07) Bast-Mut – Bast Who is Mut in Isheru

**UNDERGOING REVISION**

“Praise the Great Cat, kissing the ground before Ra the Great God! O peaceful one Who turns to peace, You have shown me darkness for that which I have done. Make light for me so I can see Your beauty. Turn to me, Peace-loving one Who knows forgiveness. May You give me life, prosperity and health.”

– The Ancient Egyptian Prayer Book, P. 64, Hymn to Bast-Ra as the Great Cat

Bast-Mut is a synchronization of the goddesses Bast and Mut. She is the goddess Bast in her role as Queen, commanding of respect. While I always physically “get her” (a phrase often used in Kemetic Orthodoxy to describe how a particular god or goddess might feel or appear to a particular member) as the black feline most often associated with Bast today, her mannerisms and temperament are most assuredly Bast-Mut.

A little about how synchronization happens over time:

“Lower and upper Egypt both already had patron deities–Wadjet and Nekhbet–respectively, indeed they also had lioness protector deities–Bast and Sekhmet–respectively. When Thebes rose to greater prominence, Mut absorbed these warrior goddesses as some of her aspects. First, Mut became Mut-Wadjet-Bast, then Mut-Sekhmet-Bast (Wadjet having merged into Bast), then Mut also assimilated Menhit, who was also a lioness goddess, and her adopted son’s wife, becoming Mut-Sekhmet-Bast-Menhit, and finally becoming Mut-Nekhbet.”

– Example taken from Wikipedia

Bast’s image was softened considerably over time. Through her association with Mut and various other goddesses, Bast went from fierce protector and avenger of the kingship with an image closely resembling that of Sekhmet, to protector and guardian of children and pregnant women. The image of Bast as a domestic cat (also sacred to Mut) became more wide-spread as time went on.

For a close up of the image shown at the top of the page, click here.

*This section is still under construction as I get to know this beloved.

Epithets for Bast-Mut:

This list is in no way exhaustive, these epithets are merely some of my favorites.

• Bast Who is Mut in Isheru.
• The Devouring Lady.
• Lady of the East.
• The Light Bearer.
• Lady of Truth.
• Invisible Paw.
• Lady of Perfumes.
• Lady of the Ointment Jar.
• Lady of the Shrine.
• Daughter of Ra.
• Eye of Ra.
• The Fiery One.

Offerings for Bast-Mut:

• Perfumes and oils.
• Jewelry.
• Feathers.
• Caramel.
• Chocolate.
• Liqueur.
• Cinnamon (incense).
• Sandalwood (incense).
• Lotus (incense).
• Jasmine (incense).
• Rose (incense).
• Mead.
• Milk.
• Wine.
• Red Meats.
• Tea.
• Vanilla.
• Lily.
• Cat’s Eye.
• Opal.
• Tiger’s Eye.

Additional Reading:

• The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard H. Wilkinson