Several stories fly around concerning medusa, but we will attempt to extract messages from those stories. Different regions and cultures . It is said that everyone has a masculine and feminine self. What does Medusa Symbolize? She was the child of Ceto and Phorcys. Furthermore, she is a goddess that helps young ladies to overcome a lack of confidence. What does Medusa Represent? The labrys also appears in African religious symbolism and mythology (see Shango). It keeps your spiritual atmosphere thick enough to repel every negative force. All content found on Angelical Balance is for informational purposes only.Made with lots of love, hard work, and energy! Greek mythology has long fascinated me, but Im also intrigued by how the stories have changed and developed over time, as have interpretations of those stories. He poses the idea that to decapitate = to castrate. Through this framework, Freud posits that the female head is akin to her genitalia keeping in mind that Medusa did in fact give birth to her child from her severed neck. Every situation you go through will turn around for your good. Hence, Medusa's tale has served as a metaphor for power and bravery, particularly for women who have experienced s*xual harassment. The lotus flower is largely symbolic and has implied different concepts through history, such as purity, detachment, enlightenment, and spirituality. I bought a Medusa pendant the minute Covid struck my area last March and have been wearing it since. Men back in the day didnt have the same level of respect for women as they do today because each gender had a different role in society. She may also be accessed as a living goddess by those seeking menstrual, serpentine mysteries. On funerary urns or armor, she was a talisman of protection, those eyes symbolically warding off evil. According to Ferenczi,1 the head of the Medusa is a terrible symbol of the female genital region displaced from below upwards. Her petrifying gaze turns men into stone but only towards those who look at her hideous appearance. As such she posed a great threat to the power of the Greek male-dominated sky gods. Reading Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife has got me thinking about historic women, particularly Medusa. However, seeing her in your dream changes the narrative. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. It speaks about the ability to handle complex situations, and deal with hard tasks. The labrys was formerly a symbol of Greek fascism. I write about my spiritual experiences to help all those who go through the same. My name is Marlin Davis and I am passionate about history of all sorts. Doniger claims that beheading equals the release or termination of sexuality, male or female. Doniger submits that through the sexualization of the female head, (i.e. Simi is a sophomore at American University and the events director for HerCampusAu. This is why it is a sign of creativity to dream of yourself drawing medusas head. For this Athena punished her hideously. This is another caution sign from medusa. This began with the greeks and later flowed down to every other culture. Medusa was once a powerful feminine symbol, with control over the natural cycle and in harmony with the worlds of earth and sky. She has a stern stare that prevents evil people from glancing at you with their jealous stare. She is astute in the ways of protection and lends her guardianship to those who need her most. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She is both feminine and monstrous. Thank you so much for the response! She has the divine ability to keep your mind sane as a female. Just like movies like clash of the titans, she is a powerful spiritual entity that exists in ancient greek mythology. pic.twitter.com/u61VAuxhJ8. The eye of Horus is an ancient symbol embued with magickal power and meaning. Keeping an image of medusa in front of your door wards off evil spirits. Snakes were often connected to deception as well which reflected on the trust men put in women back in those days. She is currently studying CLEG and her pronouns are she/her/hers. Want more stories like this? This should be a lesson to learn. The curse was meant to punish medusa, but it eventually became leverage for other spiritual things. If you ever find yourself in Sicily, you will see the Trinacria being sold in all forms: magnets, key chains, pins, postcards and most stunning of all: ceramic Trinacria plaques that are hand-crafted by local artisans. It looks particularly sexy on the back or thigh area, where the tattoo will draw attention to feminine body parts. The myths and stories about medusa are true. Athena grows jealous, as many men flock to her, only to glance at Medusa instead. According to Freud, it is for this reason that Perseus must decapitate her. Feel free to correct me if Im wrong about anything! As Elizabeth Johnston claims in her 2016 Atlantic essay, Medusa may be the original Nasty Woman. In 2020, it might be easy to chastise the women in the 90s who called Medusa the most horrific woman, but perhaps we would be better suited to remind ourselves just how recently things have begun to change. Nowadays Medusas can be seen as a symbol of revenge against the male gaze. Whether you see her as a monster or more of that, the fact is that Medusa slithering her way into being more than meets the eye. In 1950 his uncompleted essay, Medusas Head, was posthumously published. The closest alternative to the evil eye bracelet is the medusas bracelet. GameStop Moderna Pfizer Johnson & Johnson AstraZeneca Walgreens Best Buy Novavax SpaceX Tesla. The Classical period of Greek art from 480 to 323 BCE further associated beauty with danger when Medusa, the sirens, sphinxes, and Scylla all got a little hotter, losing some scales and wings as their bodies were more and more humanized. Now, many are claiming that Medusa is not an evil figure, but a strong person who had to overcome enormous pain and trauma. As an ancient protection symbol, the Medusa in this way also symbolizes aspects of the mother goddess, especially as a child of Gaia, the creator. 