Gods of Olympus – Family tree 17

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Hestia

Hestia, the eldest of the Olympian gods, called Vesta by the Romans, is the patron goddess of the home in the center of the house. She leads a quiet existence, preferring to stay out of divine conflicts. In temples, an eternal flame burns in her honor. She is also venerated during rites of passage, notably marriage and birth. Hestia is a pure, peaceful and benevolent goddess. Unlike other deities who intervene in epic adventures, Hestia remains faithful to her discreet but essential role as guardian of the inner fire. She ensures that this aspiration, this inner flame that Indian Vedic texts call Agni, does not die. This means becoming conscious wherever the unconscious is present, and striving for perfection and progress in all things. Its action takes the form, first and foremost, of an aspiration to embrace that which is truer, nobler and more beautiful, through the quest for an ideal specific to each individual, with which we can confront our thoughts, words, feelings and actions.

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Demeter

Demeter, called Ceres by the Romans, is the goddess of agriculture, the harvest and the fertility of the earth. She is particularly worshipped for her benefits to the harvest. Her most famous legend is linked to her daughter Core (called Persephone once married), who was kidnapped by Hades, god of the underworld (often associated with the Underworld), to become his wife. Demeter, devastated by the loss of her daughter, stops growing crops. Famine is finally averted thanks to Zeus, who orders Hades to release Persephone, who must however spend a third of the year with her husband and the rest of the time with her mother. This evokes a certain seasonality and the need to respect periods of conscious, active work with periods when the work is done more unconsciously. Demeter is venerated in fertility rites and her cult is particularly popular, notably in the Eleusis mysteries. She embodies the vital force of the earth and the perpetual cycle of life.

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Hephaestus

Hephaestus, called Vulcan by the Romans, is the god of fire, forging, metallurgy and crafts. Son of Zeus and Hera (it is sometimes said that Hera conceived him alone), he has a deformity that makes him lame. He is disliked by the other gods and was twice expelled from Olympus, once by Hera at his birth and once by Zeus. Despite this, Hephaestus proved to be one of the most talented and ingenious of the gods, capable of creating extraordinary works for gods and heroes alike, such as Agamemnon's scepter, Helios' golden cup and Achilles' armor. He is married to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Their union was infertile, however, due to her affair with her brother Ares. Hephaestus, a magical craftsman, creates exceptional and beautiful objects. He represents the inner force that fashions the most effective tools to bring us closer to Unity, using the fire of the illuminating will, the inner fire (Agni). He works for the growth of love in man. It cannot yet fully act in mankind, due to the latter's imperfection and lack of purification, which prevents evolution without destruction.

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Zeus

Zeus is the king of the gods. The Romans call him Jupiter. He resides on Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. Mountains form the link between heaven and earth, in other words, between the powers of the Spirit worlds and the world of Matter where we live. Along with the eleven other Olympians, Zeus dwells at the highest point, on the boundary between the world of forms and the worlds without defined forms. This is why the gods can change form as they wish. This link between worlds is actually constituted by the mind, which includes reason and intuition. Zeus, the representative of the highest mental consciousness (which we call overmind), began to dominate mankind after winning the war against the Titans. This corresponds to the moment when a child enters the age of reason (around 7 years old). Zeus symbolizes a power of expansion or enlargement that cannot really be thwarted, and which must lead mankind to surpass its limits, including those of Nature, which we consider immutable. He received thunder and lightning from the Cyclops, who, with their single eye, represent the absolute knowledge of the divine (omniscience). These attributes enable him to wield the power, instantaneous transformative capacity and lightning-fast light of Truth.

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Poseidon

Poseidon, called Neptune by the Romans, is the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Brother of Zeus and Hades, he rules the oceans and is capable of unleashing storms, earthquakes and tidal waves. Armed with his trident, he is a capricious figure whose impulsive nature makes him fearsome: he can punish those who displease him, as in the myth of Ulysses, whom he torments after the Trojan War. Associated with horses, he is said to be the father of the mythical Pegasus (the winged horse that allows vital energy freed from matter to be used for spiritual work) and Areion (whose name means “better” or “stronger, braver”). He is sometimes depicted on a chariot drawn by mythological sea creatures. Finally, Poseidon encourages us to understand that inner trials, storms and emotional challenges are an integral part of the quest for expanded, balanced consciousness.

