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Voices of the Sacred Feminine: Conversations to Re-Shape Our World
Book One of the Manifesting a New Normal Trilogy* Most of us have come to realize patriarchy - rule by a male-dominated society revering solely a male God - is not working for Mother Earth or most of the people on the planet. How do we counter beliefs that there is no option but the authoritarian father? How does society go about making a course correction? How do ideas that permeate every level of society from womb to tomb, boardroom to bedroom, voting booth to the workplace shift into a more fair, equal, and just world of partnership, sharing, caring and peace? Those are exactly the questions discussed on the long-running radio show, /Voices of the Sacred Feminine/, hosted by Rev. Dr. Karen Tate in her show dedicated to the Sacred Feminine as deity, archetype and ideal. Never before has an internet radio show cast such a wide net to include so many voices whose ideals are in alignment with "sacred feminine liberation thealogy." If we can imagine it, vision it, and restore ancient truths swept beneath the rug and kicked to the curb by patriarchy, then we can manifest it! Learn solutions from these visionaries, scholars, wayshowers, foremothers and activists - women and men - dedicated to reshaping our world... Noam Chomsky, Laura Flanders, Gloria Feldt, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Phyllis Chesler, Barbara G. Walker, Riane Eisler, Matthew Fox, Roy Bourgeois, Starhawk, Charles Eisenstein, Genevieve Vaughan, Carl Ruck, David Hillman, Judy Grahn, Nicki Scully, Normandi Ellis, Selena Fox, Patrick McCollum, Jann Aldredge-Clanton, Cristina Biaggi, Charlene Spretnak, Shirley Ranck, Elizabeth Fisher, Amy Peck, Art Noble, Jeanette Blonigen Clancy, Joan Norton, Andrew Gurevich, Gus diZerega, Lydia Ruyle, Vajra Ma, Ava, Donna Henes, Candace Kant, Sandra Spencer, Layne Redmond, Isadora Leidenfrost, ALisa Starkweather, Joan Marler, Tim Ward, James Rietveld and Karen Tate. *Manifesting a New Normal Trilogy include the following Voices of the Sacred Conversations to ReShape Our World Goddess 2.0: Advancing A New Path Forward Awaken the Feminine! Dismantling Domination to Restore Balance on Mother Earth
408 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2014
8 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Karen Tate
22 books14 followersConsidered a trail blazer and visionary in her community, Karen Tate is an independent scholar of the Sacred Feminine, published author, lecturer, radio show host and sacred tour leader. Her weekly radio show, Voices of the Sacred Feminine, airs every Wednesday evening. As a sacred tour leader, she has had her passport stamped on five continents as she chased down sacred sites circling the globe.
Karen Tate's first book, Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations has been endorsed by the Joseph Campbell Foundation. Her newest book, Walking An Ancient Path: Rebirthing Goddess on Planet Earth, a spiritual, socio-political look at how to mainstream the emerging revolution of thought - the Feminine Consciousness, out June 2008, has also garnered this prestigious recommendation.
Karen is available to address public and private groups with lectures and slide presentations.
For details about lectures and appearances, see her website at www.karentate.com"
Karen Tate's first book, Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations has been endorsed by the Joseph Campbell Foundation. Her newest book, Walking An Ancient Path: Rebirthing Goddess on Planet Earth, a spiritual, socio-political look at how to mainstream the emerging revolution of thought - the Feminine Consciousness, out June 2008, has also garnered this prestigious recommendation.
Karen is available to address public and private groups with lectures and slide presentations.
For details about lectures and appearances, see her website at www.karentate.com"
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 8, 2014
Reverend Dr. Karen Tate’s book brings together interviews from her, “Voices of the Sacred Feminine Radio Show.” It includes transcripts from such notables as Jean Shinoda Bolen, Noam Chomsky, Riane Eisler, Matthew Fox, and Starhawk. The book includes 41 interviews, divided into five parts, so there is something for everyone in this book as it includes a broad range of scholars, activists, thinkers, creators and writers.
Part I is “Sacred Feminine. Deity, Archetype and Ideal.” This section examines devotional practices with specific goddesses, such as Persephone, Kali, Mary Magdalene, and the Virgin Mary.
