Bast's colors? Sources? Rocks?

[Miwu]

I think her main color is green, but I'm not sure. I can't find any other colors, or any reliable sources. The one where I found the green said she was the goddess of lesbians. :bad: We all know that isn't true.

I was wondering which rocks to put on her altar, also. I'm guessing that her color in rocks would be a good start.

Note: I have colored glass and hematite and one piece of brecciated jasper (she seems to like it) on the altar now.

[Sequoia]

I've never seen her represented with green... of course, I'm not an Egyptian expert, but you'd think it would be popular if that was her color.

I most frequently see her depicted in black and gold.

In my experience, Bast seemed to appreciate perfumes and jewelry. At least, she seemed pleased that I offered these things. I had a green and gold earring that she claimed. So perhaps she does like green. *shrugs?*

But what she really seemed pleased with was when I was feeding the local stray... which I did, until she (the cat) was adopted by a family and became an indoor-kitty. If you have the opportunity, you should volunteer at a shelter, or even rescue a cat if you can. Bast seems to love nothing more than when you care for her "children". :)

[Miwu]

I've never seen her represented with green... of course, I'm not an Egyptian expert, but you'd think it would be popular if that was her color.

I most frequently see her depicted in black and gold.

In my experience, Bast seemed to appreciate perfumes and jewelry. At least, she seemed pleased that I offered these things. I had a green and gold earring that she claimed. So perhaps she does like green. *shrugs?*

But what she really seemed pleased with was when I was feeding the local stray... which I did, until she (the cat) was adopted by a family and became an indoor-kitty. If you have the opportunity, you should volunteer at a shelter, or even rescue a cat if you can. Bast seems to love nothing more than when you care for her "children". :)

I cannot volunteer, the local shelter won't accept them, but they don't mind me visiting them lots. I can't adopt another cat, because I live with my parents, but yes, I forgot about the shelter. Maybe that's why I'm having difficulties with communicating with her lately. Edit: I talked with mom (aka cardriver) and we're going on tuesday!

[Sequoia]

I cannot volunteer, the local shelter won't accept them, but they don't mind me visiting them lots. I can't adopt another cat, because I live with my parents, but yes, I forgot about the shelter. Maybe that's why I'm having difficulties with communicating with her lately. Edit: I talked with mom (aka cardriver) and we're going on tuesday!

Well, that's a start! Shelter kitties need love, too. :)

[EntwinedScylla]

I'd consider her colors to be the shades of faience glaze.

She is a goddess of love, pleasure, beauty and music. In no description or experience has this ever been followed by "But only the strait kind", so I wouldn't say "we all know..."

[Rae'ya]

I cannot volunteer, the local shelter won't accept them, but they don't mind me visiting them lots. I can't adopt another cat, because I live with my parents, but yes, I forgot about the shelter. Maybe that's why I'm having difficulties with communicating with her lately. Edit: I talked with mom (aka cardriver) and we're going on tuesday!

If you can't volunteer, then you can donate funds to the shelter in Bast's name. If you want to be sure that your funds are going towards the cats specifically, then donate cat food or kitty litter. Most shelters will accept these kinds of donations, but check with yours first, as the best ones tend to have regulations about what sort of food they feed etc. Otherwise, regular visits for donating a little TLC are a good idea, though honestly I can't think why the shelter accepts those but not volunteers, as that would be just as much of an insurance risk, I'd have thought. Though I guess it means they don't have to put you on their official records.

Also, unless you do it as a part of a capture/rescue/adoption program with the local shelter or authorities, I don't recommend feeding locals strays or wildlife, as it can have negative consequences for those you are feeding as well as for the local domestic population. Stray cats especially can have detrimental affects for local wildlife and domestic cats, so you don't really want to encourage them to come around or foster dependence on humans unless you intend to adopt them fully into your household. Feeding them is not a kindness in the long run, not to them and not to the other animals in the area. I'm not sure how Bast feels about it though *shrugs*

As far as the original question about Bast's colours and stones go, I really couldn't say. But the best source for information on Bast would be to ask her yourself. Being a goddess of protection, love, pleasure, sexuality, sensuality, dance and beauty, I imagine that jewelry, cosmetics, music, lush fabrics, inlaid boxes, skin care products and perfumes would be suitable items to put on her altar. Good non-material offerings would be to care for yourself, strengthen your own sense of self worth and self love, or donate time or funds to charities working with cats.

Perhaps it may also be worth looking up the archaelogical findings at her temple at Bubastis, to see what may have been offered to her at the time she was worshipped (apart from the mummified cats, obviously... you may get into trouble if you attempted that lol... though it does bring up the question as to whether Bast accepted and appreciated sacrifice).

[HetHert]

I think her main color is green, but I'm not sure. I can't find any other colors, or any reliable sources. The one where I found the green said she was the goddess of lesbians. :bad: We all know that isn't true.

I was wondering which rocks to put on her altar, also. I'm guessing that her color in rocks would be a good start.

Note: I have colored glass and hematite and one piece of brecciated jasper (she seems to like it) on the altar now.

