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Jung and Kerenyi explored the divine child by analyzing the myth of the Greek goddess who bore a divine child. While fulfilling her duty to paint all the flowers on earth, Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, was captured and raped by Hades, who brought her to the underworld. Demeter searched unsuccessfully for her and created a drought. After Zeus heard the cries of hungry people, he released Persephone back to Demeter. The myth symbolized the process of the return of the divine child through three psychological stages: the descent into the unconscious; the frustrating and unfulfilling conscious search; and after an experience with the divine, the ascent to a stronger consciousness and a deeper connection to her divine nature.