The Asteroid Hygeia was discovered in 1849 and is found in the asteroid belt that lies midway between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid belt comprises of a large number of planetary bodies thought to be either fragments of a major planet broken up in some prehistoric catastrophe or particles which failed to coalesce into a single planet. In all there are estimated to be some 50,000 of these Asteroids in the belt, with about 5,000 defined and notated. The first 40 were named after Greek goddesses. It is interesting to note that these asteroids orbit the sun at a distance where according to Bodes Law predicts a planetary body.
Astrologically these asteroids represent the re-emergence and restoration of powerful feminine energies to the consciousness of humanity. Hygeia is referred to as the goddess of good health. To understand the meaning and symbolism of Hygeia, we look to the Greek myths.
The story of Hygeia which comes from a time in history when the rule of the great goddess was ending and the sky god was coming into ascendency. The ways of the feminine had to adapt to the powerful masculine rationale. There is little written directly about Hygeia, it is through the myth of her father Asclepius, that her story is revealed. Asclepius was a great healer with a huge cult following that was comparable to that of Jesus. I have filtered the most common parts of the story of Asclepius for in the telling of myths there are many variations of which each is significant.
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History documents the association of snake goddesses with the transformative power of the feminine psyche. The Snake Goddess is the mother of all living plants, animals and humans. She has the breasts of the nourisher. In one hand is the Snake of rebirth (creation) which sheds its skin. In the other hand is the Snake of death (destruction) for its poison. The snake gives wisdom, insight and prophecy and is "a symbol of eternity, immortality and reincarnation.
"Coronis, grandmother to Hygeia, is the face of the ancient goddess, the witch cult of Thessaly , and avatar of Rhea. Rhea is the Cretan name of the Aegean Universal Mother or Great Goddess who above all symbolises fertility and held dominion over life and death. In Grecian times Rhea was named as the mother of the great Olympians Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia and Hera.
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