Persephone And Her influence In The Natal Chart

Persephone and her influence in the natal chart

It is perhaps unwise to put too much weight on asteroids – they are after all representing very specific themes and myths that can be traced in the configuration of the major planets. I find asteroids entertaining, and although I believe that they shouldn’t be emphasized too much, they certainly carry some extra information about people that can be interesting to take note of.

I’ve been pondering the asteroid Persephone (399) for a little while. In myth, young Persephone is taken by force from her mother Demeter to live with Hades in the underworld, made to live in the underworld for 6 months of the year and returning in spring to be with her mother again. Prior to her abduction she’s pictured as a beautiful, pure and innocent protégé, always watched over by her mother Demeter who loves her more than anything.

Stevie Nicks has Persephone conjunct Pluto and Saturn in Leo in the 5th house, inconjunct her moon and semi-square Mercury.

Whether Persephone is a tragic figure or not is up for debate. She’s depicted as relatively insignificant on her own – her identity depends on her mother and her abductor. Whether she enjoys being of little consequence and being torn between two powerful characters who both want her is not made clear. She is “valuable” in the sense that she’s the receiver of her mother’s and her husband’s love but she doesn’t seem to be aware of her own value as an individual separate from her two "guardians".

Persephone, in my view, is a lost bird. She’s over-protected, understimulated and has not been encouraged by her mother to differentiate and create a life of her own. Although Demeter’s love is powerful it’s not enough to keep "the world out" and Persephone is taken by Hades because he needs someone to possess that will stay with him and love him back. Hades might not be ultimately evil, but he is dark, hidden and doesn't ask for permission. He’s also lonely and needs someone to share his darkness and passion with.

It seems like Persephone became feared as she matured. Her time spent in the underworld transformed her into something fascinating and destructive, as someone of her own authority, yet ultimately a slave to her own fate as a captive. Being under other people’s supervision throughout her life, although she might’ve agreed to it on some level, doesn’t make for a fulfilling existence. There’s a loss of self that is irretrievable although surface pleasures and enjoyments can still be carried out.

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Young women are often drawn to dark/mysterious/criminal men that "do what they want" and claim authority of their own lives. It is very curious, that for some reason, feminine innocence is paired with destructive masculine desire. The dark male falls in love with the lost and bright-eyed maiden. There’s attraction on both ends. There's also often a powerful, controlling and devouring mother that's part of the picture, or a set of strict parents that is obsessively committed to keeping "the bad out". - Of course, it never works.

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I have noticed that the asteroid Persephone seems to show up prominently in people who have little sense of direction in their own lives and who are forced to surrender to their “dominant supervisors’” wishes because they don’t have anything else to do. They live in their own world, empty vessels, moody, plagued with diffuse longings and romantic notions that never really take shape. They’re strong, compassionate but passive, attempting to preserve their inner world since the outer is dominated by more potent characters. The inner strength is usually considerable although they may give off the vibe of being fragile and weak. They can have a refreshing presence, there’s something fertile about them as well. Usually, their traumas and scars are on the inside rather than the outside which makes them seem youthful and untouched by life. I’ve noticed this with people I’ve met who have Persephone conjunct Sun, Moon, Venus and the North Node, but I will say that these people also have strong Plutonic and Neptunian influences in their charts that could contribute to this theme in their lives.

If any of you have any personal experiences with or observations of this asteroid please share your thoughts in the comments, I’m interested to know!