Anyone ever worked with Hathor?

[nassadii]

I feel kinda dumb for wondering about this, but has anyone here ever worked or experienced Hathor before? I've been looking into her and have an interest but I have two things.

1. I have no idea where to start with offerings and such to her.

2. I'm terrified of pissing her off with the wrong thing. (Remembering reading the story of her turning into Sekhmet, a deity I usually go "NOPE" when someone asks if I've ever met and will get on the nope train when she's around.)

Just thought I'd ask.

-Nassa

[SatAset]

I feel kinda dumb for wondering about this, but has anyone here ever worked or experienced Hathor before? I've been looking into her and have an interest but I have two things.

1. I have no idea where to start with offerings and such to her.

2. I'm terrified of pissing her off with the wrong thing. (Remembering reading the story of her turning into Sekhmet, a deity I usually go "NOPE" when someone asks if I've ever met and will get on the nope train when she's around.)

Just thought I'd ask.

-Nassa

Hethert/Hetharu/Hathor is THE Mother of the Egyptian pantheon.  She is very much about beauty and joy, love and self-care.  She is a very complex Goddess of joy, beauty, love, women, fertility, creativity and a guide to the dead.  She can be fiercely protective as well.  She is the Cow Goddess of creation, motherhood and life-giving milk, but She is also the Cow Goddess of the night-time sky and the dead.  (Bovines can trample people to death too.)  

Some people who honor Hetharu also get Sekhmet too.  Others don't.  It just depends what you and They need/want.  

Offerings may include:  water, sweet wine, pastries, milk, beer, red wine, and other foods.  

A great website to Hethert is http://www.hethert.org.  The owner of the website has her dissertation on Hathor being published soon.  

Also some good books on Her:  Kerry Wisner's books are heavily about and dedicated to Hwt Hrw (another way to spell Hethert/Hathor).  His books Eye of Ra (an intro book) and Song of Hathor (much more priest type ritual) and Pillar of Ra (festival book) are good places to learn more information about honoring Her.  (He does use his own poetry to fill some gaps with the rituals.  Some people like them; some don't).   You can find these on lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?contributorId=898039

There is a great chapter on Hetharu here:  Lesko, Barbara. The Great Goddesses of Egypt. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1999.

Kiya honors Hetharu.  Hopefully she'll see this thread and put her two cents in.

[nassadii]

Hethert/Hetharu/Hathor is THE Mother of the Egyptian pantheon.  She is very much about beauty and joy, love and self-care.  She is a very complex Goddess of joy, beauty, love, women, fertility, creativity and a guide to the dead.  She can be fiercely protective as well.  She is the Cow Goddess of creation, motherhood and life-giving milk, but She is also the Cow Goddess of the night-time sky and the dead.  (Bovines can trample people to death too.)  

Some people who honor Hetharu also get Sekhmet too.  Others don't.  It just depends what you and They need/want.  

Offerings may include:  water, sweet wine, pastries, milk, beer, red wine, and other foods.  

A great website to Hethert is http://www.hethert.org.  The owner of the website has her dissertation on Hathor being published soon.  

Also some good books on Her:  Kerry Wisner's books are heavily about and dedicated to Hwt Hrw (another way to spell Hethert/Hathor).  His books Eye of Ra (an intro book) and Song of Hathor (much more priest type ritual) and Pillar of Ra (festival book) are good places to learn more information about honoring Her.  (He does use his own poetry to fill some gaps with the rituals.  Some people like them; some don't).   You can find these on lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?contributorId=898039

There is a great chapter on Hetharu here:  Lesko, Barbara. The Great Goddesses of Egypt. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1999.

Kiya honors Hetharu.  Hopefully she'll see this thread and put her two cents in.

 
These are really helpful, Thank you so much. I had only found that she was a goddess of joy and "Sex, drugs and Rock'n'roll" what ever that's supposed to mean. I didn't think she was that and so much more. O__o

[Selenography]

I feel kinda dumb for wondering about this, but has anyone here ever worked or experienced Hathor before? I've been looking into her and have an interest but I have two things.

1. I have no idea where to start with offerings and such to her.

2. I'm terrified of pissing her off with the wrong thing. (Remembering reading the story of her turning into Sekhmet, a deity I usually go "NOPE" when someone asks if I've ever met and will get on the nope train when she's around.)

May I ask what is calling you to her? That might give me some ideas.

Personally, I would start my introducing myself to her.  When I feel drawn to a new deity, then when it feels right I like to cast a circle, sometimes light a candle, and just kind of talk but also listen to the different feelings I get and interesting intuitive twitches.

