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Las diosas de cada mujer: Una nueva psicología femenina
A classic work of female psychology that uses seven archetypcal goddesses as a way of describing behavior patterns and personality traits is being introduced to the next generation of readers with a new introduction by the author.
Psychoanalyst Jean Bolen's career soared in the early 1980s when Goddesses in Everywoman was published. Thousands of women readers became fascinated with identifying their own inner goddesses and using these archetypes to guide themselves to greater self–esteem, creativity, and happiness.
Bolen's radical idea was that just as women used to be unconscious of the powerful effects that cultural stereotypes had on them, they were also unconscious of powerful archetypal forces within them that influence what they do and how they feel, and which account for major differences among them. Bolen believes that an understanding of these inner patterns and their interrelationships offers reassuring, true–to–life alternatives that take women far beyond such restrictive dichotomies as masculine/feminine, mother/lover, careerist/housewife. And she demonstrates in this book how understanding them can provide the key to self–knowledge and wholeness.
Dr. Bolen introduced these patterns in the guise of seven archetypal goddesses, or personality types, with whom all women could identify, from the autonomous Artemis and the cool Athena to the nurturing Demeter and the creative Aphrodite, and explains how to decide which to cultivate and which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become a better "heroine" in one's own life story.
Psychoanalyst Jean Bolen's career soared in the early 1980s when Goddesses in Everywoman was published. Thousands of women readers became fascinated with identifying their own inner goddesses and using these archetypes to guide themselves to greater self–esteem, creativity, and happiness.
Bolen's radical idea was that just as women used to be unconscious of the powerful effects that cultural stereotypes had on them, they were also unconscious of powerful archetypal forces within them that influence what they do and how they feel, and which account for major differences among them. Bolen believes that an understanding of these inner patterns and their interrelationships offers reassuring, true–to–life alternatives that take women far beyond such restrictive dichotomies as masculine/feminine, mother/lover, careerist/housewife. And she demonstrates in this book how understanding them can provide the key to self–knowledge and wholeness.
Dr. Bolen introduced these patterns in the guise of seven archetypal goddesses, or personality types, with whom all women could identify, from the autonomous Artemis and the cool Athena to the nurturing Demeter and the creative Aphrodite, and explains how to decide which to cultivate and which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become a better "heroine" in one's own life story.
442 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1984
1594 people are currently reading
16399 people want to read
About the author
Jean Shinoda Bolen
59 books482 followersJean Shinoda Bolen, M. D. is a psychiatrist, Jungian analyst, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and recipient of the Institute for Health and Healing’s "Pioneers in Art, Science, and the Soul of Healing Award". She is a former board member of the Ms. Foundation for Women.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 539 reviews
November 19, 2013
The moment this book finally jumped the shark for me: "[ESP] can be developed by [Persephone women] when they...learn to be receptive to images that arise spontaneously in their minds."
As a feminist and a mythology nerd, this book is right up my alley. I was hoping it would be an interesting look into the female experience using the well-known stories of Greek goddesses as a framing device. What I got instead was a bunch of new age drivel based on an out-dated and discredited psychological theory. The chapters read like horoscopes: worded in such a way that everyone can find a way to make their life experience fit any of the descriptions.
I kept reminding myself that the author was speaking metaphorically--I get metaphor. I've studied poetry and have a degree in anthropology--which helped, but here's the problem. The author didn't have a metaphorical attitude. She poke in definitive terms and made sweeping, declarative statements without any substantiation. She cited virtually no scientific studies to support her theories. Sorry, but in order to be taken seriously and respected as a legitimate therapy technique, you need actual empirical, verifiable data that can be duplicated and stand up to peer review. At the very least, some compelling statistics. Otherwise, you're just making shit up.
And that's what I thought this book was. Shit.
But then again, maybe my Athena is just too dominant and I can't appreciate spiritual nuance. Yeah, that's definitely the problem.
As a feminist and a mythology nerd, this book is right up my alley. I was hoping it would be an interesting look into the female experience using the well-known stories of Greek goddesses as a framing device. What I got instead was a bunch of new age drivel based on an out-dated and discredited psychological theory. The chapters read like horoscopes: worded in such a way that everyone can find a way to make their life experience fit any of the descriptions.
I kept reminding myself that the author was speaking metaphorically--I get metaphor. I've studied poetry and have a degree in anthropology--which helped, but here's the problem. The author didn't have a metaphorical attitude. She poke in definitive terms and made sweeping, declarative statements without any substantiation. She cited virtually no scientific studies to support her theories. Sorry, but in order to be taken seriously and respected as a legitimate therapy technique, you need actual empirical, verifiable data that can be duplicated and stand up to peer review. At the very least, some compelling statistics. Otherwise, you're just making shit up.
And that's what I thought this book was. Shit.
But then again, maybe my Athena is just too dominant and I can't appreciate spiritual nuance. Yeah, that's definitely the problem.
April 10, 2022
این همون کتاب انواع زنان بنیاد فرهنگ زندگیه که با "مشکل چاپ" مواجه شده.
در مورد انواع آرکتایپ های زنانه ست.
کلا مطالعه آرکتایپها خیلی تکه های پازل رو کنار هم قرار میده و جواب خیلی از سوالات رو میشه از این طریق گرفت.
کنارش گوش دادن به کلاس صوتیش رو هم پیشنهاد می کنم. کلا مسیر طولانیه و بهره بردن از راهنمایی های کسی که چندین سال در این زمینه داره فعالیت می کنه خیلی جاده رو هموار می کنه.
در مورد انواع آرکتایپ های زنانه ست.
کلا مطالعه آرکتایپها خیلی تکه های پازل رو کنار هم قرار میده و جواب خیلی از سوالات رو میشه از این طریق گرفت.
کنارش گوش دادن به کلاس صوتیش رو هم پیشنهاد می کنم. کلا مسیر طولانیه و بهره بردن از راهنمایی های کسی که چندین سال در این زمینه داره فعالیت می کنه خیلی جاده رو هموار می کنه.
January 31, 2009
I read this book at a point where I was clueless about my life, and Dr. Bolen helped me get back on track. This book may be one of the first of its kind ever written- blending Greek mythology with modern psychoanalysis.
According to Bolen, the stories behind these goddesses(which she recaps in the book) have seeped into the collective unconscious and mold women's personalities from birth. She's separated them into three groups- 'virgin goddesses' (representing the independent, self-sufficient quality in women), vulnerable goddesses (representing relationship-oriented women), and Alchemical, or transformative. Interestingly, only Aphrodite's in the last category, and she also seems to be Bolen's favorite. That's cool with me- we all need Love.
The primary goddesses that Bolen use are as follows, and I've added my very brief and somewhat crude take in parentheses on the kind of modern women these goddesses represent :
1) Artemis- goddess of the hunt and protector of women(workaholic and/or the President of NOW)
2) Athena- goddess of wisdom and craft, more comfortable around 'male' spheres (science nerd/law firm partner)
3) Hestia- goddess of the hearth and of solitude (a nun)
4) Hera- goddess of marriage (girls who went to college for their "Mrs." degree)
5) Demeter- goddess of grain and the maternal archetype (lady who's pregnant all the time)
6) Persephone- maiden and queen of death (Goth girls)
7) Aphrodite- Need I say anything about her? The Goddess of Love (The girl who has three dates on Saturday night)
My own intepretations are partly in jest, of course. One important thing to realize is that most women are a blend of the goddesses, or 'adopt' different goddesses at different stages of their lives. At the time I read this, I was a blend of Persephone, Artemis, and Aphrodite. I guess this means I'm totally wacked...
Bolen describes what typical childhood, adolescence, and adult years are like for each goddess, and lists the strengths and weakness for each archetype, so one can become more self-aware and take steps to remedy what's not working and strengthen what is.
There's also a great quiz somewhere floating around on the Internet called "Which Goddess are you?" based on this book, that I recommend taking as an intro.
My one problem with this book was the focus on Western archetypes. So would this still apply to people in India and China who've had different myths seeping into their unconscious? Or has Western Imperialism ensured that everyone in the world will relate to these Greco-Roman myths? Being a Hindu, I tried drawing parallels to our own gods and goddesses and found similarities...but I'm still not sure.
Either way, this book was very helpful, so I don't really care.
According to Bolen, the stories behind these goddesses(which she recaps in the book) have seeped into the collective unconscious and mold women's personalities from birth. She's separated them into three groups- 'virgin goddesses' (representing the independent, self-sufficient quality in women), vulnerable goddesses (representing relationship-oriented women), and Alchemical, or transformative. Interestingly, only Aphrodite's in the last category, and she also seems to be Bolen's favorite. That's cool with me- we all need Love.
The primary goddesses that Bolen use are as follows, and I've added my very brief and somewhat crude take in parentheses on the kind of modern women these goddesses represent :
1) Artemis- goddess of the hunt and protector of women(workaholic and/or the President of NOW)
2) Athena- goddess of wisdom and craft, more comfortable around 'male' spheres (science nerd/law firm partner)
3) Hestia- goddess of the hearth and of solitude (a nun)
4) Hera- goddess of marriage (girls who went to college for their "Mrs." degree)
5) Demeter- goddess of grain and the maternal archetype (lady who's pregnant all the time)
6) Persephone- maiden and queen of death (Goth girls)
7) Aphrodite- Need I say anything about her? The Goddess of Love (The girl who has three dates on Saturday night)
My own intepretations are partly in jest, of course. One important thing to realize is that most women are a blend of the goddesses, or 'adopt' different goddesses at different stages of their lives. At the time I read this, I was a blend of Persephone, Artemis, and Aphrodite. I guess this means I'm totally wacked...
Bolen describes what typical childhood, adolescence, and adult years are like for each goddess, and lists the strengths and weakness for each archetype, so one can become more self-aware and take steps to remedy what's not working and strengthen what is.
There's also a great quiz somewhere floating around on the Internet called "Which Goddess are you?" based on this book, that I recommend taking as an intro.
