There are no Egyptian goddesses quite like Hathor. If you’re looking to bring more love and passion into your life, consider working with the gorgeous Hathor Goddess of Love. Here, we teach you how to start a magical relationship with Hathor including how to set up her altar, provide appropriate offerings, and perform rituals in her honor.

Who is the Egyptian Goddess of Love, Hathor?

Hathor is the Egyptian goddess of love similar to the Greek’s love deity Aphrodite. Hathor’s worship originates in the Old Kingdom between 2686 and 2181 BCE. She may even be predynastic. Her cult was widespread during the 2nd millennium BCE because of multiple pharaohs’ dedication to her. There were more temples built in Hathor’s honor than any other ancient Egyptian goddess (yes, even more than Isis of whom she was syncretized with in later centuries). She was associated with the sky, the stars, and water. Sources say there were many Hathor goddesses and not just one, i.e. the “Seven Hathors” of Middle Kingdom fame. Hathor was a Mother Goddess who gave birth to the Sun every dawn.

Before Isis came into the Egyptian pantheon, Hathor was the mother of the falcon god Horus. Her name literally means “the house of Horus”, a name that likely began at her cult center in Dendera, Egypt. Throughout her time as a major deity, she was also a protector of the pharaoh and the eye of Ra (wife and sister to the sun god). In fact, she was supposed to accompany the sun god on his journey across the sky on a daily basis and hence was referred to as the “Golden One”. By the era of the New Kingdom, Hathor’s worship would begin to fizzle and the cult of Isis would take over. This is evident in Isis’ headdress, which is the same as Hathor’s – a cow’s horns with a sun disk in the middle.

How Hathor Goddess of Love Manifests

The Egyptian Goddess of Love was most often depicted as a cow or as a woman with a bovine-horn headdress. In some depictions, Hathor is illustrated as a beautiful woman with bovine features. When she appears as a cow, she wears the solar disk headdress with horns and in Thebes was often portrayed as emerging from papyrus thickets at a mountain base. She was also known to be the “beautiful” goddess who exuded female sexuality and prowess (note this is why the Greeks associated her with Aphrodite). In one particular myth, Hathor exposes herself to the gods to cheer up her husband Ra and henceforth was known as “mistress of the vagina”. I see this as a humorous gesture, not necessarily a promiscuous one.

Signs Hathor is Calling You…

When a deity calls to you, that god or goddess will use various signs, symbols, and ways in which to grab your attention. Sometimes they’ll send a particular animal. Sometimes you’ll see their symbol or hear their name everywhere you go. Until you decide to pay attention. Hathor is no different. When she calls you, you may notice:

• Cows everywhere you go – in the physical but also on TV, radio, online, etc.
• Vultures everywhere you go
• Hear her name in random places and conversations
• See a documentary on TV about her or her cult
• Read her name in a book
• See her symbols repeatedly like the sistrum, solar disk and eye of Ra
• She comes to you in your dreams or in meditation
• You may have a psychic or medium tell you Hathor is in your presence
• You find yourself drawn to ancient Egyptian deities, particularly to Hathor or Sekhmet

Lady of Fragrance…

Sovereign, revered one…

The Two Lands are under your sway.

From a Hymn to Hathor

Hathor Goddess’ Magical Domains

To those who worshiped her, Hathor brought love, fertility, passion, protection, health and abundance. She was also a guardian of mothers and children therefore protecting pregnancy and childbirth. A goddess who guided the sun god across the sky, Hathor is associated with the sky, the sun, the day and the dawn.

Interestingly, and seemingly with all life-giving deities, Hathor was also a goddess of death and the afterlife. Apparently, as men believed they’d assimilate with Osiris upon death, women believed the same for themselves with Hathor. Hathor is a psychopomp, she leads newly departed souls safely to the afterlife via the water element. As she rules over the setting sun in the west, this is where the female souls go to be guided by Hathor.

Magical Associations

How to Start Working with the Egyptian Goddess of Love

You can work with Hathor, the Egyptian Goddess of love, for increased love and abundance in nearly every aspect of life. Working with or worshiping a new deity can sometimes be confusing or complex. But it doesn’t have to be! If you’d like to bring Hathor, the Egyptian Goddess of Love, into your life and spiritual practice, here we show you how!

1. Study Up!

The first and most important step in connecting with Hathor is to study her mythology and history. Get to know who she was in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians. Read about her temples in ancient Egypt, look at her depictions on temple walls and on pottery, read any myths in which she’s featured and any books written about her in modern times. Study and research as a preliminary way to get to know her. It also shows respect to her and her original culture.

