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The Triple Goddess
Egyptian Deities
Loki and Odin
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The Triple Goddess The Triple Goddess is a concept in which the Goddess is split into three aspects - Maid, Mother, and Crone. These aspects correspond to the three phases of the moon - waxing, full, and waning. Of course, the moon has a fourth phase, the New Moon, and for this some speak of a Dark or Unseen Goddess. Those who do not use the fourth phase roll the Dark Goddess in with the Crone. The Triple Goddess can be a template, helping us better address specific aspects or issues while reminding us that despite all of our differences, we are part of a greater whole. Like all concepts, however, we should not lock our beliefs concerning them into immutable rules. Goddesses may be divided among the three aspects, but few goddesses exist solely in one aspect. Attributes commonly ascribed to the Triple Goddess' aspects: Maiden - Childhood, adolescence, beginnings, purity, virginity, independence, courage Mother - Motherhood, protection, fertility, growth, sexuality Crone - Old age, wisdom, change, transformation, death, rebirth, banishing "The Celts believed in a single Goddess split into three aspects, which the Christians stole as their trinity." I'm so glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read this. I've debated giving it multiple bunnies. The Celts viewed many of their gods and goddesses in triple form. However, they were not divided into maid, mother, and crone. The Morrigan, for instance, was comprised of Badb, Macha, and Nemain, all goddesses of war and death. There is some association with sexuality and childbirth as well. These aspects, however, cannot easily be attributed to specific members of the triad - if forced, I'd say Macha might be Mother, with Babd and Nemain being Crone. There is however, no Maid aspect. And, for the record, we have records of over 400 Celtic deities. The suggestion that they were monotheistic is ignorant at best, or else propagandistic. You cannot just reverse apply Wiccan concepts to historical mythologies because it sounds cool. The Triple Goddess as represented in Wicca is a Wiccan concept. Pagan cultures did not divide their goddesses up as maid, mother, and crone, nor did they generally envision specific goddesses as having maid, mother and crone aspects. Hecate is most spoken of in these terms by Wiccans, and it makes the Hellenists spit venom. The Triple Goddess...was a synthesis by Robert Graves in The Witches Goddess of the traditional nine Goddesses of Greek and Roman origin. Generally triple goddesses were found as three maids, three mothers or three crones. But never as maid, mother and crone.1 There are many female trios in various mythologies. That does not mean they are a Triple Goddess. The one group I can think of that DOES fit the pattern is the Three Fates of Greek mythology - one who spins the thread of life, one who weaves thread, and one who clips the thread at the end of life. I am hugely interested in the existence of the Triple Goddess in history. If you have a compelling argument, I would love to hear from you. 
Egyptian Deities Amun: During the height of the Ancient Egyptian civilization, Amun was called "King of the Gods". That’s well and good, but what does he mean to us? Well, as it is, Amun is quite important. Amun is often found in combination with the sun god, Ra, and is called Amun-Ra. This makes Amun very powerful in magick dealing with sun energy. Sun energy can be used in any daytime magical working, and Amun’s aid is very helpful wherever outdoor sports or cooking is concerned. Amun appears as a ram, a man with the head of a ram, or as a man wearing an ostrich plumed hat. Amun has a fondness of fancy feathers and lace. A small token consisting of a lace ribbon or a bright colored feather is sure to endow his favoritism when working with him. Anubis: Anubis is the God of embalming, as well as the God of the dead. Anubis is also known by two other names, in two other cultures: Hermes and Mercury. This makes Anubis extremely important in all dealings concerned with wit, speed, and communication. As Anubis, he is a comforting presence who is watchful, caring, and a good listener. He is extremely fast to respond to any request. If you are upset, simply talk to Anubis. It does not matter what the problem is, weather trivial or very serious. Anubis is always interested in helping to make one feel better. Trust Anubis is any kind of financial bargain, especially if it involves a lot of bartering. If trade is your thing, Anubis is the one to help. Never ever ask anything negative of Anubis. He will not tolerate it, and may very well turn his back on you until you approach him in a much more suitable manner. Do not believe a thing you have seen on Anubis from the movies, as they have gotten only one thing right about him: His looks. Anubis appears almost exclusively as a man with the head of a jackal. He does take the form of a black jackal on occasion, but as far as I’ve seen this is rare, done only when guarding the coffin of the deceased. In ancient times, the priests of the funerary cults wore masks of Anubis during mummification ceremonies. How do you contact Anubis? I’ll tell you a secret. Anubis is so easy to contact you could probably reach him just by yelling really loud if you wanted to (though I wouldn’t suggest doing this unless you want him to arrive with guns blazing and jackal teeth bared). Like I said, he is quick to respond. You can very nicely ask him to join you and he could be there before you’d finished inviting him. Don’t let his appearance frighten you. He is a wonderful deity and one to be granted the utmost respect. Anubis is the son of Nepthys and Seth or Nepthys and Ra. Isis is Anubis’s adoptive mother. Aten: The story of Aten has an interesting history. During the reign of King Akhenaten, Aten was made King of the Gods. In fact, Akhenaten had forbidden the worship of any of the other deities in favor of having Aten as the only God. This, however, did not last long. Akhenaten’s reign was not one favored by the people of Egypt, and after his death, the people reverted to the old ways and Aten was no longer considered King of the Gods. Aten is not simply a Sun God, but is revered as the sun itself. Everything that happens during the daytime is in