Marine Goddess Doris on Names and How to Engage Gods
Summary of Contents: Goddess Doris in Mythology | Arrival and Appearance | Whale Rescue | Goddesses Can be Moody Too | Shark Lovers and Fishermen | Power Picnic | Doris' Preference on Performance
Festival Day - 7 August
Goddess Doris in Mythology
Legends about this gentle marine goddess are few though she is listed as daughter of the Titan god Oceanus. Theoi lists her as mother of the Nereids.
Greek legend identified her as the wife of Nereus and by him, mother of the Nereids but she did not confirm any such relationship to me during our time together.
Goddesses, Gods and You
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.
"How do Gods feel about humans sharing their names?" Nick Hammond asked out-of-body survivalist Margo Williams.
Doris' Arrival and Appearance
"Doris spoke of this during our time together.
"It pleases me to be welcomed," she said. A plump rounded face formed in turquoise light. Dark eyes and black greying hair. Voice soft and deep.
"I had no temple in the past but was remembered. Yet many had their own temples."
The light swirled in the air, like water as she stepped forward. A grandma-like female, elderly compared to Amphitrite. She wore a blue gown high to the neck, her exposed arms fat.
"You have been given the gift of hearing and seeing, and you use it well," she continued, friendly as a cheery grandma. "To have communication with mortals is important and to speak here brings about great power that you, as a mortal, would not understand."
A light formed a tunnel behind her. She turned and walked into it, gesturing for me to follow.
Smell of the ocean filled the air, sounds of surf on shore grew louder as we stepped onto a wide sand and shingle beach. Landward behind us rose forested hills and mountains beyond.
The beach was busy with people in swimsuits, twenty or so gathered around two whales stranded clear of the water. They were wetting their huge bodies, trying to soothe them.
I hoped the tide was washing in.
We stopped beside a pair of young beach fishermen watching the helpers gently maneouver the whales back into deeper water. In no time they were out beyond the breakers and then gone.
One of the fishermen lit a cigarette, he threw the empty packet on the ground. The other took out a bag of candy from a pocket, popped one piece in his mouth and threw the wrapper on the ground.
"Respect the beaches," said Doris but they didn’t hear or see her even so close.
She turned to me, a look of weary exasperation on her kindly face. "It grieves me that there is so much pollution. Even in caves that mortals never enter, there is pollution." She sighed with a shake of the head.
"We are punishing those responsible in many ways, even if it means more pollution for a time."
Ocean Goddesses Can be Moody Too
The whales were gone. A boat stacked with scuba gear headed out from the shore, fishing boats dotted the horizon.
Unconscious of the criticism, or maybe he did hear something, the smoker picked up the packet and wrapper and stuffed them in his pocket then headed for a good spot from which to fish.
Doris took my hand, she walked into the waves. When I hesitated she pulled more firmly. With each step she seemed to change as if the water was stripping back the years.
As the ocean lapped my waist, she didn’t look so old. The age lines melted, grey was gone from her hair.
She grinned. "It pleases me at times to show myself older. Other times young and beautiful. A goddess can change. So can my moods," she added before she pulled me under the waves.
There is a moment when going under, when I couldn’t control my fear. Then it is gone, forgotten to the sights of the underwater world.
She moved through the water just below the surface following a shoal of tiny fish swimming together in and out of rocks and seaweed like follow-my-leader.
"This is the way fish should be," her voice sounded clear in the water. "Not in glass bowls and tanks. Free."
I felt pressure around my hand as she pulled me down toward the ocean floor where two big sharks swam together, graceful as if dancing. We watched their display of gentle beauty, they seemed so happy together like lovers.
The Shark Lovers and the Fishermen
"It is not right that mortals k..l them. Sharks k..l only to eat, as do all creatures." Doris spoke softly, so as not to disturb them.
"Mortals were not intended to go into the sea. They do not have fins, they do not have shells; so if they are k....d it is only for food. Man is the only one who k...s for pleasure and sport."
A shadow moved above like a cloud, it was the hull of a boat. The engine stopped. Several minutes later the shark pair separated from their display and headed upward attracted by something.
We followed, and broke surface in a calm tropical sea.
