Bast: Meditating With The Goddess

Bast, the Egyptian goddess of protection and pleasure, is a powerful deity to meditate with. She is associated with qualities such as agility, strength, caution, fidelity, and pride, and can bring happiness, laughter, and joy to any mundane situation. When meditating with Bast, it is important to first create a quiet and sacred space. This can be done by surrounding yourself with silence and slowing your breath, allowing the distractions of everyday life to fall away. As you inhale and exhale, imagine yourself walking along a pathway that leads you deeper into a primeval forest, with ancient trees, flowers, and the distant roar of the ocean.

You may then visualize coming across a small, crumbling stone sanctuary, covered in vines and hidden from time. As you push open the door, something timeless opens within your soul. Inside, you find an altar with a statue of a female deity—the Goddess in all her forms. Kneeling in reverence, you are embraced by her loving and accepting energy, which soothes your worries and faults. As you continue to meditate, the statue comes alive, filling the chapel with a warm and golden light.

Through this meditation practice, you can invoke the playful and joyous energy of Bast, seeking her guidance and protection. You can call upon her to help you celebrate your feminine powers, embrace your true self, and find balance in your life. Additionally, meditating with Bast can support you in releasing paranoia, self-deception, and negative thinking, making it an ideal practice before any psychic or telepathic work. By carrying a representation of Bast with you, you can also invoke her protective energy against unfriendly intentions and replace sadness with joy.

Meditate on Bast's qualities and characteristics

Meditating on Bast's qualities and characteristics can be a powerful way to connect with this ancient Egyptian goddess and invoke her positive energy into your life. Bast, also known as Bastet, has been worshipped for almost 5,000 years and is associated with a wide range of qualities and roles. Here are some key aspects of Bast that you can reflect on during meditation:

Protector and Defender

Bast is known as a fierce protector and defender, initially against Apep, the serpent representing the evil forces of darkness. As the defender of the Egyptian people, the royal family, and Lower Egypt, she embodies strength, courage, and vigilance. During meditation, you can invoke Bast's protective energy to shield yourself from negative influences and adversity.

Goddess of Cats

Bast is closely associated with cats and is considered the Goddess of Cats and those who care for them. Cats were highly revered in ancient Egypt for their ability to combat vermin and their presence is often linked to Bast. Meditating with Bast can help you connect with the qualities of the cat family, such as agility, caution, and pride.

Bringer of Joy and Happiness

Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, described Bast as a happy and benign deity who brought good fortune, music, dance, and joy to all. Bast's energy can support you in lifting your mood, finding happiness in mundane situations, and spreading joy to those around you. During meditation, you can invoke her playful and exuberant spirit to bring more lightheartedness and positivity into your life.

Goddess of Truth, Wisdom, and Enlightenment

Bast is also known as the Goddess of Truth, Wisdom, and Enlightenment. Meditating with Bast can help you cultivate mental clarity, enhance your perception, and embrace your true gifts and powers of intuition. You can call upon Bast to guide you towards friends who add excitement and adventure to your life and to help you remain open-hearted and emotionally available to others.

Goddess of Pleasure

As the Goddess of Pleasure, Bast encourages the celebration of life and its experiences. Meditating with Bast can help you embrace a more sensual and indulgent approach to life, finding pleasure in all that you do. This can include enjoying physical activities requiring grace and coordination, as Bast can support you in delivering your best performance.

Goddess of Creation and Regeneration

Bast is also associated with creation and regeneration, representing the enduring and positive aspects of Egyptian life. Meditating with Bast can help you tap into your creative energies, encouraging pursuits such as music, dance, writing, and other arts. Bast's energy can inspire you to approach life with a sense of curiosity, playfulness, and a willingness to explore new experiences.

Understand Bast's role as a protective deity

Bast, the Egyptian goddess of protection and pleasure, is a powerful deity with a rich history and symbolism. Also known as Bastet or Pasht, she is associated with the sun, moon, and cats, and is believed to bring joy, happiness, and protection to her followers.