My one problem with this book was the focus on Western archetypes. So would this still apply to people in India and China who've had different myths seeping into their unconscious? Or has Western Imperialism ensured that everyone in the world will relate to these Greco-Roman myths? Being a Hindu, I tried drawing parallels to our own gods and goddesses and found similarities...but I'm still not sure.
Either way, this book was very helpful, so I don't really care.
July 6, 2007
My students may not be surprised but educators probably would be to see this book on my education shelf. I've used this book when guiding women (younger and older) as they've struggled with their personal, social, and cultural identities. Archetypes of the goddess are helpful as guides to defining ourselves, our paths, and our place within our communities.
January 28, 2011
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be my dad's daughter. He worked long hours and when he came home, he usually shut down. I wanted him to be my daddy so bad, but whenever I clung onto him, he would look at me like I was some strange creature who had wandered into his house. My mother told me once that I asked her if I even had a dad, he was gone so much. But one day, my sister got an erector kit for Christmas and she didn't want it.
My poor dad, trying to keep us girls interested in engineering so that maybe one of us would fulfill his dream of becoming an architect, painstakingly tried to intrigue my sister with the kit. She couldn't have cared less. I, however, was fully attentive, watching my dad build, intent on proving to him that I was interested. Slowly, he picked up on a pair of small gray eyes watching his hands, itching to build along with him. The last time my dad and I had connected was when he had to watch me for the night and he started to read me The Hobbit, instead of my mom's child-friendly books. I was probably five. At nine, we connected over a stupid erector set.
I tried to impress my dad anytime he was home. I listened to his music and tried to strike up a conversation with him about David Bowie. I read Dune and tried to prove to him that I understood it. I watched crappy horror films with him and learned to make snide comments at the TV. But then, I ruined it. There was a science/math program for girls when I was in junior high, trying to get girls interested in things other than, oh, I don't know, language and arts? It makes no sense to me now, probably because I ended up studying English literature. My mom signed me up for all these practical lectures. My dad saw the one class related to architecture and signed me up. And do you know what I did in that lecture? Do you know how I broke my dad's heart? I snoozed in it. Never again would my dad bring up architecture or engineering around me.
I was a little Athena girl in the making.
Goddesses in Every Woman by Jean Shinoda Bolen fills in where others have failed. I am, of course, talking about my favorites, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Because as much as I love Freud and Jung, no matter how brilliant I think they were, they were definitely men of their time. Freud said that women were only castrated men and that they could never be psychologically complete because they'd never be a full man. Doesn't take away from Freud's brilliance for me, but I don't really agree with that theory. Jung said that the unconscious part of a female is expressed through an inner masculine personality, her animus. This is supposedly similarly true for men. However, by divvying up traits into "masculine" (dominance) and "feminine" (sensitivity), it gets kind of vague. I mean, what are masculine and feminine traits? And many Jungian analysts have developed this theory further. Jean Shinoda Bolen herself is a Jungian analyst.
Before I read this book, I had never really read anything that focused on female psychology. I took Freud's theories to apply to both men and women, while ignoring his stuff on women. I also had never read a book where someone analyzed Greek mythology in a way that made so much sense. Having a fascination with dream women, the idea of the great goddess and Bolen's explanation of it was a bit of a revelation. The only way you can take power away from an idea is by splitting it up. The only way that a patriarchal society could take away power from the great goddess was by splitting her up into different ideals. Some goddesses were revered for their feminine attributes (Demeter, Persephone), while others were looked down upon (Aphrodite, that sly vixen).
There's no such thing as a woman who is entirely Athena or Aphrodite. And at different times in a woman's life, a different goddess may be in her. Not that I am saying "goddess" as in, the goddess is speaking through her. More, she's showing aspects of that archetype. Bolen breaks up the goddesses into three areas: Virgin, Vulnerable, and Alchemical. Virgin goddesses are women who can live without men in their lives. These include Artemis, Athena, and Hestia. Men didn't have much of a part in their mythology. The only exceptions were not romantic in any way. Artemis thinks of men as brothers, Athena is only looking for heroes, and Hestia's in her own little world. The vulnerable goddesses cannot live without men in their lives. They've also had men screw them up in some way. Hera was cheated on, Demeter was raped by Poseidon, and Persephone was kidnapped. And Aphrodite applies to both vulnerable and virgin.
I found Goddesses in Every Woman to be an absolutely fascinating book. If you're like me and you have an interest in psychology, or if you have an interest in analyzing literature, I'd say read it. Because all of the Greek archetypes are still in literature and popular culture.
I think, as a human being, I have to read Gods in Every Man as well. It's not just, "If you're a woman, you should read the one on goddesses and if you're a man you should read the one on gods." I think reading both will only help in understanding people more, regardless of gender.
My poor dad, trying to keep us girls interested in engineering so that maybe one of us would fulfill his dream of becoming an architect, painstakingly tried to intrigue my sister with the kit. She couldn't have cared less. I, however, was fully attentive, watching my dad build, intent on proving to him that I was interested. Slowly, he picked up on a pair of small gray eyes watching his hands, itching to build along with him. The last time my dad and I had connected was when he had to watch me for the night and he started to read me The Hobbit, instead of my mom's child-friendly books. I was probably five. At nine, we connected over a stupid erector set.
I tried to impress my dad anytime he was home. I listened to his music and tried to strike up a conversation with him about David Bowie. I read Dune and tried to prove to him that I understood it. I watched crappy horror films with him and learned to make snide comments at the TV. But then, I ruined it. There was a science/math program for girls when I was in junior high, trying to get girls interested in things other than, oh, I don't know, language and arts? It makes no sense to me now, probably because I ended up studying English literature. My mom signed me up for all these practical lectures. My dad saw the one class related to architecture and signed me up. And do you know what I did in that lecture? Do you know how I broke my dad's heart? I snoozed in it. Never again would my dad bring up architecture or engineering around me.
I was a little Athena girl in the making.
Goddesses in Every Woman by Jean Shinoda Bolen fills in where others have failed. I am, of course, talking about my favorites, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Because as much as I love Freud and Jung, no matter how brilliant I think they were, they were definitely men of their time. Freud said that women were only castrated men and that they could never be psychologically complete because they'd never be a full man. Doesn't take away from Freud's brilliance for me, but I don't really agree with that theory. Jung said that the unconscious part of a female is expressed through an inner masculine personality, her animus. This is supposedly similarly true for men. However, by divvying up traits into "masculine" (dominance) and "feminine" (sensitivity), it gets kind of vague. I mean, what are masculine and feminine traits? And many Jungian analysts have developed this theory further. Jean Shinoda Bolen herself is a Jungian analyst.
Before I read this book, I had never really read anything that focused on female psychology. I took Freud's theories to apply to both men and women, while ignoring his stuff on women. I also had never read a book where someone analyzed Greek mythology in a way that made so much sense. Having a fascination with dream women, the idea of the great goddess and Bolen's explanation of it was a bit of a revelation. The only way you can take power away from an idea is by splitting it up. The only way that a patriarchal society could take away power from the great goddess was by splitting her up into different ideals. Some goddesses were revered for their feminine attributes (Demeter, Persephone), while others were looked down upon (Aphrodite, that sly vixen).
There's no such thing as a woman who is entirely Athena or Aphrodite. And at different times in a woman's life, a different goddess may be in her. Not that I am saying "goddess" as in, the goddess is speaking through her. More, she's showing aspects of that archetype. Bolen breaks up the goddesses into three areas: Virgin, Vulnerable, and Alchemical. Virgin goddesses are women who can live without men in their lives. These include Artemis, Athena, and Hestia. Men didn't have much of a part in their mythology. The only exceptions were not romantic in any way. Artemis thinks of men as brothers, Athena is only looking for heroes, and Hestia's in her own little world. The vulnerable goddesses cannot live without men in their lives. They've also had men screw them up in some way. Hera was cheated on, Demeter was raped by Poseidon, and Persephone was kidnapped. And Aphrodite applies to both vulnerable and virgin.
I found Goddesses in Every Woman to be an absolutely fascinating book. If you're like me and you have an interest in psychology, or if you have an interest in analyzing literature, I'd say read it. Because all of the Greek archetypes are still in literature and popular culture.
I think, as a human being, I have to read Gods in Every Man as well. It's not just, "If you're a woman, you should read the one on goddesses and if you're a man you should read the one on gods." I think reading both will only help in understanding people more, regardless of gender.
October 10, 2025
چقدر خوب و جامع و کاربردی بود!
با این کتاب دلیل خیلی از رفتارها رو درون خودم تونستم درک کنم و بپذیرم و سخت نگیرم و تلاش کنم عوضش کنم...
بینهایت کتاب خوبی بود...
واقعا یک بار خوندن کمه براش؛بعدها بهش برمیگردم...
با این کتاب دلیل خیلی از رفتارها رو درون خودم تونستم درک کنم و بپذیرم و سخت نگیرم و تلاش کنم عوضش کنم...
بینهایت کتاب خوبی بود...
واقعا یک بار خوندن کمه براش؛بعدها بهش برمیگردم...
October 26, 2023
《نمادهایاسطورهای و روانشناسیزنان/ انواع زنان》
یکی از بهترررین کتاب های عمرم.خیلییی زیبا و هوشمندانه بود.ای کااااش تو مدرسه اینارو بهمون آموزش میدادن.نویسنده، زنان رو به چند دسته بر اساس الهههای یونانی تقسیم میکنه که هر کدوم نشون دهندهی یک نوع شخصیته که کل زندگی رو تحت تاثیر قرار میده.این الههها عبارتند از:
💫باکرهها(مستقل و خودبسنده):
~آرتمیس: ماجراجو
~آتنا: هوش و خرد
~ هستیا: عرفان
💫آسیبپذیرها (وابسته به یک رابطهی معنادار):
~هرا: همسر
~دیمیتر: مادر
~پرسفون: دختر
💫کیمیاگر/تغییرپذیر (متعلق به خود):
~آفرودیت: عشق و خلاقیت و زیبایی
هر زن میتونه چندتا از این کهنالگوهارو در خود داشته باشه و در طول بازهزمانی های مختلف زندگیش هرکدوم فرمانروایی رو به دست بگیره ولی معمولا در مرکز شخصیتیِ هر فرد یک الهه حکمرانی میکنه.
