The Beauty of ISIS has been created to explore both the ancient and modern beliefs of the Goddess Isis. Isis was the Egyptain goddess that was the sister/wife of Orsiris and the daughter of Seb and Nut. Her name means "throne" and her heiroglyph clearly reflects that meaning. Interestingly, many Egyptian pharoahs called on the power of Isis to aid them in their endeavors and rulership.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Reverence
O’ Great and Mighty Mother Isis thank you for this day— For this hour— for this moment— For the air that I breathe.
Today I ask for nothing— For I have everything— Simply by knowing Thee.
Instead of praying to you— For gifts, rewards, and monetary gain, Rather than cry out to you for all the things I falsely believe I need, I shall make no plea.
Rather - Let me cry out Your name to say: “I love you my Divine Mother, and thank you for all things.”
~by Dayna Winters~
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
The Egyptians revered and honored cats, and quickly came to consider the creatures divine and god-like. Bastet, sometimes referred to as Bast, is the ancient Egyptian Cat Goddess. The word Bastet is used to describe the Cat when she is portrayed as a cat, while the name Bast refers to the Cat Goddess in other forms. Bastet is also referred to by other names including Ailuros, Bubastis, Pacht, Pasht, Pasch, Ubast, Ubasti, and Bastis. She is also identified as “the soul of Isis,” or as Ba en Aset. The Goddess Isis is believed to have a true affinity for Bastet, and Bast’s title “the soul of Isis,” unmistakably and closely link together the two Egyptian Goddess forms.
Bast is considered a patron of both the sun and the moon, a patron Goddess of women like the mother Goddess Isis, and She is a guardian of that which is hidden as well as secrets. Depictions of Bastet include a black cat, a white cat, and cat-headed woman. According to certain myths, Bast is considered the daughter of the Sun God Ra and she was, in the earliest myths, a Sun Goddess. This makes her possibly one of the root Goddesses for future Sun Goddesses or at minimum creates a strong link between Her and Goddesses of the Dawn like Aurora and Eos. Bastet can however, also be linked to moon Goddess depictions like that of Luna as well as Artemis.
This Cat Goddess has also been linked to creation, to creativity, to inspiration, to epiphanies and enlightenment, to the concept of truth, as a guardian of the home, to sex, music and the arts in all its forms. Bastet is a Goddess with a dual nature. Like the nature of the cat which can behave in a tame versus wild fashion, Bastet has been associated with the bestowal of great gifts and equally great wrath. Since Bastet is a Cat Goddess it only makes sense that cats are considered sacred to this Goddess and to harm such animals is to come within the measure of Her wild wrath.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
The symbols associated with the Goddess Isis are as myriad as the names that the Goddess is known by. An archetype of the Divine feminine, Goddess Isis has thousands of symbols used both in magickal practices as magickal correspondences, and in Her worship. One of the most striking symbols and easily recognizable icons associated with Isis is that of Isis sitting rigidly upon Her throne as She suckles Her son Horus. This image is believed to be the source of Madonna and child imagery throughout the ages. The images depicting Isis nursing Horus clearly connect Her to the role of Divine mother as well as that of a fertility Goddess.
In numerology, Goddess Isis is associated with the number eight. The number eight, when turned on its side becomes a symbol of infinity and Isis is indeed a true symbol of that which is infinite. Isis is associated with the Dog Star Sirius and Her star is typically drawn or portrayed with eight different points.
Other major symbols associated with Isis are the peacock, a symbol of great beauty and pride, the throne is Her symbol; She has been revered by rulers of Egypt, and prayed to for Her beneficent gifts. Often depicted with a solar sun disk and cow horns, She frequently looks much like the Goddess Hathor and the shared symbols between the two Goddesses associate Isis with nourishment, both physical and spiritual.
The wings of the Goddess when She is depicted as bird woman are often that of a kite: a powerful bird of prey. In myths, both Isis and Nephthys circle the vast lands of Egypt mourning together and seeking out the dismembered body parts of Osiris after Set slays him. Other animals that Isis is associated with include the seven scorpions that serve as Her protectors in various myths.
The many petal lotus is a symbol of this divine being for She is the Goddess of Ten Thousand names. The lotus is indigenous to regions of Egypt, and stands as a symbol of the awakening spirit and purification. Lotuses grow out of water and mud filled areas and turn into stunning blossoms, thus, lotuses symbolically convey the transitioning of the spirit as it evolves into a purer state of being. She is the divine Patron Saint of Women and the undisputed Goddess of Magic. She remains an ever-present mystery to the uninitiated and Her temple in Sais reads "I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever me unveiled."
Isis is one of five children born to Geb and Nut, at least in some myths. Some myths pertaining to Isis only present the story of Her birth with three other siblings. The order of birth for the children of Geb and Nut begin with the birth of Osiris, followed by Horus the Elder, followed by Set, and then Isis and Her twin sister Nephthys were born. Certain myths do not acknowledge the birth of Horus the Elder and there is seemingly little information about this deity. When considering that there were five siblings and there are five key points on the pentacle representing the cardinal directions, as earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, it becomes easy to see the connection between the Egyptian deities and the very essence of magick.
