Now that’s a title! We love the idea of pounding down the home stretch of 2014 with some Greek god lovin’:
by Allison Stieger
In examining the world’s myths for clues to creativity and living a more creative life, it can be helpful to look at the archetypal qualities of gods and goddesses from different cultures, and how the creative impulse manifests itself in the stories of those gods. I’ve recently spent some time with the Greek god Hephaestus, and I’ve come to believe that he has, in his myths, some interesting things to teach us about how to use all the parts of ourselves, the whole and the broken, in bringing new ideas into the world.
Hephaestus is the god of the forge for the Greeks, of metalworking and fire, particularly volcanic fire. He is known as Vulcan to the Romans, and his name is used as a synonym for fire by both Greek and Roman poets, particularly fire in service of the creation of art. His origin story is told differently by different poets. He is either the son of both Hera and Zeus, or is the son of only Hera, a retaliation for the solitary birth of Athena from Zeus’ head. In any story about Hephaestus, however, he is lame. He becomes lame by being thrown from Mount Olympus, and he is often shown in later myths or mythic images being supported in some way.