Archetypal relationships: Athena & Poseidon

Poseidon

Mythology

Poseidon ruled the seas. He was discontent that Zeus controlled the earth. Poseidon repeatedly-and always unsuccessfully- rebelled against Zeus. The Romans knew Poseidon as Neptune. Poseidon's sons were monsters-giant Cyclops. But father and sons were loyal to each other. After Odysseus blinded Poseidon's son Polyphemus, Poseidon vindictively pursued Odysseus for 20 years. Poseidon's animal was the horse. Horses symbolize masculine emotions. The prairies are like oceans.

Emotional Control System

Poseidon symbolized intense, irrational emotions-limbic emotion unmediated by cerebral cortex cognition.

Life Purpose

A Poseidon man's life purpose is to lead a band of rebels. He needs friends who are loyal to him, but rebellious against society's rules. Poseidon men experience deeper emotions than other men. Other men express emotions as if they're splashing in the waves at the beach. Poseidon men experience the depths of the soul. Poseidon men can be great artists or poets. Poseidon energy is the "wild man" of the mythopoetic men's movement. The women's movement is about careers, power, and justice. The men's movement is about feeling and expressing emotions. The wild man is instinctive, untamed, and in touch with nature. Robert Bly, in his book Iron John, shows contemporary men how to get in touch with their wild man. Bly shows how to use this strength to become a courageous and loving man.

Shadow

Poseidon men live in two worlds: the ocean depths of emotion, and the dry land of society. A Poseidon man lives in the civilized world by repressing his emotions and presenting a calm, smooth surface. But sooner or later his bottled-up emotions become a furious storm.

Poseidon men resent Zeus men. E.g., a Poseidon man may experience disaster when he attempts to run a business. And Poseidon men aren't good losers. Zeus men believe that they play by the rules-with the help of Apollo lawyers-and win fair and square. But a Poseidon man who doesn't understand the rules feels that he was cheated.

Under Stress

Under stress, Poseidon becomes Zeus. When "the going gets tough," Poseidon men seek power and status-and often fail.

When Safe

When safe, Poseidon becomes Dionysus. Find Poseidon cowboys down at the honky-tonk, imbibing libations to Dionysus, selecting emotionally wounded country-western songs on the jukebox, and attracting women.

Sex

Poseidon men bring emotional intensity to sex. This can be good, but can also be bad for a woman who doesn't want sex.

Athena

Mythology

Athena was the goddess of cities, military and political strategy, and crafts (e.g., weaving, pottery, metal smithing). She protected and advised heroic men, e.g., Perseus, Jason, Odysseus, and Heracles (Hercules). The Romans knew Athena as Minerva. Her animal was the owl.

Emotional Control System

Fearful anticipation of the future. Athena was born wearing armor. Athena energy is worry, fear, vigilance, and defense. Athena is active when you put on a helmet for a bike ride, change the battery in your smoke detector, and lock your door at night. Too little Athena energy is reckless or "happy go lucky."

Life Purpose

An Athena woman's life goal is perfection. She's judgmental, critical, conscientious, clean, thrifty, and efficient. She expresses criticism, but her criticism of others is minor compared to her inner self-criticism. Things have to be a certain way. "Love" and "perfect" merge. She expects to feel love only in a perfect relationship, in a perfect home.

Shadow

Overactive Athena energy becomes paranoia or phobia.

Ethics problems.

Athena women can't stand people who break the rules. This isn't the same as being ethical-ethics require compassion. Athena women will follow (or enforce) the rules even when the result is unethical.

The Medusa effect.

Medusa was a monster with serpents instead of hair. Her gaze turned people into stone. Athena helped Perseus kill Medusa. Then Athena used Medusa's head as one of her symbols. Athena women can intellectually dissect an opponent, making the person feel she is "turning to stone" and unable to think or speak. Athena women can take the life out of a party or conversation. The "Medusa effect" can destroy a relationship.

Gender problems.

Athena girls consider other girls to be silly. They prefer to play with boys. Athena killed her childhood friend Pallas (granddaughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite) in a competitive game. Similarly, Athena women's competitiveness can kill their friendships with other women. Athena executives can be unsupportive of other women, especially lower-status women such as secretaries. But, as Athena grieved for Pallas, Athena women later grieve for their lost friendships.

"Ladies Against Women."

Athena supported Orestes in his trial for murdering his mother Clytemnestra. This symbolized the new patriarchy succeeding the old matriarchy. Athena women defend men against women's interests. E.g., Phyllis Schlafly led the 1970s fight against the Equal Rights Amendment. Athena women support feminist principles as long as the issue is workplace equality. Don't expect support for other feminist issues.

