Our own Odyssey: The journey back to ourselves

Op-eds mental health Our own Odyssey: The journey back to ourselves Annie Pattichi Relevant News Our own Odyssey: The journey back to ourselves 29 July 2026 Bird Aviation signs seven-year base maintenance deal with easyJet 29 July 2026 Half of England declared in drought 29 July 2026 newsroom 29 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber By Annie Pattichi* Inspired by Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey, which I recently watched, and by the anniversaries of the 1974 coup and Turkish invasion of Cyprus, I began reflecting on the deeper messages contained in Homer’s Odyssey and in the journey of its central hero, Odysseus. We usually describe the Odyssey as the story of a man trying to return home after the Trojan War. Yet it is much more than an adventure filled with storms, monsters, temptations, and angry gods. It is the story of the human journey through life and, perhaps, of the soul’s journey back to its true self. My beloved Klitos Ioannides was the first person to introduce me to this dimension of the story. Odysseus spends ten years fighting in Troy and another ten trying to return to Ithaca. Yet the man who finally returns cannot be the same man who left. He has witnessed destruction, lost companions, made difficult decisions, and experienced the results of those decisions. The True Meaning of Victory We often remember Odysseus as the intelligent and courageous hero who devised the Trojan Horse and helped the Greeks win the war. But what did that victory actually mean? It meant the fall of Troy, the destruction of an entire city and civilization, and the suffering of countless people. Behind every celebrated victory are the dead, the wounded, grieving families, and innocent people whose lives have been changed forever. The ancient Greek tragedians did not allow us to forget this human cost. In Euripides’ The Trojan Women, we see the war through the eyes of the defeated women of Troy. Hecuba loses her family, her city, and her freedom. Andromache loses Hector and then her child. Cassandra is taken away as a captive, toward yet another tragedy. In Hecuba and Andromache, Euripides continues to show us the grief, humiliation, and psychological trauma experienced by those who survived. Aeschylus, in Agamemnon, reminds us that violence does not end when the soldiers return home. It follows them, enters their homes and relationships, and creates new cycles of suffering. For me, Odysseus’s long wandering also contains a kind of apology for the Trojan War and all its victims, both Greek and Trojan. It is not an apology expressed directly in words. We sense it through everything he endures and through the weight he carries on his journey home. The Odyssey begins where the war ends. It shows us what happens after the battle, when a person must live with everything they have seen, done, and lost. Every Stage Offers a Life Lesson The places at which Odysseus stops are not simply different points on a map. We can view them as inner landscapes and stages that we all encounter in our own lives. At every stage, Odysseus is faced with another choice. And every choice changes the direction of his journey. The Cicones: Knowing When It Is Time to Leave After Troy, Odysseus and his men sack the city of the Cicones. Instead of leaving in time, they remain to enjoy the spoils. The Cicones regroup and counterattack, and many of Odysseus’s companions are killed. They have left the war, but the war has not yet left them. This first stage teaches us the importance of recognizing when something has ended. We often remain in a relationship, a job, a role, or a situation longer than it benefits us because we fear change or cannot let go of something that once brought us satisfaction. Life coaching can help us distinguish perseverance from attachment. It may lead us to ask: “Am I staying because this choice is still helping me grow, or because I am afraid to leave?” The Lotus-Eaters: Not Forgetting Our Destination Those who eat the lotus forget their homeland. They no longer want to continue the journey. They simply wish to remain in a pleasant state of oblivion. The Lotus-Eaters represent everything that makes us forget who we are and where we wanted to go. It may be an addiction, a comfortable routine, constant distraction, or the repeated postponement of a difficult decision. We do not always lose ourselves in something painful. Sometimes we lose ourselves in something pleasant that slowly and quietly draws us away from our purpose. Life coaching helps us reconnect with our values, choices, and vision. It invites us to ask: “What was my Ithaca before I began to forget it?” The Cyclops: When Intelligence Is Defeated by Ego When confronting Polyphemus, Odysseus’s intelligence saves him and his companions. He says that his name is “Nobody,” blinds the Cyclops, and manages to escape. Once he is safely away, however, he cannot resist shouting out his real name and claiming the glory for what he has accomplished. By doing so, he provokes the anger of Poseidon. Odysseus is saved by his intelligence, but his ego creates the next danger. How often does our need to prove that we are right, have the final word, or receive recognition