Welcome to this meditation on Persephone,
Queen of the Underworld,
Daughter of Demeter,
Mother of Grain.
There's a story about these two that you probably know,
And then there's a story that you may not,
And I want to tell you both.
So take a moment to settle in and get comfortable.
Let your candle,
If you'd like,
And have a journal nearby if you want to.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths,
Readying your body to listen.
The story you may know about Persephone is an abduction.
The god of the underworld,
Hades,
Took the young Persephone,
The maiden,
Away from her mother Demeter,
Goddess of grain.
Demeter's grief was so powerful that she withdrew her fertile energy and essentially created winter until her daughter was back with her.
Because Persephone ate six pomegranate seeds,
The food of the dead,
While she was in the underworld with Hades,
She has to remain in the underworld for six months of the year.
Every year,
Her mother grieves for six months,
Explaining winter,
And when Persephone is returned to her in the spring,
She rejoices and the land comes back to life.
But there's another version of this story that you may not know.
There is quite a bit of archaeological evidence that suggests that Demeter,
Along with several other goddesses including Persephone,
Predate Zeus and the other male gods.
The theory is that this region of the world was matriarchal until invaders from the north inserted themselves and their patriarchal beliefs starting around 2500 BCE.
Demeter is also known in her ancient form as Demeter Thonia,
Which means Demeter of the underworld.
The dead were once known as Demetrioi.
Many ancient pre-patriarchal goddesses presided over both life and death,
The cycles of birth and rebirth,
Death and life.
Demeter brings food from the earth,
But in order to do that she needs to draw from death,
From the underworld.
The seeds need to come from below the ground in order to grow up to the light.
The theory is that Demeter and Persephone happily presided over these realms of the above world and the underground world without any need for any patriarchal god to come in and abduct anyone.
We can think of this story in a sense as an allegory about the northern invasions,
The patriarchal gods who came in and stole something from the goddesses that were supreme at the time.
So we consider what if Persephone was not abducted but rather initiated into the mysteries of the underworld?
What if she and Demeter are two sides of the same goddess representing life and death?
What if Persephone was always meant to become the queen of the underworld,
Sovereign over the dark side of her mother's bright coin?
I'll invite you to take a moment to notice what's happening in your body right now,
To notice what your breath is doing and how it feels to hear this story in a new way,
Whether you've heard it before or not.
Take a moment to consider what it feels like to think about a culture that was matriarchal,
Goddess-focused,
Where Persephone and Demeter would reign together happily in balance.
Now I'll invite you to acknowledge the land that you're on right now.
Consider your people,
Where they're from,
What traditions you were born into.
And consider Persephone's land,
Greece,
Ancient Greece,
And then pre-patriarchal ancient Greece.
In the midst of all of this,
What do you see?
What do you feel?
What do you see in your body?
Pre-patriarchal ancient Greece.
Imagine this land before the patriarchal gods appeared.
You may or may not have a relationship with this part of the world,
So take a moment with humility,
Knowing that there's plenty you and I can't know about Persephone's land and people,
But we can come to these stories with respect and attention and listening.
Now notice what season it is on the land where you are.
If it's warm and lush in spring or summer or in a southern part of the world,
You are in Demeter's above world,
Where the land is fertile and forthcoming.
If it is cold and dark fall or winter,
We are in Persephone's underworld,
Where she presides over darkness and death.
Notice how it feels for you to be in this part of the seasonal year or this part of the world.
Notice how the air feels around your skin,
How the light feels behind your eyes.
Notice if your body likes this,
If it feels comfortable and easeful.
The parts of you that love the sunshine and bright weather and fresh fruits are Demeter's parts,
The grain mother who presides over life and fertility.
Welcome those parts and sit with them,
Noticing how it feels to be in that season or to crave that season.
And the parts of you that love the dark and quiet,
That want the feel of a warm sweater and a cool day,
That are drawn to self-reflection and deep feeling and meditation are Persephone's parts,
The maiden who wants to be initiated into the mysteries that must be unseen in a bright world.
Wherever you are,
You contain all these parts within yourself and more.
Allow your awareness to gently hold the wideness of the darkness and the light.
Life and death,
The beauty of the secret and the seen.
Simply notice how this feels.
You may be leaning more in one direction or another or feel these parts equally.
There is no wrong.
Allow your awareness to hold it all.
And when this feels right,
You can let go of your body and let go of your mind.
There is no right or wrong.
Allow your awareness to hold it all.
And when this feels complete for you,
Gently bow to Demeter,
Persephone,
Yourself,
The land,
And the season.
Thank you for sharing this meditation with me.
