Thread by @OInscendence

God Archetypes - A Thread

My goddess archetypes thread was loved by many so I decided to do the same for masculine archetypes. Every once in a while, I shall post some notes about a specific male deity. Most of it will be based on Jungians such as Jung, Campbell, Shinoda etc.

When we categorise male archetypes, often we can place them in two categories and those are "fathers" and "sons". Fathers are patriarchal, strong, power-driven gods who seek authority and rulership. Sons are the creative, complex types, who often seek self expression.

Please note that whenever patriarchal or matriarchal is used in these contexts that it is not a value statement but rather describes male or female archetypes who are motivated to seek authority. Father gods are not brute tyrants, which we will see as we go through each of them.

There is, however, often the archetypal story present in the father - son dynamics. Father gods can be distant or authoritarians (the mythic stories of Cronos, Zeus who often kill or sabotage own sons), who their creative sons (Apollo, Hermes) will often try to challenge or defy.

- The Mystic Lover: Dionysus -

The god of vine, wine, fertility, ecstasy, ritual madness, theatre, Dinonysus is the one who brings frenzy. Often banished and forbidden, he with his wand wound with dripping honey and ivy would defeat his enemies and come back.

His power is primordial, ancient and old - and no religious or moral system ever truly kills him. When he is repressed, he is destructive. He steals away the good girls to make them mad Maenads, he will sneak into a holy man's heart and make him secretly fantasise of orgies.

The man who is Dionysus is sensual, erotic, artistic, and chaotic. He seeks ecstasy and intense sensual experience. He is the man who spends most of the time in his body - garage does not interest him, he would probably rather spend time in kitchen where he smell & taste

This man has two modes that dominate his psyche - that of the divine child and that of the eternal adolescent. He may notice very early he is not like other boys or men, that his interests in mostly feminine areas may alienate him from other men.

By recognising he is different, Dionysus develops the divine child mode - he seems himself as unique and different and gifted with unique destiny and purpose. He believes his role is great & mythic. As eternal adolescent, he is always youthful, charismatic & enthusiastic.

Just like the god's main followers were women, so does the man have special relationship with the feminine. He develops the image of the Great Mother and he may often seek the sensual, earthy, qualities in women. Because of his youthful spirit, these women often care for him

Women are also drawn to him. He is sensual, erotic, of intense emotions, a troubled artist, a rebel and he may often awaken a woman's desire to "save him". Sexual experience with this man may be especially intoxicating for a woman as he is a natural lover for who sex is a ritual.

But just like the god has destructive qualities, so does the man. The dominated by him may often experience strong polarity of emotions - strong love and detachment, great sorrow and great happiness. At his worst, he is a murderer, a criminal. Charles Manson is a famous example.

The religious ecastasy and experience is also what this man seeks. He may often be found in religious roles and once again he may take onto extremes. If he is part of religious tradition that denies the erotic, he may take part in flogging, self-harm as a punishment.

This man is also prone to alcoholicism & substance abuse. It is hard for him to be committed to anything as he lives entirely in the present. The way for this man to grow is through developing Zeus, Hermes or Apollo archetypes who can balance the emotional Dionysus.

Zeus was a loving father to the god, and by developing this, he may find stability within himself, Hermes can teach him to go back and forth between highs and lows without attachment and Apollo can bring clarity and objectivity to Dionysus' ecstasy and subjectivity.

This man also has to learn to connect to women personally rather than relating to the Great Mother and the devouring feminine through them. These men, unless they conquer their demons, often suffer from depression and may often be suicidal. Jim Morrison is a famous Dionysus.

- The King of Sea: Poseidon -

When god of the sea appears in human men (or in a woman as a part of her animus), he appears as one of the most complex individuals we may observe. Poseidon is among the fathers, not sons, it means he is motivated by pursuit of power and authority.

