Your Goddess Archetype is Artemis

Goddesses and Personal Archetypes

Archetypes are inner images that embody universal characteristics and experiences. They are responsible for the persistent themes we see surfacing in our own lives. Myths and fairy tales, many artistic images, and many of the characters we encounter in our dreams are expressions of these archetypes. As inner guides that exist in your personality, the goddess archetypes influence how you behave, how you think and feel, and how you relate to others. Since the goddess stories that are passed on in the mythology of human cultures embody the expression of female character, they provide us with a rich and fascinating way to gain access to the personal archetypes that are active in our lives.

How to Use Your Personal Goddess Type:

The interpretation of your goddess quiz begins on the next page. Each section starts with a brief guide to understanding the information, followed by your personal results. Before you begin to study it, take a few minutes to review a few basic concepts that will help you use the goddess report to:

• Understand/accept yourself as the unique goddess you are meant to be.

• Learn how to use the guide on the goddess path to personal fulfillment.

The results of your goddess assessment can be used in several different ways. One is to treat your report simply as interesting reading to be enjoyed. As the 100-year-old woman answered, ‘ Sure, Sonny, I believe in horoscopes. At my age I believe in anything that makes life more interesting!’ Have fun with the report. Use it, and information available at the website, as an entrance to the fascinating world of mythology and personality type. Learn to recognize patterns of behavior among your family, friends, and coworkers while you gain a better picture of your own strengths, abilities, and vulnerabilities.

A second approach is to use your results to learn to relax and accept yourself for who you really are. Recognizing the strength and beauty of your own personal goddess type can be a deeply empowering experience. If your goddess type is not one that is valued highly by society, your sense of self-esteem will almost certainly have been threatened. Take comfort from learning about the richness of your goddess type and realize that, even if it seems you are often ‘marching to the beat of a different drummer’, you share your type with many others and don’t have to try to force yourself into the mold of a more socially acceptable type. You are not alone.

The third approach is to use the report as a guide on your path to personal growth. It can help you see and understand the underlying reasons for the patterns of your life. Each goddess type has both strengths and weaknesses. Knowing about your goddess type, you can capitalize upon those strengths (and guard against the weaknesses) while you begin to work on your underdeveloped traits. The more you function within your inherent goddess type, the stronger and more confident you will become, the more control you have over your life, and the better prepared you are to make the choices that create the life you want. You can enlist the help of other, less well-developed goddess types, thereby enlarging your repertoire of attitudes, feelings, and behaviors. You will be less rigid and more flexible, better able to meet the wide variety of challenges and demands that your life may present. Your report highlights ways you can assist this process of ‘becoming’.

Your Personal Goddess Type:

Her Story and Her Symbols

Each one of us is born with an inherent temperament that predisposes us to develop as one of a number of goddess types. These ‘goddess gifts’ reveal themselves at an early age and remain fairly constant throughout our lives. They influence how you learn and think, how you decide and act, who you select as friends and mates, even where your talents lie, in short, everything that makes you unique and guides the direction of your life. This gift, your personal goddess type, is your favored, most trusted style in dealing with the outer world.

Artemis

Goddess of the Hunt

And

Protector of the Vulnerable

Daughter of Zeus, the mighty ruler of the Olympian gods, Artemis’ mother, Leto, gave birth to Artemis after a short and painless labor. But then Leto’s labor continued, with her contractions growing weak and painful. Moved to compassion, Artemis herself, born only a few minutes earlier, became her mother’s midwife and delivered her twin brother Apollo. You could say that she literally was born to serve as a nurturer and protector!

Artemis was frequently called upon to nurture her needy and somewhat ineffectual mother. All too often she felt compelled to come to her rescue even though Artemis received little from her mother in return. As a result of her having caused her mother no pain in childbirth, and her successful role as midwife in her brother’s birth, Artemis naturally became the ‘patron saint of childbirth, the protector of children, and the goddess who especially heard the appeals of women. Artemis was always responsive to the needs of the vulnerable and the suffering. She was quick to defend the powerless from unjust treatment at the hands of the Olympian patriarchy; it is not surprising that in current times she is seen as the ‘feminist’ goddess.

Even as a small child Artemis was decisive. When Zeus asked her what presents she wanted for her third birthday she responded without hesitation that she wanted six things: to be allowed to live without having to be distracted by love and marriage, a bow and arrow just like her brother’s, a hunting costume and freedom from having to ‘dress up’ like a lady, the job of bringing light into the world, sixty young nymphs to be her companions and to help care for her hunting dogs, and all the mountains on the earth to live on. Zeus was amused by her precociousness and happily granted her wishes. Even at this tender age it was clear that Artemis was going to be the most independent of the goddesses, one who thrived on challenges!

Artemis’ association with the natural world, the wilderness, symbolizes her own untamed spirit. The most independent of the goddesses, she roamed the forests in her role as huntress. Artemis was famous for her hunting skills, for the sharp focus of her attention and her unerring aim. She was known as a fearless and responsible hunter, willing and able to bring down the most terrifying beasts. But Artemis was especially fierce in her protection of the gentle animals that were usually preyed upon. As the protector of animals and the young, Artemis was angered because a group of Greek sailors had slaughtered a hare and its young. She delayed them from sailing to join the Battle of Troy. Artemis was not the least interested in cultivating the land (she left those responsibilities to Demeter) or in harnessing the forces of nature to benefit mankind (a task best left to Athena). She could best be described as an early environmentalist.

Artemis seemed to be more comfortable with the companionship of women friends. Often depicted by artists while hunting or bathing with her band of nymphs, Artemis valued her freedom and personal space and protected them with ferociousness.

Indeed, those who restricted her freedom, those who tried to thwart her commitment to reaching her goals, or simply invaded her privacy, paid dearly. When the hunter Actaeon accidentally came upon her while she was bathing, she turned him into a stag, whereupon his own hunting dogs attacked and tore him to pieces. It is clear that Artemis could be both quite vengeful and impulsive. When she discovered that Callisto, one of the nymphs in her band of companions, had violated her vows of chastity and become pregnant as a result of an affair with Zeus, Artemis, without a moment’s hesitation, changed her into a bear. Had Zeus not intervened to place her in the stars as the constellation Callisto (The Bear), she would have died quickly as the victim of a hunt.

With the exception of her brother Apollo who was a frequent ally and companion, she was not known to have had satisfying relationships with men. Her one great love affair, with the handsome and respected mortal Orion, ended very badly. A bit upset that his sister’s time and attentions had been diverted away from him, the jealous Apollo tricked Artemis into killing Orion. Knowing that Orion was swimming in the ocean, Apollo wagered that Artemis could not hit ‘that distant object on the horizon’ with an arrow. Filled with confidence in her skills as an archer, Artemis accepted the challenge. Successful as always, Artemis discovered that her competitiveness and unerring aim had killed the only man she had ever loved. In her abject grief, she turned her dead lover into stars and shot him into the night sky where he remains as the constellation Orion. Never again did Artemis allow herself to become vulnerable to romantic love.