Lack of nurturing.

Athena mothers hire nannies to raise their children. They'd rent surrogate mothers to produce the babies, if they could. They can be good mothers of competitive, extroverted, intellectual children-but not of sensitive, physical, or emotional children.

Under Stress

Under stress, Athena women become Hestia. They become melodramatic. Gardening, nature, children, and pets help them reduce stress. They see in these creatures purity, without rules or judgment.

When Safe

When safe, Athena women become Hermes or Aphrodite. With friends they become charming and happy. They like weekend "New Age" personal growth retreats, if the messages from the gods are upbeat.

Sex

Athena was one of the three virgin goddesses., Athena women like men and are happiest in professional relationships with men. But keep your hands to yourself-she doesn't want the emotional entanglements of sex.

Poseidon-Athena Marriage

A Poseidon-Athena marriage tempers emotions with prudence. A couple that successfully uses this energy express feelings without getting into trouble.

Poseidon

Poseidon wanted to marry the sea nymph Amphitrite. He tried to dominate her. She didn't want to marry him, and fled. She agreed only when Poseidon sent a dolphin to talk to her. Poseidon men should work on their ability to communicate with women-or ask a friend to talk for them.

Athena

Athena women go for heroes-e.g., Perseus, Jason, Odysseus, Heracles. Sensitive, compassionate, romantic men don't attract Athena women. They want powerful "alpha" males, preferably waving swords. Athena women typically marry Zeus men, e.g., Hillary and Bill Clinton. Statues of Zeus and Athena show her standing guard beside her seated king. But this isn't a good marriage choice. The Athena woman will endlessly defend her husband's mistakes- including his endless philandering.

Another bad marriage choice is an Apollo man. They'll have lousy sex.

Athena women should marry Poseidon men-but only heroic Poseidon men. One of Athena's gifts to humanity was the bridle, to control horses. He'll keep her emotions active, i.e., stop her from "living in her head." She'll keep him integrated into society, i.e., employed and out of jail. E.g., Athena restrained Achilles from drawing his sword in anger against his leader, Agamemnon. Expect titanic battles, but in the long run they'll balance and mature.

Athena-Poseidon romances are a popular movie and television theme-the cool businesswoman and the troubled-but-passionate man. E.g., on Cheers, Sam and Diane's on-again, off-again romance entertained viewers for five years. In Broadcast News (1987), Athena news producer Holly Hunter chooses between Apollo reporter Albert Brooks and Poseidon news anchor William Hurt. In The Abyss (1989), Ed Harris plays a cowboy-style foreman on a sea floor oil drilling rig. Events bring his ex-wife, an engineering manager played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, to his undersea palace.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Relationships/Poseidon-Athena

Art, craft, and creation

I was thinking about Athena and her love of crafts (like weaving, but anything practical and beautiful is ok with her.) And then I thought about how different Athenian crafts are from Aphroditian art.

Art, which is from Aphrodite, is an ecstatic act of self expression. This is also different from Hephaestus's act of creation. Hephaestus is like the wizard in that Walt Disney movie (or just about any wizard) who takes the elements of the universe and focuses them and, with his skill and his will, creates something new. "Art" is, in it's act, also a creation but you're creating yourself, drawing from deep within you to express what's down there. In Hephaestus creation there is no confusion - he's the master, here. And both of these are different from Athena, who neither creates something never before seen, nor does she get lost in self expression, although the act of crafting can be a meditative, ego suppressing activity; something always thinking, always on the go, hip deep in the world Athena can really use. Athena can find the meditative act of crafting a way to center and refresh herself between bouts of activity.

Hestia is different from Athena in that she's not making something, she's maintaining it. If Athena weaves the cloth and sews the dress, it's Hestia who's cleaning and ironing it and repairing any tears.

I see them like this: Hephaestus comes up with the cool idea to create a loom - Wouldn't it be AWESOME if you could make this machine that could make it a jillion times easier to weave than by laboriously threading the yarn by hand? Athena sees Hephaestus's loom and loves it - it's so practical! While she's weaving, Aphrodite is buzzing around, telling her to use this kind of silk, in that color, turning Athena's practical cloth into a sensuous luxury fit for a queen. Hestia stays in the background, making sure everyone has tea, and learning from Hephaestus how to keep the loom in working order for Athena.