Aten’s rule. He mainly concerns himself with politics and foreign affairs, though he is willing to help with other things that are of lesser importance to him. He has a superior attitude to him, but he is in no way arrogant. He is simply a symbol of true royalty and he shows it in all he does. This deity does not have the attitude of a parent or friend. Rather, he has the attitude of a pharaoh who watches over his people. Your problems are his problems, and will deal with them accordingly. He does favor those of royal and noble blood above others, but he will help anyone in need. He is a good deity to talk with, as he shows a sharp contrast in both attitude and appearance. Aten appears in hieroglyphics as a sun disk with rays that end in hands. In a simple circle, Aten is more seen than felt. If you are lucky enough to get a visual of this deity, you will most likely only see a ball of soft light that gives off extreme warmth, though it does not burn. Aten has no humanoid appearance that is known of. Atum: Atum was the first of the Egyptian deities, and it is believed that he is responsible for creating all the other Gods. Today, Atum is not considered so much of a god as one of the earliest renditions of the All, or the combination of all energies, both masculine and feminine, in the Universe. Atum can be consulted as one would normally consult the All. If you have any questions about doing a magical working, you should ask Atum. Atum appeared in hieroglyphics as a man wearing a double crown, the double crown showing that he ruled supreme over both Upper and Lower Egypt. Bastet: Also known as Bast (and pronounced as Bast), she is the gentle protector, the giver of music, dance, and laughter. Bast will purr you to sleep if you are extremely upset or angry. Bast is known to appear on her own accord should she feel you need a shoulder to cry on. Bast was much loved by the Ancient Egyptians, and was honored accordingly. Bast had many temples built to her, but more famous were the cat statues that adorned the cities and villages. Bast was so revered that all cats, being her favored creatures, were considered to be pets fit only for royalty and nobility. The act of killing a cat, even by accident, was punishable by death. To this day, Egyptians of all religions treat cats well. Bast appears as a woman with the head of a cat. The only time she appears differently is to protect a ruler in battle, during which time she is seen as having the head of a lioness. Bast is a deity that, like Anubis, you can simply sit and talk to without having to ask anything of her. She loves to give a helping hand when she can. Bast is also good to consult in all matters concerning love and happiness. A good gift to Bast is a cat toy or treat. Catnip is great. She is also excellent if you have anything going on in the music or entertainment industry.Bast is a daughter of Ra. Bes: Bes is an interesting one, but is not contacted very much in this day and age. Which is ironic, since Bes would be of more help now than ever before. Bes is the protector of pregnant women, newborns, and the family in general. This is especially true if you live in a desert region that harbors snakes and/or scorpions, as Bes protects against snake and scorpion bites and stings. Although amulets and small statuettes of Bes were popular with everyone in Egypt, Bes never had a single temple built to him (that we know of, anyway). If you are pregnant, ask Bes to protect the child against any kind of negativity, including birth defects. If your newborn has not been feeling well, implore the aid of Bes (as well as taking the child to the nearest hospital, of course). Bes is yet another example of attitude and appearance difference. Bes appears as a dwarf with lion and human features or as a dwarf wearing the skin of a lion. Bes has the attitude of the protector of the clan, especially the females. He is the one who plays a big role in the family clan’s survival. Bes is a nice deity, but does take some getting used to as his attitude is so different and much more based on our own needs and desires than one would normally be used to with most of the other Egyptian deities. Geb: Geb is a God of the earth. In fact, Geb is considered to be the earth. The ancient Egyptians believed that earthquakes were Geb’s laughter. Geb is very nice. His is the essence of jolliness and the bounty of the harvest. He is a deity who is willing to share his bounty with anyone who comes to visit him. Ask Geb for anything that concerns gardening, crops, farm animals, or soil in general. Geb is not quite as quick to respond to requests as some of the others, but he grants enough to make up for this tenfold. Geb is also the one to contact if you are worried about having enough to eat, either for yourself or others. Geb makes sure everyone has enough on their plate when you sit at his table. Geb appears in hieroglyphics as a man lying down below the arch of the sky goddess Nut. In a simple circle, he appears as a man with a goose on his head. Geb is the husband of Nut, and the father of Osiris, Isis, Nepthys, and Seth. Hapy: Hapy was then and is now very important to the Egyptians, as it is Hapy who brings the annual flood to the Nile every year. The flood was and is important because it deposits rich silt on the Nile’s banks, allowing the Egyptians to grow crops where it would otherwise be nearly impossible to do so. Hapy is a very friendly deity, but he gives off an impression of constantly being wet. Ask Hapy for help in growing anything, especially where either tropical or water plants are concerned. Do NOT ask Hapy for water unless you are suffering from an extreme drought, as Hapy does not bring a little water, he brings an entire flood. Hapy appears as a man with a potbelly and crown of water plants on his head. Hapy is a very laid back and relaxed deity. Hapy reflects his name in that he likes to laugh. Give Hapy anything that is positive and funny and he’ll make your cup runneth over. Hathor: Hathor is the Goddess of beauty, love, and gentle protection. Hathor is also the Goddess of jewelry, and especially favors anything made of turquoise. This makes any small jewelry token buried into the earth an excellent offering to Hathor (If you cannot bring yourself to part with any of your usual jewelry, it is perfectly acceptable to by one of those twenty five cent rings out of a