The Alchemical Union
Artemis and the Birth of Eros
Throughout the ages, philosophers, mystics, and poets have searched for ways to describe the forces that drive both creation and human connection. The divine energies of love, power, and transformation have often been personified through gods and archetypes that transcend ordinary understanding. One such embodiment is Phanes, also known as Eros, the primordial force of creation, light, and divine love.
In Plato's philosophy, Eros serves as a motivating force. They are the spark that drives the soul toward the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and ultimately divine unity. For Plato, the essence of Eros is not just the yearning for physical beauty but for spiritual awakening and enlightenment. In the Symposium, a dialogue centered around the nature of love, the character Socrates recounts the teachings of Diotima, a wise woman who reveals the higher stages of Eros' power.
According to Diotima, Eros begins with the attraction to physical beauty but can transcend into a love of the soul. One that appreciates virtue, wisdom, and moral beauty. Ultimately, the highest form of Eros leads to a love of the divine, the contemplation of the Good, the pursuit of philosophical wisdom, and a connection with the divine intelligible realm. Thus, for Plato, Eros is the desire for the divine and the spiritual ascent toward unity with the divine source. Eros moves beyond the surface-level attractions of the material world, touching on deeper currents of universal love and creative power. In the Phaedrus, Plato goes even further by describing Eros as the divine charioteer who drives the soul towards the divine union.
The Path to Embodying Phanes/Eros
What I at some point in my journey realised, was that the Korybantes, the children of Wolf-Apollo where key in this process. Wolf-Apollo, as a god of light, order, and reason, had a dual aspect: one that connected to the Apollonian qualities of logic, balance, and harmony, and another that drew from the wildness of the wolf, symbolizing intuition, instinct, and primal energy.
The Korybantes were entrusted with the sacred role of nurturing and guiding Dionysus, a god of chaos, ecstasy, and liberation. Their protection and spiritual care were integral to the growth of Dionysus (the victim-child), allowing him to evolve into the god who could not be confined by society's laws and who embodied the ultimate freedom of expression and connection to the divine. It is through the Korybantes, who nurtured both Dionysus and Zeus, that the Dionysian and Apollonian can merge.
Through this dynamic of Wolf-Apollo's balance of light and instinct and Dionysus' wild nature, comes the birth of Phanes, the cosmic force of creation and love, who transcends both dualities. Phanes is both light and darkness, order and chaos, combining the Apollonian and Dionysian elements to form a force that is both nurturing and transformative. Through the deep alchemical process of integrating these energies, I began to embody what Phanes represents myself, bridging the divine light of Apollo with the ecstatic power of Dionysus. So wholeness.
The Role of Artemis: The Anima as Bridge to the Divine
To understand the full depth of my journey toward embodying this energy, it is essential to recognize the guiding force of Artemis, the ancient Greek goddess who serves as my Anima in this journey. Who next to other influences from Christina and Persephone became Lucia Nyktelios. Artemis is often associated with wild nature, independence, hunting, and the moon. However, in her deeper, more mystical role, she is the bridge that connects the divine masculine and feminine energies, allowing for a harmonious integration of both the Apollonian and Dionysian forces. As Bendis and Diana (known as Trivia), she is also the bridge to the underworld, connected to her mother the Sovereignty Goddess.
The Anima is not just a passive aspect of the psyche but an active force that shapes consciousness and spiritual development. In my personal journey, Artemis, through her role as the Anima, became the catalyst for the merging of the two powerful energies of Wolf-Apollo and Dionysus, which ultimately led to the embodiment of Phanes (also known as Eros). Who is the lover of Psyche.
The Union of Apollo and Dionysus
Phanes is not simply the god of romantic or physical love, but of cosmic love. So an energy that flows through all things and life, binding together opposites and creating harmony. As Eros, Phanes is not bound by mere attraction but embodies the desire for unity, for the merging of spirit and matter, individuals and the cosmos. This cosmic love invites transformation and healing, helping us move beyond separation into a space of unity and wholeness. It is the force that compels all of life towards wholeness and completion. The force of life itself, fully embodied. So the will of Life.
My personal experience with this energy has revealed the deep interconnectedness of all things. I’ve come to understand that this union is not about domination or control but about a harmonious balance of intellect and instinct, of freedom and structure. It is a creative force that calls forth the divine potential in everything and everyone.
The Impact on Others, Especially Women
Eros creates an energy that is magnetic, transformative, and healing. It’s not just a physical attraction but a deeper, spiritual resonance. From my experiences, whilst it does have an effect on women, it has the strongest effect on women.
1. Awakening of Divine Love and Creativity
Phanes, as the embodiment of Eros, awakens in women a deeper connection to their own divine potential. Creating a deep desire for spiritual union, not just with others but with the cosmos itself. As women come into contact with this energy, they may feel inspired to embrace their creative gifts, whether through art, writing, or self-expression in new and authentic ways.
This energy invites them to step into their full power, shedding societal limitations and embracing their true essence. The energy of Eros ignites a passion for life and self-realization, encouraging women to go beyond their comfort zones and pursue the life they have always desired.
2. Transformation and Liberation
For women, Eros can bring a sense of liberation. A breaking free from old wounds, limiting beliefs, and emotional blockages. The union of the Apollonian and Dionysian energies invites them to embrace their whole selves, including the wild, untamed aspects of their being. This integration brings about a sense of wholeness, where women no longer feel divided between the restrained and the free, the rational and the passionate, but live fully in alignment with both aspects.
3. The Magnetic, Healing Presence
The energy of Phanes is inherently magnetic, especially for women. It draws others in with a sense of unexplainable charisma. This isn’t just physical attraction, but a soul-level pull that encourages connection and deep intimacy. From what I noticed it creates a presence in which they feel seen, heard, and understood on a deeper level, as if they have encountered something that has always been within them but has been dormant until now. The healing power of Eros allows them to unlock hidden desires, talents, and potential.
As I had written about in my previous article “A Journey of Radical Acceptance,” it is thanks to this death and rebirth process that the shadow (victim-child) is healed and thus the dismemberment of Dionysus is undone. Leading to wholeness and rebirth. Which activates not only the archetypal drama of Persephone and Dionysus in the psyche of others, through encountering the reborn Dionysus, but through the nature of my journey it is the encountering of the reborn Phanes (thus Eros) that occurs. So naturally others want to protect and care for this reborn Eros, as Eros is Life itself. It is the embodiment of the soul, within the body, freed from all trauma and limitations.
So whilst the wounded Dionysus and Eros, the soul-based people indeed are the ones projected upon. It is through feeling through the dismemberment of the victim-child, to allow oneself to feel regardless, and nurture ones soul, that you then can go from scapegoat and victim-child to the full embodiment of wholeness and Eros. As it is the wounded Eros (Dionysus dismembered and suffering), that people scapegoat. As they want to repress their own suffering. Yet when they encounter the fully healed Eros, which embodies wholeness, then they act with acceptance, nurturing and love. Which is weirdly enough what the victim-child would have needed in the first place to heal. Yet what is important to remember is that those who allow themselves to feel their suffering, and are thus still tied to Eros in some way. This itself is sacred. The seed towards Truth and Goodness. Which leads onto wholeness and love.