Goddess of the Month ~ Hygeia

Hygeia, Goddess of Health

Hygeia was the Greek goddess of health. She was daughter of Asclepios, the god of medicine, and granddaughter of Apollo. In the Greek myths, Hygeia has a lineage full of ‘the healer’ archetypes. Some say, that in contemporary times, Hygeia signifies the herbalist, the nurse, and the holistic health practitioner. She is usually depicted as a young woman holding a sacred snake drinking from her cup which is often referred to as a medicine bowl. Originally, she was the guardian of physical health and later became known as the goddess of mental health, as well.
Kundalini is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘serpent power.’  It refers to the rising lifeforce energy within each one of us and epitomizes rejuvenation, the sloughing off of old skin for new each year.  While representative of a spiritual awakening, it’s also very physical, and health-oriented.  Snakes are very ‘grounded’ creatures and entirely practical in their approach to life.  Hygeia (although Greek not Hindu) displays a fully active and arisen kundalini power as she embodies perfect health.

Inviting Hygeia into the Modern Goddess’ world

Action Steps:

1. Breathe. Notice the quality of your breath? Do you take deep, full nourishing breathes or are they shallow and rapid? Do you catch yourself holding your breathe? If you find yourselves anxious or fearful, there is a good chance you are not breathing deeply and nourishing all your cells with oxygen. The great news is, when you pause to notice and take several cleansing full breathes you will start to feel better immediately. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves that all is well and that whatever you may be going through is happening for a reason.
2. Honor your body – listen to the innate wisdom of your body, it is a wealth of knowledge providing continual feedback, and yet many of us ignore what it has to say. If you are tired, rest. Almost 74% of Americans do not get enough sleep at night. Sleep deprivation is reaching epidemic proportions costing billions of dollars each year and has a direct link to weight gain, as well as, being linked to several chronic degenerative disease like diabetes and heart disease. We need to recognize the value in downtime, rest and sleep and not assess our worth by how little we can get by on. If you are hungry, eat nutritious foods that enliven you, not leave you feeling sluggish. Although our true essence and spirit is not our bodies, we are wise to take care of them while on this earthly plane. Take high quality nutritional supplements to support a health immune system to avoid feeling depleted and to ward off illness and disease. And finally, if your intuition or ‘gut’ is telling you to do something or not to do something… LISTEN! How many times have you gone against your intuition because you didn’t want to seem paranoid or inconvenience another. Only you know what is right for you, so listen to what your body is telling you.
3. Move your body – bodies are meant for pleasure and movement, so find some form of movement that brings you joy. If you dread the idea of exercise then it is only because you have not yet found something that feels good and makes you happy to be engaged. Long gone are the days of ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality, so keep looking until you find something or a number of activities that speak to your pleasure zone.  It could be running, walking, yoga, biking, hiking, skiing, gardening, tennis, racquetball, swimming, singing, belly dancing, NIA or some other form of dance, or martial arts. Ask and stay mindful and the right opportunity will present itself.
4. Be true to yourself. Allow your true feelings to emerge, speak your truth and release them so they do not manifest into illness or pain. Louise Hay has a wonderful book, ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ as well as a daily meditation book ‘Meditations to Heal Your Life’ which offer insights on how to live a happier, healthier life through meditations and affirmations.

Hygeia Affirmation and Meditation

Affirmation:

I am grateful for my perfect health and inner wisdom. I always know what is right for me and follow my intuition.

Meditation:

Begin seated in a comfortable position with your body fully supported. Relax and sink into your surroundings. Begin by focusing on your breath. There is no need to change it in any way, just notice the quality and depth. Then, when you are ready, start to even out the inhale and the exhale so they are equal in pace and duration. As you exhale, release all old, stale air … with the inhale, breathing in fresh new pure air. Exhale stress and tension, inhale peace and health. When you are feeling moved to do so, slowly scan your body to see if there are any areas of tension or stress, parts of your body that feel denser, heavier or tight. Should you find pain, discomfort or tightness, send breath to the area and continue to relax. Allow yourself to feel the sensation and not judge it, simply accept it as it is. Give thanks to the sensation for bringing to your awareness a need to be resolved. Stay present and continue to breathe. As you grow more and more relaxed, visualize a magical healing white light coming in through your breathe and swirling around the heaviness, releasing it and setting it free. It has served its purpose and it is okay for it to go now. You are present, aware and providing loving care to your body and will continue to do so, always. Rest assured that you have provided your body with the healing it needed, you may come back to the room gently with soft eyes whenever you are ready, knowing all is well.