According to Hesiod (Theogony 190), when Kronos had cut off his father's members, he tossed them into the sea. The immortal flesh eventually spread into a circle of white foam.... from this foam, Aphrodite was created. Her name literally means foam-born.
She was attended by Eros and Himeros when she was first born but when she stepped ashore on Cyprus she was "modest and lovely Goddess", since known as the Lady of Kypros.
Her gentle domain was intended to be "the sweetness of love" and "the whispering of girls" but her adventures, and the adventures of her children, caused as much misery and bloodshed as any of the immortals (except for Ares and Athena, they thrived on the sanguine).
Aphrodite, goddess of romance and passion, of fashion beauty and art, has captivated poets and painters for centuries. Known for her numerous affairs of the heart, as well as her willingness to help others find the love they seek, the stories of the Greek goddess Aphrodite reveal the awesome extent of her power.
Also known as the Roman goddess Venus, Aphrodite had one gift and one gift only . . . to make love. And that one gift was so special that no one seemed to resent her. While all the other gods and goddesses had lengthy lists of divine duties to perform, the goddess Aphrodite was assigned only one . . . to bring love into the world.
The goddess Aphrodite's irresistible touch transformed the lives of individuals and shaped the course of human history. Both playful and sophisticated, Aphrodite makes our world a livelier place.
Often the punishments rendered by the goddess Aphrodite, though severe, held important lessons embedded within them. These were lessons that sparked growth and ultimately improved the life or extended the vision of the person she was punishing, as in the case of Psyche.
The influence of the Greek goddess Aphrodite can be seen as generative, far beyond that of romance, love, or desire alone. She is associated with the life-giving sea. Just as the waves lapping on the shore refresh and renew the beach, Aphrodite brings us hope and the awareness of the transforming power of love and beauty.
Persona:
- Goddess of love and beauty - Represents the transformative power of love
- Generates erotic attraction and sensuality
- Represents creative woman
- Gives new life
- Represents one who is never victimized by males
- Chooses to enter into relationships
- Seeks intensity rather than permanence
- Values the creative process
- Goddess who drives us towards union and procreation
- Goddess who makes us feel in love with everything
- Embodies sexuality free of ambivalence, anxieties and self-consciousness
- Embodies the principles of attractiveness
- Lover, charmer, seducer
- Can be over-identified with beauty and promiscuity
- Can have difficulty in considering consequences
- Not into commitments
- Unable to work unless she feels love and passion for her work
- Will not work at a commitment; will leave when a relationship becomes too much effort
- Embodies the lack of self-control
- Has no prohibitions against pleasure or play
- Embodies the ability to give beyond patriarchal limitations and restrictions
"Act as if everything you think, say and do determines your entire life - because in reality, it does!"
