Goddess Archetype: Artemis

I’ve always had a connection with images of Artemis and the idea of bows and arrows – I’ve just never really been interested in doing any research on the matter. After completing this quiz in my 4SJ coursework I found that Artemis was one of the Goddess’ I relate to the most – coincidence? I did a quick look around on Artemis and what she stands for.
I mostly used this link as my reference.

Image by ArtemisiaSynchroma on Deviant Art (Click Image)

Basics

• Goddess of Nature and the Moon.
• Concerned with matters of the outdoors, animals, environmental protection, women’s communities.
• Practical, adventurous, athletic and preferring solitude.
• Childbirth.

Myths and Stories

• Artemis may have, early on, prior to later Greek patriarchal manipulation, been the Great Mother, triple in her power as Maiden, Mother and Crone. Artemis may likely be one of the oldest of all the Greek goddesses–belonging to the most ancient layer of human memory.
• Artemis’ mother was Leto, a nature deity who bore Artemis without pain. Artemis’ father was Zeus.
• Artemis, directly following her own birth–a newborn, herself, Artemis assisted as midwife to her mother, Leto, throughout a very difficult birth to her twin brother, Apollo. Artemis was subsequently considered a goddess of childbirth.
• Classic Greek historians, on the other hand, depict her as a virgin who never mothers a child of her own, shunning men and living in the forest on the fringe of the inhabited world.
• Mother of Birth and of Death/Huntress and taker of life – representing both the Light and the Dark side of the goddess’ nature.
• Makes sacred; solitude, natural and primitive living.
• Not flattered by or interested in male suitors. She turned one spying man into a deer and his hunting dogs, no longer recognizing him, tore him apart.

Weaknesses

• She tends to avoid her vulnerability in relation to others–hiding her emotional needs, even to herself.
• Artemis tends toward emotional distancing–difficulty trusting relationship.
• Growth for Artemis type woman is in developing her less conscious, human relationship side of herself.
• Artemis type needs rewarding and challenging goals toward which to strive, if Artemis is unable to find fulfilling self-expression in her life she will feel increasingly frustrated and depressed.
• Artemis women find that the non-stop presence of others hinders her presence to herself, therefore, requiring retreat into the solitude of natural world and offering reconnection to her inner self.

Strengths

• Self-directed, autonomous, focused consciousness.
• Her ‘masculine’ energy can be deeply transformed or sublimated in highly creative ways.
• Androgynous energy contained within converts to visions, mystical experiences, and a deep, enduring compassion for all of Nature.
• Solitary nature teaching her self-sufficiency & independence–prophesy, poetry, music, magic and healing.

Thoughts

I definitely relate to Artemis and what she represents. It should be very interesting to find out what she has to teach me over the course of the 4SJ.