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The Virgin Goddesses

ARTEMIS

Artemis, as Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon and the Wilderness represents the independent feminine spirit.
Artemis is one of the Virgin Goddesses, as Jean Bolis describes,‘One-in-Herself’, representing a sense of wholeness within this archetype.
A woman with a dominant Artemis archetype is the woman who strives to take care of herself, to function on her own with self-confidence and an independent spirit which makes her feel whole without a man. She desires the need to follow her own course in life and is a lover of solitude, and can disappear without notice  into "the woods."

 

Positive Aspects of Artemis

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  • Courageous

  • Focused and intentional in meaningful work

  • Ambitious and resourceful

  • A protective energy

  • Sisterhood is meaningful to her

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Empowering qualities such as courage, concentration, and her initiative spirit make Artemis women often the leaders of important organizations and movements. She stands up and speaks out without fear of being rejected. Her strong sense for justice calls her into action of protection and rescue for those who need her help. Young girls and women in hardship often look to her for guidance and protection. An Artemis woman feels home in nature and loves exploring.

The Artemis archetypes is competitive and is usually good at athletic endeavors.
In her work and professional life, she must sense the personal value in the service and does not just feel fulfilled be commercial success. Artemis women have a strong sense for sisterhood and appreciate the company of other women.
 

Shadow Aspects of Artemis

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  • Emotional intimacy does not come naturally 

  • Often emotionally detached in pursuit of a goal (Places goal above relationships and connection)

  • Lacks empathy for others (can be merciless)

  • Can be offensive and hurt other's feelings unintentionally 

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How to integrate the shadow

 

If you find yourself leaning more towards the shadows sides of the archetype, here are some ways to shine light on those shadow aspects: 

  • Allow yourself to play vs. always being in competitive mode

  • Allow for flexibility within your fitness goals

  • Allow for present moment being vs always striving for more and future goals

  • Take a pause when you feel offended. Gain space around your reactivity

  • Hand out compliments to others in an effort to connect

  • Gain awareness around self sabotaging behaviors in relationship

  • Invite more aspects of the goddesses Hestia(mindfulness) and Persephone(playfulness)

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A lot of women I have coached over the years have taken on this "head down, do the work" mentality and it is important we acknowledge how some of these excessive qualities may not serve us in relation with others or being hard on ourselves.

In the Embodied Warrior Program we learn to develop a healthy relationship between the poles of excessive Artemis and not enough Artemis.

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How to initiate your inner Artemis

 

Maybe it's just the opposite, you need more courageous, driven behaviors and attributes to be implemented to make your life feel more aligned.
Here are some ways to do that:

  • Create a structured workout routine that pushes you beyond your normal level of comfort

  • Practice acting upon your intentions that come to mind. 

  • Decrease procrastination of tasks. If you say you're going to do it, then do it. 

  • Understand your desires and what you need to put action behind them.

  • Get very clear on your goals

  • Speak for what you believe in.

  • Have moxy and make bold decisions

  • Protect and support the ones closest to you

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If you read through this and have any questions regarding how you relate to this archetype and/or how these are incorporated into our Embodied Warrior program, submit your question below for more information!

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Artemis

ATHENA

Athena, is Goddess of Wisdom and Crafts.
Athena, like Artemis represents the independent feminine spirit.
Unlike Artemis, Athena has the ability to rule by her head and not by emotion.
Her logical, clearheadedness was a quality that allowed her to preside over strategy during battle.
The Athena woman thrives on strategy, practicality, and tangible results thinking.
The Athena woman values rational thinking, will, and intellect over instinct and nature.
Like the Artemis archetype, Athena women will focus on what matters to them, rather than on the needs of others.
Although Artemis and Athena both are virgin goddesses, the spirit of Athena is found in the city and she does not find the wild nature of Artemis to be meaningful on her pursuit of empowering the political, intellectual,and creative life within society.
The differentiating factor of Athena from the other two virgin goddesses (Artemis and Hestia) is that she is the virgin goddess who seeks the company of men.
Rather than separating or withdrawing from, she enjoys being in the midst of male action and power.

She sees the big picture even while assessing the smaller parts. She gifts us the ability to navigate complex situations with a level head. She is not prone to emotional outbursts that would cause others to crumble into the fetal position. Athena is present when we need to find order within life. She is a reminder that there is a need for some structure to life.

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Positive Aspects of Athena

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  • Rational

  • Intelligent

  • Physical Strength and the ability to protect and fight for your rights and those of of others.

  • Mediate between different groups, understanding both sides point of view

  • Communicates knowledge, experience and wisdom.

