Atremis's Green Journey - the next bit

D. Beyond the cave and the pool, Artemis joins up with her Yellow Zone strategies. The Oceanid nymph Nephele (Cloud) (Sleep) from #C gets some help from the Pleiades. These 7 sisters are oreads - mountain nymphs - and Atlantide nymphs (their mother was an Oceanid, and their father was Atlas) and companions of Artemis. They eventually become stars, but for this journey they are still on Earth with Artemis, and are waiting for her beyond the pool.

I'm going to use some of my favorite illustrations from Liga Klavina-Raiska for the Plieades (the illustrations are not of the Pleiades, just some of my favorites of Liga's work) and they will represent the following nighttime strategies:

Maia (the oldest, the month of May was named for her)
 - slow videos (like liziqi)

Taygete (mistress of animals) - tapping

Kelaino (dark one) - making lists in my head

Alkyone (seabird) - sleep music

Sterope (lightning) - body scan

Electra - warm blanket, heating pad

Merope (youngest, faintest star) - slow read

E.  The Amnisades, Artemis's 20 river nymph handmaidens, are a few posts further on, and they will represent de-escalation strategies.

F. Farther down the river Artemis and her companions come upon a small lake where the Hyperboreans wait. Hyperborea is a country far to the north of Greece, a land of ice and snow, probably NE Russia/NW Asia. There are 7 hyperboreans named, and in this journey they represent my family.

Leto.   Image: Kinuko Y Craft, (Artemis)

Leto is the mother of Artemis. She came from Hyperborea with a pack of wolves when she was pregnant with Artemis and Apollo. She represents my own mother in this journey. Artemis often visits her mother, as do I.

Eileithyia     
Image: Liga Klavina-Raiska, (Chamomile Tea Girl)

Eileithyia is a goddess of childbirth, who came from Hyperborea and helped Leto deliver her twins. She lives at the mouth of the Karteros River and represents my youngest sister, who is a doctor. She is often with Leto when Artemis visits her mother, as is my sister when I visit my mom. Artemis is also a goddess of childbirth, so I'm sure they had lots to talk about. And my sister LOVES chamomile tea.

Three hyperborean nymphs, daughters of Boreas the North Wind, were Artemis's archery handmaidens. "The goddess [Artemis] leapt out of her car [to bathe in a river]; Oupis took the bow from her shoulders, and Hekaerge the quiver; the daughters of Okeanos(Oceanus) took off the well-strung hunting nets, and another took charge of the dogs; Loxo loosed the boots from her feet.":

Oupis (take aim).

 She represents my oldest daughter.

Loxo (the shot)    Image: inorheona.tumblr.com, (Artemis and Apollo)

, 

Fierce 'Loxo' has just taken her shot in this picture, and she represents my youngest daughter in this journey.

Hekaege (hitting the target)   Image: Benedetta Capriotti, (Artemis, the hunt for the hunters)

Look at that face, you just know she is pleased to have hit the target, lol. She represents my other sister in this journey.

I have two men in my family, so they will be represented by these Hyperborean animals:

Predannost (loyal) - Griffin

Image: Maija Karala. (Protoceratops dinosaur bones in Mongolia perhaps gave rise to the mythical griffin): 

He represents my husband, strong and loyal. Davat (to give) for short, he is at my side to protect me and help me when needed. He has given of himself to all of his family and will do anything for us.

Volodomyr (Prince of Peace) and Damir (to give peace)   Image: Tatyana Chernova (Winter is Coming)    

Volodomyr is the wolf and represents my son, who is chill and able to charm every old lady he meets. He was able to talk to everyone at school and not be drawn into the drama of cliques. He is introspective and quiet and happy to talk.

Damir is my other son. This picture ties us all together - Davat is to give, and Volodya is my husband's real Russian name. Vladimir is my son's real middle name and means Ruler of Peace. Damir is the real middle name of my youngest son. He has always been represented by a white dove because he was stillborn. In this picture, he is a snowy owl. He gave us peace and hope as well as sadness. Tatyana is the real Russian name of my oldest daughter. And Kira (sun/light) is the Russian name of my youngest daughter. 

I have learned in the last few years that I can depend on my family to help when I need it. I used to think I couldn't tell anyone anything, and that I couldn't burden people with my problems. Now I know that I can let them know if I'm struggling and they can help.

My next step after accepting emotions is to connect, something I have to work hard at. This month it has been easier. My research gave me this lead - find something you both enjoy and start conversations about that. I have managed to find something with my oldest daughter - crystals. And with my son - history. During Covid I started phoning my sister regularly - I will start doing that again. And I am doing crafts with my youngest sister and having lunch with my Mom more often. I spend a lot of time with my husband driving/commuting which is giving us more time to talk than ever before. So I just have to find something for my youngest daughter and I will have connected with my family. Now I just have to make sure I keep it up!

Artemis's Green Journey - the beginning.

Persephone has been helping Artemis in the Yellow Meadow as she struggles with the dogs. The green journey replaces the old orange and red zones. 

A. It starts with Britomartis. The dogs have led Artemis deeper into the mountains of Crete, and near Gortyn, Britomartis stops Artemis from going any further. The dogs are out of control and they scatter into the hills, all except Philo, who goes everywhere with Artemis and keeps her safe.

Britomartis       Image: Helena Nelson Reed, (Goddess Ostara). 

