Hera: Unfuckwithable Queen of Olympos

There are some Gods who get such a bad rep that we spend more time debunking misconceptions than we spend talking about the actual deity. 

It’s time to change that. 

I'm talking, of course, about Hera. (As well as Zeus, Ares, and every other deity who's ever been poked fun at in a book by Rick Riordan). 

Before I met Her, Hera was the deity I admired from afar while simultaneously being peeing-my-pants scared of Her. If you've dipped your toes into devotional polytheism, you know what I mean- there's a God or two that you respect, but have never reached out to because of sheer awe and terror. I wanted to worship Hera for years. I just had no idea how to connect to a Goddess who is primarily associated with marriage when I'm lesbian AF and... too young to get legally married.

Well, a few weeks ago, my priestess Suz introduced me to Hera- kind of like a debutante presentation. We sat on her deck in a cloud of incense, and in the swirling patterns of the smoke, Hera was there. I went home, set up a shrine to Queen of Olympos, and promised to write Her something. That writing piece is still in development, but I know it will come together as I spend more time with the Goddess.

The peace and serenity that I feel in Hera's presence is indescribable. I had expected Her to be cold and imperious, but instead I found a Goddess so breathtakingly beautiful that it moves me to tears. In Her snowy arms, I see galaxies unfolding, peacock feathers swirling, lotus flowers blooming. It's impossible to describe the awe of standing before Hera until you're gazing into Her dark eyes. (One of Hera's epithets is cow-eyed, which is like the ancient equivalent of "doe-eyed"). I like to think of Hera as The Eyes of the Universe. 

A few months ago, I met Iuno at a Matronalia festival with my Roman polytheist bestie. Now, after meeting Hera, I find it almost hilarious that anyone could consider Hera and Iuno to be the same Goddess. Iuno is like a tidalwave. Hera is like a lotus pond, still, tranquil, and endlessly deep. I want to get lost in those waters. 

Now, I know what you're thinking. Cow-eyes and peacock feathers aside, Hera has a nasty reputation in mythology. Most myths depict Her as, well.... (I'll give you a sec to list all of the offensive names for women that you can think of. When you're done, think about how women still face the same stereotypes thousands of years later). While I encourage anyone who's struggling with Hera's mythology to go ahead and experience the Goddess for yourself, here are a few points to consider.

- Myths are symbols, not literal truths. What cosmic forces could the marriage of Zeus and Hera represent? Why would these forces experience friction with each other?

- Myths reflect culture, and ancient Hellas was deeply patriarchal. By interfering with Zeus' sexual liaisons, Hera is defending Her queenship. Does this make Her a Goddess of boundaries?  Maybe it's Hera's harsh actions that keep the cosmic order intact. 

- Most sons of Zeus would never have become heroes if Hera hadn't acted as their adversary. Think of Herakles, whose name means "Glory of Hera." Every fairytale needs an evil queen. Without conflict, there would be no stories, and no heroes. 

During my first encounter with Hera, we burned a candle called "Unfuckwithable." I think that describes Hera in a nutshell. She can be serene, gentle, and exquisitely kind. But when trouble comes, Hera is not to be messed with. In the words of Suz, "When you're with Hera, you are unfuckwithable." 

The final aspect of Hera that I've been chewing on is coming-of-age. 

Like most queer folks, I have an uneasy relationship with my gender. I've always considered myself a girl, but the way that I experience womanhood feels dissonant with straight society. As my friends and loved ones blossom into new gender identities that better reflect them, I often wonder if I'm clinging to an outdated construct. For most of human history, womanhood has been defined by marriage and childbirth. How can I, a lesbian, call myself female in the binary sense? How do I know when I've made the transition from girl to woman?

In ancient Greece, marriage was the official marker of that transition. My reasoning goes that if Hera (and Artemis, and a boatload of other deities) oversee the transition of marriage, then Hera is also the Goddess of reaching one's maturity- of becoming a fully fledged woman. I'm not sure how this looks in modern times, but it's an interesting idea to emphasize in modern practice. I suspect that in years to come, when I finally reach adulthood, it will be Hera who lays the crown on my head and calls me a woman.  

Next week, I'll be buying Hera a statue and sharing shrine pictures . Stay tuned :)

Hail, Cow-Eyed Goddess!

Hail, Mother of the Milkyway!

Hail Hera, Unfuckwithable Queen of Olympos!

In the Gods,

Rose Eleusis