I found this meme here: 30 Days Deity Devotions Since I’m really not great with these over 30 days, I’m just quickly answering the questions now.
30 Days of Deity Devotion: topics
1) A basic introduction to the deity
See my About Aset page: About Aset
2) How did you become first aware of this deity?
From George Hart’s book Egyptian Myths and a necklace I received from Egypt.
3) Symbols and icons of this deity
Rivers. Sun. Stars. Night-time Sky.
Her standing or seated on a throne with a throne headdress or a vulture headdress with a sundisk between two horns. She can be portrayed as winged or with a rishi-feathered dress (winged design on dress).
4) A favorite myth or myths of this deity
Aset and the Seven Scorpions and Aset and Ra’s Name.
5) Members of the family – genealogical connections
Fathers: Geb or Ra
Mothers: Nut or Tefnut
Siblings: Wepwawet, Heru Wer, Wesir, Nebet Het, Set
Sons: Heru-sa-Aset and Wepwawet
Husband: Wesir
Consorts: Min or Wepwawet
6) Other related deities and entities associated with this deity
Aset can syncretize with many Goddesses to form a third deity so there is an Aset-Nut, Aset-Tayet or Aset-Sekhmet or Aset-Hethert or Aset-Nebet Het. There is also Aset-Serqet, but some see this as a syncretism and others see Her as aspects of one Goddess.
7) Names and epithets
Aset can also be spelled Auwsat or Auset.
Some epithets are
The Great One
Mother of God
Mother of Heru
Magician, Sorceress
Wife of Wesir
Protectress
Lady of Heaven
Queen of Heaven
Queen of the Ancestors
Lady of the West
Lady of Stars
Clever of Tongue
Fiercely Bright One
8) Variations on this deity (aspects, regional forms, etc.)
Well, there are Aset of Philae and Aset of Dendera. Some see Aset-Serqet as a particular form of Aset for parts of Nubia. There is Aset-Sopdet and Aset-Tayet too.
9) Common mistakes about this deity
10) Offerings – historical and UPG
See my Offerings section. https://fiercelybrightone.wordpress.com/about/offerings/
11) Festivals, days, and times sacred to this deity
Here is the calendar: https://fiercelybrightone.wordpress.com/about/festival-calendar/
12) Places associated with this deity and their worship
The Temple of Philae
the Temple of Dendera
The Temple of Syene
the Temple of Behbeit el-Hagar
The Temple of al-Qal’a
The Temple of Abydos
Chapel at the Temple of Edfu
The Chapel of the Giza Pyramid
the Pharos Lighthouse at Alexandria
13) What modern cultural issues are closest to this deity’s heart?
Helping children and women especially single mothers. Helping the “disenfranchised”.
14) Has worship of this deity changed in modern times?
Yes.
15) Any mundane practices that are associated with this deity?
As Tayet, She is big on cleaning. So cleaning your home would be an awesome thing to do for Her.
16) How do you think this deity represents the values of their pantheon and cultural origins?
She represents the authority of Kings and rulers–not as just rulers, but as religious leaders. I think She really embodies the sovereign power and responsiblity of interacting with the Unseen Realm especially if you are in a form of leadership.
17) How does this deity relate to other gods and other pantheons?
Well, Aset has much in common with wisdom goddesses and magician goddesses and goddesses of death and sovereignty.
18) How does this deity stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (historical and/or UPG)
Be who you are.
19) What quality or qualities of this god do you most admire? What quality or qualities of them do you find the most troubling?
I admire Her strength, Her cunning, Her guile and Her wit. I admire Her wisdom, Her thirst for knowledge and Her ambition. I admire Her for Her tenacity and Her sovereignty; Her power. She is very much a Queen and Lady.
What I find most troubling? Nothing about Her perse. I just…it’s hard work to know who you are, to own your own power and live your life like very action (in your control or not) is by your design.