Musings on Athena

Athena & Relationships

Jean Shinoda Bolen divides goddeses into virginal (independent) and vulnerable (dependent on relationships) and alchemical (both relational and independent.) The three virginal goddesses are Athena, Artemis and Hestia. The three vulnerable goddesses are Demeter, Hera and Persephone. Aphrodite is the lone alchemical goddess. I think it would be more useful to divide them up into relational or independent. Relational goddesses turn to outwards to others, and mainly see themselves through their relationships: Demeter the Mother, Hera the Wife, Persephone the Daughter and Aphrodite the Lover. The independent goddesses are fundamentally independent of others and mainly see themselves in relation to their work: Artemis with Nature, Hestia her Home, Hecate her Studies and Athena her Success. However, Aphrodite and Athena are the two goddesses that can flip being relational/independent; although Aphrodite lives to love, she's independent at heart and never stays with one lover. And although Athena lives out in the world, mixing it up in the battle of success, inside she's always Daddy's Little Girl, seeking his approval.

Athena and Persephone

Athena is Daddy's Little Girl. Sweet Persephone lives to please Mommy. Where Persephone lives to please her Mother, being sweet and accomodating, marrying the "right" man (ie. her mother's choice), never growing up and never stops needing her Mother, Athena wants to please her father. In childhood she's the studious, serious girl who spurns "girly" things and when she grows up, the successful woman who makes her Daddy proud. "Daddy" in this case can either be her literal father, or the authority figure she's most identified with, usually her mentor or boss.



I think my extreme rationality is from Athena (especially as Medusa.) Athena isn't one of my two main archetypes but it's pretty strong, and she sometimes manifests when I'm with people and being inappropirately rational or judging, not hearing them and not sympathetic to what they're feeling. When Medusa Athena manifests, her recipients feel like you're judging them.

Athena in myth

From Wikipedia

In Greek mythology Athena is the goddess of wisdom, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, female arts, crafts, justice and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is also a shrewd companion of heroes and the goddess of heroic endeavour. She is the virgin patron of Athens. The Athenians built the Parthenon on the Acropolis of her namesake city, Athens, in her honour (Athena Parthenos).

Athena's veneration as the patron of Athens seems to have existed from the earliest times, and was so persistent that archaic myths about her were recast to adapt to cultural changes. In her role as a protector of the city (polis), many people throughout the Greek world worshiped Athena as Athena Polias ("Athena of the city"). Athens and Athena bear etymologically connected names.

Patroness

Athena as the goddess of philosophy became an aspect of the cult in Classical Greece during the late 5th century BC. She was the patroness of various crafts, especially weaving, as Athena Ergane; the metalwork of weapons also fell under her patronage. She led battles (Athena Promachos or the warrior maiden Athena Parthenos) as the disciplined, strategic side of war, in contrast to her brother Ares, the patron of violence, bloodlust and slaughter — "the raw force of war". Athena's wisdom includes the cunning intelligence (metis) of such figures as Odysseus. Not only was this version of Athena the opposite of Ares in combat, it was also the polar opposite of the serene earth goddess version of the deity, Athena Polias.

Athena appears in Greek mythology as the patron and helper of many heroes, including Odysseus, Jason, and Heracles. In Classical Greek myths, she never consorts with a lover, nor does she ever marry, earning the title Athena Parthenos. A remnant of archaic myth depicts her as the adoptive mother of Erechtheus/Erichthonius by the foiled rape by Hephaestus. Other variants relate that the serpent who accompanied Athena, also called Erichthonius, was born to Gaia when the rape failed and the semen landed on Gaia, impregnating her, and that Gaia gave him to Athena after bearing him.

Though Athena was a goddess of war strategy, she disliked fighting without purpose and preferred to use wisdom to settle predicaments. The goddess only encouraged fighting for a reasonable cause or to resolve conflict. As patron of Athens she fought in the Trojan war on the side of the Achaeans.

Birth

In The Greek Myths, Robert Graves narrates early myths about the birth of Athena, "coming to Greece by way of Crete". Hesiod (c. 700 BCE) relates that Athena was a parthenogenous daughter of Metis, wisdom or knowledge, a Titan. Other variants relate that, although Metis was of an earlier generation of the Titans, Zeus became her consort when his cult gained dominance. In order to avoid a prophecy made when that change occurred, that any offspring of his union with Metis would be greater than he, Zeus swallowed Metis to prevent her from having offspring, but she already was pregnant with Athena. Metis gave birth to Athena and nurtured her inside Zeus until Zeus complained of headaches and called for Hephaestus to split open his head with his smithing tools. Athena burst forth from his forehead fully armed and grown with weapons given by her mother. She famously wields the thunderbolt and the Aegis, which she and Zeus share exclusively.

