How the goddess of the sea and moon was turned into his wife. (a parable) In Tinos Greece, where I live, there is an ancient temple to Poseidon, God of the sea and his wife, Amphitrite, Goddess of the sea. In pre-Greek indigenous times, Amphitrite had no name. She was the sea. These early people did not even separate her from the sea itself, there was no separation, the sea was a woman spirit, she was alive- all was one and SHE was it. Then, when names came, she was became Amphitrite , the goddess of waters and the moon, she was a very early goddess of all water, of oceans, of moisture, (vaginal fluid) fertility and …woman healing. She predated any sea god by many, many, years. Her temples and healing cults were simple, just rocks, in springs, caves, the sea itself. As Greek time came, she was turned in the myths, to goddess of only the sea but in here in Tinos, and only in Tinos, she was still worshipped as a doctor of women, especially for fertility. Her temple was one the most important healing centers in the Mediterranean and people, especially women, came from far away countries to be healed. Then…then change of culture.. The patriarchy grabbed her and made her the wife of Poseidon, god of the sea, and then just his wife. Even worse. They (poets and mythologers) came up with a myth that Poseidon fell in love with Amphitrite, chased her, she ran away and did not want him, and so he sent a dolphin to bring her back (by force in some stories where he raped her) to become his wife. Ummm…. the temples became Poseidon temples with marble columns and she became kind of his consort. But, it’s all not lost, Tinos is still a place to heal women. The modern Greek Orthodox church is a Virgin Mary healing place, (not Jesus), many women come to Tinos to be healed each day as pilgrims and now, I do ceremony for women on the temple of Amphitrite to heal.
- The fountain for healing waters of Amphitrite, Temple of healing women, 2. Ceremony to heal women in Tinos.