S2 Ep48: Sulis, Goddess of the Boiling Spring

Beneath the green hills of what is now Somerset, England, a wound in the earth has been pouring out scalding, mineral-red water for over ten thousand years. Long before Rome ever set a sandal on British soil, the people who lived beside that wound believed a goddess lived inside it, one who could heal a dying body and curse a thief's soul in the same breath. Her name was Sulis. In this episode, we descend into the sacred spring at Aquae Sulis to meet a goddess of sun, water, sight, and vengeance; a deity so rooted to her one square mile of earth that even the Romans, who renamed every god they met, could not fully rename her. We trace her murky lineage, the cosmology of the Iron Age Britons who first knelt at her waters, the curse tablets that still whisper the grudges of ordinary Roman-British people, and the strange, patient way she disappeared and never quite left. REFERENCES Sulis, Myth and Folklore Wiki (Fandom) — https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Sulis Sulis, A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford Reference — https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100541661 Sulis, Goddess of Celtic Mythology: Characteristics & Depictions, Study.com — https://study.com/academy/lesson/sulis-celtic-goddess-mythology-history.html "Aquae Sulis: The Epitome of Roman Syncretization with the Celts," Ancient Origins — https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/aquae-sulis-epitome-roman-syncretization-celts-002562 "Sulis: Goddess of Healing Waters," Goddesses Hub — https://goddesseshub.com/sulis/ "Sulis: The Healing Goddess of Bath," Abyssal Consciousness — https://drvictorbodo.com/2024/10/13/sulis-the-healing-goddess-of-bath/ "Sulis: An Introduction to the Goddess of the Solar Springs," The Pagan Collective — https://thepagancollective.com/2026/01/18/sulis-an-introduction-to-the-goddess-of-the-solar-springs-celtic-mythology-explained/ Sulis, Digital Maps of the Ancient World — https://digitalmapsoftheancientworld.com/mythology/roman-mythology/celtic-gods/sulis/ "Curse Tablets from Roman Britain," History of Information — https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=4156 Bath Curse Tablets, Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_curse_tablets "Roman Curse Tablets from the Bath: Manuscripts for Magic, Ritual, and Religion," Academia.edu "The Ancient Roman Art of the Defixio Curse Tablet," L'Italo-Americano — https://italoamericano.org/roman-defixiones/ "Companion: Defixiones (Curse Tablets)," Feminae Romanae — https://feminaeromanae.org/defixiones.html "Getting Even in Roman Britain: The Curse Tablets from Bath (Aquae Sulis)," FolkloreThursday — https://folklorethursday.com/halloween/getting-even-roman-britain-curse-tablets-bath-aquae-sulis/ "Tab.Sulis 32. Curse Tablet," Roman Inscriptions of Britain — https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/TabSulis32 "Roman Curse Tablets from the Baths," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity — https://www.ijssh.org/uploadfile/vol13/1111-CCH008.pdf Sulis, Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulis

Before Zeus, before Olympus, before light had a name, there was Night. In this episode, we sit with Nyx, the primordial goddess who existed before the gods we know, and ask what it means to worship a deity who is older than order itself. We trace her lineage from Chaos, meet her vast and unruly family of children (Sleep, Death, Fate, and more), explore the myths where even Zeus dared not cross her, and unpack the popular misconceptions that paint her as simply "evil" or "dark" in the shallow sense. We close with a practical, respectful guide to connecting with Nyx today,  including offerings, timing, and a guided closing reflection for anyone who has ever needed permission to rest.REFERENCES Hesiod. Theogony, trans. Hugh G. Evelyn-White. 8th–7th century BCE. Available via the Perseus Digital Library. Homer. Iliad, Book XIV. Trans. various. 8th century BCE. Orphic Hymns, compiled c. 2nd–3rd century CE from earlier Orphic tradition (6th century BCE onward). Pausanias. Description of Greece, Book I ("Attica"), on the oracle of Night at Megara. Ovid. Fasti, Book V, on the Lemuria and offerings to Night. Statius. Thebaid, invocation to Nox. Theoi Project. "Nyx." theoi.com/Protogenos/Nyx.html — compiled primary-source translations and citations. World History Encyclopedia. "Nyx." worldhistory.org/Nyx/. Greek Legends and Myths. "The Children of Nyx in Greek Mythology." greeklegendsandmyths.com/children-of-nyx.html. History Cooperative. "Nyx: Greek Goddess of the Night." historycooperative.org/nyx-goddess-of-the-night/. GreekReporter.com. "Nyx, the Ancient Greek Goddess of the Night." Mythology Source. "Nyx Greek Goddess of the Night — A Complete Guide." Satyori. "Nyx and Her Children." Otherworldly Oracle. "Nyx Goddess of Night: 10 Ways to Work With the Dark Creatrix." Salvati Soul. "Nyx Worship: How to Honor the Goddess of Night Today." Bitesized Ancient History. "The Greek Goddess Nyx."