تو هر فصل یکی از این الهههارو با جزئیات زیاد در طول کل زندگیش توصیف میکنه و شما کااامل متوجه میشید که کدومشون هستید.
و حالا این چه کمکی بهتون میکنه؟
اول از همه احساس قدرت و خوشی خیلیی قشنگی داره که شما میدونی از نوادگان و زادهی یکی از این الههها هستید و دارید راهش رو ادامه میدید و هرکدومشون کاااملا به یک اندازه برای این دنیا لازم، مفید و پرقدرت هستند و اصلا نگاهتون به جهان اطراف و زنانی ��ه میشناشید عوض میشه و میفهمید که واقعا چقدر هرکسی خوب داره از کهنالگوی درونش دستور میگیره.
به طور مثال،
من از همون اولش با توضیحات مختصری که داد فهمیدم که آفرودیتم. همیشه به ندای قلب گوش میکنه، فقط در لحظه زندگی میکنه، عشق و خلق کردنِ چیزی(هنر)براش مهم ترین مسئلهی زندگیه و تلفیقی از دستهی باکرهها(مستقل) و آسیبپذیرها(وابسته) هستش.
اما خیلیی جاها هست که آرتمیس درونم بلند میشه و فقط به دنبال تنهایی ماجراجویی کردنه.نیمی از درونم پرسفون، دخترِ خانوادست، و نیم دیگه آتناست که فقط به دنبال بیشتر دونستنه.
به قول نویسنده، در درون هر شخص یک میز گرد وجود داره که شخصیت اصلی شما مدیر جلسهست و بقیهی الههها دور میز نشستن. مدیر دستور میده که تو هر زمانی کدوم یکی از این کهنالگوها خودی نشون بدن. و وقتهایی که به شدت احساس گم شدگی و گیج شدن میکنید و نمیدونید چه تصمیمی بگیرید(هرروز و هر ماه🙋🏼♀️) به این معناست که توی این میز گرد جنگ و دعوا شده و شخصیت اصلی شما،منِ شما به نتیجه نمیرسه که توسط کدوم یکی از این الههها تصمیم بگیره
(و این هم بیشتر برای دستهی تغییرپذیر یعنی آفرودیت اتفاق میفته-که سخت ترین و پیچیده ترین نوع زن بودنه😀)
در کل خواستم چون ریویوی فارسیای برای این کتاب ندیدم یه چکیدهی کلی از کتاب بهتون بدم و بگم قطعا کمک بزرگی به علاقهمندان خودشناسی، اسطورهشناسی و روانشناسی میکنه و چه علاقهمندید و چه نیستید، همین الان دکمهی want to read رو به خودتون هدیه کنید☺
(به شخصه این کتاب جلوجلو خیلیی به شناختم از این اسطورهها کمک کرد چه از لحاظ ماهیتی و چه از لحاظ اسطورهشناختی،واقعا به یه همچین کتابی تو مطالعهی اسطورهشناسیم نیاز داشتم🤌)
***بعد از موفقیتهای جهانی این کتاب، نویسنده اومده و کتاب "انواع مردان"اش رو هم نوشته!
یعنی همین محتوا، با خدایان مرد یونانی؛
بنابراین تمام این توضیحات شامل آقایون هم میشه.
***الان در بازار از نشر آشیان چاپ میشه:
کتاب نمادهای اسطورهای و روانشناسی مردان/زنان
***من از طاقچه صوتیش رو گوش دادم،عالی بود:
https://taaghche.com/audiobook/79932
یکی از بهترررین کتاب های عمرم.خیلییی زیبا و هوشمندانه بود.ای کااااش تو مدرسه اینارو بهمون آموزش میدادن.نویسنده، زنان رو به چند دسته بر اساس الهههای یونانی تقسیم میکنه که هر کدوم نشون دهندهی یک نوع شخصیته که کل زندگی رو تحت تاثیر قرار میده.این الههها عبارتند از:
💫باکرهها(مستقل و خودبسنده):
~آرتمیس: ماجراجو
~آتنا: هوش و خرد
~ هستیا: عرفان
💫آسیبپذیرها (وابسته به یک رابطهی معنادار):
~هرا: همسر
~دیمیتر: مادر
~پرسفون: دختر
💫کیمیاگر/تغییرپذیر (متعلق به خود):
~آفرودیت: عشق و خلاقیت و زیبایی
هر زن میتونه چندتا از این کهنالگوهارو در خود داشته باشه و در طول بازهزمانی های مختلف زندگیش هرکدوم فرمانروایی رو به دست بگیره ولی معمولا در مرکز شخصیتیِ هر فرد یک الهه حکمرانی میکنه.
تو هر فصل یکی از این الهههارو با جزئیات زیاد در طول کل زندگیش توصیف میکنه و شما کااامل متوجه میشید که کدومشون هستید.
و حالا این چه کمکی بهتون میکنه؟
اول از همه احساس قدرت و خوشی خیلیی قشنگی داره که شما میدونی از نوادگان و زادهی یکی از این الههها هستید و دارید راهش رو ادامه میدید و هرکدومشون کاااملا به یک اندازه برای این دنیا لازم، مفید و پرقدرت هستند و اصلا نگاهتون به جهان اطراف و زنانی ��ه میشناشید عوض میشه و میفهمید که واقعا چقدر هرکسی خوب داره از کهنالگوی درونش دستور میگیره.
به طور مثال،
من از همون اولش با توضیحات مختصری که داد فهمیدم که آفرودیتم. همیشه به ندای قلب گوش میکنه، فقط در لحظه زندگی میکنه، عشق و خلق کردنِ چیزی(هنر)براش مهم ترین مسئلهی زندگیه و تلفیقی از دستهی باکرهها(مستقل) و آسیبپذیرها(وابسته) هستش.
اما خیلیی جاها هست که آرتمیس درونم بلند میشه و فقط به دنبال تنهایی ماجراجویی کردنه.نیمی از درونم پرسفون، دخترِ خانوادست، و نیم دیگه آتناست که فقط به دنبال بیشتر دونستنه.
به قول نویسنده، در درون هر شخص یک میز گرد وجود داره که شخصیت اصلی شما مدیر جلسهست و بقیهی الههها دور میز نشستن. مدیر دستور میده که تو هر زمانی کدوم یکی از این کهنالگوها خودی نشون بدن. و وقتهایی که به شدت احساس گم شدگی و گیج شدن میکنید و نمیدونید چه تصمیمی بگیرید(هرروز و هر ماه🙋🏼♀️) به این معناست که توی این میز گرد جنگ و دعوا شده و شخصیت اصلی شما،منِ شما به نتیجه نمیرسه که توسط کدوم یکی از این الههها تصمیم بگیره
(و این هم بیشتر برای دستهی تغییرپذیر یعنی آفرودیت اتفاق میفته-که سخت ترین و پیچیده ترین نوع زن بودنه😀)
در کل خواستم چون ریویوی فارسیای برای این کتاب ندیدم یه چکیدهی کلی از کتاب بهتون بدم و بگم قطعا کمک بزرگی به علاقهمندان خودشناسی، اسطورهشناسی و روانشناسی میکنه و چه علاقهمندید و چه نیستید، همین الان دکمهی want to read رو به خودتون هدیه کنید☺
(به شخصه این کتاب جلوجلو خیلیی به شناختم از این اسطورهها کمک کرد چه از لحاظ ماهیتی و چه از لحاظ اسطورهشناختی،واقعا به یه همچین کتابی تو مطالعهی اسطورهشناسیم نیاز داشتم🤌)
***بعد از موفقیتهای جهانی این کتاب، نویسنده اومده و کتاب "انواع مردان"اش رو هم نوشته!
یعنی همین محتوا، با خدایان مرد یونانی؛
بنابراین تمام این توضیحات شامل آقایون هم میشه.
***الان در بازار از نشر آشیان چاپ میشه:
کتاب نمادهای اسطورهای و روانشناسی مردان/زنان
***من از طاقچه صوتیش رو گوش دادم،عالی بود:
https://taaghche.com/audiobook/79932
November 20, 2013
Every woman on planet Earth needs to drop what they are doing right now and go get this book and then read it. I seriously wish this sort of stuff was required reading before graduating high school. Archetypes exist in all forms for us as people: from comic books, movies, astrology profiles, numerology profiles, religious texts, tarot, oral traditions, ect. These stories shape us as people from when we are children into our adult lives. They give us a blueprint to aspire towards and they help us to understand our current journey and life conditions. This is the sort of thing that Goddesses In Everywoman teaches.
Jean Bolen is a student of Jung whom (as she points out in the book) is a much more women-friendly psychologist than Freud ever thought about being. What this means is that in this book she references the goddesses she teaches about and then also ties the mythological teaches into Jung's school of thought (though not always exclusively).
The way this book becomes useful is that in understanding these goddesses women of modern times can relate to different aspects of themselves both in their current life and in their younger life. For example a woman focused on career and moving up the corporate ladder is said to be in her "Athena" state whereas a woman deeply in love and desiring marriage would be channeling her inner "Hera" and "Aphrodite". Though on the surface these may seem like simple analogies the book is far from a simple summary (not like what you would take in a personality quiz or read in a trashy Cosmo-type magazine) and instead jumps into complex breakdowns of the different types of goddess/women and shows both the positive sides and the shadow sides.