For me, I find that the colors that correspond to her attributes usually work best so I would have stones of red (warrior/destroyer), gold/yellow (Solar), green (fertility), black (protection)etc...

stones/crystals
Red: Carnelian, Red or Brecciated Jasper, Red Garnet
Gold or Yellow: Gold, Citrine, Pyrite
Green: Malachite, Green Garnet
Black: Obsidian, Onyx, Hematite

I like the idea of faience blue as well. Perhaps indicative of her home in the sky as a Solar Goddess.

And in my experience you can never go wrong with quartz as it is a great amplifier.

I also suggest meditating and conversing with the Goddess herself. Her purpose to and for you are all about you and Her so whatever details she brings forth to you and whatever details resonate with you are what's really important.

I think that the idea of showing your support of her kindred at the shelter is wonderful on so many levels! :thumbsup:
Love is always rewarded and rewarding.

[Miwu]

Thank you, HetHert, that's exactly what I was looking for!

I have a LOT of hematite pieces on there, but then again, I really need her as a protector.

And I have pyrite, and the b. jasper, and a big piece of untumbled, deep dark green tourmaline

[MonSno_LeeDra]

For me I would use Red Granite as a primary stone as that was the main building stone of her temple at Tell Basta (Babastis). If I could have a cartouch or paque made it would be of Red Limestone , the most often found stone in statuary of that sort at the site. Black Granite was one of the common stones used to create statuary to her and was also used in the building and external constructions. There is believed to have been a number of pieces of white granite used in the temple as well though none remians.

On the whole the temple was badly destroyed then used as a quarry for mill stones and such. Today little remains to indicate the actual formations of the various temples that have occupied the site over time since the 2nd dynasty onward.

So one can see the primary colors in and off the temple were red's, whites and blacks.

The area was also associated with fertile fields and river delta so I would use greenish browns to represent that facet. I would not use blue's to indicate that as the delta waters would be greenish brown in color not the blue's of the upper Nile. From the records it does not appear that green's were used at all nor are they mentioned in the few passages about her temple I have read.

Truthfully I would not use blue at all. As a solar diety her colors would be gold / yellow / Bronze to represent the sun. Perhaps even a copper to represent the harsh midday sun. A yellow item would (could) be used to represent the milder periods of the day.

One person mentioned votive type offerings at her temple. From the records I have read there are few items that have been found to indicate such a usage at Tell Basta. Not to say it was not done but simply the destruction at her temple coupled with the rise in river mud that has covered parts of it has long hidden or removed any items of such a nature.

Edited to add:

It might be of interest but there is at least one statue that was found at Tell Basta that was doen in Green Basalt but that is attributed to having been done during the Roman period so do not know if you would find that indicative of Egyptain custom and usage.

[moon81goddess]

The Wepwawet Wiki (Bast page) (http://www.wepwawet.org/wiki/index.php?title=Bast) has quite a bit of good info.

Note: Wepwawet Wiki is created and updated by Remetj and Shemsu, thus what is on the Wiki is mostly UPG (unverified personal gnosis; aka, what's on there is what people have experienced with the Netjeru in question)... sometimes people's UPG's are the same, sometimes they aren't, so your mileage may vary with regards to what She accepts from you and what the page says She likes. :)

[moon81goddess]

As my favorite saying for Her goes: offer Her what you like, and She'll most likely like it. :) (I don't understand why people don't offer their Gods things that those people wouldn't enjoy. I guess that's the Bast(-Mut) bias in me speaking though, She being the Mistress of Joy.)

Colors I associate with Her are green, blue, purple... darker colors more often than light (I think this is the Mut part of Her, though). Gold is good. Black is not (I've gotten the impression that "Black is the lack of color!" from Her).

I'm not much of a rock connoisseur, but I've had the impression that lapis lazuli, malachite, azurite, sapphires, emeralds, and hematite all go over well with Her. (I've got a Shen (a prayerbead/heka-fied necklace) made of malachite/azurite, sodalite, and silver beads that is dedicated to Bast-Mut.)

[MonSno_LeeDra]

I realize it is not totaly on topic but I find it interesting that no one has mentioned the bronze or Brass Sistrum (sesheshet). An item that is important not only to some persona's of Bast (symbolizing her role as a goddess of dance, joy, and festivity) but also an item frequently seen in her hand.

On a side note just some thoughs of mine.

I see many people think of Blue with Bast and her association to the sky and sun. This is my opinion so I do not expect other's to agree but I find in my opinion that is not for me.

I have been off the coast of Egypt in the mid summer when the temperture has been 100 - 120 degree's and the sky is a clear blue field. Yet it is never the blue of the sky that one notices but the bronze or copper colored orb that burns in the sky. It is Bast as her sternest point and all you see is that single eye that burns your eyes and roasts your skin. The breathe in your lungs burns from the heat and the very air leaves you so dry and parched it hurts. The blue lost in the haze that settles over everything and the shimmers of heat that dance and move list willow o wisps before you.

Even in the cool of morning you notice the red or orange orb that starts to climb into the sky. At night the blazing red or orange and deep yellows that streak outward from it.

But the blue of the sky, one does not look to the sky for blue they look for dark clouds that herald the rains or block the searing eye of Bast as she scours over the landscape.