Who was Coyolxauhqui, the moon goddess whose body was cast down a sacred mountain in one of the most powerful myths of the Mexica (Aztec) world?In this episode of The Goddess Divine Podcast, we journey into the cosmology of Tenochtitlan and the sacred stories of the Mexica people to meet Coyolxauhqui "She of the Bells on Her Cheeks." Beginning with a creative historical microstory set beneath the stars near the Templo Mayor, we trace her lineage, her contested position within Mexica cosmology, and the full, harrowing myth of Coatlicue, Huitzilopochtli, and the war at Coatepec. We follow the story forward more than five hundred years, to the moment in 1978 when a Mexico City electrical crew struck stone instead of soil and, without meaning to, brought Coyolxauhqui back into the daylight.We examine how the Mexica understood the moon, sacrifice, sacred warfare, and humanity's responsibility within a living cosmos. We also explore the fraught survival of her story through colonial documentation by Bernardino de Sahagún and Diego Durán, the archaeological discovery of the Coyolxauhqui Stone, and what modern historians, artists, and Indigenous and Chicana scholarship reveal about her enduring, unfinished significance.This episode contains discussion of ritual sacrifice, dismemberment, and colonial history.ReferencesAnderson, Arthur J.O., and Charles Dibble, trans. Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. School of American Research, 1950–1982.Anzaldúa, Gloria E. Light in the Dark / Luz en lo Oscuro: Rewriting Identity, Spirituality, Reality. Duke University Press, 2015.Carrasco, David. City of Sacrifice: The Aztec Empire and the Role of Violence in Civilization. Beacon Press, 1999.Durán, Diego. The History of the Indies of New Spain. University of Oklahoma Press, 1994.López Austin, Alfredo. The Human Body and Ideology: Concepts of the Ancient Nahuas. University of Utah Press, 1988.Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. The Great Temple of the Aztecs. Thames & Hudson, 1988.Miller, Mary, and Karl Taube. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. Thames & Hudson, 1993.Townsend, Camilla. Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs. Oxford University Press, 2019.

What did the people of antiquity cling to when the shadows lengthened and they found themselves confronting the terrifying vulnerabilities of illness, childbirth, war, and the silent mystery of death? Across the sun-drenched river valleys of Egypt, the blood-soaked plains of Mesopotamia, the marble thresholds of Greece, and the frost-bitten horizons of the Norse world, ordinary human beings refused to face an unpredictable cosmos alone. Instead, they forged intimate alliances with the unseen world through small, tactile objects, sacred amulets, potent symbols, and deep devotion to protective goddesses.In this episode of The Goddess Divine Podcast, we peel back the grand narratives of empires and kings to step into the quiet, candle-lit, and vulnerable spaces of everyday ancient life. We journey alongside archaeologists and mythologists into ancient bedrooms, gravesites, and battlefields to discover how human hands held cosmic power. From the fierce, life-giving magic of Isis and the monstrously comforting protection of Taweret in Egypt, to the shifting, celestial brilliance of Inanna in Mesopotamia; from the liminal crossroads of Hecate and Artemis in Greece, to the whispered sorcery of Freyja in the frozen North, we investigate the psychological, religious, and magical lifelines carried close to the skin. This is an exploration of ancient symbols, archaeology, and the eternal human desire to anchor hope within the palms of our hands.ReferencesBlack, Jeremy & Anthony Green. Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia. University of Texas Press, 1992.Cole, Susan Guettel. Landscapes, Gender, and Ritual Space: The Ancient Greek Experience. University of California Press, 2004.Faulkner, Raymond O. The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. University of Texas Press, 1972.Faraone, Christopher. Ancient Greek Love Magic. Harvard University Press, 1999.Lévi-Strauss, Claude. Structural Anthropology. Basic Books, 1958.Mauss, Marcel. A General Theory of Magic. 1902.Pinch, Geraldine. Magic in Ancient Egypt. University of Texas Press, 1994.Pinch, Geraldine. Handbook of Egyptian Mythology. ABC-CLIO, 2002.Price, Neil. Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings. Basic Books, 2020.Riddick, Deanna. The Divine Feminine's Path to Seership. Independent Publishing, 2025. Snorri Sturluson. Ynglinga Saga.Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson, 2003.

