Persephone + Power: Claiming Your Throne

31 dicembre 2025

BY NICOLE LAU

Introduction to Persephone's Power

Persephone's throne is one of the most powerful symbols in her myth—the seat of sovereignty she claims in the underworld, transforming from powerless victim to co-ruling queen. This is not power given but power claimed, not authority granted but sovereignty seized from the darkness itself. Her journey teaches that true power often comes not from privilege but from descent, not from what we're given but from what we claim in our darkest moments.

For modern seekers, Persephone's throne represents the power waiting to be claimed in your own underworld—the sovereignty that emerges from facing your shadow, the authority that comes from surviving your descent, and the queenship that is your birthright once you've done the work of transformation.

From Powerlessness to Sovereignty

Kore: The Powerless Maiden

Before the descent, Kore had no power:

Protected by Demeter, not self-protected
Defined by others (daughter, maiden)
No agency or autonomy
Passive, unconscious, dependent
Potential but not actualized

The Abduction: Total Powerlessness

The abduction stripped away even the illusion of power:

Her will was ignored
Her body was taken
Her voice (scream) was unheeded
She was completely at another's mercy
She hit rock bottom

The Underworld: Finding Power in Darkness

In the depths, Persephone discovered power:

Not given by Hades but claimed despite him
Not granted by Zeus but seized from circumstance
Not inherited from Demeter but earned through ordeal
Power that comes from surviving the unsurvivable

The Throne: Sovereign Queen

Persephone sits on her own throne:

Co-ruler with Hades, not subordinate
Queen in her own right
Authority over the dead
Sovereign, autonomous, powerful

Types of Power

Power Over vs. Power Within

Power Over (what Hades initially had):

Domination and control
Force and coercion
Taking from others
Hierarchical, oppressive

Power Within (what Persephone claims):

Sovereignty and autonomy
Self-determination
Inner authority
Authentic, generative

Victim Power vs. Sovereign Power

Victim Power:

Power through helplessness
Manipulation through weakness
Staying small to stay safe
Reactive, dependent

Sovereign Power (Persephone's):

Power through strength
Authority through competence
Standing tall in your truth
Proactive, autonomous

Given Power vs. Claimed Power

Given Power:

Granted by others
Can be taken away
Dependent on external validation
Conditional

Claimed Power (Persephone's):

Seized from circumstance
Earned through ordeal
Self-generated
Unconditional, inherent

Where Power Is Found

In the Underworld

Persephone found power in the depths:

In facing what she feared
In surviving what seemed unsurvivable
In the darkness she was forced to enter
In the shadow she had to integrate

Lesson: Your power often lies in what you most fear or avoid.

In the Descent

Power comes through the journey down:

Through crisis and breakdown
Through loss and grief
Through facing your shadow
Through the dark night of the soul

Lesson: Descent is not loss of power but the path to claiming it.

In What You've Survived

Persephone's power comes from survival:

She survived abduction
She survived the underworld
She survived transformation
She emerged not broken but sovereign

Lesson: You are more powerful than you know because of what you've survived.

In Integration

Power comes from wholeness:

Integrating light and shadow
Holding maiden and queen
Embracing all aspects of self
Becoming whole, not perfect

Lesson: True power is integration, not perfection.

Claiming Your Throne

Recognizing Your Throne

Your throne is:

Your sovereignty and self-determination
Your authority over your own life
Your power to choose and decide
Your right to rule your own realm

What Keeps You From Your Throne

Fear: "I'm not worthy/ready/strong enough"
Conditioning: "Women shouldn't be powerful"
Guilt: "It's selfish to claim power"
Trauma: "Power was used against me"
Comfort: "It's easier to stay small"

Steps to Claim Your Throne

Descend: Do the underworld work
Face your shadow: Confront what you've avoided
Survive: Endure the ordeal
Integrate: Eat the pomegranate—accept the transformation
Stand up: Rise from victim to sovereign
Sit down: Take your seat on the throne
Rule: Exercise your authority

The Throne Ritual

Create sacred space
Place a chair as your "throne"
Invoke Persephone: "Queen of the Underworld, guide me to my throne"
Reflect: What power have I denied? What sovereignty am I ready to claim?
Stand before the throne: "I have descended. I have survived. I have transformed."
Sit on the throne: "I claim my power. I am sovereign. I am queen."
Declare: "This is my realm. I rule here. I am Persephone."