Plato, in Cratylus (407 BCE) gave the etymology of her name as signifying "the mind of god", theou noesis. The Christian apologist of the 2nd century Justin Martyr takes issue with those pagans who erect at springs images of Kore, whom he interprets as Athena:

    "They said that Athena was the daughter of Zeus not from intercourse, but when the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

John Milton's Paradise Lost interprets this myth as a model for the birth of Sin from the head of Satan.

The Olympian version

Although at Mycenaean Knossos Athena appears before Zeus does—in Linear B, as a-ta-na po-ti-ni-ja, "Mistress Athena"—in the Classical Olympian pantheon, Athena was remade as the favorite daughter of Zeus, born fully armed from his forehead. The story of her birth comes in several versions. In the one most commonly cited, Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, but he immediately feared the consequences. It had been prophesied that Metis would bear children more powerful than the sire, even Zeus himself. In order to forestall these dire consequences, after lying with Metis, Zeus "put her away inside his own belly;" he "swallowed her down all of a sudden." He was too late: Metis had already conceived.

Eventually Zeus experienced an enormous headache; Prometheus, Hephaestus, Hermes, Ares, or Palaemon (depending on the sources examined) cleaved Zeus's head with the double-headed Minoan axe, the labrys. Athena leaped from Zeus's head, fully grown and armed, with a shout— "and pealed to the broad sky her clarion cry of war. And Ouranos trembled to hear, and Mother Gaia..." (Pindar, Seventh Olympian Ode). Plato, in the Laws, attributes the cult of Athena to the culture of Crete, introduced, he thought, from Libya during the dawn of Greek culture.

Classical myths thereafter note that Hera was so annoyed at Zeus producing a child that she conceived and bore Hephaestus by herself.

Other origin tales

Fragments attributed by the Christian Eusebius of Caesarea to the semi-legendary Phoenician historian Sanchuniathon, which Eusebius thought had been written before the Trojan war, make Athena instead the daughter of Cronus, a king of Byblos who visited 'the inhabitable world' and bequeathed Attica to Athena. Sanchuniathon's account would make Athena the sister of Zeus and Hera, not Zeus' daughter.

Pallas Athena

A distant archaic separate entity named Pallas is invoked —whether male or female does not seem to have been remembered by literate Greeks — as Athena's father, sister, foster sister, companion, or opponent in battle. Pallas is often a nymph, a daughter of Triton (a sea god), and a childhood friend of Athena. In every case, Athena kills Pallas, accidentally, and thereby gains the name for herself. In one telling, they practice the arts of war together until one day they have a falling out. As Pallas is about to strike Athena, Zeus intervenes. With Pallas stunned by a blow from Zeus, Athena takes advantage and kills her. Distraught over what she has done, Athena takes the name Pallas for herself.

When Pallas is Athena's father the events, including her birth, are located near a body of water named Triton or Tritonis. When Pallas is Athena's sister or foster-sister, Athena's father or foster-father is Triton, the son and herald of Poseidon. But Athena may be called the daughter of Poseidon and a nymph named Tritonis, without involving Pallas. Likewise, Pallas may be Athena's father or opponent, without involving Triton. On this topic, Walter Burkert says "she is the Pallas of Athens, Pallas Athenaie, just as Hera of Argos is Here Argeie. For the Athenians, Burkert notes, Athena was simply "the Goddess", he thea, certainly an ancient title.

Athena Parthenos: Virgin Athena

Athena never had a consort or lover and was thus known as Athena Parthenos, "Virgin Athena". Her most famous temple, the Parthenon, on the Acropolis in Athens takes its name from this title. It was not merely an observation of her virginity, but a recognition of her role as enforcer of rules of sexual modesty and ritual mystery. Athena's virginal toponym is said to be a result of the relationship to her father Zeus and a vital, cohesive piece of her character throughout the ages. This role is expressed in a number of stories about Athena. Marinus reports that when Christians removed the statue of the Goddess from the Parthenon, a beautiful woman appeared in a dream to Proclus, a devotee of Athena, and announced that the "Athenian Lady" wished to dwell with him.

Erichthonius

Hephaestus attempted to rape Athena, but she eluded him. His semen fell to the earth and impregnated Gaia, and Erichthonius was born from the Earth, Gaia. Athena then raised the baby as a foster mother.