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Hera

Hera is both sister and wife of Zeus. The Romans call her Juno. She is an important and powerful deity as goddess of marriage and family. Her main attribute is the peacock, a majestic animal both beautiful and impressive. Hera is known for her jealousy and anger towards Zeus' lovers and their children, which often drives her to acts of vengeance. Her role is to limit the power of expansion represented by Zeus, so that nothing is left behind in evolution, whether on the level of the individual or of humanity as a whole. Together, they represent a certain overall cosmic balance. However, she also embodies the idea of conjugal love and duty (she has no lover). Hera is often described as a stern, angry goddess. She is also a feminine authority, watching over married women and wedding ceremonies. Finally, Hera symbolizes the cyclical movements and stability needed to maintain order in both the individual and the universe.

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Ares

Ares, called Mars by the Romans, is the god of war in its most brutal and violent form. He is the son of Zeus and Hera. He is disliked by the gods for his warlike and bloodthirsty temperament. The people also dislike and even fear him. However, one of the most famous aspects of his mythology is his passionate relationship with Aphrodite, which contrasts with his bellicose nature: in the current period of human evolution, love in us can only grow through a series of destructions and reconstructions on new foundations. Unlike his sister Athena, who represents strategic, thoughtful warfare, Ares symbolizes blind violence, impulse and the chaos of combat. His myths often show him causing destruction and suffering, without much thought. Ares, through his expression of strong brutality, also represents “reversal”: the ability to question things within oneself, on a mental and vital level. The god of war thus invites us to destroy what has become useless and is blocking our evolution, just as much as what wants to go too fast. He calls on us to reverse our habits, to doubt our certainties. He is the force that cuts.

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Hermes

Hermes, called Mercury by the Romans, is the god of travelers, thieves, merchants and messenger of the gods. Son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia, he is the youngest of the twelve gods and therefore the last to arrive on Olympus. He is quick-witted and cunning. He wears winged sandals symbolizing mental agility, swiftness and expanded vision, as well as a caduceus, the staff around which two serpents coil, denoting the highest occult Knowledge. Hermes is also the guide of souls to the subterranean realm of Hades, symbolizing the descent of the adventurer of consciousness into the depths of the unconscious to evaluate and integrate experiences. Hermes is also famous for his mischievous spirit and lies, often playing dirty tricks on the other gods, although they appreciate him for his devoted and helpful nature. He is an essential intermediary between the divine and mortal worlds. In each of us, Hermes invites us to mental silence, greater discernment and the quest for Knowledge. He opens us up to intuition, dream symbolism and subtle perceptions.

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Aphrodite

Aphrodite, called Venus by the Romans, is the goddess of love, beauty and sensuality. She is one of the most charismatic and admired deities on Olympus, but she also embodies the sometimes capricious aspects of passion. She is the wife of Hephaestus, although her love is for Ares. She has the power to arouse irresistible love in mortals and gods alike. A symbol of seduction, she is depicted surrounded by doves and sometimes wearing a magic belt... Aphrodite is the one who stirs the soul, even if the love she inspires is sometimes impossible, but always brings about inner transformation. She represents our inner call to “union” in all its forms. It symbolizes the growth of love in humanity. It is what makes us evolve on the path of love to overcome all forms of dependence, seduction, and all capturing or egotistical movements. She is what makes us aspire to divine Harmony (the daughter she has with Ares is called Harmony), beyond fear.