 Long before Olympus rose to power, before Zeus cast down the Titans, and before the constellations were fixed in the heavens, there was Pleione.Known primarily as the mother of the Pleiades, the famous Seven Sisters of the night sky, Pleione is one of the most overlooked goddesses in Greek mythology. Yet through her daughters, her husband Atlas, and her place within the ancient cosmology of the Titans, she stands at the crossroads of celestial order, navigation, motherhood, and the sacred relationship between humanity and the stars.In this episode, we journey back to the Golden Age of the Titans to uncover the story of Pleione, explore the world she inhabited, examine what ancient sources actually say about her, and discover how modern spiritual seekers can connect with this quiet but powerful goddess of celestial guidance.Ancient SourcesHesiod Theogony (especially lines 346–364; 507–520) Works and Days (especially lines 383–404) Apollodorus Bibliotheca 1.2.3–6Hyginus Fabulae 192Aratus Phaenomena (references to the Pleiades and celestial observation)Modern Sources Atsma, Aaron J. Theoi Greek Mythology (entries on Pleione, Atlas, and the Pleiades).Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Harvard University Press, 1985.Hard, Robin. The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology. Routledge, 2004.Kirk, G. S. The Nature of Greek Myths. Penguin Books, 1974.Larson, Jennifer. Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide. Routledge, 2007.West, M. L. (trans.). Hesiod: Theogony and Works and Days. Oxford University Press.In-Text Citations Used(Hesiod, Theogony 346–364)(Hesiod, Theogony 517–520)(Hesiod, Works and Days 383–404)(Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.2.3–6)(Hyginus, Fabulae 192)

In this channeling episode, we step into the soft, transformative energy of Mother Mary. Known across the world as a timeless archetype of the Divine Mother, her presence brings a sanctuary of peace, comfort, and unconditional grace.Through this session, Mother Mary shares heartfelt messages on: Unconditional Love & Grace: How to open your heart to receive love and extend gentle compassion to yourself. The Power of Forgiveness: Releasing past burdens, heavy emotional attachments, and resentment to step into true spiritual freedom. Her Connection with Jesus: Insights into her  bond, sacred partnership with the spiritual teacher Deep Healing: Inviting high-vibrational restoration for your mind, body, and spirit during these challenging times.

Long before Isis and Hathor dominated the Nile Valley, an ancient, cosmic power reigned over the prehistoric night sky. Her name was Bat, the deification of the Milky Way, the mistress of sacred music, and the literal manifestation of the feminine soul. In this episode, we journey back over 5,000 years to the Predynastic era to exhume her memory. We will decode her unique imagery on the Narmer and Gerzeh palettes, explore her profound linguistic ties to the human spirit (Ba), and uncover the fascinating, quiet theological assimilation that ultimately caused her to be swallowed by her neighbor, Hathor.References Allen, J. P. (Trans.). (2005). The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts. Society of Biblical Literature. Fischer, H. G. (1962). "The Cult and Nome of the Goddess Bat." Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, 1, 7-23. Hart, G. (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Routledge. Rashed, M. G. (2007). "Goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor." The_goddess_Bat_and_The_confusion_with_H.pdf. Riddick, D. M. (2026.). Egyptian goddess Bāt and the primordial Milky Way. Medium. https://medium.com/@riddickdm/egyptian-goddess-b%C4%81t-and-the-primordial-milkway-28ba4234cccf Wilkinson, R. H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. Wilkinson, T. A. H. (1999). Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge. The Gerzeh Palette (c. 3400 BCE), capturing the earliest stellar imagery of the bovine goddess. Source: Werner Forman / Universal Images Group via Getty Image  The Narmer Palette (c. 3100 BCE), with Bat flanking the royal serekh at the very top. Source: Werner Forman / Universal Images Group via Getty Images  Fischer, Henry George (1962). "The Cult and Nome of the Goddess Bat." Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt (JARCE), Vol. 1.Significance: This groundbreaking study formally corrected the anachronism of misidentifying early Predynastic and Early Dynastic bovine iconography as Hathor, firmly establishing them as artifacts belonging to Bat. Rashed, Mohamed Gamal (2007). "The goddess Bat and the confusion with Hathor."Significance: This definitive paper outlines the specific iconographic distinctions between the two deities, tracking her origins to the untamed African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) rather than domestic cattle, and details the process of her architectural and symbolic absorption by Hathor. Wilkinson, Toby A.H. (1999). Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge.Significance: Provides the core historical context for the Gerzeh and Narmer Palettes, analyzing the dawn of cosmic iconography and the role of celestial deities in validating the earliest manifestations of pharaonic kingship. Hart, George (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Routledge.Significance: Details the linguistic tracking of her name as the literal feminine objectification of the Ba (soul/spirit). Ancient Funerary & Liturgical Texts The Pyramid Texts (c. 2400–2300 BCE) Utterance / Spell 506: Features the formal declaration of the deceased king navigating the firmament by claiming the supreme, all-seeing vantage of "Bat with her two faces" (Translation source: Allen, 2005 / Faulkner, 1969). The Coffin Texts (c. 2100–2000 BCE) Spell 334 ("Becoming The Sistrum Player"): Explicitly links the physical framing of the sacred ritual instrument and cosmic timeline to the binding of Bat's facial features. Spell 441: Connects the esoteric, subterranean identity of the goddess to the hidden aspects of Isis ("O Bat, my name is ‘Isis in the sealed place’"). Archaeological Artifacts & Inventory Focus The Gerzeh Palette (Naqada II Period, c. 3400 BCE): Siltstone cosmetic palette showcasing the triangular bovine head surrounded by five-pointed stars; the earliest definitive celestial map of the Nile Valley. The Narmer Palette (c. 3100 BCE, Egyptian Museum, Cairo): Found at Hierakonpolis; features the bicephalous presentation of Bat flanking the royal serekh (name-glyph) of King Narmer. Abu Rawash Ivory Inlay (4th Dynasty): Demonstrates the structural relationship and primordial pairing between the emblems of Bat and the fertility god Min.

