Channeling your inner Artemis: the Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon and the Natural Environment

Artemis in Greek mythology or Diana to the Romans is the Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon, and the Natural Environment and one of the 12 Olympians. In this post, we will explain more about this powerful, goal-directed woman that exists in all of us, and, of course, since we are a visual guide, we will guide you through the way of expressing your inner Artemis out in the world when you feel that is the right moment for her to be awakened in you. This post is more focused on Artemis’ human attributes rather than her story.

☾ We love the idea of exploring human identity and believe we all have the capacity to be and feel everything. Fictional Characters such as tv characters, fairytale characters, and myth gods, and goddesses are important because they help us feel connected to symbols, moods, and behaviors that we have within ourselves. Some characters and myths are so universally big because they can provide insights into the natural patterns of our own behaviors and help us become who we truly want to be, embrace our full potential as humans and reach the powerful tools that society didn’t teach us. So, for this story, we will tell you when your inner Artemis can come in handy, who is she, and suggest attitudes and products that can help you channel your inner Artemis.

Artemis domain was the wilderness: She was the archer with a perfect aim and protector of all young living things, including human babies. Imagine a woman whose main focus is freedom, running wild into the forest with her hounds to hunt with, absolutely devoted to hunting and nature, and, as a good archer, absolutely goal-oriented.

Artemis is an important goddess because she ends the stereotype that every woman seeks marriage to feel complete. Daughter of Zeus and Leto (the nature deity), and the twin sister of Apollo, she asked her father for chastity and virginity because she did not want to marry and did not want to fall in love.

Her true devotion has always been nature. She is important because she makes women who don’t dream of marriage understand that they are not out of place or wrong. She is the personalization of a woman who can feel whole without a man. We have a lot of repressed Artemis in the world we live in, and that’s why I wanted to make this deity’s story more accessible to women.

It is important to remember, though, that even though you have a need for attachment, such as Hera (marriage deity) or an Aphrodite (goddess of love) within you, you still can (and should) reach and express your inner Artemis in situations when you become aware of a need to be more independent and self-sufficient.

Artemis Qualities:

These are important expressions of this goddess that you can relate with or try to bring into your life:

Artemis is lovely, independent, and self-sufficient. Emotional attachment does not divert her from what she considers important. She never plays the victim, and she is autonomous and focused on what matters. She stands by her mother like no other goddess.

You are an Artemins when: you are goal-directed, more oriented to logical thinking, achievement-oriented, protector of those who appeals to you for help, have a competitive nature, have an attitude of ¨I-can-take-care-of-myself¨, function on your own, have self-confidence and an independent spirit, don’t need masculine approval, believe in the sisterhood of women, have a big affinity for the wilderness and undomesticated nature, love to explore new territories, love your own company, have perseverance and is courageous, enjoys the exhilaration of independence.

Artemis Goddess: Her Symbols

As a goddess of the moon, Artemis’ main symbol is the Moon. Also, carrying torches and wearing stars around her head are remarkable symbols of Artemis. She is also known as the light bearer.

Sacred Animals she is associated with: young wildlife animals that symbolize her elusive qualities, like the stag, doe, and hare. The bear is a symbol of her destructive aspect and of her role of protective of the young.

Environments: She feels safe and fulfilled in the wilderness of forests, mountains, meadow, and glade with her band of nymphs and hunting dogs

Goddesses she is related with: Selene and Hecate – All three have been seen as the moon trinity, which gives Artemis also a witchy aspect.

Outfits: she expresses all this freedom, fierce and simplicity by wearing a simple tunic, short enough to run armed and comfortable with a silver bow and a quiver of arrows in her back.

The Moon does not fight. It Attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithfull to its nature, and its power is never diminisged¨

Anonymous

Related: Moon Lamps to set and Enchanting Mood to Any Room

Modern Characters Inspired by Artemis:

• Diana/ Wonder Woman: fierce, wild, archer and let her love go for the greater good in both movies.
• Alina Starkov, from Shadow and Bone: Although this amazing character has as its main simbol the sun, not the moon, she is – like Artemis – the light bearer (sun summoner in the books) and her power is amplifed by the antlers of a stag.
• Lara Croft: in a world where video games were ruled by male heros, she arrieved as an independent, single woman, archeologist and archer. Her long braid, archery and weapons are remarkable symbols of this hero who was wonderfuly represented by Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander in the cinema.
• Katniss Everdeen: Another brave warrior with a lot of Artemins traces in her, and, of course, a master of archery.
• Merida: wild, indepent, surrounded by bears and an expert archer. I think we all can see a little Artemis inside our Brave red haired girl.
• Pocahontas: This heroic girl, in the the Disney version, is a free-spirited woman, connected with nature and friends of the animals. She also does not leave her true nature and tribe to go to London with John Smith.

Attitudes to Channel your inner Artemis:

• Offer suport for women in need
• Backpack alone and hike into forested mountains to connect with the wilderness within yourself and with nature
• Fall asleep under the moon stars, wandering their meanings & mysteries
• Qalk alone on a deserted beach and challenge how far you can go
• Stop seeing competition as overwhelming and start seeing it as a fun challenge.
• Go on a vacation by yourself and find that you can have a good time in your own company
• Be part of a womens supporting group
• Be aware and have the courage to leave a toxic relatioship
• Never allow any men to diminish your self worth
• Ride a horse
• Sleep outoors

☾ Curiosity: Artemis fell in love once, with Orion. She accidentally killed him with an arrow, and afterward, she placed Orion among the stars (constellation of Orion) and gave him one of her dogs, Sirius the Dog Star ( Constellations of Sirius)

This post was based on the wonderful and inspiring research of the book ¨Goddesses in Everyeoman¨, by Jean Shinoda Bolen. This was such a life-changing book to me and super aligned with the purpose of The Mood Guide. Therefore I wanted to find a way to make this powerful information more accessible and, doing so, empower more women to become their best version and most authentic self.