30 Days of Aphrodite: Day 4 - April 4, 2021

30 Days of Aphrodite: Day 4 - April 4, 2021 2:12 PM / Jessie

Which of her myths is your favorite?

Technically it’s still her Born from Sea Foam myth however I’ve already spoken about that the last time I did this challenge which basically boils down to me loving how Aphrodite is born not just from sea foam but also blood, vengeance, and violence. I feel it really symbolizes how multifaceted Aphrodite truly is.

To keep this challenge fresh and bring new thoughts to the discussion I’m going to choose a different myth. One that I’ve grown fond of recently and has become a lot more important not only to my devotion to Aphrodite but my overall self-development. And that myth is the Adonis myth.

The story itself is not where I find inspiration, but more what the myth itself represents and what grew from it. As someone who has a lot of shadow around expressing my emotions thanks to past traumas the Adonis myth represents the freedom to express your grief, your pain however way you wish. Aphrodite’s mourning for Adonis was not subtle, it was not quiet, it was not private, and it was completely unapologetic (how she does everything to be quite honest). Her vulnerability flowed through her like her love does. She did not shield herself or hide herself away. She embraced it all even though it was uncomfortable and even though others might not understand. She did not care. She fully accepted and expressed her pain the way she needed to.

The festival attached to the myth, Adonia, is equally as inspiring to me as a celebration of the emotions especially the ones society often deems as “ugly” or “unacceptable”. However, I wont get too into Adonia at this time since there is a question later in the month asking about festivals.

A smaller reason I enjoy this myth is that it connects Aphrodite not only to Persephone but The Underworld in general. Of all the people she could have asked and all the places she could have hidden Adonis she chose Persephone, and she chose The Underworld. I personally find that significant and I see it as evidence that Aphrodite has an association with death and The Underworld.