However, despite wanting and being motivated by the pursuit of power and authority, both power and authority may be difficult for the Poseidon man to obtain. Most cultures see the rational Zeus as the ideal King and not the emotional, intense & often destructive Poseidon.

Poseidon has three important symbols surrounding him - sea, horses and, trident. Sea represents his intense, deep emotions, horses his raw power and instincts and trident represents his fertility - he is tied with Mother Goddess/Earth which he fertilizes.

Poseidon the man is emotional, intense and powerful. He is the man of strong emotions and instincts that often outpower him. Because of his emotionality, he may often be mocked & have a hard time succeeding in traditionally masculine pursuits which he often takes on.

Even though Poseidon is often rejected by the world of Zeus, he feels entitled to positions of power, and he may react with strong emotions. He especially may feel enraged if he sees a woman having a dominant position over him. This is also reflected in Athena vs Poseidon myth.

In the myth, Athena and Poseidon compete over the city of Athens. Athena, being rational and focused, is capable of figuring out what the situation calls for, while Poseidon, lacking Athena's clarity of mind, loses. Real life Athena women are usually more successful than him.

Poseidon's emotionality can manifest as his need for revenge. He makes Odysseus' journey home very difficult because the hero has blinded the god's son. This man can often be blinded by his need for revenge - to the point he forgets to take care of the child.

Poseidon is not only the overly emotional & often abusive man. He has capacity to develop other capabilities. For this to happen, Poseidon the boy must have good parents - parents who will both accept his emotions but also prepare him for the world which may not be as accepting.

In the myth, Poseidon tries to force himself onto his wife, Amphitrite. Poseidon man's sexuality is often forceful and instinctual, it is not Dionysus' sensual play or erotic exploration, it is rather an expression of pure power. However, Amphitrite rejects him.

Amphitrite was not someone Poseidon just lusted after, rather he fell in love. So in order to persuade her, he sends a dolphin. Poseidon the man, through "sending the dolphin", learns how to communicate with people, to negotiate without the instinctual force.

The Poseidon man who has learned not to allow his emotions to outpower his "I" is powerful and authoritative, yet nurturing and soothing like the water. He is no longer at the mercy of tidal waves but can control how he responds and can use his emotions in a constructive way.

The evolved Poseidon is wonderful with children as he both has kingly firmness and emotional depth. He may also be a great musician or do well in a career in which he can express his deep emotions instead of bury them down. If he develops Hermes, he can also be a great writer.

Besides keeping a good sense of "I", using the dolphin and creative expression, Poseidon the man can grow by developing other archetypes - Apollo and Zeus among masculine archetypes, and Athena as part of his subconscious feminine psyche, may be useful to him.

- The Warrior Lover: Ares -

He is in many action films - an one of his archetypal moments in cinema is almost everyone's favourite - when a fighter, seemingly defeated and beaten up, gets up on his feet, and then on pure instinct and impulsivity, beats up his enemies. Alone.

Unlike his warrior sister, the strategic and rational Athena, who was greatly loved by their father Zeus - Ares was rejected and hated by his father. Locked in a jar, judged for his impulsivity and pure physicality, he was at the very bottom of the Greek pantheon.

Ares the man is like the god from the first moments - he is very expressive when he is hungry or when he is wet. He learns not through book and intellectualism but through physical experience. He is lively, loves sports, and loves physical affection, especially hugs.

However, the young Ares' physical, curious, passionate and impulsive nature is often met with criticism or in the most extreme situations, just like the god, he may be locked in a jar and not allowed to express his archetype in a meaningful way.

Ares the man is individualistic, physical, passionate, and earthy. He is, unless there are other gods present, not a philosophical man. His intense emotions need a physical outlet and they are usually reflected physically even when he is not consciously doing it.

His impulsivity may often get him in trouble - if someone provokes him on a street, his first reaction is to respond by fighting. Despite his impulsive reactions, as a warrior, Ares is loyal to his oaths - the promises he gives to those he considers important, are holy to him.