machine, cleanse, consecrate, and bless it, then bury it. Hathor understands not all mortals can afford more than that). She is also connected with foreign places. This makes it a good idea to ask for Hathor’s aid when overseas if you have to use traveler’s checks. She can help keep your money safe as well as keeping those swindlers at bay who like to prey upon tourists. Having relationship troubles, or need to get into a relationship? Ask Hathor. She is a goddess much like Venus, and is very helpful in such matters. Hathor is also great when you are trying to make friends with whomever. Hathor appears as a cow, as a woman wearing a sun disk headdress with cow horns, or as a woman with the ears of a cow. In a magick circle, Hathor generally appears as a woman wearing a headdress, although she does take her other forms on occasion. Hathor has a very kind and gentle attitude that makes you feel loved and cared for. Give Hathor a small mirror, rose oil, even a drop of makeup as a gift. Hathor is the wife of Horus, and as the pharaoh was considered the living Horus, the ancient Egyptians sometimes saw Hathor as the wife of the pharaoh. Horus: Horus is the God of the sky. Hours is the ruler of the living, and is sometimes found in connection with the Sun God Ra. Horus is the God of protection, a powerful masculine force who will deal with one’s opponent quickly and fairly. He is not cruel and will not cause any harm to anyone. Rather, he separates conflictions and resolves them, though he will fight if he feels he has to. Although you cannot ask Horus to fight for you, you can ask that him to resolve any conflicts in your life. Then he will decide what has to be done and will do it with the prompt swiftness that matches his symbol of the hawk, his favored animal. Horus is the warrior of the kingdom, the protector of all that is good and just. He battles anything that upsets that balance. His presence, though not so much loving, is a very strong presence, and can make you feel safe in nearly any situation. Call on Horus for anything that deals with fighting for what is right (this is not just what you believe is right, but what truly is right). If you are trying to collect donations or other pledges to save the rainforest, animals, stop world hunger, etc., asks Horus for his help. Horus appears as a hawk, or as a man with the head of a hawk. In a magick circle, he can and will appear as either of these forms, depending on his mood and what is needed. If you simply feel like talking to him, expect his pure hawk form to show up, if you need a favor; expect a man with the head of a hawk to enter you circle. Horus has an interesting story, which involves his uncle, but we’ll talk about that later. Give Horus anything that you personally like and so long as it’s positive, he’ll love you for it, particularly if it’s something you can show off (anything that sparkles, shines, etc). Horus is the husband of Hathor, and the Son of Isis and Osiris. Isis: Isis is the all-powerful as well as all-purpose Goddess of protection. Isis uses powerful magick spells to help people in need. Isis is one of the earliest forms of the combination of the triple goddess. She is maiden, mother, and crone all in one. She can be asked for literally anything, so long as it’s positive. Her attitude changes to match whatever is asked of or needed from her. Even today, Isis is highly regarded in modern Wicca as being as powerful an influence as the Celtic Morrigu, a raven battle goddess. In a circle, Isis appears as with a headdress in the shape of a throne, or as a woman with cow horns and a sun disk headdress. A gift to Isis would be a lotus flower or lotus scented oil. Isis is the adoptive mother of Anubis. Khepri: Khepri is the God of rebirth and incarnation. He is also found in connection with the movement of the sun. Khepri is very resourceful and diligent, and can help you in any astrological working. He can be implored upon to make sure all astrological workings for your magick are correct at the time you perform your art. Khepri is another of the deities that is felt more than seen, which is generally a good thing as although a perfectly nice deity, his appearance can be quite startling; he has the body of a man, but the head of a scarab beetle. His connection with scarab beetles does not end there, but we’ll discuss that later. Good gifts to Khepri would include items like straw, hay, and even cow dung- though I personally would recommend straw or hay just for sanitation reasons. Khnum: Khnum is one of the few deities in the ancient Egyptian religion concerned with making humans. Khnum moulds people on his potter’s wheel out of clay from the banks of the Nile. Because Khnum used Nile mud, he was sometimes seen as being involved in the inundation, or annual flooding, of the river. Khnum is a very patient and hard working deity who doesn’t mind a tough assignment- so long as it’s something he deals with, of course. He is a good deity to ask if you have been trying to conceive a child and have been unable to do so. Khnum is also good to ask if you have a large stretch of land that needs good irrigation constantly. He is a deity that almost everyone feels comfortable around, and his presence is both seen and felt. Khnum appears as a man with the head of a curly horned ram. An offering to Khnum would be clay (play doe will suffice if you get nothing else, even hardened mud is acceptable). Ma’at: Ma’at is the Goddess of truth, justice, and the law in general. Her power is that of balance. Ma’at is a nice Goddess, but very strict. Her aid can be asked if you need to win a court case. Do not call upon her unless you are in the truly in the right though. Ma’at is balance and will see that everyone, including you, will get what’s coming to him or her. It is a fact that in ancient Egypt, the vizier over the law courts was known as the Priest of Ma’at. It was his duty to make sure all was balanced and right here on earth. Pharaohs often made offerings to Ma’at, as well as some of the other gods, to show they were preserving peace and harmony over the land they ruled. Ma’at was also the feather used in the weighing of the heart ceremony. We will cover that story later. Offerings to Ma’at include feathers, and nuts. If you give anything else, it’s a good idea to give two of the same item, preferably the same size, weight, color, etc. This isn’t necessary, mind, but