Can anyone help me with this question?

[zakzekezedd]

I have found sources that parallel Bast to Artemis. I was wondering if anyone here knows if there is a Celtic Goddess that would parallel Bast? I am beginning to consider working with a more specific pantheon, and while I have never had a real interest in the Egyptian panatheon, I do have a very real connection to Bast. Or maybe I should just respect Lady Bast, and "Go Egyptian"? Any suggestion would be welcome.

[Rain Gnosis]

I don't, personally, like drawing parallels like that between cultures. Doing so too easily homogenizes two very different, distinct deities. In the case of Bast and Artemis, they are only connected because GraecoRomans overtook Egypt and thus some of their myths, often modifying the deities a bit to fit their needs. To associate Bast with Artemis they realized Bast must have a twin brother like Artemis' brother Apollo - since Bast sounds similar to Aset, they reasoned, Bast must mean "soul of Aset" and be Aset's daughter - thereby giving her a twin brother in Heru. However, no Egyptian writing or myth supports that. Artemis was a virgin huntress - Bast was associated with sexual independence. Artemis is a lunar Goddess - we all recognize her aspected as Diana and that associated with the moon - while Bast was the daughter of the sun God and thus part of the sun. Bast was a protectress - her name literally meant "devouring lady", she was associated with perfuming and perfumed things such as ointments.

I'm not saying it's /bad/ to associate Bast with Artemis, I'm saying some work so hard to draw parallels with this deity to another in another culture that they kind of overlook the myths and bits of the deity that make them an individual. Bast was first and foremost a Goddess of Egypt, and the culture from which she originated was part of who she was. Just like many of us could say our family is part of who we are. One essay that will be interesting for you on this is http://www.per-bast.org/bast/historical.html

/IMHO, so take it or leave it

[zakzekezedd]

Rain Gnosis, thanks for the website. As I said, I've never really been particularly drawn to the Egyptian culture, but I cannot deny the connection I feel to Bast. I guess I should trust her to guide me to where I need to be.