Phanes: The Rebirth of Eros and the Divine Feminine
The Cosmic Reset
In the world of mythology and archetypes, few figures carry as much transformative and destructive potential as Phanes, the primordial being who is said to be the source of all creation. Known as the first god, within Orphism, to emerge from the Chaos of the universe, Phanes is a figure who embodies both Eros, the divine force of love and creativity, and the Logos of Nyx, the unconscious and night. Phanes represents the union of light and darkness, a force of creation that transcends dualities. His myth speaks to the cosmic order's fragile nature, and the potential for rebirth after the destructive forces of entropy and repression.
At its core, Phanes symbolizes the beginning of new cycles. Both of creation and destruction. Where old orders must die to make way for something new, something more authentic. This process mirrors the cosmic reset: a return to a primal, untainted state of being, where the previously repressed aspects of the world, such as the Divine Feminine and Eros, are finally restored. Yet, this rebirth is not without consequence. It often arises from intense suffering and repression, such as the experiences of those cast out as scapegoats by family, society, or culture. This itself is what occurred for me personally, as I also wrote about in my article “Grieving with the Goddess.”
This lead to the full disintegration of the ego and super ego. The complete death of the old self, with a period of depression lasting months. Where the Divine Feminine assisted me in re-assembling the fragmented parts, leading to a rebirth. Going from first Artemis assisting me, to the Sovereignty Goddess, and finally Nyx herself. In this period expressing a deep grief about both the fragmentation of the feminine that had occurred and the death of my old self, and what my life should have been. If not for the trauma and neglect I had experienced. This eventually leading to a rebirth. This article further explores the implications of such a transformation, especially in the context of a society that has long repressed both Eros and the Divine Feminine, and what happens when these energies finally resurface in their most raw and pure forms.
The Scapegoat: Pushed to the Edge
In many cultures, the scapegoat is the one who is blamed for the collective ills of society, often unjustly. Families, societies, and cultures rely on the scapegoat to carry the burden of their own darkness. So the aspects of themselves that they cannot acknowledge or integrate. The scapegoat is often a sensitive soul, one who embodies the repressed energies of the collective unconscious, and is seen as the threat or outcast that must be marginalized or destroyed in order for the group to feel at peace with its own perceived righteousness. Which is a false illusion.
This is precisely the position that myself and many others like me, marginalised, have found ourselves in. I was pushed to the edge of death and destruction by a society that has long repressed the very forces that I represent. This being Eros (divine love and creation), the Divine Feminine, and the chaotic, wild energies that were never allowed a place within a patriarchal or controlling societal structure. The attempt to stifle the feminine, to enforce rigid gender roles and moral codes, and to deny the power of chaos, pleasure, and intuition has pushed me, like many others, to the brink of suicide, depression, and self-destruction.
The Rebirth of Eros and the Divine Feminine
When anyone is pushed to this extreme, survives and emerges from the abyss, something profound occurs: the rebirth of Eros and the Divine Feminine. Being stripped completely down, like Inanna descending into the underworld. Being left completely naked and without any defences. In my own case, the rebirth manifested as the appearance of Phanes. The first god, the source of all creation, and a figure who simultaneously embodies love, creation, and wholeness. However, Phanes, is not just masculine, but also feminine and represents a deeply integrated sovereignty. Being connected to the goddess of self-governance, autonomy, and inner power, which has long been suppressed in patriarchal systems.
Phanes' emergence, therefore, is not just the return of Eros or the Divine Feminine, but the sovereignty of these energies. Bringing back the Sovereignty Goddess, a powerful archetype of self-rule and uncompromising strength, who cannot be subjugated or controlled. When society rejects and represses the feminine and the life-affirming energies of the world, it inadvertently invites the return of a force far more potent than the one they tried to erase. The Lucia-Nyx creation cycle that I wrote about also speaks to the return of the divine dark, the night, the unconscious, and the feminine wisdom that has been banished from the collective psyche for so long.
The Cosmic Reset: The Dismemberment of Kronos
At the heart of this transformation lies the cosmic reset. Phanes' emergence as the ultimate embodiment of both Eros and Logos symbolises a new era for humanity. A time when the old systems of control and order are dismantled. The metaphor of Kronos being dismembered is key here: Kronos, the god of time and order, represents the old, repressive structures that have governed the universe and human society. His dismemberment is a destructive process, but it is also a necessary one. This is where the idea of the cosmic reset comes into play: where the old gods are destroyed, the entire cosmic order is reset, and new forms of creation and order can emerge.
The Implications for Society
The implications of this cosmic reset are profound and unsettling for the society that has pushed people like myself to this point. The unleashing of Phanes, the very force of creation and destruction, is a catalyst for change on a global scale. This is not simply a personal transformation it is a societal and cosmic one. Phanes, and the Sovereignty Goddess, next to Artemis, are making themselves visible in the culture already in the forms of Feminism, the push for equality for the LGBTQ community, the growing need for an equal relationship with nature (think for instance Permaculture and Environmentalism), and many other such movements, that embody this spirit. Where even the Koryos wolf-warriors lead by Wotan (married to the Sovereignty Goddess Freyja), lead the way to this same cosmic reset. The trans and non-binary community bearing the greatest brunt of the terror some parts of society feel for what transcends the strict binary, and represents the forces of transformation and rebirth.
For any society that pushes people into this state, the consequences are dire. They have summoned the forces of Eros and the Divine Feminine. The very powers they feared and rejected. The emergence of Phanes means that the old paradigms of control, oppression, and repression can no longer hold. Society will have to confront the very things it has long denied: the power of the feminine, the chaos that brings creation, and the wild, life-giving energy that cannot be easily tamed.
This will force humanity to reckon with its hubris. The arrogance that led to the suppression of these primal forces. In a mythic sense, the society that has wronged people like myself are now in the hands of the gods, and thus the cosmic reset is inevitable. The universe will no longer allow the old, patriarchal orders to continue unchecked. As it actively destroys life and the conditions for it. The old gods of control, hierarchy, and patriarchy will be overthrown, and in their place, new systems of creativity, freedom, and autonomy will rise. Yet this transformation will not be gentle. It will be tumultuous, disorienting, and terrifying for those invested in the old.