The festival of the Auspicious Ármaiti falls on February 18^th in the Zoroastrian sacred calendar. Per our age-old tradition, every year, we write verses from the Avesta (“sacred songs/poetry” of the Zoroastrians) on a piece of parchment paper and affix the written charms to the door of the home on this auspicious day. 

The sacred verses act as an amulet for bringing blessings and good fortune of Heavens. At the same time, the powerful Avestan words act as protective shield against negative energies.  

Ármaiti is the “right or appropriate state of mind, precise focusing of thoughts for the act of manifesting.”  Her name often comes with the epithet Speñtá “Auspicious, Prosperous, Giving Success.” She is called Auspicious because through the powers of Áramiti’s “perfect meditation,” she manifests ideas from higher dimensions here on earth, providing blessings and prosperity for the material creation.

In the poetic songs/gathas of the seer-prophet Zarathustra, Ármaiti (Right Minded-ness) is the daughter (dûgedá) of the Mindful Lord Ahûrá Mazdá, who performs “good, master work(s)” hû šyaôthaná.

Ármaiti “thinks truth” and causes the magical order/truth of ahûrás/titans to be received here on earth. Since “perfect meditation” and manifestation are imbued in her very essence, Ármaiti is closely associated with “sacred space/ground.” 

In the Zoroastrian act of worship, Ármaiti is the “right state of mind/perfect meditation” of the aspirer as well as the correct disposition of the sacred formulas and rituals.” Thus, representing a fertile/hallowed ground for the fulfillment of the requested wish/desire. She is said to be the firm foundation/bearer of all living beings, (See The lawbook against demons, Vi.dæv.dad 2.10.) For that reason, she is honored as the genius/guardian of the earth.  As such, she can be compared with Demeter in Greek Mythology and Api, the genius of blessings and the earth in Scythian beliefs. 

The supreme importance of thoughts, meditation, and memory as the basis of all reality is expressed by the root *men in Indo-European sacred poetry as seen in numerous ancient Indo-European languages, not least in Avestan and Scandinavian mythology (See Vôluspa and Beowulf for example.) 

Ármaiti is the firm foundation and mother of all creation. Through her union with Heaven or the Wise Lord of the Sky, living worlds came into being including the prototype of the highest, intelligent mortal life called Gayö.mart.

After the assault of the broken spirit and his host of demons from a parallel universe, this highest mortal intelligence/life (Gayö.mart) was succumbed to death. But before that, Gayö.mart semen sunk into the mother earth, a rhubarb plant grew in that spot from which came the first human/mortal couple Mašyæ and Mašyānæ (See Bd 6F.8-9; Bd 14.2-7; WZs 3.71-72). 

Here, it is worth quoting a passage from Bün-dahišn (Basis of Creation 14.5-6:) ka Gayömard andar bæ widērišnīh töhm bæ dād, hān töhm pad röšnīh ī Xvaršēd bæ pālūd hēnd, u-š dö bahr Neryösang nigāh dād, ud bahr ēw Spendarmet padīrift ud cehel sāl andar zamīg büd. pad bawandagīh ī cehel sāl, rēwās karb … Mašyæ ud Mašyānæ az zamīg abar rust hēnd,

When the highest mortal life (Gayömart,) was passing away, his semen dropped out, this semen was filtered through the light of the Sun, then, Neryōsang (the Divine Messenger) kept two parts of it, and Spendarmet (the Auspicious Ármaiti, the guardian of the Earth) accepted one part, and for forty years it was in the Ground/Earth. After the completion of forty years, Mašyæ and Mašyānæ (the first human/mortal couple) grew from the earth in the form of rhubarb plants.”

The above description of the creation of humankind, and the union between Higher Dimensions/Heaven and Perfect Meditation/ Firm Foundation/Mother Earth, Ármaiti, has become the basis of most vicious attacks against Zoroastrianism by Early Christian zealots and many Molsem clergy throughout the history. They have referred to the above narrative to condemn all the ancient Zoroastrian marital unions as degenerate, lustful, and inherently immoral. 

ardeshir