it helps. Nepthys: Nepthys was considered a protective Goddess of the dead. However, it would be more correct to say she is the protective Goddess of the grieving living. It is her role to give comfort to the spirit and emotions of those who have lost loved ones. Her picture was often painted on funerary scenes, usually standing next to Isis. Nepthys is an extremely comforting force of energy that fills you with a feeling of calm and understanding. Fear is replaced with logic, and grief replaced with love. Call on this wonderful goddess anytime you lose someone or something you love. Her presence is shadowy, but strongly felt. She appears as a woman wearing a headdress that has her name written on it in hieroglyphics. Lavender is a good gift to Nepthys. Nepthys is the biological mother of Anubis. Nun: Nun was not originally considered a God; instead he was called the waters of chaos, which was believed to be the only thing that existed before land or even the gods. Nun is found in connection with the chaos that exists at the outskirts of the Universe. Nun is very different to talk to. Literally, his attitude is different every minute, and his moods never repeat themselves in the same sitting. I would suggest asking him to make the waters calm if you ever need to travel by boat across either sea or ocean. It was believed the first land rose out of Nun in the form of a hill, or mound. Nun is not seen in circles very often. If you are lucky enough to ever see him, he appears as a man carrying a bark (a bark is an ancient Egyptian canoe). Even if you never have a need to ask anything of him, I would recommend talking to him on occasion. Nun loves to talk, and will adore you for the attention you give him. The perfect gift to Nun is kelp or any other water plant. Nut: Nut is the sky Goddess. Her body is what makes the sky. Nut is the best Goddess to ask if star magick is what you after. Personally, I would suggest Nut over all the others for anything dealing with astronomy. Nut is friendly, but her presence can be overwhelming sometimes. Not that her attitude or anything like that is the problem, it is just her power is so vast and, well, so big, that in her presence you can feel as though to touch a star all you have to do is stick you hand above you hand. She has a very cooling presence. She will make you body temperature lower, but not to an unpleasant level. It just feels like your sitting outside on a cool summer night under the stars. Normally, you will never see her in a circle if it is held indoors. She is simply too large to see in cramped conditions. However, you will feel her enough to more than make up for the lack of a visual aid. If you see her, you will see her as a woman whose body arches across the sky, her dress midnight blue and decorated with the stars themselves. Another thing you can do with Nut that you can’t do quite as well with the others is wish. Any form of wish magick is best directed to Nut. As long as your wish is nothing extremely extravagant (winning a million, ruling the world, etc), she is usually very kind and will grant them anywhere from a few hours to a few months time. The ideal gift to give to Nepthys would be a small silver pentacle. If you cannot afford this, just cut out a five or seven-sided start from white paper. It works just as well. Nut is the wife of Geb, and the mother of Isis, Osiris, Nepthys, and Seth. Osiris: Osiris is the God of the dead, but is much more famous for being the God of fertility and inundation. It was Osiris who gave the gift of barley to the ancient Egyptians, which to this day is one of their most important crops. Osiris is probably the most fatherly figure type of deity among the Egyptian gods. He considers everyone to be his child, and is willing to help those who ask of it like a father who is eager to spend time with his child. He is patient, kind, watchful, protective, and devoted to helping.Osiris was very popular among the ancient Egyptians, and anyone who has talked to Osiris is in any doubt why. Ask Osiris for help with anything. He is the counterpart of Isis, and is every bit as helpful, just with different things. Osiris is especially good to ask if you need to grow anything, be it crops or a baby. Osiris will make things grow where the best Gardner or doctor in the world could not. Even if you do not need anything of Osiris, talk to him nonetheless. Osiris loves attention and rewards those who take the time to pay attention to him (as do all the gods, but Osiris is especially watchful). Osiris is the husband of Isis, and father of Horus. He is brother to Seth and Nepthys. An excellent gift to Osiris is barley (make sure to cook it before putting it outside- uncooked barely and rice can be lethal to birds). Ptah: Ptah is the craftsman of the Gods. It is his business to make sure al mortal dwelling places are safe and secure against anything that could harm them. Ask Ptah to make sure your home is safe. He can help to guard your home against fire, flood, and any architectural flaws that can occur. He can also help to keep your roof from leaking. It’s true. Also, you can ask Ptah if you need to find a place to live. Ptah is very good about finding a nice place to live that will be affordable to you. Ptah is aware we are not all made of money (as much as we wish we were). He is kind, but has that particular are of a handy man or repairperson about him. He is very knowledgeable about what he does, so it’s a good idea to trust him. You should still take mundane precautions though, just to be safe. Make sure your smoke detectors are working; the foundation is okay, etc. Don’t worry about insulting Ptah by doing this, he will not mind, and would probably be annoyed if you didn’t try to safeguard yourself. Ra: Ra is the sun God. He rules all that thrive under the sun. Not popular? Ra can increase your popularity among peers, coworkers, and even those in the political arena if that’s your thing. Please Ra and almost everyone will start to be your friend. Ra is very imperialistic in attitude, but he is gracious and just in all his dealings. A perfect offering to Ra would be a coin of the realm. Any amount will do (a penny from the U.S, a shilling from the U.K., etc.). Ra loves anything that shows economy. Ra is very helpful towards merchants. Today, that would be the small businessperson or a home business. He is also good about small