Britomartis is an oread (a mountain nymph, a dryad from a pine tree), a Minoan goddess of hunting and fishing on Crete who invented the hunting nets used for hunting small game, fowl and fish. Her association with fishermen, sailors, harbours and navigation is translated to Artemis and Athena on Crete, and ties them to Triton and Poseidon. Britomartis was beloved of Artemis and they spent their days wandering the hills and hunting. She is generally portrayed holding small animals. She is also called Dictynna, as she leapt off of Mt. Dicte and into the sea to escape the attentions of King Minos, who pursued her for months. In the green journey, she is Donna, my counselor. When things progress beyond the Yellow Meadow and I become consumed with fear, then she will help me navigate this next part.

B. Britomartis takes Artemis to the Neraidospilios cave.

Image: Athena Glaukopis, Thalia Took.

The cave is the home of Athena Tritogeneia, a goddess with startling blue eyes (from Poseidon and Triton) and ties to an Egyptian goddess. The cave and gorge have natural springs and still supply water to the port city of Heraklion and other towns/villages with the Astraki aqueduct. Athena is one of the 7 goddesses that represent different parts of women in the book my goddess project is based on - Athena represents the business part - clever, strategic, ruthless, patriarchy, hierarchy, career orientated. I hadn't found a way to use that side before, and I didn't really want to. I think I've been trained to view that as undesirable. We had opposite teams in my family. I was on my Mom's team - hippie farmer, and against my Dad's team - logical scientist. In order to be on my Mom's team, I had to find business and careers as negative, unethical, greedy, etc. However, Athena Tritogenia is based on Neith, an ancient Egyptian creation goddess (always pictured with a bow and arrow as she is the patron of hunting), much like Kali. Mother Nature in all her awesomeness, the circle of life with creation and destruction. Fierce / caring / ruthless - all at once. That got my foot in the door, and now I'm learning to see Athena's traits in myself as something positive.

Neith
Image: Noxiihunter, deviant art (Bastet Huntress)

I did a tarot reading for the new moon a couple of days ago. A new moon means a new lunar cycle is starting. My first card was to give insight on the path I am on as I cycle through the seasons. I chose from Maia Toll's Bestiary Oracle Deck and the cat came up, which says "I am worthy". It is all about how cats don't ask, they just know they are worthy; the artwork is Egyptian as the Egyptian goddess Bastet was all about worshipping cats; and the mountain lion observes and then combines knowledge with action. My goddess project has "I am worthy" as one of its steps so a very timely card.

Athena Tritogeneia becomes my 'voice of reason', the way I make lists and spend so much time preventing bad consequences, the way I try to read everything I can, the way I seek knowledge from everywhere. This project will help me use my Athena side to apply the knowledge I have been collecting for years. Athena will help me strategize a plan to get out of the gorge. I will try having Athena use WISE MIND instead of being overwhelmed by out-of-control emotions all the time.

Athena / Neith / Kali stop Artemis in the middle of her running in circles, they make her notice her cues (constant anxiety, PTSD, super emotional, quick to tip, feeling like I can't do this) and make her stop ignoring her stress. They send out courage, stability, fierceness, and worthiness. The picture of Kali below shows her riding a lion, a symbol of power and of anger, something that she can help control. Shiva, her consort, is under her foot. Kali had been rampaging out of control, finally he put himself in her way. She started to calm down once she noticed that she was hurting him, her tongue is out as an expression of her embarrassment and remorse. Kali's presence means she is forcing me to face what is happening and to do something about it, instead of ignoring it. The more I ignored Artemis's struggles, the more desperate I became and I made desperate decisions. Ignoring her distress hurt me and everyone around me. 

Athena is Artemis's sister and they spend time together in the myths. Athena will accompany Artemis on her journey through the gorge.

C. Outside the cave is a pool where Artemis returns to her green zone supports - Persephone has brought everyone from the green and yellow zones, and they wait for her here. Of her 60 oceanid companions, the ten nymphs who are mentioned in myths are Nephelai, cloud/rain nymphs (they brought water up to the sky so it could rain down) and here they represent the self-care strategies that need to be paid attention to every day:

Phaino (Shine) - is 'spreading your light by helping others'. Image: Kinuko Y. Craft.

Ianthe (Heat) - relaxation (heating pad, tea, hot shower, cozy nest, . . . ) Image: Kinuko Y. Craft, (Pandora).

Phiale (pouring water from bowl) - eating well, taking meds and supplements, brushing teeth.
Image: Josephine Wall, (Water of Life).

Leukippe (Fast White Clouds) - exercise, walks. Image: Josephine Wall, (Cloud Surfing).

Crocale (Seashore) - nature. Image: Frank C. Pape.

Psecas (Rain Shower) - drink water. Image: Ana Miralles.

.

Rhanis (Rain Drop) - social - do things with others. Image: Emily Balivet, Sisterhood of the Silk Road from my Mystical Sisters Oracle Deck.

 

Nephele (Cloud) - Sleep

Hyale (Crystal) - Mystical hobbies, art, creating, projects. Image: Winter Fairy, KirTat.

Elektra (Light thru Mist) - habit trackers.   Image: Arthur Rackham, Rainbow Goddess.

Here also, the dogs return. They are rambunctious and naughty, but they have calmed down a bit now that Artemis has more help. Just knowing that there is a plan is helpful.