Isis, Egyptian Aset or Eset , one of the most important goddesses of ancient Egypt. Her name is the Greek form of an ancient Egyptian word for “throne.”
Isis was initially an obscure goddess who lacked her own dedicated temples, but she grew in importance as the dynastic age progressed, until she became one of the most important deities of ancient Egypt. Her cult subsequently spread throughout the Roman Empire, and Isis was worshipped from England to Afghanistan. She is still revered by pagans today. As mourner, she was a principal deity in rites connected with the dead; as magical healer, she cured the sick and brought the deceased to life; and as mother, she was a role model for all women.
Isis had strong links with Egyptian kingship, and she was most often represented as a beautiful woman wearing a sheath dress and either the hieroglyphic sign of the throne or a solar disk and cow’s horns on her head. Occasionally she was represented as a scorpion, a bird, a sow, or a cow. There are no references to Isis before the 5th dynasty (2465–2325 bce), but she is mentioned many times in the Pyramid Texts (c. 2350–c. 2100 bce), in which she offers assistance to the dead king. Later, as ideas of the afterlife became more democratic, Isis was able to extend her help to all dead Egyptians.
The priests of Heliopolis, followers of the sun god Re, developed the myth of Isis. This told that Isis was the daughter of the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut and the sister of the deities Osiris, Seth, and Nephthys. Married to Osiris, king of Egypt, Isis was a good queen who supported her husband and taught the women of Egypt how to weave, bake, and brew beer. But Seth was jealous, and he hatched a plot to kill his brother. Seth trapped Osiris in a decorated wooden chest, which he coated in lead and threw into the Nile. The chest had become Osiris’s coffin. With his brother vanished, Seth became king of Egypt. But Isis could not forget her husband, and she searched everywhere for him until she eventually discovered Osiris, still trapped in his chest, in Byblos. She brought his body back to Egypt, where Seth discovered the chest and, furious, hacked his brother into pieces, which he scattered far and wide. Transforming into a bird, and helped by her sister, Nephthys, Isis was able to discover and reunite the parts of her dead husband’s body—only his penis was missing. Using her magical powers, she was able to make Osiris whole; bandaged, neither living nor dead, Osiris had become a mummy. Nine months later Isis bore him a son, Horus. Osiris was then forced to retreat to the underworld, where he became king of the dead.
Isis hid with Horus in the marshes of the Nile delta until her son was fully grown and could avenge his father and claim his throne. She defended the child against attacks from snakes and scorpions. But because Isis was also Seth’s sister, she wavered during the eventual battle between Horus and Seth. In one episode Isis took pity on Seth and was in consequence beheaded by Horus (the beheading was reversed by magic). Eventually she and Horus were reconciled, and Horus was able to take the throne of Egypt.
Isis was the perfect traditional Egyptian wife and mother—content to stay in the background while things went well, but able to use her wits to guard her husband and son should the need arise. The shelter she afforded her child gave her the character of a goddess of protection. But her chief aspect was that of a great magician, whose power transcended that of all other deities. Several narratives tell of her magical prowess, far stronger than the powers of Osiris and Re. She was frequently invoked on behalf of the sick, and, with the goddesses Nephthys, Neith, and Selket, she protected the dead. Isis became associated with various other goddesses, including Bastet, Nut, and Hathor, and thus her nature and her powers became increasingly diverse. Isis became known, like other fierce goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon, as the “Eye of Re” and was equated with the Dog Star, Sothis (Sirius).
The first major temple dedicated to Isis was built by the Late Period king Nectanebo II (360–343 bce) at Behbeit el-Hagar, in the central Nile delta. Other important temples, including the island temple of Philae, were built during Greco-Roman times when Isis was dominant among Egyptian goddesses. Several temples were dedicated to her in Alexandria, where she became the patroness of seafarers. From Alexandria her cult spread to Greece and Rome. Images of Isis nursing the baby Horus may have influenced the early Christian artists who depicted the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus.