Athena puts the infant Erichthonius in a small box (cista) which she entrusts to the care of three sisters, Herse, Pandrosus, and Aglaulus of Athens. The goddess does not tell them what the box contains, but warns them not to open it until she returns. One or two sisters opens the cista to reveal Erichthonius, in the form (or embrace) of a serpent. The serpent, or insanity induced by the sight, drives Herse and Aglaulus to throw themselves off the Acropolis.

Another version of the myth of the Athenian maidens is told in Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid (43 BC – 17 CE); in this late variant Hermes falls in love with Herse. Herse, Aglaulus, and Pandrosus go to the temple to offer sacrifices to Athena. Hermes demands help from Aglaulus to seduce Herse. Aglaulus demands money in exchange. Hermes gives her the money the sisters have already offered to Athena. As punishment for Aglaulus's greed, Athena asks the goddess Envy to make Aglaulus jealous of Herse. When Hermes arrives to seduce Herse, Aglaulus stands in his way instead of helping him as she had agreed. He turns her to stone.

With this mythic origin, Erichthonius became the founder-king of Athens, and many beneficial changes to Athenian culture were ascribed to him. During this time, Athena frequently protected him.

Medusa and Tiresias

In a late myth, Medusa, unlike her two sister-Gorgons, came to be thought of by the Classical Greeks during the 5th century as mortal and extremely beautiful and she was a priestess in Athena's temple. Poseidon, in the temple of Athena and Hephasteus, raped Medusa because he refused to let her vow of chastity stand in his way. Upon discovering the desecration of her temple, Athena changed Medusa's form to match that of her sister Gorgons as punishment. Medusa's hair turned into snakes, her lower body was transformed also, and meeting her gaze would turn any living man to stone. In the earliest of myths there is but one Gorgon and the only snakes were two wrapped around her waist as a belt.

In one version of the Tiresias myth, Tiresias stumbled upon Athena bathing, and he was struck blind by her to ensure he would never again see what man was not intended to see. But having lost his eyesight, he was given a special gift - to be able to understand the language of the birds (and thus to foretell the future).

Lady of Athens

Athena competed with Poseidon to be the patron deity of Athens, which was yet unnamed, in a version of one founding myth. They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and that the Athenians would choose the gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprang up; this gave them a means of trade and water —Athens at its height was a significant sea power, defeating the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis— but the water was salty and not very good for drinking. Athena, however, offered them the first domesticated olive tree. The Athenians (or their king, Cecrops) accepted the olive tree and with it the patronage of Athena, for the olive tree brought wood, oil, and food. Robert Graves was of the opinion that "Poseidon's attempts to take possession of certain cities are political myths" which reflect the conflict between matriarchal and patriarchal religions.

Counselor

Later myths of the Classical Greeks relate that Athena guided Perseus in his quest to behead Medusa. She instructed Heracles to skin the Nemean Lion by using its own claws to cut through its thick hide. She also helped Heracles to defeat the Stymphalian Birds, and to navigate the underworld so as to capture Cerberus.

In The Odyssey, Odysseus' cunning and shrewd nature quickly won Athena's favour. In the realistic epic mode, however, she largely is confined to aiding him only from afar, as by implanting thoughts in his head during his journey home from Troy. Her guiding actions reinforce her role as the "protectress of heroes" or as mythologian Walter Friedrich Otto dubbed her the "goddess of nearness" due to her mentoring and probing. It is not until he washes up on the shore of an island where Nausicaa is washing her clothes that Athena arrives personally to provide more tangible assistance. She appears in Nausicaa's dreams to ensure that the princess rescues Odysseus and plays a role in his eventual escort to Ithaca.

Athena appears in disguise to Odysseus upon his arrival, initially lying and telling him that Penelope, his wife, has remarried and that he is believed to be dead; but Odysseus lies back to her, employing skillful prevarications to protect himself. Impressed by his resolve and shrewdness, she reveals herself and tells him what he needs to know in order to win back his kingdom. She disguises him as an elderly man or beggar so that he cannot be noticed by the suitors or Penelope, and helps him to defeat the suitors. She also plays a role in ending the resultant feud against the suitors' relatives, although she seems strange to readers. She instructs Laertes to throw his spear and to kill the father of Antinous, Eupeithes. But she must have forgotten her task of bringing peace to Ithaca and wiping the thought of slaughter from the suitors' families, because she suddenly told them to stop fighting.

Roman fable of Arachne

The fable of Arachne is a late Roman addition to Classical Greek mythology but does not appear in the myth repertoire of the Attic vase-painters. Arachne's name simply means spider. Arachne was the daughter of a famous dyer in Tyrian purple in Hypaipa of Lydia, and a weaving student of Athena. She became so conceited of her skill as a weaver that she began claiming that her skill was greater than that of Athena herself.

