The shining GRACE of PHAENNA

The Spartan Goddess Phaenna personifies the shining grace within all things. She is the virtue of gratitude in all that is good within our world.

Grace derives from the Latin word ‘thankful’. Those who act in grace display gratitude in all that they do and all that they receive in life. Research shows that gratitude is associated with a greater well-being; helping people live with more positive emotions, improving their health, build stronger relationships and embrace their challenges in life.

Conscious gratitude is the healing practice of committing a few minutes everyday to stop, breathe and think of three things we are grateful for. Using a journal we write down these sources of goodness in our life and re-read them before we sleep.By choosing gratitude we transform our lives with joy and meaning and allow the power of Grace to embody us.

I AM GRACE  …..  from The red seeds oracle 3 to be released in the fall of 2020

“We all sing about amazing grace. It is a gift. For some people, it can come out of the blue, but I know that in my own situation, the grace came through incredible vigilance.” ……Marion Woodman

The Shining Grace of PHAENNA
I AM GRACE

The Oblivion of the POPPY GODDESS

The Minoan Poppy Goddess is in a hypnotic trance induced by the juice that flows from the poppy, opium. Her headdress is adorned with poppy capsules. Opium was widely used in ancient times religiously, ecstatically and pharmacologically for sleep, pain-relief and the easing of death. In Homer’s Odyssey, Helen dopes wine with a drug “that took away painful memories and the bite of pain and anger.”

None of us are free from addiction. Certain behaviours and substances can become compulsive and rewarding, even though we know we are being self-destructive. Addictions offer oblivion thereby removing pain and reality and allowing us to avoid and deny what we are truly feeling. Ceasing our addictive habits can only become successful when we have fully worked out what we are denying by using avoidance and substitution .

It takes courage and strength to go forward. It takes help and love to make the changes and find meaning in our lives.

I AM ADDICTION …The Red Seeds  Oracle 3

“An addiction is anything we do to avoid hearing the messages that body and soul are trying to send us.” Marion Woodman

The Oblivion of the Poppy Goddess
I AM ADDICTION

The “Poppy Goddess,” ca. 1300-1250 BCE, approx. 31″ in height (79.5 cm). Terracotta, Archaeological Museum of Crete at Heraklion.

CYANE reveals Persephone’s Sash to Demeter

In Greek mythology  CYANE  was a water nymph named after the beautiful colour of her sacred pool. She is remembered as She who witnessed Hades, the God of the Underworld, sexually assaulting the daughter of Demeter, Persephone. Sighting this act enraged Cyane and she rose up from her deep waters imploring him to stop ‘You cannot take this girl to wife against Demeter’s will! ’ She desperately tried to block Hades but the ground opened up and Persephone fell into the depths of the Underworld. Cyane was heartbroken that she had failed to help her friend. Hades was furious at the intervention and inflicted grave punishment and silencing upon Cyane by changing her into a liquid and throwing her back into her own pool. Meanwhile Demeter wandered the land in search of her daughter. Passing the Cyane’s sacred pool, she called out to ask of her daughter’s fate. The nymph  had no voice to speak but pushed pushed the remnants of Persephone’s blood red sash to the very top of her pool. This act allowed Demeter to understand that her daughter had fallen into great danger. Cyane had witnessed a savage assault but had been silenced so as not to utter the truth. However the Feminine often works in powerful non-verbal ways.

‘Bystander intervention’ describes a situation where someone who isn’t directly involved steps in to change the outcome. This action enables the victim a chance to find safety  or leave the situation. It’s not always easy to step in, even if we know and feel it’s the right thing to do. It is a proven fact that bystanders will often avoid intervention;….“I don’t know what to do or what to say…“I don’t want to cause a scene.”…“It’s not my business.”…“I’m sure someone else will step in.” …but bystander intervention  can help change the outcome of a victim.

The  #metoo movement is changing the ways sexual assault is dealt with in society by encouraging and supporting those who have been assaulted or those who have witnessed such acts to speak out and not remain silent.

I AM INTERVENTION

Cyane and Persephone’s blood-red sash
I AM INTERVENTION

 

CYANE by Fiona Benson: Vertigo and Ghost

 

 

 

THEMIS and Human Rights

THEMIS was an ancient Greek Titaness. She personified divine legality and social justice. She bore six daughters who were the Seasons and the Fates.

