This book brings to life the meaning of the stories of the seven goddesses of Greek mythology. Each goddess represents a “sacred calling,” a way of life whose goal is to live for the sake of something greater than oneself. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and justice; Artemis is the woods woman who protects the natural world; Demeter is the goddess of the fertility of the earth and the birth and nurturing of children; Hera is the wife of Zeus, the king, who dedicates her life to creating a high quality of public life through nurturing various community activities; Aphrodite is the goddess of creativity; Persephone is the victim who was raped by Hades and abducted to the underworld where she punishes those who victimized others while alive; and Hestia is the contemplative, she who reflects upon human affairs and “sees” how all the parts fit a larger whole. The book will allow readers to recognize themselves and their own sacred passions in these stories. Once recognized, women can educate themselves and each other. They can use the wisdom represented in Greek mythology to create meaningful and complete lives in the context of a culture that is still dominated by men and their passions. In this way, women will be liberated to do everything they can to leave a better world behind for their children, grandchildren and future generations.

This volume represents current theory and research in rhetoric, across disciplines, and is of interest to scholars and students in rhetoric studies in speech communication, English, and related disciplines.

Rosemary Radford Ruether presents an illuminating portrait of goddesses and sacred female imagery in Western culture, from prehistory to contemporary goddess movements.

In the last decade, the topic of motherhood has emerged as a distinct and established field of scholarly inquiry. A cursory review of motherhood research reveals that hundreds of scholarly articles have been published on almost every motherhood theme imaginable. The Encyclopedia of Motherhood is a collection of approximately 700 articles in a three-volume, A-to-Z set exploring major topics related to motherhood, from geographical, historical and cultural entries to anthropological and psychological contributions. In human society, few institutions are as important as motherhood, and this unique encyclopedia captures the interdisciplinary foundation of the subject in one convenient reference. The Encyclopedia is a comprehensive resource designed to provide an understanding of the complexities of motherhood for academic and public libraries, and is written by academics and institutional experts in the social and behavioural sciences.

Explores mythological, legendary, archaeological, and historical evidence of women in a military setting. Women and Warfare in the Ancient World presents a broad view of women and female figures involved in war in the ancient world, incorporating mythological, legendary, archaeological, and historical evidence for women in a military setting. Within this context are found not only fighters but also strategists, trainers, and leaders who may not have been on the actual battlefield. Exploring women and war within the Indo-European and Near Eastern worlds, this title seeks to challenge the view that women do not fight and that war is completely a male occupation – a view expressed as early as Xenophon and as late as the end of the 20th century. Karlene Jones-Bley begins her study by defining Virgins, Viragos, and Amazons, going on to explore war goddesses, legendary, and historical women giving insights into different cultures, their attitudes towards women and how these have developed over time. Recent archaeological evidence supports her conclusions that women have always been a part of warfare.

This book contains a complete analysis of the myths and deities of ancient civilizations like Greek, Roman, Chinese, etc.THIS BOOK CONSISTS OF THREE SECTORS: - CHAPTER 01  INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 02  DIETIES OF VARIOUS CIVILIZATIONS CHAPTER 03  GREEK GODS AND THEIR MYTHS IT IS CLEAR BY THE NAME THAT THE FIRST CHAPTER CONSISTS THE INTRODUCTION AND BUILDS THE PLATFORM FOR THE TOPICS OF BOOK. THE SECOND CHAPTER CONSISTS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE GODS AND ANGELS OF THE CIVILIZATIONS SUCH AS EGYPTIAN, NORSE, GREEK, ROMAN, CELTIC, IRISH, WELSH AND JAPANESE. THE THIRD CHAPTER HAS BEEN WRITTEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE GREEK GODS

The human race has been curious about all the surrounding phenomenon of nature, since its beginning. Based on the level of the information and intellect possess by the people of era, there have been a number of stories and descriptive, which account for the historical events and their explanation. The historical and ancient narration of these tales constitutes the body of mythology. Among all the texts and manuscripts of mythology, the Greek mythology is believed to be the most ancient one. Just all other mythic beliefs, Greek mythology also holds specific beliefs about the origin of this universe and the phenomenon of evil and goodness. These myths have traveled hundreds of years and have sustained the blows of alterations and personal depictions. In the book, I have discussed all the basic perspectives of Greek mythology, which are crucial to be narrated to all those who are interested in knowing about Greek mythology.

