Welcome to The Love Priestess Story Series! 

Today we will explore a tale of the Mother and Father Wound in a woman's life. The wounds begin in childhood, but we often don't break free until much later in life. If you still feel like a little girl around your parents, and/or you are looking for a man to help you escape and feel like a woman and a queen, this tale is for you. 

Today's story is an ancient Greek myth about a beautiful young maiden, Persephone. 

Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, lived a carefree life as a maiden of spring. Her mother cherished her deeply, sheltering her from the harsh realities of the world. Demeter kept Persephone close, ensuring that her daughter’s existence was one of light, beauty, and innocence. Persephone, for much of her life, was content with this—but beneath the surface, something was stirring.

The Abduction by Hades

One day, while Persephone was wandering alone, picking flowers in a meadow, the ground opened beneath her. From the underworld emerged Hades, god of the dead, who took Persephone by force and dragged her into his shadowy realm. The abduction came without warning. There was no consent, no gentle explanation, and in an instant, Persephone’s world of light was ripped away from her.

The Father Wound

This forceful act of abduction by Hades represents the Father Wound. In this myth, Zeus (Persephone’s father) had secretly allowed Hades to take her as his bride, without consulting Demeter or Persephone. This betrayal reflects the emotional neglect and abandonment often experienced in a Father Wound—the sense that one’s father either fails to protect or disregards the daughter’s autonomy and inner needs.

For Persephone, the Father Wound manifested in the realization that Zeus, the great protector of the gods, did not safeguard her innocence. Instead, he treated her as a commodity to be traded between gods, stripping her of agency and safety. The Father Wound, in this myth, reflects the abandonment many daughters feel when their fathers do not stand up for their emotional well-being, leaving them vulnerable to the forces of the world.

The Mother Wound

Upon discovering her daughter’s disappearance, Demeter was devastated. She roamed the earth in despair, refusing to let anything grow until Persephone was returned to her. Fields lay barren, and humanity suffered as the earth grew cold under Demeter’s grief. Demeter’s intense attachment to Persephone was not just love, but also a desire to control and protect her daughter from the shadowy aspects of life.

Here, we see the seeds of the Mother Wound. Demeter’s overwhelming love for Persephone was also possessive, preventing Persephone from exploring the world beyond her mother’s influence. While Demeter’s protection was born of love, it kept Persephone in a state of dependency and unawareness, unprepared for the trials and transformations life would inevitably bring.

When Demeter finally learned of Persephone’s fate, her anger turned toward both Zeus and Hades, but never toward herself. She blamed the external forces of the gods but did not see how her overprotection and control left Persephone ill-equipped to face life’s darkness. This Mother Wound speaks to the enmeshment that can occur when a mother’s love becomes so consuming that it stifles the daughter’s growth, leaving her unable to face the world on her own terms.

Persephone’s Transformation and the Integration of the Wounds

In the underworld, Persephone underwent a profound transformation. Initially terrified and resisting her fate, she eventually began to embrace her role as Queen of the Underworld. She learned to navigate the shadowy realm, balancing her light nature with the darkness of her new world. Here, Persephone grew into her own power—no longer the sheltered daughter of Demeter, but a sovereign ruler in her own right.

Yet, her time in the underworld was bittersweet. Though she had gained power and wisdom, she had also been severed from her mother, her protector. The pain of separation and the unresolved Mother Wound lingered as she came to realize that her mother’s overprotection had left her vulnerable to the abduction. At the same time, the Father Wound—the betrayal by Zeus, who had allowed Hades to take her—left her grappling with a deep sense of abandonment and lack of trust in the masculine.

But Persephone’s transformation wasn’t just about succumbing to the darkness—it was about finding balance. When she consumed the pomegranate seeds offered by Hades, she sealed her fate, committing to spend part of her life in the underworld and part of it in the world above. This act symbolized her integration of both her light and dark aspects, the union of innocence with wisdom, and the acceptance of her role as both the daughter of Demeter and Queen of the Underworld.

