BASTET

I. Bastet

Bastet's name is very ancient indeed; she is also known as Bast. The oldest variation occurs possibly as far back as the 2nd Dynasty. In Spell 508 of the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom, related to the 6th Dynasty, Bastet is referred to as a mother who provides milk: sd.n sw mwt.f BAstt, ‘My mother Bastet has nursed me’.^1,2

The hieroglyphs 𓎯𓏏𓏏 show Bastet's presence, but there are some significant variations. Her name is made up of the ointment jar hieroglyph (the bas) and two hieroglyphs for bread, signifying a feminine ending. Her name may also derive from bꜣs ("fire, heat") + the feminine suffix -t, connecting her to the protective fire of the Eye of Ra.

The Phoenicians wrote her name as 𐤀𐤁𐤎𐤕 ('bst), which is found both in a name from Carthage and an inscription elsewhere.^3,4,5

Sources: Raffaele, An Unpublished Early Dynastic Stone Vessel Fragment with Incised Inscription Naming the Goddess Bastet (2005); Pyramid Spell 508 (6th Dynasty, 2300–2181 BCE); Minunno, Human-divine Relations in Personal Names from the Tophet of Carthage (2024); KAI 49(34).^1,2,4,5

II. The Cat Goddess

Bastet was an incredibly beloved Egyptian goddess who rules over joy, power, the family and aspects of the solar. In Egypt, she was an incredibly important deity, not just in day-to-day domestic life and as a patron deity of safety in the home but in all matters related to celebration of life, cosmic order, children, societal order, warfare, statehood and occult knowledge that rules over refinement of base matter. Her functions were so varied that even now Bastet is one of the most recognizable symbols of Egyptian civilization to resonate down the ages, and she still is synonymous with all feline life.

She first apppears in the very ancient Pyramid Texts as said above, being a wetnurse to the Pharaoh. There are also the inscriptions PT 1310: “The heart of Meryra [Pepi I] is Bastet”; and PT 892, an obscure passage involving Bastet. Djedefa refers to her as his mother in a royal context: '‘ir.n.f m mnw.f n [mwt.f] BAstt’. These kinds of formulae from the Old Kingdom show that she was a goddess already strongly associated with the retinue of the Pharaohs, as shown by particular artefacts displaying her seated upon a throne, and the conflation of Hathor and Bastet in roles already existed. The cult at Bubastis was prominent enough for Pepi I to record making specific offerings to it.^2,6

In the Coffin Texts of the Middle Kingdom, Bastet is treated as the firstborn of the primordial god Atum, making her a very high member of the divine retinue. As with Hathor, she becomes identified with the Eye of Horus, while in CT 955 she says: “I am Sekhmet, Bastet the beloved.” It appears Bastet's characteristic as a goddess who fights serpents is rooted in this corpus.^7,8

From the Middle Kingdom onwards, her cult continued to be popular, but other than being identified with the slayer of Apep in cat form and being conflated with Sekhmet in the Book of the Heavenly Cow episode of the enraged Hathor, she is not considered to have any particular widely surviving mythology of her own. An exception is the Brooklyn 47.218.84 papyrus,^9,10 an identification of Bastet with Horit, the female Horus.

"In the recently published 26th Dynasty mythological papyrus Brooklyn 47.218.84, which contains aetiological myths for the nomes of the Delta, we find several myths... Bubastis. Concerning Bastet who is in Bubastis: This is the efflux when she came forth as Horit on the eastern mountain of Heliopolis. The blood came forth from her and it transformed into turquoise."
Papyrus Brooklyn 47.218.84 (26th Dynasty)¹⁰

III. The Epithets of Bastet

Sources: Rosenow, The Naos of ‘Bastet, Lady of the Shrine’ from Bubastis (2008); Booth, Bastet and the Sacred Landscape of the Nile Delta (2018); Teeter, Demotic Dictionary Project (1996); Onderka, Inscribed Canopic Jars in the Czech Collections (2022).^11,12,13,14

IV. The Temples of Bastet

Per-Bastet (Bubastis)

"Temples there are more spacious and costlier than that of Bubastis, but none so pleasant to behold. It is after the following fashion. Except at the entrance, it is surrounded by water: for two canals branch off from the river, and run as far as the entrance to the temple: yet neither canal mingles with the other, but one runs on this side, and the other on that. Each canal is a hundred feet wide, and its banks are lined with trees. The propylaea are sixty feet in height, and are adorned with sculptures (probably intaglios in relief) nine feet high, and of excellent workmanship. The Temple being in the middle of the city is looked down upon from all sides as you walk around; and this comes from the city having been raised, whereas the temple itself has not been moved, but remains in its original place.
Quite round the temple there goes a wall, adorned with sculptures. Within the inclosure is a grove of fair tall trees, planted around a large building in which is the effigy (of Bast). The form of that temple is square, each side being a stadium in length. In a line with the entrance is a road built of stone about three stadia long, leading eastwards through the public market. The road is about 400 feet (120 m) broad, and is flanked by exceeding tall trees. It leads to the temple of Hermes."
Herodotus, Histories 2.137–138¹⁶

