06/10/2019
One of the most sacred animals in ancient Kemet was the cat. In fact, the first domesticated cat has been proven to have been in ancient Kemet. The cat was associated with the Kemetic goddess Bast (Ba, Bubastis or Bastet). In ancient Kemet, the cat was a representation of Bast and therefore represented all the things that she represented including motherhood, nurturing the family, tending the earth, fertility, and also protection. Many believe that before Bast there were other cat goddesses of importance including Mafdet and Sekhmet, two goddesses of which Bast is associated with.
According to ancient Kemet if the cat has come to you in your dreams or in visions, you should look to Bast for guidance. And also, it may mean that it is time for you to settle down and start a family...or perhaps it is time for you to focus more of your time on nurturing your family or to protect your children and/or family. These are all the things the cat spirit guide represents.
In ancient Kemet, the cat (or "mau" as it was known) was respected as a great hunter and useful for keeping rodents away. Cats in and of themselves were not worshipped, however the ancient city of Bubastis which is a short distance northeast of Cairo along the Nile, named itself after the feline goddess Bastet. In ancient Kemet Cats had privileges that other household pets did not, including the freedom to come and go at will.
There were other deities in ancient Kemet that had a feline form, however they were generally depicted as having the head of a female lion (Sekhmet, the goddess of war, is an example of one). It is believed by many that the city of Bubastis especially put great significance on cats as a whole. This is evidenced by the many statues and representations of cats among the ruins of this city, as well as the ruins of a temple built in Bastet's honor. Many Kemetic tombs have mummified cats buried along with the people there, showing their significance as protectors. Women would pray to the goddess daily for blessings of fertility for their families. Bastet's form was generally that of a lean graceful feline, or at times, half human and half cat.
The legends of what we have come to know as witchcraft have many origins in the beliefs and practices of ancient Kemet. One of the most common threads is that of balance, not one male dominated God but the working together of male and female or God and a Goddess. Rather than females being relegated to the role of a helpmate always deferring to the male, they were revered as representations of life, much as Bastet was. Fertility was respected rather than expected.
In Kemet they studied and mastered this and there was a belief among many at the time that domestic cats were actually products of Bastet directly. The cat in and of itself was not worshipped in either Kemet or witch folklore. However, the belief in cats being able to "see" beyond this world has similarities. -Magnetic Kundalini-
We do not own the rights to this photo. Artist Unknown.
