Agdistis: the Root of Masculine and Feminine Separation

Chthonia

This week's topic is a loaded one! Agdistis is a Phrygian hermaphroditic daimon that is so powerful the gods fear them, and Agdistis is castrated and becomes female only, with the discarded member becoming either an almond or pomegranate tree. This myth and it's related ones (Myrrha/Adonis/Aphrodite, Gaia/Ouranos/Kronos) give us a lot of insight into why the uniting of Masculine and Feminine is considered so threatening, our culture feels the need to enforce the separation of the sexes biologically and psychologically. We also look at Agdistis' connection to Kybele, the origin of the term "hermaphrodite," and the theme of Masculine and Feminine merging as Sky and Earth.