A few days ago, I went for a walk in a graveyard I’ve visited many times over the past years, but always during summer, when the park is green and full of life. Now, in January, the feeling is different… a white coat of snow covers the ground, the trees shamelessly display their bare dark branches, and life — because some hidden fauna must still remain — has become very discreet. The desolate and austere vision unfolding before my eyes reminded me of the Greek myth of Persephone, the goddess of spring who became queen of the Underworld. Her destiny redefines the boundaries between life and death, offering a poetic and charming explanation for the cycle of the seasons. Beyond that, the way she faces and overcomes her hardships shows that difficult and dark experiences are often part of the transformation process and can help us grow.
Hades, Reluctant King of the Underworld
Once upon a time, there was Hades, the Greek king of the Underworld. Just like Yama, the Indian king of the dead, he had not chosen his role or his kingdom, and he was not entirely happy with them. Both had been assigned to him by his brother Zeus, the king of the gods. However, Hades embraced his role and ruled over the realm of the dead in an unrelenting and merciless manner. His kingdom lay far from the human world and even further from Olympus. He lived there surrounded by his subjects and servants, yet in great solitude. Sometimes, he would take a trip to the world above, just to breathe and clear his mind. During one of these outings in the lands of Sicily, he crossed paths with the enchanting maiden Persephone, and the moment he laid eyes on her, he was struck by love at first sight.
The maiden of Spring 🌸
Persephone was the beautiful young goddess of spring, symbolizing vegetation, flowers, growth, and life. She was the daughter of Zeus, Hades’ brother, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and harvest. Hades fell in love and thought it appropriate to go to his brother and ask permission to marry Persephone. Zeus was reluctant and, in his great cowardice, gave his brother an answer that was not an answer: he said neither yes nor no. In this wide in-between, Hades recognized a chance to act. He decided to abduct the maiden and take her with him to the Underworld.
Demeter’s Fury
Hades carried out his plan, and after a while, Demeter, Persephone’s mother, began worrying about her daughter’s absence. She started searching for her, and after long and unsuccessful searches, she finally learned the truth. It was revealed to her by Helios, the Sun God, who sees everything. Demeter was furious. She went to Hades and demanded that her daughter be immediately returned, but Hades did not care and refused to answer her request. Demeter’s anger grew even greater and drove her to make a serious decision. She left Olympus, leaving the human world plagued by famine and death. She would not return until her daughter was brought back.
The Gods Intervene
The gods were terrified by Demeter’s decision, as the balance between the divine and human worlds was in peril. They begged her to return, but she would hear nothing. The human race was threatened with extinction, and without anyone to honor them, the gods risked losing their reason to exist. Zeus had no choice but to send Hermes, the messenger of the gods, to Hades, demanding that Persephone be allowed to return to the world above. Faced with the pressure, Hades gave in and agreed to his brother’s request. Yet one obstacle remained !
The divine laws were to be respected, and one of them stated that anyone who consumed the food of the Underworld could never leave the realm of the dead. Persephone swore, hand on her heart, that she had not eaten anything since arriving. Most believed her, but one voice rose up, claiming to have seen her eat seven pomegranate seeds. The law of the gods could not be broken, and thus Persephone was condemned to remain in the Underworld.
The Birth of Seasons
When Demeter heard the news, she was devastated and abandoned her duties entirely. The world above suffered in her absence: humans were dying, and the balance was disrupted. The gods had to intervene, and after long and difficult negotiations between Zeus, Hades, and Demeter, a compromise was finally reached: because Persephone had eaten the food of the Underworld, she was bound to Hades — but only for half the year. During the remaining months, she would return to her mother on Earth.
And so it is: when Persephone is in the world above with her mother, Demeter is happy and makes the earth fertile, bringing spring and summer. But when Persephone returns to the Underworld, Demeter mourns, and the earth becomes barren and desolate, giving rise to autumn and winter.
Duality and Transformation
For her part, instead of falling into despair, Persephone fully embraced her destiny, standing as a bridge between two worlds — life and death, light and darkness. In the Underworld, she ruled with authority, yet each year she returned to the living world, bringing renewal and fertility. In this dual existence, she embodied the eternal balance between life and death, death and rebirth. It is said that she and Hades had a harmonious and respectful relationship, ruling side by side over the realm of the dead. The story does not say whether they had many children — at least, I do not know!
Yoga, in some ways, is like Persephone’s journey: a descent into the depths to meet and truly see what is there, and a gradual transformation that brings us back to the light — reconnecting with our primary nature and emerging more awakened ✨🙏
Photo: « Proserpine”, The Roman Persephone, daughter of Jupiter and Ceres.
Painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1874), Tate Britain, London.
Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Massage treatments with Amina Mokrane 