The Relational Goddess Mysteries
Sekhmet as Relational Goddess
by Cayelin K Castell
Sekhmet inside her Temple in Nevada with Full Moon Rising
It may be surprising to consider the fierce warrior Goddess Sekhmet as a wise relational Goddess, but once her job of restoring the Cosmic Balance was done her relational side emerged as an example of how conscious co-creative relating can also be powerfully healing.
Sekhmet is a Solar Goddess known for her shamanic healing abilities, righting wrongs and restoring cosmic justice.
The patriarchy’s version of this story describes Sekhmet being sent by her father the Sun God Ra to restore the cosmic balance, but she was over zealous described as going on a rampage – killing everyone she came across.
When Ra tried to call her back, she pretended not to hear him and continued her killing spree. Ra had to trick her by putting beer on the battlefield that looked like blood (from crushed pomegranate juice). When Sekhmet stopped to drink the beer she got so drunk she passed out. In some versions of the story, when she woke up the first person she saw was Ptah. She instantly fell in love and they quickly became consorts.
Other Relational Goddess
A few of the cross-cultural ancient pantheons of Goddesses who were relational (or had consorts) include: Inanna, Ishtar, Isis, Hera, Juno, Rhiannon, Amaterasu (she who illuminates heaven), Lakshmi, Persephone, Erishkigal, Freya, Ixchel etcetera.
Unfortunately, for Hera her partner Zues did not value conscious, co-creative, collaborative partnership. Hera had a lot to endure from a philandering husband who did not care one bit about how she felt even though she was highly revered for loyalty and fidelity by other Gods and Goddesses. (Asteroid Goddesses by Demtra George)
Hera’s story has informed the nature of relationship between the masculine and feminine for eons of time. Fortunately this story is in the process of changing as we grow and evolve, and we have other stories we can look too, including the story of Sekhmet and her consort Ptah. (More on Hera/Juno in a future article)
Sekhmet’s Story begins as an Expression of the Wild Warrior Goddess
Although Sekhmet’s story has been distorted in its patriarchal telling, there are remnants within these Tellings that let us know Sekhmet is a pure divine solar light being carrying the best of the Royal Codes of Queenship, Shamanic Healing and Conscious, Co-Creative Relationship with all life. She reminds us these light codes are within each of us and it is time to remember and reclaim our divine heritage.
The ancient Egyptians describe Sekhmet as the daughter of Ra, the feminine eye of the Sun, sent to Earth to restore balance and order. From another perspective, she was sent to alchemically transform any negativity plaguing the Earth.
As already described, Patriarchy’s version of the story violently describes her killing spree. Perhaps the real reason Sekhmet was sent to Earth was to devour all the negativity, so rampant then and now. We could imagine she was devouring negativing – taking it into her belly (her own alchemical cauldron) – digesting and transforming the negative energies in to powerful expressions of Pure Divine Love.
Sekhmet’s name, derived from Sekhem, describes her purpose. Sekhem is an ancient Egyptian word meaning “sacred power” or sacred energy. Sekhmet (a Solar Goddess) restores cosmic law (for Maat) and balance through the process of Divine Alchemy – transforming negative energy restoring it to its original Divine expression.
Path of Initiation and Priestess of Sekhmet
In ancient Egyptian times the first step on the path of initiation to reclaim one’s divine sovereignty and power was to go before a priestess of Sekhmet, in essence standing before Sekhmet herself. These priestesses were trained to determine if the initiate was truly willing to let go of negative egoic patterns and step into their divine power from a place of integrity and humility. If the one seeking initiation met this criteria then the initiatory journey could begin.
It was important for the initiate to know that this journey was NOT about gaining personal power to rule over others but rather to stand in the strength and power of their divine essence as an inspiration to all those who were seeking the path of divine self-love and divine relationship with self and others.
Sacred Relationship – Sekhmet and Ptah 
Once Balance has been restored and Sekhmet becomes the consort (wife) of Ptah, Sekhmet gives birth to their son, Nefertum, a healing god who predates Asclepius. Sekhmet, Ptah and Nefertum were known as the Memphis trio, renowned for their healing abilities and maintaining the cosmic balance Sekhmet was sent to restore.
The relationship between Sekhmet and Ptah represents the gift of co-creative, conscious, collaborative relationship. Their union represents the outer sacred marriage that is possible when inner wholeness is achieved.
Sekhmet is fiercely compassionate, she is a powerful feminine force that restores balance and love. She is also a relational goddess helping to restore balance, equality, and conscious co-creation through collaboration between our inner and outer selves, as well as all relationships including the divine feminine and the divine masculine, with each other, and all life on Earth.
The Relational Goddess Initiation Cycle began November 1, 2018 and lasts until June 8, 2020.
The Memphis Trio Nerfertum, Sekhmet, Ptah
We would love for you to Join us for a powerful ceremonial journey with a stellar Venus Community as Venus Reclaims Healthy Relational Sacred Feminine Awareness.
Through ceremonial intention we will celebrate the return of healthy, joyous relationships within and without. First live class is September 27, 2019. Then one each month into May of 2020. Join anytime.
