Aphrodite: Goddess of Love, Beauty & Power — How to Work With Her in Modern Witchcraft

Whether you're working with her to deepen self-love, attract romance, or step into your full power, Aphrodite is one of the most dynamic and rewarding deities in modern witchcraft practice.

Even those who don't know much about Greek Mythology have definitely heard about Aphrodite. Goddess of Love and Beauty, she's one of the most well-known Greek Deities—but most people have only a shallow understanding of who Lady Aphrodite is, or how to work with her as a deity. Personally empowered and as vengeful as she is beautiful, a deep relationship with Aphrodite is not all "love and light"; here's what you need to know.

Aphrodite: Her Origins, Myths & Enduring Power

Primarily a Goddess of Love and Fertility, Aphrodite's domain actually extends much further than that. In Sparta, Thebes, and Cyprus, she was also considered a Goddess of War. Because of her birth, Aphrodite is also considered a Goddess of both the Sea and the Seafaring: When Cronus overthrew his father, Uranus, he dismembered him and threw Uranus's body into the sea. His genitals turned into seafoam, and from that foam, Aphrodite was born. She emerged as a full adult woman on the shores of Cyprus, riding in on a shell, perhaps most famously depicted in Botticelli's painting "Birth of Venus". 

Originally, Aphrodite may not have been a Greek Goddess at all: her worship may have originally come from SWANA. This only deepens her power; Aphrodite's energy is ancient, cross-cultural, and universal. Many of her attributes bear a striking similarity to Ishtar and Astarte; though Homer referred to her as "Cyprian", she had already been Hellenized by then. Her Roman equivalent is Venus, though Venus has qualities independent of Aphrodite, as well. 

As Goddess of Love, Aphrodite had plenty of lovers. Though she was originally given to Hephaestus by Zeus, she chose herself and her own relationships time and time again, most famously with Ares, God of War. The two were once spotted by Helios, who reported it to her husband, who fashioned a thin metal net to catch them in the act. He dropped it on them and called all of Olympus to see; unfortunately for him, nobody really cared. Ares and Aphrodite had five children together: Harmonia, Phobos, Deimos, Eros, and Anteros.

Aphrodite's other notable relationships include Poseidon, Hermes, Dionysus, Aeneas, Adonis, and the Trojan shepherd Anchises. Aphrodite was also directly involved in the Trojan War. When the goddess Eris was snubbed from the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, she arrived uninvited and left a Golden Apple inscribed with 'for the fairest.' Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed it. Zeus refused to judge between them, so the decision fell to Paris, a mortal prince of Troy. Each goddess offered him a bribe. Aphrodite offered him Helen, the most beautiful woman alive, and Paris chose her. She delivered on her promise, and the fallout sparked the entire Trojan War. This is Aphrodite at her most unapologetic: confident in her power, bold in her offers, and completely committed to following through.

Aphrodite's main centers of worship were Paphos and Amathus in Cyprus and a Minoan colony on the island of Cythera. The archaeological site Aphrodisias in southwestern Turkey was named for her as it had been an important center of her worship in the Roman Empire. Her primary associations include Eros, the Graces, and the Horae; Roman poet Lucretius referred to her as Genetrix, the creative element flowing through the world. Aphrodite's two most common epithets are Urania, meaning "heavenly dweller", and "Pandemos", meaning "of all the people". This last epithet may be why she was (and still is) patron of sex workers.

Understanding who Aphrodite truly is, beyond the surface-level 'Goddess of Love' label, is exactly what makes working with her so transformative. She is not a passive deity waiting to sprinkle romance into your life; she is a force of nature who demands that you know your own worth first.

How to Work With Aphrodite in Modern Witchcraft

The most common ways to work with Aphrodite include self-love, romance, and sex. Invoking her in glamour magick or self-care routines is a great way to honor her; sex magick by yourself or with a consenting partner is also a great offering for her. Ritual baths appeal to both her sense of beauty and her oceanic nature; Aphrodite may also help with spells to draw new love your way or to help improve your self-image.

Whatever draws you to Aphrodite, approach her with honesty and confidence. She responds powerfully to those who show up for themselves first.

Working with Aphrodite can be about more than love and beauty, if you'd like it to be. Aphrodite took revenge more than once on people for saying they were more beautiful than her, and she did not let any man, not the King of Olympus or her husband, control her. Aphrodite can be invoked for powerful reclamation magick or to help you embrace your feminine side more fully.

Aphrodite is also a powerful sponsor of creativity: Invoke her aesthetics, grace, and beauty to level up your art in any form, especially if you feel uncertain about it. Her power is not reserved for the most beautiful or most artistic (in fact, if you don't attribute beauty to her, you may run into issues of your own with her); Aphrodite is a Goddess for anyone and everyone.

Aphrodite's Altar: Correspondences, Offerings & Sacred Tools

Here are some animals, minerals, gems, and more you can invoke to fill out your altar to Aphrodite or involve her (with her consent) in your spellwork:

Animals:

• Dolphins
• Doves
• Fish
• Goose
• Hare
• Scallop
• Shellfish
• Sparrows
• Swans
• Swine

Colors: 

• Gold
• Ocean Blue
• Pink
• Red
• Seafoam Green
• White

Herbs: 

• Basil
• Cypress
• Daisy
• Hazel
• Jasmine
• Marjoram
• Myrrh
• Myrtle
• Orange Blossom
• Orris Root
• Purple Heartwood
• Red Anemone
• Roses
• Sea Salt
• Violet

Symbols: 

• Feminine Depictions in Art
• Genitalia
• Incense
• Jewelry
• Mirrors
• Sex Toys
  
• The Ocean
• Beach Sand

Food and Drink Offerings:

• Aphrodisiacs
• Apple
• Chocolate
• Cinnamon
• Fish
• Honey
• Lettuce
• Orange
• Pomegranate
• Sea Salt
• Shellfish
• Vanilla
• Wine

Crystals and Stones:

• Aquamarine
  
• Diamond
• Garnet
• Pearl
• Rose Quartz
• Ruby
• Sapphire
  

Many practitioners choose to honor Aphrodite through ritual tools, altar items, and devotional offerings that align with her power, transformation, and protective energy. Here at Inked Goddess Creations, we've created an entire line dedicated to Aphrodite. Her signature scent includes Rose, Orange, and Jasmine, and we've reflected that in our various products. 

Every item on this list is an invitation; a way of saying to Aphrodite: I see you, and I'm ready.

If you feel Aphrodite calling to you, trust that pull. She meets those who are ready to step into love: love of self, love of life, and love in all its forms, with an energy that is nothing short of life-changing. Explore our Aphrodite collection below and find the tools to begin or deepen your practice with her.