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The rational Athena never lost her head, her heart, or her self-control. She lived within what is called "The Golden Mean" and could not be overwhelmed by emotion or irrational feeling. She is never a victim of others or her emotions, but excessive Athena can lead to the "wearing of psychological armor."

I discuss below how the one-sided development may cut an Athena woman off from aspects of herself needed to grow.

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Shadow Aspects of Athena

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In general, she places importance on structure and organization for orderly flow of events, and the systematic application of clear principles of behavior.  She has a high ethical standard which is maintained consistently. 

When her fantasy of control, is taken to the extreme, it can be excessive.

The Athena archetype embodies the Warrior archetype. The shadow side of the Warrior reflects the need to win at all costs, abandoning ethical principals to prove your supremacy.

Excessive militant drive and heroic striving is an ego-building way of coping and may be a representation of an over-reactive fear of being disowned by her father.

By defending the patriarchal order, she imitates and continues her father's spirit. 

This is her shadow-self, the woman adopted into patriarchal service of powerful men in deep denial. 

The following are shadow sides of a woman in excess Athena:

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  • One sided existence- "lives for her work"

  • Lacks emotional intimacy due to her ability to spare herself of deep desire, despair, or suffering

    • wearing armor in relationship to other

  • Lacks empathy for others

  • Manipulates both sides to achieve their own personal agenda.

  • Stays above the instinctual feminine essence

    • Lacks connection to maternal ​or sexual instincts

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How to integrate the shadow

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If you find yourself leaning more towards the shadows sides of the archetype, here are some ways to shine light on those shadow aspects: 

  • Allow yourself time for art and craft to avoid becoming all consumed in your work

  • Allow the inner child to come forth-listen and imagine to others in wonder like a child

  • When an emotional moment comes forth, allow for receptivity and comfort from others

  • Play, laughter, crying, and hugging all help reconnect with the inner child

  • Learn and research the role of the matriarchal feminine values 

  • Gain awareness around self sabotaging behaviors in relationship

    • Understanding her "emotional armor" is something that can be taken off​

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A lot of women I have coached over the years have taken on this "think my way past my emotions" mentality and it is important we acknowledge how some of these excessive qualities may not serve us in relation with others or being hard on ourselves.

In the Embodied Warrior Program we learn to develop a healthy relationship between the poles of excessive Athena and not enough Athena.

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How to initiate your inner Athena

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Maybe it's just the opposite, you may be needing more Warrior spirit to help you to stand up for yourself and set firm personal boundaries. Her sage advice may be able to help you make some sense of the conflicting inner voices commenting on the issue. 

Athena can be a great stereotype to work with if you want to take control in your life, and wish to no longer play the role of the victim.
Here are some ways to do that:

  • Meditate using the prompt: "Help me to think clearly in this situation."

  • Seek leadership opportunities. Don’t change your behavior to adapt to what you perceive to be the norm.

  • You cannot expect to get what you want if you are not willing to promote your beliefs and communicate them often and with authority.

  • Recognize that failure is a part of exercising power. The question here is how should you react to your failures?

  • An appearance of power can be equally as useful as power itself. Consider how you project yourself to others.

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If you read through this and have any questions regarding how you relate to this archetype and/or how these are incorporated into our Embodied Warrior program, submit your question above for more information!

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Athena

HESTIA

Hestia, is the Wise Woman, Goddess of the Hearth & Temple.
Hestia is the last of the Virgin Goddesses along with Artemis & Athena whom represent the essence of the independent feminine spirit.
These virgin goddess had their own unique way and ability to focus on what truly mattered to them, without becoming distracted away from the needs of others or even by needing others.

In Latin, the word "hearth" means to focus.
This exemplifies one of Hestia's greatest strengths. Hestia had the ability to focus inward and radiate a warmth to others that represented a fire behind her atonement with self.

Unlike Artemis and Athena, who manifest their strengths externally to achieve goals and implement plans for change, Hestia's true strength is found when she moves internally.
Unlike Artemis who feels relieved when a task is completed, and Athena who feels a sense of accomplishment when a task is completed, the Hestia woman feels a sense of inner oneness when a task is completed, as if these tasks have given her the time and space to reconnect with her fire internally.

Hestia is the archetype that represent centeredness. Her ability to remain still and develop an inner sense of knowing in the stillness, allowed her to be grounded in the midst of chaos, disorder, and dramatic events around her.

When Hestia is present, there is a sense of inner wholeness.
She is not attached to people, outcomes, possessions, prestige, or power.
Her ego rarely suffers, if at all because her external identity (persona) isn’t important to her because she is not tied to external circumstances and happenings.