Athena gave Arachne a chance to redeem herself by assuming the form of an old woman and warning Arachne not to offend the deities. Arachne scoffed and wished for a weaving contest, so she could prove her skill.

Athena wove the scene of her victory over Poseidon that had inspired her patronage of Athens. According to Ovid's Latin narrative, Arachne's tapestry featured twenty-one episodes of the infidelity of the deities, including Zeus being unfaithful with Leda, with Europa, and with Danaë. Athena admitted that Arachne's work was flawless, but was outraged at Arachne's offensive choice of subjects that displayed the failings and transgressions of the deities. Finally, losing her temper, Athena destroyed Arachne's tapestry and loom, striking it with her shuttle. Athena then struck Arachne with her staff, which changed her into a spider. In some versions, the destruction of her loom leads Arachne to hang herself in despair; Athena takes pity on her, and transforms her into a spider.

The fable suggests that the origin of weaving lay in imitation of spiders and that it was considered to have been perfected first in Asia Minor.

Cult and attributes

Athena's epithets include Atrytone (= the unwearying),  Parthénos (= virgin), and  Promachos (i. e. she who fights in front).

In poetry from Homer, an oral tradition of the eighth or 7th century BCE, onward, Athena's most common epithet is glaukopis, which usually is translated as, bright-eyed or with gleaming eyes.  It is interesting to note that glaux ("owl") is from the same root, presumably because of the bird's own distinctive eyes. The bird which sees well in the night is closely associated with the goddess of wisdom: in archaic images, Athena is frequently depicted with an owl perched on her head. This pairing evolved in tangent so that even in present day the owl is upheld as a symbol of perspicacity and erudition. Unsurprisingly, the owl became a sort of Athenian mascot. The olive tree is likewise sacred to her. In earlier times, Athena may well have been a bird goddess, similar to the unknown goddess depicted with owls, wings, and bird talons on the Burney relief, a Mesopotamian terracotta relief of the early second millennium BC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena

The Athena archetype: a deeper look

From Goddess Power

Extroverted and independent temperament--represents the goddess of wisdom and civilization--concerned with career, motivated by the desire for achievement, acquiring knowledge, she possesses a keen intellect, concerned with education, culture, social issues and politics. Athena is father’s daughter. She enters the male arena in the outer world. Athena is also known as one of the three Amazon women. (The myth of the Amazon women spoke of a society of fierce warrior women who lived entirely without men.) The story of her birth: she emerged, fully-grown, out of the Head of Zeus.

She is an androgynous ‘virgin’ goddess who develops a relationship with her own inner masculine part rather than partaking in marriage to an outer male. Her awareness is focused. She relates to men as intellectual companion with whom she shares ambitions, career goals, and ideals. If a primarily Athenian-type woman chooses partnership, she seeks one who possesses sufficient self-confidence and who will appreciate her ambition and autonomy.

The ancient Olympian Goddesses - a deeper look

Athena represents the feminine archetype for logical thinking -- as a woman, not as a man. Her virgin goddess energy can be deeply transformed or sublimated in highly creative ways. By nature the virgin goddesses are more self-directed, self-motivated, focused rather than diffuse in their thinking. She is goal oriented. As a result, virgin goddess types tend toward independence and autonomy more so than their partnership-oriented vulnerable goddess sisters.

    * To the Romans she was known as Minerva
    * Athena’s father was the Greek god, Zeus, who gave birth to her from his head. She sprang forth with a forceful shout and brandishing her sharp spear.
    * The Greek myth states Athena’s true mother was Metis, a Titan, belonging to the pre-Olympian race of deities of the matriarchal period suppressed by the later patriarchy. She was swallowed by Zeus--a metaphor for the matriarchal suppression.
    * Greek image of Athena - maiden with a sword and armor - tall and imposing - associated with violence and action
    * Athena’s true nature, however, demonstrated active concern for the well-being of the community/humanity. She was an activist against suffering and injustice.
    * The goddess Athena rejects sexuality, marriage and motherhood.
    * Athena punishes any man who spies on her naked body, yet with some compassion.
    * Seated beside Zeus, only Athena knows where the lightning bolts are hidden and how to use them.
    * Athena’s archetype is essentially youthful, idealistic committed to a higher purpose.

