Persephone the Goddess

Persephone the Goddess PERSEPHONE PROSERPINA KORE

Written by: Amy Adams

Persephone the goddess of springtime flowers and vegetation becomes the Queen of the Underworld and her mother Demeter the Goddess of the Harvest come into focus as we have entered Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and darkness comes.

To the problems of your life, you are the only solution. - Jo Coudert

The Mindful Soul Center | Goddess

Persephone is sad, she is distraught. Her life changed in a moment to one that she could not have imagined, to a life that she did not consciously choose. She was a young maiden content and not interested in the expectations of others. Her rebuffs of the other gods who pursued her placed her in a somewhat precarious position. Her joyful, innocent youth would be taken away as she is promised to Hades to be his wife — this without her knowledge nor her mother Demeter’s knowledge, who is the goddess of the harvest.

This is the story of the abduction of Persephone daughter of Demeter and Zeus.

Her descent into her own inner world where she will come to face darkness begins when she is seized by Hades, Zeus’ brother and the King of the Underworld. For the first time, she fathoms what it is to be alone without friends or her family. The darkness is upon her. Even though Hades constructs illusory worlds with fields of flowers in the underworld to appease her, she is forced to explore the depths of the unknown. She is processing this and is at a standstill. She must come to know herself so she can accept what is in the moment and move forward.

Persephone can occupy her time hoping that things will change and do nothing or she can ask for what she desires. She can spend time staying in denial or a state of apathy or deep sadness or ultimately she can choose to embrace what is and work with it. Change has taken place, and the darkness is acknowledged and worked with and even embraced. She moves eventually from her life as a maiden or princess to that of a Queen. She has fully become a woman.

When her mother Demeter learns of the abduction, she is distraught and beside herself. She searches for her with Hecate the goddess of the crossroads who heard Persephone scream but did not see to where she was ferried. The two women ask Helios the sun god who observes everything where she was taken. He tells them.

Meanwhile, Demeter has neglected her duties of caring for the Earth. Everything is dying all around her as her pain and feelings of helplessness are extraordinarily intense. Demeter confronts Zeus who admits he arranged this union of Hades and Persephone. She pleads with him to no avail. She lets her fury and wrath towards Zeus and the gods forthwith and continues to neglect her duties. No sacrifices or worship of him will happen by humans if they are in dire straits.

Now the earth is barren and infertile — like a woman who has passed through menopause to become the crone. Demeter now knowing where her daughter is does everything in her power to get her back. She has now come to this time of separation from her child. In the end, she is reunited with her for part of the year. She confronts immense sadness, an undesirable change but there is a resolution. Everything changes.

Proserpina with Pomegranate by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

This is merely a summary of the myth in many ways to acquaint you with Persephone and Demeter and to reflect on our inevitable and continuous cycle of death and rebirth from one state of being to another. In this tale, each woman completes a cycle of descent, search and ascension. Traversing the path of darkness they transform from deep sorrow to joy.

There is so much more to these tales including a lot of things that are really not okay on so many levels with this story including things like kidnapping, obsession, sexual assault, incest, and the patriarchy. Yet, Persephone overcomes her challenges- the sadness, apathy, dismay and injustice— in the end, she is both the goddess of the springtime flowers and vegetation AND the Queen of the Underworld. Her mother too, as an aging goddess does not lose her power, she claims it.

At the end of the summer, like many times in our own lives darkness comes and with it so does the bountiful harvest.

The lessons -

First lesson, when you refuse to make a choice or take a decision, it may be made for you. This is how we surrender our power and give it to others.

Second lesson, no one is coming to save you. It’s up to you to face the darkness. Find the glimmer, the glint of light and follow it.

The third lesson, to all the women reading this - you will be the maiden who transforms into the mother. And, as the mother you may give life to something other than a human, you may even care for others. Whatever you give birth to, know that you are whole and never diminished by biological circumstance or choice. In the end, if you live long enough, you will experience enough life and become the crone.

What's your take-away from the mother and daughter goddesses? What goddesses would you like to see featured here? Send us an email to hello@themindfulsoulcenter.com

Mindful Soul Center, Volume 1, Issue 1, October November 20019 | Goddess 21-23

Listen to the Podcast Episode on Persephone

Listen to the podcast episode on Persephone here - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-conscious-life-spac-29787314/episode/goddess-energy-standing-in-your-power-50914217/

Jo Coudert Quote

"OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU WILL KNOW IN A LIFETIME, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE OR LOSE.

TO THE QUESTION OF YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE THE ONLY ANSWER.

TO THE PROBLEMS OF YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE THE ONLY SOLUTION."

The Mindful Soul Center | Inspiration

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