Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Fertility, Pleasure, Beauty and the Sea. She is pure love, love itself in all forms. From high spiritual love to the physical love, sex. She is beautiful, erotic, desirable, unpredictable, seductive, uninhibited and unapologetic in what she is.
She is a Greek Goddess (also known as Venus to the Romans) but has links to Sumerian, Babylonian and Pheoenician cultures due to her connections with Innana, Ishtar and Astarte. The Greeks adpoted her from the sea people Philistines of Askalon who named her Atergatis/Ashtoroth and they changed her name to Aphrodite. Maybe a way to help pronounce her name and the word Aphros means foam, therefore Goddess born of foam/sea.
There are a couple of stories in how she was created. Some say she was born from Uranus’ genitals as they were cut from him and cast into the sea, creating her. Some say she was Zeus and Dione’s daughter and some say she was born from an egg, which dropped from the sky into the sea. The fish took it to land and doves kept it warm until Aphrodite hatched out of it.
The ever shifting sea is a symbol of the essential female and as Aphrodite was born of the sea, this would make sense that she is all woman in all her aspects a woman can be/is. The Greek and Latin names for the Scallop shell Kteis and Concha mean woman’s genitals and is associated with her very much, due to its sea connection and the connection to female sexuality.
Aphrodite will teach you to love yourself completely. She will help you to see your beauty, the beauty within and without, to let go of your inhibitions and not be ashamed of who you are, especially not be ashamed of being a woman. Helping you find your sexuality, express it and be comfortable in your body. She will do this in a loving way and guide you on how to express yourself. She will also help you in relationships and fertility.
‘All acts of Love and Pleasure are my rituals.’
This is part of the Charge to the Goddess by Doreen Valiente. This line fits so perfectly for Aphrodite as she is love, sex and pleasure. As long as there is consent, there is nothing wrong or to be ashamed of when it comes down to these things. Sex is just love expressed in a physical way and can also be powerful and magical. Its a ritual to Aphrodite herself, to express and feel her energy between you and your lover.
Aphrodite Correspondences
Colors
Red, Pink, Silver, Aqua, Sea Green, Blue.
Symbols
Dolphin, Goat, Dove, Sparrow, Goose, Partridge, Wryneck, Swan, Bees, Scallop Shell, Sea Shells, Mirrors, The Sea, Evening Star (Planet Venus), Triangle, Number 5.
Crystals
Rose Quartz, Pearls, Silver, Jade, Gold, Copper, Aquamarine, Opal.
Oils/Herbs
Rose, Myrtle, Watermint, Quince, Ash, Grape, Apples, Laurel, Vanilla, Musk, Verbena, Jasmine, Frankincense.
Aphrodite Meditation
Find a quiet spot, if you can have some Rose Quartz by you or to hold, light a candle and some incense. Sit, close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Set your intention to meet Aphrodite.
Imagine you are on a secluded beach. The ocean is clear, with blue and greens, the sun is shining and the sand is golden. For the moment you just stand there, looking around you. Taking it all in and being at peace. You take a deep breath in, smelling the fresh sea air and start to walk along the beach near the ocean, listening to the laps of the waves on the shore.
Thinking of how nice it would be to enter the water, you start walking into the sea, feeling the warm cleansing water on your feet and then up to your waist as you make your way deeper in. You start swimming and floating on the water, immersing yourself, feeling cleansed and refreshed. You turn towards the beach and see a beautiful woman. She is calling to you.
You make your way back and greet her. She says ‘I am Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty.’ You say hello and thank her for connecting. She then takes your hand and tells you to walk with her. You start your walk with her and get to know her.
Does she take you anywhere? What does she say to you? Does she give you a message? Ask her questions.
After a while and when you are finished talking and connecting, Aphrodite gives you a gift and disappears. You look all around you to see where she went and notice her descending into the sea. Smiling you say thank you.
You may want to take another walk along the beach or go for a swim. Take your time in coming back.
When you are ready, take three deep breaths and come back to the room.
Write down your experience. What message did she have for you? Did you notice anything particular surrounding you at the beach? What was the gift she gave you?
How to connect with Aphrodite
Here are a few ways you can connect with Aphrodite.
Meditation
Try to connect with Aphrodite through meditation. You can either try the meditation above or find another meditation. You can even just sit, close your eyes, relax and ask her to come to you. Focus on your intent to connect with her and see what happens. Is there any changes to the energy? Or do you feel a presence with you? The more you practice meditating and trying to connect with her, the more you will start to feel and notice her there with you.
Create an Altar
Find a space you can create a small or big altar for Aphrodite. This can be any place where it won’t be disturbed. Decorate it any way you choose with things that you associate with her. You could choose from the correspondences above or anything that feels right for you. Sit in this space daily and focus on your connection to her.
Take a walk by the beach
As Aphrodite is associated with the sea, take a walk or even sit on the beach. Focusing on connecting with her and being still.
Salt bath
Take a salt bath, surround yourself with some shells, rose quartz and rose scents. Relax and hold the intention to connect with the Goddess Aphrodite.
Offering
Give an offering to the sea in her name.
How Aphrodite can help you
Aphrodite the Goddess of Love can help you with all things love related and help you step in your power as a woman. Whether it be with self love, to help you love yourself completely in all ways. To help you let go of your inhibitions and to be free to be a woman. A woman who knows herself and all her sides, spiritual love, physical love, pleasure and to let go. To not be ashamed of who you are. All in a loving way and not a sleazy way. I say sleazy as in the way society has made pleasure and sex into something we class as ‘bad’ or a ‘man’s right to take a woman’ etc. I believe her rituals are all acts of love and pleasure and there is nothing wrong with this. As long as everyone is consenting, properly consenting, its all about love.
Love is the way.
Click here to read Aphrodite’s message
Continued Reading and Resources
Goddesses for Every Season by Nancy Blair
https://www.ancient.eu/Aphrodite/
http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/goddess_symbols_aphrodite.htm
https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/aphrodite/
https://www.lemonandolives.com/aphrodite-goddess-of-love-and-beauty/
FREE Goddess Worksheet
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