The details to join and early registration special are HERE
Pilgrimage to the Sekhmet Temple 2015
In August of 2015, a group of 8 powerful women traveled to Nevada (outside of Las Vegas) to a Temple dedicated to Sekhmet where we met her face to face. There we asked for her support in alchemically transforming any negative, or lower vibrational energy we may carry that interferes with our ability to truly love ourselves.
It is a process, a journey that requires willingness and surrender as we reclaim our divine nature and our ability to fully channel, metabolize and radiate divine light while further invoking the strength, power and love Sekhmet has for all who have felt called (or feel called now) to engage this ceremonial journey.
Here are a few images of that journey…
Sekhmet Group Power of 8 shot 2015 The Power of 8 (synchronistically 8 years from one Venus Cycle to the next) at the Sekhmet Temple to honor Venus and Mars in the Morning Sky at the Pisces Full Moon
Full Moon on Horizon Aug 2015 Pisces Full Moon on the Horizon beside the Sekhmet Temple August 2015
Inside the Sekhmet Temple
Greeting the Sun from the Sekhmet Temple
I want to do the Venus Return program – is it too late?
Shanna, you can sign up anytime. If you can’t make the live classes the recordings will be available for replay within 24 hours. We would love to have you join us! 🙂
Restoring the Cosmic Balance. Thank you Sekhmet and thank you for this beautiful reminder of the power of the fierce feminine…this could hardly be more timely.
Ahhh, yes. July/August 2015 began the undoing and letting go of an intense love relationship, as I consciously made the choice to walk through the pain of that death, to save my own life. As my Shamanic Brothers and Sisters know, it was, and has been an excruciating process that literally took a village (many tribes actually!) to pull me through.
My gratitude still expounds for the phone support, and the tractor beam of light that pulled me in to Tubac this past October as I was stopped, stranded in the center (literally in El Centro!) on my way to the Sacred Inner Marriage Intensive. As does my gratitude still grow deeper for the support and strength that came from the As Above/So Below Individuals on my desolate, yet willingness-to-be-empowered trip back home, and also gratitude for the support I continued to receive upon return as I constantly fought the urge to reconnect with the partner, I still have great gratitude and love for, as I know he has had his own painful journey of release as well.
November through June continued to be an agonizing up and down, and back and forth attempt at a reconciliation between my Spiritial Soul-Quest, and my Human-Heart’s Desires. Just in the last week, have I begun to feel a return at times to my Whole-Self; and yet while often still in the Void, I know that this Journey will be, and has all been worth it for my Divine Maturation and Divine Growth.
All that being said, I hail and honor the dance I have had with my Mars and Venus in the external Human-World-Being form, and am still learning from the accelerated downloads being received recently on just what the Inner-Sacred Marriage looks like/feels like in the Outer-Sacred World. I embrace with releif the knowledge that though still in the process of the rebuild from deflation, what will come during this next phase of our rise to Empress and Emperor Em/Powerment, will have made all the Alchemical Melting worth it: Worth It’s Weight in Gold!
Thank you DeArah for this wonderful gratitude you are expressing and I am acknowledging what I have witnessed as the courageous embracing of your journey with so much grace, even in the toughest times. Loving your insights and feeling inspired by your sharing. Lots of love to you 🙂
I would really love to be part of this powerful journey.
Will see if I can make it ?
Much gratitude
Pai’e
Pai’e we would love for you to join us. Hope you can make it too! You can sign up at anytime during the journey 🙂
Loving this great article about Sekhmet and the powerful Solar Feminine! It is a concept I wasn’t familiar with but feeling it is so right on…
Thank you for sharing about Sekhmet. I am so inspired by her and your article.
I was introduced to Sekhmet years ago and am so loving this perspective of her knowing more of her fierce intensity, it is refreshing to have a glimpse into her as a co-creative partner and mother. Thank you so much for sharing and Happy New Year.
Sekhmet is one of my very favorite goddess and I am excited to learn about her relational aspect. Thank you so much for this wondrous website and cool image of the winged Goddess rising. She is thrilling! 🙂
This is so timely for me to read as Sekhmet has so been coming to me in my dreams! Now I feel I understand her message around some relationship issues in my life. Thank you!
I look forward to the feminine calming the patriarchy that is presently eclipsing all that is balanced and healthy for humanity.
Right On Elaine. It is our job to imagine it, intend it and act on it! A great daily practice I have found is intentionally raising my personal vibration to love or above each and every day. Some days I am more successful than others for sure. However, I have started to notice an overall shift of the energy around me – not so much in the greater collective. However, I imagine that if enough of us are doing it – we will reach a tipping a point for the greater good! 🙂
Just in time for 2020 preparedness. I’m so glad to be a part of this wonderful, loving group so willing to do the work of our time.
Thank you so much Viola. We so love that you are a wonderful part of this amazing group! 🙂
Wow…thank you for sharing this story about Sekhmet and her relational aspect. I did not know this part of her story. Its giving me clues and insights about my own relationship journey.