HATHOR
The Hathor Menat
Chapel L, high on south wall
Dendera
As sovereign She appears in the temple of the menat necklace, blazes like Her father, illuminates the ennead, beams Her rays in Her chapel, She who has power in the country, the animated Soul among the powers, She whose divine power is prompt and the magic powers quick
The Egyptian goddess Hathor is as old and kinky as they come. Meaning that Hathor is one of Egypt’s earliest deities and her story has more than a few curious kinks in it.
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In terms of age, the essence of the goddess Hathor we know today appears about the same time as Egyptian writing begins, about 3100 BC. This means Hathor predates the Ogdoad, the original eight gods of ancient Egypt. A relief of the Ogdoad, traveling to the great silver mirror of Aries, master of the celestial vault, is on the ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall at Dendera.
OGDOAD
As the Mother Alchemist, an ancient Goddess of Sky, Hathor wields divine favor and fury. As a sky deity, she bridges the sacred primordial waters above to the frail human worlds below. She brings joy, art, music, and love down from origin and, as Mother Alchemist, she transmutes these aspects into human thought and consciousness. Into action.
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And, like the primal humans she grooms, there is a slippery side to her wares. Re the creator, who ejaculated to create the cosmos, was allegedly spurred into action by Hathor’s hand. Her cult believes not only did she have a hand in creation, but that Hathor is also the vital force within Re’s essence. So watch out for that.
A lesser-known role of Hathor is the Goddess of beer, aka bouza, and inebriation. Story goes that she was once sent by Re to inflict murderous rage upon the arrogant, but then Hathor just couldn’t stop killing.
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To put an end to the bloodshed Re had to send thousands of barrels of blood-red beer all over Egypt, not knowing where Hathor would show up next. She did find the beer and, instead of spilling blood that night, chose to ingest mass quantities. Story goes that Hathor passed out and woke up with no more rage. Roofied by your own God, now that’s a pedigree.
Within the chapels and crypts of Dendera, there are many accounts of Hathor and her son, Harsomtus, the embodiment of Hathor’s light. Of he who is the great snake, who comes from the origin, who emerges from the blue lotus, who masters the primordial waters and the renewal of form.
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Each of these accounts, whether deep in a crypt or high on a chapel wall, are important. Some speak to process, some speak to action, some talk of abilities and adoration. But if you tie these tales together, with the right kind of knot, it’s a whole different can of worms. It’s an alchemic tale, one that centers on the riddle of consciousness. All consciousness, and the fire in the sky.
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