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Positive Aspects of Hestia

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  • A modest and gentle demeanor

  • Independent, autonomous, and focused on her inner spiritual world

    • ​She is able to enjoy her solitude, not in a just ‘here’ and ‘there’ whenever she can ‘grab a moment’ way,  but, truly enjoying being in her own company

    • She is not interested in ‘staying busy’ or ‘background noise’ to keep her from loneliness

  • Not seeking a relationship with a man to complete her

  • Hestia’s dignity and her rights as the eldest were often recognized; yet she used her role earnestly and she took little advantage of her position for power and she played a very minor role in drama

  • She feels whole as she is. Her ego isn’t on the line. 

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In today's society women who are more of a quiet presence, those who follow an internal (rather than an external) spirituality are sometimes misunderstood and viewed as "woo woo," “quirky," or a “loner.

These women who lack assertiveness and have a decreased focus on intellectual validation often feel like they don't have a place to fit in our fast-paced, competitive society. 

I discuss below how the one-sided development of a Hestia woman may cut her off from the aspects of herself needed to participate in life and fully express her true spiritual nature.

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Shadow Aspects of Hestia

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Because Hestia is a woman of internal wisdom, this archetype may be without a sense of how to interact with others and may cause a woman to feel lonely and isolated. She is the only goddess who was not represented by a human form, she was represented by the hearth so she lacked "image or persona" (aka ego). Given this lack of solidarity in form externally, Hestia struggles in romantic intimacy and/or conflict.   

 

  • Hestia may lack assertiveness and doesn’t speak up if she feels discounted or devalued

  • Pursuing efforts that are meaningless to her internal passions can cause burnout to this archetype.​

  • Due to the lack of persona, people who are "close" to her may not understand what they mean to her.

    • Her solitude can turn lonely if the people she cares deeply for are unaware of how she feels, her needs, and may end in her being alone.

  • The warmth that a Hestia woman has internally may seem impersonal and detached if it is not expressed in words or hugs.

  •  She isn’t passionate about political causes and to the external world, it may be viewed as a lack ambition.

    • S​he can be overlooked and devalued by the high achievers who only measure people by objective, external standards

    • This can be hard on her self esteem in today's society that is swayed to that type of social validation

  • She may feel misaligned and incompetent if she adopts the standards of others and applies them to herself.

    • This diminishes her internal flame  to but a spark

  • She loses her center when she becomes to engulfed in the intellectual life of too much logic and reasoning

  • Preoccupation with an emotional situation may keep her from feeling centered.

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How to integrate the shadow

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If you find yourself leaning more towards the shadows sides of the archetype, here are some ways to shine light on those shadow aspects: 

  • You will have to interact with others, make small talk, and be interviewed and assessed like everyone else in a competitive culture

  • You need to acquire an ability to be assertive

    • Understanding you can call on the strengths of other goddesses here​

    • You can use Hestia to provide and maintain an inner private way of being and then call to the goddesses like Artemis and Athena to provide an outer way of dealing effectively with the world.

  • You must let those close to you know that you care

  • You need to find a way back to wholeness through frequent acts of intentional solitude such as meditation, morning stillness, etc.

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Women I have coached over the years, even myself, have easily gotten caught up in the hyper masculine "doing" ways of society and have lost their ability to slow down and create a healthy internal environment with themselves.

"Being" and connecting with yourself becomes terribly uncomfortable if not fostered over time.

In the Embodied Warrior Program we learn to create intentional solitude through weekly contemplations.

We slow down and become intentional with our movement practice.

When we train from a place of developing wholeness between mind, body, and spirit vs just training to check a box, we are cultivating more Hestia.

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How to initiate your inner Hestia

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Maybe it is the slowing down and the oneness with self that you are craving, here are some ways to develop and cultivate your inner Hestia:

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  • Hestia flourishes in a spiritual community

  • Incorporate intentional solitude using meditation or breath work

  • Consider engaging a task that make you feel whole and grounded by simply by doing the task, not completing or accomplishing it

    • ​This could  be found in the quiet solitude and sense of order that comes from doing “contemplative housekeeping”

  • Consider your current reactivity and places where your ego is overcompensating for safety or validation. 

  • Make intentional time in your week for activities that get you out of your logical brain and make you feel spiritual

    • Getting outside​

    • Prayer

    • Play 

  • Ensure the standards set in your life are one's set by you

    • ​ Hestia women are not meant to be servant's of another’s needs or standards, nor oppressed by the clock

  • Focus on one task at a time, one area or one room at a time, whatever feels easily manageable in the time available

  • Consider increasing your space from the competitive workplaces as it does not reward Hestia women

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If you read through this and have any questions regarding how you relate to this archetype and/or how these are incorporated into our Embodied Warrior program, submit your question above for more information!

Hestia
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