A Rite of Bast for the Protection of Cats

We'd like to thank E A St George, a few of whose lines of invocation are includes in this ritual.

Equipment

Feast: this should be of food appropriate to Bast: cream cakes, prawns, avocado, chocolate/candy mice, seafood, creamy dips, cheese, cheese biscuits.

Wine: preferably a full-bodied red, or cranberry juice for those who don't wish to drink alcohol.

Incense: Bast incense, which can be acquired through various occult/magical/New Age shops or see recipe at the end of the ritual.

Rattles: Sistra if you can get them, or any other kind of ethnic bead/bean rattle. If these cannot be found, pasta or beans in a plastic tub can substitute.

Bast Statue: If you don't have an image of Bast, you can substitute any seated cat statue or ornament. A picture on the altar can also be used for this purpose.

Flowers: purple irises, purple and white freesias, any array of purple/violet and white flowers to decorate the altar.

Candles: Altar candles should be silver, purple, turquoise, yellow, gold, or blue.

Arrange the altar around the statue/image of Bast.

Light the altar candles and incense.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply for a few minutes.

When you are totally relaxed, clear your mind and see only a black void before your inner eye. Now imagine that blackness turning into fog, which swirls around you. Gradually, the fog dissipates.

As the fog clears, a scene is revealed before you of a desert landscape. You see a temple nearby, which is the temple of Bast.

Walk towards the temple, noting anything on the way. See an oasis pool, surrounded by palms, in whose shadow great lionesses are dozing. They lift their heads as you pass, as if to grant you passage into the temple. The temple itself is constructed of great columns and once in their shadow the air is cool and refreshing. A strong fragrance of cut blooms pervades the air, as well as the muskier hints of incense. Walk through the columns into a shrine. Here, there is a statue of a great cat, with gold earrings and a collar of faience. Priests and priestesses are in the shrine, tending a multitude of cats. The air is full of the music of the cats; their purrs and cries. Pause to pay respect to the sacred cat of Bast, then walk on down a corridor into the inner shrine.

The corridor opens out into a vast room, lined by pillars. At the other end of the room is a flight of golden steps that leads up to an immense golden statue of the goddess. She is a cat-headed woman, carrying a sistrum, surrounded by kittens in gold. The steps are covered in cats, sleeping, grooming, playing. The room is full of soft, but lively music, played by priestesses on flutes and drums and rattles. Other priests and priestesses dance sinuously to the music, like cats themselves. The floor is covered in petals and as you walk upon them, they release their heady fragrance.

Approach the foot of the stairs and raise your arms.
(Shake the rattle three times)
Say:
'Oh, Bast, Lady of Asheru, Ruler of Sekhet-neter,
Ruler of the Divine Field, Lady of Ankhtawy,
Life of the Two Lands.
We/I call to you.
Hear my/our prayers.
We/I come before you in trust.
We/I come before you in hope.
We/I come before you in need.
And ask that we/I might speak with you.
May your essence enter into the statue before us/me
And become your living body in this world.'

The whole group begins to shake their rattles, conjuring the energy of Bast to enter the statue, both in the visualisation and the statue at home. Concentrate on this happening.

Visualisation resumes:

Now, visualise that the statue begins to come alive. The eyes become living eyes, and gradually, the gold turns to furry skin. The goddess descends the stairs towards you, her eyes full of benevolence and peace. While this is happening, you must cast your inner eye back to the room where your statue of the goddess stands upon the altar. As the statue comes alive in the visualised temple, so the statue at home becomes enlivened with Bast's energy.

(Shake the rattle three times)

Say:
'Oh, Bast, Queen of all Cats,
Daughter of Re,
We/I bring offerings to you
As symbols of our/my love and respect.
Please accept our/my offerings.
Through us/me, may you experience its pleasures.
As we/I eat this food, may you enjoy its flavours.
As we/I drink this wine/juice, may you savour its vintage.'

Now open your eyes and eat the feast, but leave a small portion of everything for Bast, which is placed in a separate bowl. Do likewise with the wine/juice, making libations into the bowl. Try to imagine that you are still in the temple, rather than at home. The visualisation has not ended.

After the food and wine/juice is finished, place the offering bowl before the statue on the altar.

Now return to the visualisation, and see clearly once more the temple around you. Bast is standing before you, enjoying the offerings.

(Shake the rattle)

Say:
'Oh, Bast, daughter of Ra,
We/I trust that our/my offerings have pleased you.
May we/I now ask of you our/my boon.
You, oh Lady, are of the gods who protect this world.
Thunder and lightning strike the skies,
But you return in glory with your father, the Sun.
You can blast and you can forgive.
You can punish and you can reward.
You have died and yet you live.
It is whispered that if one man or woman should believe in your power,
You can harken to the prayers of all the world.
Hear us/me, Oh Bast,
Your children are suffering in this world.
Ignorant people are hurting cats,
And we/I ask that you intervene.
May your Eye of Fire turn upon those who do harm to cats.
May the light of your Eye illuminate their actions,
So they may be caught, stopped and punished.
Oh Bast, protect your children on this earth.
Enfold them in your essence,
So they may travel the night without being seen by those who would harm them.
Empower your priests and priestesses to expedite your work.
Bast, protect all cats,
Protect them and let none harm them.
Defend them and let none harm them.
Shield them and let it harm none.'

Now visualise clearly in pictures exactly what they want from Bast. For example, see streets in towns at night, and during the day, filled with cats, who are happy, safe and healthy. If there are any cats you wish personally to protect, see them safe and happy. Imagine Bast's eyes of power, gazing down upon the animals below, the Eyes of Fire that can both smite and nurture. If you will, imagine Bast overpowering, smiting the ones who would deem to hurt her children. See these ill-intended perpetrators wither under Bast's wrath. Spend as long as you like on this part of the ritual.

(Shake the rattle three times)

Say:
'Oh, Bast, Lady of All Magic,
Great Cat of the Heavens,
Power of the Sun,
Ruler of the night,
All Wise and All knowing,
We/I thank you for this audience.
We/I go from your temple with your presence in our hearts.
We/I are your priests and priestesses,
and will also do all in our power
To protect your children on this earth.
When we/I make love, we/I will do so as an offering to you.
When we/I partake of delicious food and drink, we/I will do so as an offering to you.
When we/I dance, we/I will do so as an offering to you.
When we sing, we will do so as an offering to you.
We/I give you our/my love and our/my gratitude,
And bid you be forever in our/my heart(s) even when we of your temple are apart.'

Bow to the goddess, and see her begin to retreat up the stairs. When she reaches the top she assumes her normal position and turns back into a sleeping statue of gold.

Now, walk back through the temple, bidding farewell to the priests and priestesses, and all the cats. Now is the time to have a few thoughts about your own cats, and ask for Bast's protection for them.

Go out into the desert and imagine walking into a fog, which gradually becomes a black void. See the fog clearing, and when it does, you are back in your own reality. Open your eyes and continue to feast and dance in Bast's honour.

Bast Incense Recipe

This incense incorporates both solar and lunar influences to reflect Bast's dual attributes as both a sun and moon goddess. It is influenced also by her love of perfume and her various magical focuses such as love, happiness and fertility.

3 parts Frankincense
2 parts Gum Arabic
1 part Myrrh
1 part Catnip
1 part patchouli leaf
1 part Rose petal
1 part sandalwood.(Red or white)
1/2 part lavender
1/2 part Orris Root
2 drops each of Ylang Ylang and Carnation oil