Before he was taught battle, Ares was taught dance - in many cultures, dancing before battle was part of the ritual. Ares men, are often good dancers - suggesting that physical and emotional is deeply connected for them. Physical activity is crucial for this man's mental health.

The bond between emotions and physical makes him manifest as lover as well. Ares has a long relationship with Aphrodite, which gave them four children. Both of them had other lovers and affairs, but their relationship remained stable intact. Ares is a passionate lover.

For Dionysus sexuality is a mystical experience, for Poseidon, it is expression of his force, for Ares sex is a pure sensual experience - he simply loves how it feels. He is attracted to sexually non-conservative women, puritan or virginal images do not attract him.

As Ares is not a planner, he often gets in relationships without a plan, and he may make a woman "accidentally" pregnant and then marry her. His passion makes him prone to affairs, but he is capable of remaining loyal if he is deeply in love. He is usually an involved father.

He may feel judged and repressed around a conservative woman, the archetypal pairing often reflects in life though and Ares men often find their Aphrodites - this relationship usually allowing expression for the amoral attitude towards sex that they both tend to have.

Ares men are friendly with women but they rarely consider women their best friends. They like to be around other men - their sports club, their soldiers or just a group of friends. Ares is often found in these professions too - he may be a soldier, dancer, singer or athlete.

If his parents were abusive, Ares may become abuser himself. Life often imitates archetype and the Ares man has distant or hateful Zeus as a father, and Hera as a mother. Hera identifies as a wife, not the mother, so she may project the rage she feels for Zeus, on Ares.

Ares matures when he learns to see beyond the moment and can control his rage, by developing Hermes he learns how to resolve conflict with words, Apollo, the archetpye of long-range targets, emotional distance and discipline may also help him.

As a guide of warriors, Athena may greatly help to. During the Trojan War, Achilles, her favourite, was about to kill Agamemnon, but the calm Athena intervenes: "I have come to stay your anger - but will you obey me? Come then, do not take your sword keep clear of fighting."

By accessing his own Athena (in his anima), the Ares man can learn to reflect before acting. When he thinks like this, the voice may feel like "other" within himself, a counselor. It is often a feminine voice, who acts as a Sophia/Lady Wisdom and guides him just like Athena does.

- The Golden Son: Apollo -

Only Zeus was more revered than his golden son - Apollo. Handsome youth with golden locks openly claims his mission and it is to "reveal to mankind the exact will of Zeus".

In the collective, it is almost impossible to avoid the Apollo archetype - he, together with his sister Athena, are still what the Western culture consider to be symbols of civilisation. Apollo is in academia, in mastery of craft, in orchestral music, in law, in space missions.

Apollo the man, like the god who rules him is rational, focused, ambitious, extroverted, hard working and competent. He is the perfect, golden "son". He is the man who while in school or college has perfect grades, plays music instruments, and never makes problems.

Despite his ability to achieve and accomplish, Apollo is the son, not the father. This means that he seeks approval from the archetypal Zeus - be it is biological father or the man in authority who is above him. Apollo is successful but rarely in Zeus positions.

Getting admiration or approval is not difficult for the Apollo man. His natural ability to excel, to be composed and rational, brings him respect and opportunities. Problems may occur when the Apollo man is not getting recognition. He may then develop anxieties.

Whatever anxieties Apollo may experience, he is capable of getting over them as he, just like the god Apollo, looks at the things objectively, from a detached perspective. He is capable of observing the situation without emotions.

The other thing that helps him rise above anxiety is expressed in symbols of archer and musician. Just like his twin sister, Artemis, who is also an archer, he is capable of aiming for his future goals. As a musician, he knows what is necessary to achieve excellence.

When it comes to women, Apollo is attracted to independent, intelligent, and attractive women. His relationships may often have the brother-sister dynamic like he has with Artemis. Sometimes his anima may get him to be attracted to intuitive, mystical, and emotional women.

