Hathor: Love and Laughter

I don’t work with many Egyptian goddesses. I had a coven sister years ago who claimed Sekhmet as her matron, and I’ve worked with Isis a little bit. I decided yesterday to try drawing a card from the Goddess Oracle to see who I should write about next and I drew Hathor.

Hathor is a cow headed mother goddess, and is known to be placid and loving. She is associated with the sky, and especially the Milky Way galaxy. She is also associated with the hippopotamus, vultures, snakes and lions.

Hathor statue at the Nicholson Museum in Sydney Australia. Notice how her head is shaped sort of like a cow

Hathor is related to Ra, and is called the Eye of Ra. There’s a story about her that is somewhat reminiscent of the story of Demeter and Persephone. She decided one day to walk out into the desert and changes herself into a angry lion. Ra misses her, but no one can get her to come back and anyone who tries is devoured. Finally, Ra convinces Thoth to lure her home with stories. To change herself back, Hathor bathes in the Nile, turning the water red as the rage and wildness leaves her.

Hathor and Nut are related as both are symbolized by the stars. Bastet’s relation to Hathor softens her. There is another myth where Hathor “becomes” Sekhmet to punish mankind at Ra’s direction. The myth is known as the “Destruction of Humanity”, and the only reason the human population was not completely wiped out, is that Ra had second thoughts, and got Hathor drunk to stop her killing.

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Drawings of Hathor and Maat from Budge’s “The Nile: Notes fr Traveler’s in Egypt”

In the Goddess Oracle, Hathor’s card signifies pleasure. She is a goddess of laughter, and I’m trying to incorporate her into my work by offering her things that are fun. Anything that makes you giggle can be an offering.