Feet pounding the ground, adrenaline rushing through veins and senses peaked to perfection, Artemis storms the night with her charge of braying hounds, sister nymphs and animal minion. Pale and illusive like the New Moon, Artemis' starry raiment camouflages her nocturnal survey, making her an invisible, deadly predator focusing the unerring aim of her Olympian bow at those would would harm the vulernable. 1 Chillingly aloof and detached, Artemis' posture exemplifies her role as Nature incarnate, possessing the ability to destroy devoid of any emotion or to nurture with abandon any woman or animal in need. Symbols carved on figures associated with Artemis include spirals, whirls, chevrons (triangles), meanders (wavy lines), webs, snakes, doe/deers, wings, sun and a long slender neck. When grouped as a gestalt, Artemis' symbols convey the dynamic, transformative process of life, death and rebirth as well as the virginal state of indendence and wholeness within women who honor and embrace the ever-churning, creativity within themselves.2 The spirals, whirls and crystals signify the generative principles of transformation and becoming that are continually in motion, even when the process is uncelebrated or unknown. Artemis' water symbols including the meander, snake, web and chevron relate to the sacred moisture within women and earth that mysteriously creates life from a hidden dimension. Water glyphs paired with otherworldly wings and celestial circles are metaphorical for the Goddess' ability to connect the dimensions of earth, sky and water: the spiritual concept of "as above, so below." Artemis' association with does has Paleolithic origins that remain an important part of her lunar mythology.3 Traditional cultures' beliefs about death and rebirth established by the changing, yet predictable, moon phases were cemented by the annual loss and miraculous regrowth of doe antlers. Prehistoric wonderment about resurrection and renewal was enacted by Deer Priestesses wearing antler masks during ceremonial dances ritualizing Artemis as Goddess of the New Moon. 4 Doe statuettes found in ancient homes and shrines paid homage to Artemis' venerable role as "Nurse" or Life-Giver who guarded the health and continuity of families and clans.5 Birthing women called to Artemis during the pains of labor for respite and strength, hoping the goddess would soothe and calm their fears while quickening their instincts as mothers and life bearers. Maidens and teenage women worshipped Artemis' independence and ferocity, finding a role model for following their true desires rather than the conventions of the day. Animals were an important aspect of Artemis' mythological personna. Deer spoke to her illusive, tense, fleet-footedness while boars told of her wanton destructiveness. Bears communicated her extreme protectiveness and lionesses were envoys for hunting prowess and regal carriage. More than symbols, animals were Artemis and she was they, acting in unison as sacred guides and teachers to those worthy of being tutorted. Animals became her form and psyche as she danced in the night invoking Selene and Hecate to join her, acting as shawoman and bridge to the otherworld, where feelings and being existed unfettered.

Diana at Rest Copyright Ralph M. Larmann, MFA

Embodying a 30,000 year continuity of mythic expression, Artemis has been worshipped as the Life-Giving Bird Goddess, Goddess of the New Moon and Diana Nemorensis, tapping into humanity's intrinsic need for solitude within the wild woodlands and uncharted unconscious. Symbolized by her androgynous appearance, Artemis exudes the confidence and power derived from the alone or all one state that reconnects us with Divinity and Self.6 Bridging male and female, night and day, human and animal, moon and sun, psyche and spirit, Artemis creates and maintains the universal balance of complementary opposites. 7 Running wild and free through ancient forests, greening paths, and secret groves, Artemis' archetypal appeal as the quintessential free-spirit awakens and enlivens the instinctual nature dimmed by civilization and life outside of nature.8

Cultivating aspects of Artemis Diana - the Woman Warrior Spirit

Artemis represents the fierce independence of youth, running free and wild within forests and greening places. She is also Nature incarnate, the creative universal force that births the world from within herself. Artemis is a relevant, tangible model of inspiration for teenage women reminding them to stay focused on their own goals and dreams rather than being way-layed by the pressures of media advertisements and technilogical consumerism. Artemis calls to all women regardless of age or status charging us to join in sisterhood to save the planet, demand a healthy, safe world for our children and ourselves and to force legislation to defend and protect women worldwide from violence, repression and sexual exploitation. Bringing Artemis values into your life includes enjoying solitude, embracing creativity, loving yourself, fostering sisterhood, indulging femininity, inviting wildness, trusting intuition, nurturing strength, addressing injustice, protecting, watching and listening.

