The Goddesses: Meet Artemis

Artemis is a wild woman and with her bow and arrow she is both a protector and a hunter. A modern day expression of Artemis would be something like the character of Katniss in ‘The Hunger Games’ – solitary, athletic, brave, and at home in nature. However, Artemis is more physical, more in sync with nature, more free, and her character far more complex, than modern day depictions of a tomboy.

Artemis is fiercely feminine, she has a strong relationship to her own body including her sexuality. She thrives on physical activity. She is autonomous and aggressive in protecting her own freedom. Her relationship to nature is truly that of the wilds; she is more of a wolf than a lamb. She is at one with the rhythms and cycles of nature, thus holding great wisdom and knowledge. She is also concerned with protecting the environment.

Artemis women feel a deep desire to express their wild nature and long for a lifestyle in the outdoors. A city life will not give them an outlet for their strong physical energy. In a modern context, she may feel frustrated growing up as she longs for the kind of physical expression that is more encouraged in boys.  In fact, Artemis women possess many characteristics that may be considered ‘masculine’, such as their practical nature and their physical strength. Like Athena, because she possesses ‘masculine’ energy of her own, she feels less of a need to draw this from men. However, she  may be discouraged from expressing her nature and accused of being unfeminine (for example, due to her complete lack of interest in any beauty regime), which can result in isolation, particularly in heterosexual relationships.

Artemis women are solitary and independent by nature and may find that they have trouble integrating themselves into society and in having relationships of any kind. Artemis women can become alienated and use physical activity as a form of escape.  Artemis has a strong need to roam free and is unlikely to fill roles such as mother, career woman, or wife in the conventional way.  Because of this, Artemis women can often be found exploring new and alternative ways of living, be this in community settings or simply within her own home.  Despite her independent ways, her quiet but strong demeanour, athletic stature, and ferocious energy can be magnetic to others.