Per-Bastet's beauty elevated the soul. Her temples demonstrate her relationship to gods such as Ra, as she was seen as an emissary of her father. Archeologists have found inscriptions to Bastet in Bubastis that indicate how she was perceived, since unlike Sekhmet, many of Bastet's roles seemed to relate to spiritual matters and not regal ones involving the machinery of power, lending her worship to the intimacy of the Naos and small chapels:

"King of Upper and Lower Egypt, lord of the Two Lands... (I) have come to you Bastet, lady of the [shrine], one who gives his arms supporting the ones who shine/the shining ones(?) (= stars), one to whom transfiguration (Ax.w) is given in heaven through (xr) Re."
Inscription from the Naos of Bastet¹¹

V. Festivals

It is well attested in Egyptology that Bastet's cult had a large amount of festivals and celebrations. This has been traditionally buttressed by a significant amount of records detailing the planning of these festivals and, as stated, Herodotus' historic remarks observing the gigantic scope of the one that he witnessed in Bubastis, which has come down to us as one of the most highly detailed and florid accounts of any divine celebration in Antiquity.

Herodotus also directly calls Artemis "Bubastis", making the dedication of this festival to any other goddess highly unlikely, nonetheless, he did not date the festival enough to securely identify it with any Egyptian recorded variant. Many of the dates below are from the New Kingdom era onwards; they may not necessarily reflect the most ancient practices.

Sources: Herodotus, Histories [2.37] (Artemis at Bubastis); Hardy, Archaeoastronomy 26 (2001); Karev, Variant Presentations in the Ptolemaic Sacerdotal Decrees (2008); University College London, Festivals in the Ancient Egyptian Calendar; Champollion, Monuments de l’Égypte et de la Nubie (1889).^{16,19,20,21,22}

VI. Hieroglyphs

The occult name behind Bastet means 'she who is anointed and (in return) she anoints', hence the Hieroglyph of her name is always represented with an ointment jar¹⁸. There is also a code inside her name with the feminine double t (tet), represented by the two bread Hieroglyphs, meaning 'she who anoints via the Power of Thoth'.

VII. Cat Symbolism

In occult terms, Bastet rules over many aspects of distinction symbolized by the cat. While they are independent animals, cats possess a complex social order,²³ which they fiercely enforce at all times. Cats also cannot be commanded to love any being and generally 'claim' whomever they choose. This symbolism aligns with the anointing ointment Bastet has at her disposal, because her powers of discernment are absolute: she is an aristocratic goddess promoting excellence in the true sense of the word.

The climbing ability of cats also relates to her as cats will not hesitate to climb upwards. They also exercise balance and judgement in jumping and can slip through gaps by manipulating their bodies like water. There exists an adversarial and anxious nature to these animals suggestive of taking care not to be too sure in one's convictions and to be able to move on if necessary. As the daughter of Ra, Bastet was also associated with the purifying, perpetually rising and lowering powers of the independent Sun for these reasons, among others.

Beyond the more obvious reason that this relates to the ability to confront unforeseen threats, the exceptional ability of cats to see well in the dark serves as an allegory for being able to see inside one's soul in order to wring out unknown possibilities. The acolyte must unlock and unify with the unconscious (female) side of the soul; they must wield the ability to traverse different dimensions as a cat slips in and out of the night. Bastet represents many facets of this process of change and aspects of spiritual secrecy that she revealed only to her chosen acolytes; due to these things, she was equated with certain aspects of Artemis by the Greeks.

Bastet represented the form of invincible feminine consciousness, the subtle caregiving required to keep the Great Work under control. Cats always functioned as guardians of granaries, temples, and laboratories alike.²⁸ Their generally silent nature demonstrates the need for thoughtful repose in the Zevist initiate and to keep quiet about what quickly brings envy and chatter.

Since feline creatures represent guardians of places in Egyptian thought, the purpose of Bastet as the divine cat is to guard the household chamber, the zone of proper being that Nephthys properly represents, from all forms of decay. She deviates from Sekhmet in representing a softer and more playful form of divine expression.

