M is for Medusa....

Medusa.

The word sends a thrill through your body a bit doesn't it? So much for "Silly Mythology", eh?

Medusa's story is an interesting one. I actually feel kind of sorry for her.

Some tales say that Medusa was a monster from the beginning. A Gorgon with her other two Gorgon sisters.

Other tales say that Medusa was actually a beautiful woman, was SO beautiful that anyone who looked on her was "Paralyzed by her beauty", even Posiedon HAD to HAVE her. So he bedded her in Athena's temple. (Poseidon, Poseidon! Naughty Naughty! It's not nice to fuck in other God's temples!!! (and of course, this made Athena VERY jealous and ANGRY....who then turned Medusa's hair into snakes)

Another tale tells that a wee bit differently.....in that Medusa wasn't consenting, but was raped by the God Poseidon by Athena's temple and Athena was so pissed that she turned Medusa's hair into a nest of vipers.(same ending)

Man, that just adds insult to injury, don't you think??
I mean, Athena!
WTF didn't you go mess with Poseidon instead?
I mean, REALLY, honey.....HE was the troublemaker there.
It's like blaming the victim for the crime!

And then, being CURSED by a Goddess....
Medusa has to wear this monstrous curse the rest of her days. Anyone who looked at her, would be turned into stone. Her eyes would glow and as soon as your eyes made contact with her, you were toast.

Perseus, was sent to kill Medusa, and received a mirrored shield from Athena (still holding that grudge Athena?) and winged sandals from Hermes, a sword from Hephaestus, and a helmet of invisibility from Hades.

Kewl Super Power Assortment there, Perseus!

She was even potent AFTER death....Perseus would show her severed head to anyone he wanted to slay and even then they would continue to be turned into stone. He turned ATLAS into stone.
It is said Perseus killed a Kraken in this way. Think of THAT! A glimpse of Medusa's eyes could KILL A KRAKEN.
Her blood was poisonous if it dripped on anyone or anything.

 
SYMBOLISM

In some theories of Psychoanalysis, Medusa represents FEMALE RAGE.

If you asked a woman what a raging woman would look like, mayhaps a picture of someone like Medusa would come to mind. Wild thoughts like snakes, uncontrollable wave around in our heads. If you were to really look into the gaze of a raging woman, you too, would see the dagger eyes and be turned to stone.
Her blood, like bile, is poisionous to the bitter end.

Hell hath no fury of a woman scorned.
And scorned by the Gods she was. Used, abused and then punished for it.
She RAGES.
Let's face it, SHE IS POWERFUL.
It's a terrible power, but you can't deny, there IS POWER there.

Fess up. When you have been SO ANGRY....SO MAD....
Didn't you feel like Medusa??

Interesting that the only way Perseus could kill Medusa was sneak up on her is to look at his reflection in a mirror and then she was slain by avoiding her hatred and looking at a reflection of himself in his magickal shield... then looking past himself to see her.

This shows us that it is the TRUTH about ourselves that slays us.
Even if we have to see it reflected in others as we are too chicken shit to confront it head on by looking at our own rage and despair.

It is said that 2 drops of Medusa's blood were given to Ascleplius from Athena.
You know Asclepius. He's the Healer w/ the rod. The medical symbol.

One drop from the right side of her head....has the power to cure and heal...even to RESURRECT!

The drop from the left side has the power to kill.

So that snake there on the MEDICAL SYMBOL....is MEDUSA'S SNAKE!

(And if you remember from my earlier writings and research here...that the Rod with 2 snakes- the Cadducues is HERMES...and NOT the medical symbol as some people think....)

And so it is with medicine and power. It to, has the power to heal or kill.

But wait, before all this, Medusa was made pregnant by Poseidon. (still at her, even so, eh Poseidon? Oh what a Peyton Place was Mount Olympus!)

So when all was said and done, people slain, Kraken killed, Perseus threw Medusa's head into the ocean and from it was born?

PEGASUS




So it is, we can also transform ourselves, by overcoming the anger and rage, we can be set free with our passions and our sexuality and FLY

Medusa.
Gorgon.
Beautiful Woman.
ANGRY Woman.
Healer.
Killer.
Birth mother to Pegasus.

So, next time you think of Medusa.....
Have a little sympathy.

But for your own safety....wear some mirrored glasses when you say Hello.

http://www.spiffy-entertainment.com/perseus.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa