Persephone, Queen of the Underworld
She is not easy to identify on first encounter due to her self-effacing nature. With a youthful appearance and a smile that portrays eagerness to please, she possesses a distinctive charm that differs from the glowing allure of Aphrodite or the natural warmth of Demeter.
She doesn't assert herself too strongly like Artemis, who exudes solidity of purpose, or possess the moral sureness of Hera, or even Athena's intellectual righteousness. Instead, she carries a transparent quality, exhibiting spiritual vulnerability while existing on another plane.
She feels ill at ease with her own body, and her charming exterior serves as a form of protection and concealment for her deeply inward nature. There is a subtle dissolution of self, as if she is on the threshold of entering other realms of psychic consciousness.
She lives in a paranormal world, drawn to teachings of metaphysics rather than conventional natural sciences. This unorthodox nature leaves her feeling alienated and uncertain of herself, always residing on the fringe of society. Some may even associate her with black magic.
To the Greeks, Persephone was known as the distant queen of the underworld, watching over the souls of the departed. She was initially the maiden, or Kore, who was abducted from her mother, Demeter, by Hades. Eventually, she became the queen of the underworld, ruling alongside her husband, Hades.
Highly secretive and often reclusive, she experiences a psychic strain when in the presence of people or in bustling marketplaces. This strain pushes her to retreat and live on the fringes of society, barely making a meager existence.
She requires a great deal of time alone to pursue her secret projects, engage in deep musings, and commune with the unseen world.
She finds solace in alternative forms of healing and New Age teachings, as well as making sense of her psychic experiences. Often, she is drawn to work with death and experiences much personal tragedy in her life.
The underworld represents both the unconscious and the repressed aspects of the self. It is also the realm of the collective unconscious, the world of archetypal principalities and powers, as described by Jung.
She possesses a weak ego structure, quite the opposite of Athena, Artemis, and Hera Goddesses. However, in the physical world, a healthy ego is necessary for thriving.
Consequently, she is more susceptible to being overwhelmed by spirits or energy from the other side. To properly formulate and transmit these energies, she needs to tap into Athena and Hera's ego strength and ability to discriminate.
A young girl or woman may experience this underworld journey in various ways. Childhood tragedy could plunge her into a state of depression or brooding withdrawal, becoming inwardly preoccupied with thoughts of a lost parent or sibling.
Conversing with spirits of the dead may also occur. Depression and withdrawal can accompany loss, separation, or violent trauma at any age.
The descent into the underworld is not limited to childhood; it can occur after a divorce, an unwanted move to a distant country, an abortion, job loss, or any severe trauma.
There is a psychic death, if not a physical death. During such transitions, having a guardian figure to support and protect until ready to return to normal daily reality can be comforting.
When someone or something is lost, a part of oneself accompanies that loss into the underworld, so honoring this process instead of bypassing it and trying to cheer oneself up is crucial. However, if one remains in the underworld for an extended period, chronic depression becomes a problem.
Temporary depression is normal and a healthy response to any loss. If an individual's entire life becomes identified with Persephone, it indicates that she has undergone a particularly severe trauma, often in early childhood, which profoundly impacts her psychic outlook.
Out of all the Goddesses, Persephone needs to integrate with the other Goddesses the most to find peace, solid identity in self, and connection to the physical realm.