Sisters of the Burning Branch Goddess Gallery Presents...
Goddess Wadjet
Prophetic Truthspeaker
Serpent Goddess of Justice and Time
Goddess of Lower Egypt, Papyrus, and Protector of Pharaoh
Snake Goddesses
The Goddess Wadjet comes to you in the form of the living uraeus
to anoint your head with her flames.
She rises up on the left side of your head,
and she shines from the right side of your temples without speech;
she rises up on your head during each hour of the day,
even as she does for her father Ra,
and through her, the terror which you inspire in the spirits is increased.
She will never leave you, and of you, she strikes into the souls, which are made perfect.
~ From The Egyptian Book of the Dead
One of the oldest Egyptian Goddesses, Wadjet is portrayed as a snake-headed woman, a woman wearing the uraeus, a two-headed snake, a winged cobra, or the snake itself. “The Green One” was originally the ancient Predynastic local Goddess of the city of Dep (Greek Buto), which became part of the city that the Egyptians named Per-Wadjet, meaning “House of Wadjet.”
Her name translates to “Papyrus-Colored One:” wadj is the ancient Egyptian word for green or blue and the suffix et refers to Her gender; papyrus is the symbol of Lower Egypt. Wadjet is also the name for the “Eye of the Moon,” later transitioning into the Eye of Horus as well as the Eye of Ra as these Sun gods became popular.
As “The August One, the Mighty One,” She is matron Goddess and protectress of Lower Egypt, the Nile Delta region. This charismatic Goddess joins power with Her sister-Goddess Nekhbet, the white vulture protectress of Upper Egypt, safeguarding and unifying all of Egypt. Together they are called “the Two Ladies.” Wadjet is also the especial protectress of royalty and birthing women as well as the physical manifestation of the primal snake, the Milky Way itself.
An early image of Her from the Predynastic Period (before 3100 BCE) is that of a cobra entwined around a papyrus branch, thought to be the first image of this kind. This later led to the caduceus, the staff of Hermes and modern symbol of the North American medical profession. When identified as the protector of Ra, She sends fire to burn attackers just as the cobra spits venom into the eyes of its enemies. In this role Her appellation is “Lady of Flame.”
Her symbols include the uraeus, the emblem worn on the crown of all Lower Egyptian rulers, the cobra, papyrus, shrews, and the ichneumon (a mongoose-like creature known for its skill in killing snakes and crushing crocodile eggs). Mummified shrews and ichneumon were placed inside of statuettes of Her and interred with the beloved dead.
Wadjet’s Oracular Priestesses are believed to be the first in Ancient Egypt. In Her temple in Her sacred city of Per-Wadjet resided Her world-renowned Oracle, and the oracular arts performed here are thought to be the original source for the Greek oracular tradition.
Her festival of “The Going Forth of Wadjet” was celebrated on December 25th with singing and chanting; Her other main feast day is the Summer Solstice. Her lunar observations take place on the fifth hour of the fifth day of the moon and She is also honored on the fifth hour of the fifth day of each month.
Her Correspondences include:
Alternate Names: Buto, Edjo, Ua Zit, Udjo, Uto, Wedjoyet
Animals: Ichneumon, Lions (as Wadjet-Bast), Snakes (especially the Cobra), Shrews
Appellations: The August One, The Celestial Serpent, Creatrix of the World, Devouring Flame, Eye of Divine Vengeance, Eye of the Moon, Eye of Ra, The Fiery One, Fiery Serpent, Giver of the Food of Immortality, Great of Magic, Lady of the Devouring Flame, Lady of Flame, The Mighty One, Nesert (“Searing One”), The One Who Travels in Lightning, The Red Crown, one of the Two Ladies, Wepset (“She Who Spits Flame”)
Attributes, Associations, and Powers: Childbirth, Defense, Justice, Prophesy and the Oracular Arts, Protection (of royalty and children), Sovereignty, Time, Truth
Colors: Blue, Green, Red
Elements: Earth, Fire
Herbs and Plants: Lotus, Papyrus
Time: The fifth hour of the fifth day of the lunar month and the fifth hour of the fifth day of each month
Offerings: Bread, Chants, Eggs, Songs, Wine
Season:
The month Epipi belongs to Her, the summer
month of harvest corresponding to modern-day mid-May through mid-June
High Holydays: Summer Solstice
Feast Days: March 14th, April 21st, May 1st, July 2nd, Summer Solstice, December 25th
Symbols: Caduceus, the Milky Way, Snakes, Sun Disks, Uraeus
Tools: Scepter, Sistrum, Wand
Sisterhood of the Moon’s Snake Goddess Journey; Spring 2016
A Ritual to Create a Wadjet Oracular Map
Intention
I am a divine conduit for the Great Mystery. With Wadjet’s help, light shines upon my situation and my life. I easily and effortlessly shed the skin that no longer fits and in doing so, embrace my True Self.
Special Instructions
Please read through the process in its entirety and gather all necessary materials before casting your Circle.