Artemis was often associated with the moon, especially the crescent or ‘new’ moon. Phoebe was one of her many names she was called. The name Phoebe means the ‘light one’ or ‘bright one’. One of her divine duties was to illuminate the darkness. She was often depicted carrying a candle or torch, lighting the way for others, leading them through territories yet uncharted.

Despite her ‘wildness’ (her refusal to conform to conventional ways or tradition) and her fierce independence, Artemis is a healing and compassionate goddess. Self-sufficient, she lives life on her own terms, comfortable both in solitude and in holding the reins of leadership. Artemis gives us courage. She illuminates those places that terrify us and lends us her strength to bring us safely through our fears.

Artemis Symbols

 

General:

 

Crescent moon (new moon), bow and arrow, sandals,clouds, three pillars, blue sky.

 

Animals:

 

Guinea fowl, elephant, horse, dog, bear, dove,

deer, and bee.

 

 

Plants:

 

Anemones, flowering almond, hazel, ranunculus,honeysuckle, thistle, laurel, and fir tree.

 

 

Perfume/Scents:

 

Jasmine, aloe, ginseng, lemon verbena, camphor

 

 

Gems and Metals:

 

Moonstone, pearl, quartz, crystal, silver, turquoise,iron, aluminum, diamond.

 

 

Colors:

 

 

Silver, white, red, green, turquoise

The Artemis Archetype

Every woman’s personality is actually influenced by numerous different goddesses (traits that exist in her personality, or roles that function in her life). One goddess, however, predominates. It is this goddess, your personal goddess type, that is detailed in this report because she represents the core part of your personality that establishes your identity and most influences how you express it to the outer world. Think of it as your own personal ‘comfort zone’ your personal goddess type represents your basic, in-born core, the way you ‘really’ are. When you are functioning within the boundaries of your goddess type, you feel ‘at home with yourself’. Anxieties will be dissolved, priorities clearer, and you will feel energized, resilient, and capable. If your circumstances are well matched to your goddess type, your normal coping mechanisms will work well, and you will feel a sense of control over your destiny.

Artemis Characteristics

An Artemis woman is confident. She knows her value and the value of what she pursues. She displays a charming capacity to ignore the traditional, the authoritarian, the standard way of doing things. With this open attitude, she displays a fresh, new approach to her work and her life.

She is the most likely of all the goddesses to form close and enduring friendships with other women. She holds dear the strengths associated with matriarchal values and is a ‘natural’ feminist, a true sister to other women. As the protector of women and children, Artemis always seeks the fairness of a ‘level playing field’ and is quick to defend and protect those who suffer from unfair discrimination.

An Artemis is not a fashion horse; she usually dresses in comfortable casual clothes, and sometimes appears a bit ‘thrown together’. Quite often she has a distant, far away look in her eyes. During conversations she tends to fiddle with objects such as a pen or rubber band. Even though it seems as if she isn’t paying attention to what’s going on, she is usually quite aware and focused. When a topic strikes her interest, however, she is often very animated, waving her hands around while she talks. And most Artemis women are excellent storytellers.

Artemis is action-oriented. She loves a challenge. Ideas, in and of themselves, are of little interest to her; what matters is what works. An Artemis’ actions are often unplanned and her greatest strength is in responding quickly and ably to a situation. She is not fool-hardy, but she may be admired for her daring. Her focus is on competence and the sense of mastery that it can give. With the clear focus of an archer, she sees where her duty lies and is not likely to shirk that duty, even if it means considerable sacrifice on her part. An Artemis is quick and alert. Often she is incredibly intuitive, extremely alert to what will happen next and sensitive to all the possibilities. These abilities allow her to deal imaginatively with relationships, whether they are personal, practical, or ideological.

An Artemis is not likely to shy away from complexity and has a remarkable ability to analyze. She greets new ideas and events with great interest. Her enthusiasm is infectious so she is often seen as an inspirational leader. Since she is adventurous, she is always on the lookout for a new and better way, or for new projects. Of all the goddesses, Artemis is the most reluctant to do things in the usual manner just because ‘that’s the way it’s always done’!

Many Artemis types are career women. They find they can succeed in a variety of occupations as long as the jobs don’t involve too much routine. If her responsibilities involve too much repetition, an Artemis gets restless and is apt to move one or to start taking on bits and pieces of other people’s work that she finds more interesting. The ideal work for an Artemis often involves a series of numerous of changing projects. If a project fails to hold her interest, however, her attention may wander and she will fail to follow through to completion. Many Artemis women succeed as entrepreneurs. They are innovative and decisive. Rather than having a carefully developed plan they usually can depend on their ingenuity to solve any problems that might arise. This willingness to spring into action can sometimes head her to neglect important preparations that might be necessary for a project to succeed.

Quick witted as she is, an Artemis is usually a fascinating conversationalist. Able to follow and appreciate the complex ideas of others, she can respond quickly to any shifts in another’s position. She loves a test of wits, even when she’s not emotionally involved with the issues. An Artemis’ competitive nature is such that she will sometimes employ debate tactics to the disadvantage of her opponents, even when they are her mate or valued friends.

An Artemis is rarely a conformist. She has too much fun outwitting the system, and usually manages to do so by using the very rules and regulations set up by the establishment. She usually is keenly aware of the politics in an institution and uses this awareness to her advantage. She can be a formidable opponent when she chooses.

Your Personal Characteristics

Like the Artemis that you are, you are extroverted, friendly and sociable. You enjoy being with other people and find that it energizes you, heightening your natural enthusiasm for life and all its possibilities. Exuberant, optimistic, and energetic, you are at your best in a social situation.

The goddess Artemis seemed to live and work with a lot of companionship and excitement in her life. Most Artemis
women enjoy being with people, are full of energy, and tend to be enthusiastic. They genuinely like other people and
openly demonstrate positive feelings toward them, finding it easy to form close relationships and tending to make
friends quickly. Your responses on the quiz indicate that, while you may not be as friendly as some, you are still
well within the range of the typical Artemis type.

Like other Artemis women, you usually find the company of others pleasantly energizing and enjoy the company of
others and the excitement of crowds, needing little privacy and time for yourself.

Like your goddess Artemis, you have a rather unconventional soul. Although at times you may seesaw between adhering
to the traditional and the unorthodox, the practical and the idealistic, you are by nature imaginative, creative,
and somewhat individualistic.

