The 4 Tasks of Aphrodite
I am absolutely in love with this process of understanding myself. In my latest finding with the Goddesses In Everywoman by Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, I came across the four tasks of Aphrodite. This is a Jungian theory that relates to the mythology of Aphrodite and the goddess Psyche.
Psyche in an attempt to reconcile her relationship with Eros goes to Aphrodite for submission. Aphrodite gives her four tasks.
Now let’s step back for a moment and go beyond the mythology of submission to another, and reclaim the powerful thought that all that we do for others must be served in the highest reverence to the self.
To put it simply… until we are able to give ourselves what it is we need we will never be successful in giving it to others. When we are strong in our identity and self we make the world much more accessible to our dreams, desires, and purpose.
As we move from the age of the masculine (patriarchy) into the time of the feminine (matriarchy) we shift into a more nurturing, receptive, intuitive collective experience. Where mutual aid, community, and ceremony become the forefront of our experience. Seven Sisters is the reclamation and celebration of our divine feminine archetypes and the way they serve this transition.
The four tasks of Aphrodite have important symbolic meanings. Each one represents a capability that women need to develop. Each time one masters one of these tasks she acquires an ability she did not have before.
TASK 1
SORTING THE SEEDS
When you must make a crucial decision, you must often first sort out a jumble of conflicted feelings and competing loyalties. Sorting the seeds is an inward task, requiring that a woman look honestly within, sift through her feelings, values, and motives, and separate what is truly important from what is insignificant.
TASK 2
ACQUIRING GOLDEN FLEECE
A woman needs to require power without being destroyed in an attempt to attain it. When a woman goes out into the competitive world where others battle aggressively for power and position, she may be hurt or disillusioned if she does not recognize the dangers. Her goal is to gain or maintain her power while remaining compassionate.
TASK 3
FILLING THE CRYSTAL FLASK
It is important for women to get some emotional distance in their relationships. in order to see overall patterns and pick out important details that will enable them to grasp what is significant. Then she can assimilate experience and shape the form her life can take.
TASK 4
LEARNING TO SAY NO
The final task is to exercise choice by saying no. Many women allow themselves to be imposed on and diverted from doing something for themselves. They cannot accomplish whatever they set out to do or what is best for them until they learn to say no. Until a woman can say no to her particular susceptibility, she cannot determine her own life course.
Explore this more with us on November 19 + 20 for our Seven Sisters Workshop - a virtual two-day gathering with The Cosmic Laundry + special guest speakers