 Dive deep into the cool, sweet waters of one of the most vibrant, fiercely intelligent, and universally revered deities in human history. In this episode, we explore Oshun, the Yoruba Orisha of sweet waters, love, fertility, and cosmic strategy.We begin with an immersive retelling of the primordial creation myth, where sixteen male spirits learned the hard way that the universe cannot function without the sacred feminine. From there, we map her royal lineage in West Africa and track her incredible journey across the Atlantic. Discover how enslaved practitioners preserved her worship through the lens of syncretism, giving rise to Santería in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil.We also pull back the curtain on history to analyze how 19th-century European colonizers systematically distorted her image, reducing a brilliant divine diplomat to a frivolous fertility idol. Finally, we break down traditional offerings (including why you must always taste her honey first!) and close with a deep reflection on what the "power of the river" can teach us about finding strength in gentleness today.Reference List Note: Because traditional Yoruba religion (Isese) relies on a massive oral literary framework (the Ifá Corpus), academic studies of these traditions frequently rely on ethnographies, recordings of elder priests, and cross-disciplinary diaspora histories.Abiodun, R. (2014). Yoruba art and language: Seeking the African in African art. Cambridge University Press.Bascom, W. (1991). Ifa divination: Communication between gods and men in West Africa. Indiana University Press. (Original work published 1969).Fatunmbi, A. F. (1993). Oshun: Ifa and the Spirit of the River. Plainview, NY: Original Publications.Murphy, J. M., & Sanford, M.-M. (Eds.). (2001). Osun across the waters: A Yoruba goddess in Africa and the Americas. Indiana University Press.Olupona, J. K. (2011). City of 201 gods: Ilé-Ifè in time, space, and the imagination. University of California Press.Pemberton, J., & Afolayan, F. S. (1996). Yoruba sacred kingship: A ritual representation of the myth of Oyo. Smithsonian Institution Press.UNESCO. (2008). Ifa divination system. Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/ifa-divination-system-00146UNESCO. (2005). Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. World Heritage Convention. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1118Wenger, S., & Chesi, G. (1983). A life with the gods in their Yoruba homeland. Perlinger Verlag

Step into the shifting currents of the invisible air as we confront one of the ancient world's most terrifyingly pervasive psychological deities: Pheme (also known to the earliest Greeks as Ossa). Literally translating to "fame," "rumor," or "report," Pheme was the winged personification of the spoken word, capable of magnifying a whisper into a worldwide tempest. In this episode, we chart her evolution from Homer’s divine messenger of Zeus to Virgil’s monstrous creature covered in feathers, eyes, tongues, and ears. We explore her grand, chaotic cosmology in the House of Sound, analyze her role as an instrument of both glorious renown and devastating slander, and discuss why the Athenians built her a dedicated state temple after a supernatural message won a war. Finally, we apply her ancient warnings to the modern digital age, providing a comprehensive guide on how to evaluate the "air quality" of our speech, clear harmful gossip, and consciously work with Pheme to amplify truth.References Homer. The Iliad. Book 2, lines 93-94. (Detailing the earliest appearance of Ossa as a blazing fire sent by Zeus to stir the Greek armies into battle). Hesiod. Works and Days. Lines 760-764. (The famous warning regarding the parasitic and immortal nature of public rumor). Virgil. The Aeneid. Book 4, lines 173-197. (For the classic, horrific physical description of Fama covered in eyes, tongues, and feathers during the tragic romance of Dido and Aeneas). Ovid. Metamorphoses. Book 12, lines 39-63. (The primary architectural text describing the cosmology, layout, and allegorical courtiers of the House of Sound). Herodotus. The Histories. Book 9, section 100. (Documenting the historical account of the divine rumor that swept through the battle-lines at Mycale, resulting in the construction of her Athenian altar). Pausanias. Description of Greece. Attica, 1.17.1. (Confirming the physical existence of the sanctuary and cult of Pheme within the city walls of ancient Athens).