Tolerant and broadminded, you have considerable impact on the people you encounter, even though you seldom may
recognize it. Your tendency to be freedom-loving and somewhat independent leads you to insist upon living your own
life as you see fit, even if that means ignoring convention.

You think in broad terms, are forward-looking, and progressive. You have a natural facility for thinking in symbols
and abstractions and may be greatly moved by music and the visual and performing arts as well as the raw beauty of
nature. Undisturbed by complexity, ambiguity, or subtlety, you tend to enjoy novelty, variety, and change. You
usually have several different ‘projects’ underway at the same time, though you may leave some of them incomplete
when you abandon them for newer interests.

Although you care a reasonable amount about other’s opinions of you and crave love and acceptance as much as anyone
else, you are neither as expressive of your emotions (or as sensitive to those of others) as Artemis usually was.
You have an average level of emotionality.

Like Artemis, you place a great value on your personal freedom and are adventurous by nature. At times you find the
routine and limitations of daily life too constraining. Consequently your style is rather ‘informal’ (and perhaps
sometimes even perceived as ‘rebellious’). Some of your decisions can be hastily reached and poorly thought through.
On the positive side, you are usually spontaneous and enthusiastic. By nature you are curious and are attracted by
anything you see as special, eccentric or mysterious. You require a considerable amount of variety in your life and
enthusiastically embrace opportunities to travel, to meet new people, and to collect new experiences.

Unlike Artemis, your level of excitement-seeking is low, indicating that you are unlikely to become bored in
situations that do not offer high levels of stimulation. You are unlikely to be a risk-taker or thrill-seeker and
are probably easily overwhelmed by noise and commotion.

Unlike your goddess Artemis, you are not particularly prone to challenging authority, convention, or traditional
values. But neither do you insist on the security and stability brought by strict conformity to tradition that is
noticed in other goddess types. You are about average in the extent to which you experience ambiguity, chaos, and
disorder as stressful.

Many of the legends of Artemis recount stories that demonstrate her ability to act quickly and spontaneously, if not
impulsively. Most Artemis women prefer to remain somewhat flexible and spontaneous in their general approach to
life.

The advantages of this approach are readily apparent-not being rigidly ‘bound’ by schedules, planners, and a wide
variety of other organizational aids gives one a freedom to ‘seize the moment’, to make a snap decision, and to act
on her first impulse. At play this spontaneity and impulsivity can be exciting and great fun. Others usually see
spontaneous people as colorful, wacky, and fun to be with. The accompanying tendency to put off unpleasant tasks
until the absolute last minute may not win her many awards, but at least she doesn’t have to worry about becoming a
serious ‘workaholic’ who leaves her friends and family in a state of serious neglect.

Planning, on the other hand, leads to consistent success in projects that require organized efforts during stages in
a sequence. Without it her accomplishments will likely be rather small, scattered, or inconsistent. However much she
may be criticized for unreliability, lack or ambition, or failure to ‘stay within the lines’, one thing she’ll never
be called is stuffy!

In her myths Artemis is usually depicted as someone who is confident in her ability to accomplish her goals, someone
who believes she has the common sense, the drive, and the self-control to overcome the obstacles in her path. Your
level of confidence in your ability to succeed is also moderate like hers.

You have a tendency to be somewhat disorganized, waiting until the pressure mounts to organize yourself and get your
life in order. By not relying on routines and schedules to organize your life you are able to live more
spontaneously, but at times you pay heavily for this indulgence. On the positive side, you’re not so bound up in a
list of ‘Things To Do’ that you miss opportunities to enrich your life when they arise.

Artemis was not widely known for having a strong sense of duty and moral obligation. Like her, your sense of
obligation is not high. You often experience contracts, rules, and regulations as overly confining. At times others
may perceive you as being unreliable, or even irresponsible.

The goddess Artemis was often impulsive. Like hers, your level of impulsiveness in high. You may tend to say or do the first thing that comes to mind without considering your alternatives or the probable consequences of your acts. Impulses are not inherently bad; acting on our impulses can be an effective response in situations requiring snap decisions. Additionally, acting spontaneously and impulsively makes play possible. People who are impulsive are often seen as being colorful, exciting, and fun. Nonetheless, excessive impulsivity can lead to trouble – examples include using illicit drugs that eventually destroy one’s health, responding with an insult during an argument leading to the destruction of an important relationship, or excessive socializing that results in being fired from one’s job. Artemis seldom thought things through carefully before she sprang into action. She was seldom deliberate and cautious when making decisions. Like Artemis, you frequently don’t take your time before deciding and sometimes do or say the first thing that comes to mind without deliberating your alternatives and their probable consequences.

How An Artemis’ Mind Works

Your goddess type is largely determined by the neurological hard-wiring you received at birth. It governs the way you think and learn. Unfortunately, most of us have been exposed to a ‘one-size-fits-all’ educational system that fails to take into account that not everyone has the same style of learning. Understanding how you think and learn best can help you be more productive at work or in school.

An Artemis thinks in broad terms, is forward-looking, and progressive. They have a natural facility for thinking in symbols and abstractions and may greatly be moved by music and the visual and performing arts as well as the raw beauty of nature. Undisturbed by complexity, ambiguity, or subtlety, they tend to enjoy novelty, variety, and change. They usually have several different “projects” underway at the same time, though you may leave some of them incomplete when they abandon them for newer interests.

Sometimes an Artemis will form an opinion of a person or situation without much factual knowledge, and their intuition is often correct. It may be hard to explain to others but intangible forces seem just as real to them as anything in the concrete world. They are quick to sense the possibilities in any given situation and are more likely to focus on them that on any of the specific details of “what-actually-is” that others observe. They tend to have restless minds and a thirst for mental stimulation, preferring to see the “big picture” and what it might mean rather than discovering how all the little pieces fit together. This “broad-stroke” approach can become a bit sloppy at times, so in some situations it’s a good idea to have a co-worker one can rely upon to handle any details that require technical precision.

True to your nature as an Artemis, you are open-minded to new and unusual ideas and like to play with ideas and
debate intellectual issues. You probably enjoy riddles, puzzles and brainteasers. Like her, your level of ability
and comfort in thinking abstractly is high.

Your level of creativity and imagination is moderate. Your quiz reveals that you are oriented both to facts and
fantasy. You are often able to use your imagination, and keen sense of what is possible, to create a richer, more
interesting world.

Self-discipline or will power was a prominent feature of the goddess Artemis’s personality. Your level of
self-discipline is about average. You are often able to overcome any reluctance to begin a task (even a disagreeable
one) and to stay on track despite distractions. While you don’t always find it easy to persist at difficult or
unpleasant tasks, seeing them through to completion, you are usually able to do so.

