As I mentioned back on Day 4 of 30 DODD, performing devotion to a goddess like Artemis requires embodied practices, in my humble opinion. She is into physical pursuits; though not competitive sports like many of the other Olympian deities. This is not the sort of Goddess who lounges around the house.
"Callimachus made frequent reference to Artemis' skill with the bow in his hymns to her: 'whose study is the bow and the shooting of hares and the spacious dance and sport upon the mountains'." *How can one perform devotion to Artemis solely in one's living room? Surely, there are times when this is all that is possible. I doubt that Artemis, or any deity for that matter, would spurn any prayers in this overstimulated digital age. But this cannot be the sum of one's life, again, in my opinion.
This would be like worshipping Ares while holding the ideal of pacifism. Or perhaps an aquaphobic devotee of Poseidon. Does not compute! Artemis is all about the wilderness. Go outside and seek Her there. Feel Her with you when you draw your bow. Know She is watching when you hunt your prey. Follow Her footsteps as you climb the mountains. This is the way to know Artemis.
The ancient Greeks also believed in the balance of body, mind and spirit. So far as I know, they pioneered the concept of holism - treating the whole being. Early physician philosophers like Hippocrates and Galen** wrote extensively about this concept. They believed that preserving health was even more important than treating disease, but it went beyond that. To be a good and whole person, one must strengthen the body with exercise, exercise the mind with learning and enliven the spirit with music***.
This idea strikes a deep and powerful chord with me, especially in light of my martial path. Eastern martial arts philosophers have the same idea - that to be a warrior or complete martial artist, one must of course have a strong body. But more than that, one must learn about the world and the arts as well.
Looking back at my life so far, I'd have to say that this is what I've been up to the whole time. There's been a whole lot of studying history, philosophy and random topics. A whole lot of training my body. A whole lot of music. A whole lot of expanding my consciousness with spiritual practices.
Certainly this was my intention when I finally got to study martial arts. I got really into the philosophy, studying the Book of Five Rings, the Art of War and classics of that nature. My goal was to become a complete warrior, capable with a variety of techniques, weapons and strategy, but also skilled in intellectual and artistic pursuits.
But recently…I realized that life and relationships have gotten me off track at times. This cannot be. Especially in light of my recent ordination, I need to stay on top of this. I need to be in good shape. I need to make time to backpack and do some mountaineering. I need to not only practice self-care, I also need to set a good example for others.
Artemis deserves no less of her priestess.
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*Artemis: Virgin Goddess of the Sun and Moon, Sorita D'Este; Callimachus, Hymn 3 to Artemis
**Galen Class II - On the Preservation of Hygiene
***Plato's Republic makes many references to this, saying that one must study gymnastics (physical exercise), hunting, philosophy, music, general intellectual learning and the virtues of justice, wisdom, temperance and courage. Please note that Plato's Republic was written after the peak of Artemis worship, but his work was based on earlier philosophers and was not a new idea.
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