Riding the Hedge with Persephone
Overcome self-imposed or socially conditioned obstacles, clearing your path from self-sacrificing to self-governing, vulnerable to vanquisher.
The story of Persephone’s evolution plays out in two acts, Young Persephone and Persephone Returned. Young Persephone is guided and often misled by the naivety of youth. Sheltered from life’s truths and darkness, the Maiden lives in a world where life happens to her, others impose their will on her, and who she must be is decided for her.
Persephone is not weak, nor should those who view the world through her lens view themselves as such. The Maiden, much like Sleeping Beauty, is simply not awake, unaware of the vulnerable compliant state she places herself in as she slumbers. Young Persephone is a symbol of hope, innocent wonder, and openness and models the pitfalls of blind optimism, worldly unawareness, and naïve acceptance. Of course, there is a fine line between the two that many women must navigate. Where does compassion become codependence? Where does consideration become compliance? Where does a comfort zone become complacency?
Stuck somewhere between a nightmare and a dream, Young Persephone had to awaken. As such, before we take the first step along her shadow path, Persephone invites us to reflect on areas in which we favor the fairy tales we have been encouraged to believe over discomforting facts that threaten our roles as “good girls”, “good witches” or “wholesome women.”