Part II is “Embracing the Sacred Feminine. Ritual and Healing.” This section looks at themes such as altered consciousness, multiculturalism, equality and healing.
Part III is called “Sacred Feminine Values – Alternatives to Patriarchy. Politics and Social Change.” This section is quite interesting with Noam Chomsky’s discussion of “Feminism, Patriarchy and Religion;” Riane Eisler’s “The Essence of Good Business: Companies that Care;” and Jean Shinoda Bolen’s “Antidote to Terrorism.”
Part IV is “Rebirthing the Sacred Feminine. Sacred Activism,” which takes on topics like women in the role of the priesthood, changing the masculine pronoun language of religion’s talk of God, and Matthew Fox’s “Cosmic Christ and the New Humanity.”
Part V is a memorial to the late Layne Redmond.
In the introduction, Reverend Dr. Tate points out the imbalance in the United States that 52% of the population are women, but less than 20% of leadership positions in politics, academia, business and religious institutions are held by women. This creates a gender-biased imbalance, not only in terms of individuals, but also in a lack of representation of the feminine in the creation of cultural values and society. She writes that the dominant patriarchy “stands on four legs of a stool: racism, sexism, environmental and cultural exploitation,” (9) and she sees the Divine Feminine as a “great equalizer” to correct these imbalances.
There are a number of reasons why I chose to review this book. My own work draws on a re-valuing of many of the traditional feminine values in medicine, connection, compassion, caring, healing, nurturance, and strengthening relationships. I call for a compassion revolution. The compassion revolution is similar to what Riane Eisler speaks her new book, The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economy in her talk, “The Essence of Good Business: Companies that Care.” She says that “Ultimately, the real wealth of a nation lies in the quality of its human and natural capital. I should add here that an investment in human capital is an investment in human beings,” (224). A large part of the argument for why contemporary medicine is so dehumanizing is the economic argument, but Eisler argues that caring businesses create healthier, more committed and more productive employees – so the compassion revolution in health care may result not just in better, more human care, but also in more economically viable and sustainable care (sustainably economically, but also emotionally for staff). Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett make this argument in their book, Patients Come Second: Leading Change by Changing the Way You Lead.
Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen has written such influential books as, The Tao of Psychology, Goddesses in Everywoman and Gods in Everyman, and her contribution to anthology is called, “Antidote to Terrorism.” I found this quite interesting given my recent work with Veterans that I discuss in a companion blog post to this one. She says that “the feminine principle expressed in circles and the masculine principle of hierarchy must come into balance,” (226). Just as the hero’s or heroine’s journey can be viewed as a circle, the “intention to be in a circle with a spiritual center invites the invisible world of spirit or soul to be in the center of the circle and in the center of the psyche of each person in the circle,” (228). She states that a “soldier is taught to kill, which is also what a terrorist is taught. These are not lessons maternal women want their sons to learn,” (228). Furthermore, she points out that the “Mother’s Day Proclamation, written by Julia Ward Howe in 1870, was a call to mothers to gather together to end wars, so that their sons will not be taught to main or kill the sons of other mothers,” (228).
In Matthew Fox’s “Cosmic Christ and the New Humanity,” he describes the Cosmic Christ (a term that goes back to Teilhard de Chardin) as divine presence and the holiness of all being. The “New Humanity” is the creation of the capacity for mysticism, which he defines as “multiple experiences of unity,” “our unitive experiences – when you feel at one with being, one with others, one with yourself, one with God,” (312). Fox says that a healthy community for New Humanity does two things: “it turns out lovers – it turns out mystics, the mystic in every person,” and “secondly, it turns out prophets – that is to say spiritual warriors. The mystic says yes, the prophet says no. The prophet…interferes with that which is interfering with the glory, the sacredness of life,” (315).
