Animals Divine
Title/Number: 2 The High Priestess - Bast
Picture: http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd443/TrinityQueen/2-TheHighPriestess-Bast.jpg
First Impression: My first impression of Bast was one of excitement. I love Egyptian Culture and Mythology. I have a cat, and she being the Feline Goddess I have a special attraction to her. At first I was a bit disappointed they featured her resembling a house cat anthro. I personally see Bast as more of a wild, dark panther type. Sleek, black and supremely graceful. Still I can see why the artist did use this interpretation, as every cat is in touch with their wild side.
Description: Bast is standing in front of the night sky that has cat spirits in the leaping through the astral background. She is wearing a robe over her (feline but not so feminine) body. In her left hand a spiral of energy is glowing over a lion head breastplate (didn't recognize what it was at first). She is adorned in jewels, with one gemstone at her third eye.
Feminine/Masculine/Neutral: Feminine
Colors: Gold, Browns, Teal, Aqua, & other Blues, Grey, White, & Black.
Senses: I can see her intense stare peering into my soul, the exact way a cat would look at you as if she is seeing your bones. A warm energy pulses in her hand. I can hear silence, the kind it takes to listen to the heart and the voice of intuition. I taste the fresh air and can smell hot sand cooling under the stars. I feel her confidence, her majestic presence and the power that flows from her hand.
Symbols: Bast, Jewel at third eye, Lion head breastplate, spiral energy, stars, astral cats.
Story [Intuitive]: The Great Goddess Bast stands before me as I near her majestic presence. She lets out a hushed purr and eyes me with that piercing stare. I do not look away for my soul is naked before her and I have nothing to hide. She blinks long and slow as the corners of her mouth turn into a slight smile. The air doesn't have the courage to shift across the cooling sands. All stands before her in awe and reverence. The open stars call to me, their brilliant light stirring an ancient and indescribable feeling within me that somewhere among them was a place I once called home. The gentle caress of her touch pulls me to the present moment. She strokes my cheek and then with a quick scratch of her nail she opens my third eye. A trickle of blood drips from the wound, a red tear of release. A whisper comes into my mind then,
You are ready my child. Go find your heart and follow it well. Listen to its secrets. The mind can trick the tongue into telling lies, but alas the heart cannot. Above her the ancestors leap through the heavens and roar in celebration. They will be my guides on the long journey ahead, and I would serve my Goddess well.
My Experience as the High Priestess: Tarot, Reiki, and life experience has taught me much about intuition. For me the High Priestess isn't about fancy titles and exuberant rituals. Its about being a powerful teacher. A mostly humble and mostly thankless job. You are the giver of wisdom learned. The helper, the servant. I have learned the hard way the more you try to "be" someone the more labels and titles you take on. When you just stop, you are free to "be" yourself. This is the High Priestess to me.
Astrological Reference: The Moon
Cultural Reference: Egyptian culture highly revered cats for their ability to fight vermin and cobras that threatened food supplies. Many were seen as parts of the family and were mourned and mummified beside their owners. Killing a cat was punishable by death. Bast, also called Bastet is a modern adaptation of the Goddess' name. The original meaning has been long forgotten. She was pictured either as a fierce lioness or a woman with the head of a cat. She was the protector of lower Egypt and defender of the pharaoh. She was said to be the married to the Sun God Ra and it earned her the title (the Eye of Ra). One of the most important festivals in Egypt was in honor of Bast. The woman engaged in music, song, and dance. Great sacrifices were made and large amount of alcohol were drank. [source wikipedia]
Elemental Reference: Air because of all the wide open sky and energy she is working with, water because of the moon astrology and veil between the worlds.
Numerology Reference: 2 - Duality, Harmony,
Keywords:
Possible Meanings:
Quote: "Your vision will only become clear when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside: dreams. Who looks inside: awakes." ~ Carl Jung
((( Will finish the rest a bit later today! Yay new spread sheet! )))
