is a personal experience of mine but that quiet low level liminal space energy is such a similar transitional energy as to help you grow your experience and sensing of death energy. Also walking through a store at 3am is a good time to practice a walking meditation or some simple spirit communication without too much trouble. Just have your headphones in for an excuse!

Learning to maintain your own compost! I’m hopeless with the green thumb side of things myself but I still have composting I do for my yard in general. My wildflowers and natural growth is lovely because of it! The cycle of your kitchen supplies life and decay is such a simple and deep way to access that death energy and maybe even work your way up to having that green thumb! Also using this compost in spellwork will pack a punch!

What are some unusual ways you experience death witchcraft and energy?

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