One of the ways I felt like this was useful for me was that beyond my own identities for certain life choices I have made (which this book made me feel more liberating and less judgmental towards myself on) I also had greater understanding and compassion towards those goddesses that I don't relate to as much as before I felt like (especially coming from a feminist background) that there is sort of 'my way or the highway' attitude but with these archetypes I see that other less powerful, more vulnerable and simple (example: Hestia, home and hearth goddess) female spirits are also at play for some and that is just fine too. Rigid expectations that women place on ourselves and each other can be lessened after reading and learning about these various goddess archetypes. This book helps women understand how to stay true to herself. From this platform excellent things are allowed to unfold and these archetypes are fuel for that fire.
In summary a couple of quotes I loved by Bolen near the end of the book: "The heroine's trip is a journey of discovery and development, of intriguing aspects of herself into a whole, yet complex personality" and "When the heroine-choicemaker finds herself in an unclear situation, where every route or choice seems particularly disastrous, or at best a dead end, the first trial she faces is to stay herself. In every crisis a woman is tempted to become the victim instead of staying the heroine...whether in myth or real life, when a heroine is in a dilemma, all she can do is be herself, true to herself and her loyalties, until something unexpectedly comes to her aid. To stay with the situation, with the expectation that an answer will come, sets an inner stage for what Jung called 'the transcendent function'. "
Jean Bolen is a student of Jung whom (as she points out in the book) is a much more women-friendly psychologist than Freud ever thought about being. What this means is that in this book she references the goddesses she teaches about and then also ties the mythological teaches into Jung's school of thought (though not always exclusively).
The way this book becomes useful is that in understanding these goddesses women of modern times can relate to different aspects of themselves both in their current life and in their younger life. For example a woman focused on career and moving up the corporate ladder is said to be in her "Athena" state whereas a woman deeply in love and desiring marriage would be channeling her inner "Hera" and "Aphrodite". Though on the surface these may seem like simple analogies the book is far from a simple summary (not like what you would take in a personality quiz or read in a trashy Cosmo-type magazine) and instead jumps into complex breakdowns of the different types of goddess/women and shows both the positive sides and the shadow sides.
One of the ways I felt like this was useful for me was that beyond my own identities for certain life choices I have made (which this book made me feel more liberating and less judgmental towards myself on) I also had greater understanding and compassion towards those goddesses that I don't relate to as much as before I felt like (especially coming from a feminist background) that there is sort of 'my way or the highway' attitude but with these archetypes I see that other less powerful, more vulnerable and simple (example: Hestia, home and hearth goddess) female spirits are also at play for some and that is just fine too. Rigid expectations that women place on ourselves and each other can be lessened after reading and learning about these various goddess archetypes. This book helps women understand how to stay true to herself. From this platform excellent things are allowed to unfold and these archetypes are fuel for that fire.
In summary a couple of quotes I loved by Bolen near the end of the book: "The heroine's trip is a journey of discovery and development, of intriguing aspects of herself into a whole, yet complex personality" and "When the heroine-choicemaker finds herself in an unclear situation, where every route or choice seems particularly disastrous, or at best a dead end, the first trial she faces is to stay herself. In every crisis a woman is tempted to become the victim instead of staying the heroine...whether in myth or real life, when a heroine is in a dilemma, all she can do is be herself, true to herself and her loyalties, until something unexpectedly comes to her aid. To stay with the situation, with the expectation that an answer will come, sets an inner stage for what Jung called 'the transcendent function'. "
June 20, 2020
نماد های اسطوره ای زنان
در این اثر نیروهای مسلط بر احساس و رفتار انسانها در قالب خدابانوان اساطیر یونانی معرفی شده است، هر زنی از درون تحت تاثیر کهن الگو ها و از بیرون با قالبهای رفتاری جامعه روبروست.
در مورد هفت خدابانوی کوه المپ با تقسیم آن به دو گروه باکره و آسیب پذیر توضیحاتی داده شده است. خدابانوان باکره آرتمیس، آتنا و هستیا هستند که مظهر ویژگی های استقلال و خود بسندگی در زنان هستند.
آرتمیس، خدابانوی شکارو ماه بود و طبیعت قلمرو او به شمار می رفت. وجود این کهن الگو در زنان آنها را قادر به پیگیری اهداف خود به طور مستقل از مردان می نماید و آنان به طور کلی حامی زنان ناتوان بوده و علاقه ای به مردان سلطه گر ندارد.
آتنا خدابانوی عقل و مهارت می باشد که این زن مدیری رزم آرا و عزیز کرده ی پدر است و او اراده و عقل را برتر از غریزه و ذات می داند، آتنا در اسطوره ها حامی بسیاری از قهرمانان مرد اسطور ها بوده و وفاداری خاصی به مردان قدرتمند دارد. این زن تحت فرمان عقل خود بوده و حتی فاقد حس همدلی با محرومین است.
هستیا خدابانوی آتشکده و زنی دانا است که بر خلاف دو خدابانوی قبلی جهت هوشیاری اش رو به درون بود و حالت برون گرا ندارد. این زن فاقد جاه طلبی بوده و خواهان حجب و آرامش است
گروه بعدی هرا، دیمیتر و پرسفون خدابانوان آسیب پذیر نامگذاری شده اند که مظهر نقش های سنتی زنان یعنی همسر، مادر و دختر هستند.
هرا خدابانوی زناشویی است که بیانگر وفاداری به عهد و تحمل در رابطه می باشد. این زن نیاز به مقام همسری دارد و شادمانی اش در وفاداری به شوهر و قدردانی همسر از وی می باشد.
دیمیتر، خدابانوی روزی دهنده و مادر می باشد که از ویژگی های بارز او استقامت فراوان و بخشندگی می باشد. آری گفتن بی قید و شرط به خواسته های دیگران و فرو خوردن خشم در این زنان دیده می شود.
پرسفون که در اسطوره دختر دیمیتر می باشد با ظاهری همیشه جوان توصیف شده است که تمایلی به فاعل بودن نداشته و منتظر کسی یا چیزی است که زندگی اش را تغییر دهد. داستان زجر و غم دیمیتر در دوری از پرسفون و انتظار او برای بازگشت فرزندش در اسطوره ها بیان شده و ویژگی های این دو خدا بانو در آن به وضوح شرح داده شده است.
آخرین خدا بانو آفرودیت می باشد که از خدابانوان متحول کننده می باشد در مورد ویژگی های این خدا بانو در قسمت های مختلف این کتاب توضیحاتی داده شده است، اما بر خلاف موارد قبلی فصلی مختص به آن وجود ندارد، او خدا بانوی زیبایی و عشق است و در بین اسطوره ها معشوقه های فراوانی دارد.
در درون هر زنی از ویژگی های خدابانوان مختلف به مقدار کم و زیاد دیده می شود اگر زن با بخشهای مختلف درون خود هماهنگ باشد، با تفکیک اهمیت جداگانه ی این ویژگی ها می تواند انتخاب آگاهانه ای داشته و با اراده خود در مواردی که لازم است اولویت را به خدا بانوی سازنده و مفید درونش دهد
در این اثر نیروهای مسلط بر احساس و رفتار انسانها در قالب خدابانوان اساطیر یونانی معرفی شده است، هر زنی از درون تحت تاثیر کهن الگو ها و از بیرون با قالبهای رفتاری جامعه روبروست.
در مورد هفت خدابانوی کوه المپ با تقسیم آن به دو گروه باکره و آسیب پذیر توضیحاتی داده شده است. خدابانوان باکره آرتمیس، آتنا و هستیا هستند که مظهر ویژگی های استقلال و خود بسندگی در زنان هستند.
آرتمیس، خدابانوی شکارو ماه بود و طبیعت قلمرو او به شمار می رفت. وجود این کهن الگو در زنان آنها را قادر به پیگیری اهداف خود به طور مستقل از مردان می نماید و آنان به طور کلی حامی زنان ناتوان بوده و علاقه ای به مردان سلطه گر ندارد.
آتنا خدابانوی عقل و مهارت می باشد که این زن مدیری رزم آرا و عزیز کرده ی پدر است و او اراده و عقل را برتر از غریزه و ذات می داند، آتنا در اسطوره ها حامی بسیاری از قهرمانان مرد اسطور ها بوده و وفاداری خاصی به مردان قدرتمند دارد. این زن تحت فرمان عقل خود بوده و حتی فاقد حس همدلی با محرومین است.
هستیا خدابانوی آتشکده و زنی دانا است که بر خلاف دو خدابانوی قبلی جهت هوشیاری اش رو به درون بود و حالت برون گرا ندارد. این زن فاقد جاه طلبی بوده و خواهان حجب و آرامش است
گروه بعدی هرا، دیمیتر و پرسفون خدابانوان آسیب پذیر نامگذاری شده اند که مظهر نقش های سنتی زنان یعنی همسر، مادر و دختر هستند.
هرا خدابانوی زناشویی است که بیانگر وفاداری به عهد و تحمل در رابطه می باشد. این زن نیاز به مقام همسری دارد و شادمانی اش در وفاداری به شوهر و قدردانی همسر از وی می باشد.
دیمیتر، خدابانوی روزی دهنده و مادر می باشد که از ویژگی های بارز او استقامت فراوان و بخشندگی می باشد. آری گفتن بی قید و شرط به خواسته های دیگران و فرو خوردن خشم در این زنان دیده می شود.
پرسفون که در اسطوره دختر دیمیتر می باشد با ظاهری همیشه جوان توصیف شده است که تمایلی به فاعل بودن نداشته و منتظر کسی یا چیزی است که زندگی اش را تغییر دهد. داستان زجر و غم دیمیتر در دوری از پرسفون و انتظار او برای بازگشت فرزندش در اسطوره ها بیان شده و ویژگی های این دو خدا بانو در آن به وضوح شرح داده شده است.
