A Temple Wild Podcast
Plants of the Underworld
Journey down, into the depths of the earth, to meet the plants of the Greek Underworld — the trees, flowers, herbs, and shrubs that ancient Greek mythology associates with the Realm of the Dead. Along the way, we meet the Underworld rivers and entrances to Hades; learn about the sacred kykeon of the Eleusinian Mysteries; discover a shocking truth about Persephone's connection with the seasons; and meet the botanical allies for navigating through death, grief, and the Unseen Realm.
Persephone and the Descent to Hades
Persephone is a youthful spring goddess wandering in fields of Narcissus and Asphodel when Hades, the god of the Underworld, comes to take her as his bride. And while her disappearance inspires her mother, the goddess of grains, to instigate a world-wide famine, it is Persephone who is changed forever by consuming the Pomegranate seed, later becoming an equal to Hades and ruling beside him as a Queen in her own right.
Narcissus and Echo
Most people know the myth of Narcissus, the beautiful youth who falls in love with his own reflection in a pool of water and wastes away, pining for the love he cannot touch. His tale is often shared as a warning against egoism, pride, and self-obsession, but few people have heard of his counterpart, the nature spirit Echo, whose obsession with Narcissus leads to her own dissolution. I adore this myth because I believe there is a deeper message in this story - a message about numbness, obsession, and human desire - a message I think that most people miss...