As the Wheel of the Year turns and daylight continues to increases in length, we enjoy the slowly warming temperatures and bursting colors indicative of sun in Aries. The essence of this configuration involves energy, enterprise, action, movement, willfulness, fiery desires, strength, and courage. I honor the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet as 2015 patron goddess of Aries.
Sekhmet’s name means “She Who is Powerful.” Her powers are associated with the sun, a great heart, warfare, fighting, vengeance, and medicine. Fire is her element, and she uses it for destruction as well as for the good of humankind. The goddess possesses a wild nature. Her totem animal is the lioness, and her head is that of a lioness—a fierce presence that cannot be tamed or controlled. Once it is on your side though, you are fortunate and charmed.
Sekhmet’s place in the Egyptian pantheon is always strongly associated with the Pharaoh. She was his personal protector and led his army in war. Her qualities were necessary for Pharaoh’s station to stay strong and flourish.
Scholars often consider Sekhmet as the wild, uncontrollable, more negative aspect of the pleasure loving goddess Hathor and the cat goddess Bast.
One story about Sekhmet focuses on her bloodthirsty rage. She became loathsome of humankind, with their treachery and manipulation. She craved to rid the world of humans once and for all. She was after a bloodbath. Even the gods cringed and hid from her great fury. They sent the sun god Ra to deal with her destructive plans. Despite intense effort, Ra could not calm down Sekhmet. Her anger had reached epic proportions, and only the blood of humans would assuage her. Because Ra wanted to save humanity, he devised a plan to trick Sekhmet. He mixed 7,000 casks of beer with pomegranate juice, hoping she would think it was human blood and drink it. His ruse worked, and Sekhmet became intoxicated. After sleeping off the effects of the alcohol, she awoke calm and free of rage. Her fury had drained away and had been transmuted to a more positive energy. She became able to tolerate humans, with all their frailties. As more time passed, she even came to love humankind. Her great role in Egyptian history was to serve as guardian and war leader for Pharaoh. She served with fierce unfailing courage and ferocious care of her chosen people. On Sekhmet’s feast days, the beer / pomegranate juice mixture became a centerpiece.
May we all avoid the rage and fury of Sekhmet, but may we feel the power of her protective great heart and courage to get things done.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Fantasy Romance
We are in great need of someone like Sekhmet or at least Vlad the Impaler around here! Interesting they drank beer in those times!
Thank you for, as usual,an awesome post!
Here too, Carmen, there is a need for a protective courage and strength. The Egyptians appeared to really like beer. Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
A most intriguing story of how Ra tricked her. I would have thought she’d wake enraged at being deceived, but obviously the sleep made her mellow. Perhaps it goes to show a good nap (or a strong drink) is sometimes needed to calm down!
I also wonder if the pomegranate juice symbolizes the sacred feminine, Mae, thus energizing her latent maternal and protective tendencies. I’ll pursue that symbolism next time I write about the incident.
Love this Flossie. What an interesting blog! The myth is fascinating and so interesting the way you related it to the astro sign.
Thanks, Ronnie. I like to combine things lol.
Thanks for this post, Flossie. I love Egyptian lore and legends. Sekhmet is not an entity I know too well though, so this was very interesting.
Oh, I’m glad you enjoy Egyptian lore, Daisy. Thank you.
See. That will teach me. After a marriage and a four year relationship with two Aries, I’ve avoided anything to do with that sign. It appears I could use some of this energy though. I believe I’ll rethink this.