An Artemis is born with a hunger for knowledge and a burning desire for competence. She wants to be competent and to
understand . . . able to predict, explain, and control her world. Her eye is always focused on finding the way to
gain mastery of her self and her environment, constantly seeking solutions to problems, no matter how complex they
might seem. She is typically involved with projects that call for innovation, creativity, and vision. An Artemis
enjoys learning for its own sake. Never satisfied, she is motivated to continually improve, always raising the
standard by which she judges her own success. Typically she is her own worst critic.

Lectures that are logical and evidence-based appeal to most Artemis types . . . even more so if they are followed by
assignments requiring relevant, long term or extensive independent papers or projects. Intellectual exploration
through experimentation, analysis, and problem solving are her forte. She collects theories, laws, principles, and
concepts to give structure to her understanding of the world.

Artemis At Work

Just as your inborn goddess type impacts the way you think and learn, it also greatly influences your life at work.
When your goddess-given strengths and patterns of behavior have become habitual, certain jobs or careers will be
more ‘natural’ for you. When your job allows you to capitalize on your goddess type, it is interesting and
energizing, almost fun. So if you’re about to enter the job market, use you knowledge of your goddess type as a
guide to selecting an ideal position that is a good match for your goddess type.

None of this means you can’t be happy in other fields. Lots of other factors influence job satisfaction, your boss
and coworkers, the pay, the dress code, for example. Most people manage to adapt, to develop and strengthen their
less developed skills and interests when working in a job, unless other factors introduce too many problems in the
setting.

Finally, if you aren’t satisfied at work or don’t feel you’re very effective, you can use what you learn about your
goddess’ strengths to examine the match between your goddess type and your current job and career.

Artemis was moderate in her quest for achievement. Those with a drive to be recognized as successful often have a
strong sense of direction in their lives and strive hard to achieve excellence in their chosen pursuits. Taken to
the extremes, high achievement seeking may result in an individual who is too single-minded and obsessed with his
work. At the other extreme, is an individual content to get by with only a minimal amount of work, even if it means
being seen by others as lazy. Your level of achievement striving is average, not at either extreme.

 

Artemis at work tends to be:

 

Analytical

Innovative

Charming

Logical

Creative

Nonconforming

Energetic

Outgoing and Friendly

Imaginative

Quick-thinking

Impulsive

Searching

Independent

Visionary

Like Artemis, you are usually attracted to what is new and different. The fact that something is unproven isn’t likely to put you off. Simply taking someone else’s good idea and making it work isn’t your style. You’d rather do the creating and leave the mundane chore of working out the details (or following the procedures manual) to someone else. As an Artemis your interest dissipates once a task becomes repetitive or routine . . . after all, an Artemis prefers a challenge!

You are an innovator in your approach. Your strength lies in the very way you can make intuitive leaps, instinctively sensing what might work best in a given situation. You may sometimes err when success depends on detailed factual data or on accuracy. For you, by nature, are focused on the ‘big picture’, not the little details.

Solitary work is not for an Artemis woman. For one thing, you tend to ‘think out loud’ and may actually need to talk to be able to do your best thinking. Brainstorming sessions and committee meetings are often where you have your best ideas. It’s as if a thought forms in your head but becomes ‘fleshed out’ as you discuss it with others.

Your business-like demeanor and professional approach often inspires others to look to you for leadership. You tend to be fairly assertive, matter of fact, and impersonal . . . getting right to the point without a lot of chitchat. As a result some of your coworkers or customers may think you are blunt, or even tactless. Your natural abilities in logical analysis and objective decision making allow you succeed in a competitive environment. You don’t mind working at a rapid pace, moving quickly from one task to another.

An Artemis is likely to function best in a job that allows you to be your casual and spontaneous self, able to just ‘go with the flow’, jumping from one task to another with great aplomb. After all, for an Artemis, reaching the goal is not always as important as enjoying the adventure of getting there! Although you occasionally lash out and invest in a calendar, date books, and other aids to help you get organized, you usually find that choosing an elaborate system is a lot more satisfying than using one; and abandon them as soon as the novelty wears off. Instead of discarding paperwork or promptly filing it away, it tends to build up on your less-than-tidy desk. (Although you may have an almost uncanny ability to find your ‘stuff’, your co-workers aren’t likely to view you as well organized!)

An Artemis doesn’t like to be pressured into making decisions until she feels she’s amassed enough information . . . after all, she likes to keep her options open until she’s sure. Besides, your great strength is your adaptability. This can, at times, lead to procrastination and missed deadlines. At other times this willingness to leave things unresolved for the time being is an advantage. It makes it easier for you to quickly change tack, diverting your efforts into new directions that are more likely to succeed.

 

Artemis Women Often Find Careers in These Fields Rewarding:

Actor

Outplacement consultant

Advertising director

Personnel manager

Art director

Personnel systems developer

Attorney

Photographer

Computer analyst

Political manager

Copywriter

Politician

Engineer

Psychiatrist

Horticulturist

Psychologist

Host of Radio/TV talk show 

Public relations

Industrial designer

Real estate agent

Interior designer

Real estate developer

Investment banker

Restaurant/bar owner

Investment broker

Sales

Journalist

Social scientist

Literary agent

Strategic planner

Logistics consultant

Systems designer

Managementconsultant

Technical trainer

Marketing consultant 

Venture capitalist

Marketing specialist

Web site designer

Military service

Writer

 

Artemis’ Relationships

When we encounter people whose god or goddess type matches our own, people who have similar traits, we are usually attracted to them and often make them a part of our social circle. This is not surprising for they tend to think like you, have similar interests, treat you as you treat others, and are easy for you to communicate with. You feel comfortable and energized when you are with them. When you spend much time with someone of an opposite type, you may feel drained of energy if it becomes a struggle to find common ground. Other types truly see the world through different eyes and approach life from a very different perspective. Depending on the situation in which you find yourselves, you may be able to recognize your differences and essentially ‘agree to disagree’.

Try to learn more and use your understanding about different god and goddess types, remembering that even though they differ, each type has its unique strengths and beauty. After all, it is the incredible diversity that makes life so colorful!

Like the goddess Artemis, you are less concerned with issues of pleasing others, or being popular, than you are with upholding your own personal values or in reaching your own goals. You are not very emotionally demanding of others and may find it difficult, if not actually unpleasant, to try to understand and deal with what you see as the emotional ‘neediness of others. You are not easily distracted from your pursuits by concern for the well being of others and aren’t particularly likely to extend yourself for others solely out of a sense of ‘ought to’.

Since you rely considerably on your rational judgment, you do not naively trust others to have good intentions and to behave honorably; hence you are unlikely to find yourself being frequently ‘victimized’ by others.

