Goddess Litae on Prayer and Answer
Summary of Contents: Litae in Mythology | Arrival and Appearance | A Duality in Nature | Litae's Offer | What to Do with a Fortune? | Always Help the Needy | Beggar, Bone, Burger and Avenging Angel
Festival Day - 21 January
Goddess Litae in Mythology
According to legend, Zeus exiled mischievous goddess Ate to earth. Too troublesome to bear in Olympus, too wicked and unruly.
On seeing the disaster in that decision, Zeus sent a soothing fix for that problem.
Ate's sisters, Litae followed soon after; to go do whatever they could to make good the damage wrought by Ate’s passing among humankind.
Our distant parents, way back believed that whoever welcomed the Litae with respect would be showered with their blessings. The Litae were thought of as 'prayers'.
Introduction to these Diaries
What kind of Heaven do you expect. Soft fluffy paradise of eternity, or oblivion of nothingness? Out-of-body survival expert Margo Williams discovered a surprisingly simple system of management and afterlife recycling.
There are many goddesses and gods in the community. Speaking their name aloud evidently sends a signal; creates a link to wherever they are at any given moment. If it works for you as it worked for Margo, and they respond, be respectful but be yourself. Honesty and thoughtfulness are appreciated.
Sacrifice nothing but your time. Most of them seemed approachable and appreciated being remembered.
The ancient temples that still can be found in some places, although mostly broken, are huge monumental structures; impressive sacred spaces, their scale designed to impress, to be worthy of divine visitation.
However, it is not the size and splendour of any sacred space but the sincerity of the person seeking contact.
Anywhere can be a temple.
"Is the Litae a collective?" Nick Hammond asked out-of-body survivalist Margo Williams.
Arrival and Appearance
"I encountered a single goddess. If there are siblings I do not know, she always arrived alone.
And I don't know if she is related as sister to Ate. In her responses, Litae appreciated simplicity in ceremony and kindness in everyday life. And, so it seemed to me is equally deadly in partnership with Ate.
Her arrival was a light-show of shimmering pale gold.
A face formed, looking out from the radiance. Round-featured, small nose and mouth, small ears. Brown hair worn coiled up on top, eyes sparkled so bright I couldn’t tell what colour.
"The great Litae is here and accepts this place of worship," she said, voice slightly hoarse whispered. "I demand respect, and homage from all souls. Yet none give it, apart from you who somehow has remembered me."
The gold swirled as body formed, not slender in figure; full and rounded physique.
She wore a long off-one shoulder almost transparent white gown. I could see through the material to the shade of her lovely skin.
"I thank you for bringing me here by your words. It pleases me to hear you speak to me," she whispered. "Your words fall sweetly into my ear."
She gestured. "You speak well, clearly and without chanting which seemed to be a thing mortals did in the old days. That did not please any of us."
She paused on that thought, momentarily.
"There are a few who still do," Litae continued. "Simplicity is appreciated." She beckoned. "Come with me."
A Duality in Nature
I followed, stepped out onto a narrow path in a flower garden.
Exotic blooms flourished tall on one side in a border, and by curious contrast common types in the border opposite.
The fragrance was overwhelming but only from the exotic side, their pungent perfume overpowered everything else.
I sniffed blooms in the common border, buttercups and daisies, dog roses, violets; even snowdrops and primroses all mixed up and out of season. Simple flowers, nice green leaves and stalks but their fragrances were faint; some had no perfume at all.
It was such a narrow path. I wanted to turn from the strong smells so close and nauseous, every bit as overwhelming as Ate’s gross scent.
I tried not to turn my head toward the sickly smell but the flowers were that much lovelier.
"Mortals love beauty," she gestured to the impressive blooms. "But not all beauty is good. Perfection is found in more simple ways."
In contrast to the common varieties, the exotic blooms were huge. Flowers big as footballs rising on black stems, venting sickly sweet noxious odour.
Some had black leaves, some brown; a few hints of green but even those were turning at the edges.
In fact I felt scared of those flowers, and sided away to be closer to the common ones.
Litae's Offer
The path led to an enclosure, a stone courtyard. Big as a tennis court, part of a building beyond its high walls I assumed. In the centre stood a cluster of six large boxes. Litae stopped and gestured for me to open them.