Social justice is based on the concept of creating societies which offer human rights, fairness and equality to all individuals. Access to health care, housing, education, food and legal aid  should not depend on where you live, how much money you have, your race, gender or age. We live in an unjust world riddled with discrimination and exploitation which creates immense inequality in many parts of society. Social justice movements raise awareness of human rights for all people and encourage governments to change legal constructs to remove inequality.

We can all make a difference by :
– Examining our own beliefs
– Educating ourselves on Social injustice
– By taking action – by protesting, donating , volunteering…

I AM SOCIAL JUSTICE

“Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other’s welfare, social justice can never be attained.” Helen Keller

THEMIS and Human Rights
I AM SOCIAL JUSTICE

The PHOENIX kneeling in the ashes…

The ancient Greeks wrote about a mythical bird called the PHOENIX, a magnificent creature associated with the sun and gold. Every 500 years, the Phoenix built a nest and set itself on fire from which a new Phoenix would arise from the ashes. This magnificent bird was one of Jung’s most powerful archetypes of rebirth and renewal, containing in its fire both creation and life and destruction and death. Many times in our lives we will reach a place where life as we know it ends and a new life stretches out before us. There may be loss and trauma involving situations we would not ordinarily choose. Our strength will be called upon as slowly a new way of being reveals itself. We turn and look at what has gone from our lives and what has now replaced it externally and internally. The phoenix symbolises human transformation  as we release ‘the old’ that does not serve us anymore.  I AM RENEWAL

‘No phoenix can rise from no ashes.” Marion Woodman

The PHOENIX Kneeling in the Ashes
I AM RENEWAL

PHRIKE trembles beneath the falling tower……

PHRIKE is the personification of fear and horror. Her name means ‘trembling’ and is  used in the Greek tragedies where Phrike would instigate fearful emotions which were seen as a cleansing experience for the audience. The sensation of horror is derived from witnessing the dark shadow of the individual or collective psyche. There is no avoidance of Phrike for fear is vital for survival when we become endangered. Fear is an uncomfortable strong emotion creating  psychological and biological responses and is incredibly complex. How we respond varies from acute risk aversion to acute risk seeking…and may depend on our experiences and possible trauma in our lives.

(print)Phrike trembles beneath the horror of the metaphoric falling tower. At times in our human history wars, viruses and other acute threats occur. Humans then face fear and uncertainty as power structures, systems and maybe the Earth itself may dramatically change our personal and collective lives…..As Jung said “Our only certainty is that the new world will be different from what we are used to.”

The Tower is a symbol of danger, upheaval, sudden crisis, and powerful change. It metaphors a structure which has been built to protect us from the real truth. The falling of the tower depicts a powerful transition which if allowed will lead to transformative changes. The eventual  hard won ‘breakthrough’ will be of of some magnitude revealing many possibilities and new ways of looking at the structure of ourselves, our society and our Planet…..I AM FEAR

“She faces us with our greatest fear and by showing us the treasure hidden away within it, she takes us to a place where love is born. Love is the true antithesis of fear. It expands where fear constricts. It embraces where fear repels.’….Marion Woodman

PHRIKE trembles beneath the Falling Tower
I AM FEAR

EUDAIMONIA and the Meaning of Life…

The Greek Goddess EUDAIMONIA expresses a state of happiness and human wellbeing. Here She is bathed with light emanating from ‘The circle with a dot ‘in the middle which is a symbol of the Sun and the Psyche, representing wholeness and the pursuit of individuation. The flying beings are symbols of the Self, transformation, love, and beauty.

Happiness in our modern world usually expresses a short term state of pleasure, positivity and enjoyment. However, since the dawn of time, philosophers have inquired as to the real meaning of happiness. The Greek word ‘eudaimonia’ describes a deeper happiness, one in which we navigate and fertilise our lives by following our own true potential thereby maintaining a sense of meaning, purpose and contentment throughout our lifetime. May all our lives be rich with eudaimonic well being…….I AM CONTENTMENT

‘It is much more important to be contented and peaceful than to be intellectual. “~Carl Jung

EUDAIMONIA and The Meaning of Life
I AM CONTENTMENT

 

PANACEA Goddess of Universal Remedy

PANACEA is the Greek Goddess of Universal Remedy who personifies a healing potion that will cure all difficulties, disease and problems. She holds the ‘Staff of Asclepius’ named after her father,God of Medicine; an ancient symbol still associated with medicine today. Panacea worked with him in the Asclepion temples where harmless snakes would roam the halls and dormitories. At night the snakes would visit those who wished to be ‘cured’ to whisper words of wisdom and healing into their ears. Snake venom was also used in the healing temples as in modern times where it is still used  in certain pharmaceuticals such as Ace-inhibitors.

