The Sacred History of
Persephone and the Pomegranate
The Pomegranate: A Womb Symbol Across Ages
Across ancient cultures, the pomegranate was not simply a fruit — it was a sacred symbol of the feminine body and its mysteries. Priestesses, midwives, and mystics understood the pomegranate as a living map of the womb and the cyclical nature of womanhood.
When Persephone first came to me as one of the Goddesses, I had no idea she would lead me to the womb.
At the time, I knew her as the Goddess of the Underworld — of death and rebirth — but I did not yet understand how deeply that mystery lived inside the female body.
It wasn’t until I began working with her more intimately that the magic started to unfurl.
I found myself returning again and again to the pomegranate seed.
And I realized — if Inanna carries the owl as her symbol, why wouldn’t Persephone’s seed mean something just as profound?
Persephone is the Goddess of descent and return.
Of death, release, and becoming.
And the womb is where death and rebirth live side by side.
Each cycle asks us to let go of what could have been, what was never meant to stay — and to begin again.
The womb is not only a place of creation.
It is a place of endings.
The pomegranate seed is more than a symbol of fertility.
It is a reminder.
To eat the seed was believed to be an initiation — a conscious agreement to honor the cycles of descent and return that govern all life.
When Persephone swallowed the pomegranate seeds, she did not simply bind herself to the Underworld.
She swallowed the ancient truth of womanhood:
We are not linear beings.
We live, bleed, descend, and rise.
The Seed Across Lineages
This tiny seed has appeared across civilizations for thousands of years, carrying the same encoded truth.
In ancient Egypt, the pomegranate was associated with the Priestess Isis — healer, magician, mother, wife, protector — representing fertility, magic, the afterlife, and sacred motherhood.
This is the lineage later echoed through the Magdalene.
The pomegranate is mentioned in both the Bible and the Torah.
In Hindu mythology, it is associated with Lakshmi — Goddess of beauty, prosperity, abundance, and good fortune.
Across cultures, across time, the seed remains the same message:
Life is cyclical.
Creation and death are inseparable.
The womb is holy ground.
The Pomegranate as a Womb Symbol
Here’s the part most women never learned:
The pomegranate mirrors the womb.
Its round shape
Its thick protective outer shell
Its dark red interior
Its abundance of seeds
Its association with fertility and blood
Ancient women’s cults — including the Eleusinian Mysteries, which center Persephone — used pomegranate in rituals of:
menstruation
initiation
fertility
death rites
mother–daughter lineage work
feminine rites of passage
The seeds represent:
ovulation
potentiality
creative power
the ancestral memory carried in the womb
The juice represents:
menstrual blood
life force
transformation
the descent into our internal underworld
When Persephone eats the seed, she literally ingests the symbolism of:
Womb wisdom.
Cyclic knowing.
Blood mysteries.
Feminine sovereignty.
This is why she becomes the Queen of the Underworld —
because she understands the cycles of the body, the cycles of death, the cycles of rebirth.
A Persephone Womb Ritual: The Seed of Return
This ritual is designed to be done slowly, preferably during your bleed, the dark moon, or any moment you feel called inward. It is a ritual of remembrance — of honoring what is ending, what is gestating, and what is ready to be reborn.
You Will Need:
A small bowl of pomegranate seeds (fresh or thawed)
A candle (black, deep red, or white)
A journal or piece of paper
A quiet space where you can sit comfortably
Step I — Create the Threshold
Light your candle. Place one hand on your womb and one on your heart. Take three slow breaths, allowing your body to soften.
Say aloud or silently:
“I open the gate between worlds. I honor the place where life, death, and rebirth meet within me.”
Step II — The Descent
Close your eyes and imagine yourself descending — not falling, but being gently guided downward.
Ask yourself:
What am I ready to release from this cycle?
What grief, expectation, or old story no longer belongs to me?
Write it down. There is no need to fix or analyze — simply witness.
Step III — The Seed
Hold a single pomegranate seed between your fingers.
Reflect:
What is being planted within me now?
What truth, desire, or becoming wants to grow?
When ready, place the seed in your mouth. Chew slowly.
As you do, say:
“I receive the wisdom of the womb. I honor the seed that lives in darkness before it knows the light.”
Eat as many seeds as feels right — each one a remembrance of your cyclical nature.
Step IV — The Return
Place both hands on your womb. Feel gratitude for the body that carries you through endings and beginnings again and again.
Close with:
“I trust the rhythm within me. I allow myself to descend. I allow myself to rise.”
Let the candle burn a little longer, then extinguish it with intention.
Persephone’s Pomegranate Womb Jelly
A gentle, nourishing wat to work with the medicine of the seed.
This recipe is meant to be eating mindfully - as ritual good.
Ingredients:
2 cups pure pomegranate juice (no added sugar)
1–2 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)
2 tablespoons grass‑fed gelatin or agar‑agar (for plant‑based option)
Optional: a pinch of rose petals or cinnamon
Persephone’s Cacao Pomegranate Chocolates
A ritual food for honoring pleasure, nourishment, and womb wisdom.
These chocolates are simple, intentional, and meant to be eaten slowly.
Ingredients:
½ cup cacao chips
¼ cup cacao butter chips
Fresh pomegranate seeds
Optional: a pinch of sea salt, cinnamon, or rose powder
Optional: Agave or Maple syrup to taste
For Even More Magic…
Want to dive deeper into the sacred rhythm of the cycle, the wisdom of the womb, and nourishing recipes crafted for each moon phase? Step into the Moon Temple — a sanctuary where ancient knowledge meets modern practice. Discover rituals, resources, and recipes to help you flow in harmony with your body and the lunar cycles.
Preparation:
Warm 1 cup of the pomegranate juice gently on the stove (do not boil).
Sprinkle the gelatin or agar‑agar over the remaining cold juice to bloom.
Add the warmed juice to the bloomed mixture, stirring slowly.
Sweeten with maple syrup, adjusting to your preference.
Add optional rose or cinnamon for heart and womb warmth.
Pour into a glass dish or small jars.
Refrigerate for 2–4 hours until set.
How to Work With It:
Eat slowly. Place one hand on your womb.
Before your first bite, whisper:
“I nourish the place where life remembers itself.”
This jelly can be eaten during your bleed, after the ritual, or anytime you feel disconnected from your cyclical wisdom.
Preparation:
Create a double boiler (a heat‑safe bowl over gently simmering water).
Add cacao butter chips and allow them to melt slowly.
Add cacao chips, stirring gently until fully melted and smooth.
Remove from heat.
Spoon a small amount of chocolate into silicone molds or onto parchment paper.
Sprinkle a few pomegranate seeds into each.
Add optional sea salt or spice if desired.
Chill in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes until set.
How to Work With Them Ritually:
Before eating, place one chocolate in your palm. Hold it near your womb or heart.
Say:
“I nourish the place where creation begins. I honor pleasure as sacred.”
Eat slowly. Let this be an act of devotion, not consumption.
Why Cacao & Pomegranate Work Together
Cacao has long been used as a heart‑ and womb‑opening plant medicine. Indigenous cultures understood cacao not as candy, but as a sacred ally for emotional release, hormonal balance, and feminine nourishment.
Cacao supports the womb because it contains:
Magnesium — which helps relax the muscles of the uterus, ease cramping, and support the nervous system
Iron — essential for replenishment during bleeding and supporting blood health
Healthy fats — which nourish hormone production and endocrine balance
Theobromine — a gentle circulatory stimulant that increases blood flow and softens emotional holding
Phenylethylamine (PEA) — often calle
Visit the Moon Temple to begin your journey!