SULIS MINERVA creating FIRE WATER

SULIS MINERVA ..is a fusion of a Roman and Celtic Goddess who resides in the town of Bath which houses the only thermal springs in the UK. The Romans named this place Aquae Sulis and built an extensive spa temple on Her ground. They merged the ancient Goddess Sulis with Minerva their Roman Goddess of wisdom and justice. The name Sulis means ‘eye‘ describing an all-seeing Goddess offering wisdom and counsel with all matters of justice and possible punishment. Many ancient curse tablets have been found at the temple site dedicated to Her. Sulis Minerva is a powerful conduit of both fire and water, channeling solar energy down into the Earth for it to rise up again as the sacred FIRE WATER. She embodies both the power of a dark Earth Goddess and the light and strength of a Sun Goddess. The earth from which Her water flows is rich in Iron and rust in colour. Her healing powers still brings people to this day to her shrine, to receive Her  blessings and partake of her fiery waters. She is both Sun and Moon, Fire and Water……I AM A CONDUIT   
Alchemists of ancient times claimed that by achieving the perfect balance of fire and water it was possible to produce a chemical/spiritual reaction that was powerful enough to transform lead into gold.

SULIS MINERVA at Her BATH SPA TEMPLE
I AM A CONDUIT

The Waters of Bath….Bath exists because of the emergence of three natural springs in the heart of the city which deliver over 1 million litres of mineral-rich water every day. Uniquely in the UK, the mineral water is hot – it rises to the surface at a constant temperature of at least 45° C. The Sacred Spring lies at the very heart of the ancient monument.

ACHOS mourning under her veil of darkness and love

ACHOS  along with her sisters were know as ‘The Pains’ as they each personified aspects of  suffering of both the mind and body. She was the Greek Goddess of GRIEF who brought with her the flowing of tears and lamentation. She witnesses the the wounds of the loss of our loved ones and walks beside us as we enter the darkness of the MOURNING process where healing begins. Grief takes many forms and endures varied lengths of time…it cannot be rushed. Eventually the process leads us from the Underworld back into the everyday world. Our grief can then be transformed into deep loving memories that are held within us forever.
The psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross the author of the groundbreaking book ‘On death and dying ‘(1969) discussed her theory of the five stages of grief, which may not be linear in how they present: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. As mortals we all experience the death & loss that leads to periods of grieving in our lives. Such times include many forms of personal loss; illness, the end of relationships, the loss of a job, separations, infertility or the loss of a loved one.

“I thought:
Maybe death isn’t darkness, after all,
but so much light
 wrapping itself around us—
As soft as feathers—
that we are instantly weary
of looking, and looking, and shut our eyes,
not without amazement,
 and let ourselves be carried, 
as through the translucence of mica,
 to the river 
that is without the least dapple or shadow—
that is nothing but light—scalding, aortal light—
in which we are washed and washed
out of our bones…..Mary Oliver

ACHOS – Goddess of Grief
I AM MOURNING

PALIOXIS -The Spirit of strategic RETREAT

PALIOXIS – The Spirit of Strategic Retreat
I AM RETREATING

The winged Greek Goddess Palioxis is the personification of strategic retreat, who flew high above the battlefield spreading her wings and her wisdom. It is said she was the daughter of Eris, Goddess of strife.

In the I Ching the hexagram 33 is named RETREAT (Dun) and offers those that consult its wisdom to ensure that when negative conflict overwhelms them it is often better and wiser to strategically retreat. Stepping back and reflecting on the situation rather than escalating it leads to great success.

When something triggers us and pushes our buttons we find ourselves in the middle of a highly charged situation. But the core of the negativity always offers us a teaching. Fixed ideas, core beliefs and a desire to blame are often involved. This is because our egoic self is standing in the way of our soul Self, our true Self. Confrontation therefore calls upon us to reflect on our own  Shadow. Preserving our energy until we know how to reposition ourselves  limits damage to ourselves and to others.  We all need to step away from the “battlefield” at times to re-evaluate, strengthen and gain vision…….I AM RETREATING………“In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.”   Albert Camus ( The Minotaur)

The Fruits of HEGEMONE

HEGEMONE was one of the Greek Graces. She is a fecund Goddess sitting on fertile ground admiring the manifestation of her fruits. Her responsibility is to offer her divine energy to the plants of the earth which would then blossom and bear fruit. She is the harvest of Autumn who appreciates our gratitude for the bounty of Summer and also prepares us for the coming darkness of Winter.

