Holding out for a Hero?

Holding out for a Hero?

Discover the mythical heroes and heroines just waiting to save humanity!

If world events are making you feel helpless and hopeless, switch off the news and find something constructive to occupy your mind. You could start by checking out these mythological heroes and heroines, who, it is said, will rise to save humanity in its time of need. Perhaps it's time to wake them up, now!

Take inspiration from these fearless spirits, then try being your own hero or heroine by taking action to change for the better the things you can change, and accepting with grace what you cannot change.

King Arthur

The legend of this Celtic warrior king is known worldwide, with traces of the fabled monarch carved in stone on a cathedral in Italy. The stories of his noble exploits were told in medieval courts across the globe, and the allure of his legend has not faded over the centuries, with interest in his mythology still strong today. Called 'the once and future king', an important legend connected with this fair-minded ruler is that he will rise again to save the people of the British Isles. Legend says that three fairy queens magically carried him away from the battlefield, where he'd received a mortal wound. The ethereal ladies transported him on a boat to the Isle of Avalon, where he would be healed of his wounds and sleep peacefully until Britain needs its king once again. With a mystical warrior like King Arthur on your side, you'll probably be OK!

Queen Freya

A Norse goddess with enough power to dissolve even the most irritating of political figures! Freya is queen of the mythical maidens called the Valkyrie, who choose which warriors live and which will die in battle. Fearsome and beautiful Freya and her ladies collect the souls of dead warriors from the battlefield and escort the chosen to Valhalla (the Viking version of heaven). Freya is a powerful protector of women, she'll stand for no nonsense. She represents freedom and represents the power of female sexuality. She rides her chariot across the sky pulled by giant blue cats - which not at all strange because the felines are her sacred animals!

Knights Templar

The Knights Templar have a secret. Well, they probably had lots of secrets. But their biggest - and worst-kept - secret is that they are the guardians of the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail can save the world. Perhaps. The Knights Templar was an order of military monks, founded in the 12th century, who protected pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. They were said to be keepers of secret knowledge that could revolutionise humanity - this is called the Holy Grail. Some speculate it refers to magical relics unearthed in Jerusalem. While others believe it is a spiritual secret, not a physical item. One candidate for this spiritual secret is something mainstream faiths have been trying to cover up for eons: divinity is already inside you.

Lakshmi

A Hindu goddess of good fortune, Lakshmi's name is synonymous with spiritual and material prosperity and luck. Definitely a lady to have on your side when the future of the world hangs in the balance! Lakshmi can tip the balance from dark to light. Unsurprisingly, she's a household favourite among Hindu families, and she's particularly revered by women. Depicted as an attractive woman with a golden complexion, and four arms, often seated on a lotus flower, which represents purity and abundance. Linked to the idea of karma, this goddess with ensure you receive what you deserve, depending upon your actions in this life. She a goddess of resurrection, symbolising the eternal cycle of reincarnation.

Holly King & Oak King

Symbols of the changing seasons, these two kings show you that light and dark has its time, but the light will always return. So, when life seems dark, you be certain that the good times will return again. Locked in mortal battle, the Holly king fights the Oak king. The Oak King represents summer, while the Holly King signifies winter. Even at the height of the Oak King's powers, on the summer solstice, winter begins creeping back with shortening day and darker nights. But at the winter solstice the Oak King is victorious, symbolising summer's victory over the darkness of winter.

The waxing and waning strengths of the two kings represent the flow of the seasons, and also the way the events of life flow - in an everlasting cycle of light to dark to light.