One of the key aspects of Bast's role as a protective deity is her association with the sun. As the daughter of Ra, the sun god, Bast is often depicted as taking a cat form to protect her father during his nightly journey to bring forth the sun. This protective role earned her the nickname "Lady of the East" and the title "Goddess of the Rising Sun." Additionally, she was given the symbol of the uraeus, an ancient Egyptian symbol of a reared snake, which became attached to the pharaoh's crowns as a symbol of royalty.

Beyond her solar associations, Bast is also a goddess of the moon. Known as the "eye of the moon" and the "eye of Ra", she is believed to guide and protect Ra during his journey through the night sky. This dual role as a sun and moon goddess highlights her importance in maintaining balance and harmony in the universe.

In addition to her celestial roles, Bast is also revered as a protective deity in more earthly matters. She is often invoked for protection during psychic or telepathic work, helping to release mental demons and negative thoughts that may hinder one's spiritual practice. Her energy is believed to support individuals in releasing paranoia, self-deception, and other mental disturbances, bringing happiness and joy to mundane situations.

Furthermore, Bast is also a protective deity in the physical realm. She is associated with agility, strength, caution, fidelity, and pride, embodying the qualities of the lion or cat family. Her followers often carry a representation of her as a talisman, believing that it offers protection against unfriendly intentions and helps replace sadness with joy.

Through her various roles and associations, Bast embodies the concept of protection on multiple levels, from safeguarding her father, the sun god, to guiding individuals through psychic work and bringing joy and happiness to everyday life. Her protective nature makes her a powerful deity for those seeking defence against adversity and a more balanced life.

Learn about Bast's history and associations

Bast, also known as Bastet, is an ancient Egyptian goddess of protection and pleasure. She is associated with the sun god Ra and is often depicted as a cat or a woman with a cat's head.

The history of Bast can be traced back to 3000 B.C. when she was worshipped as a lioness goddess and a fierce defender of her father, Ra, against Apep, the serpent representing evil forces of darkness. She was also known as the Goddess of the Moon and the eye of Ra, and was believed to take on a full cat form to protect him at night. Over time, Bast evolved from a lioness goddess to a cat goddess, becoming more domesticated and gentle, and was increasingly depicted as a cat or a cat-headed woman.

Bast is also associated with the moon and was regarded as the goddess of the home, domesticity, women's secrets, fertility, and childbirth. She was believed to protect the home from evil spirits and diseases, especially those associated with women and children. She was also a goddess of sex, pleasure, and joy, bringing good fortune, music, dance, and happiness to all.

In addition to her protective and nurturing aspects, Bast was also feared as a powerful force who could inflict punishment on those who transgressed. She was known as "The Lady of Dread" and "The Lady of Slaughter", and was associated with the avenging lioness goddess Sekhmet. Together with Sekhmet, they were seen as two aspects of the same goddess, with Sekhmet representing the powerful warrior and protector aspect, and Bast embodying a gentler and more domesticated side.

The cult of Bast was centred in the city of Bubastis in Lower Egypt, where her temple stood surrounded by water on three sides, forming a lake known as isheru. Her annual festival was a grand affair, attracting hundreds of thousands of worshippers and was described by the Greek historian Herodotus as a celebration filled with singing, dancing, sacrifices, and drinking.

Connect with Bast through visualisation

Bast, the Egyptian goddess of protection and pleasure, is a powerful deity with a rich history and a wide range of associations. Connecting with Bast through visualisation is a profound way to honour and invoke her energy. Here is a guide to help you do just that:

Preparing to Connect with Bast

Before beginning your meditation, it is important to prepare your space and yourself. Find a quiet place where you can be uninterrupted. You may wish to create an altar with symbols and representations of Bast, such as a sistrum, the uraeus, or images of cats. Light some incense or candles to help set the atmosphere. Take a few deep breaths and centre yourself, letting go of any distractions or worries.

Visualising Bast's Domain

As you continue to breathe deeply, visualise yourself walking along a path that leads you away from civilisation and into a primeval forest. Imagine ancient trees towering above you, with flowers at your feet and birds singing all around. In the distance, you hear the gentle roar of the ocean, its waves rising and falling in a soothing rhythm. This path eventually leads you to a small, forgotten stone sanctuary covered in vines and branches. Intuitively, you sense that something sacred and mysterious lies within.