Internet businesses, but as this is Anubis’s territory, it would be good to ask Anubis as well Ra, rather than just Ra. Although imperialistic, Ra will listen with great attentiveness to all pleas that hit his ears. He is prompt and takes action immediately. One thing about Ra is that although he will help you without question, you must do everything possible to help yourself as well (so long as it’s positive). Ra looks almost identical to Horus, and it’s easier to tell them apart by their attitudes than they’re visages. Ra appears as a man with the head of a hawk wearing a sun disk headdress. Ra is the father of Bast and Ma’at. Ra-Horakhty: Ra-Horakhty is the combined form of Ra and Horus. When these two are together they become the god of the rising sun. Ra-Horakhty rules over new life, new beginnings, birth, and transition. Ask Ra-Horakhty for anything you would normally ask of Ra or Horus. On top of that, you can ask Ra-Horakhty for help in starting a new business, a new relationship, making new friends, and anything else that is new or up and coming. Ra-Horakhty has the attitudes of both Ra and Horus, and makes you feel as though you are addressing either a general or the president. Either way, his attitude can be slightly intimidating at times, but don’t worry about it. Ra-HorakhtyIs like both Ra and Horus, and is therefore doubly kind and attentive to your needs. You have nothing to fear when you are in the presence of this awe-inspiring deity. A good offering to Ra-Horakhty is a wheat penny, which you can get at almost any bank. Sekhmet: Sekhmet is the Goddess of war. It is best not to ask anything of Sekhmet unless you really and truly have need of her, as her only role is to protect the King in battle, and to win wars and end very severe family arguments. However, I do suggest talking to her, as she is extremely interesting. She is not like the Roman or Greek gods that deal with wars. She is not power hungry, blood thirsty, or jealous and vengeful when other Gods get more attention than her. Sekhmet is in truth a form of Bastet, although as Sekhmet has a far more Xena warrior princess attitude than the other Goddesses. She is very helpful, quick to take action and will fight for you if she deems it necessary. If you do ever need to ask Sekhmet of anything, make sure you add the old Wiccan adage of ‘harm none’ to the mix, just to make it clear you don’t want a fight but a resolution to a problem. There may come times when having Sekhmet charge into battle is necessary, but until then it’s best not to get bad karma thrown your way for encouraging a fight. A gift to Sekhmet would be a sharp piece of metal. Small knives with folding blades are wonderful (if you choose to offer a knife, make sure it’s one with a foldable blade that locks shut). Make sure you bury this where no one will find it or get hurt by it. If you don’t want to offer a weapon, a gift of patchouli oil works just as well (and I encourage this to those who have small children or animals). Seshat: Seshat is the Goddess of writing, measurement, and education in general. Need to pass that math exam, ask Seshat to help you with your studying (yep, you still have to study). She will help make all those numbers and letters fit into organized places in your mind rather than sit in a jumbled heap that you can’t sort out. Seshat is a nice Goddess, and her attitude is one that reminds you of a favorite female schoolteacher (with glasses and hair in a bun, even). A perfect gift to Seshat is an apple. After all, all teachers love getting apples from students. Seshat is both seen and felt. She appears as a woman wearing a panther skin dress and star headdress (although I see her with glasses and hair in a bun as well). Seth: Seth is the God of chaos and battle. Seth was considered evil for a deity and was compared by the Greeks as being their demon-God, Typhon. However, that was the past. Today it is acceptable to talk and deal with Seth magickally. It is a good idea to get on Seth’s good side even if you don’t plan on asking him for anything. Your battles are his battles and your problems him when you become a friend of Seth’s. Seth is extremely easy to please. All he wants is attention and adoration. Giving any small token of esteem to Seth will make him love you. The only warnings are to never offer meat (including fish) to him or any other deity. It’s a bad idea. Also, NEVER EVER FORGET TO TALK TO HIM! Seth will be highly upset if you hit him with a sudden lack of attention. If you are too sick or the like to do it though, he’ll make an exception. Seth is seen and felt, and can sometimes make one dizzy. Not that he’s trying to, but he is so off the walls that you can get dizzy trying to follow him. It’s best to sit when talking to him, and complimenting him will make him an even better listener than usual. You don’t really need to ask anything of Seth. If you get hurt by someone and you tell Seth about it, he’ll do something about it before you had the chance to ask, or object. Seth acts on his own accord, but by being a good follower to him, he will take excellent care of you. Seth appears as a man with the head of an aardvark. Seth is the husband of Nepthys, brother of Isis and Osiris, and Uncle to Horus. Seth had a major battle with Osiris and Horus, but we’ll cover that later. Shu: Shu is the God of the air. Shu is the ruler of the East, and is very helpful in speeding along anything you need done in a hurry. Shu will get your creative juices flowing, and is very helpful towards writers, artists, and interior decorators. Ask Shu to remove any obstacles in your creative path. Shu is very hyper and quick. He is sometimes like a ten-year-old full of sugar; he’s full of so much energy. When asking Shu for things, it’s best to keep your talks with him short and to the point, as Shu, though kind and nice, does have a rather short attention span. He is not forgetful though, and will remember all that you ask of him (as long as he’s paying attention, of course). A good gift to Shu is anything related to the element of air. Feathers, leaves, and incense are all good. Shu has a sweet tooth, so he’s very fond of those who give him sweets. Cotton candy is a favorite of his, though he also loves anything chocolaty. Shu is felt much more than seen, but he is seen somewhat of the time. In hieroglyphics, he is shown as a man wearing a headdress of