Rev. Dr. Karen Tate writes that we “start by taking responsibility for our own educations,” (10). The voices in her book demonstrate this ongoing commitment to a counter-education to the dominant patriarchal paradigm. There are a lot of different perspectives in Rev. Dr. Tate’s Voices of the Sacred Feminine and there are many topical discussions not just for women, but for all human beings. The book aims to correct the imbalance in our culture and society of the domination of masculine values and the lack of equal representation of feminine values. What we worship and honor in religion and spirituality is a reflection of our behaviors and actions in our mundane lives. In attending to the Sacred Feminine, Rev. Dr. Tate does present many ideas that make us think about our current societal structures and values and these conversations do have the power to re-shape our world.
Part I is “Sacred Feminine. Deity, Archetype and Ideal.” This section examines devotional practices with specific goddesses, such as Persephone, Kali, Mary Magdalene, and the Virgin Mary.
Part II is “Embracing the Sacred Feminine. Ritual and Healing.” This section looks at themes such as altered consciousness, multiculturalism, equality and healing.
Part III is called “Sacred Feminine Values – Alternatives to Patriarchy. Politics and Social Change.” This section is quite interesting with Noam Chomsky’s discussion of “Feminism, Patriarchy and Religion;” Riane Eisler’s “The Essence of Good Business: Companies that Care;” and Jean Shinoda Bolen’s “Antidote to Terrorism.”
Part IV is “Rebirthing the Sacred Feminine. Sacred Activism,” which takes on topics like women in the role of the priesthood, changing the masculine pronoun language of religion’s talk of God, and Matthew Fox’s “Cosmic Christ and the New Humanity.”
Part V is a memorial to the late Layne Redmond.
In the introduction, Reverend Dr. Tate points out the imbalance in the United States that 52% of the population are women, but less than 20% of leadership positions in politics, academia, business and religious institutions are held by women. This creates a gender-biased imbalance, not only in terms of individuals, but also in a lack of representation of the feminine in the creation of cultural values and society. She writes that the dominant patriarchy “stands on four legs of a stool: racism, sexism, environmental and cultural exploitation,” (9) and she sees the Divine Feminine as a “great equalizer” to correct these imbalances.
There are a number of reasons why I chose to review this book. My own work draws on a re-valuing of many of the traditional feminine values in medicine, connection, compassion, caring, healing, nurturance, and strengthening relationships. I call for a compassion revolution. The compassion revolution is similar to what Riane Eisler speaks her new book, The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economy in her talk, “The Essence of Good Business: Companies that Care.” She says that “Ultimately, the real wealth of a nation lies in the quality of its human and natural capital. I should add here that an investment in human capital is an investment in human beings,” (224). A large part of the argument for why contemporary medicine is so dehumanizing is the economic argument, but Eisler argues that caring businesses create healthier, more committed and more productive employees – so the compassion revolution in health care may result not just in better, more human care, but also in more economically viable and sustainable care (sustainably economically, but also emotionally for staff). Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett make this argument in their book, Patients Come Second: Leading Change by Changing the Way You Lead.
Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen has written such influential books as, The Tao of Psychology, Goddesses in Everywoman and Gods in Everyman, and her contribution to anthology is called, “Antidote to Terrorism.” I found this quite interesting given my recent work with Veterans that I discuss in a companion blog post to this one. She says that “the feminine principle expressed in circles and the masculine principle of hierarchy must come into balance,” (226). Just as the hero’s or heroine’s journey can be viewed as a circle, the “intention to be in a circle with a spiritual center invites the invisible world of spirit or soul to be in the center of the circle and in the center of the psyche of each person in the circle,” (228). She states that a “soldier is taught to kill, which is also what a terrorist is taught. These are not lessons maternal women want their sons to learn,” (228). Furthermore, she points out that the “Mother’s Day Proclamation, written by Julia Ward Howe in 1870, was a call to mothers to gather together to end wars, so that their sons will not be taught to main or kill the sons of other mothers,” (228).
In Matthew Fox’s “Cosmic Christ and the New Humanity,” he describes the Cosmic Christ (a term that goes back to Teilhard de Chardin) as divine presence and the holiness of all being. The “New Humanity” is the creation of the capacity for mysticism, which he defines as “multiple experiences of unity,” “our unitive experiences – when you feel at one with being, one with others, one with yourself, one with God,” (312). Fox says that a healthy community for New Humanity does two things: “it turns out lovers – it turns out mystics, the mystic in every person,” and “secondly, it turns out prophets – that is to say spiritual warriors. The mystic says yes, the prophet says no. The prophet…interferes with that which is interfering with the glory, the sacredness of life,” (315).