2. Set Up Her Sacred Space

In the process of getting to know the Egyptian Goddess of Love, set up a sacred space or altar in her honor. This can be a small shelf, a tabletop, or even a portable altar in a basket or box. Hathor was the goddess of love, so think all things LOVE when decorating. The colors red or pink and a representation of Hathor (statue or picture) should be minimum. A white or red candle dedicated to Hathor and an incense burner would also be beneficial.

3. Provide Appropriate Offerings

When I provide offerings to a particular deity, like the Egyptian Goddess of Love, I always research first. I like to look up any plants or stones associated with the goddess, as well as plants and foods associated with the ancient Egyptians. Here are some appropriate offerings for Hathor:

• Incense: myrrh, cinnamon, cedar, and rose
• Foods: figs, dates, bread, cheese, butter, beer, wine
• A cup of fresh water
• Candles: dedicate a red, pink or white novena candle and light it in her honor
• Herb-infused and essential oils like rose, chamomile and jasmine oil
• Perfumes
• Stones: turquoise and malachite (Hathor was known as the Lady of Turquoise): place these stones on her sacred space or as offerings to her
• Metals like gold and copper

4. Communication

Communication is number one in establishing a relationship, right? So use this knowledge when it comes to working with the Egyptian Goddess of Love! When you light her candle, talk to her. Thank her for her watchful eye, the love she gives, and for her beauty. Find passages from Egyptian mythology to read about her and to her. This may be the highest form of flattery! Write poetry or your own stories to honor her.

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5. Rituals to Honor and Invoke the Egyptian Goddess of Love

Truthfully, every act of love is a ritual in honor of Hathor. Be sure you are physically clean and spiritually cleansed before approaching Hathor. The Ancient Egyptians believed their gods could only be approached if you were clean. Many priests and priestesses also wore white clothing. If you want to perform rituals to specifically honor Hathor OR to invoke her, here are a few ways:

• A ritual cleansing bath with rose petals, jasmine and lavender including prayers in Hathor’s honor (Hathor was linked to water and the Nile River)
• If you’re an artist or crafter, create art with cows and bovine horns dedicated to the Egyptian Goddess of Love (creativity is a reverent form of offering)
• Ask her to send you a message while performing a mirror, ink or oil scrying session (these were traditional methods of divination in Ancient Egypt)
• Crafting and drinking an herbal tea using herbs from ancient Egypt and add a little milk (sacred to Hathor)
• Romantic love and passionate intimacy can be knowingly dedicated to Hathor (stand at her altar and tell her beforehand!)

6. Make Music

Hathor brings joy to her children and rules over music and musicians. Make music in her name: learn to play the guitar, piano, harp, or other instrument. Dedicate your instrument to her. Playing an Egyptian sistrum is also very appropriate and a nod to ancient Egyptian music and ritual. If you can sing, lift up your voice to the Golden One.

7. Brew Beer or Make Wine

According to Thames and Hudson’s The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Egypt, “Hathor was also associated with alcoholic beverages which seem to have been used extensively in her festivals, and the image of the goddess is often found on vessels made to contain wine and beer.” Consider brewing your own beer or fermenting wine and naming it in honor of Hathor Goddess of Spirits.

8. Give Up Beef

As Hathor is a cow goddess, it might be an honor to her for you to sacrifice the consumption of beef. You don’t have to do this forever, but for a period of time and let her know you are doing it as offering to her. As a sacrifice in her name. This is similar to Christians giving things up for Lent.

9. Sunrises and Sunsets

Hathor is the goddess of the rising and setting sun. Her mythos is woven into the journey the sun makes in the sky and its innate reflection in the life and death cycle. Rise early, before dawn, and greet the morning sun and Hathor’s loving presence. Then go somewhere where you can see the setting sun and bid Hathor a good night.

10. “Birth” A New Idea Into Reality

When we give birth to babies, we have goddesses like Hathor looking over us the entire painful process. But giving birth doesn’t just refer to the physical. It also refers to ideas, projects, and opportunities being birthed from our minds into reality. If there’s something you’ve been wanting to do or an idea you haven’t put into action, now’s the time. Hathor is here to guide you through the process.

Why Call On the Egyptian Goddess of Love?

Hathor has many amazing qualities and her magic runs deep. If you’re looking for more love or passion in your life, this Egyptian Goddess is perfect to invoke. She will also be a fierce guardian of your children and home. Her mothering nature will nurture your soul and promote healing of your inner child. Hathor has been known to grant fertility to women who struggled in ancient Egypt. And when you need a mother who will fight for you, Hathor will do just that.

More Goddesses to Work With:

• Berchta: Ancient Celtic Alpine Goddess
• Selene: Greek Goddess of the Moon
• Isis: Egyptian Goddess of Motherhood & Magic