Three empty beer cans bobbed in the water by the boat. A thirty-foot cruiser, scuff marks and gunge smeared the side. A half dozen fishermen lounged on deck, some busy with rod and line; others swigging from cans.
One peered over the side at the b....y bait now staining the water red. I worried for the shark lovers, below.
"Watch," said Doris before she dropped back underwater.
It was calm ocean. Until suddenly, out of nothing a wave reared up high and surged toward the boat.
Not enough to capsize the vessel but it caused a swell that staggered the fishermen backward. Rods dropped, beer cans rolled and spilled.
Fishing Interrupted
Moments later the boat steadied again, the fishermen got to their feet, gathered up their rods and pulled on lines. Laughter sounded in the still air as several yelled they had a catch.
They reeled and hauled and strained, only to find their lines tangled in a mess.
Doris re-surfaced close beside me to watch, smiling widely. "I am not as strong as some goddesses but I can be cruel." She pointed downward.
The shark pair were gorging on pieces of lost bait, then glided away back down to the depths. I felt her pull me gently away.
"I will not be cruel to you. You do not deserve it. You pay homage to me, something that is always pleasant to have." We moved fast through the water; it turned cooler; huge waves rose and fell across dark open ocean.
Power Picnic on the Beach
Most times when she responded to our invitation Doris appeared in mature form, in favoured blue flowing gown, though her hair rarely was grey; always rich dark and flowing. But she always was plump.
I enjoyed her gentle company. The wisdom she shared was not always of the oceans but she was mindful for all activity, big and small. Especially the crustacean communities plundered by the massed cockle-pickers.
"The small shellfish have a right to live," was her opinion.
She blessed anyone who bothered to go litter-picking and everyone who helped injured turtles and any other sea creature, continue their life.
She seemed quite human-friendly. Not all ocean Gods were. Maybe that’s why she helped me when next she responded to our invitation.
We arrived on a soft-sanded beach. The air felt warm. On a small round flat-topped rock stood a silver goblet. Beside it was a silver plate on which lay curious little mounds of what looked like coloured food.
The mounds were green, pink and orange-yellow carrot colour; and a wholly white one.
Laid beside the plate was what I guessed must be an eating utensil though neither fork or spoon. It had a scoop-like piece and two-pronged thing protruding from the handle. I stared, wondering if I was to eat or not.
Perhaps she thought my hesitation was embarrassment, that I didn’t know how to use it. For the utensil faded and vanished leaving me just the blobs of food and nothing with which to eat.
What Happened When the Food Was Eaten
Doris gestured to the strange coloured heaps. "For you. Food to give you power to face the frightening ones."
I looked at the food, still uncertain what to do but trusted her. So took a little from every heap. Each tasted sweet in a different way. I swallowed, waited but nothing happened.
So I gazed around, trying to guess where we were. A pretty shoreline, soft dry sand and calm sea. In the distance, I saw buildings; a town or city beside the ocean.
Weird experience started moments later. Something in the sand sent tingling sensations up into my legs. I jumped around and moved my feet, couldn’t stay still. My body reacted in a spasm of crazy uncontrollable dancing.
"Strange sensations?" Doris laughed at me. "This is how it should be, how I mean it to be. It is good."
I felt dizzied when eventually the spasm stopped. She gestured for me to sit beside her on the sand.
"Thank you," I said. Even as we sat my legs tingled with energy.
"Some Gods may be hard. Face up to them as you always do, with courage," she said but didn’t encourage me to eat more of the food.
Instead she shared a feeling and some encouragement for the way we had chosen to do things.
What Goddess Doris Thought of Our Performance
"Few mortals realise Doris is the name of a goddess," she continued. "Some goddesses do not like their names being given to mortals, they would be furious if this happened. But some of us are happy to hear our names spoken, called and loved."
She gestured toward the distant buildings. "In a church there," Doris pointed. "Seven mortals meet to pray to me. I have spoken to them. They chant, they do not speak in a natural way."
She touched my shoulder. "Whereas you act naturally. You do not chant or use foolish expressions. These mortals mean well, I know, but always keep to the way you are doing it."
And so we sat together, silent for a while, until eventually she rose and gestured for me to do so too. "I am pleased you show gratitude. Now return to your body. I give you my affectionate blessings."
Thank you for your company on this short introduction to the goddess Doris. 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.