Entering the Sanctuary

Push open the door and step inside. As you cross the threshold, you feel a deep connection to something ancient and timeless. Before you, on a rough stone altar, is a statue of a female deity. Her face is weathered and dark, her form worn from the touch of countless praying hands. She embodies all the feminine faces of God—she is Isis, Kwan Yin, Mary, and more. She is the Mother of life itself.

Invoking Bast's Presence

Kneel before the statue and bow your head in reverence. Feel yourself embraced by her loving and accepting energy, soothing your worries and faults. As you go deeper into your meditation, the statue comes alive, and you find yourself in the presence of the living mother of creation—Bast. Gaze into her eyes and feel her love and forgiveness wash over you. She holds you like a child, and you touch her face with loving affection. Feel her protective and playful energy surrounding you.

Communing with the Earth

Going deeper into this experience, sense that the body of the ancient mother is a gateway to the body of the Earth itself. Connect with all her creatures, trees, oceans, rivers, mountains, and people. Expand your awareness even further, beyond the Earth, and sense her body becoming one with the stars, planets, and galaxies of the universe. Feel the powerful force and holy energy of the cosmos.

Returning to Your Body

Slowly begin to bring your awareness back to your physical body, still kneeling before Bast. Inhale deeply, absorbing her nourishing and life-sustaining love. Exhale, letting this energy flow out of you like a river of grace and blessings. Thank Bast for her presence and the gifts she has shared with you. Rise and exit the sanctuary, carrying the memory of this experience within your heart.

Remember that connecting with deities like Bast is a unique and personal journey. Allow yourself to be open to her energy and guidance, and trust that she will make herself known to you in her own way.

May your meditations with Bast bring you joy, protection, and a deeper connection to the divine feminine.

Invite Bast's energy to support your meditation

Bast, the Egyptian goddess of protection and pleasure, is a powerful deity to meditate with. She is associated with the sun, joy, dance, music, and happiness. By inviting her energy into your meditation practice, you can tap into her playful and protective spirit to enhance your spiritual journey. Here are some ways to invite Bast's energy to support your meditation:

Understand Bast's Energy

First, take time to learn about Bast and her energy. Research her history, her symbols, and the qualities she embodies. Bast is often depicted with cat features, reflecting her association with agility, strength, caution, fidelity, and pride. She is a protective goddess, known for defending her father, Ra, the sun god, against Apep, the serpent representing evil forces. Understanding her energy will help you connect with her during meditation.

Create a Sacred Space

Prepare a quiet and comfortable space for your meditation. You can enhance the atmosphere by dimming the lights, burning incense, or playing soft music. Consider adding symbols or representations of Bast, such as an image or statue of her, to invoke her presence. You can also light a candle as an offering to her. Creating a sacred space that honours Bast will help you focus your intentions and invite her energy.

Visualisation and Invocation

As you settle into your meditation, visualise yourself connecting with Bast's energy. Imagine her standing before you, radiating warmth and protection. You can use affirmations or invocations to call upon her, such as "Bast, I invite your playful and protective energy to guide me in this meditation." Visualise her surrounding you with her vibrant and joyous spirit, helping you release any negative thoughts or mental disturbances.

Meditation Techniques

During your meditation, focus on your breath and allow any distractions to fade away. Visualise yourself walking on a path that leads you away from civilisation and into a primeval forest. Imagine yourself surrounded by ancient trees, flowers, and the sounds of birds. Continue on the path until you reach a stone sanctuary, covered in vines and untouched for centuries. As you push open the door, sense the sacred and mysterious energy within. Visualise yourself kneeling before a statue of Bast, bowing your head in reverence, and allowing her loving and accepting energy to embrace you. Feel her presence guiding you towards balance, joy, and protection.

Express Gratitude

After your meditation, take a moment to express your gratitude to Bast for her presence and guidance. You can do this by saying a simple thank-you or offering a prayer of appreciation. Honoring Bast and showing your gratitude will strengthen your connection with her energy.

By following these steps, you can invite Bast's energy to support your meditation practice, allowing her playful and protective spirit to enhance your spiritual journey and bring more joy and balance into your life.

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