Materials
· Magazines or other sources of imagery
· A glue stick
· Scissors
· Poster board, cardboard, or something else to create your Oracular Map upon
· “Cakes” (a light snack) and “Ale” (in your ritual chalice—water, juice, or red wine)
· Optional: An image of your personal sigil or symbol (or something to draw it with)
Altar, Purification, and Circle Casting
If you wish, create an altar in your space that includes images of transformation, creation, and/or the oracular arts. You may also wish to include representations of each Element and/or Goddess Wadjet.
Cleanse and purify yourself and your sacred space with sage, water, salt, sound, or something else that calls to you. Cast your Circle and invoke Goddess Wadjet to assist you in opening up to the messages from the Great Mystery.
Creating your Oracular Map
Oracular Maps, also called Spirit Maps, are a valuable, powerful, and highly effective tool for clarity, divination, and truth.
The intention of an Oracular Map is to create a visual image, a collage that depicts an actual—physical, tangible—image of what is coming into being or is already present in your life. Oracular Maps can be used to divine the answer to a specific question, or as a general reading around what is, what will be, or what might be.
These magickal objects are created of cut-outs from magazines, old greeting cards, photos, computer printouts, and/or other items that are glued to a piece of poster board, cardboard, or pasted in a special book. While regular Treasure Maps (also called Vision Boards) are often created for manifestation of specific goals (such as a better job, a new car, a vacation, etc.), Oracular Maps are made as a shamanic process and practice of sacred art, letting Goddess and our inner guidance lead us to our deep, unconscious desires and Truth. We can then use the completed Map as a focus to attract the energies and things we want into our lives and to serve as advice and/or warning of things to be aware of. Oracular Maps work on a deep level, speaking to our Slothwoman in her own ancient language of images, colors, and shapes and helping us to tap into this primal wisdom.
There is no right or wrong way to make an Oracular Map! Here are some guidelines that I’ve developed over the years which include wisdom adapted from Vicki Noble and Shakti Gawain, as well as other teachers whose names I’ve forgotten as time has passed. My gratitude to all named and unnamed for their teachings!
Oracular Map-Making Guidelines
1) First, choose your intention. Do you have a specific question or theme that you would like to address or find answers about? Or, is this to be a complete surrender to what is deep inside of you, a surrender to the oracular arts of Wadjet, to the Great Mystery of Spirit? No choice is better than the other—choose what calls to you right now, in this present moment. Over time, you may wish to make many Oracular Maps—an overview, a big vision, a completely shamanic piece followed by smaller Maps, one for each part of your life that you might like guidance around such as health, work, spirituality, relationships, etc.
2) Decide what size Oracular Map you wish to make; this can be of any size or shape that feels right. Some of my Maps are created on huge pieces of poster board, some on smaller pieces of cardboard; I even have an old scrapbook that I make smaller Maps in as the Muse calls. You can even make a tiny Map to carry in your wallet, purse, or backpack.
3) Cast a circle or otherwise create a sacred space to work in. Invite Wadjet to join you in this holy play!
4) You may wish to include a picture, drawing, symbol, or other representation of yourself on your Map. If you have a personal sigil or symbol that you already work with, include it as your Significator, indicating that you are the one asking for guidance.
5) As you thumb through your magazines or other visual materials, choose images that call out to you. Do not stop to analyze—just tear or cut out all things that draw your attention and set them in a pile. There is no need to worry about or to illustrate in any way your situation, intent, or feeling. Open yourself up and trust.
6) When you feel complete with your images, begin gluing them to your board. Again, don’t analyze or think about this—just glue until you feel done.
7) When you are finished creating your Oracular Map, bless and consecrate it as you would any other magickal tool. Contemplate your Map as a singular, integrated image and journal any information you receive from it. Give thanks to Wadjet for co-creating with you!
Now, put your Oracular Map in a place where you will see it often and pay attention to what happens; do your best to stay open to any messages you receive. Observe, practice patience, and journal anything that comes through, no matter how small or unrelated the information may seem to be—I once found a Map six years after I had created it and had hidden it away; I was shocked that everything I had put on it was then present in my life!
Cakes and Ale
Now, take up your “Cake” and bless it, asking for Wadjet’s messages to become completely clear to you now or in the near future. Then, hold your chalice up, speaking gratitude for all that is. Enjoy your “Cakes and Ale” within your cast Circle. You may wish to continue journaling during this time.
Opening the Circle and Giving Gratitude to Wadjet
Give your gratitude to Wadjet for Her presence in your Circle, any answers She has already given you, and those answers which are forthcoming. Open your Circle, ground, and spend a few moments sending healing, loving energy into the Sacred Earth that sustains us.
It is done; it is done; it is done, done, done!
Close-up of the Snake Goddesses
Sources Consulted:
Gawain, Shakti: Creative Visualization
Noble, Vicki: Shakti Woman
http://www.crystalinks.com/wadjet.html
http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/wadjet.html
http://www.landofpyramids.org/wadjet.htm
https://cowofgold.wikispaces.com/Wadjet
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/wadjet.htm
https://henadology.wordpress.com/theology/netjeru/wadjet/
This page is the intellectual and creative property of Lady Jesamyn Angelica.
August 2016