destroy something we had handled well? Life coaching helps us understand that we do not need to prove our worth continually. It holds up a mirror, allowing us to recognize when confidence is speaking and when it is our wounded ego. Aeolus’s Bag of Winds: Self-Sabotage Just Before Reaching the Goal Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag containing all the opposing winds. Ithaca is almost within sight. His companions, however, believe that the bag contains treasure and open it. The winds are released and drive them far away once again. How often do we come close to what we want, only to sabotage our progress through fear, suspicion, or insecurity? Sometimes we are not only afraid of failure. We are also afraid of success because it may lead us into a new life with new responsibilities. Through life coaching, we can identify these recurring patterns. We can examine exactly what we do each time we approach our goal and which old belief keeps sending us backward. The Laestrygonians: Recognizing Destructive Environments In the land of the Laestrygonians, almost Odysseus’s entire fleet is destroyed. Only his own ship, which he had left outside the enclosed harbor, manages to escape. There are environments, relationships, and circumstances in life that cannot be made safe simply because we try harder. We need to recognize the warning signs and protect our boundaries. Life coaching can help us examine where we are investing our energy and whether we are trying to adapt to an environment that is harming us. We cannot control every danger. We can, however, choose where we drop anchor. Circe: When Comfort Becomes Stagnation Circe transforms Odysseus’s companions into pigs. Symbolically, we can see this as representing people who lose touch with their higher nature and surrender entirely to their desires, instincts, and baser nature. Later, however, Circe becomes an ally and guide. Odysseus and his companions remain with her for an entire year. Even a beautiful and safe place can keep us from moving forward. Not all prisons are dark. Some are so comfortable that we find it difficult to leave them. Life coaching helps us distinguish peace from stagnation. It challenges us to ask whether we are resting so that we can continue our journey or using comfort to avoid taking the next step. The Descent into the Underworld: Facing What We Carry Within Us To continue his journey, Odysseus must descend into the world of the dead. There, he meets Tiresias, his mother, and figures from his past. Before we can genuinely move forward, we often need to descend into the darker parts of ourselves. We need to face the grief, fears, guilt, and losses we have tried to leave behind. Life coaching can help us recognize what we are carrying and how it affects the choices we make today. However, when a recurring pattern hides a deeper fear, trauma, or old emotional wound, easy positive thinking is not enough. In my own work, depending on each person’s needs, this is where I use methods such as clinical hypnosis and Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT. These approaches allow us to move beyond the symptom, explore the root of the issue, and work with whatever continues to affect the person’s life today. Meaningful change does not come from simply covering up pain. It comes when we are ready to approach it safely, compassionately, and with the appropriate tools. We cannot change what we are not yet ready to face. The Sirens: Self-Awareness Is Strength The Sirens represent the seductive power of temptation. Odysseus does not assume that he will simply be able to resist them. He asks to be tied to the mast and tells his companions to block their ears. Strength does not mean believing that we are invulnerable. It means knowing our imperfections and creating the right conditions to prevent ourselves from being led astray. This is also what life coaching does. It does not rely solely on willpower. It helps us establish boundaries, create a plan, take practical steps, and remain accountable. Sometimes our personal “mast” is a decision we have written down, a new daily habit, or a person who reminds us of what we chose when we temporarily forget. Scylla and Charybdis: When There Is No “Perfect” Choice Odysseus must pass between two dangers. There is no way to avoid every loss. On one side, everyone could perish. On the other, only a few would be lost. Life does not always offer us one right and one wrong choice. Sometimes we are called to choose between two difficult paths. We often wait to feel completely certain before moving forward. Yet certainty does not always come. While we postpone the decision, life continues to move. Choosing not to decide is also a choice, and it creates results of its own. Life coaching does not make decisions for us. It helps us see our choices more clearly, consider which one is more closely aligned with our values, and accept that every path will bring its own results. Maturity does not mean always finding the perfect solution. It means making a conscious choice and accepting responsibility for it. The Cattle of the Sun: Choices Create Results Odysseus’s companions had been warned not to touch the sacred cattle of the Sun. Driven by hunger, however, they ignore the