Rev. Dr. Karen Tate writes that we “start by taking responsibility for our own educations,” (10). The voices in her book demonstrate this ongoing commitment to a counter-education to the dominant patriarchal paradigm. There are a lot of different perspectives in Rev. Dr. Tate’s Voices of the Sacred Feminine and there are many topical discussions not just for women, but for all human beings. The book aims to correct the imbalance in our culture and society of the domination of masculine values and the lack of equal representation of feminine values. What we worship and honor in religion and spirituality is a reflection of our behaviors and actions in our mundane lives. In attending to the Sacred Feminine, Rev. Dr. Tate does present many ideas that make us think about our current societal structures and values and these conversations do have the power to re-shape our world.
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March 3, 2022The first in the manifesting a new normal trilogy, Voices of the Sacred Feminine brings together women and men willing to speak truth to power and shed light on injustice. I found it interesting that while some of the contributors to the book and Tate's radio show (some of the contributions to the book are transcripts of interviews, while some are essays from those interviewed) might not immediately be recognized as goddess people or advocates of sacred feminine liberation thealogy, their actually values are and we much common ground to share. I think that might be an important point missed if one just scans the book without reading it thoroughly and using some critical thinking. There are many allies out there working toward a world where justice, peace and equality reign.
February 19, 2022
I discovered this book when I began to listen to Karen Tate’s podcast of the same name on Blog Talk Radio. What a rich repository of wisdom, the voices of women and men, well known and not so famous, all helping show a new way to see and be and assist our society to transform into a healthier place for us all. Some of the essays are written by those interviewed on the podcast, Voices of the Sacred Feminine, while some chapters are transcripts of the actual interviews. Wide variety of topics. It was hard to choose my favorite. I guess Feminism, Patriarchy and Religion by Noam Chomsky or My Prayer; Let Women Be Priests by Fr. Roy Bourgeois.
February 22, 2022
It was very interesting to learn all these contributors to this anthology share similar values and ideas that might be under what the author calls the Goddess umbrella. Men and women. Famous and not yet famous. I mean Noam Chomsky, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Matthew Fox, Starhawk, politicos like Laura Flanders and Gloria Feldt. The intersection between culture, religion and politics is so powerful. It shows how much common ground there is when people can sit down and discuss topics without propaganda, heated emotions and genuine intellectual curiosity.
November 9, 2014
Mythology drives culture and hence politics and the economy, so in order to change politics and economics, we have to change the mythology. That is exactly what Karen Tate has been doing for nearly a decade now with her radio show Voices of the Sacred Feminine. Her new book, also titled Voices of the Sacred Feminine, is an anthology that collects many powerful thoughts about Goddess spirituality as a tool for implementing that change on a personal, community and world level. Some of the pieces are essays written for this collection and some are transcripts of interviews from the radio show; all offer valuable insights into ways we can shift the current paradigm toward a more balanced, compassionate one.
Voices of the Sacred Feminine is not a polemic – though of course, people steeped in the limited monotheistic patriarchal worldview may view it as such – but an encouragement to move forward, evolve, and heal, both within ourselves and in our communities at large. The wide variety of women and, yes, men who contributed their thoughts to this collection provide us with a window into Goddess spirituality in its great diversity as well as its underlying unity. In these pages you will find righteous anger, certainly, but also compassion, inclusion, and the stubborn fearlessness that has allowed women to survive and even occasionally thrive throughout the centuries of male domination. It is these qualities that drive us forward as we work to change the world.
