Also called Aset, Iset, Great of Magic.
Their story
When Set killed Osiris, Isis searched for his body, mourned him with Nephthys and restored him enough to conceive their son Horus. She hid the child in the marshes of Khemmis and protected him from Set and from scorpions. One story tells how she made a serpent that bit Ra, and would only heal him once he told her his secret name.
Their day
Monday. In modern practice, Monday is often chosen for her because in later antiquity she was widely linked with the moon.
Best times to give to them
- Wepet Renpet
- the Khoiak festival
- the full moon
- dawn
What they like being given
- fresh water
- bread
- milk
- incense such as frankincense
- lotus or other flowers
How to honour them
- Offer her fresh water and bread each morning with a short prayer.
- Ask her to protect a child or someone who is ill.
- Keep a tyet knot amulet or image of her wings on your altar.
- Care for others in her name, especially mothers and the grieving.
How they can help you
- protection of children
- healing
- grief
- magic and prayer
- determination
Symbols
- the throne headdress
- outstretched wings
- the tyet knot
- the star Sopdet (Sirius)
Festivals
- Wepet Renpet The Egyptian New Year, ideally at the dawn rising of Sirius (Sopdet); modern Kemetic groups usually keep it between mid July and early August
- Khoiak (Mysteries of Osiris) The fourth month of the Egyptian year, with the main rites from about the 12th to the 30th of Khoiak; modern Kemetic dates vary, usually late October to November
Herbs linked with them
More Egyptian goddesses
- Bastet Protector of the home, lady of joy
- Hathor The Golden One, lady of love and music
- Sekhmet The Powerful One, healer and protector
- Maat Truth, balance and right order
- Nephthys Lady of the House, comforter of the grieving
- Taweret The Great One, guardian of mothers
- Amunet The hidden goddess of the primordial eight
- Mut The great mother and queen of Thebes