VIII. The Physiology of Cats

To further understand Bastet, we should further understand cats. In the ancient sands of Egypt, our goddess Bastet transitioned from a fierce lioness into the domestic cat to bring temple-grade protection into the sanctuary of the home.^18,29

She offered us a "Small Bastet" a living, breathing regulator designed to guard our thresholds and keep the "evil spirits" of stagnant stress and chaos from settling in our private spaces. This reflects the ancient struggle where the cat is shown slaying Apep, the serpent of chaos. In this way, the cat is the ultimate enemy of entropy, preventing the inner light of the soul and home from being swallowed by disorder.³⁰

One can see the blueprint of this spiritual technology. A cat’s fur acts as a sophisticated grounding rod, using the triboelectric effect (the science of static) to manage the room's energy. Their fur functions as a biological "anode," pulling in the jagged, positive ions created by stress and electronic static. This is most noticeable as they move and when they are petted.³¹

Science shows that their fur is ranked at the extreme top of the triboelectric scale. While a dog’s fur is relatively neutral, a cat's coat is a high-power positive terminal that pulls in the chaotic static of a room. This is why cat fur has been used as the literal 'gold standard' for explaining how electricity flows through the physical world according to a research university in Illinois.³²

By absorbing chaotic or static energy, cats help to neutralize the atmosphere with negative ions, which are known to improve our mood and the air we breathe. They act as resident engineers, making sure the home never feels heavy or stagnant. This is a major aspect of how Bastet transforms as a goddess.³³

This cleansing process finds its voice in the purr. Far more than a sound of contentment, the purr is a vibrational broadcast. Science confirms that cats purr between 25 and 150 Hertz, a range medically proven to heal bone and tissue, reduce inflammation, and balance the heart through frequency.^34,35 Spiritually, this vibration acts like a tuning fork, forcing the "noise" of a stressful room to settle into a state of deep peace. Even their spines play a part; biologically, they are liquid-smooth for movement, but spiritually, they act as a primary antenna that allows the cat to stay flexible and open to the flow of energy.

Their vision serves as the "Watchman of the Threshold." While our sight is narrow, cats see into the ultraviolet spectrum, witnessing energy flows we cannot.^36,37

In the physical world, it helps them see in the dark, like a retroreflector. It takes in the UV light (etheric) and bounces it back out. This is why cat eyes "glow" in the dark, they are literally radiating the light they have collected and refined. While science notes that this "shining layer" allows cats to see in near-total darkness by reflecting light back through the retina. This allows them to detect subtle "shifts" in the environment, perceiving a spectrum of reality.³⁸

Their vertical-slit pupils are literal geometric portals shaped like the Vesica Piscis. This shape is a physical lens that can read information beyond the physical world. When an advanced cat stares into a corner, it is as if they are "pinning" a distortion in the air, using their eyes like projectors to hone in on the atmosphere and keep the spiritual boundaries of your sanctuary intact.

Every part of the cat serves the whole. Their whiskers are logarithmic spirals that detect tiny pressure changes,^39,40 and their tails act as variable tuning rods,⁴¹ as seen in different species, to balance the equilibrium, navigate the world, and attune to resonances. By flicking or sweeping the tail, they balance the room’s polarity and ground any excess "voltage."

They mirror our goddess and her divine functions. To live with a cat is to walk with a silent guardian who ensures your home remains a vibrant sanctuary for your soul.

The domestic cat was not an "accident" of evolution, it was a precise miniaturization, their creation attuned to a frequency that can exist within the intimate walls of a human home or temple; hence, domestication. A cat doesn't just live in a home, it consecrates it. They maintain the spiritual boundaries that Bastet first established in the Great Temple.⁴²

By dwelling in our homes, they continue the work of Bastet, using their unique biology to keep our living spaces clear and peaceful. To understand the science of a cat is to see our goddess still at work today, ensuring that our homes remain true sanctuaries.

IX. Motherhood

So in a domestic guise, she ruled over the protection of the home and the cultivation of new life, as well as vigilance against the night and darkness.⁴³ As a powerful Goddess, women frequently called on Her powers during pregnancy and in difficult situations for her protection and guidance. Bastet, like Isis and Hathor, was equated very strongly with motherhood⁴⁴ and nourishment of the young, which is why she is commonly represented in statuary with kittens.

During the New Year's celebrations, Bastet's name was often invoked on celebratory flasks⁴⁵ and was associated with a gift of cats or kittens to another household.

X. Sistrum

Like Hathor, Bastet is the wielder of the sistrum which is also associated strongly with Isis and Hathor. The three strings of the sistrum represent the three channels of the soul and the necessary prerequisite for power to be wielded carefully in pursuing immortality. The sound it makes also represents a sound similar to the rush that coincides with rumbling, surging, and exceptionally bright power that hits one's consciousness when advancement occurs. This sound also parallels the purring and hissing sound of cats. The pacification of Sekhmet into returning to being Hathor is also shown through Bastet's gentle symbolism.⁴⁶

XI. Alabaster

Alabaster, a type of mineral and rock, is associated with Bastet. The original name was synonymous with the vessels of Bastet herself, which passed into Ancient Greek as ἀλάβαστρος wares. Jars made from alabaster were typically used to represent her symbolism, along with other objects such as amulets, brooches, plaques and vases.⁵⁰ Some alabaster objects in travertine form found at her sites are rendered in the shape of a cat with highly distinct eyes.⁵¹

XII. Plague Bringer; Serpent Destroyer

The fierce side of Bastet is first present in the Coffin Texts, to a large extent, where she is invoked as a destroyer of serpents. The enforcement of her decrees in relation to cosmic order is absolute.