Challenges facing Athena

          o Finding her relationship to authority--will she dutifully uphold and promote the authoritarian, hierarchical fatherworld as status quo OR emancipating herself, she will she slay the father (symbolically) to become fully herself--overthrowing the father principle--paternalism--corporations, colonialism, oppression, suppression of the feminine principle and carry the torch for the well-being of humanity.
          o Athena has been split off from the mother function as a result of Zeus’s swallowing Athena’s mother (matrilineal society)-- Zeus is psychically at war with the mother principle; therefore, Athena is most out of touch with her need for warm, physical nurturing, attention to her instinctual and bodily needs, and unconditional love.
          o Athena’s strong identification with the fatherworld renders her prone to inherit the patriarchal fear of Dark Mother powers--not recognizing these powers as aspects of her own psychic make-up.

Athena’s dark side

Medusa - intimidating, critical, judgmental toward weakness in others, her air of authority and inapproachability keep others at an emotional distance.

Athena’s wound

Her heart -- out of touch with the two goddesses of love: Demeter, the maternal love, and Aphrodite, sensual love - Her masculine image concealing her vulnerable, underdeveloped inner feminine self--She is emotionally hypersensitive

Athena’s gift

Today, is to empower women’s contribute to the political, intellectual and creative life of our cities, therefore, elevating the integrity and quality of our civilization by bringing forth the qualities of the feminine which have long been suppressed.

Athena’s personality

          o As a child & adolescent:
                + Her nose is in a book.
                + Curious, seeking information, wants to know how things work
                + Daddy’s girl - he may cater to her astute intellect & her urge to achieve
                + She may enjoy educational toys like the microscope - science fairs.
                + She may sew her clothing or enjoy other crafts.
                + She tends to lack close female friends - may prefer platonic male companions.

          o As an adult woman:
                + Motivated by her own priorities rather than the needs of others.
                + Tends to live in her head - not very connected with her body/sensuality.
                + Focused thinking, practical, pragmatic, linear thinker - does things in moderation.
                + Not at all the flirtatious type.
                + A devoted and dependable friend.
                + Achievement oriented, she feels comfortable in fields dominated by men.
                + Career-oriented, ambitious, supportive (goes along with) the male-dominated status quo - manages herself well in the midst of male action/power.
                + Impersonal, rational - well in control of her feelings/emotions - she is able to work closely with men without falling into emotional or erotic entanglements.
                + Her libido is directed into mental, extraverted activities, striving for intellectual fulfillment (achievement is gratifying), creative leadership & decision-making
                + A woman with Athena archetype strong in her nature would be most fulfilled in a meaningful career in which she felt she was making a societal contribution; otherwise, she will tend to feel a sense of emptiness, lack of direction, lack of meaning.
                + As a mother, if she chooses this path, Athena would be less keen on the baby/ child years. She will enjoy an older child’s ability to speak intelligently so that she could engage with her/him in an adult manner regarding learning, goals, projects, and accomplishments.

http://goddess-power.com/index.htm

Exploring the archetypes: Athena

This series of posts is going to be both collections of all information about a particular archetype in one place as well as an ongoing exploration of the archetype, it's mythological history, relations with other archetypes, whatever comes up.


Athena in Myth: a synopsis

Athena was the great Olympian goddess of wise counsel, war, the defence of towns, heroic endeavour, weaving, pottery and other crafts. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with shield and spear, and wearing the snake-trimmed aegis cloak wrapped around her breast and arm, adorned with the monstrous head of the Gorgon.

The more famous myths featuring the goddess Athena include:

■Her birth from the head of Zeus, fully-grown and arrayed in arms;

■Her contest with Poseidon for dominion of Athens in which she produced the first olive tree and he the first horse;

■The War of the Giants in which she buried Enkelados beneath Mount Etna and made her aegis from the skin of Pallas;

■The attempted rape of the goddess by Hephaestus, who spilled his seed upon the earth and produced Erikhthonios, who she then adopted as her own;

■The assisting of Perseus in his quest to slay the Gorgon and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece;

■The assisting of Herakles with his twelve labors;

■The weaving contest with Arachne who was transformed by the goddess into a spider;

The blinding of Teiresias for viewing her naked in the bath;

■The Judgment of Paris in which she competed with Hera and Aphrodite for the prize of the golden apple;

■The Trojan War where she sided with the Greeks in battle, but attacked their ships with a storm when they failed to punish Oilean Ajax for violating her Trojan shrine.

