Atargatis was a Syrian Goddess, a fierce goddess, of power and grace. She was reigning goddess of her people’s protection and the well-being of all things in her realm. She was not an easy goddess, in fact, she was fierce in her protection. She was a mother bear figure to the people she saw as her children. It is said she fell in love with a mortal and they had a daughter who would grow up to be Queen of Syria.
It was said she was overcome with grief; some say from the birthing, some say because she accidentally killed hr lover. In her grief, the stories all speak to the same thing; she became a daughter of land and sea, a mermaid, by throwing herself into the sea. She was such a beautiful goddess that the gods saved her by turning her into half fish.
The Greeks tell the stories a bit differently. Their story goes that she was dropped from the heavens as an egg. She landed in the Euphrates, and was saved by a school of fish who nudged her to shore. Pisces is said to have come from her asking Zeus to symbolize the fish in the sky. She remained a powerful Water Goddess, and all stories speak to her power and grace, like the waters on earth. She is the reflector of the Moon, and is fiercely protective. She is the keeper of fishes and doves and love and protector during childbirth and keeper of gold and jewels.
When we
are in pain, in the hardest of places of life, we can call on her (preferably
from the ocean shores, but under a full moon, or using full moon waters). We can call on her to take away our sharp
edges and to have us in touch with our softness.
To help protect your softness in times of great harshness and pain (and to help
you get in-touch with your softness in the first place). Creativity and intuition are water gifts, so
calling on this goddess helps to contact you with your birthing of new creations. If you are grieving, if change is happening
and it is rough, then call on her.
P.S. Hans Christian Anderson wrote The Little Mermaid, centuries later, in Denmark. Suddenly the Goddess was Global.
Carol Desjarlais 10.07.20
Very new to me and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have long delved into researching the old symbols and stories of the goddesses. I find the connection feeds my soul, nurtures me, in ways that nothing else has.
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