20) Art that reminds you of this deity
Mostly images from papyri or temple walls. I like ancient images more than modern ones for the most part.
21) Music that makes you think of this deity
None. Tina Malia’s “Isis” from her “Shores of Avalon” CD is the best one I’ve found. But I’m still looking for it. I’d want it to emphasize Her strength and power as well as a Goddess who aids those who worship Her. She’s a Goddess of sovereignty, magic and death. She’s a healer, a wise woman, a fierce mother, a Queen, a Lady and a trickster. And for me, She’s very much a lioness or panther (and a hippo, a cow and a kite). She knows all in Heaven and on Earth and Ra’s Name. She’s also a shapeshifter who can be and do anything.
I absolutely love Saryt’s work and her songs “Bast Within”, “Dua Set” and “Walk Forth in Strength” found here:
http://catfolk.org/album/dua
22) A quote, a poem, or piece of writing that you think this deity resonates strongly with
I don’t know.
23) Your own composition – a piece of writing about or for this deity
See the Oracles tab.
24) A time when this deity has helped you
I started out completely scared. I’m not as scared anymore.
25) A time when this deity has refused to help
She can’t stop people from dying.
26) How has your relationship with this deity changed over time?
I started out completely scared. I’m not so scared anymore. I started out not being able to hear Her. I can mostly hear Her now. I understand Her more.
27) Worst misconception about this deity that you have encountered
She’s the same as Isis. Aset is not a sea goddess or a moon goddess or a motherhood (as in THE MOTHER) or sex type Goddess. She is not Hetharu (Hathor).
Aset Herself has High Standards and She wants people who honor Her to know Who they are. But She is a reasonable and practical Goddess. Even though She has standards, they are not impossible.
28) Something you wish you knew about this deity but don’t currently
I wish I knew more Greek or Roman era festivals for Her especially obscure ones.
29) Any interesting or unusual UPG to share?
I have found that She likes strawberries and blueberries as offerings.
30) Any suggestions for others just starting to learn about this deity?
Read books and websites. Ask people who honor Her for advice. I am happy to talk to anyone about Her. Please email me if you have questions or just to chat.
There is an Aset-Sekhmet? What period is she from, when you have a chance can you throw some more info/references out there about that one?
Thank you!
Yes. Hmmm. A reference for this is Geraldine Pinch’s Egyptian Mythology book on page 188. In the New Kingdom, Sekhmet was the aggressive Goddess and when She was pacified, She became Aset (or Hethert or Mut); it mentions the New Year ritual in which Sekhmet is propitiated to keep away disease, but this may also be a reference to the Distant Goddess myth.
Another place is the Greek Magical Papyri. Griffith, F. Ll. and Herbert Thompson, ed. The Leyden Papyrus: An Egyptian Magical Book. New York: Dover Publications, 1974. On page 129.
Ah, cool. I didn’t mean that in a “prove it >( ” kind of way, either, I was just curious if Aset was an Eye of Ra before this development, the post you did on that a while back was really interesting.
Thank you.
Oh, I didn’t take it like that. I just keep meticulous footnotes of where I find basically everything. And I love to share where I get things from so that others can look it up too.
Aset was an Eye of Ra before then. From the New Kingdom at least if not earlier. Oh! Yes. One of Her manifestations is as Sopdet who has the title Eye of Ra. She has been associated with Sopdet since the Pyramid Texts, I believe.
On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 7:48 AM, Fiercely Bright One wrote:
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(I don’t know how to reply to your reply. I don’t see the reply button. So I’m replying to your first comment since that’s where I see the reply button.)
Thank you.
Oh, I didn’t take it like that. I just keep meticulous footnotes of where I find basically everything. And I love to share where I get things from so that others can look it up too.
Aset was an Eye of Ra before then. From the New Kingdom at least if not earlier. Oh! Yes. One of Her manifestations is as Sopdet who has the title Eye of Ra. She has been associated with Sopdet since the Pyramid Texts, I believe.