Artemis and Actaeon.
Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Exhale mouth and inhale nose.
Let the ribs move.
Belly and tongue go soft.
Center yourself.
Find the midline of your torso.
Letting the awareness of light magnify and radiate out from that midline.
Now,
Imagine a vibrant forest,
Tall diverse trees and the sounds of nature.
Envision yourself as a trusted member of Artemis's entourage.
Let yourself feel the camaraderie and connection with the goddess of nature and with your companions.
As a devoted member and one of Artemis's attendants,
You are often in this sacred environment.
As you continue to breathe,
Visualize the sun filtering through the leaves,
Getting dappled patterns on the forest floor.
Sense the energy of the woods around you.
Sense the power of the standing trees and lush plants.
Know that you are in the company of a goddess and fellow followers.
In the distance,
You come across a tranquil lake.
As you approach,
You see the goddess in her physical form.
Artemis is gracefully bathing.
She cups her hands in the water,
Bringing freshness to her face.
Then moving her fingers through her hair,
The water trickles down.
She submerges to her shoulders and begins to twist,
Creating wavelets.
Now she stands again,
Sun reflecting on damp skin,
Causing her body to glow even more.
You feel awe.
She is so bright.
You almost look away,
But keep your eyes steady,
Inspired,
Uplifted by a sense of transcendent beauty.
A heron passes overhead,
Then lands across the lake.
Take another moment to more deeply connect with the pulsing natural world around you.
Feel the earth beneath the feet,
The wind in the air,
And the energy of the forest.
Now,
Sense the interconnectedness of all living things,
Allowing yourself to be a conscious part of life's fluid tapestry.
Another breath weaving this tapestry's awareness through our psyche.
Then there's a change,
A transgression.
Before you see it,
You feel it.
The forest shifts.
Next you see Artemis embody a strength and movement of purpose.
You follow her gaze and see a young hunter,
Transfixed,
His eyes greedily taking in the goddess's naked radiance.
She is swift and decisive.
A rule has been broken,
A boundary crossed.
Artemis splashes water,
Transforming the hunter,
Actaeon,
Into a great stag,
The same sort of prized animal he would be out hunting today.
Actaeon,
As all young men,
Knows it is not allowed to look on the unclothed Artemis.
He knows that it was wrong to let his gaze linger greedily on her nakedness.
Now,
As his body is transformed,
He cries with agony,
Begging for forgiveness.
For Actaeon,
The repercussions are unavoidable.
He has violated the goddess.
Running,
Being hunted by his own dogs,
Regret floods his system.
These once loyal companions now turn on their former master,
Their teeth tearing him apart.
He is unheard even by fellow hunters.
They see a great stag fallen.
And so he is fallen in his transgressions,
Experiencing the consequences.
Perhaps,
Perhaps you feel some compassion for Actaeon.
He did not honor the goddess's boundaries.
Regardless of our compassion,
Actaeon has crossed the line,
Chosen not to respect the feminine.
As we take a breath and slow our pulse,
We allow this symbolic reflection to resonate within us,
Recognize the significance of consequences as a natural outcome of violating boundaries.
Accept,
We accept the reminder to be speedy in defending our own sacred space,
And also to respect the sovereignty of others.
Now,
We notice a change.
You feel a shift as you too undergo a form of transformation.
Artemis,
The goddess of children,
Women,
The hunt,
And protector of the wild,
Has approached you from within.
As you accept her energy,
Recognize the power within you to set clear boundaries.
This is her gift and lesson for today.
Artemis is prompt and decisive.
She imposes consequences when boundaries are breached.
Breathing here,
Allowing ourselves to fill with a confidence and clarity.
Perhaps,
Reflect on your own boundaries.
Envision a time when the edges of your sovereignty was crossed.
Now,
Feel the power within you to impose consequences swiftly and assertively,
Just as Artemis would.
Let that vision be confident,
Soft,
And clear,
Not coming from a place of vengeance,
But a place of solidity and clarity.
Remembering that our autonomy is sacred,
And you have the right and power to protect it.
We welcome the clarity as it continues to evolve within us.
We recognize that that too is a part of Artemis's energy.
To feel sure and to be able to be assertive in expressing our own sacred boundaries,
We let ourselves stand strong in the visualization,
Holding a metaphorical bow and arrow,
Able to defend our own sacred space,
And also willing to respect the sacred space of others,
Magnifying this felt sense,
Letting the breath take it deeper.
Now,
Consider how you can balance strength with compassion.
Artemis,
While fierce,
Is also a compassionate protector.
How can you assert your boundaries with strength,
Yet maintain a sense of understanding?
Let this be the intention,
The direction,
And rest confident that this transmission is complete.
Take a few breaths to magnify your physical boundaries.
Take a few breaths to magnify your energetic boundaries.
And now,
Take a few breaths to magnify your intellectual boundaries,
Your values and principles.
Let Artemis come to bear as you choose to weave her clarity through your boundaries,
And as you feel her more deeply equipping you with the skills to defend what is sacred in your world,
Slowly bringing the awareness back to the present moment.
Feel the ground beneath you,
The air on your skin,
And the sensations in your body.
When you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Take a breath.
And if it's useful,
Make notes of what is important.