warning and pay a heavy price. This stage speaks to those moments when an immediate need or desire overrides our values and long-term thinking. We know where the boundary lies, but we convince ourselves that crossing it just this once will not matter. Through coaching, we learn to create a small space between the impulse and the action. Within that space lies choice. Each time we choose consciously, we strengthen our ability to direct our own lives. Calypso: When We Remember Our Destination but Cannot Yet Leave Calypso keeps Odysseus on her island for seven years. She offers him safety, comfort, and even immortality. Yet he does not forget who he is, nor does he stop longing for Ithaca. He spends his days on the shore, looking out to sea and grieving because he knows where he wants to go but has no means of leaving. His release becomes possible when Athena intervenes and asks Zeus to allow his return. Zeus sends Hermes to Calypso with instructions to set him free. Odysseus then builds his raft and continues his journey. This stage reminds us that not every obstacle is the result of fear, weakness, or a poor choice. Sometimes we know exactly who we are and where we want to go, but circumstances do not yet allow us to move forward. Financial difficulties, family responsibilities, health challenges, or circumstances beyond our control may hold us back. What matters during those times is that we do not inwardly abandon our destination. Odysseus could not leave, but he did not turn Calypso’s island into his Ithaca. He kept the memory of his home alive and, when the opportunity finally appeared, he was ready to act. Life coaching cannot remove every genuine obstacle or change circumstances beyond our control. It can, however, help us distinguish what we can change from what we may need to accept temporarily. It helps us keep our goal alive, prepare ourselves, and recognize the opportunity when it appears. It also reminds us that we do not need to make the entire journey alone. Just as Odysseus needed Athena’s intervention, Zeus’s decision, and Hermes’s message, we may sometimes need support, guidance, or an opportunity that opens the way. And when the way opens, we still need to do our part. The gods gave Odysseus the freedom to leave, but he had to build the raft himself. The Phaeacians: Allowing Others to Help Us In the land of the Phaeacians, Odysseus finds people willing to listen to him and help him. It is there that he tells his story. Change often begins when we can tell our story to someone who is genuinely present. By sharing what we have experienced, we begin to see it differently. We discover not only what happened to us but also what we learned, how we changed, and what meaning we choose to give it. Strength is not found only in enduring everything alone. It is also found in recognizing when we need support. A coach does not make the journey for us. They sit beside us, listen, ask questions, and help us rediscover our direction and path. The Return to Ithaca When Odysseus finally reaches Ithaca, he does not simply return to his old life. He returns in disguise, observes, waits, and tries to understand what has changed. Neither Odysseus nor Ithaca is the same. This is also true of our own lives. We cannot return to the person we were before a loss, crisis, or major change. We can, however, move forward as someone who has learned, grown, and can now see more choices. When Penelope recognizes Odysseus, their marital bed, built around the trunk of an olive tree, becomes a symbol of deep roots and a truth that has withstood the passage of time. After so many years of wandering, Odysseus needs to rediscover not only his place but also his roots. Ithaca, therefore, is not simply a destination. It represents home, identity, and our deep desire to feel whole again. Home is not only the place we left behind. It is also that place within us where we stop running, face our truth, and accept responsibility for the life we have lived. Centuries later, Constantine P. Cavafy captured this deeper meaning beautifully in his poem Ithaka. Ithaka gives us a reason to begin, but it is the journey that enriches us and gives us wisdom. Its true gift is the person we become along the way. The Place of Life Coaching in the Journey This is what life coaching can help us achieve. It does not give us ready-made answers or decide which path we should follow. It helps us expand our awareness, recognize the patterns that keep us trapped, and see choices that we were previously unable to perceive. It helps us remember our Ithaca when we find ourselves among the Lotus-Eaters. It helps us recognize our ego when we shout our name at the Cyclops. It reveals our self-sabotage when we reopen the bag of winds. It helps us establish boundaries against the Sirens, make difficult decisions between Scylla and Charybdis, and keep our destination alive when circumstances do not yet allow us to leave Calypso’s island. Life coaching does not promise us a journey without storms. It helps us understand where we are, what we can learn from the stage we are passing through, and what our next choice might be. It also helps us distinguish between what is and is not within our control. We cannot always change what is happening around