Three were made of wood, others fashioned from metal. I lifted lid of the first. Gold coins filled to the brim.
Jewellery in the next box: bracelets and necklaces, diamonds, sapphire and ruby sparklers.
The third box contained a mix of expensive household objects. Golden candlesticks, gold trays, cups and such like luxury items.
Tiny sounds of whimpering interrupted my exploration of the next box.
So I searched for what was making such a pathetic whine and found a snared rabbit, its paw caught in a trap attached to the fifth box.
A few paces away lay a pheasant bound by a wire around its neck, still alive but had given up trying to get free.
"Which will you choose?" asked Litae. "I will give you the contents of these three trunks you see. Or will you choose to free the creatures?"
She paused. "You have one choice."
What to Do with a Fortune?
Something unexpected happened. Someone invisible whispered advice.
“You’d be a fool not to take the treasure,” whispered in my ear but it wasn’t Litae’s voice, it was male. And slightly aggressive.
We were alone in the courtyard but there was someone else invisible with us.
“You could buy all the luxuries you want,” he said again close like a bad best friend. “You don’t have to give any away. Take it, spend it all on yourself. Beautiful clothes, beautiful jewellery, beautiful any thing."
Curiously, I felt certain such good fortune would be there sometime soon in my world when I returned. And all I had to do was choose.
I thought of my home, all the things that needed repair; a long list, an expensive list.
And made my choice.
"Good, you did not yield," said Litae. "Greed I do not approve of."
She waved the lids closed and gestured for me to follow. "Mortals often make me angry. I have vent my spite upon millions of souls, and they suffer."
In Litae’s tone too, I sensed a familiarity with humankind, as with sister Ate. But she seemed to express the greater disappointment; though it was she who showed me the good things some people do for those in need.
Always Help the Needy
We arrived on a busy city sidewalk pavement; morning rush-hour, people and traffic passing by.
In a shop doorway hunched a bundled mass of man and dog, a rough-sleeper wrapped in sleeping bag; dog cosied-in beside him.
The hound seemed aware as Litae stopped.
She directed my attention to a woman carrying something, crossing the road from a shop. She walked into a nearby cafe and minutes later re-emerged with a cup of hot drink and a large burger.
Offered it all to the beggar, gave him the hot drink and burger and unwrapped a meaty bone and gave it to the dog.
A car slowed in traffic close at a red stop light, honked. Driver window slid down. “Hey buddy!” Driver honked again. “Have this!”
He threw a piece of chewed gum at the beggar and his dog.
Traffic lights changed to green, car window slid closed silencing sounds of laughter; driver pulled away.
The beggar munched the burger and grinned. Litae’s expression was something of a crooked smile, dark as Ate’s; watching the sleek black vehicle turn the corner, out of sight.
Beggar, Burger, Bone and Avenging Angel
The beggar gestured far too late for it to matter.
But Litae forwarded his curse. "I laugh at mortals who appear to be doing well but are unaware of what awaits."
She turned to me with a look of feigned surprise. "No. I am not always gentle. Mortals without compassion have to learn. They will, and they do. Perhaps not in this life, but in the next," Litae added.
The beggar would probably have had a good day warmed by that information and the burger-bestowing angel of mercy, if she had told him but she didn’t.
She must have read my thoughts.
"Some mortals have mistaken me for an angel. I assure them I am not, I am an Olympian goddess," was what she said as we continued along the pavement. Beyond the shops stood a church at a crossroads.
Its gates locked. Litae, like Ate, had things to say about her work with people.
"Some mortals ask if they pray to me, will I answer their prayers?"
The church noticeboard showed a picture with a message about the power of prayer. Sun faded and weathered, a timeless reminder.
"I tell them that if their prayers are genuine, I will at least listen," Litae continued. "I do not make promises that I cannot keep. I do grant favours to all who honour me. So bear this in mind."
I thought about that.
Thank you for your company on this short introduction to goddess Litae. If you would like to know more about Margo Williams' experiences and suggestions for how to survive in the hereafter read this book. Now available from Amazon.