An accessible guide to rituals and resources for honoring death in the circle of life. Birth, growth, death, and rebirth are a cycle that forms the underlying order of the universe. This is the core of Pagan belief—and the heart of this unique resource guide to death and the process of dying. Filled with encouragement, strength, and inspiration, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying is an invaluable source of both spiritual counsel and very practical tools and techniques for: Honoring and caring for a dying person Grieving a beloved relative, partner, or friend Planning a funeral or memorial service Distributing personal possessions and making room in the home for a loved one’s memory Understanding and mourning specific types of death, including miscarriage and terminal illness Providing instructions for one’s own death And much more Bestselling author Starhawk and other Pagan writers have combined practical rituals with prayers, chants, blessings, meditations, essays, and insightful personal stories to offer a new understanding of death and a powerful new approach to the various stages of dying and grieving. A beautifully crafted and deeply spiritual guidebook, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying teaches that death, like birth, is a doorway—another stage in the cycle of life. It will enhance the spiritual beliefs of readers of any faith and help each of us learn to welcome the change and renewal that awaits us on the other side of life. “Far more than another how-to ritual book. I found the reflections to be very moving. Rituals are easily accessible and well-grounded in the core Pagan understanding of the cycle of Birth/Death/Rebirth. . . . I recommend it for Pagans and others who might be facing dying or grieving.” —SageWoman

The well-known archaeologist Marija Gimbutas found through her excavations and research in Europe from prehistoric times, that there have been societies that lived in peace for millennia, and where the highest deity was feminine. Gimbutas believed women played a central role in the religions and society of what she called ancient Europe. In societies where the goddess was the supreme deity, life was celebrated - not death, and men and women were equal. People lived in harmony with nature and built their cities on fertile plains. The knowledge of a possible peaceful society where the goddess ruled and where the union between man and woman was sacred has made women and men believe that a better world is possible. On this background Clementz and Forbord try to find traces of the Great Goddess in symbolism that recurs in myths and fairy tales. The book reproduces a selection of these and sheds new light on them with the help of religious historical theory. We join the goddess Inanna to the underworld, hear the legend of Kuan Yin, follow the tracks of the black Madonnas, investigate the Grail mysteries, look into the Great Goddess of the North and see fairy tales about true love in a new light. The interested reader can look forward to many moments of realization in the company of the authors and their interpretations of known and unknown myths and fairy tales - all from a female perspective. Ingvild Forbord is a teacher with a major in the history of religion. Marit Clementz is a teacher and professional storyteller. Together they run the Women ́s Academy, which organizes workshops and travels related to the themes in this book. They have an online course called Eve`s Apples and lead Wise Women Circles online once a month.

This collection attempts to recover the voices of women in antiquity from a variety of perspectives: how they spoke, where they could be heard, and how their speech was adopted in literature and public discourse. Rather than confirming the old model of binary oppositions in which women's speech was viewed as insignificant and subordinate to male discourse, these essays reveal a dynamic and potentially explosive interrelation between women's speech and the realm of literary production, religion, and oratory. The contributors use a variety of methodologies to mine a diverse array of sources, from Homeric epic to fictional letters of the second sophistic period and from actual letters written by women in Hellenistic Egypt to the poetry of Sappho. Throughout, the term "voice" is used in its broadest definition. It includes not only the few remaining genuine women's voices but also the ways in which male authors render women's speech and the social assumptions such representations reflect and reinforce. These essays therefore explore how fictional female voices can serve to negotiate complex social, epistemological, and aesthetic issues. The contributors include Josine Blok, Raffaella Cribiore, Michael Gagarin, Mark Griffith, André Lardinois, Richard Martin, Lisa Maurizio, Laura McClure, D. M. O'Higgins, Patricia Rosenmeyer, Marilyn Skinner, Eva Stehle, and Nancy Worman.