آخرین خدا بانو آفرودیت می باشد که از خدابانوان متحول کننده می باشد در مورد ویژگی های این خدا بانو در قسمت های مختلف این کتاب توضیحاتی داده شده است، اما بر خلاف موارد قبلی فصلی مختص به آن وجود ندارد، او خدا بانوی زیبایی و عشق است و در بین اسطوره ها معشوقه های فراوانی دارد.
در درون هر زنی از ویژگی های خدابانوان مختلف به مقدار کم و زیاد دیده می شود اگر زن با بخشهای مختلف درون خود هماهنگ باشد، با تفکیک اهمیت جداگانه ی این ویژگی ها می تواند انتخاب آگاهانه ای داشته و با اراده خود در مواردی که لازم است اولویت را به خدا بانوی سازنده و مفید درونش دهد
September 2, 2017
Less about goddesses in every woman and more a potpourri of 80s female stereotypes with the names of a few Greek goddesses slapped on them.
Jean Bolen’s feminist take Jungian psychology attempts to bunch address the layers of sexism in the original school of psychology, while giving the modern woman (circa 1984) complex feminine figures to embody and embrace. Each goddess is given extensive analysis, their prescribed roles ranging from familial duties to workplace relationships and potential activism. Bolen even includes sections on archetype manifestations in lesbians, helping the book feel a little more progressive than otherwise would be expected.
However, GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN primarily focuses on women’s relationship with the men around them. In fact, most of the archetypes feel in service of the patriarchy rather than overcoming it—even the “independent” goddesses, such as Artemis, only serve to reject the system and possibly forfeit whatever voice they have in it. Likewise, the book is riddled with issues such as taking “wife” and “daughter” and turning them into the primary personality focus of a woman, or using dated examples of expected workplace behavior. Several of the goddesses, for example, are noted for finding fulfillment in making coffee runs for their male counterpoints. A woman can’t simply be a woman under Bolen’s philosophy, and the book suffers for it.
Like most self-help books on Jungian psychology tend to do, the author applies too many contradictory traits to each specific goddess. It begs the question: if everything is a spectrum, why have categories in the first place? The “wife” goddess, Hera, suffers the most from this treatment, as Bolen tries to incorporate every single issue a wife may have into a single image. To her credit, Bolen mitigates the problem somewhat by showing the reader how to interlace two or more personality archetypes together to make a more concrete image, but the advice is still too generic to call helpful.
All in all, there are worse Jungian self-help books in the world, and it’s interesting to see a genuinely feminist revision of the concept. However, GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN has not aged well, and it is functionality useless in a society where equally deep horoscopes and personality quizzes are a dime a dozen on the internet. Might be an enlightening read for baby feminists, but not much else.
Jean Bolen’s feminist take Jungian psychology attempts to bunch address the layers of sexism in the original school of psychology, while giving the modern woman (circa 1984) complex feminine figures to embody and embrace. Each goddess is given extensive analysis, their prescribed roles ranging from familial duties to workplace relationships and potential activism. Bolen even includes sections on archetype manifestations in lesbians, helping the book feel a little more progressive than otherwise would be expected.
However, GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN primarily focuses on women’s relationship with the men around them. In fact, most of the archetypes feel in service of the patriarchy rather than overcoming it—even the “independent” goddesses, such as Artemis, only serve to reject the system and possibly forfeit whatever voice they have in it. Likewise, the book is riddled with issues such as taking “wife” and “daughter” and turning them into the primary personality focus of a woman, or using dated examples of expected workplace behavior. Several of the goddesses, for example, are noted for finding fulfillment in making coffee runs for their male counterpoints. A woman can’t simply be a woman under Bolen’s philosophy, and the book suffers for it.
Like most self-help books on Jungian psychology tend to do, the author applies too many contradictory traits to each specific goddess. It begs the question: if everything is a spectrum, why have categories in the first place? The “wife” goddess, Hera, suffers the most from this treatment, as Bolen tries to incorporate every single issue a wife may have into a single image. To her credit, Bolen mitigates the problem somewhat by showing the reader how to interlace two or more personality archetypes together to make a more concrete image, but the advice is still too generic to call helpful.
All in all, there are worse Jungian self-help books in the world, and it’s interesting to see a genuinely feminist revision of the concept. However, GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN has not aged well, and it is functionality useless in a society where equally deep horoscopes and personality quizzes are a dime a dozen on the internet. Might be an enlightening read for baby feminists, but not much else.
January 9, 2019
کتابی مفید برای علاقه مندان به روانشناسی یونگ
March 8, 2008
This book, as much as I read, read like a combination of a Cosmo quiz and a self-help book for women 30 years ago. Admittedly, I have not kept up with theories on Carl Jung's archetypes, and this book made me glad about that. As I began the preface, my mind continued to leap forward thing.. am I artsy Athena, homemaker Hestia, or, like most of my results for those awful quizzes, the dreadful middle of the road?? Essentially, Bolen's aim is meant to be supportive, I think. Unfortunately her theories came off as unsubstantiated and subjective, which was my problem with Jung's theories to begin with. I will not be finishing this book, I became uninterested in the history surrounding Goddess lore and less intrigued about which was most dominant. While reading, I found myself distracted, thinking of what event is next on the work calendar, the next time I'll see my friends & family, or what better book I could possibly be reading. I suppose, based on what I learned, that places somewhere along the lines of Artemis... Goddess of the Hunt and Moon, Competitor, Sister.
February 12, 2009
I read this book as a senior in college, and more than twenty years later I still come back to its wisdom and insights.
Bolen, a Jungian psychologist, uses seven Greek goddesses as archetypal templates to help women -- and men -- understand some of the powerful psychological patterns that operate in women's lives. She divides them into three categories: the vulnerable (Hera, Demeter, Persephone) who are defined by their relationships; the virgin (Hestia, Athena, Artemis) who are not defined by their relationships; and Aphrodite, whom she calls "The Alchemical Goddess" who has relationships but is not hurt by them in the way the vulnerable goddesses are. Each archetype has its strengths and riches, and each has its shadows and challenges.
While no one goddess sums up any one women, Bolen's illumination of how the ancient stories convey forces that remain part of our psyches today is extremely valuable. I highly recommend it.
Bolen, a Jungian psychologist, uses seven Greek goddesses as archetypal templates to help women -- and men -- understand some of the powerful psychological patterns that operate in women's lives. She divides them into three categories: the vulnerable (Hera, Demeter, Persephone) who are defined by their relationships; the virgin (Hestia, Athena, Artemis) who are not defined by their relationships; and Aphrodite, whom she calls "The Alchemical Goddess" who has relationships but is not hurt by them in the way the vulnerable goddesses are. Each archetype has its strengths and riches, and each has its shadows and challenges.
While no one goddess sums up any one women, Bolen's illumination of how the ancient stories convey forces that remain part of our psyches today is extremely valuable. I highly recommend it.
August 22, 2015
Un excelente libro, que te ayuda identificarte con arquetipos y comprenderte mejor. También permite que identifiques a las diosas de otras mujeres y así aprendas a valorarlas, entenderlas y aprender de ellas. Es un libro valioso, más si se lee en grupo.
El viaje de la heroína hacia la totalidad resulta de "tener la capacidad de ser activa y receptiva, autónoma e íntima, de trabajar y amar". Este es el reto.
El viaje de la heroína hacia la totalidad resulta de "tener la capacidad de ser activa y receptiva, autónoma e íntima, de trabajar y amar". Este es el reto.
January 15, 2019
من واقعا لذت بردم از خوندنش. یعنی علاوه بر جنبه ی روان شناسیش که به زبان عامیانه تری بیان شده بود و خیلی راحت کرده بود درکش رو،خود داستان های خدایان و الهه های یونانی بسیار جذاب بود و راغب شدم به صورت جدا در موردشون بخونم.
در کل خیلی لذت بردم از خوندنش و اینکه اگر انگلیسی راحتید انگلیسیش رو بخونید چون ترجمه ی فارسیش خیلی سانسور داره. مثلا الهه ی افرودیت رو به صورت کامل حذف کرده چون الهه عشق و سکس و ایناس.
در کل خیلی لذت بردم از خوندنش و اینکه اگر انگلیسی راحتید انگلیسیش رو بخونید چون ترجمه ی فارسیش خیلی سانسور داره. مثلا الهه ی افرودیت رو به صورت کامل حذف کرده چون الهه عشق و سکس و ایناس.
September 18, 2024
Finally read a book on my TBR pile instead of adding another book to it. And it's always the books you put off that when you read it, you realize you should have read it a long time ago.
Goddesses in Everywoman is Jungian astrology using the Olympian goddesses of Ancient Greece and I loved it!!
I am highly critical of the divine feminine resurgence that often promote traditional gender roles, western beauty standards, and biological essentialism in wellness spaces. However, I also love working with feminine energy, and if you are someone like me, Jean Shinoda Bolen's work is quite respectable, providing thoughtful insights into archetypes for women through Olympian goddesses. She is mostly objective in how she analyzes each goddess archetype and how they show up in women, something that feels like a feat given it was published in 1984.
I wouldn't go so far to say it is modern or timeless, because through the examples that Bolen shares, I feel the distance. There are similarities, but the zeitgeist was not the same. Something that felt dated or much more of a talking point back then was how oftentimes Bolen's analysis of women who were not interested in sex would be once they had a lover who actually knew what they were doing lol.
It makes me curious about how the goddess archetypes would manifest nowadays. The major pick me vibes of some of the virgin goddesses... Artemis and Athena both give "I'm not like other girls, I'm cool" vibes that just made me lol/sigh. I also wonder about an intersectional lens on the psychological difficulties for each archetype and how implicit biases would show up in women.
I also loved the way Bolen wrote. It was elegant, well organized, and just a pleasure to read.
Goddesses in Everywoman is Jungian astrology using the Olympian goddesses of Ancient Greece and I loved it!!
