Sekhmet
From Wepwawet Wiki
Contents |
Name
Sekhmet
|
Powerful Female
Names - Alternate
Sachmet, Sakhet, Sakhmet
Appearance
A lioness or lioness-headed woman.
Image Gallery
 Sekhmet |
 Sekhmet Seated |
Parents
It is most often related that Sekhmet was created when Ra set forth His Eye against humanity and the bloodlust of the Eye of Ra could not be sated enough for Her to stop Her rampage against mortal man. In other myths, Nut and Geb are listed as Her parents.
Consorts
Children
Epithets
- Eye of Ra
- The Red Lady
- At Whose Wish the Arts were Born
- Lady of Enchantments
- Destroyer by Plagues
- (One who is) powerful
- (One) Before Whom Evil Trembles
- Mistress of Dread
- Lady of Slaughter
Roles
Sekhmet is associated with medicine, healing, and disease. In ancient Kemet, the people would try to placate her so that she would keep plague and sickness away. Her priests were often the doctors and surgeons of the ancient world. [1]
Sekhmet also represented divine vengeance and the consequences thereof. She represented the Left-Hand of God with Whom the enemies of Netjer, Ma'at and the King would have to answer. She was one of the Eyes of Ra.
Sekhmet led the pharoahs in battle and protected them with arrows of flames. Her body represented the harshest part of the day, the midday sun. Her breath was said to create the desert, and was also the hot desert wind.[2]
Worship Centers
Main site: Men-nefer (Greek: Memphis), 1st Nome, Lower Egypt
Other sites: Imu/Kom-el-Hisn, 3rd N, Lower Egypt [3]
Festivals
Not exact dates but approximate, since Egyptian calendars changed depending on the timing of the floods and the advent of Sirius.[4]
12 August - 25th Thuti - Day of Sekhmet's repulsion of Set
17th Ocotber - 1st Koiak - Month of Koiak Begins; The feast of Sekhmet
31st October - 15th Koiak - Feast of Sekhmet, Bast and Ra
20th November - 5th Tybi - Day of Sekhmet and the Purifying Flame
24th November - 9th Tybi - Day of Offerings to Sekhmet
28th November - 13th Tybi - Feast of Het-Hert (Hathor) and Sekhmet
14th December - 29th Tybi - Tehuti (Thoth) sends Bast and Sekhmet to guide Egypt
28th December - 13th Mechir - Day of Sekhmet Going forth to Letopolis
31st December - 16th Mechir - Feast of Sekhmet
12th March - 27th Parmutit - End of the World by Sekhmet
Creation Story
Myths
In the legend of Ra and Hathor, Sekhmet was released by Ra to slay humans who were plotting against him. Made intoxicated by blood lust, she would have destroyed all of mankind if Ra had not taken pity on us. He tricked her by dyeing beer blood-red with pomegranate juice which she drank believing it to be human blood, and became drunk. She soon forgot her anger and we were saved from destruction. Full myth here
Art
Ancient
Modern
Hymns
Ancient
An Invocation and Litany of Sekhmet
Modern
Offerings
Food/Drink
- Red beer
- Red meat
- Spicy/exotic foods
- Pomegranates
- Pomegranate juice
- Naan Bread
Items
- Blades
Stones
Scents
Tends not to appreciate flowery, citrus-y, or sweet scents. And has a preference for more "Oriental" or "Exotic" scents. (missing citation, may be unverified personal gnosis)
- Amber
- Cardamom
- Frankincense
- Lotus (for her softer side)
- Myrrh
- Patchouli (aged)
- Sandalwood
Colours
- Red
- Gold
Flowers
Any flowers and plants with healing properties.
Prayer Associations
The Names of Netjer are not static divinities like their counterparts in other cultures (i.e., Goddess of Love, God of War, Goddess of Sex, etc). They are not simply relegated to their specific spheres of influence and are therefore not powerless beyond those realms. The ancients had a healthy and regular relationship with their gods and thus asked of their particular deity anything they may have needed or wanted. However, there are many things within Sekhmet's spheres of influence that She may be very proficient in helping you with:
- Prayers for justice
- Prayers for health
- Prayers against sickness and ailments
- Prayers for doctors
- Prayers for vengeance
- Prayers for pregnancy
Sekhmet is also mentioned in the 42 Negative Confessions:
"Hail Bright-Flame, coming forth from Ptah's temple in Mennefer (Hwt-ka-Ptah in Memphis), I do not dislike myself." [6]
Common Misconceptions
Sekhmet is not one face of a dichotomy with Bast. In ancient times, she was never considered the fiercer, "business side" of Bast and She is not considered so now.
Bast worship was prevalant in Lower Egypt while Sekhmet's worship was prevelant in Upper Egypt, but this dichotomy does not make them sisters. [7]
