The “Breath of Life” as a Kemetic Polytheist

Breath was sacred and highly symbolic to the Ancient Egyptians. The concept of "the breath of life" is found everywhere, from funerary spells to hymns to medical texts. From a physiological standpoint, "it cannot be doubted that they appreciated the life-giving importance of breathing. Their concept of what happened to the air which was breathed …

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Wepwawet, “The Jackal”(Epithet Project #8)

There is a wolf cemetery outside Olympia, Washington. What better place to whisper a prayer to Wepwawet? The wolf cemetery at Wolf Haven International; it's much bigger than my photo shows. The Dog Catacombs The cemetery is part of Wolf Haven International, an incredible wolf sanctuary that I highly recommend if you find yourself in …

Anubis, “He of the Grain Products” (Epithet Project #7)

As we move further into the murky liminal space of the days after the previous kemetic new year has ended but before the new year begins, I find myself craving something a little more cheerful and lighthearted -- and what could be more cheerful than cookies? So for this month's epithet, I'll be focusing on …

Aset, “Who Makes Shade with Her Plumage” (Epithet Project #6)

The temperature maxed out at only 84 degrees F (29 C) here today, but I was already grateful for the shade. While on a 10 kilometer run this afternoon, each time I passed underneath a shade tree, I murmured (or weakly coughed out, towards the end of the run) a word of gratitude to Aset …

Beautiful Feast of the Valley

Spending a sunny Sunday afternoon in a cemetery surrounded by long-dead strangers wasn't where I expected my polytheistic journey to take me, but I'm glad it did. Last month, I celebrated the Beautiful Feast of the Valley, a 12-day-long festival that began on May 4 this year. In Ancient Egypt, the Beautiful Feast of the …

Ma’ahes, “Wielder of the Knife” (Epithet Project #5)

Ma'ahes (also referred to as Mahes, or Mios/Mihos/Miysis to the Greeks) is an Egyptian god of war and protection who also "represents the consuming powers of the scorching heat of midsummer." [1] In His primary forms of full lion or lion-headed man, He is frequently depicted with a knife between His paws [2]. As a …

Review: Coyote’s Child Apothecary

The level of crafting skill in the pagan/polytheistic community never ceases to amaze me. Fellow Wepwawet devotee and traditional witch Shenuty runs Coyote's Child Apothecary, providing handmade beeswax candles, essential oil blends, prayer beads, woodburned icons, altar supplies, and divination services. She was kind enough to send me a customized Wepwawet-inspired devotional candle, and I …