I am highly critical of the divine feminine resurgence that often promote traditional gender roles, western beauty standards, and biological essentialism in wellness spaces. However, I also love working with feminine energy, and if you are someone like me, Jean Shinoda Bolen's work is quite respectable, providing thoughtful insights into archetypes for women through Olympian goddesses. She is mostly objective in how she analyzes each goddess archetype and how they show up in women, something that feels like a feat given it was published in 1984.
I wouldn't go so far to say it is modern or timeless, because through the examples that Bolen shares, I feel the distance. There are similarities, but the zeitgeist was not the same. Something that felt dated or much more of a talking point back then was how oftentimes Bolen's analysis of women who were not interested in sex would be once they had a lover who actually knew what they were doing lol.
It makes me curious about how the goddess archetypes would manifest nowadays. The major pick me vibes of some of the virgin goddesses... Artemis and Athena both give "I'm not like other girls, I'm cool" vibes that just made me lol/sigh. I also wonder about an intersectional lens on the psychological difficulties for each archetype and how implicit biases would show up in women.
I also loved the way Bolen wrote. It was elegant, well organized, and just a pleasure to read.
November 30, 2012
Epiphanic !!! ...One word to sum up this book .. recommended to be read by any woman irrespective of her age and role...Powerful n subtle shifts in perspectives to be expected ! Sudden solution appears to perplexing life situations...and greater awareness of one's self...and ones own and others' motivations.... awesomely empowering and liberating !!! The Best Book I ever read.... Life Defining... I cant thank the author enough in ways that she helped me in understanding myself ....
June 4, 2018
Чому ми так любимо грецькі міфи? Я віднайшла одну з відповідей на це питання у цій книзі: через те, що архетипи поведінки вбачаються у міфах і легендах і мають відображення у діях сьогодення. Авторка стверджує, що жінкою можуть керувати до семи архетипів богинь, у різний період часу, з різною інтенсивністю, поєднуюючись чи конфліктуючи з іншими богинями. Три незалежні богині Артеміда (полювання),Афіна (стратегія, ремесла), Гестія (внутрішнього, духовного направлення), три вразливі богині Гера (дружина), Деметра (мати) і Персефона (дочка), та одна алхімічна богиня Афродіта (кохання і творчість). З цієї книги можна дізнатися яка з богинь отримає золоте яблуко всередині вас (і хто впливає на цей вибір), як архетипи проявляються через дії (все прописано у міфах), як патріархальне суспільство керує поведінкою жінок і сковує деякі архетипи та багато іншого. Вона допоможе віднайти богиню і героїню в собі, розібратися у почуттях, підкаже на найкращий вибір для вас. ((Отримала приємні бонусні враження від відсилок до хобітів і інклюзивність))
March 15, 2010
Archetypes are a powerful tool for self-knowledge because they tap into the universal collective language we all share. Learning to become more aware of your own archetypes can help you see yourself, the bigger picture and is a good place to start creating solutions for yourself and others. Finding out which Goddess sits at the head of your table is also a very good way to balance your own personality so you are able to find a voice for lesser known parts (Goddesses) of your inner self. I high recommend this book in every woman's collection for insight into strengths and weaknesses and personal empowerment.
December 24, 2020
This one did not work for me.
Will try it on a later date again, but for now, - NO!
Will try it on a later date again, but for now, - NO!
December 4, 2024
عمل يجمع التحليل النفسي بالميثولوجيا اليونانية في شقها الانثوي مع آلهات تمثل النماذج الأصلية لشخصيات نسائية : أرتميس ، هييتا ، هيرا، أثينا، ديميترا، بيرسيفوني و أفروديت.
December 20, 2018
در مورد افکار و نظر خودم
این کتابو در شرایطی خوندم به اندازه ی کافی حسِ پراکندگی و اشفتگی داشتم و اونو نقصِ مختص خودم میدونستم،آشنا شدن با اینکه این آشفتگی ها جلسه ای هست که "من"تصمیم گیرنده ی اون جلسه است ،و باید برای قهرمان بودن انتخاب کنم از میونِ این پازل ،و بپذیرم که هر انتخابش با یه سری از دست دادن ها همراهه ،تونست برام بسیار کمک کننده باشه .
_____
شبی سیاه بود ،تاریک و سرد ،خسته بودم از درس و مشق ،خسته از افکارم که درگیرِ آدمی بود که رفته بود و فکر میکردم هیچکی جاشو نمیگیره،خودمو درونِ کافی شاپِ همیشگیم دیدم با این کتاب در دستم،داشتم قسمت آفرودیتشو میخوندم،میونِ بوی قهوه و کیکِ شکلاتی که برام حکمِ قشنگی زندگی و گرما رو دارن ،داستان سایکی رو خوندم ،اینکه احساساتشو جدا کرد ،الویت هاشو ،اینکه قوی شد در حالی که یه خودش آسیب نرسوند ،اینکه افسرده شدن هم رو پذیرفت و مانند عقاب از فاصه دور به شرایطش نگاه کرد و در آخر نه گفتن به شرایط و آدمایی که فعلا برای الانش نبودن ،همشو خوندم و در یه آن همشو تجربه کردم و
رشد کردم
،یه سفر قهرمانیمو با بهترین نتیجه تموم کردم .
خوشبختیم چقدر ما که اومهایی مانند نویسنده این کتاب رو داریم تا برامون بنویسن .
این کتابو در شرایطی خوندم به اندازه ی کافی حسِ پراکندگی و اشفتگی داشتم و اونو نقصِ مختص خودم میدونستم،آشنا شدن با اینکه این آشفتگی ها جلسه ای هست که "من"تصمیم گیرنده ی اون جلسه است ،و باید برای قهرمان بودن انتخاب کنم از میونِ این پازل ،و بپذیرم که هر انتخابش با یه سری از دست دادن ها همراهه ،تونست برام بسیار کمک کننده باشه .
_____
شبی سیاه بود ،تاریک و سرد ،خسته بودم از درس و مشق ،خسته از افکارم که درگیرِ آدمی بود که رفته بود و فکر میکردم هیچکی جاشو نمیگیره،خودمو درونِ کافی شاپِ همیشگیم دیدم با این کتاب در دستم،داشتم قسمت آفرودیتشو میخوندم،میونِ بوی قهوه و کیکِ شکلاتی که برام حکمِ قشنگی زندگی و گرما رو دارن ،داستان سایکی رو خوندم ،اینکه احساساتشو جدا کرد ،الویت هاشو ،اینکه قوی شد در حالی که یه خودش آسیب نرسوند ،اینکه افسرده شدن هم رو پذیرفت و مانند عقاب از فاصه دور به شرایطش نگاه کرد و در آخر نه گفتن به شرایط و آدمایی که فعلا برای الانش نبودن ،همشو خوندم و در یه آن همشو تجربه کردم و
رشد کردم
،یه سفر قهرمانیمو با بهترین نتیجه تموم کردم .
خوشبختیم چقدر ما که اومهایی مانند نویسنده این کتاب رو داریم تا برامون بنویسن .
December 24, 2025
Despite being a Greek mythology aficionado with a psychology degree from Sigmund Freud’s alma mater, I never would’ve gravitated towards this pop-science book on my own… yet it got my vote, and was ultimately the winning selection, for my monthly book club. I figured that having just gone through a difficult and major shift in my personal life, I’d probably be more receptive to what’s essentially a feminist, Jungian self-help book than I’d usually be.
Jean Shinoda Bolen, Jungian analyst and psychiatrist, made waves in the mid-80’s with this feminist revision of Jung’s concept of archetypes—Gloria Steinem, arguably the world’s most famous feminist activist, even provided an introduction. The underlying idea is quite simple: Bolen uses seven Greek goddesses to describe women’s behavioral patterns and personality traits. Building on the theories of Jungian analysis, she claims that these unconscious yet powerful archetypal forces influence how we feel and act from birth, and that by understanding how these archetypes manifest, we can reflect on what drives us, and be empowered to grow beyond the restrictive dichotomies of what (Western) society teaches a woman to be.
Bolen separates the seven goddesses into three groups: Artemis, Athena, and Hestia make up the independent and self-sufficient ‘virgin goddesses’, Hera, Demeter, and Persephone represent the relationship-oriented ‘vulnerable goddesses’, and Aphrodite is the only transformative ‘alchemical goddess’ who shares similarities with both groups, yet is intrinsically different, and thus gets to stand in a league all of her own. She would love that very much.
Each goddess gets her own chapter, wherein Bolen relates her myth, and describes what a typical childhood, adolescence, and adult years may look like if a particular goddess is solely in charge of a woman’s psyche, as well as the strengths and weaknesses related to each archetype… but throughout the book she makes it clear that we’re all made up of an interplay of these archetypes, and that at different stages of life, a different goddess may be more prominent. Right now, I see myself most in Artemis, but I’d say that Athena dominated in my twenties, I used to embody Hestia as a child, and Hera’s presence was strongly felt in my late adolescence… a lot of it really resonated with me very much, but that’s also where the weakness of Bolen’s theory lies: It’s ultimately too generic to be truly helpful? Like a horoscope, its worded in such a way that just about everyone is likely to find something that fits their lived experience in every chapter, because she applies a lot of traits—many of them contradictory—to each goddess. If we’re all on a spectrum, why make up constricting categories at all?
I can’t deny that despite getting a little repetitive in parts, this was very readable and well-written, but I was hoping for the Greek myths to be more of a metaphorical framing device; I suppose that I expected something more scientifically based from someone with Bolen’s credentials, but since I don’t really hold with psychoanalysis, I should’ve known better. The goddesses don’t feel like metaphors, and she makes definitive, sweeping statements without citing any empirical studies or at least statistics to support her theories. I guess what I’m trying to say that it’s rather New Agey… at one point, Bolen claims that women with a strong Persephone archetype are likely to develop ESP, and that’s where she lost me. To be fair, I gleaned enough insight from this book to have something to talk about in my following therapy session, but I wouldn’t take any of it too seriously—it is ultimately the equivalent of the personality-type quizzes you find all over the internet. Just like those, it can be helpful inspiration to take a self-aware look inward—a way to recognize patterns of behavior that perhaps don’t serve you well, and consciously try and nurture other, neglected sides of your personality instead.
