(I really didn't know what to title this post so I just named it after the traditional Lithuanian deities who are discussed in it.)
According to Lithuanian folktales, Dievas and Velnias are co creators of the world. Dievas is a shapeshifter, the shining Sky father who also determines morality of people and order in nature. Velnias is also a shapeshifter, caretaker of the deceased, God of the Underworld, master of magic,music and dance.
The Lithuanian folktales relate a belief that it was Dievas who created high places, places of beauty, useful plants and animals. Velnias on the other hand created places, plants and animals of less beauty. Eg. swamps, Bogs, stinging nettles, flies and mosquitoes, etc.
After these Deities had finished their creating and were happy with their work, Dievas accidentally created people. After washing his face, some of his spittle fell on fertile earth and then grew into people. Dievas was not concerned with this creation but later was responsible for outlining morality for people and responsible for the balance of everything. The Sun and the Moon have been described as the eyes of Dievas, implying that night or day, He's always watching. Dievas also occasionally comes to earth as a beggar/old man or whatever for he chooses. Any transgressions of hospitality and kindness were reported to Perkunas, the Thunder God, who would then punish them.
The following is not Lithuanian related but a personal understanding based on the wisdom that I have had from my own reflections in this lifetime and others. I believe that each one of us is born with all the the forces and abilities of the universe. Perhaps we are different from the rest of creation because we were directly created using the bodily fluids of a universal being like Dievas. No one really knows but it's an idea.
The Lithuanian Goddess Laima, Goddess of fate and destiny, determines how this potential of the universe is used.The Goddess Laima is another Deity who can change her form at will and can often appear as different aspects of herself. These 2 deities are similar to the concept that I have learnt in palmistry. The signs and markings of the left hand indicates the in born potential that you came with at birth and your right hand shows signs of what you made of it. You could say that Dievas represents the left hand and Laima represents the right hand. You may have been born with the Universes potentials but if Laima has destined you to be born in a poor country or family, then what you make of your inherent potential will most probably be limited. Some people are destined to have a short life while others are destined for a long life. My own relationship of Laima may be a reflection of my own cultural background, being of Lithuanian descent. I know that many Lithuanians believe in predesrtination and makes them appear to be more fatalistic compared to other cultural communties.
This has led me to explore the qualities of the Goddess Laima of the traditional Lithuanian pantheon. This Goddess is represented in many other cultures with many other symbols but for simplicity, I will just look at Latvian beliefs compared to Lithuanian and look at an aspect of Laima known as Laima Dalia.
The Latvian concept of Laima is similar to the Moiriae of the traditional Greek pantheon or the Norms of the Scandanavian pantheon. These Goddesses of fate represent a trinity. In Latvia, they are called Laima, Dekla and Karta. The Latvian Goddess Laima is more concerned with mothers and childbirth, Dekla is more concerned with the fate of children and young adults while Karta is more connected with the fate of adults. The three sisters of Fate are called the Laimas.
The function of the Latvian Goddess Dekla, in caring for children and young adults, is similar to the function of the Lithuanian Laumes (Fairies). Lithuanian Laumes and Laima have often been associated with each other and perhaps this is the reason why. I won't go into describing Lithuanian Fairies. That could be a post in itself! I will say that there are several Lithuanian folktales that describe in gruesome detail, what happens when lazy and deceitful parents of kids. Fairies wildly spinning intestines like thread until the person dies! Compared to the rewards given to parents of kids who were honest, good and hardworking, It was quite the opposite. it was a great contrast seen in the folktales. Always benevolent to children but judgmental to parents. In caring for children, Laumes(Fairies) complete a similar function to Latvian Goddess Dekla in caring for kids.
The Lithuanian concept of Goddess Laima is very different to that of their Baltic neigbours in Latvia. Goddess Laima is believed to have 7 sisters called Deives Valdytojas(en. Goddess managers/Govenesses). These being:
1*Verpiancioji (pron.Varp-ian-choy-ee) who sins the thread.
2*Metancioji (pron. Mat-an-choy-ee) who casts out the thread.
3*Audeja (pron. Ow-de-ya) who weaves the thread.
4*Gadintoja (pron. Gud-in-to-ya) who damges the cloth when no one is looking. This causes the person to experience all sorts of calamities in their life as they travel throw that area of their own damaged cloth.
5*Sergetoja (pron. Sar-get-o-ya), interferes with the malicious actions of Gadintoja and scolds her. Reportedly, Sergetoja regales her sisters with tales of heroism and inspired courage, love, resilience and good deeds.It was believed that those people who lived under the patronage of Segetoja had a blessed and charmed life.
6*Nukipeja (pron. Nook-ee-peh-ya) is the sister who cuts the thread causing the person to die. Nukipeja could also be related to the Goddess Giltine who is the Lithuanian Grim reaper and appears at death in a white gown with a long poisonous tongue.
7*The sister name Isskalbeja (pron. ish-skull-beh-ya) is the laundress. Some believe that the cloth can be recycled from a previous life.
Interestingly, Goddess Laima is not listed as a sister and so the sisters could be considered as aspects of Goddess Laima. We can't turn back the clocks and know with any certainty. All we can know is that there are some similarities with the legend of the Moiriea and the Greek myth of Pleiades. As a result, it would appear that both the Latvian trinity of the fates and the Lithuanian Septet of Fates can be related to Greek mythology, As Greek culture is also a decsendant of the Indo European peoples, it can be assumed that these concepts of Goddess Laima have Indo European origins.
Another aspect of the Goddess Laima is Laima Dalia,(fated share/allotment(in life)).I fully believe that we each have our own "fated share", in life. Some people may be born rich and some poor. Some people may have a short life while others live a long life. Some people have to struggle for everything they have while others have everything fall into to place and seem to have a charmed life.etc. It can be hard to accept sometimes when you see some people with everything and some people with nothing but, I believe that is their fated share in life and there is balance, even if I don't see it. I believe that your allotted share is mutably fixed but it can be changed by aligning your self with a person/people/organisation,etc, that have a greater "Dalia".I have experienced this several times in my own life when I was able to make better life for someone else. I was able to use my own good fortune, my resources and my "Dalia" to help others. I've even noticed that life became smoother and easier for them, while they were in my life. I believe that the energy of Laima Dalia plays an important role in my life that encourages me to be grateful for what I have and to share what I can, to help others.
This post has mainly been about the Goddess Laima of the Lithuanian pantheon and I believe that she is a necessary part of today. There are a few facts about Laima and her transformations. Laima is a shapeshifter and can appear as a Cuckoo bird. The first calls of the Cuckoo bird at the beginning of Spring can predict the number of years before death. The tree of Laima is the Linden tree and honouring ceremonies are often held in a grove of Linden trees which are attended by women mostly. The Goddess Laima is an important deity to Lithuanians which is evident by the popularity of "Laima" as a first name.
"Every twist and curve in life is thanks to Laima"
We must look to the past to know how to better live in the future!
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