Up: [[Journeys]] Related: [[Greek Mythology]]; [[Orphean]] Created: 2024-12-23 Updated: 2026-06-06 Course: Descent to the Underworld with [[Alyssa Polizzi]] Orpheus was mortal, the son of the muse Calliope. He was a musician, poet and prophet, whose lyre-playing and singing could charm anything from animals to rocks. A mystery religion was created around Orpheus. He was worshipped as a god of rebirth and a mediator between life and death. ### Descent Orpheus had a wife, a nymph named Eurydice, who was bitten by a snake and died. He made a choice to descend to the underworld to bring her back. ### In the Underworld Orpheus used his music to successfully charmed Hades, god of the underworld, who granted Orpheus permission to take his wife as long as he vowed not to look back at her until they’d arrived back in the land of the living. They almost made it, but Orpheus looked back, and Eurydice was lost again. Hades obviously didn’t believe in second chances. Those Greek gods were tough! ### What This Story Means for Our Descent - An intentional choice to face our unconscious comes when we feel we have lost something that is vital to us. - By playing the lyre, Orpheus is using creativity to bridge between the two worlds. We too can tap into emotional expression of any form to help us navigate our descent and our time in the unconscious. - Just because we’ve chosen to descend, doesn’t mean we’re in charge of what happens. The rules are different, and the limitations are real. We have to have faith that the attempt to descend will transform us, even if our goal isn’t fully met. #Photo ![[Orpheus and Eurydice.webp#outline|400]] Orpheus and Eurydice returning from the underworld, artist is unknown