—————
★★★½ · May 2025 selection for ...Like a Good Book Club
Jean Shinoda Bolen, Jungian analyst and psychiatrist, made waves in the mid-80’s with this feminist revision of Jung’s concept of archetypes—Gloria Steinem, arguably the world’s most famous feminist activist, even provided an introduction. The underlying idea is quite simple: Bolen uses seven Greek goddesses to describe women’s behavioral patterns and personality traits. Building on the theories of Jungian analysis, she claims that these unconscious yet powerful archetypal forces influence how we feel and act from birth, and that by understanding how these archetypes manifest, we can reflect on what drives us, and be empowered to grow beyond the restrictive dichotomies of what (Western) society teaches a woman to be.
Bolen separates the seven goddesses into three groups: Artemis, Athena, and Hestia make up the independent and self-sufficient ‘virgin goddesses’, Hera, Demeter, and Persephone represent the relationship-oriented ‘vulnerable goddesses’, and Aphrodite is the only transformative ‘alchemical goddess’ who shares similarities with both groups, yet is intrinsically different, and thus gets to stand in a league all of her own. She would love that very much.
“The true cost of anything is what we give up in order to have it. It is the path not taken. To take the responsibility of making the choice is crucial and not always easy.”
Each goddess gets her own chapter, wherein Bolen relates her myth, and describes what a typical childhood, adolescence, and adult years may look like if a particular goddess is solely in charge of a woman’s psyche, as well as the strengths and weaknesses related to each archetype… but throughout the book she makes it clear that we’re all made up of an interplay of these archetypes, and that at different stages of life, a different goddess may be more prominent. Right now, I see myself most in Artemis, but I’d say that Athena dominated in my twenties, I used to embody Hestia as a child, and Hera’s presence was strongly felt in my late adolescence… a lot of it really resonated with me very much, but that’s also where the weakness of Bolen’s theory lies: It’s ultimately too generic to be truly helpful? Like a horoscope, its worded in such a way that just about everyone is likely to find something that fits their lived experience in every chapter, because she applies a lot of traits—many of them contradictory—to each goddess. If we’re all on a spectrum, why make up constricting categories at all?
I can’t deny that despite getting a little repetitive in parts, this was very readable and well-written, but I was hoping for the Greek myths to be more of a metaphorical framing device; I suppose that I expected something more scientifically based from someone with Bolen’s credentials, but since I don’t really hold with psychoanalysis, I should’ve known better. The goddesses don’t feel like metaphors, and she makes definitive, sweeping statements without citing any empirical studies or at least statistics to support her theories. I guess what I’m trying to say that it’s rather New Agey… at one point, Bolen claims that women with a strong Persephone archetype are likely to develop ESP, and that’s where she lost me. To be fair, I gleaned enough insight from this book to have something to talk about in my following therapy session, but I wouldn’t take any of it too seriously—it is ultimately the equivalent of the personality-type quizzes you find all over the internet. Just like those, it can be helpful inspiration to take a self-aware look inward—a way to recognize patterns of behavior that perhaps don’t serve you well, and consciously try and nurture other, neglected sides of your personality instead.
—————
★★★½ · May 2025 selection for ...Like a Good Book Club
March 8, 2019
Last night I finished reading Jean Shinoda Bolen’s, ‘Goddesses in Everywoman: A New Psychology of Women’ and I wanted to share that it has had a deep effect on me. A lot of changes have occurred in my life over the last 6 months, prompting me to call into question my motives, desires and patterns. Since picking up this book in January I have had numerous ‘aha’ moments, nodding along to the words written, and enthusiastically sharing new insights with my friend who has also read this work. I (obviously) highly recommend it!
This book goes through seven different archetypal Goddesses from the ancient Greek pantheon, and explores how these archetypes continue to manifest for contemporary women. As with anything involving a limited number of archetypes, or written in a particular social context (this being published in 1984) there are limitations and not all women will resonate or identify with this text; however, for myself it did resonate on many levels, and at the very least has prompted me to question my behaviours.
https://dancingserpents.blogspot.com/...
This book goes through seven different archetypal Goddesses from the ancient Greek pantheon, and explores how these archetypes continue to manifest for contemporary women. As with anything involving a limited number of archetypes, or written in a particular social context (this being published in 1984) there are limitations and not all women will resonate or identify with this text; however, for myself it did resonate on many levels, and at the very least has prompted me to question my behaviours.
https://dancingserpents.blogspot.com/...
April 13, 2018
از کسی شنیدم که میگفت من قوی هستم چون ضعفهای خودم رو میدونم. این کتاب چنین کاری میکند. شما و دوستان و انسانهایی که میشناسید را در قالب کهن الگوها به شما میشناساند.
نقاط ضعف را میفهمیم و متوجه میشویم تا چه حد رفتارهایمان گاهی پیش بینی پذیر است.
برای زنان این امکان را به وجود میآورد که متوجه بشوند نباید خودشان را سرکوب کنند تا به قالب هرایی و دیمیتری که کهن الگوهای قابل قبول جامعه است در بیایند. که میتوانند زنی آرتمیسی باشند یا آفرودیتی یا هر چه که درونشان وجود دارد.
شینودا بولن در آخر کتاب کتابش را پیر خردمندی معرفی کرد که در سفر قهرمان به او کمک میکند و این بهترین توضیف برای این کتاب فوقالعاده بود. آی لاو ایت سو سو سو ماچ. 🦄
نقاط ضعف را میفهمیم و متوجه میشویم تا چه حد رفتارهایمان گاهی پیش بینی پذیر است.
برای زنان این امکان را به وجود میآورد که متوجه بشوند نباید خودشان را سرکوب کنند تا به قالب هرایی و دیمیتری که کهن الگوهای قابل قبول جامعه است در بیایند. که میتوانند زنی آرتمیسی باشند یا آفرودیتی یا هر چه که درونشان وجود دارد.
شینودا بولن در آخر کتاب کتابش را پیر خردمندی معرفی کرد که در سفر قهرمان به او کمک میکند و این بهترین توضیف برای این کتاب فوقالعاده بود. آی لاو ایت سو سو سو ماچ. 🦄
April 14, 2024
Jean Shinoda nuevamente entrega un libro lleno de simbolismos y profundidad, en el que es fácil sentirse identificada e interpelada. Una lectura fascinante que me llevó por un viaje interior de la mano de un viaje por la mitología. Como recomendación, si considero tener un conocimiento básico de mitología griega, para mayor comprensión de la lectura.
January 30, 2024
Sunt la a doua lectură a acestei cărți de referință. Atât de convingătoare și cuprinzătoare a fost pentru mine.
Într-o perioadă în care prea multe femei (fără expertiză) devin specialiste în feminitate, Goddesses in Everywoman a fost cel mai de încredere reper pe care l-am avut.
M-am bazat pe zecii de ani de experiență în psihanaliză jungiană ai autoarei. Și pe bunul simț din spatele teoriei ei: arhetipurile feminității se regăsesc în poveștile cele mai vechi și ample ale Europei. În miturile grecești, respectiv în zeițele grecești.
Autoarea le împarte în trei categorii:
•Zeițe virgine (Artemis, Athena, Hestia)
•Zeițe vulnerabile (Demetra, Persefona, Hera)
•Zeițe alchimice (Afrodita)
Deci dacă privim feminitatea doar ca pe o expresie a seducției (doar Afrodita), ne înșelăm grav. Am apreciat cât de cuprinzătoare e definiția autoarei, fapt ce ar fi benefic oricărei femei să afle. Să nu se mai flageleze că are trăsături de Amazoană (Artemis)… sau, Doamne-ferește, niște așa-zisă energie masculină!
E imposibil să nu identifici unde se regăsește propriul tău psihic feminin (anima). Adică în ce categorie te simți instinctiv ‘acasă’, cu umbre și cu lumini.
Jean Shinoda Bolen a avut grijă să ofere exemple ample, variate și în același timp ușor de reperat în viața contemporană.
Chiar dacă această carte a apărut cu mai mult de 30 de ani în urmă, e cât se poate de actuală. O dovadă că adevăratele arhetipuri și definiții ale feminității sunt timeless.
Într-o perioadă în care prea multe femei (fără expertiză) devin specialiste în feminitate, Goddesses in Everywoman a fost cel mai de încredere reper pe care l-am avut.
M-am bazat pe zecii de ani de experiență în psihanaliză jungiană ai autoarei. Și pe bunul simț din spatele teoriei ei: arhetipurile feminității se regăsesc în poveștile cele mai vechi și ample ale Europei. În miturile grecești, respectiv în zeițele grecești.
Autoarea le împarte în trei categorii:
•Zeițe virgine (Artemis, Athena, Hestia)
•Zeițe vulnerabile (Demetra, Persefona, Hera)
•Zeițe alchimice (Afrodita)
Deci dacă privim feminitatea doar ca pe o expresie a seducției (doar Afrodita), ne înșelăm grav. Am apreciat cât de cuprinzătoare e definiția autoarei, fapt ce ar fi benefic oricărei femei să afle. Să nu se mai flageleze că are trăsături de Amazoană (Artemis)… sau, Doamne-ferește, niște așa-zisă energie masculină!
E imposibil să nu identifici unde se regăsește propriul tău psihic feminin (anima). Adică în ce categorie te simți instinctiv ‘acasă’, cu umbre și cu lumini.
Jean Shinoda Bolen a avut grijă să ofere exemple ample, variate și în același timp ușor de reperat în viața contemporană.
Chiar dacă această carte a apărut cu mai mult de 30 de ani în urmă, e cât se poate de actuală. O dovadă că adevăratele arhetipuri și definiții ale feminității sunt timeless.