http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Athena.html 


From the Library of Halexandria

Another of the virgin goddesses.  Athena was like Artemis, but in Athena’s case, her adaptation mode was identification with men -- she became like one of them.  She became, in fact, the “father’s daughter”, valuing rational thinking and standing for the domination of will and intellect over instinct and nature.  She was protector, advisor, patron, and ally of heroic men, ruled by her head rather than her heart, kept her head in the heat of emotional situations, was invulnerable, avoided emotional or sexual entanglements with men (but with whom she worked closely as companion, colleague, or confidante), she thrived in the business/academic/ scientific/military/political areas, knew the “bottom line”, went for the practical and pragmatic, not swayed by “unprofitable” emotions or sentiment, understood the value of having a mentor, expected two-way loyalty, Goddess of health, planed ahead, analytical, uninterested in feelings and people, an affinity for computerese, thought linearly and clearly, attention to detail, organized (er), accepted reality and adapted, attracted to powerful men (“power is the best aphrodisiac”) and usually chose her man (and planed his “capture”), deliberate rather than impulsive, lived in her head, lived for her work, and never a child (she was born an adult).  Her Medussa qualities manifest in her “ability to intimidate others and to take away the spontaneity, vitality, and creativity of people who are not like her.”  She enjoys the companionship of others, but lacks emotional intensity, erotic attraction, intimacy, passion, or ecstasy; thus spared the deep despair and suffering that may follow bonding with others or needing them.

http://www.halexandria.org/dward373.htm


Tarot Correspondences

Each archetype has two corresponding Tarot cards: one from the Minor Arcana, which shows the archetype at it's healthiest - it's the way we can manifest their power and energy. The corresponding card from the Major Arcana, on the other hand, is the divine gift of the spiritual realm that they're seeking to manifest through us.

Page of Swords

The Page of Swords has the mental outlook and philosophy of a child, and she is constantly fascinated with matters of the mind. This is not to imply by any means that she is childish and immature; indeed, she is probably the most mature and mentally developed of the four Pages. She may not realize her full power at the moment, but she knows how to use what he has discovered to the best of her ability. A person shown by the Page of Swords will have a good balance between mind and heart; her emotions will not rule her but she will not have to think over every single decision she makes. She is the ideal emissary or ambassador since she seizes and exploits all opportunities that arise. She quickly adapts to changing circumstances and is gifted with eloquent speech. Unlike some of the "older" Swords court cards, the Page always expresses her true feelings, though she is always able to camouflage his true intent if she wants to. When she decides to throw away diplomacy and call things like he sees them, prepare for a serious reality check. The Page of Swords uses her blade to cut straight to the heart of a matter, ridding the area of cobwebs and red herrings that might lure you astray. Her appearance is often a challenge, to expand your mind and look at things in new ways that you hadn't thought of before. If you have been unable to see all the aspects of a situation, the Page will show you how, and aid you in uncovering that which is less than obvious. Understand the problem that you face, and in the process of learning you will often find an answer. Expand your mind, learn how to do new things and have fun doing them. Seek out the truth, regardless of the consequences, and try to become more adept in the use of your mind.

Justice (XI)

Justice typically refers to the immutable laws of the Universe, the invisible principles that keep everything flowing forward smoothly through infinite causal chains. These are laws that cannot be violated; only enforced. And the sword of Justice, double-edged as always, is ready to mete out punishment for those who have wronged, and to reward those who have done good deeds. The two most important laws governed by Justice are really two sides of the same coin. First comes the law of cause and effect, stating that all events are connected and each present state is the result of all past states. From the law of cause and order develops the law of Karma, showing that all your actions will return to you eventually. Before Justice, you have to answer for all your actions, right and wrong. Life, if nothing else, is fair. You do not get what you expect, or even what you want - you get what you deserve. And since you cannot change your actions once they have been made, if you want good things to happen you must be constantly making choices that will lead to those good things. This card can personify the attitude of a good judge. You may wish to take on this attitude to solve a problem in your life. The archetypal judge shown by Justice is not the blind courtroom statuette, but a figurehead of fairness and authority. Be right and reasonable in all your judgments - never take sides, never show mercy but never show excessive severity either. And before you judge others you must be prepared to judge yourself, and ensure that you are not guilty of the same errors as they. Righting any wrongs in your past must be done before you can attempt to right wrongs in your present.

http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/index.html


Other Athena posts

The Athena archetype: an deeper look
Athena in myth
Archetypal relationships: Athena and Poseidon
Musings on Athena

Again, much of the above descriptions comes from The American Tarot Association, Goddess Power, The Library of Halexandria and from Wikipedia pages on the various tarot cards. All credit goes to them for their brilliant explorations of the archetypes and tarot cards. Make sure you check them out yourself and get their wisdom first hand (links are over there to the right.)