(Myth from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Is…)
“I am She who was from the beginning and who IS at the end of time. You have known me since your conception and it is to me you will return when your spirit leaves the mortal body. I am Hathor. I am Demeter.I am Bast. I am Mary. I am the Black Madonna. I am the Goddess of Ten Thousand Names. I am the Living One, many-named, many-formed. I am Isis, Mistress of the World, Mother of the Gods. Come to me when you are weary and tired. I shall wrap my wings around you and restore you as I restored Osiris. And from my restoration, new and holy life shall spring forth. Bringing you to a new place, nourishing you. I am Gentle. I am the Giver of Life. I am the Goddess of all Goddesses. I am Abundance and Joy. I am Justice and Light. I am Love, Peace and Life itself. Come to me. Sit upon my Holy Lap and receive my nourishment. I will fill you completely. I am the Great Mother, worshiped in all lands under many different names. But for those who know, I am Isis Thiouis (the only one), and I AM.“
“I, Isis, am all that hath been that is or shall be, I, who made light from my feathers, The wind from my wings, No mortal man ever hath me unveiled! - Until now.”
Isis and the Seven Scorpions
The god Djehuty or Thoth to the Greeks realised that Aset (Isis) was in great danger from Set. Set was her brother, but also the brother of Wesir (Osiris), to whom Aset had been wife. Set had murdered his brother, to take the throne, and now sought for Wesir’s son, Heru (Horus), whom Aset yet carried in her womb. Djehuty rescued Aset and advised her to go into hiding until her son grew of age. Aset set out for the Delta intending to hide herself in the papyrus thickets and marshes. Accompanying her were seven scorpions, the leader of which was called Tefen.
During their journey Aset and the scorpions came to the town of Per-sui and asked for refuge of the house of a wealthy lady named Usert. But Usert slammed the door in Aset’s face, so the scorpions gave Tefen all their venom and he crept under the door and bit her son.
Meanwhile a poor little fisher girl offered shelter to Aset.
Tefen’s venom caused Usert’s son extreme agony and Usert ran into the town calling for help but was ignored. Aset felt sorry for the innocent child and decided to cure him, calling Usert to bring the child to her so she could magically expel the poison. Aset put her hand on the child and recited, “O poison of Tefen, come forth and drip onto the ground. May the child live and the poison die.”
Usert was stricken with remorse and sought to make amends by filling the poor little fisher girls hut with possessions from her own home.
Aset continued on her journey and came to Khemmis in the Delta, where she gave birth to Heru, Heru Avenger of his father. She tied her girdle around the baby for protection.
There was no one to feed Aset in Khemmis, so eventually she was forced to leave Heru alone and search for food, disguised as a beggar. She wandered all day with no luck, and returned to find Heru lying still on the ground. The marsh dwellers came running but could offer no help, Aset feared this might be an attack by Set. Thn a great learned lady came and said Atum had decreed Set should not enter Khemmis and perhaps a scorpion or snake had bitten Heru. Aset smelled Heru’s breath and detected poison of the scorpion. But this time Aset was unable to expel the poison of the scorpion and her cries brought Nebt-Het and Serqet to her side. They combined their voices and reached Ra in his Barque of Millions of Years, causing the boat to stand still so that darkness descended upon the earth.
Djehuty alighted from the bark and recited the healing spell of Heru.
“Come back, Oh Poison. You are exorcised by the spell of Ra himself… the Barque of the Sun God wil stand still… until Heru recovers – to his mother’s delight. Fall onto the earth, Oh poison… darkness will cover everything… wells will be dry, crops will wither… until Heru recovers – to his mother’s delight.”
To the delight of Aset, the spell of Djehuty cured the son of Aset, Heru – Avenger of his Father and Ra and his Barque of Millions of Years was allowed to continue its journey.
Animal: Man, Woman, unicorn, sphinx, ram, owl, lion, eagle
Color: Emerald, turquoise Day: Wednesday, Friday
Festivals: Advent of Aset - January 2nd, July 17th, Oct 30th - Nov 2nd
Flower: Amaranth, cypress, willow, lily, ivy, snowdrop
Gems: ruby, star ruby, turquoise, sapphire, pearl, amethyst, peridot, beryl
Minerals: Phosphorus, silver, sulphates Perfume: musk, myrrh, civert, cedar, dragons blood, narcissus, onycha
Tarot: Twos, Threes, Fours, Tens, The Emperor, The Hermit, The Hanged Man
Weapon: Lingam, Inner Robe Of Concealment, Yoni, Magic Circle