There are many Eyes of Ra celebrated at this time of year: Aset, Nebet Het, Nit, Sekhmet, Mut, Sekhmet-Mut, Bast, Bast-Mut, Hethert and Tefnut just to name a few. An Eye of Ra is a title of many ancient Egyptian goddesses who protect the sun god, Ra with magic, weapons and flame. They are the solar goddesses whose journey reflects the shortening and lengthening of days of the seasons of the year. This is the time of Their return.
So light candles and lamps. Offer water, milk, beer or wine. Offer food and drink to the Goddess as She returns from Nubia.
Let there be light, laughter, reverence, love, strength and peace throughout this time of year. To all the F words: Faith, Family, Friendship, Forgiveness and Forever.
Have a blessed holiday. Blessings of the Goddesses to you all!
Festival Names: Procession of Aset, the Bright One, Mother of God a.k.a. Aset Luminous
Day: 4th Shomu, Day 2.
On my calendar this festival falls on July 2.
This festival commemorates Aset’s nightly search by torchlight for Her husband Wesir. Candles, lamps and torches were lit for the Goddess. Papyrus boats were launched in temple lakes. The boats had prayers written on them with a light source to guide the way.
Ritual for Today
This ritual is what we do for this festival in the House of Netjer.
On Aset’s shrine you could have: an image or statue of the Goddess, a source of light from candles, lamps, LED candles or electric candles and offerings.
You will need paper and a pen or pencil or marker (not red). You will also need a tealight and a lighter.
Write a letter, asking Aset for things you are thankful for. Then on the other side, write a letter to Aset asking for things you need. This paper later gets folded into the boat (start folding: thank you side up).
After the paper boats are made, fill a bowl, bathtub or sink with water. A tealight is placed in each boat and they are put in the water. The tealights are lit and the boats float on the water until the candles burn out. (Please keep fire safety in mind).
Thank You/Gratitude Letter Ideas
Family
Friends
Pets
House/Apartment/Condo
Food
Health
Job
Other Things She has helped you with
Ideas of Things You Need
Vaccine for Covid 19
Good Health
Prosperity
Love
Self-Love
Healing
Healing from Grief
Fortitude and Strength
Job
Remember to eat the offerings when you are done. And extinguish the candles.
About Aset
Aset is a goddess of sovereignty, kingship, magic of all kinds, life-power, personal power and authority, writing, words, gaining knowledge, honoring one’s ancestors, ancestral lineage and traditions, dreams, family relationships, self-love, alignment of the souls and healing. She is also a goddess of Heaven, starlight, the night sky and the star Sopdet (Sirius).
What will you do today for the Fiercely Bright One?
Light candles or lamps? Sing a hymn? Perform ritual before Her shrine? What will you offer to the Lady?
What will you do today for the Mother of God? The one who gave birth to Heru in the Marshes? The sole Mother who took care of Her son?
What will you do for Aset, the Fiercely Bright One? The One who leads the way in the darkness, dispelling shadows with Her light? The stellar and solar goddess of the dawn.
What will you do today? What will you accomplish? What will you profess?
What will you ask Me in your letter? What prayers and hopes will the boats carry on the water, with My light guiding the way?
What will you ask Me to dispel in your lives? What will you ask Me to cultivate?
What will you do for the Fiercely Bright One? What will you ask of the Brightest of Stars? What will you ask of the Solar Goddess?
I am the Mistress of Magic. I am the Goddess Who Knows Her Spells. What I speak comes to pass.
Do not worry, child. I will take care of you.
Who am I? Am I not the Goddess who knows Ra’s Name? Am I not the wisest and cleverest of Gods? Am I not the Goddess of all magic, all heka, all life-power, all kau?
So what will you ask Me on My festival day?
The words you speak and write have power. What I speak comes to pass. What you write is your heart’s desire.
For what you do, what you say and what you write will become.
Some may find it hard to go into shrine right now. Or maybe you just want something simple to do outside of shrine. If you are looking for inspiration to honor Them outside of shrine, I have a few ideas:
1) Find them in the nature around you. Shu, Nebet Het and Aset are associated with breath. The Eyes of Ra manifests in the sunbeams or starlight. Nut is the night sky. Go outside and spend time with Them. Breathe and think of Their Names.
2) Say a prayer before you eat, offer your meal and then eat it.
3) Can you wear jewelry? Wear something you’ve dedicated to them, like a necklace, ring or bracelet.
4) You could wear clothes with colors that remind you of Them. (Blue or purple for Aset, black or purple for Nebet Het, white for any of the Netjeru).
5) Is there a Netjeru over your profession? Offer your workshift to Them.
6) Do creative projects. Call on Seshat or Djehuty for writing, call on Aset or Hethert for arts and crafts.
7) Do something you love and invite Them.
8) Offer to Taweret, Aset, Hethert, Mut or Bast and clean your home. Offer to Bes or Bast or whomever to protect your home.
9) Breathe. They are There. Gods and Goddesses of air and wind are with you when you breathe. So breathe.
I have been granted the final permissions I need to publish the Wepwawet hymnal! I will send the book, Lord of Strength and Power: Ancient Hymns for Wepwawet to the formatters later on tonight or tomorrow.
I want to look over the introduction one more time. Those are the hardest things for me to write!
I am putting the Nebet Het Devotional together. So far, though, I have very few submissions. If I don’t get more submissions by the end of January, I will extend the deadline.
I have been swamped this past two weeks with a few doctors visits and a few tests. I don’t have the results from one of the tests back yet, but the resulting anxiety has made it impossible for me to do too much besides read manga, write fiction and curl up with my cat. My family and friends are awesome and have been extremely supportive throughout all of this.
Dealing with anxiety and stress is something I am working on, albeit more slowly than I’d like.
So I know I have been really quiet lately and this is why.
Goes back to curl up on the couch with a book and my cat.
Fiercely Bright One 