In this final installment of our series on the Goddess of Ten Thousand Names, we trace the dramatic closing chapters of Isis's ancient worship and her incredible, shapeshifting survival into the modern day.We begin by descending into the secretive world of the Isiac Mysteries, exploring the profound initiation rites that promised devotees rebirth and a personal relationship with the divine. From there, we travel to the Aegean island of Delos to uncover a radical aspect of her cult: sacred manumission, where enslaved individuals were granted absolute, legally binding freedom under the direct protection of Isis herself.We’ll relive the  public celebrations like the Navigium Isidis (the Vessel of Isis) before confronting the heartbreaking twilight of her era, the forced closure of her temples by imperial decree, culminating in the silent fall of her last stronghold at Philae. But a goddess with ten thousand names cannot be truly erased. We dive deep into historical syncretism (the blending of different religious beliefs) to reveal how the iconography of Isis Lactans, the nursing goddess, directly influenced early Christian depictions of the Virgin Mary. Finally, we look at how Isis lives on today. Whether you view her as a historical archetype of resilience or a living spiritual force, we wrap up the series with practical, modern ways to connect with her energy, through meditation, sacred elements, and honoring the sovereign magic within ourselves. ReferencesAllen, J. P. (2015). The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts (2nd ed.). Society of Biblical Literature.Apuleius. (1994). The Golden Ass (P. G. Walsh, Trans.). Oxford University Press.Borghouts, J. F. (1978). Ancient Egyptian Magical Texts. Brill. (Primary source translation for the Metternich Stela and the legend of Isis and the Seven Scorpions).Church, O. (2021). Pagan Portals - Isis: Great of Magic, She of 10,000 Names. Moon Books.Cartwright, M. (2012, September 15). Sistrum. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Sistrum/David, R. (2002). Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt. Penguin Books.Faulkner, R. O. (1936). The Bremner-Rhind Papyrus: I. A. The Songs of Isis and Nephthys. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 22(2), 121-140.Faulkner, R. O. (1972). The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead (C. Andrews, Ed.). British Museum Publications.Faulkner, R. O. (1973–1978). The Ancient Egyptian Coffin Texts (Vols. 1–3). Aris & Phillips.Feucht, E. (2001). Birth. In D. B. Redford (Ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (Vol. 1, pp. 192–193). Oxford University Press.Feucht, E. (2001). Childhood. In D. B. Redford (Ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (Vol. 1, pp. 261–262). Oxford University Press.Isidora. (2026, June 14). Isis, the Radiant One, the sun goddess. Isiopolis. https://isiopolis.com/2026/06/14/isis-the-radiant-one-the-sun-goddess/Isidora. (2026, April 12). Isis, most syncretic goddess ever. Isiopolis. https://isiopolis.com/2026/04/12/isis-most-syncretic-goddess-ever/Isidora. (2026, February 22). What are the mysteries of Isis? Isiopolis. https://isiopolis.com/2026/02/22/what-are-the-mysteries-of-isis-2/Lichtheim, M. (1980). Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume III: The Late Period. University of California Press.Mark, J. J. (2016, February 19). Isis. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/isis/Mertz, B. (2007). Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt (Revised ed.). William Morrow.Riddick, Deanna (2026). Goddess Isis the Liberator: Sacred Manumission on the Island of Delos. https://medium.com/p/09d1e66e1409?postPublishedType=initialShaw, G. J. (2014). The Egyptian Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends. Thames & Hudson.Simpson, W. K. (Ed.). (2003). The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry (3rd ed.). Yale University Press. (Primary source translation for the Westcar Papyrus).Taylor, J. H. (2001). Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. University of Chicago Press.Töpfer, S. (2014). The physical activity of parturition in ancient Egypt: textual and epigraphical sources. Dynamis, 34(2), 317-335. https://doi.org/10.4321/s0211-95362014000200003