Apollo is seemingly a perfect partner (dependable, reliable, hardworking), yet in the myth, and often in life too, he is the rejected lover. He is the rejected lover because his detachment makes him be more concerned with form of relationship, and not its depth.

Apollo sees relationships rationally - they are a building block of society, and something that is expected of him to do. If a woman seeks emotional depth & intimacy, she may feel lonely with Apollo. A woman who seeks a reliable provider, like Demeter, will enjoy him.

If Apollo is in a homosexual relationships, they once again often resemble the myth. Apollo had a male lover Hyacinth. Hyacinth is his mirrored self and relationship with him for Apollo man is the symbol of self-acceptance.

Not everything is golden about the golden boy. Apollo had both swans and ravens. Apollo may often suffer from narcissism, arrogance, and often ruthlesness in punishing those who have offended him. His unemotionality allows him to do it without much remorse or regret.

Apollo may grow by developing his Dionysian shadow and allowing for emotions, spontaneity, and ecstasy to take place in his life. This helps him connect to his own emotions, body and passions. He can also grow by freeing his anima, the feminine aspect of his psyche.

- The King of Shadows: Hades -

Hades is a complex archetype that can be understood as both a place, and personal archetype that appears in someone. As a place, Hades is the realm of Underworld or Shadow - that place in which we hide memories we thought we forgot, shame & fear.

For this thread, I shall focus on the Hades in a person. Hades is of the father archetypes, which means he is motivated by power & authority. Hades is different from his brothers, Zeus & Poseidon in him being internally focused. Hades is introverted, quiet, in his own realm.

One of the names used for Hades "Plouton" - the giver of wealth. So when we speak of Hades, we must look at aspect of him as Pluto - his less gloomy aspect. As the giver of wealth and holder of conrucopia, this man excels at quietly amassing wealth, burying it in the underworld.

However, Hades is not concerned with being visible as Zeus or Poseidon kingly archetypes may be. He is content knowing he has power from the shadows. One good fictional example of this archetype is Tommy Shelby in "Peaky Blinders", where he is the king of the "shadow" world.

As a young boy, Hades is internally focused and unresponsive to his surroundings. He may not respond to his mother's affections. A father who expects his son to play sports or flip pages of an erotic magazine, will be disappointed with a Hades son.

Hades boy may often get feedback that there is something wrong with him for being introverted. He doesn't care to socialise except witih the few he respects. His internal focus makes him sensitive to people's energies, he may also be good at detecting lies & real intentions.

How Hades will be when he grows up depends on how he adapts his highly internal nature with the outer world. If he learns to reach outward & gains power, he will feel confident in himself, if not, he may still seek power but often through manipulation, isolation, crime.

Unhealthy Hades may spend life living in hotels, going out into the world only to have a short power trip - gambling, prostitutes, then return to his fortress once again. He at his worse is abductor, rapist, incestuous father. He's dominated by his underworld and acts on it.

Hades is monogamous, his only lover being Persephone. He abducts Persephone, but for her this is also an important moment in which she finally leaves mother and becomes a queen. For a Hades, finding Persephone/his anima may be just as important & transformative.

Just like Persephone takes pomegranate out of underworld, so can a woman help Hades "exert" his thoughts & intuitions into the world. She may be a strategic ally if she is more socially capable than him & help him cut through the world of small talk & chatter.

Many women may feel threatened by Hades deep internal focus & his ability to see through pretensions. As a father, Hades is usually emotionally distant but supportive - he is the type who will support his children's niche interests and hobbies.

To grow, Hades has to develop a persona - a mask that allows him to go live in the external world. Hermes, who is between the two worlds, makes men dominated by Hades into great psychologists, writers, film directors. Fellini's films are an expression of Hades Hermes interaction.