You usually take a friendly, cooperative approach rather than a forceful ‘we-should-do-it-like this’ position.
You’re more likely to use your charm in an understated, non-combative fashion to try to reach your objectives. But
if all else fails (or if the stakes are high or you’ve just been pushed-too-far) you are perfectly capable of being
assertive since your quiz reveals that your assertiveness level is high.

Beware of your tendency to become too impersonal and too intellectual at times. Deep empathy doesn’t come easily for many Artemis women. They are more apt to think, analyze, and respond rationally in emotionally charged situations where others are apt to lose their heads. This “coolheadedness” is very useful in situations requiring tough or objective decisions, but it can make it difficult to develop intimacy with others. You may need to learn that logic and reason, valuable as they are, are only part of the story-that the subjective and emotional (sometimes even the irrational) are often equal in importance as the pure “facts” of the matter.

Other people tend to see Artemis women as strong and decisive and are attracted by this quality, seeking to make them leaders, sometimes conferring upon them a responsibility that they may not wish to have. Each Artemis has a tendency to be so task-oriented that her impatience to reach the goal may unwittingly trample on the feelings of others. On the positive side, an Artemis has a levelheaded, logical approach that is often exactly what is needed to help others find solutions to their problems. It is important, though, that Artemis women be cautious with this power and try to be sensitive to the possibility that what other’s want and need from them may simply be a sympathetic audience and not an actual solution to their problems.

Artemis was revered for her altruism for she was generally willing to assist those in need. Unlike her, you are not
highly motivated by a need to serve others by doing things for them. Requests for help often feel more like an
imposition than an opportunity for self-fulfillment. Your level of altruism is moderate.

You do not run away from confrontations and, like Artemis, are usually unwilling to deny your own needs and
interests simply to get along with people. As a result, sometimes others may find you a bit intimidating or
uncooperative.

Priding yourself on your ability to judge objectively, you are more concerned with impartial justice, truth, and
fairness. You are not affected strongly by the suffering of others. It is not that you are uncompassionate, but that
you do not, as a rule, vicariously experience the pain of others as readily as do some other goddess types. Your
level of tender-mindedness, which is average, is more advantageous than higher levels in situations that require
tough decisions or objectivity.

Artemis As a Child

What you were like as a child and the messages you received from your parents have undoubtedly influenced your development, for better or worse. Lucky for you if your family enjoyed and encouraged you to develop naturally as the Artemis that you are -chances are you felt good about yourself and got a big head start in developing all your Artemis strengths.

Sometimes, however, having ‘too much’ family support can cause a problem. When parents give their little goddess unlimited approval for the traits of her natural goddess type to the exclusion of helping her develop the helpful traits of the other goddesses that exist as potential in her personality, she can grow up too one-sided. Take, for example, the young Artemis who is a natural athlete and fierce competitor. While her parents are busy applauding her for all her trophies and carting her to competitions, they may forget to similarly encourage her to keep up with her assignments and she fails to sufficiently develop her intellectual skills.

Also unfortunate is the girl whose goddess type meets with her parents’ disapproval. Their opposition won’t change her inborn type; it just leaves her feeling bad about herself for being who she is, feeling inauthentic if she tries to conform to their expectations by pretending to be ‘the other girl’ that she sensed they would have preferred, or even making her rebellious.

It is a lucky Artemis child who had approving parents for you were probably quite a handful to manage. Woe be to the mother who was foolish enough to think she could ‘catch a few winks’ while her little Artemis napped-most likely she’d awaken to find the crib empty, the back door open, and her Artemis toddler halfway up the neighbors’ tree! An Artemis’ love for exploring new environments declares itself at an early age.

Clever, curious, and entertaining, you could also be quite persuasive. But, even at an early age, an Artemis can be quite unpredictable and argumentative. More than any of the other little goddesses, an Artemis child displays a keen sense of justice and the words ‘but that’s not fair!’ are likely to become her litany. But you could also ‘dig in your heels’ and adamantly refuse to cooperate, impervious to bribes or threats. ‘Talking back’ to your parents may have occasioned more than a few trips to the time-out chair.

Often a young Artemis has a rather lengthy tomboy phase. If your athletic abilities were encouraged, you probably still enjoy competitive sports.

Childhood is often a difficult state for an Artemis girl. Adventuresome, stubborn, and willful, you undoubtedly were a challenge to parent. Hopefully your parents weren’t stuck on the idea of having a cuddly, compliant little girl that they could dress in frills or the kind who refused to let you do something because you weren’t a boy! Many of the famous women who champion equality for women are Artemis types. Lucky is the Artemis woman who had parents who valued her as she was and let her know it. If this was not the case for you, their disapproval may have hampered the development of self-confidence that is so characteristic of an Artemis woman.

Remember that your parents, like most, probably assumed that you, their child, were pretty much like them. All parents have a different view of the ‘right way’ to rear a child, one that reflects their own god or goddess type.

Artemis As a Parent

Armed with your new understanding of how the goddess types work, you will not be surprised to hear that one other factor, the goddess or god- type of your child, will play a big part in how well you will fare in your role as a parent. Bear in mind that, whichever little gods or goddesses reside in your pantheon, the wise goddess avoids trying to reshape them and allows them to grow into their true goddess-given selves with her understanding and support.

As a parent, an Artemis mother can hardly wait till her infants grow up so that they can start sharing adventures together. Unless there is a strong Demeter archetype in her personality, she may not find the infant stage nearly as fulfilling as the child’s later years, no matter how cuddly and cute the baby is. But she delights in being a friend and companion to her children. Enthusiastic and generous, she makes sure they are exposed to many adventures in their lives. She likes having a home base where she can teach her young (mostly by providing them with a role model) and help them develop their skills and shape their values so that they, too, can grow up to be competent and successful.

An Artemis is usually a good storyteller and often assumes the role of keeping her family entertained and happy. Although she intends to put her family first at all times, her children may find that she is frequently too busy to give them her full attention. An Artemis often finds it especially difficult to deal with an emotional child, especially one who is in the throes of negative emotions. But like a mother bear, she is fierce in her loyalty to her children and in defending them.

Artemis and Her Mates

Is there one perfect match for your goddess type? Some types may be naturally better suited than others. After all, the more similar two types are, the more they understand each other for the more values and interests they have in common, the easier they can communicate, and the less work they have to do to get along. They may, however, have to make an extra effort to stay interesting to each other.