feathers, holding up the figure of Nut, separating the sky from the earth. In a circle, he is seen as a lion. Sobek: Sobek is the God of the Nile. In fact, he is god of all rivers and water sources. In ancient Egypt, temples were built to Sobek, in which were kept his favored animals, crocodiles. As it was Sobek’s job to protect the pharaoh on water trips, as well as protect the Nile River, this is not surprising. As the Nile is the only river in Egypt, Sobek was then and still is highly important there. Another service Sobek provides to those who ask nicely is the ability to get along well with all reptiles and amphibians (though I still wouldn’t stick my head in a crocodile’s mouth or anything else of the like). Sobek is an interesting one. Talk to him and you will feel as though you are talking to a crocodile. This shouldn’t make you feel nervous though, as Sobek is not a violent deity. In fact, he is very calm and might even seem lazy at times. He will listen to your needs though, and do what he can. Sobek goes at his own pace, so sometimes is a good idea to ask Anubis or Shu to help speed things up a tad. Sobek will always aid those who ask if the need is genuine. If it’s not something you really need, he might help if he feels like it, but no guarantees. A good offering to Sobek is the shed skin of a reptile (not the skin of a snake or other reptile that was killed. Sobek will NOT like that). Sobek is one of the stronger deities as far as being seen goes. He appears as a man with the head of a crocodile on occasion, but is usually seen as a crocodile wearing a feather headdress. Tawaret: Tawaret is like Bes in the way that she never had any temples built to her, even though the service she provides saved many ancient Egyptian women their lives. Tawaret is the Goddess who protects women during pregnancy and childbirth. She is also the protector of newborn infants. If you find yourself pregnant, don’t waste any time asking Tawaret to protect both you and the child you carry. Tawaret has the power to protect against birth defects (though you should make sure your doing everything possible to protect the unborn child in the mundane world, too). Tawaret can help make childbirth quick and easy, as well as saving you a lot of pain. Tawaret is a sensitive and caring Goddess, but she has a tough side to her that she uses to protect those who need it. Tawaret is odd looking, even by Egyptian deity standards. She has the head of a hippopotamus, the back and tail of a crocodile, the arms and legs of a lion, and the breasts and stomach of a pregnant woman. Why those animals? It signifies all those creatures that are so very protective of their babies. The best gift I have found to Tawaret is milk. Tefnut: Tefnut is the Goddess of Moisture and Rain. As the gentle rain Goddess, Tefnut will ease the hot summer days and help to end mild droughts. Ask the aid of this extremely kind and soft-spoken Goddess for a light rain to bless you whenever you feel the need. Good gifts to Tefnut include fern leaves, lava rocks, and natural spring water blessed in her name. Tefnut appears as a woman with the head of a lioness wearing a headdress. Thoth: Thoth is the God of writing and knowledge. If there ever was a professor deity, this is he. Thoth can help you on any path of academic studies, particularly if your chosen field is either writing or philosophy. Ask Thoth to aid you in studying, end of semester tests, fieldwork, and research. Thoth can also make it easier to understand abstract theories. The ancient Egyptians believed that it was Thoth who gave them the gift of hieroglyphics. Gifts to Thoth include feather quills and brown paper. One of the best ways to honor Thoth is to give him the gift of a paper or school report that you got a good grade on. Thoth is both seen and felt. His attitude is like that of a professor, but a professor that you like and likes you in return. He appears as a man with the head of an ibis holding a writing palette and reed quill pen. Although I’ve never seen this form, it is said he also appears as a baboon. 
Loki -God of Norse Mythology Loki is the son of two giants. He was the trickster god, in Norse mythology, who was always doing his best to cause trouble. His wife Sigyn bore him two sons, Vali & Nari (or Narvi), Loki had an affair with the giantess, Angrboda, who bore him Fenrir, Hel, & Jormungand. In one story, Loki aids in the theft of Idun's Apples. This apples are very important as they insure that the gods don't age. One day, Odin, Loki, & Honir crossed into Midgard for the day but had not brought any food with them. Loki decided to hunt & kill an ox, but when they triedto cook the meat, it remained raw. An eagle from above told them if they let him eat his fill, the meat would cook & they would be able to eat it. They agreed, but Loki was very hungry & soon grew impatient. He rammed his staff into the bird's body, so that the bird dropped the meat, but Loki was unable to let go of his staff. The eagle took off & flew just close enough to the ground to drag Loki across Midgard's floor, & only stopped when Loki agreed to bring Idun & her apples out of Asgard. Loki realized that the eagle was a giant in disguise, & agreed to the task. Loki found Idun & convinced her that he had found a tree that grew apples similar to hers just outside of Bifrost. She followed him out of Asgard, only to find the giant Thiazi in the form of an eagle, who promptly carried her & her apples away. When Idun didn't arrive to give the gods her apples, they became anxious & began to grow old. They, however, did realize that Loki was missing from their company, & suspected that he was somehow responsible for this fate. Odin summoned Loki, who explained how the eagle would not let him go unless he agreed to bring Idun out of Asgard. Odin then threatened that if Loki did not help return Idun, they would kill him. Loki agreed to Odin's request if Freyja would lend him her falcon skin. She gave it to him, & he flew to Thiazi's home in Thrymheim, where he discovered Idun. He then changed Idun into a nut & carried her off. Meanwhile, Thiazi, who had been on a fishing trip with his daughter, Skadi, came home to find Idun missing. He knew someone must have helped her escape, so he began flying & soon caught up with Loki as he drew closer to Asgard. Odin was watching all of this & told the gods to take all the fire wood