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The
Greek goddess Psyche started life as a beautiful mortal
and became a goddess
when Zeus, the ruler of the Olympians, ordained her marriage to Eros, the god of love
who was the son of Aphrodite.
In a legend that
later became the basis
for "Beauty and the Beast, the goddess Psyche, unlike most of the other Greek
goddesses, acquired her status as a goddess by "marrying up".
Then the loving Psyche then proved herself worthy of the honor.
Psyche had to prove her worth
to her
mother-in-law, the goddess Aphrodite, by accomplishing a series of dangerous feats that were
seemingly impossible.
By successfully learning the lessons these
tasks required, the goddess Psyche embarked
on a remarkable journey of self-discovery and personal growth that earned her the respect
of all the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus, not to mention the respect and
undying love
of her husband.
Having learned to confront all the dark
and mysterious places of the soul, Psyche was well-prepared for her eventual union with
her beloved.
The myths of the Greek goddess Psyche remind us that
the integration of our experiences, however sad or frightening they may be, mature and
transform us, like her symbol, the butterfly, emerging into the light from the darkness of
the cocoon.
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