Her destruction of the snake of chaos and entropy, Apep, symbolized the Egyptian state's acuity to overcome chaos, hence she was invoked by Pharoahs for protection. Ra was also represented as destroying Apep in the form of a male cat, while Bastet likewise maintained order by allowing the dawn to come each day. In turn, Bastet rules over the maintenance of time and is the dispositor of time as an emissary of Isis.

On a mundane level, her functions often concerned health and medicine. The cleanliness routines of cats and fastidious care they take to remove their own pollutants parallels the upkeep of spiritual cleansing required of advancement and the necessity of removing debris from the soul for the serpent to ascend and emerge. The symbolism of Bastet is not a coy matter, it is a code, one that deeply deals with alchemical forces of changing the base nature of a being to pure gold.

XIII. The Priesthood of Bastet

The priesthood of Bastet was a vast and powerful force, especially during the 22nd Dynasty when Bubastis became one of the most important centers in Egypt. As Daniela Rosenow’s research shows, the Great Temple was built like a sacred island, set in a depression and surrounded by water.

The priests were its devoted guardians, caring for this holy place not only as a sanctuary for prayer, but as a living heart for the whole Delta region, a place where the divine and everyday life flowed together.

At the center of their daily service was the Daily Office, the sacred morning ritual of awakening and tending to the Goddess. At dawn, the High Priest would break the clay seal of the inner shrine. The Stolists, masters of the Divine Wardrobe, would then carefully purify the sacred statue with incense and water before dressing her in four colors of fine linen, white for purity, blue for the sky, green for rebirth, and red for the protective fire of the sun.

As “Lady of the Ointment Jar,” Bastet was deeply connected to sacred perfumes. The priests managed a thriving sacred apothecary, creating and offering the Seven Sacred Oils, including Hekenu (oil of praise) and Set-heb (festival oil) and other divine scents. These fragrant rituals, often linked to her son Nefertem, filled the temple with sweet aromas that were believed to keep the Goddess gentle and bring harmony to the land.

The Wab-priests, known as the “Pure Ones,” supported this work by following strict rules of cleanliness, shaving their bodies and bathing several times a day in sacred pools so they could enter the inner sanctum with pure hearts. The Lector Priests gave voice to the rituals, reciting sacred words from scrolls so every action and chant flowed in perfect harmony with Ma’at. Even through the night, the priests kept watch with the Ritual of the Four Candles, standing at the four corners of the sanctuary to protect the Solar Spark of Bastet until dawn.

One of their deepest responsibilities was caring for the sacred cats, who were seen as living embodiments of Bastet. They oversaw large catteries, tending to the breeding, feeding, and medical care of thousands of cats. When the cats passed, the priests mummified them with love and buried them in the vast underground catacombs. These feline necropolises became a kind of permanent prayer library, where pilgrims could offer a mummified cat as a lasting message to the Goddess. Through this sacred work, the priesthood turned personal devotion into something powerful and enduring.

The clergy were also the heart behind the Great Festivals that drew hundreds of thousands of people. These joyous celebrations included boat processions on the Nile, constant music from sistra and flutes, feasting, and “festivals of drunkenness” meant to delight and soothe the Goddess and keep chaos at bay. The priests guided the crowds, distributed food and wine, and timed the hymns and offerings with care. Through these events, Bastet’s warm, protective presence spread across the land, blessing everyone with joy, fertility and abundance.

Beyond their spiritual duties, the priesthood held real political and economic power. During the Third Intermediate Period, when kings from Bubastis raised Bastet to national importance, her clergy became influential statesmen. They managed large lands, collected taxes, and helped keep northern Egypt strong.

They also oversaw a thriving industry of votive bronze cat statues, allowing ordinary people to carry Bastet’s protection into their own homes. The temple’s unique island design, surrounded by canals, let them welcome pilgrims and trade while protecting the sacred space.

Through their loving service, from the intimate morning rituals of dressing and anointing the Goddess, to the care of her sacred cats, the grand festivals, and the wise handling of economic and political matters, the priesthood of Bastet kept her alive in the hearts of the people. They were not just temple servants. They were the hands that helped divine love, daily devotion, and communal abundance flow together in beautiful harmony.^52,53