Mythology and Moussaka
"Athena always, always has a plan." Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson author)
It has now been over three months away from home. I’ve enjoyed the freedom, pace and curiosity of travelling alone. It was a heart-snap spending the past few weeks re-engaging with friends and family in Greece.
It was a time rich in conversation, culture, food, wine and laughter - and at the same time, all inspiration to write evaporated.
I now find myself in a log cabin by a fishing lake in the Cotswolds with time to recharge the battery, explore more of ancient England, reconnect with my inner life and the desire to write has returned. Phew!
Athens moves something within me, it is a city with archetypes and narratives that transcend time.
Hot wind, hot sun and hot roads greeted my arrival from Amsterdam on a Sunday afternoon. I headed straight for the sweaty hotel rooftop, inhaling a cold margarita with smoked rosemary and gaped at the Acropolis as it reflected the last sunlight of the day.
I’d planned four days and nights to wander the plaka and acropoli neighbourhoods, museums and markets of this ancient city. I wove my way through timelines to deepen my understanding of Greek history and mythology. It inspired deeper self-understanding of my own archetypal themes and philosophies.
Archetype : an original blueprint, or model, of something before it develops.
As I wandered the backstreets I was drawn to the craft of leather sandal makers. The simple pleasure of a well made pair of leather sandals, cut on an archetypal pattern that has been used for millennia to avoid scorched feet. I bought a pair of gold leather sandals in preparation for the party plans ahead.
Archetypes are personal and universal and still find relevance in modern life.
Goddesses are mythical and their wisdom was honoured and celebrated by the ancients. Their ideas, characteristics and patterns of being and behaving resonate for me the older I get. Exploring their stories, correspondances and places was riveting.
On a hot Monday evening I spent four hours walking mythological Athens. Penelope, an archeologist and expert tour guide, peeled back the city’s layers and revealed where and how the spirits of gods and goddesses were embodied in daily life for ancient Athenians.
Athena, the motherless goddess of wisdom, courage, civilization, heroic endeavour, law and justice, mathematics, skill, strategy, art and crafts. I adore her essence. She fought to be the protector of Athens and her name lives on. I gazed at her statue for a very long time - channelling her poise, mental clarity and fierce commitment to intellectual and artistic pursuits.
Artemis, the competitive goddess of the hunt, wilderness, childbirth, virginity, the moon and archery. During midlife Artemis encourages us to take our independent feminine spirit and the ‘hunt’ inward - to explore the hidden aspects of ourselves. Honouring her as the moon goddess, I soaked up the full moon rising over the Acropolis, on my last full day alone for while.
I spent my final afternoon in Athens with Maria, a passionate feminist archeologist and storyteller. My expert guide to the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore (Persephone) at Eleusis.
We drove out of Athens on the The Sacred Way, an age-old road walked by initiates into the Eleusinian Mysteries. For nine days every September up to 3000 people, exclusively Greek speakers but inclusive of women, men, slaves, nobles - participated in mysterious ceremony and sacred rites to honour Demeter, the goddess of the harvest and agriculture.
Eulesis is also the mythological site where Hades kidnapped and raped Demeter’s daughter Persephone - the goddess of spring and Queen of the Underworld.
Persephone, I think of her as my rock and roll goddess, spent half her life in the underworld as I spent half of mine in the shadows of the music industry. I paused to remember my own, and that of so many women through the ages, pain and vulnerabilities. With the bonus of an exceptional in situ air conditioned museum (and only 100 visitors a day) it was a powerful, magical place and worth the effort.
Hera is the goddess of marriage, women and family, so it was fitting to meet up with my husband where it is believed she was born - Samos Island.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, pleasure and food, drink and long ocean swims was our muse for a week of local greek food, sweet Samos wine and beach time.
Hermes, the messenger of the gods and protector of travellers is my favourite archetype of the male gods. As the god of communication (and winged sandals) he was close at hand as I merged my broad accented voice with scores of other Australians. We had all descended on Karlovasi for food, drink and dancing to celebrate a dear friend’s significant birthday - I wore my gold sandals.
High up in the mountains of Samos Island, is a series of caves that have water, space and ventilation. They’ve been occupied by humans, in one way or another, for thousands of years.
It is believed Pythagoras retreated there for “about two years” in solitary exile to think, meditate and work on his theories of philosophy, maths, music, astronomy, astrology and magic. (Sidenote : he is also credited with “inventing” the tarot cards for divination.) Monks moved there in the Middle Ages followed by 1000s of hermits - although how do you remain a hermit when living with a thousand other blokes ?
We climbed stairs and scrambled up rocks and marvelled. The deep knowledge of history and storytelling by our local guide, Giorgos Mattheau, made this a highlight of our visit to Samos.
Leaving Samos early in the morning to connect through Athens back to Heathrow an epic heatwave started. It was to escalate into terrible fires, raging as I write. I am reflecting a lot on the climate emergency and hardening my personal resolve for urgent action - Athena and Artemis are close at hand.
Reading - Goddesses in Everywoman, Powerful Archetypes in Women’s Lives by Jean Shinoda Bolen, MC and Talking to My Daughter, a Brief History of Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis
Eating - very obsessed with fresh Greek yogurt for breakfast, lunch and desert.
Next - These streets will make you feel brand new / Big lights will inspire you / Hear it for New York, New York, New York! Empire State of Mind JAY-Z, Alicia Keys
#walkon2023 Step Count - accumulative total steps 936,944 (as at 24 July 2023)
Love this. And the photos. Can you imagine the stories those cages could tell?
Ancient Greece is fascinating. I can remember Anna telling me about Greek sculpture when she was learning about it in Grade 8 art. Apparently no other culture has perfected the skill of Greek sculpture, or something like that.