The Return and the Seasonal Cycle: Finding Balance

Zeus eventually intervened, decreeing that Persephone would spend part of the year with her mother and part of the year with her husband, Hades. This compromise reflects the cyclical nature of human existence—moving between light and dark, joy and grief, life and death. It also symbolizes the ongoing negotiation between the Mother Wound and the Father Wound within each of us.

Persephone’s journey into the underworld and her return to the surface are mirrored in the changing of the seasons—spring and summer when she is with her mother, and autumn and winter when she descends once more to the underworld. For Persephone, this rhythm reflects the continual journey between dependence and independence, between the warmth of the mother’s embrace and the cold distance of the father’s neglect, and ultimately, the integration of both.

Understanding the Wounds in Modern Life

For many of us, the Mother Wound manifests as feelings of enmeshment, guilt, or the pressure to conform to a mother’s expectations. It can lead to challenges in forming a strong sense of self or asserting independence, as Persephone experienced under Demeter’s shadow. The Father Wound, on the other hand, often stems from feelings of emotional neglect, abandonment, or betrayal, as Persephone felt when Zeus allowed her to be taken. This can lead to difficulties in trusting authority, the masculine, or external structures.

Persephone’s story offers a path to healing these wounds. By embracing the shadow and acknowledging the pain from both the mother and the father, we can integrate these aspects of ourselves, just as Persephone did. Her journey teaches us that life’s descent into darkness is often where we find our greatest strength, and that through balancing both light and shadow, we come into our full power.

The story of Persephone is not just a myth of seasonal change—it’s a powerful metaphor for the human journey of transformation. Through her abduction, Persephone experienced both the Mother Wound and the Father Wound, but her time in the underworld allowed her to integrate these experiences and emerge as a queen in her own right. Her story teaches us that healing our own parental wounds is possible when we embrace both the light and the darkness within ourselves.

If you are ready to go into your own underworld and embrace both your lightness and darkness to step into your full power in life and relationships, apply for a 30 minute consultation call with me. Write PERSEPHONE on the application form if you would like 10% off your coaching package. 
Consultation Call with Catherine

xoxo love, Catherine

The Love Priestess

Purchase "Before You Say I Do: Transform Your Love Life From Within by Catherine Josephine

Whether you are single, dating, or preparing for marriage, "Before You Say I Do" is the essential guide to healing the deepest parts of your subconscious that sabotage your relationships and block you from the love life you desire.

In this transformative book, Catherine Josephine, a Trauma-Informed Certified Love and Intimacy Coach, helps men and women liberate themselves from shame and false programming and upgrade their nervous systems so that they can magnetize true love and deep intimacy.

Discover how to:

• Identify and heal past wounds and unhealthy programming

• Prepare your heart and mind for lasting commitment

• Recognize and attract a partner who aligns with your values and desires

• Understand the four relationship attachment styles and how they influence your behavior

• Set healthy boundaries and communicate your needs effectively

• Build a foundation of trust and intimacy with your partner

"Before You Say I Do" is not just a guide for dating to get the ring. It prepares you emotionally, mentally, spiritually, energetically, and physically for marriage. If you are already engaged or married, this book reveals how to grow deeper in love by first growing deeper in love with yourself.

Catherine Josephine, also known as The Love Priestess, is an author, a screenwriter, and a trauma-informed certified Love and Intimacy Coach and Sacred Sexuality Teacher. With a unique blend of modern science and spiritual practices, she helps men and women worldwide transform their love lives by liberating them from shame, false programming, and emotional wounds. Her coaching empowers clients to create deep intimacy, thriving relationships, and a life filled with passion.

Catherine's journey began after the sudden loss of her husband following 23 years of marriage. Heartbreak led her to discover her soul's purpose: to heal broken hearts and make relationships safer and more loving.

As the author of "Before You Say I Do: Transform Your Love Life From Within," Catherine offers actionable insights for those seeking to elevate their relationships, whether in a relationship, looking for one, or healing from a breakup.

If you enjoyed reading this, these topics may interest you.

The Power of Darkness

Why Do I Keep Choosing the Wrong Partner?

What Does It Mean To Find Our Way Back Home?