PANACEA is always depicted with her serpent, they are both forces of transformation and renewal. Their alchemical elixir emanates from the collective unconscious and holds within it precious messages, dreams, meditations and the direction to listen to our instincts and intuition that can bring forth sudden insights and resolutions. The Goddess asks us to step back, listen quietly and allow her elixir to flow within us and flood us with solutions ….I AM THE CURE

Carl Jung writes in his book  Man and His Symbols: ‘The serpent is the universal quality of the animal as a symbol of transcendence. These creatures, figuratively coming from the depths of the ancient Earth Mother, are symbolic denizens of the collective unconscious. They bring into the field of consciousness a special underworld message. ‘

PANACEA – Goddess of Universal Remedy
I AM THE CURE

RHEA and the mattress of Comfort

We all need comfort in these times, here is Rhea on the Mattress of Ease…..

She is an archetypal Mother Goddess, but her marriage to CRONUS (Saturn) was difficult as a  prophecy had told her husband that he would be overthrown by his son and so he devoured each of their children. When her last child was born Rhea fled to ‘the cave of sacred bees’  and left the child in the hands of the soul midwife Almatheia Capella. Once grown Zeus fought his father and freed his brothers and sisters.

RHEA’S name means “flow” and “ease” connecting her to the flow of menstrual blood, birth waters, milk, the tides and the lunar cycles. She was a Melissae and worked with the sacred bees and also known as ‘the Soother” . Her gifts of maternal comfort, ease and soul food was offered to all.

W all need to be held as a mother holds her child, this may be our own mother or a woman’s circle,  a therapist, trusting friendships and relationships. Deep within ourselves we can learn to connect to maternal love and to the abundant love of the Goddess. In all these places we can find a place of non-judgement, support, comfort and the unconditional love of a wide open heart that is prepared to walk alongside you ……I AM HELD

“Oh, mother earth, your comfort is great, your arms never withhold.” Mary Oliver

RHEA and the Mattress of EASE
I AM HELD

The NOSOI and the CORONAVIRUS

The NOSOI were feared Greek personifications of plague,(LUES) sickness (MORBUS) and disease(PESTIS). They were among the evil spirits that flew out of Pandora’s jar that had held all the illness and evils of the world.

In our modern world  ‘going viral’ relates to images, videos, fake news and links that spread rapidly through a population by being frequently shared with many individuals. At this time in our history the biological virus COVID-19 is rampaging throughout our world infecting many of us. We are affected both personally and collectively as we try to navigate the grief, the loss and the sudden changes. The lack of connection with each other bites into our souls and yet our hearts and minds are finding new ways to reach out not only to our dear ones but to all human beings. No more powerful is it than now to understand the true meaning of ‘we are all connected’ .

Carl Jung used the phrase psychic infection to describe what happens to us when we become worn down, burnt out and anxious…or when we are overly affected by the Collective. We run the risk of getting sick psychologically in much the same way as our body catches an infection. This is a time when our core beliefs and social constructs may  become challenged and whilst this may in the long term be a positive thing in the short term it may feel like we are walking on very shaky ground. Fear and dread alongside frequent news bulletins and social media interaction may become overwhelming ramping up our feelings of stress, panic and anxiety which can create poor physical and mental health within us. May we all find nourishment for our bodies and souls and are able to create peace within the space that has just opened up, allowing our biological and psychic immune systems to carry us through these unprecedented times…..I AM VIRAL

“Love is the real power. It’s the energy that cherishes. The more you work with that energy, the more you will see how people respond naturally to it, and the more you will want to use it. It brings out your creativity, and helps everyone around you flower. Your children, the people you work with–everyone blooms.”  …Marion Woodman

The NOSOI and the Coronavirus
I AM VIRAL