Persephone is a powerful Goddess for us to connect with as the Wheel of the Year turns to Spring. She is the Lady of Light who brings life and possibility back to the Earth and Goddess of the wild flora that grows. She rules innocence, beginnings and rebirth as well as being Queen of the Underworld. But how did this maiden Goddess take on the crown of Queen of the Underworld?
The Story of Persephone
Persephone was the only child of Zeus, King of the Gods, and Demeter Goddess of grain and agriculture who brought fertility to the Earth making all things flourish. Persephone, like her mother, was a Goddess of vegetation. She ruled the Spring and the beginnings that sprang forth from the Earth during this fertile time.
Persephone had the perfect childhood. She was doted on by her devoted mother and spent her days running through the fields and valleys with Zeus other children, the Goddesses Athena and Aphrodite. She was happy, cheerful and loved.
The Greek myth says that Hades, King of the Underworld saw beautiful Persephone as a young woman amongst her beloved Spring flowers and fell in love with her immediately. As Lord of Darkness, he was taken with her light and joy. He was so in love he took her back with him to the Underworld to rule as his Queen. Whether he takes her willingly or not to the Underworld is questionable. In many of the myths, she is an unwilling participant, though some suggest she chose to go of her own free will. It was also said in some stories that Hades asked Zeus for her hand, which was granted without her knowledge. The true origins of Persephone and Hades relationship is shrouded in mystery.
Persephone in the Underworld
Her mother Demeter was beside herself with despair. She mourned the loss of her daughter deeply. With her grief and the absence of the Spring Goddess, the vegetation of the Earth was neglected. Crops failed, the trees died, and the animals grew weak. The people began to starve and they cried out for the Gods to do something and make life return to the land once more.
Zeus intervened and spoke with Hades to return Persephone back to her mother and to the Earth above. Hades agreed to let his Queen go back, however one could not return to the Earth above if they had eaten the food of the Underworld. Persephone had eaten 6 seeds from a Pomegranate fruit, so she couldn't leave completely. So a compromise was reached. It was decided that she would spend half her year below ruling as the Queen of the Underworld, and half her year as Goddess of Spring and rebirth to seed the Earth bringing life back to the Earth by her mothers side.
Her mother was overjoyed when she returned. When Persephone was on the Earth, the world once more flourished with fertility. The crops grew and the land thrived. But each year when Persephone ventured back down into the darkness, Demeter mourned. During her time of grief, a time of lifelessness overtook the Earth and Winter covered the land until Persephone returned once more.
The Lessons of Persephone
Persephone brings us some very powerful energy to work with in our lives. With her we see the endless cycle of death and rebirth, the changing of the seasons and the ability for beginnings, renewal and transformation no matter how dark things may be. She teaches us compromise as she transitions back and forth between the land of the living and the dead taking on different roles as Queen of the Underworld, Goddess of Rebirth and Maiden of Possibility.
She is the planter of seeds and bringer of fertility to the Earth. She teaches us to look towards our intentions and to plant what we wish to grow. Spring is a time of looking towards the beginnings that we are longing to create in the months ahead. Her energy tells us to decide, to choose what we wish to focus our energy on as this is what will manifest. She embodies the maiden, where all things are possible, much like the energy of Spring where hope returns after a long Winter. She is connected to intuition, dreams, childhood and playfulness. She tells us to look towards what inspires us and to follow what calls to our heart.
The Goddess Persephone teaches us adaptability, to wear the crown of Queen of the Underworld as well as being Maiden and Goddess of Spring. In her role as Queen of Souls, she shows us the transformation that occurs throughout the cycle of life as well as endless renewal. She shows us how Maiden can embody beginnings as well as death and rebirth.
Persephone also shows us what it looks like to be torn by loyalties, as she is divided between her mother, the Underworld and running her own life. Part of her misses her mother when she in the Underworld and part of her loves Hades and wishes to stay. Persephone shows us how we can use compromise in our lives in order to satisfy all avenues we wish too pursue. She also teaches us to look to our responsibilities and commitments to ensure that they are chosen by us fully. She shows us that we need to choose our destiny as we are the only ones who can.
Diving Deeper into the Myth of Persephone
As all myths, this one is up for reinterpretation. The traditional tale of the beautiful maiden being captured and stolen by the God of the Underworld doesn't leave much choice to the Goddess. It takes away her free will as well as her power. But we know by the energy she embodies as Earth Goddess and later as Queen, she is not a woman to be taken lightly.
Many believe that the story of Persephone is one of the awakening maiden seeking her own life outside of the desires of her mother and expectations of society. On this path, she meets Hades and strikes off on her own adventure of growth, expansion and exploration of love. In this transformation, she moves from innocent maiden to lover of the Lord of the Underworld, taking on the mantle of motherhood as they have children, as well as crown of Queen of Death. She moves through all aspects of the triple Goddess, maiden, mother and crone embodying the unending cycle of feminine rebirth.
If we look deeper into the myth, we can see Persephone as a woman who chose a different path from her mother and not as a victim. We see a Goddess embodying her own life, embracing new experiences and opening to her desires. In the spirit of Persephone, may we use Spring as a time to seek out new pathways, new beginnings and embark on new adventures. This is the time to choose our fate.
Dive deeper into the mystery and magick of the Goddess Persephone in my new book Dark Goddess Magick. You can find it wherever books are sold or order it here: Dark Goddess Magick Book Order
C. Ara Campbell is a visionary writer, soul guide, cosmic channel, teacher, artist, empath, womb keeper and the founder of The Goddess Circle. She is dedicated to the awakening feminine, living embodied truth and aiding others in connecting with their medicine. She is an old soul that has been writing and channeling guidance from the unseen world since she was young, intuitively soul coaching and empowering using spiritual and natural energies.