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Apollo

Apollo is the god of the sun, light, music, poetry, healing and prophecy. Romans also call him Apollo. Son of Zeus and Leto, and twin brother of Artemis, Apollo is one of the most complex of the Olympian gods. He is often depicted as a magnificent young man, carrying a lyre and a bow. Through the supramental light it transmits, it inspires many oracles, notably that of Delphi. He represents stages of inner transformation, vital purification and overcoming of the ego. It is a power that leads to a plane of “intermediate light”, embodying the quest for clarity and harmony. His power is an aspirational will, far removed from the simple “will” of the ego. Apollo is thus nicknamed “the one who strikes out into the distance”, representing action guided by intuition.

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Artemis

Artemis, called Diana by the Romans, is the goddess of hunting, wilderness and the moon. Daughter of Leto and Zeus and twin sister of Apollo, she is the protector of young girls and wildlife. She is often depicted with bow and arrow, accompanied by wild animals such as deer. She remains a virgin, independent, embodying both the beauty and strength of nature. Artemis watches over childbirth, and can be cruel to those who violate nature, as in the myth of Actaeon. She is associated with lunar cycles and the mysteries of life, representing a balance between protection and ferocity. In the final analysis, Artemis represents the purifying force needed to establish a solid foundation and is an essential deity for those who, having already travelled a certain path, aspire to balanced spiritual growth.

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Athena

Athena, called Minerva by the Romans, is the goddess of wisdom, war strategy and the arts. She is the daughter of Zeus and Metis, but she was born fully grown from her father's head, fully armed and ready to fight. Athena, the warrior goddess, embodies the inner struggle of the spiritual quest, a fight against inner obstacles such as fear, lukewarmness and inertia. The spiritual path requires insertion into the world. Thus, the seeker must not flee the world, but play his part in it, bearing in mind that the outcome of his struggles does not belong to him. Greek tradition, like the Vedas, teaches that spiritual realization implies active transformation in material life. Athena embodies intelligence and reflection. Unlike Ares, she represents orderly and just warfare. She is also the goddess of craftsmanship, fostering the union of spirit and matter, an essential aspect of Sri Aurobindo's “yoga of works”. Often depicted with an owl and in armor, she watches over Athens, which bears her name after she planted an olive tree, representing the values of wisdom, strength and patience. Athena inspires and guides heroes like Odysseus (Ulysses), and is the embodiment of serene, rational strength. She is the symbol of the spiritual quest, representing the “inner master” who guides the aspirant on the path of transformation.

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FAMILY TREE 17 – THE 12 GODS OF THE OLYMPUS

The twelve gods of Olympus all belong to the descendants of the Titan Cronos, either because they are the brothers and sisters of Zeus, or because they are the children of the latter.

However, their field of activity varies when they are born from unions of Zeus with a Titanide other than Rhea.

These gods belong to the plane of the overmind which is the highest of the planes of mental consciousness. They represent not only principles or archetypes and external forces which work for the progress of humanity, but also forces which are in us and which we can mobilize, according to the word of Origen “Remember that in you are all the gods of Olympus”.

This diagram is interactive. Click or tap on an Olympian God for more info. They are described in detail on the page “THE TWELVE OLYMPIAN GODS“.

After their victory over the Titans, the three sons of Cronos shared the world between them:

-Zeus took the kingdom of the superconscious

-Poseidon that of the subconscious

-Hades that of the unconscious

But they kept the surface of the earth, the conscious, as their common kingdom.

Hades, however, is not one of the gods of Olympus because he represents the plane of bodily awareness at the cellular level to which man does not yet have access.

Hera, Zeus’ wife, counterbalances and limits his expansion power.

Hestia is the keeper of the inner fire, the psychic flame.

Demeter, the goddess of Yoga, works for union.

Ares and Hephaestus govern the destruction and creation of new forms.

Athena embodies “the inner master” for the growth of discerning intelligence and for the organization and perfect mastery of the outer being.

Apollo and Artemis symbolize respectively the light and the force of purification of the psychic being.

Aphrodite is the symbol of the evolution of love in man.

And Hermès is the symbol of knowledge at the overmind level which is beginning to manifest itself in humanity.