But what about opposites? Opposites may attract, but too often they don’t manage to stay together. When a person from a very different type comes into a romantic relationship with you, you may find yourself drawn to them because you are intrigued by their difference. (Sometimes this may be a sign that they have a quality or strength you admire that isn’t a part of your goddess type and that you need to develop in your self.) Too soon the magical courtship stage is over and you begin to notice that the differences between you are less appealing, maybe even a source of annoyance and conflict. Perhaps you start seeing signs that there isn’t good chemistry between you, or that you need to pull back and not invest so much of yourself. If you think there is enough positive about the relationship and can thoughtfully examine the differences objectively, you may decide to live with the differences between you. Sometimes, though, the differences are just too great to overcome or do not justify the amount of energy it takes to maintain the relationship. If you choose not to deal with the differences, it is wise to move on and find other mates who are more compatible with your goddess type.

But if you’re already deeply invested in such a relationship, or if you simply like a challenge, much can be gained in a mating of opposites. Rather than unintentionally turning your differences into a source of frustration and dissatisfaction, you can learn to celebrate them. Unfortunately, the tendency is to instinctively follow the path of the Pygmalion archetype. In this legend the sculptor Pygmalion, unable to love any of the women he met, carved a statue . . . a perfect and beautiful image of his ‘ideal woman’. Over the course of his labors he grew madly in love with her, but fell into despair because, as a lifeless statue, she could not love him in return.

Like Pygmalion, we (in ways subtle, and not so subtle) try to make our partners change, to become more like us. Chipping away at our loves and marriages with constant tension, criticism, and complaints, we try to pull our partners out of their own god- or goddess- types. Such efforts are destined to fail. Even if it could be successful, it would extinguish their personality, leaving them as lifeless and cold as a statue. Although Aphrodite took pity on the poor sculptor and brought his statue to life in the legend, we must make our own miracles . . . by understanding our differences and seeing them not as problems but as incredible opportunities to breathe life into our own relationships.

This section will guide you to a general understanding of how your goddess archetype exerts a profound influence on the course of your love life. Perhaps the most important aspect of this report is the recognition that the very same differences that attract a woman and her mate to each other can also be the cause of most of the conflict between them, and that it is how these differences are handled that really matters.

As a mate, Artemis is usually an excellent companion and playmate, always searching for something unusual to try. She may not always be as dependable as her partner would like because in her enthusiasm, she sometimes makes promises she can’t keep.

A fiercely independent type, she is helpful and interesting, but never ‘clinging’. She is seldom critical or nagging. At her very worst, she might seem emotionally distant, not always giving her full attention to her partner . . . after all, she has so many fish to fry! A mate who is not dependent or ‘needy’ can be a good match.

Just as an Artemis loves a good argument, she loves to win even more. Sometimes her competitive nature comes at great cost to her relationship. Just as Artemis accidentally killed her love with an accurately placed arrow when responding to a challenge, many Artemis women can ‘kill’ the love of her partner with her intense focus on competing and always trying to come out on top.

An Artemis woman is an exciting mate who creates a lively (even if somewhat disorganized) home environment. She is outgoing, laughs easily and often, and is usually in a good humor. As a housekeeper she may leave something to be desired since order and routine are just not in her nature. As focused as she is on her work, she often seems scattered in other areas of her life and is often looking for something she has lost. She usually confronts the problem of home management by organizing the rest of the family to do their parts or else attacks the chores in a storm of activity once or twice a year when she can no longer abide the mess. If possible, she hires some competent ‘nymphs’ to deal with the household chores (and usually insists on paying them well).

Life with an Artemis woman will undoubtedly be an exciting adventure for her partner. At times she can lead her family into economic, or even physical, danger. She wouldn’t think of postponing the chance to go rafting just because the baby sitter cancelled-she’ll just think of how lucky the infant is to have the chance to shoot the rapids at such a tender age! In much the same fashion, with her enthusiasm for the new and fascinating, she may be inclined to overspend to support her numerous interests and hobbies-last week it was watercolor supplies, this week camping gear, and next week scuba diving lessons! Understandably, you tend to have a wide (and lively) circle of friends and are always interested in their activities.

An Artemis can be very sensitive to criticism. Failure is such a rare event in the life of the competent Artemis that she may not know how to take it in her stride if she does err. She finds it very difficult to admit even when she is at fault. Although she may apologize and intend to make a change, she often continues to behave the same as before. She can easily become discouraged and looks to her mate to provide the emotional support and encouragement that she needs at such a time.

Visit the reference section at www.goddessgift.com to find valuable resources that will help you ‘love the one you’re with’, getting past the ancient conflicts and behavior patterns that have the power to destroy relationships. Learn to appreciate, even honor, each other’s complementary, but differing, ways of being. By developing insight into the ways the god and goddess archetypes interact, you can learn how to make your differences complement one another as intensely as they might otherwise clash.

Artemis Under Stress

Your goddess type impacts every aspect of your life, including your health and sense of well-being. In fact, recent research suggests a direct link between personality and illness. Your goddess type represents the orderly arrangement of your personality that helps you deal with life. If your life is highly compatible with your goddess type, all is well. If, however, your circumstances force you to function largely outside your personal type, you will view your life from a negative perspective and experience stress and emotional discomfort. Our thoughts and emotions are deeply intertwined. Negative thoughts provoke negative feelings that rob the body of the energy it needs to remain in healthy balance, leaving us susceptible to illness.

Consider this example: Amy’s goddess type is one that finds it very difficult to say ‘no’ to anyone. Consequently, she is always trying to do too much and is frequently behind schedule. Missing deadlines and being late for appointments causes her to feel guilty, so every time she is late creates additional stress for her. That stress results in a negative chemical reaction in her body, which, if continued over a long period of time, can ‘wear down’ her body’s natural defenses, leaving her accident prone and vulnerable to infections and a number of other stress-related illnesses.

Another body of fascinating research suggests that each personality type is linked to its own specific areas of vulnerability, or ‘weak sites’, within the body . . . an Achilles’ heel, so to speak. It is thought that these particular areas may be more sensitive to stress-related chemical imbalance.

This section will help you identify:

• Typical ways your type functions under stress

• Characteristic negative thoughts (fears and anxieties) that produce stress

• Vulnerable areas of the body and major health issues for your goddess type

• Behavior patterns that may put you ‘at risk of developing a specific health problem

For an Artemis, the search for perfection is a major source of stress. Constantly pushing yourself and others for improvement, and having a deep inner fear of failure, an Artemis’s life can become very stressful. Combined with your tendency to underestimate the time needed for a project, you are apt to find yourself overextended and sometimes behind schedule. With her ability to focus intensely on one thing, her tendency to overwork and inability to relax, an Artemis woman under stress can become extremely judgmental and critical of herself and others. An Artemis finds it very stressful to deal with people she feels is being over-emotional or illogical, anyone who questions her integrity (or otherwise suggests she does something unethical), or any situation that pushes her to make a decision before she’s had time to fully analyze it and weigh her options. In short, you, as an Artemis, probably often find yourself caught in the middle of a conflict between your heart and your head.