Isis and Osiris were in love with one another within the womb of their mother Nut; a predestined love. They wed, as did Nephthys and Set. The four deities reveal a balance between light and dark. Isis herself represents day while Her twin is the beautiful Goddess of the night. Nephthys has remained a misunderstood Goddess; She developed no cult following of Her own, and it is believed that some feared the dark powers of the dark twin Nephthys. This is a mistaken belief however, because even in darkness there is some positivity to be identified. Her husband Set however, is another story: a God associated with fierce anger, destruction, jealousy, and chaos, Set comes to be a representation of the darker side of humankind and of universal energies. Still, without darkness there cannot be light, and vice versa. It is necessary to have existing polarities in order to be able to comprehend the existence of either. One cannot fully know joy without having experienced grief and sadness; one cannot comprehend the notion of day if one has never experienced night.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
To the left is an image of the star Sirius, captured by the Hubble Telescope. Sirius is actually two stars, Sirius A and Sirius B, and every 49 years, these stars flop and switch positions. There is some debate as to whether or not there exists a Sirius C.
The Star Sirius, also referred to as Sothis, is a symbol for Isis and is the entire basis of much of the Egyptian religion. Sirius was and is considered the embodiment of Isis and it appears in the nighttime sky in the Canis constellation.
The star Sirius was noted to appear in the morning sky, just before sunrise when it came time for the Nile to flood. Due to the fact that the Egyptians depended upon the flooding of the Nile to keep the lands fertile, Sirius then became the marker of fertility for the Egyptians. Priests were called upon to watch for the rising of Sirius. Interestingly, the way priests determined the rising of Sirius was by visiting the temple of Isis-Hathor at Denderah. Inside the temple was a statute of the goddess Isis—permanently fixed facing the location of the sky in which Sirius would appear. In fact, the Isis statue was fixed 20 degrees south of due east and pointed directly at the rising place of Sirius. The priests would then place a gem into the forehead of the Isis statue and when the light of the star Sirius strike the gem, the priests could then announce the New Year. Subsequently, the inscription on the Isis-Hathor Temple reads as follows:
"Her majesty Isis shines into the temple on New Year's Day, and she mingles her light with that of her father Ra on the horizon."
Noted as the “Dog Star” and affiliated with Osiris (as Osiris is often depicted with the head of a dog), Sirius is a star that shines very brightly, especially during the months of summer. In fact, it is so bright that the Egyptians acquired the belief that this star, in addition to the Sun’s light, was responsible for the increase in temperature during the summer months. As an end result, the term the “dog days of summer” is derived from this Egyptian belief. For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
The Golden Bough is a classic text that studies the relationship between magic and religion. According to the Golden Bough, written by Sir James George Frazer (1922), Isis was so loved in Egypt that, “Her attributes and epithets were so numerous that in the hieroglyphics she is called “the many-named,” “the thousand-named,” and in Greek inscriptions “the myriad-named.” Also, “Amongst the epithets by which Isis is designated in the inscriptions are “Creatress of green things,” “Green goddess, whose green colour is like unto the greenness of the earth,” “Lady of Bread,” “Lady of Beer,” “Lady of Abundance.” This is certainly an interesting fact, when Isis was a sky goddess. In fact, this description implies that Isis was not only a sky goddess, but the goddess of all things and of all that existed between the heavens and the earth.
Many religions adapted Isis and merged her with their own system of beliefs. When the Greeks later embraced Isis as one of their own goddesses, they associated her with the goddess Demeter:
The Greeks conceived of Isis as a corn-goddess, for they identified her with Demeter. In a Greek epigram she is described as “she who has given birth to the fruits of the earth,” and “the mother of the ears of corn”; and in a hymn composed in her honour she speaks of herself as “queen of the wheat-field,” and is described as “charged with the care of the fruitful furrow’s wheat-rich path.” Accordingly, Greek or Roman artists often represented her with ears of corn on her head or in her hand (The Golden Bough, Chapter 41).
Isis was easily associated with Demeter, because the tales of the two goddesses were so similar. For instance, Demeter grieved the loss of Persephone when she was taken by Hades into the underworld and searched the world for her, whereas, Isis mourned the loss of her beloved Osiris and searched the world for his body parts after he was dismembered by Seth.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
Isis’ role in Egypt was one of great importance. She was honored the faithful and loving wife of Osiris and the equally loving mother of Horus. This is easy to see from the depictions of Isis nursing her son and from the legend of Osiris in which Isis mourns him and reassembles his scattered remains after he is slain by Seth or Set.
As a child, Isis desired to increase her already existing powers and in order to accomplish such a task she would have to get the secret name of god from Ra. To accomplish this feat, Isis used the saliva of Ra to create a serpent which would, in turn, bite Ra. Once Ra was bitten, he did not have the ability to heal himself because he did not understand the brevity of the wound. Isis in turn, offered to heal Ra if only he would reveal the secret name of god. When Ra revealed the name of god, he then gave Isis all of his power and knowledge.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
To the left is a common depiction of Isis seated at her throne, nursing her son Horus. On her head she wears cow horns that embrace a solar disc. This depiction is typical considering that Isis was revered as a goddess that aided pharoahs in controlling their lands and she is also revered as a fertility goddess with motherly aspects.
