Up: [[Journeys]] Related: [[Greek Mythology]] Created: 2024-12-23 Udpated: 2026-06-07 Course: Descent to the Underworld with [[Alyssa Polizzi]] Persephone is the Greek goddess of life, death and resurrection. Her descent and return gives us the cycle of the four seasons and an understanding of growth, decay, death and rebirth. The story of Persephone’s transformation is the basis of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the ancient teachings and rites that promised initiates a blessed afterlife. ### Descent At the beginning of the story, Persephone has no name of her own. She is simply Kore, which means maiden. One day she wanders away from her companions to look at a particularly beautiful flower, and the earth opens up beneath her feet. She is seized by Hades, god of the underworld, who takes her down to his realm and the earth closes over them as if she were never there. Her mother, the goddess Demeter, turns the world around to make the gods bring Kore back home. Plants wither and nature dies. ### In the Underworld Kore becomes Hades’ queen. She is the only one who may overrule his judgment that sends people to the punishment pits of Tartarus, the ghostly wanderings of the Asphodel Meadows, or the eternal bliss of the Elysian Fields. She introduces the quality of mercy into the underworld and is named Persephone, She Who Shines in the Darkness, She Who Shines for All. Meanwhile, Demeter has negotiated for Persephone’s release. However, just as she is about to return, Persephone eats a few pomegranate seeds, food of the dead. So she now belongs to both worlds, and has to stay in the underworld for half of the year (fall and winter), then return to the upper world for the other half (spring and summer). ### What This Story Means for Our Descent - A forced descent is a forced confrontation with the unconscious. It is most likely a descent that comes from crisis such as trauma, loss, or illness. It is going to be overwhelming. - [[The Greek Underworld and the Unconscious are Similar]]. Eating the pomegranate seeds symbolizes integration of unconscious and [[Shadow]]. - It’s our time in the underworld, for us the unknown, that matures us and brings us closer to our essential selves. - Perceived deaths lead to transformation and rebirth - Persephone becomes a [[Psychopomp]], able to move between worlds. We too develop our ability to better interpret our dreams and know and integrate our shadows.