Situations involving the possibility that you might face criticism, intimidation, a loss of autonomy, or appear incompetent are very stressful for you. When operating under high levels of stress, an Artemis woman’s self-confidence may suddenly abandon her, leaving her feeling confused and full of self-doubt. Her preference for innovative solutions predisposes an Artemis to becoming bored and eager to move on to something ‘more challenging. Stress is also likely when an Artemis woman finds herself in a situation in which her greatest strength, her ability to improvise imaginative solutions, is not sufficient, e.g. situations in which advance preparation and careful planning are needed. Facing such situations, her feelings of inadequacy start to build, making her anxious. Severe anxiety, even panic, can result unless she can find a way to escape the situation. Some Artemis women may even develop specific phobias that allow them to elude the perceived threat, but these may be counterproductive since they prevent the achievement and success than an Artemis needs to thrive.

Your typical reaction when stressed is to become ‘nit-picky’ and even indignant. At times, an Artemis may change her behavior abruptly, becoming very aggressive and openly hostile, surprising those who are frustrating her. Your natural inclination is to withdraw into yourself. Those close to you may find it hard to understand that you need to do this to restore your sense of balance.

The most vulnerable areas of an Artemis’ body include her central nervous system, digestive system, immune and musculoskeletal system, especially her midback (thoracic spine). Muscular tension, skin disorders, allergies, autoimmune diseases, liver disorders, indigestion, ulcers, tendonitis, and headaches are potential health issues of special concern.

Situations most likely to trigger an Artemis’ level of stress are those that evoke:

• the fear of being rejected or criticized

• fear of failure

• frustration at feeling restricted, controlled or otherwise manipulated

• feeling entrapped in a relationship that is emotionally complex or ‘needy’.

Major stressors that arise in the lives of an Artemis are often related to her:

• tendency to expect perfection from herself and others

• attempts to resist regulations and control over her behavior, which she experiences as a loss of freedom, and

• tendency to be single-minded and focused, leaving little time or energy for relaxation or other people.

Artemis’ Personal Goddess Path

While your goddess type is the strongest, most developed, preferred, and ‘natural’ to you, you potentially have aspects (or traits) of all the goddesses in your personality. They are willing to come to your rescue if needed. As your life unfolds over time, you will be presented with different challenges that are not in your goddess’ ‘area of expertise’, challenges that another goddess would be better equipped to handle. You can recognize when this occurs because you may feel drained of energy, ‘mentally fuzzy’, and less sure of your ability to cope. Your life may feel out of control, or you may even have a strong sense of being ‘numbed’ or detached from what is going on around you. Here is where those other goddesses can come to your rescue.

Artemis’ Allies

The goddesses Atalanta and Demeter are your allies. Already present in your personality, they can be called into play to help you adapt and grow. Which goddess is active at any given time depends on a combination of factors that interact-how many (and which) goddesses are in your repertoire and your predisposition to use them. The situation you find yourself coping with and the roles it calls forth in you, even your hormones, and your stage of life are also important factors.

Think of your life as an improvisational play with several actresses in the cast, each with different roles. One actress (your personal goddess type) will play the lead and be on-stage most of the time since she is your strongest, most experienced performer. However, the others will be called on-stage occasionally when the play takes a direction that calls for their ‘special’ skills or attributes.

You can also activate a goddess archetype intentionally, by consciously focusing on her (through study, meditations, rituals) or by ‘doing’ those activities with which she is associated, such as taking a college course to ‘activate’ the logical Athena. All you need do is honor her and consciously invite her presence – a process called ‘invoking’ a goddess. This section identifies the other goddesses in your makeup and some of the ways you can summon, or invoke, these goddesses in your life-to solicit their aid during times of crisis or to strengthen their impact and increase your psychological flexibility.

Your ally Demeter was in touch with her emotions, able to examine herself and to understand her motives. As the most selfless, and most nurturing of the goddesses, it must have been very difficult for Demeter to face the truth that she wasn’t being very attentive to her daughter and that her inattentiveness had set the stage for Persephone’s abduction. As an ally, Demeter can help you make more time in your life for those you care about, not always being so busy with your own activities that you neglect your relationships. If you are an Artemis who often fails to complete the projects she has started, who is not able to reap the benefits that come from specializing and finds herself unable to make a commitment to a career, you may need to seek Demeter’s stubborn willingness to persist in her endeavors.

An Artemis’ natural leadership abilities and enthusiasm for people and things that seem new and unusual to her often leaves her somewhat scattered and unable to devote her full attention to those who count on her. With Demeter’s presence help, an Artemis develops an increased appreciation for how others are affected by her actions and their feelings. Demeter can help an Artemis find deeper, more intimate and nurturing connections with those she cares about.

Like you, your ally Atalanta is logical, direct, highly energetic and confident. But she can offer an Artemis help in learning to act decisively, following through on her decisions. Without her assistance, many Artemis women would become chronic procrastinators, gathering more and more information (after all, it’s the thrill of the chase rather than the capture of the prize that appeals to Artemis) and never reach their full potential.

An Artemis often feels ungrounded for she can easily get lost in her plans and fantasies. Like Atalanta, she is free-spirited and fiercely independent, grounded in her adventures not her relationships. Once Atalanta’s presence is activated, an Artemis develops an ability to stand back and view her life more objectively, coming to a better understanding of how to be in a one-to-one relationship without feeling so confined.

To develop a healthy balance you need to integrate characteristics of each of the goddesses into your life. By so doing, you can recognize needs you’ve left unfulfilled. Then by attending to those needs, you can become happier and more self-confident. Visit the website again (www.goddessgift.com) to learn more about the different goddesses and to learn specific ways to strengthen their presence in your life.

Recognizing Your ‘Missing Goddess’

Just as your goddess type is dominant in your makeup, there is also one specific goddess that will be the weakest in you. Hera is your missing goddess. Recognizing this goddess, and honoring her presence, is critical to your well-being because, if she remains neglected, she is apt to appear at the most unexpected time to create havoc in your life.

Most of us have witnessed, at one time or another, an acquaintance who, in the face of some seemingly trivial irritation, explodes into a tirade, ready to ‘take the skin off’ the offender. Normally a sweet-natured, compliant and somewhat self-effacing type, she pays for ignoring her missing goddess (in this case one who is more demanding or judgmental than her own goddess type). Had she acknowledged these needs within herself and developed a few simple assertiveness skills, she would have been spared this embarrassment.

