The primary Egyptian goddess of healing, often depicted with a lioness head, is Sekhmet, known for her dual nature as both a bringer of plague and a powerful healer and patron of physicians, alongside the compassionate goddess Isis, skilled in magic, healing, and protection, making both central figures in ancient Egyptian medicine and well-being.
Sekhmet was a terrifying goddess, however for her friends she could avert plague and cure disease. She was the patron of physicians and healers. The ancient Egyptians believed that Sekhmet had a cure for every problem.
Iaso (/aɪˈeɪsoʊ/; Greek: Ἰασώ, Iāsō) or Ieso (/aɪˈiːsoʊ/; Greek: Ἰησώ, Iēsō) was the Greek goddess of recuperation from illness. The daughter of Asclepius, she had four sisters: Aceso, Aegle, Hygieia, and Panacea. All five were associated with some aspect of health or healing.
In Greek mythology, Panacea is the goddess of healing. She's an early example of the important role women played as healers throughout the ages.
Isis
This volume explores the earliest appearances and functions of the five major Egyptian goddesses Neith, Hathor, Nut, Isis and Nephthys.
At the heart of the exhibition is Queen Nefertari, who was renowned for her beauty and prominence. Called “the one for whom the sun shines,” Nefertari was the favorite wife of pharaoh Ramesses II.
GOD: As Imhotep was considered by Egyptian people as the "inventor of healing", soon after the death, he was worshiped as a demigod, and 2000 years later he was elevated to the position of a god of medicine and healing.
Asclepius had five daughters: Hygieia (hygiene), Panacea (medicine), Aceso (healing process), Iaso (recuperation from sickness), and Aglaea (healthy glow). He also had three sons: Machaon, Podaleirios, and Telesphoros. All eight children were by Epione, the Goddess of Soothing Pain.
Helios vs Apollo
Apollo represented purity and was not linked to the Sun. However, starting in the 500s BC, a connection was made between Apollo and the Sun. Towards the end of ancient times, many Greeks and Romans said that Apollo and Helios were two aspects of the same god.
One of the most widely used symbols in healing today is the Rod of Asclepius.
Great mother Isis, the goddess of healing and magic, was crucial to ancient Egyptian religious beliefs. She is known today by her Greek name Isis; however, the ancient Egyptians called her Aset.
Epione was the personification of the soothing of pain and the care needed for recovery. With Asclepius, she was the mother of the five Asclepiades: Iaso, Panacea, Hygieia, Aceso, and Aegle, as listed in the Suda.
Isis is the Egyptian goddess of fertility and motherhood. Her special attributes are taken from Hathor, the goddess of motherhood: the horns of a cow on her head, with the solar disk between them. Not surprisingly, Isis is conspicuous on uterine amulets designed to facilitate childbirth.
Sekhmet represented Upper Egypt, while Bastet stood for Lower Egypt. Bastet was the tame, good goddess, while Sekhmet was the Bloodthirsty, the chaotic and dangerous deity of war and love. Such a bad reputation was awarded to this Egyptian goddess due to a myth in which she had threatened to wipe out humanity.
These seven principles do not appear in ancient Egyptian texts but are rather a modern summarization and adaptation of the Forty-Two Declarations of Purity. The seven principles are Truth, Justice, Harmony, Balance, Order, Propriety, and Reciprocity.
Apollo is the model of Greek male excellence in physical, intellectual and ethical terms. This model of masculine perfection was compatible with a sexuality beyond the limits of heterosexuality. Apollo, like other gods such as Zeus, had both male and female lovers in myth.
In Hebrew the name “Jehovah Rapha” means the God who Heals.
Alakshmi brings bad luck and needs to be placated, and in that regard she occupies a different conceptual space and wields a different type of power compared to fearsome goddesses such as Kali (the personification of both creative and destructive powers of time).
The Eye of Horus, wedjat eye or udjat eye is a concept and symbol in ancient Egyptian religion that represents well-being, healing, and protection.
Panacaea (Greek)
Daughter of Asclepius and sister of Hygieia, Panacea was a goddess of healing by way of curative medicine. Her name gives us the word panacea, which refers to a cure-all for disease. She was said to carry a magic potion, which she used to heal people with any illness at all.
After the ancient gods were abandoned, the beliefs and symbols associated with heka retained their power, leaving a legacy of Egyptian magic that continues across modern cultures.
Nefertiti: Queen of Egypt Nefertiti is known for her elegant beauty. Her bust has been an icon for many women and for many modern cosmetic lines. Many societies around the world have adopted the queen as a symbol of true beauty. Some historians have even proclaimed her the most beautiful woman in the world.
We do not know of any words to describe "heterosexuality" or “homosexuality”. However, this does not mean that same-sex relationships did not exist. On the contrary, we have a lot of evidence for same-sex relations from prehistory and early history, and also from ancient Egypt.