Hermes, Persephone, Hecate, Hades & Dionysus are necessary archetypes if we care to find what subtle energies push us and motivate us. We are all visited by Persephone & Hades every time we go through a great sorrow, through small deaths, rebriths & transformations.

- The Lonely Craftsman: Hephaestus -

Aphrodite's cuckhold husband, the rejected, deformed, crippled & mocked Hephaestus, is also the Olympian inventor, creator, artist - he created Hera's throne, Apollo's chariot, Artemis' bow. He was therefore the only Olympian who worked.

Hephaestus is Hera's son. She gave birth to him without Zeus, in order to prove, that she like him, can have a child without anyone else (Zeus bore Athena). However, Hephaestus was born crippled, and Hera, the proud queen, rejected him and threw him deep into the earth.

In another version, Hera sided with Hephaestus in an argument, and Zeus pushed him, which made him a cripple. Life often follows myth for a Hephaestus boy, and very early he may feel rejected by both his mother and father. He is introverted, sullen, quiet and melancholy.

If his mother is a Hera, who is not motherly and for who having a child is a matter of "look at what I can do", she will usually reject the boy Hephaestus who is everything but not a status symbol of a perfect son. An authoritative father may try to change his nature.

If he has an Athena or Aphrodite for a mother, Hephaestus boy may feel encouraged - Athena values skill, Aphrodite creativity, and Hephaestus has both. His extremely subjective, introverted, feeling dominated perception of the world finds expression in creating.

Hephaestus is immune to peer pressure. When Ares was sent to bring him back to the mountain, but he rejected the warrior - force did not work on Hephaestus. When Dionysus goes for him - with wine, Hephaestus returns. Another sensitive, creative man did what force could not.

Hephaestus has a need to translate his intense, internal, often hidden fire into concrete work. When he works with his hands - creates art, engines, he his healing himself, and often healing others through his work as well. He sees himself in his work.

Michelangelo was a famous Hephaestus, and many other men who excel at their craft are - a mechanic, a carpenter, a tattoo artist. Even though Hephaestus is a deep individualist who is little affected by society, he may feel his work is devalued.

When a Hephaestus does a work that is personally meaningful to him, it will give him pleasure every time he completes it. The work feels intimate to him, it is his personal evolution, his psyche made tangible. He works best as a loner, not motivated by money and fame.

As Aphrodite's husband, for Hephaestus, inside of him these two also meet. It represents unity of beauty and craft. Hephaestus enjoys creating things beautifully and in a way it is meaningful to him. If he does what is popular instead of what is meaningful to him, he suffers.

An external Aphrodite - the woman who embodies the archetype may feel drawn to the this man. He is quiet, introverted, yet with a vulcano inside of him, intense, and creative. And he may, defined by extremely subjective feelings, may forge her into a living goddess.

Athena is another female archetype associated with Hephaestus. Woman who embodies the goddess of strategy, craft, skill, logic, will feel drawn to Hephaestus' mastery. In this case, she is the one leading, guiding him towards accomplishments, and managing finances.

The third female archetype he is involved with is the Maiden or Persephone. Persephone seeks to depend, she is very often without a real sense of self, and extremely receptive. She often takes on whatever image Hephaestus projects on her - he "moulds" her into whatever he wants.

As an individualist, he is rarely part of any male group. His friends may be the Dionysus men. As a father, he may often be absent, demanding, controling, with bursts of rage if he had a hard childhood. If not, he will often teach his children crafts & arts, and be present.

The rejection he faces often makes a Hephaestus man emotionally crippled. Often mocked and abused, and attempts to defend himself from it, leading to more mockery, he becomes "the clown", that goofs around in order to defend himself. He is also the peacemaker at a family table.

For Hephaestus, things are how they feel to him, not how they truly are. His memory is made up completely of past feelings. For him to grow beyond this, he needs a degree of objectivity, which is hard as he hardly opens up to anyone, even a therapist.