December 2, 2024
به عنوان دانشجوی روانشناسی و فَن شدید mythology خیلی دوستش داشتم و در آینده هم کتاب الهههای مردش رو خواهم خوند.
کتاب ۷ تا الوهیت زن المپ رو توضیح میده که یه جورایی بیس آرکیتایپهای یونگ هم هستند: آرتمیس، آتنا، هستیا، هرا، دیمیتر، پرسفونه و آفرودیت.
هر فصل شامل داستان اصلی الهه، هویتیابی زن امروز با الهه، دشواریهای روانشناختیش و نیمهتاریک و نقطه قوت هر الههست و توضیح میده برای اینکه این الهه به درستی در زندگیمون جا بیفته باید چیکار کنیم یا نکنیم.
به عنوان یک جوجه روانشناس🫢 خیلی با یونگ حال نمیکنم و دستهبندی کردن این مدلی آدما خیلی کار تقلیلگراییه از نظرم ولی به عنوان یکی که انقدر mythology دوست داره واقعن باهاش حال کردم.✨️🎀
حالا تازه یه مقاله هم باید بنویسم ازش
کتاب ۷ تا الوهیت زن المپ رو توضیح میده که یه جورایی بیس آرکیتایپهای یونگ هم هستند: آرتمیس، آتنا، هستیا، هرا، دیمیتر، پرسفونه و آفرودیت.
هر فصل شامل داستان اصلی الهه، هویتیابی زن امروز با الهه، دشواریهای روانشناختیش و نیمهتاریک و نقطه قوت هر الههست و توضیح میده برای اینکه این الهه به درستی در زندگیمون جا بیفته باید چیکار کنیم یا نکنیم.
به عنوان یک جوجه روانشناس🫢 خیلی با یونگ حال نمیکنم و دستهبندی کردن این مدلی آدما خیلی کار تقلیلگراییه از نظرم ولی به عنوان یکی که انقدر mythology دوست داره واقعن باهاش حال کردم.✨️🎀
حالا تازه یه مقاله هم باید بنویسم ازش
November 3, 2018
A friend recommended this to me. I’m a psychology graduate, so I approach most books in psychology with a mixture of excitement at possibly discovering something new, and skepticism with how the author might present his or her ideas. I have to say, this book was so compelling that within the first few pages, the skeptic in me fell quiet, and stayed like that for the rest of the book.
In this book, Bolen makes the case that we can understand ourselves and the situations we’re in - our psychological and relational patterns - through the lens of archetypal stories. Greek mythology, in particular. This is based on Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious, which he thought as containing innate, psychological experiences that were passed down from our ancestors. I’ve never quite understood that concept of his until reading this work.
Basically, Bolen describes seven kinds of personality patterns based on the stories and personalities of seven goddesses in Greek mythology. For example, an “Artemis” woman (well, these archetypes are also applicable to men, but for the sake of simplicity I’ll just use the pronoun “she”) is goal-oriented and can focus on a task important to her, oftentimes to the exclusion of her surroundings and her relationships. This is like Artemis, who, shortly after she was born, knew what she wanted and asked it of Zeus (bow and arrows, hounds, mountains to run in, etc.). Artemis is a protector of the weak and of women; the modern Artemis woman is a defender of the weak as well, and the underdogs. Most of all, Artemis values her independence. (Ugh, it might sound hokey when I’m explaining it, but all this makes a lot more sense in the book.) Artemis, along with Athena and Hestia, form the trio of the “virgin goddesses”, who possess a “one-in-herself” quality, meaning that while she can enjoy and be with people, the meaning and purpose of her life does not reside solely in her relationships.
On the other hand, there are the “vulnerable goddesses” like Hera and Demeter, who derive meaning from having a husband and children, respectively, and Persephone, who wants to please others and to be cared for. Finally, there’s Aphrodite, the “alchemical goddess,” who possess qualities of both - she delights in relationships, but at the same time, is not dependent on them the same way the vulnerable goddesses are. Aphrodite is also explained in terms of creative potential, not only romantic relationships.
While Bolen relies mostly on anecdotes to illustrate her points instead of empirical studies (although I can’t imagine how this can be amenable to the scientific method), I find that her work is not diminished by it, and is important for a number of reasons. Bolen is a feminist Jungian analyst and a psychiatrist by training and profession, and in the context of therapy, I can see how this is useful. Part of what makes therapy effective is that it allows us to tell a story about ourselves. Once we can understand what’s happening to us, we can choose to change how we respond, or we can choose to tell our stories differently. These “goddesses” are an accessible shorthand for the kinds of stories we tell ourselves at certain points in time. If we realize we’re operating under the influence of a certain “goddess” (e.g., Am I being too much of an Artemis that I’m overvaluing my independence and pushing people away?), we can shift to being another goddess (e.g., Maybe in this situation, it’s best to be an Aphrodite) - we can easily change our story. It’s far easier to remember than, say, the MBTI, another popular personality test based on Jungian theory. Using the goddesses also already reminds us that we are always telling ourselves stories with us as the protagonists - important, because we (or at least I) usually take our thoughts to be facts, and forget that what we’re actually telling ourselves is fiction.
Another thing I like about Bolen’s theory is that she explains we have all the goddesses in us; it’s just a matter of who’s active, and choosing who’s going to be active, at a certain point in your life. Also, she highlights how the active goddesses in our lives can change as we go through the lifespan. In other words, she’s saying that personality is relatively stable but not fixed (as opposed to most theorists, who maintain that while people can change, they don’t change too much).
This wasn’t without its flaws. There were some parts that just weren’t quite consistent with my experience. For example, when she mentioned that most Athena women are defenders of the patriarchy, I can’t seem to imagine any of the Athena women I know as such. Some of her descriptions were on point, but like the Athena example, I had to really stretch my imagination to get what she was describing.
Still, despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m already recommending it to my psych friends.
In this book, Bolen makes the case that we can understand ourselves and the situations we’re in - our psychological and relational patterns - through the lens of archetypal stories. Greek mythology, in particular. This is based on Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious, which he thought as containing innate, psychological experiences that were passed down from our ancestors. I’ve never quite understood that concept of his until reading this work.
Basically, Bolen describes seven kinds of personality patterns based on the stories and personalities of seven goddesses in Greek mythology. For example, an “Artemis” woman (well, these archetypes are also applicable to men, but for the sake of simplicity I’ll just use the pronoun “she”) is goal-oriented and can focus on a task important to her, oftentimes to the exclusion of her surroundings and her relationships. This is like Artemis, who, shortly after she was born, knew what she wanted and asked it of Zeus (bow and arrows, hounds, mountains to run in, etc.). Artemis is a protector of the weak and of women; the modern Artemis woman is a defender of the weak as well, and the underdogs. Most of all, Artemis values her independence. (Ugh, it might sound hokey when I’m explaining it, but all this makes a lot more sense in the book.) Artemis, along with Athena and Hestia, form the trio of the “virgin goddesses”, who possess a “one-in-herself” quality, meaning that while she can enjoy and be with people, the meaning and purpose of her life does not reside solely in her relationships.
On the other hand, there are the “vulnerable goddesses” like Hera and Demeter, who derive meaning from having a husband and children, respectively, and Persephone, who wants to please others and to be cared for. Finally, there’s Aphrodite, the “alchemical goddess,” who possess qualities of both - she delights in relationships, but at the same time, is not dependent on them the same way the vulnerable goddesses are. Aphrodite is also explained in terms of creative potential, not only romantic relationships.
While Bolen relies mostly on anecdotes to illustrate her points instead of empirical studies (although I can’t imagine how this can be amenable to the scientific method), I find that her work is not diminished by it, and is important for a number of reasons. Bolen is a feminist Jungian analyst and a psychiatrist by training and profession, and in the context of therapy, I can see how this is useful. Part of what makes therapy effective is that it allows us to tell a story about ourselves. Once we can understand what’s happening to us, we can choose to change how we respond, or we can choose to tell our stories differently. These “goddesses” are an accessible shorthand for the kinds of stories we tell ourselves at certain points in time. If we realize we’re operating under the influence of a certain “goddess” (e.g., Am I being too much of an Artemis that I’m overvaluing my independence and pushing people away?), we can shift to being another goddess (e.g., Maybe in this situation, it’s best to be an Aphrodite) - we can easily change our story. It’s far easier to remember than, say, the MBTI, another popular personality test based on Jungian theory. Using the goddesses also already reminds us that we are always telling ourselves stories with us as the protagonists - important, because we (or at least I) usually take our thoughts to be facts, and forget that what we’re actually telling ourselves is fiction.
Another thing I like about Bolen’s theory is that she explains we have all the goddesses in us; it’s just a matter of who’s active, and choosing who’s going to be active, at a certain point in your life. Also, she highlights how the active goddesses in our lives can change as we go through the lifespan. In other words, she’s saying that personality is relatively stable but not fixed (as opposed to most theorists, who maintain that while people can change, they don’t change too much).
This wasn’t without its flaws. There were some parts that just weren’t quite consistent with my experience. For example, when she mentioned that most Athena women are defenders of the patriarchy, I can’t seem to imagine any of the Athena women I know as such. Some of her descriptions were on point, but like the Athena example, I had to really stretch my imagination to get what she was describing.
Still, despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m already recommending it to my psych friends.
January 14, 2008
I liked Boden's "Gods In Everyman" so much, I grabbed this one as soon as I saw it in the local used bookstore. However, after just a partial reading, I found myself disappointed. It's not bad, it's just not that good, and somehow doesn't live up to the solid mythological archetypes of its predecessor. The analogies seem forced and lacking insight, the archetypes are more shallow than the ones with the gods and leave many empty spaces, many personality types uncovered. I suppose this could be colored by my decidedly not-female perspective, and I'd like to hear what women who have read this think; however, the handful of ladies I know who have read it seem to feel about the same -- less than thrilled. It's really too bad -- maybe a revised edition, or a new version of the same thing by someone else, would fill the spaces.
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