The book is divided into several sections based on several overarching topics. The first section, which addresses the existence of the Sacred Feminine and its (Her) manifestation in the world, gives us glimpses into divine forces from Mary Magdalene to Lady Liberty. These essays and interviews remind us that the Goddess is always relevant in every day and time and that to leave Her out is to risk dangerous imbalance, as we have seen for so long in worldwide society. The second section offers a variety of journeys into healing through opening ourselves to the Goddess in Her many guises. Whether it’s a formal ritual, a meditative reading, or a thought-provoking essay about why the Goddess should be important to men, each piece suggests a way toward the healing that is necessary if we are to put ourselves, and our world, back together again. The third section focuses on the values and paradigms that Goddess spirituality offers to the realms of politics and business. How wonderful it would be if the cooperative, egalitarian spirit of the Sacred Feminine infected our governments and companies! But that won’t happen on its own; we have to work for it. And the fifth section shows us exactly how we can achieve that goal. Sacred activism is a concept that can help us bridge the gap between personal spirituality and doing good in the world.
The Goddess lives in all of us and She empowers us to speak out against the current, damaging paradigm. But instead of just complaining, we must offer a replacement, a new model. Voices of the Sacred Feminine addresses exactly this issue, this need to find a better way and to take action to implement it in the world. As Ms. Tate so perceptively comments, we must take on the taboo subjects of sex, religion, power and politics if we are to change them, and with the Goddess at our side, I believe we will ultimately succeed.
Voices of the Sacred Feminine is not a polemic – though of course, people steeped in the limited monotheistic patriarchal worldview may view it as such – but an encouragement to move forward, evolve, and heal, both within ourselves and in our communities at large. The wide variety of women and, yes, men who contributed their thoughts to this collection provide us with a window into Goddess spirituality in its great diversity as well as its underlying unity. In these pages you will find righteous anger, certainly, but also compassion, inclusion, and the stubborn fearlessness that has allowed women to survive and even occasionally thrive throughout the centuries of male domination. It is these qualities that drive us forward as we work to change the world.
The book is divided into several sections based on several overarching topics. The first section, which addresses the existence of the Sacred Feminine and its (Her) manifestation in the world, gives us glimpses into divine forces from Mary Magdalene to Lady Liberty. These essays and interviews remind us that the Goddess is always relevant in every day and time and that to leave Her out is to risk dangerous imbalance, as we have seen for so long in worldwide society. The second section offers a variety of journeys into healing through opening ourselves to the Goddess in Her many guises. Whether it’s a formal ritual, a meditative reading, or a thought-provoking essay about why the Goddess should be important to men, each piece suggests a way toward the healing that is necessary if we are to put ourselves, and our world, back together again. The third section focuses on the values and paradigms that Goddess spirituality offers to the realms of politics and business. How wonderful it would be if the cooperative, egalitarian spirit of the Sacred Feminine infected our governments and companies! But that won’t happen on its own; we have to work for it. And the fifth section shows us exactly how we can achieve that goal. Sacred activism is a concept that can help us bridge the gap between personal spirituality and doing good in the world.
The Goddess lives in all of us and She empowers us to speak out against the current, damaging paradigm. But instead of just complaining, we must offer a replacement, a new model. Voices of the Sacred Feminine addresses exactly this issue, this need to find a better way and to take action to implement it in the world. As Ms. Tate so perceptively comments, we must take on the taboo subjects of sex, religion, power and politics if we are to change them, and with the Goddess at our side, I believe we will ultimately succeed.
September 13, 2014
“Voices of the Sacred Feminine” is an excellent collection of articles, written by numerous luminaries, New Age ministers and scholars of both genders, interspersed with dialogues excerpted from interviews conducted on “Voices of the Sacred Feminine Radio,” a show hosted by Rev. Dr. Karen Tate, the editor of this volume. The articles vary in focus from topics such as Goddesses (Kali-Ma, Sekhmet, Persephone, and the Virgin Mary), to feminine spirituality as an antidote to terrorism, to women in politics, women in positions of power, and the mysteries of menstruation and the female orgasm. I especially appreciated the article which points out the misogynistic tendencies of the Republican Party! And it was hard to miss the poignant irony inherent in the piece by a former Catholic priest, who was defrocked by the Church for advocating women in the priesthood! Yes, in so many ways, this world of ours is still in the Dark Ages, isn’t it. I also loved the book’s opening quote, a gem from Arundhati Roy: “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” The focus throughout the book is on discovering, defining and strengthening the Divine Feminine in our individual and planetary consciousness, so that we may blossom the world into equality, compassion, love and spiritual wisdom. Many contributors point out the problems created by the global patriarchic culture: wars, staggering wealth inequality, racism, violence, greed, and the destruction of our planet’s ecosystems. This book is therefore an urgent, many-voiced call for planetary healing, through the resurgence of all that is female, holistic, balanced and nurturing – and a beacon to help each of us to find our innate spiritual power, the God/Goddess within, our own “Sacred Roar.” The book’s first article features a quote from Amma, the spiritual leader and outstanding humanitarian with whom I have spent many years: “Women are the power and the very foundation of our existence in the world. When women lose touch with their real selves, the harmony of the world ceases to exist, and destruction sets in. It is therefore crucial that women everywhere make every effort to rediscover their fundamental nature, for only then can we save this world.” Karen Tate has given us a message of hope in a world on the brink of despair, reminding us that we all can and must use our focused energy to bring in a new era of equality, harmony and peace on Earth. And it is up to us to make it happen. As she affirms in the book’s Conclusion, “As we will it, so it shall be.” Thank you, Karen Tate!
