Invocation to Hathor

Goddess of Love and Beauty

The Lady Hathor

Het Heret, Het Heru, Het Hert (ancient Egyptian variations of her name)

Hat Hor, Hathor, Athyr (ancient Greek variations of her name)

Baalat (Semitic variation of her name)

Hathor was known as the Mother Cow Goddess and the Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Pleasure. She is a very old goddess of both ancient Egypt and the land of Canaan, who was worshipped from the earliest times. Her name, Hathor, is a Greek variant of Her Egyptian name, Het-Hert (the House Above) and Het-Heru (the House of Horus). Both terms refer to her as a sky goddess. Sometimes, like many other goddesses, Hathor is associated with the moon, but much more often She was represented as a solar deity. She is often addressed as the Eye of Ra, the Daughter of Ra, Goddess of the Sky and Queen of Heaven. At Heliopolis She is referred to as Ra's consort and as the mother of Shu and Tefnut.

The star Sirius (called by the Egyptians Sepdet) was sacred to her as it was also sacred to Isis. Some of the older Egyptian creation myths claim She gave birth to the universe. Hathor is considered to be the bright aspect of Sekhmet. In later times Hathor became closely identified with Isis and was also depicted as the consort of Horus, son of Isis and Osiris. She was the goddess of fertility and the patroness of women and marriage.

Priestesses dedicated to Hathor were known for their skills in music, song and dance. There are written records and wall paintings of an intricate dance performed by the priestesses of Hathor in which they hold a small circular mirror within the palms of their hands while dancing.

Like Isis, Hathor was considered by many to be the goddess par excellence and held the attributes of many other goddesses. Hathor along with Isis and the goddess Mut were all manifestations of the Great Mother aspect of the goddess.

She had many centers of worship in ancient Egypt. The most important were at Dendera, Thebes, Heliopolis, Aphroditopolis, Sinai, Momemphis, Herakleopolis, and Keset. The temple of Hathor at Dendera dates back to the time of Cheops (about 2600 BC). It was extensively built onto during the rule of the Greek dynasty of Egyptian rulers, the Ptolemies, and some later elements were eventually added by the Romans. The entrance to the temple is marked by a large columned hall consisting of twenty four columns containing Hathor´s image at the head of each column. There are several subterranean chambers which still have vividly colored paintings along their walls and passageways. The entrance to these chambers, which are connected by narrow corridors, is reached through a square entryway cut into the ground. During the nesting season, spring through early summer, the whole area of the temple complex at Dendara is alive with the music of hundreds of tiny birds. They nest or roost in small cracks and hollows within the outer walls.

On the upper level of the temple is a sanctuary dedicated to Osiris. Here was found the famous round Zodiac of Dendera depicted on a high ceiling. The original round zodiac is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris. A plaster copy was installed in the temple of Hathor when the original was removed. The round zodiac is one of the earliest representations of the zodiac in the form in which we know it today. It is the only Egyptian depiction of the sky in a completely circular form found to date. As a goddess of the sky and the stars, Hathor is considered to be the Patroness of Astrologers.

The Greeks identified her with Aphrodite, as she represented, in the ancient religious texts everything that is true, good, and beautiful. She was also a protectress of women in all their roles, mother, wife, sister, and daughter. As such She was a Protectress and Patroness of Childbirth and Motherhood. She was also the Patroness of the Arts, as She represented everything that made life enjoyable, beautiful and gracious.

From the earliest times, the Egyptian goddess Hathor was petitioned for help in creating abundance, life and protection. Would you like to begin these qualities in your life? This simple technique is based on some of the ancient practices connected to the honoring of Hathor. It will help you gain access to that part of yourself which is joyful, creative, at peace and prosperous.

Invocation of The Lady Hathor

Visualize the goddess Hathor standing before you holding Her mirror, reflective side out. You could imagine Her stationed somewhere in your house or the room where your altar or shrine is situated, protecting your space with Her sacred mirror. No lengthy formal ritual is necessary, just a simple, sincere request and a word of thanks at the end. A model for the format of the petition, based on ancient Egyptian texts follows below.

A key word of advice is to always use these methods ensuring that your own intentions are compassionate, true and just. You must always seek to serve and bring about the highest good, and wish for the best possible outcome for all concerned. After asking Hathor for guidance and protection it is always good and right to thank Her.

O my Lady, come and protect me,

give me abundant life.

Make me healthy

on the east side of the sky,

So that I will be established

in the horizon.

O my Lady, come and restore me,

O Come! Lady of Gold!

Keep me safely

on the east side of the sky,

So that I will be protected

in the horizon.

O, Come, Lady of Gold, O Come!

For millions of years you

have sailed in the Sun Barque of your Father without ceasing.

As you ride in the boat of your Father, so,

I pray for happiness!

I pray for prosperity!

I pray for health!

I pray for protection!

May they flow from you

without ceasing!

Notes:

Based on a hymn to Hathor found in the private tomb of Kheruef, Royal Scribe and First Herald of Amenhotep III, West Bank at Luxor, 18th Dynasty.

Gold is one of the many titles of Hathor.