Invoke the joyful and loving energy of the Egyptian goddess, Hathor, with this visualisation and embodiment exercise. 

Hello, goddess.

Close your eyes and imagine: 

Your self, by the side of a river, well-fed by the rains, lush and teeming with life; from fish to crocodiles to the birds that perch like prim ladies in the reeds. 

A breeze, brushing your face with a coarse kiss; like that of your favorite uncle when he had a beard. 

A tinkle of chimes in the air; sending a shiver up your spine and a smile upon your face. 

A half-remembered melody invites your hips to sway, your arms to rise above your head, your feet to pound on the sand beneath you. 

It is in this space that she comes to you; a mirage upon the heated air; as insubstantial as a breath and just as present:

Hathor.  

Egyptian goddess of love, sex, beauty, dance, music, and beer, Hathor invites you to enjoy your life, to find the beauty in it, and to embrace your expression - whatever form it may take. Represented as a cow “whose speckled belly formed the starry sky,” she not only asks you to look to the earth and its pleasures, but also to the sky, the cosmos, the universe - within you, and outside you. 

Hathor’s main temple was located in Dendera, along the Nile, and to this day, is one of the most well-preserved ancient Egyptian temples. Within it, you can still see the brightly painted murals, the towering lotus columns, and her carved visage overlooking it all. 

She existed before the more well-known goddess Isis was worshiped, but over time, her aspects were assimilated into Isis as Isis gained popularity with the Egyptians and the Greeks who came after. She was a daughter of Ra, and a favourite story about her features her raising her skirt to bare her sex to Ra to make him laugh - showing not only her comfort in her sexuality, but also the joy that can be found from the sexual, and through that, the sacred. 

“The sacred and the sensual/sexual live very near one another in the psyche, for they all are brought to attention through a sense of wonder, not from intellectualizing but through experiencing something  through the physical pathways of the body, something for the moment or forever, whether it is a kiss, a vision, a belly-laugh, or whatever, changes us, shakes us out, takes us to a pinnacle, smooths out our lines, gives us a dance step, a whistle, a true burst of life.” 
-Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Above all, Hathor was a fun goddess, and much loved for this fact. She is the ultimate Maiden archetype; embodied as the young woman totally lost in the moment, blissed out by life - being in love with it, and in love with herself. Kissing strangers, dancing by herself, indulging in good food and good drink. 

Hathor Embodiment Practice: 

Dance it out! 

Such a simple, yet freeing act. 

If you’re unsure where to start: 

1. Get into a space that feels safe to express yourself. Schedule the time in, if needed; carve out your privacy, if you live with others; do what you need to do to ensure you feel comfortable to express yourself with your body. 
2. Choose music that is sure to get your body moving.
3. Start from the ground up - can you tap your foot to the beat; move your hips from side to side. 
4. As you go, move up the body; to your knees, your hips, your chest, your arms, your head. Allow your body to lead this movement, not your head. 
5. Observe the thoughts that come up, and let them go. Wave them hello and good-bye within your headspace, and focus on the music, the beat. 

Afterwards, journal what came up: Were you judging yourself? How did you feel at the beginning versus at the end? Was there a point where you completely lost yourself to the dance, or were you still holding back? 

As with everything, embodiment practices take time and consistency to sink into your body. Whenever you feel blocked energy, stagnant, or uninspired - dance! As you use this practice more, you will notice more freedom in your expression, a lightness in your heart, and a brightness in your spirit. 

Invite Hathor into your life to remind you of joy; the fun inherent in being; the sacredness in your sexuality. 

Enjoy your life, goddess. You deserve it. 

 

Major gratitude for Bethanie @theawakenedbabe of the Terra Luna Sol community for all the pictures she sent of Hathor - all taken on her all-inclusive divine retreat in Egypt! 

To see her offerings check out her page @escapetoegypt and answer that call within your soul to connect to the magic and medicine of Egypt. 

 

Hathor fun fact: 

Whenever Hathor embodied anger, she transformed into Sekhmet: Lioness goddess of war, who fed on the blood and fear of her enemies. 

Many ancient goddesses of love also represented war, as one cannot exist without the other; both fed by the heat of the heart, and sacred in their expressions, in their passions.