~Ram Das Batchelder, author of “Rising in Love: My Wild and Crazy Ride to Here and Now, with Amma, the Hugging Saint”
~Ram Das Batchelder, author of “Rising in Love: My Wild and Crazy Ride to Here and Now, with Amma, the Hugging Saint”
January 9, 2015
I received a copy in exchange for a fair & honest review...
I am picky on what books I review. I generally only accept requests on books that I have taken a close look at and feel are of great quality. There are so many in print that are either pointless or can actually do harm that I feel if a book is going to be brought to people's attention, it better deserve it! This is a book I was asked to review. I had high hopes for it when I first heard of it. This is one request I can honestly say i am so glad appeared in my inbox.
We are in a time that knowledge of the Goddess in her many forms and her stories are becoming more and more visible. This is a movement that brings relief to these of us who have spent decades or, as in my case, a lifetime waiting with baited breath for it to happen. I admit to a strong leaning towards books of this nature. Voices of the Sacred Feminine is one of the best of these new offerings I have come across in recent years. It is divided into five sections: I - Sacred Feminine. Deity, Archetype and Ideal. II - Embracing the Sacred Feminine. Ritual and Healing. III - Sacred Feminine Values – Alternatives to Patriarchy. Politics and Social Change. IV - Rebirthing the Sacred Feminine. Sacred Activism. V - In Memory of Layne Redmond. Each contains a collection of fascinating essays.
The greatest gift contained within this book is not only that it is nearly overflowing with wisdom from scholars all over the world from many different perspectives, but that it has such a variety of knowledge that anyone can find something of benefit. A lifelong scholar can find updated information. A newcomer will discover many different perspectives and facets of the Goddess. Even someone who has never really thought about it, such as the spouse or loved one of a person who follows the Divine Feminine, can find so much knowledge that will help them better understand the path of someone important in their life.
This is a book to both sit and read through and save for later to refer back time and time again. I can't recommend it highly enough. Not only is Voices an important volume for pagans of any branch, but also for students of world religion, our children, and anyone interested in interfaith relationships with a pagan and/or Goddess worshiper. This is a book about goddesses, pagan culture, and the hope for a future of gender equality. Read this for your mothers, your wives, your daughters and yourself. You won't regret a moment of it.
I am picky on what books I review. I generally only accept requests on books that I have taken a close look at and feel are of great quality. There are so many in print that are either pointless or can actually do harm that I feel if a book is going to be brought to people's attention, it better deserve it! This is a book I was asked to review. I had high hopes for it when I first heard of it. This is one request I can honestly say i am so glad appeared in my inbox.
We are in a time that knowledge of the Goddess in her many forms and her stories are becoming more and more visible. This is a movement that brings relief to these of us who have spent decades or, as in my case, a lifetime waiting with baited breath for it to happen. I admit to a strong leaning towards books of this nature. Voices of the Sacred Feminine is one of the best of these new offerings I have come across in recent years. It is divided into five sections: I - Sacred Feminine. Deity, Archetype and Ideal. II - Embracing the Sacred Feminine. Ritual and Healing. III - Sacred Feminine Values – Alternatives to Patriarchy. Politics and Social Change. IV - Rebirthing the Sacred Feminine. Sacred Activism. V - In Memory of Layne Redmond. Each contains a collection of fascinating essays.