You’ve probably encountered the motif of the ‘uninvited guest’ that appears in many fairy tales and legends. Usually the story begins with a celebration to which everyone in the kingdom is invited, everyone that is except for one certain person (often a witch or a troll who is disliked because they seem ugly or evil). This uninvited guest, understandably miffed at having been excluded, invariably shows up anyway and places a terrible curse on the hosts, the infant who is being christened, or even on the entire kingdom! The terms ‘uninvited guest’ or ‘missing goddess’ refer to the neglected or rejected side of our selves we’ve forced out of our conscious awareness. In Jungian psychology, these disowned aspects of the self, forced to reside in the darkness of the unconscious mind, are called the ‘shadow’. It is the part of our self that we feel least comfortable with and have rejected as not being a part of ‘who we really are’.

Many Artemis women spend so much time wrapped up in their own thoughts, getting lost in their own plans and thoughts, that they may miss noticing some important details and realities that are present in their own environments. Hera, on the other hand, who was known for always being a bit suspicious of her errant husband Zeus, was always vigilant for signs that he was once again betraying her. Having Hera activated in her personality can help an Artemis become more attuned to the details available to her and aid her to become more practical and realistic about herself and her undertakings.

Hera was also very single-minded. The one thing that mattered to her was the success of her marriage. She made it her specialty. An Artemis often finds it hard to settle down and maintain an interest in just one thing for very long. Consequently she may not be able to profit from developing the depth of knowledge in a certain area that specialization gives, and in some fields this may hamper the advancement of her career. Hera’s presence can help an Artemis develop her ability to stick with something long enough to develop an expertise.

Approaching the Triple Goddess

Before the Titans and the Olympians (the gods and goddesses with their very human-like traits and personalities) appeared in Greek mythology, and long before the 5,000 year reign of male deities, people recognized a Triple Goddess who symbolized the three faces of the original Great Goddess. Often depicted in association with the changing phases of the moon, the Triple Goddess moves between her many roles with the changing seasons of her life. In Greek mythology her three faces are described as the:

Maiden/Virgin            Skilled,self-defining, achieving, and focused

Mother/Matriarch       Relationship-oriented,nurturing, loving, generous

Wisewoman/Crone     Contemplative,spiritual, compassionate, able to                                      laugh,an agent of transformative change in society

In Native American mythology the Triple Goddess was represented by the benevolent Changing Woman who could change back and forth from an infant to a young or old woman at will. She reminds us that a full life is rooted in our own nature as well as the seasons of our particular stage of life. Although recent social changes such as our ability to control the timing of childbearing have loosened the ties of the various stages to a woman’s chronological age, it is still common for most women to develop psychologically following this age-old sequence.

The major developmental task of the young woman, in her maiden stage, typically is to claim and embrace her own personal goddess and to fully develop and strengthen the character of her personal goddess type. Having done so, at mid-life (the phase of the mother/matron), her personal growth is enhanced by nurturing the presence and the strengths of the other goddesses who have remained less developed in her personality. With her primary goddess now strong and experienced, she can now afford to attend to the areas of her life she has heretofore neglected. And in the third phase of her life, generally occurring when she is postmenopausal, she reaches the stage of the wisewoman or crone. Her task at this stage is to pull back some from the more external and active involvement of her earlier years, to integrate all that she has learned, and to draw inward, finding her own voice and purpose. She emerges more spontaneous and less restrained by convention, more contemplative, more compassionate and self-accepting. She can be quite outspoken, in touch with her anger on behalf of herself and others. She is fully capable of forcing social changes that are needed. Using the wisdom she has gained, she now is able to weave her unique perspective into a tapestry that is a full expression of the sacred feminine.

Ways to Grow

As an Artemis it is likely that you have developed the side of you that is independent and goal-focused at some sacrifice of the more tender, nurturing qualities that are considered to be ‘traditionally’ feminine traits. Your journey toward completeness will center on the need to develop your potential for emotional expression and enlarging your capacity to develop and sustain relationships.

Recommendations:

• You are unusually able to accurately sense other people’s needs. Sometimes your “giftedness” in this area can be overwhelming to others. So, rather than jumping right in to help them solve their problems, it is often better to ask them what they really want first. Express your desire to help, communicate how you think you could help, but be willing to accept a “No Thanks”. They may just want a sympathetic audience, not someone to “fix” the problem.

• Be truthful with yourself and others about your real feelings and needs. Some Artemis women need to guard against the temptation to impress them or to inflate their importance by bragging or exaggerating their accomplishments.

• Given your ambition and desire for self-development, you can drive yourself and others to exhaustion in your relentless pursuit of your goals. Be sure to take rest periods in which you refresh and reconnect with yourself more deeply. Sometimes taking a few deep breaths is all it takes to recharge your batteries and improve your outlook on life.

• Desiring to be admired by others, some Artemis women adapt themselves so much to the expectations of others that they lose touch with what they are really feeling in a situation. It is important that you resist being a “people pleaser” at the expense of discovering your own core beliefs and values.

• Learn to relax, taking some time for yourself. Saving the world does not depend on you alone, even though you may often feel that it does.

• You have much to teach others and are probably a good teacher, but you may expect too much of others. Some will agree with you in theory, but for various reasons (perhaps they’re not as self-disciplined as you) do not find it easy to change right away. Your words and your example probably do more good than you realize, but you need to be patient with those who do not move as quickly as you.

• Many Artemis women get easily irritated by the wrongdoings of others, but are equally as critical of their own shortcomings. Neither does much good. If you notice this tendency in yourself, try to learn to recognize how this pattern undermines your efforts rather than helping you. Make an effort to be more accepting of personal flaws, your own and those of others.

Closing the Circle: Finding Completion on the Goddess Path

Even before the appearance of the Triple Goddess, humankind recognized the existence of a ‘Oneness’, a creator, a ‘giver of life’, a spiritual presence who was complete, in and of herself. She was known by many names, among them the Great Goddess, Ishtar, Gaia (Mother Earth). All powerful, she was life energy itself, and a goddess unafraid to venture into the underworld, the symbol for the soul. She reminds us that we must ground ourselves in the reality of our nature and incorporate all sides of ourselves, whether they be light and pleasant or dark and wrathful. She demanded that we connect to the inner wisdom inside our selves and that we manifest that wisdom in the world.

A Final Note

Although in contemporary times we are more likely to speak of mental health, self-actualization, or even spiritual enlightenment, the quest remains the same – growth that leads to personal authenticity. Recognizing and nurturing your goddesses within is a good beginning. As you continue on the goddess path in your quest for a meaningful life, we at Goddessgift wish you good luck and . . . well, Goddess-speed!

We wish to gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Dr. John A. Johnson for allowing the use of comments he authored concerning the description of personality traits measured by the IPIP items contained in the goddess quiz, and to Steven E. Brenner who authored the original IPIP analysis program on which our program is based..