Archetypally she represents the growth of our own fruitful abundance, representing the times when hard work, ideas and enthusiasm finally pays off and bears the fruit of positive manifestation. Such an act takes great patience as we hone the soil upon which we place our dreams, expectations and plans. “Im not me but living matter fermenting and forming its own shapes in the fruitfulness of every day.” Pablo Neruda

The Orchard by Mary Oliver

I have dreamed of accomplishment.
I have fed ambition.
I have traded nights of sleep
for a length of work.
Lo, and I have discovered
how soft bloom turns to green fruit
which turns to sweet fruit.

Lo, and I have discovered all winds blow cold
at last, and the leaves, so pretty, so many,
vanish in the great, black packet of time,
in the great, black packet of ambition,

and the ripeness of the apple is its downfall.

The FRUITS of HEGEMONE

IASO Goddess of Recovery and Recuperation

IASO is an ancient Greek Goddess and was a daughter of the Healing God – Ascelpius whose five daughters all presided over the different stages of healing: HYGEIA – Health, PANACEA – remedies, ACESO – the healing process, AEGLE – the glow of health , EPIONE – mother of the daughters was the soother of Pain, and IASO personified the stage of recuperation and recovery from illness.

IASO personifies recovery from illness:  She asks and offers time, rest, good food, gentle exercise, sleep and support by using of  healing remedies, plants and ritual. Here we see her surrounded by the golden solar Calendula flower which is widely known for its numerous healing abilities. The Romans and the ancient Greeks used this  flower in their healing rituals and ceremonies…I AM RECOVERY 

“A blessing is a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal and strengthen” John O’ Donoghue

IASO among the CALENDULA flowers
I AM RECOVERY

 

LAKSHMI emerging from the Churning Sea upon the Lotus Flower

The Goddess LAKSHMI is a much loved and honoured Hindu Goddess who personifies and offers WEALTH in 8 forms: material and spiritual contentment, spiritual wealth, wisdom, material wealth,  family, food, patience and strength, courage, and inner growth. She is a supreme Mother Goddess who nurtures and nourishes all. To realise her is to rejoice in the wonders of life.

HER  STORY:  Lakshmi resided in the world, bringing fortune to all the deities. But she decided to leave the world and enter the Milky Ocean when the world became over-run by evil forces. The God Vishnu instructed the gods to churn the Milk Ocean, to help bring Lakshmi back. Eventually she rose out of the ocean, standing on a lotus flower symbolising  purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. Gold coins fell from her hands. She was wed to the great God Vishnu and together they represent mastery over the Universe, and the Supreme duality of nature. Their  marriage and relationship is the paradigm for rituals and ceremonies for the bride and groom in all Hindu weddings .

Lakshmi presides over Diwali, the festival of light,  which is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists ….I AM WEALTH

LAKSHMI emerging from the Churning Sea upon the Lotus Flower
I AM WEALTHY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EPIONE – Goddess of Pain Relief

EPIONE was a healing Goddess, and the wife of Asclepius the God of Healing. She was the mother to 5 daughters who all played some part in the healing process. Epione herself presided over the soothing of Pain. Asclepius, Epione and their family were the first recorded therapeutic healing group.

Pain accompanies  life on Earth, and humans have, it seems, always been finding and practicing various forms of pain management.The cultivation of the opium poppy plant dates back to the earliest years of human civilization, and opium use was well known in Ancient Mesopotamia. Pain arises in our physical bodies to alert us to possible malfunctions or problems within our human form. The ancient Greeks used several words to describe pain such as algos, pathos and odyni. They developed a belief that pain had the same value as treatment; a stance that occupied the thoughts of many historians, tragedians and philosophers. Pain at this time was treated in sanctuaries using a combination of religious rituals, incantations, tinctures and herbs.       I AM PAIN 

‘Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.’.. Khalil Gibran

EPIONE
Goddess of the soothing of PAIN
I AM PAIN