Goddess Themis. Wedding Vows and Judgement Time

Summary of Contents: Themis in Mythology | How Themis Saved the Human Race | Arrival and Appearance | Nothing is Forgotten | Wedding Party | Goddess Judge in the Court | Judgement Time | Duh!

Festival Day - 23 September

Themis in Mythology

Poet Aeschylus believed Themis was the original earth goddess Gaia and mother of Prometheus.

History of Everything poet Hesiod’s creation story Theogony lists her as a Titan consort of Iapetus, and mother of the Hours and the Fates collectives.

Legends told of how, when considering their actions, all the Gods deferred to Themis’ wisdom.

Likewise many centuries ago humans responsible for dispensing justice in their community appealed to the Goddess of Justice for guidance and wisdom in their own decisions.

Ancient accounts claim Themis as the patroness of the oracle at Delphi.

Themis Mythological References

Legend: How Themis Saved the Human Race

Themis, so poet Hesiod told, saved the human race from extinction after the great flood.

A flood sent as punishment by Zeus. An overpowered one-two of vengeance on Themis' nephew Prometheus that started with Zeus' gift of womankind to the world of men - Pandora.

But clever Prometheus foresaw and warned his son Deucalion to build an ark for his family and any animal they could shepherd on board, to float out the flood.

The storm raged 40 days and 40 nights and when finally the lashing deluge stopped, the ark grounded on the summit of Mount Parnassus in Greece, the only dry land.

Zeus held back the lashing rain, as the giant boat grounded. Pandora's daughter Pyrrha led Deucalion from its deck. They kneeled to Zeus. In exchange Zeus granted Deucalion’s wish to restore the human race.

'And how do I do that?' he asked the Gods.

Themis answered the question. 'Veil your heads and cast behind you the bones of your ancestors.'

'What does that mean exactly?' asked Deucalion.

'Duh!' said Pyrrha pointing finger to the ground.

So they roamed the rocky tiered slopes of Mount Parnassus, gathering stones and casting them backwards over-shoulder. Those chunks transformed into men and women, so Hesiod told.

And so humanity was restored, in a reversal of Erebus’ magic.

"Is Themis Gaea?" Nick Hammond asked out-of-body survivalist Margo Williams.

Themis Arrival and Appearance

"I can't confirm that but she is associated with judgement and justice. Made that clear from the start.

Themis arrived in a haze of golden light, it swirled smoke-like and heavy with perfume. Only a face formed, pale-eyes, mauve in colour. Long dark hair dressed around the back of her head, and worn up on top.

"I hear my name mentioned. I am drawn by your words, which are appreciated," she said. "I am unknown to most mortals."

The light-smoke sometimes concealed or revealed her face features. I tried to gauge age.

"I accept this place of worship. It is adequate," she added flatly. "I do not judge you for your life up to now. But having chosen this path, do not stray from it else I may judge you."

The light swirled around me, felt pleasant at first like swimming in scented golden smoke. But her warning words triggered an unhappy thought.

‘I have done many foolish things,’ came to mind, then another, and another as if someone whispered them into my head.

‘Taken so many wrong paths,’ another thought. ‘A good deal of my life has been wasted.’ I reflected with sadness.

Nothing is Ever Forgotten

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t stop or deny they may be true. But the light felt warm and my body tingled with energy as if recharging a battery to full capacity.

Energy flowed through me and more comforting thoughts followed:

‘For once in my life I am on the right path. I am doing something useful.’

As the light released me, a final thought wafted in like the golden smoke.

‘I am not wasting my life, any more.’

A pale-cloaked figure walked toward me through the golden mist, hood pushed back. I experienced a faint momentary vision of her dark hair worn loose around shoulders, as if that was the way she also liked it.

Close up I still couldn’t tell if young or elderly, both seemed to be true. Profound age and wisdom lit her eyes and radiated in her presence, powerful as the perfume.

She gestured. "Come. I am in a particularly kindly mood. There will be no tests," she said. "You face all gods and goddesses and must realise how fortunate you are. It pleases me you show gratitude."

Gentle voiced, Themis’ hold on me was firm when she pulled me away.

The Wedding Party

We arrived outside a doorway of a large stone walled building.

