There Is Something I’ve Always Been Drawn To About The Story Of Hades And Persephone From Greek Mythology.The

There is something I’ve always been drawn to about the story of Hades and Persephone from Greek mythology.The unlikely union of such light and dark is so fascinating to me.

I also think it speaks to a universal truth, regardless of your spiritual or culture orientation. The story speaks of the few knows of this world; death, life, the power of women to create life, and the phases of all living things. Many people view life as opposite to death, but here they are brought together.

Also here is a maiden, mother, crone representation as well. Persephone embodies all 3; the maiden when Hades falls for her, a mother down the line, and a crone like figure as queen of the underworld. Or alternatively, Persephone as the maiden, Demeter as the mother, and Hades even as the crone figure. This too speaks to the universal nature of this story and the elements within it.

I believe that if you look deeply, you begin to see that across cultures the same energies are represented and manifested in different forms. I believe the same is true here, and in that way I view Persephone, Brigid, and many other goddess associated with Spring to be born of and embody the same power and spirit. Hades himself also has counterparts in other cultures, the first to come to my mind is Odin with his horde of the dead in Valhalla much like Hades with his underworld.

I think too for me, Persephone addresses a strange feeling and experience of being in love with this world but also very drawn to death. She is quite and interesting and complex figure and I believe one who can have a lot to teach us on appreciating life and embracing death. For without one another, each has no meaning on it’s own.

“Death is not the worst thing. It is His gift to us, and end to want and pain. On the day that we are born the Many-Faced God sends each of us a dark angel to walk through life beside us. When our sins and our sufferings grow to great to be borne, the angel takes us.”–George R.R. Martin, A Feast for Crows.