#30daysofdeitydevotion

[lillysilvermoon]

30 Days of Deity Devotion

1.A basic introduction of the Deity.

Thanatos is the personification of Blessed Death, the God of Death. His most famous myths are when he was sent to fetch Alkestis to the underworld and was driven off by Herakles in a fight. And the other one (and became my favorite but I'll explain this in other post) is when he was captured by Sisyphos who trapped him a sack to avoid death. In Greek vase painting he was depicted was a winged, bearded old man and, more rarely, as a beard less youth (he showed to me like the a young man, with the black wings, was like the first image that appeared in mediation was his wings).

He is Nyx's son (Hesiod Theogony 212, Homer Iliad).

Unfortunately there isn't much information about him, he wasn't very talked about in Greek Mythology and there is almost none information about him besides this (belive me I've been trying to find >anything< about him but I couldn't, I'll continue to try tho).

I'm participating in the Lunar Tarot (in my language it's Tarot Lunar) and every month is with a new deity, this time she decided would be to connect with out guardian - which I had no clue who it was, I did a card identification and was Thanatos and I was very shocked (never thought about him, I mean, I did but not to work with?) But yeah, definitely him ( why all of a sudden I'm working just with chtonic deities?? I mean, besides Selene everyone is from the underworld lmao).

I'll make a post about how I found it was him (because was actually so cool I couldn't sleep because I was so shocked and excited cs of HOW obvious it was that I lost my alarm)

[eyes-of-ra]

Day 2

2) How did you become first aware of this deity?

THAT is a kind of funny story, actually.  And not a very good example of the “Right Way to Do Things” as maintained by piety posse types.  So be forewarned.

I first became fascinated with Egyptian mythology and art and, well, everything, as a child, and I imagine I first became aware of Bast as a concept then, but I didn’t meet her until muuuuuuch later.  I didn’t even really meet her as a baby pagan, trying Wicca and finding it wasn’t for me.  Nope.  I met her after I read @neil-gaiman‘s American Gods.  No Joke.

At the time, I was pretty heavy into livejournal text-based roleplay, so after I read the book I did what any hardcore RP nerd does - I decided which character I would most like to play.  And I picked Bast, because she seemed really intriguing... but I found I didn’t have quite enough to flesh her out from just that one book.  So I did some research.  I read all kinds of internet articles, some good, some bad.  I read Herodotus.  I did not actually seek out Kemetic pagans despite being pagan myself, which was weird in retrospect.  I also did not particularly find it awkward to be wanting to RP a pagan god, which is also kind of weird in retrospect.  But anyway.  I did the research, I sent in the app the group, I was accepted, and I started playing her.  And I got really damn good at it.  And there comes a time in every writer’s journey where characters almost become headmates, if that makes sense, but it was more than that, with Bast.  Suddenly she was just THERE.  Loudly.  Everywhere.  Correcting my interpretation of her.  I’d had conversations with spirits before, but never gods, not really.  Most of my pagan practice at the time revolved around nature spirits and fae, some kitchen witchery.  But when Bast showed up, she just switched my godphone ON, and it’s been like that ever since.

Once I realized it was actually her, I thought, shit.  What I’d been doing?  RPing her, finding her followers in the game, organizing OOC shit so she could have an in-game temple built?  That was practically an offering.  I’d been offering her electronic worship.

After that I sort of formally introduced myself.  And we got to know each other better.  I ended up formally requesting her patronage - or acquiescing to her request that I accept her patronage, I’m still not quite sure, lol.  I did more work with her, and then eventually with Sekhmet as well - two Eyes of Ra.  And now here we are.

[eyes-of-ra]

Day 1: A Basic Introduction to Bast

Bast is a Kemetic (Egyptian) goddess, often depicted as a yellow-skinned female figure with a black cat’s head, wearing a white dress, and holding a musical instrument called a sistrum.  In earlier periods, she is also depicted with the head of a lioness.  The hieroglyphics for her name are the bas-jar and the loaf, followed by the seated goddess. Bast is a goddess of many things, but her best-known association in modern times is with cats.  Music, perfumes, and ointments are also sacred to her.  She has a reputation as a goddess of sensuality and sexual pleasure due in part to Herodotus’s description of her festivals.  He claims they were drunken and lascivious affairs, but it is uncertain if that has any basis in truth.  However the rumors started, she seems to have accepted that this is part of her reputation now, and is more than willing to encourage sex positivity in her devotees.  She also has mothering and protective aspects, which run a continuum with her avenging and destroying aspects as an Eye of Ra.  As an Eye of Ra, she has important solar associations – which were later obscured by the Greeks, who called her Ailuros and associated her with Artemis and therefore the moon.  The Greeks softened her, but Bast is not just softness: she is also known as the Lady Destroyer, and in her rage she is fierce.  She began as a lioness and a vengeful Eye of Ra, and later became a smaller wildcat and then a domestic cat, but this hasn’t “tamed” her – she has gained aspects, not lost them, and she is still every bit a lioness when it suits her.

My relationship with Bast was a long time in the making – I was drawn to her and to Egyptian mythology as a child, but did not come to polytheism until I was a teen, and at that point I focused on the Celtic deities. It wasn’t until I read American Gods by Neil Gaiman that she came knocking again and I answered.  I think she would have waited as long as it took to get my attention however she could – I have since learned that I served her in a past life as well.  Bast is eager to continue the work and the relationship, and so am I.

[eyes-of-ra]

30 Days of Deity Devotion: Bast

This challenge was created by Arrin Deuognatos, a gaullish polytheist who is no longer on tumblr but seems to still be on wordpress.

Here are all the questions - I’ll be linking posts as I write them. I am not going yo be doing this in 30 consecutive days. It may take me a while to finish.

1) A basic introduction of the deity 2) How did you become first aware of this deity? 3) Symbols and icons of this deity 4)A favorite myth or myths of this deity 5) Members of the family – genealogical connections 6) Other related deities and entities associated with this deity 7) Names and epithets 8) Variations on this deity (aspects, regional forms, etc.) 9) Common mistakes about this deity 10) Offerings – historical and UPG 11) Festivals, days, and times sacred to this deity 12) Places associated with this deity and their worship 13) What modern cultural issues are closest to this deity’s heart? 14) Has worship of this deity changed in modern times? 15) Any mundane practices that are associated with this deity? 16) How do you think this deity represents the values of their pantheon and cultural origins? 17) How does this deity relate to other gods and other pantheons? 18) How does this deity stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (historical and/or UPG) 19) What quality or qualities of this god do you most admire? What quality or qualities of them do you find the most troubling? 20) Art that reminds you of this deity 21) Music that makes you think of this deity 22) A quote, a poem, or piece of writing that you think this deity resonates strongly with 23) Your own composition – a piece of writing about or for this deity 24) A time when this deity has helped you 25) A time when this deity has refused to help 26) How has your relationship with this deity changed over time? 27) Worst misconception about this deity that you have encountered 28) Something you wish you knew about this deity but don’t currently 29) Any interesting or unusual UPG to share? 30) Any suggestions for others just starting to learn about this deity?