Who Is Isis?

Isis is actually the Greek name for the Egyptian Goddess Au-set, but since it is the most widely used version of Her name, I will use it here as well.

Isis, She of Ten Thousand Names, was said to be the daughter of Nut and Geb, one of 5 gods born to them during the epagomenal days, the 5 "days out of time" that were the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. The 5 deities born during these epagomenal days are commonly referred to as Osiris, Set, Horus (the Elder), Isis and Nephthys. Isis was paired with Osiris, her brother-husband, and Nephthys was often paired with Set.

There are many stories of Isis as Lady of the Words of Power who bested Ra (the Sun god), as Great Mother of Horus (the Younger), as the grieving and desperate wife of the dismembered Osiris. The stories are long, and perhaps a retelling will appear on these pages soon.

The worship of Isis began several thousand years ago in Khemet, or ancient Egypt. The one most often associated with Isis is the Temple of Philae, near present-day Aswan. The Isian religion eventually spread from Egypt to Greece and the entire Roman Empire. Archaeologists have found temples of found as far away as England. Modern worship of Isis can be seen in groups such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Fellowhsip of Isis and the Kemetic Orthodox Church. If you are interested in learning more about Isis, either in ancient Egypt or today, you might want to explore these books:

Isis Magic by M. Isidora Forrest
Offerings to Isis by M. Isidora Forrest
Dreams of Isis by Normandi Ellis
Awakening Osiris: The Egyptian Book of the Dead by Normandi Ellis
Feasts of Light by Normandi Ellis
The Mysteries of Isis by deTraci Regula
Circle of Isis by Ellen Cannon Reed