Sekhmet's twin sister, the cat-headed Goddess Bast, represented the sun's creative and nurturing forces, and she was known by the title the “Goddess of the Sunrise.” The lion-headed Sekhmet was known as the “Goddess of the Sunset,” but she was better known, in her more aggressive form, which was as an instrument of destruction, and a bringer of storms, death, and war.
Bast's temple had been built at Bubastis, upon an island in the fertile Nile River, of Lower Egypt, which was often described as the "black desert." Sekhmet’s temple, however, was built in Memphis, in the scorching heat of the "red desert" of Upper Egypt, far to the South of Bubastis.
Sekhmet represented the strongest, and most aggressive traits, of all the female Goddesses. Even the Pharaohs, believing that Sekhmet was their Protectress, looked upon her, as a symbol of their own abilities, and they would often claim strength, and victory in battle, through her.
Sekhmet was also believed to be the consort of the God Ptah, and the mother of Nefertum, even though her twin sister, Bast, was supposedly married to Ptah. While that might appear to be confusing to some, when you consider the complex social and family structure of the Netjer, then both of those relationships, may indeed, have occurred.
The name Sekhmet is a very ancient name, and it existed, long before many of the other Netjer had ever come into being. That is why she has often been referred to as the "Lady of the Place of the Beginning of Time," and "One Who Was Before the Gods Were."
Although Sekhmet had originally been created to punish humans, who opposed the worship of Ra, as time went on, she evolved into a more protective and benevolent Goddess. Sun Goddesses, have usually been considered to be healing goddesses, and Sekhmet, the avenger and destroyer, frequently became Sekhmet the Healer, with her strong magical powers making her highly regarded, both as a physician, and a healer. It is interesting to note, that similar to the Goddess Isis, whose priestesses were all trained healers, Sekhmet required her priests to be trained physicians, as well.
Sekhmet has usually been portrayed as a woman with the head of a lioness. Not only was she considered to be a warrior, or the vengeful "Eye of Ra," she was also seen as a mother lioness, protecting her cubs, with a powerful and a motherly passion. Although Sekhmet was not known for openly attacking, without reason, she would have no qualms, whatsoever, in responding with violence and destruction, if someone, or something that she loved, was ever in danger.
Unlike her sister Bast, the Goddess Sekhmet does have her Myths, and the most famous one, is The Story of the Destruction of Mankind. When the great Sun God Ra, finally realized that he was beginning to grow old, he began to fear that the humans on Earth were plotting to overthrow him. Ra sought counsel from the other Gods, and it was eventually decided that he should send the "Eye of Ra," down to the Earth, to destroy the mortals who were plotting against him. The "Eye of Ra" consisted of the Goddesses Hathor, Sekhmet and Bast.
Ra then sent Hathor down, and when she arrived in Egypt, to exact retribution from all who were involved in the insurrection, she suddenly changed into the lion-headed Sekhmet, who was much better suited, for that particular purpose.
Sekhmet had a field day on Earth, destroying everyone, and everything, that happened to get in her way. She enjoyed every minute of it, as well, because while she was destroying the people of Earth, she was also becoming drunk, on the blood of mankind. Like the Indian Goddess Kali, Sekhmet loved the taste of blood, and when she consumed it, she did so with such a great passion, that she desired nothing else. When she finally became tired, Sekhmet returned home. That, however, was only so she could get some rest, so that she would be ready to return to Earth, on the following day, to consume even more human blood.
Ra eventually began to grow quite concerned, and he began to believe, that all the rumors he had been hearing, were true. Those rumors suggested that Sekhmet was enjoying her duties, a little too enthusiastically. Instead of simply teaching the humans a lesson, he became quite concerned, that Sekhmet might actually destroy them all. Ra had never wanted to have the humans destroyed. He simply had wanted Sekhmet to put the "fear of God" into them.
A troubled Ra finally went to visit his priests, at Heliopolis, and together they devised a plan. They concocted a draught, which was made from a red liquid, which appeared to be blood, in both look and taste, even though it actually was not. They mixed an assortment of drugs and beer into that liquid, and then they spread it across the Earth, and it looked exactly like blood.
When Sekhmet returned to Earth, the very next day, she saw the red fluid and, thinking that it was blood, drank deeply of it. She continued to do so, until she fell into a deep and drunken sleep. When she finally awoke, Sekhmet had totally forgotten the reason for her voyage to Earth, as well as her insatiable lust for blood. She then returned home, remembering nothing about her destruction, or her blood lust, and the people of Egypt were saved from her uncontrollable rage.
That, however, was the Sekhmet of a much earlier period in time. Today, even though Sekhmet is still considered to be an aggressive defender and protectress, her attributes, like those of her twin-sister Bast, have mellowed over the years, and she has become a less violent, although no less aggressive healer, guardian and protector, as well as a strong, assertive and independent Goddess, who is reflective of the Divine Feminine, which continues to exist, within all the women of today.
The artwork on this page is,
to the best of my knowledge,
in the Public Domain.
