International Women’s Day: Pallas Athene

On International Women’s Day, I have chosen to highlight the feminine energy of Pallas Athene as one that particularly resonates with me in many ways. There are many visual interpretations of Pallas Athene, but this one by Gustav Klimt is the one that encapsulates her energy best for me.

In greek mythology, Pallas Athene was the daughter of Zeus (Jupiter). After being warned one of his offspring would overthrow his rule, Zeus ate Pallas Athene’s mother Metis while she was pregnant with her to prevent such an outcome. However, she was born in true warrior-fashion by subsequently breaking out of Zeus’s head in full armour carrying her spear. In this act, she confirmed herself a strong spirit that cannot be repressed, a triumph of feminine power in a male-dominated world, but as a true ‘chip off the old block’ still with a strong identification as a ‘Daddy’s Girl’.

Due to this juxtaposition, Pallas Athene presents an intriguing blend of characteristics associated with both men and women. She’s a patron of warfare and statecraft, adept at political negotiation and champion of minorities, but this is contrasted by her other role as significator of craft, in which she gives artistic direction and teaches practical arts such as pottery, weaving, and embroidery.

As such, she convincingly portrays the traits of heroism, bravery, and courage, traditionally associated with men, but effectively integrates this into her character so she does not compromise her strong feminine energy.

In astrology, the second asteroid to be discovered in 1802 was named after Pallas Athene (commonly now reduced just to Pallas).

In a birth chart, Asteroid Pallas is a goddess of wisdom. She demonstrates a strong ability to think for oneself, as well as balance active and receptive energies when head and heart combine. Pallas successfully unifies intellect with intuition, logic with empathy, and many other paradoxes inherent in philosophical thinking. The placement and aspects in a chart offer clues to our specific way of understanding and perceiving, as well as how we express or observe creative intelligence outwardly.

Symbolically, for me as an esoteric practitioner and Astrologer, Pallas in my birth chart sits at 7° Leo, for which the Sabian Symbol is ‘The constellations in the sky’. This has significant meaning for me in the sense that it is these practices that guide my own wisdom of both myself and the world.

Contact me if you want to find out more about how astrology can help you learn more about yourself and your life potential.