ARTEMIS

Goddess of the Hunt
and the Crescent Moon

from Sacred Source

In honor of She who is leading me through this journey.
Dedicated to Luna and my Goddess Sisters of the White Moon

Project Created by Teri / AspenCross

© All original material in this site is under copyright protection
and is the intellectual property of the author.

Historical Myth.

Artemis was born from the union of Zeus and Leto and was the twin sister of Apollo. She was worshipped in ancient Greece as the Goddess of the Hunt, of Childbirth and of the Moon.

Zeus was married to Hera and when Hera learned of the affair between Zeus and Leto, she was so overcome with jealousy she sent the serpent Pythos to follow Leto all over the world. She vowed that Leto would not be allowed to give birth in any place the sun shone. Leto came to the island of Ortygia and she gave birth to Artemis in a cave. As soon as Artemis was born she helped her mother across the straits to Delos and there she assisted with Apollos's birth. Leto did not have any labor pains when giving birth to Artemis and because Artemis assisted with Apollo's birth, women in ancient Greece would pray at her temple during pregnancy in order to have a painless and safe birth.

Leto took Artemis to meet her father, Zeus, when she was three years old. Zeus was so taken with his little Goddess Daughter that he granted her any presents she wished. "Pray give me eternal virginity; as many names as my brother Apollo; a bow and arrow like his; the office of bringing light; a saffron hunting tunic with a red hem reaching to my knees; sixty young ocean nymphs; all of the same age, as my maids of honor; twenty river nymphs from Amnisus in Crete, to take care of my buckskins and feed my hounds when I am not out shooting; all the mountains in the world and lastly, any city you care to choose for me, but one will be enough, because I intend to live on mountains most of the time." 1

The ancient Greeks worshipped three virgin goddesses, Artemis, Athena and Hestia. These three goddesses were complete within themselves. "...[V]irginity symbolized autonomy and independence, freedom to take lovers or reject them. Virgin meant one-in-herself, to be true to her own nature and instinct..." "The virgin forest is not barren or unfertilized but rather a place that is especially fruitful and has multiplied because it has taken life into itself and transformed it, giving birth naturally and taking dead things back to be recycled. It is virgin because it is unexploited, not in man's control." 2

Associations & Symbols.

Artemis knew at the young age of three exactly what she wanted and needed. She asked her father for gifts that would make her free from the demands and constraints of man and would enable her to remain a virgin goddess. Zeus granted her all her wishes. The gift of eternal virginity is the wish to always remain true to oneself. The arrow represents wishes or actions and the bow is a symbol of the new moon, representative of intuition. Her wishes and every day actions come from an intuitive level instead of logic.

The moon is a symbol of Artemis and her time is the new moon. In ancient rituals, the priestesses devoted to her wore white, clay masks to represent the presence of the Moon and Artemis in their lives. They would perform a bear dance at the time of the new moon since the bear was sacred to Artemis as she could be as protective as a mother bear but if one of her devotees was attacked she became as fierce as a bear.

She lived in the woods and guarded nature by day and hunted at night. She is strong, independent and fierce. Artemis is the spirit of the wild woods and her magic is in being true to herself and makes no apologies or excuses to anyone. If you just ask, She will give you guidance, straight and swift as an arrow.

She is a maiden Goddess, and she is also the many-breasted mother Goddess who guards women giving birth. She is the huntress and the guardian of all animals. She travels with nymphs, and she is also the symbol of solitude. Artemis is the symbol of freedom, she is always changing just as the moon changes each night. She is known as a healer, a midwife and helps those overwhelmed. Artemis was called Diana by the Romans, the ancient Lady of the Beasts and Goddess of Light. Diana was responsible for anything young and vulnerable. She was also a goddess of solitude and Goddess of the Crescent Moon.

from Sacred Source

Any woman who has wanted a room of her own, feels at home in nature, is complete without a man, appreciates solitude, has a kinship with Artemis. She is an awesome force. I have discovered that she is quick to act. She is guiding me into uncharted territory with great intensity. There is no turning back.

Ritual.

Ritual to Artemis
to be performed at the New Moon
by Teri / AspenCross

Intent: Strength, confidence, courage to be who I am

If possible, perform in the mountains. 

Set up the ritual space:
Place the altar in the center of the circle. 
I will place my altar facing the north.
On the altar place some item to represent the Goddess. 
Anything that represents the Earth will work. 
(Artemis is a very earthy goddess.)
Drinking water
Your Goddess candle
Place three candles in colors that represent strength, 
confidence and courage.
(I am choosing red, green and black.)
Incense: Mugwort - sacred to Artemis
Something to cast the circle with, if you choose.
Place candles in the four directions.

If performing at home, take a cleansing bath. 
If in the mountains, use a stream or a bottle of water 
you have brought for this purpose.

Cast the circle.
Light the Goddess candle.
Call the directions as you light the candles.
Light the incense.

Artemis, Lady of the Crescent Moon
I come to you on this, the New Moon
to ask for the strength, courage and confidence
to be me. 
I am tired of being whatever someone else
thinks I should be. 
I know what is best for me.
I know what is true for me.
I know I am buried deep from all the years
of neglect.
I can feel me. I am ready, the labor is starting
I am waiting to be born.
With your guidance and your assistance,
I can be delivered. 
I know you will make it as painless as possible.
I have the strength. I have the confidence and I have 
the courage.

Meditate upon who you are, who you want to be, what 
attributes, qualities you admire in others. 
If you admire this in others, it is in you. 
They are mirroring for you. It is just buried. 
Ask Artemis to help bring it forward.
What has been imposed on you by others? 
Ask Artemis to take these away.

Raise energy by whatever means you are most comfortable with. 
I am choosing to perform a bear dance. 
I am going to envision myself as a she-bear. 
Fierce and strong. Growl like a bear. 
Let all the tension, anger, bitterness anything you 
don't want to diminish with each growl. 
Dance around the circle envisioning yourself as a bear. 
Raise the energy, fill it with all your frustrations! 
Growl, become fierce. Let yourself out. When you feel ready, 
release the energy, knowing with each passing minute, 
you are becoming true to yourself.

Ground the excess energy. Drink water. 

Artemis, I thank you for your strength.
I thank you for my birth.
I am strong.
I am confident.
I am courageous.
I am Me!

Extinguish the Goddess Candles.
If possible, leave the three candles on the altar burning.
Thank the elements and extinguish the candles.
Open the circle and celebrate your birth!

References.

1 The Greek Mythos; Robert Graves
2 The Once & Future Goddess; Elinor W. Gadon

Other Resources:
Conversations with the Goddess; Agapi Stassinopoulos
Goddess for Every Season; Nancy Blair
Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and Moon; Manuela Dunn Mascetti
Maiden, Mother & Crone; D.J. Conway

Thank you, Emer, for allowing me to use your works of art in my project.
All my sisters definitely need to check out this site:
http://members.spree.com/SIP1/emergraphiks (no longer active)

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