Aset is Awakened by the Majesty of Ra
by Chelsea Luellon Bolton
About
During this festival, Aset’s statue is taken outside to bask in the sunlight at dawn. “Majesty of Ra” here means sunlight.
Like most uniting with Ra festivals, the Eye Goddess unifies with Ra to renew all of creation. She is His daughter here, His Eye of Ra, His Fierce Protectress and the Solar Goddess of the Dawn. She is the Leopard, the Lioness, the Cobra. She’s offered a sistrum (pl. sistra) to pacify Her rage, to dispel evil. She’s offered a mirror to gaze into Her Solar Power and Beauty. She’s offered a Menat to keep the darkness at bay with magical precious stone beads and rattling sounds. She’s praised and hailed as a Goddess whose Power is glorified when She unites with Her Father.
She is Ra’s Power. She is His Flame. He may lead, but She avenges. She destroys the enemies of Ra and Her son and brother. She is armed with a scimitar and a wailing scream that can stop the Sun God in His tracks. She owns His Name.
She is the Goddess of all Magical Power and the authority to rule.
And this is Her time in the light.
Actions
- Awakening Aset
- Offer incense, candles and libation
- Offer offerings
- Offer Sistrum
- Take Her outside in the sunlight or light numerous candles
- Bring Her inside and finish the ritual
Ritual Implements
- incense and burner or essential oil and burner
- candles (white and blue)
- bowl and pitcher for water libation
- sistrum
- offerings for the Goddess
Awakening Aset
Awaken in Beauty, in Peace
Aset, the Great One
Great Goddess
Beloved One
You are the Great One
Lady of great appearances in the Coptite Nome
Lady of Gods, Lady of Goddesses.[1]
Offering Incense
Put the incense stick in the burner and light it with a lighter or matches. Or burn essential oil in an oil diffuser. If you can’t do these, you can offer flowers or Florida Water instead.
Hail Aset, Giver of Life, Who dwells in the Pure Island,
Take to Yourself the myrrh which comes from Punt,
The lotus-fragrance which issues from Your body,
That Your heart may be glad through it,
And that Your heart may rejoice everyday.[2]
Offering Libation
Pour four libations of water into a bowl.
Libation of Water
Pure, Pure is Great Aset
With this libation which comes forth from Nun,
You being pure. Four times, Geb purifies you,
At the head of the company of the Great Ennead.[3]
Light Candles
Light the candles on the shrine. These can be white, blue or gold.
Offerings
Offer the food offerings to the Goddess.
I come and bring Aset an offering,
For all life and strength are from Her.[4]
Sistrum
Play the sistrum.
I play the sistrum before Your beautiful face,
Aset, Eye of Ra, who has no equal.[5]
I shake sistra to Her beautiful face
Forever and ever.[6]
Bathe Aset’s statue or image in Ra’s light (sunlight) or light many candles.
Closing the Rite
Henu and Prostration.
Thank the Goddess.
Blow out candles.
Eat the offerings.
Sources
[1] Pantalacci, Laure and Claude Traunecker. Le Temple d’El-Qal’a. Vol. II. (Institut Francais d’Archeologie Orientale, 1998), 168. Translated by Chelsea Bolton.
[2] Zabkar, Louis V. “Adaptation of the Ancient Egyptian Texts to the Temple Ritual at Philae,” The Journal of Egyptian Archeaology Vol. 66 (1980), pp. 128.
[3] David, Rosalie. A Guide to Religious Ritual at Abydos. (Aris and Phillips, 1981), 49. This is adapted from an inscription from the Temple of Seti 1 at Abydos. I changed the “thou and thee” to “you”.
[4] Siuda, Tamara. The Ancient Egyptian Prayerbook. (Illinois: Stargazer Design, 2009), 62. From the Sarcophagus of Amunhotep the Third, 18th Dynasty. Translated by Tamara Siuda.
[5] Junker, Hermann. Der Grosse Pylon des Tempels der Isis in Phila. (Wien: Kommission bei Rudolf M. Rohrer, 1958), 232. Translated by Chelsea Bolton.
[6] Siuda, Tamara. The Ancient Egyptian Prayerbook. (Illinois: Stargazer Design, 2009), 62. From the Sarcophagus of Amunhotep the Third, 18th Dynasty. Translated by Tamara Siuda.
Fiercely Bright One 