Researching Artemis symbology was fascinating. Marija Gimbutas' insight and ground-breaking archeological work; unparalled mythological exegeses of Anne Baring and Jules Cashford; and singularly unique descriptions and analyses provided by Jean Shinoda Bolen brought an ancient metaphor to life.

Follows are resources for investigating the strength of womenhood within ourselves:

Women's Rights and Activism

Women are joining together all over the world to better the planet and each other. Below are a few links of organizations and people who are all inspirations to women everywhere.

Gather The Women

The Millionth Circle

Awakened Woman: A Journal of Women's Spirituality

Starhawk

Bibliographic References

Before reading anything else about Artemis, treat yourself to Lost Goddesses of Early Greece: A Collection of Pre-Hellenic Myths by Charlene Spretnak. Spretnak offers wonderful, prepatriarchial versions of Greek goddess myths in additional to important commentary and information about goddess culture throughout history. Reading her book brought Artemis to life in the truest sense, peeling away layers of soap-opera drama and trivia that covered - but not completely - Artemis' real nature.

1. Baring, Anne and Cashford, Jules, The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image, Penguin Group, England: 1993, p. 324. Hunted and huntress two aspects of same goddess and necessary dimensions of life. Quoting Joseph Campbell, the authors explain that within hunting cultures, Artemis takes on responsibility and guilt of killing to maintain balance between need and murder in order to survive.

2. Gimbutas, Marija, The Language of the Goddess, Harper Collins: New York, 1989. Text relating to the significance of Artemis' Paleolithic symbology is taken from Gimbutas' groundbreaking work regarding Goddess-centered cultures. Fantastic details, artifacts and archeohistorical evidence explain Artemis' prehistoric role as the Life-Giving Bird Goddess.

3. Johnson, Buffie, Lady of the Beasts: The Goddess and Her Sacred Animals, Inner Traditions: Vermont, 1994, pp. 218-221. Artemis is often mistakenly associated with stags, which are male symbols, instead of does because of the Acteon myth (see below). Johnson points out that the association with does as rebirth symbols is more relevant because of the annual loss and regrowth of antlers among the reindeer and other species of cerivdae.

Walker, Barbara. The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Harper Collins Publishers: California: 1983, p. 233.

As Diana Nemorensis, or Queen of the Wood, Greeks concretized the myth of Artemis turning Acteon into a stag that is torn apart by his own dogs because he witnesses the goddess nude. By ritualizing his death through the rite of the sacrificial sacred marriage, the old king is killed then replaced by a younger in order to ensure the fecundity of Nature. This ritual sacrifice is a carry over of the prehistoric sacrifice of the corn god who is killed to propitiate the growth of crops.

I believe the practice of male sacrifice may be responsible for the swift destruction of Goddess worship by patriarchal, invading cultures.

4. Johnson, Buffie, Lady of the Beasts: The Goddess and Her Sacred Animals, Inner Traditions: Vermont, 1994, pp. 218-221.

5. Gimbutas, Marija, The Language of the Goddess, Harper Collins: New York, 1989, p. 317. Artemis' prehistoric role as "The Nurse" and protectress of young children has been symbolized by the doe, bird, snake and bear.

6. Goddesses In Every Woman Harper and Row Publishers: New York, 1984, pp. 49.

Jung, Carl G. and Von-Franz, M.I., Man and His Symbols, Dell Publishing: New York, 1968, p. 221. Describes the Self as symbolized by a stone or crystal and says that crystals often stand for the union of extreme opposites of matter and spirit.

7. Baring, Anne and Cashford, Jules, The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image, Penguin Group, England: 1993, p. 324. Penguin Group, England: 1993, p. 323.

8. Walker, Barbara. The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Harper Collins Publishers: California: 1983, p. 233-234. . Additionally, Artemis Diana was "assimilated within the Christian mythology as Mary's mother, or elder-self , Grandmother of God, Anna or Hannah."

For Jungian analysis of the Artemis archetype in woman, please read Bolen, Jean Shinola, M.D.. GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1984, pp 46-67.

Resources for further study

The Goddess Artemis

The Feminine in Jungian Psychology

Women in Cultural Anthropology

Women's Role in Human Evolution

Religion's Impact on Women

Feminine Spirituality

Goddess Mythology

© Copyright 2006 Paula Vaughan
Not to be reprinted without permission.