shavings they could fire out of Asgard & pile it as high as they could. After Loki had successfully past over Asgard's wall, they lit the shavings. Thiazi could not stop himself, flew into the fire, & dropped to the ground in torment, where the gods quickly killed him. Loki then changed Idun back & she offered the gods her apples. Another of Loki’s pranks was to cut off Thor’s wife, Sif's, hair while she was sleeping & left it in a pile on her bedroom floor. When she awoke & realized what had happened, she immediately knew only Loki could have done it. To make up for it, Loki promised to replace her hair with help from the dwarfs. Thor threatened that he had better or he would smash every bone in Loki’s body. Loki made his way to the land of the dark elves,Suartalfheimer, & sought out the sons of Ivaldi. He explained that he needed them to spin gold as fine as Sif’s hair & imbue it with magic so that it would grow on her head. In return, he promised them the thanks of Sif & Thor, & all the friendship of the gods. The dwarfs agreed to the bargain, & created the hair. They then decided that it would be foolish to waste the fire, so they created a ship for Freyr called Skidbladnir that could be dismantled until they were no larger than a piece of cloth, & a spear for Odin called Gungnir that would never miss its mark. Loki thanked them & made his way back. On his way, he had an idea to visit the dwarf brothers Brokk & Eitri. He showed them his treasures & challenged them to make something of finer craftsmanship. He told them he would stake his head on it. The dwarf brothers were eager to take up the challenge. They created a boar with bristles of gold for Freyr called Gullinbursti that could outrun any horse & was always surrounded by a brilliant light, an arm-ring of solid gold for Odin called Draupnir that would drop 8 rings of its own weight on every 9th night, & an iron hammer for Thor called Mjollnir that could never be broken & would always return when thrown. Brokk then accompanied Loki to Asgard to have the gifts judged by the gods. Odin, Thor, & Freyr were quick to agree that Mjollnir was the most valuable because it alone could guard the gods against the giants. Brokk then attempted to claim Loki’s head. Loki retorted that he had promised his head, but not any part of his neck. Brokk replied that in that case, he could at least sew Loki’s lips together to stop his ‘sweet talk.’ Brokk ended up using his brothers awl because his own knife was not sharp enough to pierce Loki’s lips. Once completed, Loki ran out of Gladsheim & ripped the leather thong out of his lips. The most famous story concerning Loki is his role in the death of Odin & Frigg’s son, Balder. Balder began to have dreams of terrible things happening to him. Odin disguised himself as Vegtam, son of Valtam, & entered Hel to seek out a seeress to interpret the meaning of the dreams. The seeress explained that the dreams meant someone would soon kill Balder. Alarmed at the prophecy, Frigg traveled throughout the 9 worlds to get each & every substance to swear an oath that it would not harm Balder. Everything she asked agreed, & the gods tested this by casting a pebble at Balder, who admitted that he couldn’t even feel it. Soon, the gods tried other tests such as throwing darts or stones at him, hitting him with axes & slashing him with swords. Nothing harmed him. This soon became a game among the gods, who rejoiced that nothing could harm him. Loki, however, watched in disgust. He grew envious of Balder, & refused to take part in the games. Then, one afternoon, an idea occurred to him. When he was sure that no one was watching, he changed himself into an old woman & went to seek information from Frigg. Once there, the old woman began to question why they were stoning a man outside. Frigg explained that it was a game, & that nothing could hurt Balder. After awhile, she grew irritated with the old woman’s inquiries, & finally mentioned that only one thing did not swear an oath not to harm Balder, the mistletoe. Thrilled that he had finally found something that could harm Balder, Loki quickly made his way west of Valhalla & grabbed some mistletoe. He then sharpened one end of it & carried it back to Gladsheim, where the gods were so caught up in their game that they did not notice Loki come back in. Loki looked around & noticed Balder’s brother, Hod, who was blind, standing aside. He went up to him and asked why he wasn’t participating in the game. Hod replied because he couldn’t see where Balder was, nor did he have a weapon to throw at him. Loki then gave Hod the mistletoe & guided his arm. It struck Balder, pierced him, & passed right threw him. Balder fell on his face, dead. The gods looked around & knew only Loki could be responsible. After much weeping, Frigg asked if anyone would be willing to travel to Hel & beg for Balder’s life. Odin’s son, Hermod stepped forward, & was soon off. For 9 nights he rode until he reached the underworld & met with Hel. He told her of the grief of the gods & asked Hel to let Balder return with him. Hel told him that if everything in the nine worlds, both dead and alive, would weep for Balder, she would return him to Asgard, but if even one thing would not mourn, Balder must stay in Niflheim. Hermod then left the underworld & told everyone at Gladsheim what had been said to him. The Aesir sent messengers to everything throughout the 9 worlds asking them to weep for Balder. Everything they asked wept. As they were making their way back to Asgard, they came across the giantess, Thokk, sitting in a cave. They asked her to weep, but she refused. The messengers left mournfully, knowing that Thokk was actually Loki. After some time went by after Balder’s death, Loki realized that his days in Asgard had come to an end. He fled to a deserted part of Midgard near Franang’s Falls & built himself a house with 4 doors, one in every direction so that he could keep watch in every direction. One evening, he heard voices coming, so he quickly put out his fire, turned himself into a salmon, & slid into Franang’s Falls. Unfortunately for Loki, when Odin sat in Hlidskjalf, nothing escaped his sight. Odin quickly sent a party of gods from Asgard to capture him. Thor & the others dropped a net into the Falls & weighted it down with stones so that nothing could swim under it. Loki attempted to jump over the net, but Thor caught the salmon & would not let go. As punishment, Thor & one group of gods led Loki to a cave while another party went in pursuit of his two sons, Vali & Narvi. They changed Vali into a wolf & watched as he ripped Narvi’s body apart before running away towards Jotunheim. They then took Narvi’s entrails & made their way to the cave. Loki was promptly bound to a rock using Narvi’s entrails, which became as hard as iron. Then Skadi positioned a snake above Loki so that its venom would drip into his face. There the gods left him. Loki’s wife, Sigyn, stayed behind holding a bowl over Loki’s face to catch the venom. Whenever it is full, she carries it away & empties it into a rock basin. Loki is then left unguarded & the poison splashes into his face. It is here Loki will remain until Ragnarok when Loki will be freed. He will then meet Heimdall, & each will kill the other.