For Hephaestus, more than any other, to know what is meaningful to him subjectively is a way to health. The other side of the coin too - to know others, and to learn not to be dominated by his extremely internal perception of things. Then he overcomes adversity & handicaps.

- The Messenger & Magician: Hermes -

He is a charmer, a dandy, an entrepreneur, a thief, a public speaker, a trickster, a deciever, a trader, a salesman. In the world we see him embodied in James Bond, John F. Kennedy, and any other man who seduces with words.

Hermes begins his journey in life as a thief. His mother Maia, was left alone, in a cave, in a terrible situation. Hermes promises his mother that he would not allow for a lowly situation to continue. He goes out and steals Apollo's cows.

Hermes the boy is active from the first moment - he wants to explore, to learn, and to know. If he gets in trouble, he will use his wit, and verbal skills to get out of it. The amusing and charming way in which he does it, often makes adults laugh, perpetuating his behavior.

As a Trickster, Hermes is cunning, clever, and quick. He is capable of quickly finding solutions and solving problems. He is often the anti-hero, because he can chameleon his ways easily. At the worst side of this aspect, he is the charming sociopath - he tricks to get his way.

Herme is also a guide and an alchemist. He marked boundaries & was the god to cross them. He may be a therapist who guides others in crossing significant threshold of their lives. He can "bring them" from the darkness of Hades, depression, back into life and spring.

As a magician or alchemist, Hermes is capable of transforming any dark experience into light and cold. He jumps between underworld and Olympus, and as a man, Hermes may be a writer who is interested in exploring every aspect of human psyche. Nothing is a taboo.

Hermes is also the rescuer of a child - he brings the maiden Persephone from the Underworld. He is the archetype who saves the innocence by providing a meaning to an otherwise terrible experience. Hermes is present when a child who is victim of abuse, doesn't give in to despair.

Hermes mother Maia was a Hestia archetype, and Hermes boys do best under non-possessive Hestia mothers. He is usually a loyal son, and he will try to ensure his mother is always safe, especially since he has a tendency to remain a bachelor for life.

Hermes doesn't do well under controling parents - he with his swift and winged sandals resists any attempt of being pinned down. If adults find his tricks and lies amusing as a child, as a teen he may take part in anti-social behavior or do crime.

As a young man, Hermes may try many different degrees, paths, and endavours. He is not likely to stick to one specialisation unless Zeus and Apollo are also present. He may have multiple businesses, may be a banker, poet, and a musician in a band at night.

Some Hermes men may be always on the travel, never really having a home, or he may suddenly feel a need to explore spiritual world and travel to seek dervishes, sadhus, yogis, monks, and others who could give him the spiritual guidance.

His lust for exploration & adventure may cause him trouble if he has missed out on creating a concrete sense of self. In that case, the middle age is met with depression. If he was a mature Hermes, who also went into Underworld, middle age is very easy for him.

Hermes is the man who enjoys friendship of intelligent, sensual, and interesting women. He easily charms women, and they like to be around him. Friendships may easily have "sleeping together" season, then they can go back to just ordinary friendships again.

Any woman who tries to make Hermes to commit or is too clingy and emotionally needy is most likely to only hurt herself. He hates the idea of not having freedom and someone depending on him emotionally. He is also finds it hard to commit.

If woman is to be with Hermes, she must be independent & not identify with the relationship. Hermes is connected with two female archetypes - Aphrodite and Hestia. With Aphrodite, both have freedom and creativity, with Hestia, he is likely to settle down.

Hestia is calm and rooted, and likes to be alone. Hermes can do what he likes the most with her - come and go, and she needing a lot of alone time, will enjoy it too. If he is with Aphrodite, they prefer living together to marriage. In both of these both are free.

To get a Hermes - woman must show herself as an intersting adventure; leave the door open for him to get inside. She should not be easily available, causing him to become aware of his own vulnerability towards her. This connects him to his emotional & sensual side.