Wielding Your Power

Sovereign Decision-Making

You decide what enters your life
You determine your boundaries
You choose your path
You are the authority on your own experience

Queenly Presence

Standing in your power without apology
Speaking your truth clearly
Taking up space unapologetically
Commanding respect through presence

Underworld Authority

As Queen of the Underworld, Persephone has authority over:

Death and transformation
The shadow realm
Souls in transition
The mysteries of the depths

Your authority:

Your own shadow and unconscious
Your own transformation
Your own depths and mysteries
Your own underworld

Compassionate Power

Persephone's power is not cruel:

She guides souls, doesn't torment them
She rules with Hades, not over him
She returns to bring spring
She uses power to serve, not dominate

Lesson: True power is compassionate, not cruel.

Power and Responsibility

With Power Comes Responsibility

To use it wisely
To not abuse it
To serve, not just rule
To lift others, not oppress them

The Queen's Duties

Persephone's responsibilities:

Ruling the underworld justly
Guiding souls
Maintaining the cycle (descent and return)
Bringing spring when she returns

Your responsibilities:

Using your power ethically
Helping others on their journeys
Maintaining your own cycles
Sharing your gifts

Power Challenges

Imposter Syndrome

"I'm not really powerful"
Truth: You've earned your throne through descent
Persephone's wisdom: Queens don't apologize for their crowns

Fear of Your Own Power

"What if I become like those who hurt me?"
Truth: Awareness prevents abuse
Persephone's wisdom: You can be powerful and compassionate

Others' Resistance

"People don't like powerful women"
Truth: Those who matter will respect you
Persephone's wisdom: Rule anyway

Staying Small

"It's safer to be powerless"
Truth: Powerlessness didn't protect Kore
Persephone's wisdom: Safety comes from sovereignty, not smallness

The Crown and the Throne

The Crown

Persephone's crown represents:

Authority and sovereignty
Recognition of her queenship
The visible symbol of power
What she wears, not what she is

The Throne

Persephone's throne represents:

Her seat of power
Her right to rule
Her claim to sovereignty
Where she sits in her authority

Claiming Both

Wear your crown (own your power visibly)
Sit on your throne (exercise your authority)
Rule your realm (govern your life)
Be the queen you are

Power Practices

Daily Sovereignty Practice

Morning: "I am sovereign. This is my realm. I rule here."
Throughout the day: Make decisions from your throne, not your wound
Evening: Reflect on where you claimed power, where you gave it away

Power Journaling

Where did I give my power away today?
Where did I claim my power?
What would my sovereign self do?
What does my throne look like?
What realm am I queen of?

Embodiment Practice

Stand tall, shoulders back
Feel your feet on the ground
Imagine a crown on your head
Visualize a throne beneath you
Speak from this place: "I am Persephone. I am queen."

Persephone's Power Teachings

Key Lessons

Power is claimed, not given
Descent leads to sovereignty
Survival is power
Integration creates wholeness
Queens don't apologize
Your throne is your birthright
Rule with compassion

Invocation for Power

"Persephone, Sovereign Queen of the Underworld, teach me to claim my throne. Help me recognize my power, own my authority, and rule my realm with wisdom and compassion. I have descended. I have survived. I have transformed. I am ready to be queen. Hail Persephone!"

Conclusion

Persephone's throne is not just a seat but a symbol of the sovereignty we all can claim—the power that comes from descending into our underworlds, facing our shadows, surviving our ordeals, and emerging not broken but whole, not diminished but sovereign, not victims but queens.

Your throne is waiting. It sits in your own underworld, earned through your descents, claimed through your survival, yours by right of transformation. You don't need permission to sit on it. You don't need to apologize for your crown. You are sovereign. You are queen. You have done the work. Now claim your throne.

Hail Persephone, Queen of the Underworld! Teach us to claim our thrones, own our power, and rule our realms with wisdom, compassion, and fierce sovereignty!