Themis gestured for me to look inside. People sat on the floor, men and women either side in two groups; forming a gap, an aisle between them.

A mosaic pattern decorated the floor, what I could see of it. Blue and white, with gold in places. Blue and gold decor palette in the interior, an altar the only furniture in the room. Lit candles and a red-coloured box placed on top.

"This was my temple," Themis whispered in the doorway. "This happened long ago."

It looked like long ago. A gathering dressed in tunics. I saw no watches on wrists, no spectacles on noses.

Two people appeared from behind the altar, and faced the crowd. Each wore a blue and gold robe, gold coronet of plaited leaves on their head.

A young boy joined them, carrying a small circular silver tray on which stood two goblets. The pair took the goblets and raised them to the congregation then faced the altar and sipped at the contents.

Themis gently pulled me aside as a couple appeared in the open doorway. They walked the aisle gap to the altar. The scene reminded me of a wedding.

Again the boy appeared with two more goblets but this time offered them to the 'bride and groom'.

The two officiating silent at the altar placed hand on shoulder of each, then brought the couple’s hands together. Groom spoke to bride and she replied.

Themis didn’t translate for me. She didn't need to.

The ceremony over, those sitting on the floor stood and cheered.

Sounds of wedding party faded as we exited long ago.

Goddess Judge in the Court

Themis didn’t ever confirm to me her status as Gaea or Titan goddess but none of them ever used that name - Titan. And I saw no resemblance suggestive of family connection, though their appearance is less fixed than ours.

Other Titans Coeus and Crius’ interests seemed more elemental, whereas Phoebe’s and Themis’ focus is directed toward human community.

The only information Themis offered consistent with the Titan sisterhood was ‘gentle unless angered’, but her comment about judging my life was a clue, not a random threat.

The golden mist shredded, I stepped alone into a large plain-walled room. Its feature furniture was a raised wood-panelled desk and seat. It looked like a courtroom.

Directly opposite stood a second panelled enclosure, again polished wood. Wide and topped with black iron railings.

I saw no jury seats or witness stand, only bench and dock. And mysteriously, a crowd of people misted by an opaque golden barrier that rendered them mostly invisible, like ghosts.

I stood alone among the misty horde observing from what felt like a public gallery. No idea who they were or where I was, or when.

The crowd hushed as a silver cloaked hooded figure entered the room and sat at the bench-desk, presiding like a courtroom judge.

Moments later, a line of men stepped from the mist and entered the dock. Its iron railing reached neck-high to the shortest of them, a middle aged male in a plain black suit.

A mixture of skin tones, predominantly Caucasian. A small white collar at the throat of the tallest made me wonder if their common association might be religion.

The silver-hooded figure at the bench leaned forward and spoke to them. Not in my language but I recognised Themis’ voice.

The men in the dock offered no comment, no protest.

She pointed to a black metal door at the rear of the room. It eased open, they trudged from the dock in single file. It shut with a resounding metal clang as the last passed through.

That was all I saw of Judgement Time. I was lifted away and home to my own world.

Duh!

Themis didn’t explain the nature of wrong or what judgment was delivered that day, but she did comment on how things now are with humankind since restoration after the flood.

"Your world should all be light but it is not," was her expressed opinion.

How and why that is so, we each know so far as our personal participation. But we mostly all are unaware of how we carry that knowing with us for independent review, after death.

There is a weights and measures checkpoint in the Underworld for all new arrivals. Data is generated for the sum total of an individual’s remorse - quite literally - for those who break bad and enjoy the ride.

Themis, so it seemed to me, also assesses and sifts careless recklessness from calculated intent among those who might claim to walk the ‘moral high ground’.

Or make vows to partners.

The Goddess of Justice also offered advice for future building restoration, so confirming her natural place at the heart of any community. During our time together she said this: "I prefer temples with many mortals. Town or country."

Themis stood waiting on my return, part-shrouded in golden light. "You, a mortal, cannot be away from your physical body for too long." She gestured. "A pretty mauve would look nice in here, or blue perhaps," she suggested.

"You receive the love of mighty ones. I add my love and my blessings to theirs." She gestured, the gold mist faded; the cloaked figure vanished.

Thank you for your company on this introduction to the goddess Themis. 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.