He is respected by other men and has many male friendships. He is likely to have a group of male friends with who he shares tips and goals. Rational, patriarchal gods like Zeus and Apollo, value Hermes' problem solving skills and courage.

To grow, it is most useful for a Hermes man to connect with father Zeus, and older brother Apollo, who will give him structure in life, and a sense of ethics. He can also grow by connecting to his anima - his sensuality (Aphrodite), and introspective focus (Hestia).

- The King of Kings: Zeus -

He sits on his throne and observes everything from a distant place - giving him objectivity, clarity and a big, picture. The supreme patriarch Zeus is the most perfect example of the pure king archetype.

Zeus the man shows up as a rational, objective man, who seeks power and authority. He easily acquires it as he does not care for sentimentality or expectations of others. He may be a businessman, a CEO, a politician in our modern times, but he still seeks to establish a dynasty.

Because of his desire for dynasty, for a Zeus man, having a family and children is very important. He is the type of man who will plan funds and testemonies for a couple of generations into the future, he will try to make sure that his impact is visible long after he's dead.

Eagle & thunder are his symbols, pointing at his ability to look at things from a detached perspective, and like eagle, grab that which he aims for. The thunder reflects a Zeus' man's power and anger - he is ready to punish those who he thinks have wronged.

Even if he has intellectual interests, Zeus is not an intellectual, he is a man of action. He may judge ideas based on their usefulness. He is the archetype of decisive, efficient action, and moving assertively towards that which one wants to acquire.

Zeus is capable of easily making business connections. He is interested in wealth and power, and will act strategically to obtain it. He is also characterized by a huge libido and sexual appetite. Often however, he directs this energy towards his work - he is a workaholic.

He may view relationships strategically too - he may be the man who marries a boss' daughter for the advantages it gives him. When he is interested, he will act in whatever way necessary to seduce her - for Zeus is an amazing, tactical seducer.

He likes sensual and beautiful nymphs, but he is quickly bored of them. He often marries Hera, who may appear as an interesting individual in order to attract him, but once married, she ceases to be so. A Hera, just like in myth, will probably suffer from Zeus' neglect.

If Zeus falls in love by a woman, she is usually an Aphrodite & Athena mix, as she is both sensual, but also independent, rational & stable. He does not like fragility & immaturity. Bruni & Sarkozy are an example of this pairing. Such a woman is his strategic ally.

As a father, Zeus is highly invested - he wants to guide, build, and support his children. At his worst, he is a ruthless authoritarian, at best, a wise, rational father who can guide & help his children. He like, Zeus, may favour children who share his values - Athena & Apollo.

Zeus is building and establishing even as a boy - he might have played with toys or games, that were about construction, commanding armies, and conquering lands. As a young man, he may be in conflict with other men in authority, for young Zeus only accepts his own authority.

Problems may occur if little Zeus had parents who tried to make him smaller. He may become defensive & emotionally shielded as a result. His middle and old age may be good if he was a Zeus who accomplished things he wanted - mainly, establishing his dynasty.

If he was a Zeus who sacrificed all other aspects of his life for work - his wife may leave him, he may come to see that his children feel neglected, or pressured. He can be emotionally immature & not aware of the damage he had made. This may cause him grief, pain & guilt.

Zeus grows when he accepts his own complexity - when he gets his head out of the distant heavens & embraces his earthy side, when he learns how to see the real & not only abstract, when he overcomes his fear of being vulnerable & "taken down" by someone else.

It is an anecdote that King men often have heart issues because they neglect their heart, so the emotional issue manifests physically. Zeus may also have a need for a woman to contain his energy, and may secretly enjoy being dominated sexually by a woman from time to time.

An evolved & healthy Zeus is authoritative without being dictatorial. He is a builder, and provider - he creates wealth, he helps others get "into heavens", and he empowers those around him. He is reliable & stable, and is both respected and loved by those around him