7 Spiritual Meanings of Slugs in the House: Is it Good Luck? Pharaohs would often be entombed wearing Wadjet amulets, and it was intended to protect them in the afterlife and ward off evil forces. I almost got a Medusa pendent myself but I just never ended up getting one. She is telling you that you will never have to suffer what she endured. What does it mean when Animals Come to You? Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful, and radical thinking about art in the world today. What does the Medusa symbolize? In her book Put A Bag Over Her Head: Beheading Mythological Women, Wendy Doniger posits that if men fear castration of the penis, then women fear decapitation of the head; therefore the penis and the head become the locus of power within the man and woman respectively. I aim to share everything I know about history on this blog, hope you enjoy reading too! American Traditional Medusa Tattoos She was also a ward of sorts for the Greeks to protect themselves against the negativity in life. She is revered for this power and grants wisdom to everyone that asks for it. If the sexualization of the female head causes subjectivity of the woman, then I argue that Freuds analysis (i.e. She is also seen as a protective figure, and her head is often used as a symbol of strength and power. He then employs her head and its stony glare as a weapon, a tool he subsequently gives to the goddess Athena who wore it on her armor. The evil eye bracelet is great for protecting people from evil stares. In ancient history, females pray to her for confidence and strength especially in a world where men treat females as weak and helpless. It means that we all can stay relevant even if all odds are against us. mustache stubble was replaced by smooth cheeks, and fangs concealed by shapely lips, a male-centered society, the feminization of monsters served to demonize women, represents a conflicting view of femininity, one that is seemingly alluring but with a threatening or sinister underside. Therefore, if you notice a dwindle in your spiritual consciousness, seek help from medusa. Though there is much to say about the tragedy of Medusa's story, she became a formidable foe. Therefore, to enhance your intellectual power, try keeping an image of medusa around you. Medusa is so alluring to us, because she is the image of intoxication, petrifaction, and luring attractiveness. She is seductive to us in her contemporary application and dimensionality. The mythologically beheaded woman is seen (or at least partially seen) does not see; she is blinded and those who have beheaded her are blinded to her real nature. Medusa, the most famous of the Gorgon sisters, represented an array of things to the Greeks. Medusa remains of temporal importance because she is the symbol of what female power looks like in the face of threatened male authority. All three are originally described as having tusks, wings, and the infamously iconic snake hair. The stories of ancient Greek and Roman mythology have, over the years, been rediscovered, repurposed, and reinterpreted in more modern contexts. Medusa can be given to you as a sign and message. According to some myths, this was the real head of Medusa. It is believed that she became a goddess after the curse was pronounced. The Medusa tattoo features a snake-haired young woman, representing the might of women. Today it is sometimes used as a symbol of Hellenic Neopaganism. Athena did not only curse Medusa but also her sisters. If humans werent so tempting then maybe most of the male gods wouldnt be serial rapists. When it comes to medusa, we have several mixed stories; however, both stories affirm the fact that medusa was very beautiful. Press J to jump to the feed. On a 570 BCE terracotta stand, Medusa is comically hideous, and fully bearded, sticking out her tongue between two tusks. In the new and annotated edition of Metamorphoses (highly recommend), it becomes clear that in the eyes of the Romans, Minervas wrath against a rape victim is seen as just, same as with Atalantas rape punishment (getting turned into a lion). The ability to be confident and proud of your gender stems from medusa. Instead of being seen as a monster, she is now depicted as a feminine Fatale. "In a male-centered society, the feminization of monsters served to demonize women," she said. Simi is very passionate about talking about women of color in media, politics, and the arts. Thankfully, we have collectively realized that the person who deserves to have his head cut off is Neptune, and hopefully one day that revenge fiction will be brought to the big screen. [5] Protection [ edit] Following the moment her head was removed, a Pegasus flew out of her body, representing the birth of beauty. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Originally born in Weirton West Virginia she spent most of her life in Pittsburgh PA. Therefore, seeing medusa might be telling you to embrace your inner beauty. I know for a fact Romans wore this as an apotropaic symbol, to avert evil (sorry not as knowledgable about Greek practices yet) . She keeps evil far away from her. Google any famous womans name, perhaps Angela Merkel, Nancy Pelosi, or Hillary Clinton along with the word Medusa. For centuries women in power (or fighting for power) have been compared to Medusa, from Marie Antoinette to the suffragettes.Its clear in our society the sexually and intellectually independent woman is a fearsome sight to behold. feelings originating in powerful oral impulses, and, for women, a means for resolving in fantasy the resentment arising from the lack of a penis. Even into the 19th century, as the romanticization continued, her eyes did not close. This is why she has been made into many ceramics, golden, bronze, and silver sculptures unlike other goddesses. In other words, symbolic decapitation, is a symptom of the real dangers that women face in a culture that is anxious about the powers of masculinity. Cixous demonstrates these points by claiming Freud himself is reductive and neglects to address the female experience in the Medusa myth, thereby erasing her experience, or, symbolically decapitating her as well. Throughout all of her work, Cixous decries phallocentric storytelling and histories in which men and the psychoanalytic lens of phallic imagery are centered in womens stories.