There are references elsewhere to Suleviae which is thought of as the plural of Sulis, these were found in Bath, Cirencester, Colchester and places in Gaul. The latin dedications found were to the: Sulevian Mothers (Matribus Suleviae), the Sulevian Goddess (Deae Sulevae), the Sulevian Goddesses (Sulevis deabus) and the Sulevian sisters (Sulevis Sororibus). This suggests that Sulis was seen in a triple aspect on occasion. What the three aspects presided over I know not.
When the Romans came to Bath they equated her with their Minerva and so Sulis too became associated with knowledge, medicine and the arts. The interesting thing was that she became Sulis-Minerva not Minerva-Sulis as was usual for other Romanised Celtic deities. So the Romans must have respected Sulis a hell of a lot. (Probably the lure of a warm bath again, these people coming from hotter climes :P )
Before the Romans she was probably known as Sul, the origins of the name have been argued to be from the Irish word Suil for Eye or Gap, so she may have had connections with the underworld which is especially fitting as entrances to the underworld were often seen as springs. There is also evidence that her name sprang from the proto-celtic words for beneficial water-flow, again fitting as her spring is said to have healing properties. At her temple in Bath there is evidence of the kinds of things people prayed to her for, there are examples of curses inscribed on lead tablets, asking her to visit revenge on thieves etc. But there are also talismans such as carved ivory breasts which were possibly gifts of thanks from happy mothers for a plentiful supply of milk or an offering requesting it.
I went to Bath last year and I highly recommend other people to go too. Despite the crowds of people it was quite still and peaceful, I really enjoyed it :) When I got back home I incorporated a meditation on Sulis into my Imbolc ritual which I shall now recount:
I started my meditation and saw myself at Aquae Sulis. I stepped down into the bath and lay back letting the hot water support my body, feeling my hair float out behind me. I stayed like that for several minutes, just relaxing. Then I swam to the edge and got out. I walked, naked and dripping through to the sacred pool and sat cross legged by the edge. I asked Sulis if she would appear for me, then I waited, content with whatever would happen. Suddenly a woman burst out of the waters, her hair was the red of the ore deposits and eyes green as the pool with skin like ivory. She held out her hands and drew me into the water, then further down until everything was green and warm and dark. In the womb of the earth. It was very relaxing, the kind of muscle soothing heat from a hot bath. She held me down there and her hair fanned out around us. It felt very calm and nice. She seemed to speak to me though not using words. Suggesting I look into hands on healing and essential oils.. touching. After a while of being in that state she took me back up to the surface and I found myself back on the edge of the pool. She disappeared back under the water. I walked out of the temple and as I walked there was no temple, it was warm mud beneath my feet, the air was cool and there were clouds of steam emanating from the swampy land. Animals were there, insects... the mud felt nice between my toes. Then I woke up.
The impression I was left with was a very nurturing feeling, a motherly love, protective and fiercely gentle. It was only a couple of days after my meditation that a work colleague introduced me to a healing technique involving touching known as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and I've always thought of it as a sign of acknowledgement from Sulis. Lately when I think of her, her skin has been green like the water and it inspired me to draw a goddess picture with Sulis as the main aspect. The masks represent other deities.
Also, a view of Bath:
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