Odin- God of Norse Mythology Odin is a god of war, magic, poetry, cunning, wisdom, and the dead. He is King of the Aesir, the race of Norse gods. He is known as the "All-Father." Odin is the son of Bor and Bestla. Other names Odin is known by are Woden, Wodan, Wotan, Allfather, Ygg, Bolverk [evil doer], and Grimnir. The Vanir were wild nature and fertility gods and goddesses, sworn enemies of the Aesir, and were considered to be the bringers of health, youth, fertility, luck and wealth, and they were masters of magic. After many years of war, the Vanir and the Aesir decided to make peace, and they traded hostages to maintain the peace. His cult, although widespread among the Germanic tribes, was sometimes subordinated to that of his son, Thor. With his brothers, Woden fashioned the earth and the sky from the dead body of the giant Ymir, and from an ash tree and an alder he created the first man and woman. Odin has only one eye because he traded his other eye for a drink at the Well of Wisdom and is often depicted wearing a hat pulled low to conceal his missing eye. Well of Wisdom is also known as Mimir's Well, where it is said Odin has gained great knowledge. Odin tried to gain knowledge and power by speaking to wise people, such as seers, prophets, kings, and philosophers, as he did in the three poems I mentioned above. He has learned about the future and of the "Final Battle" called Ragnorok a great and final battle between good and evil from the seeress Sibyl and the Norns. Odin hung for nine days and nine nights on Yggdrasil, the ash world tree, pierced by his own spear. There he learned nine powerful songs. He has also learned the mystery of the runes from the Tree of Life. Some researchers suggest it was nine runes and eighteen runes while others have suggested all twenty-five. The ninth night coincided with the festival of May Eve (April 30), otherwise known as Walpurgis' Night, where Odin mastered his ninth and final spell, which the hanged god ritually died. During this final night, all light were extinguished with his supposedly death. It was at this time that chaos and the spirit world reigned supreme and the witchcraft or sorcery is most potent. Odin's death lasted until midnight, and then light would return to the world. Like the Celtic Beltane or May Day, the night was celebrated with large bonfires lighted around the countryside. He lives in Valhalla, the Hall of the Slain, attended by the Valkyries who were originally thought of as dark angels of death, who soared over the battlefields like birds of prey, meting out fate in the name of Odin. Half of the chosen heroes, the greatest of all the fighters were gathered up and taken away to Valhalla which is in Asgard, the heavenly abode of Odin and the other gods. Odin has two ravens, Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory), who always keep him informed of events on Earth. He also has an eight-legged horse called Sleipnir. The horse was the offspring of Loki, who in mare form seduced a giant's horse named Svadilfari. Sleopnir could travel to the underworld and through the air. Odin's spear, which never misses its target, is called Gungnir. His magic ring is called Draupnir, from which on every ninth night eight new rings appear. It was this ring that Odin laid on his son Balder's funeral pyre and which Balder returned to Odin from the underworld. The wolves Freki (fierce) and Geri (greed), to whom he gives his food, also accompany him. Odin himself consumes nothing but Mead. His hall in Asgard, one of the Nine Worlds in Norse mythology, is called Valaskjalf ("shelf of the slain") where his throne Hlidskjalf is located. From this throne he observes all that happens in the nine worlds: Asgard, the topmost level of the nine worlds; Alfheim, the home of the light elves, the world that Freyr ruled over; Vanaheim, home of the Vanir before the end of the war between the Aesir and Vanir; Niflheim, the world of cold and darkness, where Nithog chewed at the roots of Yggdrasil; Midgard, the home of mankind, the place where men had their home; Muspelheim, home of the fire giants; Jotunheim, a freezing, mountainous land, home of the Jotuns, given to the giants by Odin after the creation;Svartalfheim, home of the dark elves; and Underworld, the world that the Goddess Hel resides. He has the power to change his appearance and adopt different disguises. Some of the aliases he uses to travel incognito among mortals are Vak and Valtam. Wednesday is named after him (Wodan). Odin can make the dead speak in order to question the wisest among them. Odin is primarily a war god, and much of what he does throughout his reign is in preparation for Ragnarok. We see this from his personal sacrifices; giving up his eye for wisdom, and hanging from the Yggdrasil to learn the Nine Songs, and the Runes, to having his ravens keep tabs on all that was happening in the Nine Worlds at all times, his selection of warriors (through the Valkyries) to aid him in battle, and their constant retraining through death and rebirth in Valhalla. Although Odin was slain in this battle by Fenris, Loki's giant wolf, Odin's consolation was the foreknowledge that his resurrected son Balder would be worshipped in his stead in a new age and new land which would rise from the sea. Even with a mighty army of heroic warriors, Odin, through his knowledge of the future, knew the outcome of Ragnarok: The battle would be fierce, and the gods would end up dying, but they would take the forces of evil with them, thus saving humanity. |
