Of all myths, none is more politicized, manipulated, and misunderstood than the myth of Medusa. Essentially, Medusa was once a beautiful maiden who was cursed and turned into a petrified monster after being raped. It’s understandable why feminists would adopt Medusa as their symbol. The goddess is the victim, blamed for her abuse, but ultimately gets her power back. In order to understand how the asteroid Medusa works in a chart, we need to study the mythical Medusa. This article also explores how to use this archetype for healing and spiritual work.
* internal use
Medusa was famous for turning men to stone with her fierce gaze. Freud delved extensively into this myth, distorting the story by focusing on the archetype of the devouring mother and the threat of impotence posed by Medusa’s gaze. He even thought petrification might be a metaphor for inducing “hardness” (like an erection!), which contradicted his views on impotence.
Medusa Myth
The original myth is more complex and presents challenges in imposing a feminist perspective on the concept of a period when feminism did not exist. However, myths are living stories that are constantly evolving. In order to make this archetype relevant to divination, some adjustments were needed. In this context, the miraculous healing properties of the goddess have practical relevance in the modern world.
Originally, Medusa was one of the three Gorgon sisters and the only human among them. Whether this humanizing feature means she is physically different from her sisters is unclear. Some versions highlight the beauty of Medusa, whose long, flowing hair captivated Poseidon, the god of the sea, leading to a consensual sexual encounter.
However, Ovid states that Poseidon forced Medusa into Athena’s temple and impregnated her. Enraged, Athena cursed Medusa, turning everyone who looked at her to stone – humans, animals, and even the ground beneath her feet. The curse caused Medusa to live a solitary life, untouched by any creature or nature.
So initially, Medusa’s gaze is not only destructive to men. Perseus beheaded Medusa with the help of Athena’s mirror shield, breaking the curse. Decapitated heads were transformed into powerful weapons that turned others to stone. Medusa’s blood serves a dual purpose, both healing and poisoning. After she was beheaded, she gave birth to the flying horse Pegasus and the golden giant Chrysaor.
The rest of this article is available as a printable PDF grimoire on Etsy or is free for members
Medusa in your birth chart*
You have strong Medusa traits if you have two or more of the following:
- Your Moon squares or opposes Neptune
- Asteroid Medusa is conjunct your Ascendant, Midheaven, Sun or Moon. *
- You have many personal planets in the twelfth house.
- The star Algol is conjunct your Ascendant, Midheaven, Sun or Moon. *
- Asteroid Pallas Athena is squaring or opposing your Ascendant, Midheaven, Sun, Moon or Venus. *
*3° and below
Want to find Medusa in your astrolabe: Head to Astrodienst to draw a free astrolabe. Click “Other Objects” and the letter M in the list of asteroid names/numbers. I also offer astrology readings at darkstarastrology.com and my specialty is working with the Dark Goddess.