My Pantheon

Forums ► Other Paths ► My Pantheon
Reply to this post oldest 1 newest Start a new thread

Pages: oldest 1 newest

My Pantheon
By:
Post # 1
So, I'm an eclectic witch, and follow the Hellenistic Pantheon, the twelve Olympians plus a few minor gods and goddesses such as Hestia, Hecate, all that good stuff. I do however, feel a connection with two of the Goddesses of the Egyptian Pantheon, Bast and Isis. What does that make me? Do I need to include the rest of the Egyptian Pantheon as well?
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By: / Novice
Post # 2
It sounds eclectic, and as you said you already are eclectic. Don't worry!

You could be Graeco-Kemetic, which actually has a LOT of historical precedence. These deities used to mix along with the Roman pantheon. Look up Hermes Trismegistus, Serapis, and all those syncretic deities. Eclecticism doesn't necessarily mean that they are also syncretic, but just to show the cultural exchange used to be wild back in the day.

If you feel a connection with the rest of the Egyptian pantheon, go right on ahead. If you don't feel that connection, though, I would advise against forcing it, not because anything bad will happen but because why would you force it?
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By: / Beginner
Post # 3
Like Aeons Wing said, it makes you eclectic. There is no need to put a "label" necessarily on what you believe. That's what the word "eclectic" is for. However if you do per say find a certain path that you like, say Norse Heathen for example, it is also still okay to have a connection with deities outside of the Norse pantheon.
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 4
If it makes it easier, Bast and Isis are the "Greek" names of Aset and Bastet (the authentic Egyptian names). The Greeks and Egyptians melded together at one point in history due to the Roman Empire's territory mongering. And it formed a "Greco-Egyptian" assimilation, one that there is much literature concerning. Egyptian culture was so rich that instead of smothering it with their own, the Greeks took much of it for themselves, including "death masks". There are even Greek people that were prepared in death as mummies! So it isn't that surprising that you may feel pulled to Egyptian deities at all.
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 5
Greek influence in Egypt began a bit before Roman influence, with the wars of Alexander and his conquering of Egypt, and his founding of Alexandria. If I'm not mistaken. I may well be.
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 6

I don't think eclecticism is an issue with Kemetic faith, but I would advise not to worship Aset/Isis and Bast/Bastet as higher than any of the Greek Gods. While it's not entirely an exclusive religion, you have to be careful about that.

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By:
Post # 7

That "Bast" is the Greek version of "Bastet" is incorrect.

Bastet is a direct translation of the hieroglyphics of Bast's name, which includes the -et as it is the feminine determinative in her name. When spoken verbally, the -et is unnecessary/extraneous in her name and is generally thought to have been removed by the native speakers within the Delta according to various Egyptologists whom have extensively studied into the pronouncations, grammar, and language of the ancient Egyptians.

That "Isis" is the Greek version of "Aset" is also, technically, incorrect. "Isis" is the English version of "Ese", "Ese" being the Greek version of "Aset". Aset can also be spoke as As(e) as the -et is again, a determinative.

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: My Pantheon
By:
Post # 8

As for eclectism, you can be Kemetic and be other things as well. Ancient Egyptians frequently adopted foreign gods (or prayed to them whilst within their lands) as equally as they treated their gods. This is why deities like Anat, Astarte, Qudesh, etc, were brought into the Egyptian pantheon. This is how the Egyptians adopted Greek/Roman deities; but unless you are specifically going for Greco-Egyptian, you are not that.

However, you are not Greco-Kemetic, you would be Hellenic-Kemetic (modern Greek-Egyptian name for their religion) or Greco-Egyptian (modern Greek-Egyptian term for the time period/phase that Greek and Egypt went through where their cultures mixed). Greco-Kemetic makes no sense.

Generally speaking, you can worship just Aset and Bast, you can worship more than just them, etc. However neither of them will force/expect you to make connections to other deities, though they may introduce you to them. And it is generally advisable that unless you are going for Greco-Egyptian/Hellenic-Kemetic that you keep your spaces separated (even within your mind) as they are two different religions/cultures/paths.

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Reply to this post oldest 1 newest Start a new thread

Pages: oldest 1 newest