us. We can, however, choose our attitude toward it, how we respond, and where we direct our energy. We do not choose every storm we encounter, but we can choose how we hold the helm. The Odyssey in Today’s World Perhaps this is why the Odyssey continues to speak to us after thousands of years. Human nature has not changed as much as we would like to believe. We continue to allow pride, ambition, revenge, and the desire for power to lead us toward destruction. As we watch the continuing war in Ukraine and the widening conflict centered on Iran, the voices of Homer and the ancient Greek tragedians feel painfully relevant. We hear about strategies, territories, military objectives, and victories. Yet behind these words are the dead, the wounded, frightened children, grieving families, and lives changed forever. Even when the weapons fall silent, the war does not end. It continues to live in the memories, bodies, and families of those who survived. Soldiers return carrying what they saw and what they did. Refugees may return to places they no longer recognize, while others never manage to return at all. Children grow up carrying fears, losses, and memories of events they did not personally experience. The effects of war may continue for many generations. We in Cyprus do not need to look far to understand this reality. Fifty-two years after the Turkish invasion of 1974, our island remains divided, and the wounds of that time have not healed. Some people fled their homes within a matter of hours and died without ever being able to return. Some families are still waiting for answers about the fate of their missing loved ones. There are children and grandchildren of refugees who know their families’ villages and homes only through photographs, stories, and memories. The pain of 1974 did not remain solely with the generation that experienced the invasion. It passed into subsequent generations through family stories, silences, fear, a sense of injustice, and a deep longing to return. For many people in Cyprus, Ithaca is not merely a literary symbol. It is a real home, a village, a garden, or a courtyard that remains beyond their reach. This is perhaps one of the most painful truths about war. Even after the fighting ends, returning is not always possible. And when it is possible, neither the person returning nor the place to which they return is the same. The ancient Greek tragedies understood this. They showed us that the results of war do not remain on the battlefield. They return home with the defeated and the victorious alike. Perhaps humanity’s greatest odyssey is the journey from pride to humility, from oblivion to awareness, from revenge to understanding, and from destruction to compassion. Only then will we be able to say that we have truly found our way home. Life coaching is more than solving problems—it’s about unlocking your true potential. It helps you face life’s challenges with strength, while bringing out the very best in yourself, so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and pride. The journey begins with learning, then gradually applying and practicing new ways of thinking and living. By cultivating Emotional Intelligence (EQ), you gain the ability to respond to challenges with balance and effectiveness. Step by step, you build new strategies for navigating both everyday demands and life’s bigger transitions.Real change is possible for anyone, all it requires is the desire to change and grow and the commitment to take consistent, steady steps forward. *Annie Pattichi is a Transformational Life Coach with an MA in Clinical Psychology. She’s also a Clinical Hypnotherapist & Trainer, and an Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) master practitioner. She works both with individuals and groups to help them connect with their inner wisdom and take full ownership of their lives. Annie is a regular guest on television and radio, and writes the Life Coach column for Phileleftheros and en.philenews. She has created a new YouTube channel called the Neural Rewire with Annie, where she creates weekly videos on how to rewire our brain. She also leads weekly self-awareness and personal development classes at the Open School of Strovolos Municipality. Annie PattichiTransformational Life Coach ΜΑ Clinical Psychology TransformNow Coaching Academy [email protected] Tel: +357 99468260 https://www.youtube.com/@TheNeuralRewirewithAnnie https://transformnow-coaching-academy.b12sites.com/index https://www.facebook.com/transformnowannie https://www.facebook.com/annie.pattichi https://www.instagram.com/anniepattichi https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxAAmI3A7Zdczu02KmUEmgw https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniepattichi Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Bird Aviation signs seven-year base maintenance deal with easyJet Half of England declared in drought Cyprus to make AI Olympiad debut with two teams in Kazakhstan Yellow heat warning issued as Cyprus braces for 40C highs UN rights office warns of worsening settler violence in West Bank British woman found dead in suitcase entered Greece via Cyprus, police say Turkey says no common ground yet on Cyprus solution Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.