Isis' son Horus was often honored as the god of the pharoahs. In fact, reigning pharoahs were frequently referred to as the "living Horus" and were believed to be the phyiscal incaranation of the son of Isis.
Horus was born after the death of his father, Osiris, who was slain by his own brother Seth or Set. When Horus grew up he wanted to avenge the death of his father and consquently ended up warring with Seth for 80 years. The stories vary as to what happened during this war, but one such story suggests that Seth tore out one of Horus' eyes.
Interestingly, much as been drawn from the story of Horus and Set and the Eye of Horus became an amulet of protection for the Egyptians. What's more, each part of the eye, in fact both of Horus' eyes, held specific connotations.
For example, the Wedjat or the Udjat is a term that is used to refer to the Eye of Horus. The term wedjat literally means, "health". Typically, the right eye of Horus is considered an amulet for protection and represents the Sun, while the left eye of Horus represents the Moon. According to the legend, the eye of Horus, when it was torn out by Seth, was divided into 6 sections. Some lengends suggest that Thoth helped him restore his left eye and the eye then become a symbol of healing and completeness. Further, it became a symbol of restoring order after chaos.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
According to the Encyclopedia Mythica, during the Hellenistic period, the Goddess Isis was revered as a protectoress of sailors. One of the most popular legends surrounding Isis pertains to her husband Osiris and his brother Seth.
Osiris was the god of the underworld who was wedded to the goddess Isis--a sky goddess. Thus, with a joining of the sky goddess and the god of the underworld, a balance of forces was established.
Osiris' brother was Seth, the god of chaos. Interestingly, one can immediately see a parallel with the mythology of the Greeks when viewing the hierarchy of the Egyptian gods. According to the works of Hesiod and Appolydorus, the hierarchy of the divine was initially established out of chaos. Ge or Gaia, and Ouranos were the first deities to be formed form chaos in Greek Myth. An interesting difference can be identified between Egyptian mythology and Greek mythology: the roles of the divine are reversed. Isis, an Egyptian feminine deity is ruler of the sky and Osiris rules the underworld in Egyptian myth. Whereas, in Greek myth, Ge or Gaia (meaning earth) ruled the earth and Ouranos ruled the heavens. Later Pontos would emerge as ruler of the sea in Greek Myth, but that's another story entirely.
It is also interesting to note the role reversal of the deities from one culture to another. In fact, the role reversal between the two cultures may reflect the vast differences between the Egyptian and Greek cultures and the role of the woman in society. In Greek cultures, women had few rights and when wedded and were the property of their husbands, whereas in Egyptian culture the woman's' role was a bit more liberated.
But, I digress....
Seth was associated with evil. Embracing all concepts of evil, Seth was the god of war, of desert storms and foreign lands (this association probably had much to do with the Egyptian's fear of invasion and suppression by foreign lands). Seth battled his brother Osiris and killed him. Later, he dismembered his brother and scattered his body parts throughout Egypt.
When Isis' beloved husband was killed she grieved terribly. She search the land of Egypt for all of the parts of Osiris and put him back together again. Due to the fact that Isis reconnected Osiris after death, Isis became a goddess that was the protectress of the deceased. After Isis reconnected Osiris, she impregnated herself and gave birth to their son, Horus. In fact, one can find many depictions of Isis nursing Horus while she sits on her throne.
Additionally, Isis is also frequently depicted with a solar disc resting between a set of cow horns on her head. Occasionally, a vulture would also be depicted on her crown. However, an image less well known is that Isis is sometimes depicted as a kite over the mumified body of Osiris. Finally, some scholars contend that the name Isis means "throne", while others, like Plutarch for instance, contend that her name means "knowledge."
For more information on the Goddess Isis, Witchcraft, Wicca, the occult, the esoteric, the unexplained, and the paranormal, tune into ISIS Paranormal Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/isisparanormal.
Dayna Winters is an author and artist. She earned an Associate in the Arts from Hudson Valley Community College. In 2008, Dayna graduated magna cum laude with English program honors from Sage College in Troy, New York and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English.
Her publications have appeared in Threads Magazine, Crescent Magazine, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, and the cross-disciplinary publication: “The Journal For the Academic Study of Magic,” issue 5, published by Mandrake. She co-authored three books including “Wicca What's The Real Deal,” Sacred Objects, Sacred Space,” and “The Esoteric Dream Book,” all of which are published by Schiffer Publishing.
Dayna is the former co-founder/director of ISIS Paranormal Investigations and the former producer/host of ISIS Paranormal Radio. The team that she co-founded/co-directed appeared in the documentary New Gravity Media's “14 Degrees: A Paranormal Documentary,” and Discovery Channel’s “A Haunting.”
Dayna is incredibly passionate about art, and believes that creative endeavors are essential to healing. Her art is inspired by myth, nature, and fantasy. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband and children.
