A comprehensive, scholarly accessible study, in which the authors draw upon poetry and mythology, art and literature, archaeology and psychology to show how the myth of the goddess has been lost from our formal Judeo-Christian images of the divine. They explain what happened to the goddess, when, and how she was excluded from western culture, and the implications of this loss.
An illustrated seasonal celebration of goddesses "The Goddess Book is a joyful celebration of perennial goddess wisdom that nourishes, expands, and inspires.” —HeatherAsh Amara, author of Warrior Goddess Training This is a book of mediations that celebrate the divine feminine. It is an exploration of representations of the goddess throughout history. Here are heroines, queens, witches, healers, proud princesses, courageous daughters, and cranky crones. Organized by the four seasons, author Nancy Blair groups these goddesses according to the seasons in which their energies are most potent. These meditations and affirmations challenge readers to: Awaken the divine feminine Join the seasonal circle of goddesses Create meaningful, simple, heart-nourishing rituals Let the goddess inform daily life Create the life you want Here is a book of earth-based spirituality, informed by perennial goddess wisdom. The words and the stunning art of artist Thaila Took create a sacred space that will nourish women around the world. From Aphrodite, Brigit, Hekate, and Lilith to Baba Yaga, Kuan Yin, Oshun, and Sekmet this is a treasury to let the goddesses empower and inspire you. "Every woman needs this book on her bedside table. An active and animated must-read.”—Emma Mildon, bestselling author of The Soul Searcher’s Handbook and Evolution of Goddess
Discover the adventures of Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, war and courage. From her extraordinary birth – sprung from the head of her father, in the midst of a thunderous headache – to her refusal to take no for an answer. Find out how she inspired powerful gods, goddesses and humans and the terrifying fate of those who dared to cross her path. Follow Athena as she competes against her bad-tempered uncle; watch as she turns her enemy into a spider and join her as she keeps Odysseus safe on his remarkable journey home. Prepare to be amazed as you uncover the story of one of the most fearless ancient goddesses, and the tales of a world where humans, gods and goddesses could meet. Illustrated and written by the brilliantly talented sister duo, Isabel and Imogen Greenberg, this is a story of daring for goddesses-in-the-making.
David Leeming and Jake Page gather some seventy-five of the most potent and meaningful of these tales in an extraordinary rich and readable introduction of this divine figure as she has emerged from prehistory to the present.
For as long as we have sought god, we have found the goddess. Ruling over the imaginations of humankind’s earliest agricultural civilizations, she played a critical spiritual role as a keeper of nature’s fertile powers and an assurance of the next sustaining harvest. In The Goddess, David Leeming and Christopher Fee take us all the way back into prehistory, tracing the goddess across vast spans of time to tell the epic story of the transformation of belief and what it says about who we are. Leeming and Fee use the goddess to gaze into the lives and souls of the people who worshipped her. They chart the development of traditional Western gender roles through an understanding of the transformation of concepts of the Goddess from her earliest roots in India and Iran to her more familiar faces in Ireland and Iceland. They examine the subordination of the goddess to the god as human civilizations became mobile and began to look upon masculine deities for assurances of survival in movement and battle. And they show how, despite this history, the goddess has remained alive in our spiritual imaginations, in figures such as the Christian Virgin Mother and, in contemporary times, the new-age resurrection of figures such as Gaia. The Goddess explores this central aspect of ancient spiritual thought as a window into human history and the deepest roots of our beliefs.
Does the mention of a sun deity make you think of Apollo? Perhaps you should envision a female divinity instead Unlike the Greeks, many Indo-European peoples probably believed a goddess ruled our bright, blazing star. So, dispense with the stereotypes of mainstream culture and set out on a journey of discovery to bring this long-forgotten idol into focus. Through etymology, mythology, and religion, a compelling argument emerges for seeing the sun in feminine terms. Norse, Baltic, Celtic, and Hittite legends, goddesses named Sol and Saule, plus pictures of a variety of artifacts, lend weight to this eye-opening thesis.
Long, long ago in ancient Greece, people began telling wonderful stories to explain the mysteries of life. These myths featured gods and goddesses, mighty beings who look human but have amazing powers and live forever. Now you can meet these extraordinary characters and hear their legends, brought to life again by Aliki in this splendid, panoramic look at the amazing stories and characters of Greek legend. "[Will meet the] demand for basic information on the gods and goddesses at the primary level."—BL. "Aliki's fans will welcome her introduction to these famous Greeks."—SLJ. 1994 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA)
A spunky, feminist take on the myth of Gaia, the Greek goddess of the Earth Long before the age of the Olympian gods, Gaia created the world in all its beauty. But from Gaia also came the Titans, who ran wild and free through this world—until her husband Ouranos turned on Gaia and declared himself the ruler of all she’d created. Her son Cronus then rose to power, but soon he too became hungry for more power—so much so that he swallowed his own children. But Gaia managed to hide the youngest son, Zeus, from Cronus. Zeus grew up and defeated Cronus and saved his brothers and sisters. Gaia thought this would be the end of all the needless war, but Zeus was not satisfied—he swore to rid the world of anyone who challenged his power. Gaia was furious. She wanted no part in the world of Zeus. She would not fight his destruction with more destruction. It might be too late for Zeus, but it wasn’t too late for the mortals—or for the earth itself. Follow the goddess of earth through her struggles with gods and mortals as she discovers her strength and eventually finds the peace she has always longed for. Tales of Great Goddesses are graphic novels that bring the stories of some of the most powerful and fascinating mythical goddesses to life!
School Library Journal Best Books of 2011 Eureka! Silver Honor Books—California Reading Association Capitol Choices 2012 list of Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens 2012 Notable Children's Books—ALSC The new National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology offers timeless stories of Greek myths in a beautiful new volume. Brought to life with lyrical text by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli and stunning artwork by award-winning illustrator Christina Balit, the tales of gods and goddesses such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Athena and heroes and monsters such as Helen of Troy, Perseus, and Medusa will fascinate and engage children’s imaginations. National Geographic completes the book with embellishments of each story: sidebars for each god, goddess, hero, and monster link the myths to constellations, geography, history, and culture to help young readers connect the stories to real life events, people, and places. A family tree and a “cast of characters” profile page help make relationships between the characters clear, and a mapping feature adds to the fun and fascination. Resource notes and ample back matter directing readers to more information round out this luminous book. Sure to dazzle all those intrigued with the fantastic tales of Greek mythology and enchant new readers, this vibrant book will soon become a family keepsake. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.
