Egyptian Goddess and protector of cats, women and children.
Goddess of sunrise, of love, fertility, birth, music and dance
of the moon and possessor of the Utchat - The all seeing eye of her brother Horus.
Her scared city is Bubastis, was in lower Egypt (the northern part).
Bubastis signifies "The House of Cats" in ancient Egyptian.
Bast feast day is celebrated on October 31.
The Egyptians celebrated the feast of Bast with merry making, music, dancing, drinking much like our modern Marti Gras. Bast is often shown holding a sistrum (a type of rattle), during the celebrating, worshipers shuck a sistrum.
Bast has a twin sister name Sekhmet. Together the twin sisters formed the "Yin Yang" of Egyptian religion.
Bast being the positive force and Sekhmet being the destructive force.
Bast is depicted in art many ways, the most common is the body of young woman with the head of a domestic cat. (Her sister, Sekhmet is shown with the head of a lioness).
Another popular form of Bast, is her earthly form, a seated cat, when in this form her name changes to Bastet. Bast's scared color is green.
Themes: Animals; Magic; Overcoming; Playfulness; Joy; Humor R
Symbol: Cat
About Bast: Bast is the Egyptian cat-faced Goddess of sorcery, beneficence, joy, dance, and fertility. Being a cat in nature, Bast teaches us to land on our feet in any situation, using a positive, playful attitude as our best ally. Bast and her minions were so revered in Egypt that to kill cats was a crime punishable by death. Archaeologists uncovered mummified cats there, whose owners wanted the companionship of cats even in the afterlife. May is one of Bast's traditional festival months. R
To Do Today (05/11/06): In this region of the world, people dress as cats today and hold a parade in which Bast is featured as Queen of Cats. So think cat magic! If there's a cat in your life, pamper the creature today and include it in spellcraft as a magical partner (a traditional "catty" role in history). For example, if you find any of your cat's whiskers, keep them. These may be burned for Bast in return for a wish. Or, carry a pinch of cat hair to tickle your funny bone.
Painting the image of a cat on a paper lantern and lighting it (with either a bulb or a flame) draws Bast's attention and energies to you. Or, carry a cat's eye in your pocket today to begin developing catlike instincts and playfulness.
By Patricia Telesco - From "365 Goddess" and GrannyMoon's Morning Feast
