The Triple Goddess

Definitions:

The Triple Goddess: Refers to the “maiden,” “mother”

and “wise woman” goddess patterns within us achieved by midlife.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, embodies the Triple Goddess...the immaculately conceived Virgin, Mother of Jesus, and the grieving Mother of Jesus crucified, or the Crone.

“Maiden” = Persephone

“Mother” = Demeter These three converge into Hecate at midlife.

“Wise Woman” = Hera

Archetype: Offered by C. G. Jung, an inner image activated in the psyche that determines patterns of individual instinctual behavior and emotional responses unconsciously.

Collective unconscious: The universal part of the unconscious with content and ways of behaving that are similar everywhere in the world and in all people.

Myths & Fairytales: Along with images & themes in dreams, are expressions of archetypes. Common archetypal patterns in all people explain the similarities in the fairytales and myths of many different cultures. These pre-existent patterns influence how we behave & respond to others.

The Six Olympian Goddesses (+Aphrodite & Hecate):

1. Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt & Moon: Independent, achievement-

oriented feminine spirit.

2. Athena, Goddess of Wisdom & Craft: Logical, self-assured woman ruled by her head, not her heart.

3. Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth: Patient, steady woman who loves her solitude and exudes a sense of “one unto herself.”

4. Hera, Goddess of Marriage: Her main goal is finding a husband and being married. All other roles are secondary..student, professional, mother.

5. Demeter, Goddess of Grain, the “Maternal Archetype,” Mother: A woman’s drive to provide physical/spiritual sustenance to her children.

6. Persephone,”Maiden” & Queen of the Underworld: Expresses a woman’s need for compliance, passivity, to please others and to be wanted by others.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love & Beauty: “Alchemical” goddess who expresses a woman’s enjoyment of love, beauty, sexuality & sensuality. She compels a woman to fulfill creative & procreative functions.

Hecate, “Wise Woman” Goddess, Goddess of the Waning, Dark Moon, Goddess of the Three-Way Crossroads, The Crone, Goddess of the Gateway between the upperworld of the living and the underworld of the shades: Associated with twilight, barely seen. In ancient times, feared as Queen of Witches or the Ghostworld, Queen of the Night. Hesiod who wrote Theogony about 700 B.C.E., interpreted her name as ”she who has power far off,” honored greatly & given likely a psychic or magical power over land, sea, & sky by Zeus. Described as a “Moon Goddess” wearing a headband of stars & holding flaming torches in each hand. Overtime, she was diminished & transformed into the goddess of trivia which means three ways or “crossroads.” Returning from the “underworld” of life experience, Hecate has learned that love & suffering are parts of life, she has grown in depth & wisdom, becoming her own best “inner companion.” She becomes a comforter and caring witness to others. Her message is

“to seek the truth, face reality & deal with it.”

Goddess Patterns: 3,000 year-old images of women that are ways of understanding ourselves, our relationships with men & women, parents, lovers and children. These patterns help us to understand what motivates, even compels us, and what is frustrating, or satisfying to some women & not to others. Goddess patterns explain the differences between women & the complexity within some women. The more complicated the woman, the more “goddess patterns” are active within her.

Relationship Patterns are based on inner “goddess & god patterns” in women & men.

What is the significance of the conscious awareness of our goddess patterns? We have “goddess-given gifts” & “goddess-given liabilities”... We cannot resist living a certain way determined by an underlying goddess archetypal pattern until we are aware of it & that it pursues fulfillment within us! Only with this awareness can we change or shift to another goddess pattern that may serve us better at a particular time in our life.

Three Goddess Categories (virgin, vulnerable, alchemical or transformative): Distinguishing characteristics include:

1. What she is conscious of

2. What roles she likes to play

3. What motivates her

4. Whether she needs to feel attached

5. Her attitude toward others

6. How important relationships are to her

Virgin Goddesses: Artemis, Athena, Hestia. The competent, independent, self-sufficient quality in women. Not likely to fall in love. Autonomous & have the capacity to focus inward on what is personally meaningful only to them.

Vulnerable Goddesses: Hera, Demeter, Persephone. The traditional roles of wife, mother, and daughter. Relationship-oriented goddess archetypes. Their identity & well-being depend on having a significant relationship. They need affiliation & bonding.

Focus outward on others, attuned to others, so vulnerable. They suffer when a relationship is broken or dishonored & may show symptoms that look like psychological illness such as depression.

Alchemical Goddess: Aphrodite, Goddess of Love & Beauty.

Most beautiful & irresistible. Gives love & beauty, erotic attraction, sensuality, sexuality, new life. She chooses her relationships, is never a victim. Autonomous & in relationships. Seeks intensity in relationships, values creativity, can change.

To evolve the “wisewoman” in ourselves, we need to create regular inner-directed time to spend with our personal inner circle of archetypes, getting to know them well and listening to their wisdom for the next third of our life.

References

Goddesses in Everywoman: A New Psychology of Women.

Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD. New York: HarperPerennial, 1984.

Goddesses in Older Women: Archetypes in Women Over Fifty,

Becoming a Juicy Crone. Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD.

New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

The Crone: Woman of Age, Wisdom, and Power.

Barbara G. Walker. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1985.

Wise-Woman Archetype: Menopause as Initiation. Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD. Tape. The Sounds True Catalog of Spoken-Word Recordings. Call 1-800-333-9185 for free catalog, or write:

The Sounds True Catalog, 735 Walnut St., Dept. JC192,

Boulder, CO 80302.

Woman’s Mysteries, Ancient and Modern: A Psychological Interpretation of the Feminine Principle as Portrayed in Myth, Story, and Dreams. M. Esther Harding. New York: Harper Colophon Books, 1971.

Caroline Dott, PhD, LCSW, CGP

Midlife Specialist, Therapist, Professional Speaker

Riverbend Ob-Gyn & Counseling

993 Johnson Ferry Road, NE

Suite D-360

Atlanta, GA 30342

Office: 404-250-1350

Website: www.midlife-passages.com

Dr. Caroline Dott is available to lecture on the psychology of male and female menopause as well as issues related to the midlife-transitions of men and women. She is particularly interested in behavioral issues affecting management level personnel at midlife and how midlife transitions effect function and performance in the workplace. She has lectured on such related issues such as the impact of corporate downsizing on both male and female midlife executives. She is available to travel and give seminars on the topics covered in this website both nationally and internationally.

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