ISIS: THE GODDESS, FROM AN ESOTERIC PERSPECTIVE

Everyone should be familiar with this goddess; she is taught in many mysticism-based organizations and is often the focus of study. The aspect of Isis that I would like to present here aligns harmoniously with my previous writings, as I wish to maintain a certain theme. I will not delve into the fundamentals of Egyptian mysticism.

ISIS is the silver gate I have spoken of in my article “Journey of the Soul” and elsewhere. For some, the explanations in the aforementioned articles should be sufficient to understand this assertion. So far, I have spoken of Isis as the guardian of the threshold, the guardian of the silver gate. But a more precise assertion would be that she, in truth, personifies the gate itself, the most direct and powerful connection.

In Egyptian iconography, she is depicted with two bull’s horns and a lunar disk between them; this crown is, in fact, the Silver Gate. The opening between the two bull’s horns is through which the celestial body passes to enter the material world. The lunar disk is meant to represent a kind of portal, and the horns the two celestial pillars.

In esoteric teachings, some may have heard of the term “The Womb of Isis.” An esoteric contemplation of the Silver Gate and its mystery. A passage through which souls come to incarnation, where life from the heavens descended into human form through this very portal.

The concept of a Mother Goddess appears in many mystery cults of late antiquity, such as in Apuleius’ The Golden Ass. There, Isis appears as the mother of all goddesses, Isis Myrionymos, she of the 10,000 names.

In esoteric literature, the iconography of Mother Isis with her infant Horus on her lap serves as the direct symbolic and astral model for the Christian depictions of the Black Madonna and Maria Regina.

A brief digression, in case the reader might react with some skepticism to this statement.

The alchemical connection between silver and the moon is clear to any esotericist; since Isis guards the silver gate, she naturally holds the moon as a disk between her horns. The relationship between a female goddess (the magical virgin) and the moon (also Venus) is a key point in understanding esoteric teachings. The number 108 also plays a role in this context, though it is discussed in its own dedicated article.

Hathor and Isis

Hathor and Isis are so closely related that many people mistakenly assume they are the same goddess. However, Hathor preceded Isis as the great “cow goddess” of Egypt; she is also depicted in iconography with horns and a disk and is identified with the bull. Over time, however, Isis adopted Hathor’s iconography, and as a result, both became expressions of the Tauric Venus principle, that of fertility, beauty, and the cosmic feminine.

To understand Isis, it is important to know that she was originally a goddess of magic, the throne (her actual head symbol is the throne hieroglyph), and motherhood. Only over time, and through her association with Hathor, did she absorb both the Venus principle (Taurus) and the role of the Great Mother.

Because Isis originally embodied the lunar principle - associated with the zodiac sign Cancer - the two archetypal forces merged, and she became a synthesis of Venus and the Moon. Through this act, her significance takes on a special value, as she unites the primal, physical-sensual fertility of Taurus with the mysterious, emotionally charged cyclical depth of water. (See the article “The Esoteric Teachings of the Planet Isis”)

It is important to note here that the original disk between Hathor’s horns was the solar disk of creation. (This symbolized the Taurian principle of creation, which carries the light of the sun.)

Zodiac of Dendera

A star chart rich in meaning and symbolism; with the necessary knowledge, a fascinating picture emerges:

At the thresholds of Taurus and Scorpio - the ancient Gate of the Soul - Isis is enthroned precisely at Taurus as the Sirius Cow on the celestial ship, which is, of course, no coincidence. Here, her role and the relationship of this cosmic threshold are depicted, along with divine consciousness woven into the fabric of the heavens.

Opposite lies the Golden Gate between Sagittarius and Scorpio, where Horus/Ra-Harachte is depicted in a raised position, a falcon-headed figure enthroned majestically on a celestial barque, with a sun disk illuminating his head.

Here our cosmic axis closes, and another feature of antiquity underscores my assertion. While Isis, on her ship at the Silver Gate, anchors the entry of light and life onto Earth, Horus, on his throne ship at the opposite Golden Gate, guards the path of ascension.

They form the two spiritual cornerstones and guardians at the two Gates of Destiny.

The Veil of Isis

I would like to begin by quoting the legendary inscription from the Temple of Sais (as cited by Plutarch and Proclus):
“I am all that was, all that is, and all that will be, and no mortal has yet lifted my veil.”

As is often the case with texts, there are numerous interpretations and explanations of this inscription.

The esoteric meaning, according to the common interpretation, is as follows:

The “veil” represents the external world visible to us, which is in truth a physical illusion (the world of Maya in Eastern thought). Therefore, lifting the veil signifies the transition from the state of the “mortal” - the unconscious human - to the state of the initiate.

Lifting the veil, however, is fraught with danger; in the ancient mysteries, it was said that lifting the veil meant death. Only the initiates were allowed to see her face and survive, and they were, of course, bound to silence.

According to my interpretation, this can simply be summarized as “Isis-Urania,” or, in the context of my articles: the silver gate is veiled, hidden amid the starlight, visible only to those who are trained to see it.

The Principle of the Isis Knot (Tyet)

The Tyet is an amulet that closely resembles the Ankh. This Egyptian artifact is known by the intriguing names “Isis’s blood” or “Isis’s knot.”

From an exoteric perspective, it is a tied belt or fabric loop (usually red) intended to offer protection in the afterlife.

From an esoteric perspective, it is the loop of eternal life bound into physical form. Thus, it symbolizes the bond between spirit and matter and the soul’s ability to untie this knot. The color red symbolizes the lifeblood of the Cosmic Mother, which flows through all beings.

The Guardian of the True Name

A myth recounts how Isis coaxed the sun god Ra into revealing his secret, true name by creating a snake that bit him and refusing to heal him until he disclosed the name to her.

In Hermeticism, the “true name” represents the essential law of a thing. Whoever knows the true name masters the forces of nature. For this reason, Isis is also regarded in esoteric teachings as the primordial magician (Heka).