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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in Bast

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Be Like Leo the Lion

When you imagine a lion, these are images that immediately come to mind: Strength, pride, regality. A certain conservation of energy is often utilized by lions. Of all of the big cats, they certainly know how to strike a healthy balance between their leisure time and the hunt. Family prides of course, are quite important to them. They could never be accused of backing down from a fight. And hey, they practice good grooming. Since the sun will officially be entering the sign of Leo today on July 23rd, it could be advantageous to tap into some of that powerful feline energy. I would also venture that you don't need to be a cat person, or fall under the sign on your chart to do so.

If you are a fellow cat person, kudos to you. You already appreciate all those kooky and mysterious little offspring of Bast on a deeper level. If you have some furry companions of this kind living with you, chances are, you have taken the opportunity to study them, and even unconsciously, to act like them. They get you to run wildly and play with silly abandon alongside them, chasing each other down long hallways and such. It's a good exercise for both of you. Probably you nap together, and that's never a bad thing. All cats are highly practiced in the art of stillness, and you can practice pretty zen-y meditations with them daily, held in the form of long starting contests. In all of these regards, cats definitely keep you in the moment. Since pet cats are largely regarded as the most wild of all domesticated animals, spend some extra time with your kitty loved one to tap into some Leo energy. If you've been considering adopting, this would be an optimum time to visit your local shelter.

If you feel the need to get closer to the real deal, look into visiting a nearby big cat sanctuary. Often these beautiful wild creatures have been injured, left behind, or mistreated, either in the wild or in an inappropriate facility. Sanctuaries provide the unique opportunity to provide loving, caring, and roomy environments for these animals, where the people there who care for them do so with knowledge and compassion. Some Midwest locations are listed under my resources below.

Since lions are very social creatures, you may want to revisit your social life. Who is a major part of your inner pride? Has it been awhile since you connected with some of these folks, if even with a good old-fashioned phone call? Now is the time, my friend. If time allows, throw a small summer fire pit party (Leo is a fire sign, after all) and invite some of these cherished companions over to roar with you.

Looking inward, think about ways that you could strengthen your own sense of pride and self-dignity. If signing up for that new dance class or treating yourself to a new outfit that you can show off makes you want to strut, then by all means, go for it. If your mane could use some coifing, get yourself into the beauty parlor and spend a little extra this time. All of these rituals should help you embrace your inner lion, and rev your confidence level up in a big way.

Resources:

https://www.wisconsinbigcats.org/Wisconsin-Big-Cat-Rescue-Education-Center

https://votk.org/


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Weekly Goddess Inspiration: Bastet

Bastet is one of my household Goddesses, and I'm looking forward to spending time with her this week. A household with five felines in it has to honor Bastet, right? And a house with two queer female householders and five felines really has to honor Bastet! She is, after all, not just the Goddess of Cats, but of sexuality in all its forms, a protector of women, and the patroness of divine play. Bastet was one of the first Goddess I met, on a transformative trip to Egypt in my early 20s, and she has had a place on my altar and in my heart every since. Even if I am not always so good at remembering her message, to find play and moments of lightheartedness.

And I can use some lightheartedness this week! Last week was trying, with the news that a promising job lead had fallen through, my partner's mother having hip replacement, and a brief descent into a black depression that kept me mired in sadness and inertia for several days. (I am happy to report that my partner's  mom is doing well, there are new job opportunities on the horizon, and I'm back to my usual self!) Last week was heavy beyond heavy, with few moments of laughter and play. This week I'm thankful to have the reminder that we need those moments of light, of silliness. We need to be able to look at the world like a cat and see everything as something to investigate, to be curious about, to play with.

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Posted by on in Paths Blogs

Every so often, I'll get asked about Gods and Goddesses. Who 'my' Goddess is, my patron, my chosen pantheon... you know the sort of thing.

I've pondered the deeper meanings of deity often, as I think you must if you are to travel a Pagan path at such a level. Does deity have existence outside of human belief? Are they just energy forms? Is it not presumptuous to just 'pick and choose'? (My answers, briefly, are 'Yes', 'Not exactly', and 'It depends who's doing the choosing'...)

But recently, the multifaceted nature of Goddess has been on my mind. From the sad passing of my oldest animal friend into the arms of Bast, to the focused dance of the Morrigan, via the peaceful mysteries of Kuan Yin, this week has seen many aspects of my Lady pass through my life.

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Recent Comments - Show all comments
  • Anne Newkirk Niven
    Anne Newkirk Niven says #
    Cat - congratulations on having a HUGE number of likes and reads on Facebook for this post. Our FB feed shows that over 11,000 rea
  • Cynthia Savage
    Cynthia Savage says #
    Hmmmm......I don't think I've ever been asked about deities.
  • Jamie
    Jamie says #
    Very nice knitting! As a Platonist, I have noticed that individual 'soft'/'hard' polytheist self-identification is one of the lar

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