Praise To The Heavenly Mother

Circe by Morris Henry Hobbs, part of Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection:

Mother of the Sacred Bull

Ruler of Wolves, who dances with serpents

Hear my prayer

Oh goddess of the hidden arts

Wielder of the hot flame and shining key

Empress who commands heaven, earth and hell

I bid you come forth to my words

I am the deathless spirit, veiled in flesh

Within me is the fire of the gods

Given to me by the old one

I call you forth from your throne in heaven

I bid you appear before me

***

Hail to you oh goddess who stands among lions

Great tamer of beasts, whom crocodiles extol

Your power has no limits, your grace has no bounds

By your charms can you sway the elements

By your songs can you bend all things living and nonliving

Nothing is safe from your touch and gaze

The gods fear and adore you, goddess of a thousand names

Goddess of a thousand deeds of fame

Hail oh mighty queen who resides in heaven

Crowned with the horns of every animal

And the sun and stars as your jewels

Empress who has the world at your feet

Where all suppliants fall in reverence

To bring you incense, perfumes and holy oils

Glory be to you oh goddess, infinite and eternal

Hail oh goddess of profound passion

Mistress whose image is beauty beyond beauty

Seducer and tempter of men and women

Beckoner onto the mysteries of creation

Lady of love and lust, with no end to your appetite

The movements you create shake the earth

And set the stars in motion

Your body is the great mover of the waves

And your voice is the thunder, your breath the wind

Hail oh goddess whose fury is awesome

Great destroyer of nations, bringer of bloodshed

Whom all King’s revere and fear

Curser of the profane and unworthy

Devourer of all things

May these words flow to you as rich wine

May my words rise as sweet incense

Oh mighty goddess of dragons and fire

I lift my prayers to you oh mother of the gods

Queen of the gods, wrapped in splendor

Veiled in velvets and scarlets and golds and emeralds

Hail to you, hail to you, hail to you

***

I bow before you, nameless queen of creation

Most exalted of sorceresses, most revered of powers

Hear me, weaver of fate, commander of destiny

Blessed of spirits, incline your ear to my prayer

Grant onto me, oh goddess, your favor

Protect me from the evils of the world

Send away the miseries that torment me

Divine destroyer of devils, cleanse me of misfortune and illness and malice

Lioness of the fiery east, devour my foes, ill-wishers and cursers

Open, oh goddess, the roads of glory and joy

Bestow your blessings to this your child

Benevolent one, give, oh giver of joy, fortune and prosperity to your servant

Give luck, bestower of luck, in all fields of mortality

Grant success in all things, strength in all deeds, wisdom in all thoughts

Breathe your breath of favor onto us your children

Hear my prayer, queen of queens, goddess of eternity

And grant me my requests

***

Hail divine mother of all that was, all that is, and all that shall be

Great goddess who reigns over all things

Be praised, be praised, be praised

Hail oh goddess of many forms

Mistress whose power is in the sun and the moon

In the entirety of the stars and the heavens

In the force of the seas and the winds

In the strength of the storms and fires of the earth

Blessed are the names of which you are called

By the torch, by the bow, by the key and dagger

By the wolf, by the snake, by the lion and the scorpion

Breathe onto me, Sekhmet, Lady of Power, Mistress of Fire, and let your breath burn away all that is impure

Breathe onto me, Sekhmet, Ruler of Disease, Mother of War, and let your breath make me clean and free of evil

Breathe onto me, Sekhmet, Goddess of Life, Bringer of Death, and lift me in your strength and vitality

Oh Sekhmet, thrower of spears that bring terror onto men, one who inflicts misery, do not let your rage blind you and make you forgetful

Remember my prayers, oh lioness, that I gave in my service to you

Remember the hymns I sang to you with fervor

Remember, oh goddess, the offerings I have laid out before you, and the love and loyalty I have given as your child and servant

Guardian of Heaven, Guardian of Ra

Praise be to you, she who has all nations underfoot, she who delights in the blood of all beings

Praise be to you, giver of health, wielder of every spell and potion that gives relief

Praise be to you, giver and taker of affliction, subduer and rallier of illness

Destroyer of demons, destroy the impure ones that torment me

Slayer of the wicked, slay the cold ones that bring me plague

Killer of my enemies, kill the evil that resides in my flesh

With your mighty breath, I am cleansed

With your mighty breath, I am cured

With your mighty breath, I live again