Spiral.Way.to.Wisdom

“Far away from Demeter . . . the daughter was playing . . . gathering flowers . . . There were irises and hyacinths and a narcissus which Gaia grew as a snare for the girl. . . . And then the girl too wondered at it, she reached out her hand to take this thing of such delight, but [as she did] the earth gaped . . . and He Who Accepts So Many, the lord of the underworld, sprang upon her with his immortal horses . . . and caught hold of her . . . and took her away, weeping in his chariot of gold.” – Homer, Hymn to Demeter

            In his Hymn to Demeter, Homer tells the famous myth of Persephone, whose abduction and rape by, and subsequent marriage to Hades, made her the Queen of the Underworld.  The child bride was eventually rescued by her mother Demeter, but because she had eaten the fateful pomegranate seed, was condemned to return to Hades and the Underworld for three months every year, incurring the dark, cold winter above.  The myth is classically interpreted as an explanation of the seasons, but is also an allegory for the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.  In Jungian terms, it is an example of the journey into the depths of ourselves and our shadows to become reborn again in the light.

            “In response to loss, powerlessness or abuse, many descend as Persephone into their own wintertime of shadows and depression, to a darkly lit journey of the soul, struggling with a profound sense of betrayal and lost innocence. Triggered by divorce, rape, or an invasion of boundaries by a toxic circumstance, the archetypal experience of Persephone's journey challenges us to go within our deepest Self, to re-evaluate, and grieve our losses. Depression is a natural response to soul wounding experiences, and if approached without judgment, much healthier than denial. Often the only way through – is down. This is the spiral way to wisdom. Into the dark and unknown" (Kari Ann Allrich).

I now have no doubt that my journey through the underworld was transformative, although at the time it felt only like anguish.  I spent those years walking with my demons, my nightmares, my self-imposed shame and guilt.  A little like living in the seedy underbelly of a circus, replete with wacky funhouse mirrors and murderous clowns, only more … alone.  Visceral loneliness.  Combined with constant drowning.

            I can’t say why I started breathing again, and floating to the surface.  Perhaps I’d finally spent enough time with my demons to have absorbed from them what I needed.  Perhaps it was the breath of the Divine.  Probably some combination of the two, but the exact ratios and formula remain a mystery to me.  I can’t say why anyone emerges when they do, but I believe there is a spark of Divine Grace contained within that moment, and it is a beautiful thing to watch – the breath of new life reviving someone.

"The alchemical journey of Persephone is the journey we all eventually embark upon; often kicking and screaming in protest. We may not willingly enter our shadow selves, endure depression, or confront our fears and the meaning of death, yet such an exploration leads us to uncover our spiritual center. It challenges our beliefs and pushes us to deepen our awareness, to question our values, and to discover our innate connection to the divine. It leads us to soul. And soul leads us to magic. Magic happens when we align our true intention with the divine spark within. Ego and will may dictate our desires, but soul work beckons us to discover our authenticity. Magic happens when we open our hearts in compassion and allow the divine to gift us with insight, synchronicity, and grace” (Ibid).