The greatest gift contained within this book is not only that it is nearly overflowing with wisdom from scholars all over the world from many different perspectives, but that it has such a variety of knowledge that anyone can find something of benefit. A lifelong scholar can find updated information. A newcomer will discover many different perspectives and facets of the Goddess. Even someone who has never really thought about it, such as the spouse or loved one of a person who follows the Divine Feminine, can find so much knowledge that will help them better understand the path of someone important in their life.
This is a book to both sit and read through and save for later to refer back time and time again. I can't recommend it highly enough. Not only is Voices an important volume for pagans of any branch, but also for students of world religion, our children, and anyone interested in interfaith relationships with a pagan and/or Goddess worshiper. This is a book about goddesses, pagan culture, and the hope for a future of gender equality. Read this for your mothers, your wives, your daughters and yourself. You won't regret a moment of it.
October 16, 2014
This is a huge collection of essays and interviews exploring the role of the sacred feminine. There’s a great diversity of voices, opinions, ideas and energy – and in this it is an incredibly rich assemblage. The odds are you won’t agree perfectly with everything, but learning about how to roll with that is one of the joys of becoming less competitive-patriarchal in the first place. Without hierarchy and the desire for power over other people, we have a lot more room to be ok with difference.
Rooted as it is in American culture and politics, this is a book that has most to offer to American readers. I would say absolutely, this is not just a book for women. There are many male contributors, and it is an expression of feminism as equality, rather than the man-bashing portrayal that the media tends to prefer. One of the many things this book does is explore why patriarchy is bad for most men, too, and what we might collectively do about that.
I found a great deal to chew on, and a lot of authors I hope to read further, and a lot of subjects I just do not know enough about (yet) so if issues of feminism in relation to Paganism and spirituality are not familiar territory, if you don’t know where to start in terms of considering why we might need Goddess, and what the absence of Goddess does to a culture, this is a fantastic jumping off point.
The scale here is almost overwhelming, but it doesn’t do a person any harm to be overwhelmed once in a while.
Rooted as it is in American culture and politics, this is a book that has most to offer to American readers. I would say absolutely, this is not just a book for women. There are many male contributors, and it is an expression of feminism as equality, rather than the man-bashing portrayal that the media tends to prefer. One of the many things this book does is explore why patriarchy is bad for most men, too, and what we might collectively do about that.
I found a great deal to chew on, and a lot of authors I hope to read further, and a lot of subjects I just do not know enough about (yet) so if issues of feminism in relation to Paganism and spirituality are not familiar territory, if you don’t know where to start in terms of considering why we might need Goddess, and what the absence of Goddess does to a culture, this is a fantastic jumping off point.
The scale here is almost overwhelming, but it doesn’t do a person any harm to be overwhelmed once in a while.
September 2, 2015
This book consists of many different stories, points of view and interviews that the editor has conducted on her radio show, Voices of the Sacred Feminine. The book brings us tales of struggles throughout the world, the struggles that women face everyday. These voices share their knowledge and wisdom on how they are trying to make a difference in this world. There are so many different points of view, too many to list here, you are sure to find something that resonates within you.
The book looks beyond God, the Christian God, and instead explores the role of the Goddess. There is a wealth of mythological stories, as well as tales of finding oneself and overcoming periods of struggle.
The book is quite lengthy, 409 pages, and is broken down into four parts. You won’t get through this in one go, but the book isn’t designed for that. For me, I felt it was the type of book one would dip into when searching for inspiration, and there is plenty of that in this book.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who is looking for something beyond the usual self help offering.
The book looks beyond God, the Christian God, and instead explores the role of the Goddess. There is a wealth of mythological stories, as well as tales of finding oneself and overcoming periods of struggle.
The book is quite lengthy, 409 pages, and is broken down into four parts. You won’t get through this in one go, but the book isn’t designed for that. For me, I felt it was the type of book one would dip into when searching for inspiration, and there is plenty of that in this book.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who is looking for something beyond the usual self help offering.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews