Soul & Centre
Counselling & Psychotherapy
Persephone's Story
In Ancient Greek myth Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of harvest and the fertility of the earth. Hades, the god of the underworld falls in love with her, and, knowing that Demeter will never consent to letting her daughter leave her to go to the underworld, he abducts her and takes her to his domain below the ground. Demeter is distraught and begins searching the earth to find her daughter, neglecting her goldly duties. Eventually Persephone is located, and a deal is brokered: if she stays in the underworld for a year without eating any of the food of the dead she may return to her mother. Before her time is completed, she is tricked into eating 6 pomegranate seeds and must therefore spend 6 months of each year with Hades.
This tale serves as an explanation of the origin of the seasons - while Persephone is above ground Demeter is joyful and active in her role bringing abundant growth and good weather, while Persephone is in the underworld Demeter grieves and pines, bringing on auntumn and winter. Persephone becomes goddess of both spring and Queen of the underworld.
'Persephone' by Dante Gabrielle Rosetti, 1874. Tate Gallery, London.
I like to imagine that before Persephone descended to the underworld each year, she would prepare a flower crown to take with her to remind herself of the beauty and joy waiting for her above, and to give her the strength she needed to get through her winter. As we move into Autumn we can use the imagery of Persephone’s yearly journey to the Underworld as inspiration for our own reflections about the upcoming seasons.​
We will begin with a short journal reflection on what we have gathered in our spring and summer: the experiences, skills, strengths we have collected; what kind of winter is laid before us, and what resources will support us in it. Connecting these thoughts symbolically to flowers, feathers, dried botanicals, and other materials we will each weave ourselves a long-lasting flower crown representing these attributes to remind us of these things through our winter season.
​
Rosanna is an experienced florist and qualified therapist, who loves to bring her skills together to create therapeutic and beautiful experiences. She will guide you through the journaling prompts, and then help you construct a flower crown to take home with you.