As far as what I say, I ask the deity to join me if they would like.  I tell them my name and all the reasons I was inspired to seek out a relationship with them  I will compliment them on some of their qualities or stories I've read about them.  Then I will say that if they would like to have my service, I would like their help and also their patience as I begin service. i'll ask specifically for them to guide me as far as offerings and such go and also to help me avoid anything that would upset them.  If I am making contact, I'll usually stay in the circle a while longer talking and listening for replies. `Sometimes I won't get much out of a deity, but I figure that just means we are not meant to work together.

[nassadii]

May I ask what is calling you to her? That might give me some ideas.

Personally, I would start my introducing myself to her.  When I feel drawn to a new deity, then when it feels right I like to cast a circle, sometimes light a candle, and just kind of talk but also listen to the different feelings I get and interesting intuitive twitches.

As far as what I say, I ask the deity to join me if they would like.  I tell them my name and all the reasons I was inspired to seek out a relationship with them  I will compliment them on some of their qualities or stories I've read about them.  Then I will say that if they would like to have my service, I would like their help and also their patience as I begin service. i'll ask specifically for them to guide me as far as offerings and such go and also to help me avoid anything that would upset them.  If I am making contact, I'll usually stay in the circle a while longer talking and listening for replies. `Sometimes I won't get much out of a deity, but I figure that just means we are not meant to work together.

 
It's mostly what I'm trying to deal with in life, that I can't really find that much to be happy about. I can find amusement, but being content, being joyful or feeling beautiful is something that's been rare due to life in general. Hathor just screams all those qualities and I feel called to that.

And to be frank, I've never actually tried the circle thing, I've read about it but always felt frightful of doing it wrong.

[SatAset]

And to be frank, I've never actually tried the circle thing, I've read about it but always felt frightful of doing it wrong.

For honoring a deity within traditional ancient Egyptian ritual, there is no casting of circles.  Just so you know.  

Also, I forgot to mention, it is traditional to eat the offerings for the ancient Egyptian deities.  So my suggestion, would be to offer to Her and pray and then partake of the offering yourself.

[stephyjh]

May I ask what is calling you to her? That might give me some ideas.

Personally, I would start my introducing myself to her.  When I feel drawn to a new deity, then when it feels right I like to cast a circle, sometimes light a candle, and just kind of talk but also listen to the different feelings I get and interesting intuitive twitches.

As far as what I say, I ask the deity to join me if they would like.  I tell them my name and all the reasons I was inspired to seek out a relationship with them  I will compliment them on some of their qualities or stories I've read about them.  Then I will say that if they would like to have my service, I would like their help and also their patience as I begin service. i'll ask specifically for them to guide me as far as offerings and such go and also to help me avoid anything that would upset them.  If I am making contact, I'll usually stay in the circle a while longer talking and listening for replies. `Sometimes I won't get much out of a deity, but I figure that just means we are not meant to work together.

 
Circle-casting is actually pretty specific to religious witchcraft type paths, and doesn't really apply once you get outside that. So as much as that suggestion is probably well-intended, it's probably not going to be a whole lot of help to a person who's working in a Kemetic context. Also, direct deity interaction is not all that common. It's more of an exception than a rule, and I'd be cautious about telling people they should expect it.

[veggiewolf]

...

Some people who honor Hetharu also get Sekhmet too.  Others don't.  It just depends what you and They need/want.  

...

 
This.  I worship Sekhmet and didn't get Hethert.

I'll second the resources SatAset mentioned, and note that cool water is a good offering in general for Kemetic deities.

[Darkhawk]

I feel kinda dumb for wondering about this, but has anyone here ever worked or experienced Hathor before? I've been looking into her and have an interest but I have two things.

 
If you want a thumbnail perspective on the Hetharu/Sekhmet duality, the one that I tend to do is "Hetharu celebrates the joyousness of ma'at in its place", and "Sekhmet corrects/avenges ma'at out of its place".  You can see the flux point where Their perspectives coincide.

(My own perspective on Hetharu is weird and complicated at this point and I don't know how to make words go right now.)

[Monstera deliciosa]

It's mostly what I'm trying to deal with in life, that I can't really find that much to be happy about. I can find amusement, but being content, being joyful or feeling beautiful is something that's been rare due to life in general. Hathor just screams all those qualities and I feel called to that.

And to be frank, I've never actually tried the circle thing, I've read about it but always felt frightful of doing it wrong.

 
You may also try looking into Bast, as she is similar to Hethert in some of these respects. I see Bast as a little more dynamic, and Hethert as a little more settled-in. I see cows as stoic, whereas cats are more investigative. I might give an offering to stately Hethert in thanks for current prosperity or for help increasing my prosperity level, but to search for a new source of happiness, I might go to the more curious Bast. That's probably just my UPG showing, though. I'm not a student of Kemeticism.