Goddess Within: A Guide to the Eternal Myths that Shape Women's Lives [Paperback]

Roger J. Woolger (Author), Jennifer Barker Woolger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 1989

Gestalt and Jungian psychologists Jennifer and Roger Woolger have written a fascinating guide to the goddess qualities that live within us all. Learn how to navigate the turning points in your life by understanding which goddess type is coming to the fore. Wonderfully affirming, profound in its implications, THE GODDESS WITHIN helps restore the feminine to its rightful place in the modern consciousness and offers every woman the unique opportunity to learn more about her own power to transform herself.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The authors, both psychologists, argue that the goddesses of ancient mythology represent eternal feminine qualities that should be recovered and honored. Emphasizing how the goddess archetypes can distort or enhance one's life, they then flesh out these archetypes with examples drawn from literature, film, and clinical practice. Because of tone rather than content, the result is difficult to recommend to libraries. For while the stated purpose is to create greater understanding and empathy for the feminine in our culture, that purpose is undermined by the authors' use of culturally loaded vocabulary. Libraries will serve their readers better by purchasing Jean Shinoda Bolen's Goddesses in Everywoman (Harper, 1984), which covers the same material in a more sympathetic manner.
- Lucy Patrick, Florida State Univ. Lib., Tallahassee
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (October 7, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449902870
• ISBN-13: 978-0449902875
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #231,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful introduction to goddess archetypes, July 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Goddess Within: A Guide to the Eternal Myths that Shape Women's Lives (Paperback)

This book is a fine guide to studying the goddesses from a psychological angle. The authors include a test that the reader can take in order to have some idea of which goddesses have the most influence and which ones are more in the background. I found it to be most intriguing and informative. It made me think about why I value certain things, like intellectual pursuits, and scorn other things, like wearing makeup.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting approach, September 8, 2003

By 

merrymousies (Waterford, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goddess Within: A Guide to the Eternal Myths that Shape Women's Lives (Paperback)

This was a new spin on looking inside for me. It uses the Greek goddess architypes to look at our preferences/tendencies - recognizing that we're probably a mix of the different goddess atributes. There's a chapter each on the following godesses: Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hera, Persephone, Demeter - lots of legends, stories, some poetry. Then there is a quiz you can take to see what mix of godesses you are then it goes into discussing the various mixes that you fall into. Its interesting - not a quick read by any means - but quite interesting. Hadn't seen another book quite like it. Did come across the quiz on the internet before reading the book.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrically written, perceptive & worthwhile read, November 13, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goddess Within: A Guide to the Eternal Myths that Shape Women's Lives (Paperback)

I think this book contains a wonderful mix of legends and folklore, along with articles, poetry and of course, a Jungian analysis that is multi-dimensional. If you're interested in mythology and analyzing the characteristics or relationships of the Roman/Greek goddesses, this is the book to read.