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Walking An Ancient Path: Rebirthing Goddess on Planet Earth
WINNER IN THE NATIONAL BEST BOOKS AWARDS.... The Sacred Feminine, whether viewed as an archetype, ideology or heavenly deity, has been stripped from our cultures, religions and psyches for several millennia. But we are starting to remember its roots and origins. She is the missing piece of the spiritual, cultural and political puzzle that can address the human conditions of suffering that plagues the planet. A Contemporary Woman Walking and Ancient Path
The Divine Feminine or Goddess Spirituality Movement is probably one of the most important grassroots movements on the planet today. It is the hope of advocates, with this impetus, the world can be transformed and the future of the many improved across the globe. Certainly proponents could choose an easier road, but that inner voice, that harkening call, is deafening at times. It drowns out all other distractions. It is like the pull of an invisible cord,gentle but firm, not allowing much room to stray. In the early days, paving the road was rough. Pushing that proverbial boulder uphill against established ideas, traditions and the status quo was challenging. Some devotees did not want to introduce Goddess back onto the world stage or vision her temples in neighborhoods. They preferred keeping the Sacred Feminine underground and to themselves, away from the perils of institutionalization,but can society do without their mother much longer? I think not.
Change is coming. Disappointed with mainstream religion, more and more people have been left with an unsavory taste in their mouths as human-made dogma divides people and discriminates across culture and gender. They are disillusioned as religion is used as an excuse for devastation, war and power over others.Goddess Spirituality offers a new path of hope if humanity has the courage and willingness to rethink, redefine, and remember. Goddess Spirituality is not a magic potion,but a roadmap for transformation and change pointing to anew, peaceful, and enlightened age. How will we get there? Where are the guides? Perhaps I can offer some ideas....
This guide starts at the beginning, using the experience of this author's personal and public path as a template as I began to understand and integrate the Sacred Feminine into my Christian-based religious paradigm. I validated this new spirituality by purposefully traveling to sacred sites of Goddess across the globe as a pilgrim. That gave me understanding of the role of Goddess in years past, her sacred landscape that remains today and my place within that landscape. I studied and began to intuit Goddess, particularly through the participatory nature of sacred ritual, a vital tool in developing one's connection with the Divine and for personal transformation.I sought out the camaraderie of others of like-mind to aid me in my physical, intellectual, and spiritual journeys. Then in time, as I grew, I cast my net wider, morphing from student to teacher. I began reaching outside my immediate community to explain the positive affect embracing the Sacred Feminine might have on the rest of the world if Goddess were restored to her original place in the psyche and hearts of humankind. This book reflects this cycle of realization and integration, moving from the personal,into public realms of local communities, then farther out bridging the gap into wider more mainstream realms. Perhaps it can be your roadmap, too!
The Divine Feminine or Goddess Spirituality Movement is probably one of the most important grassroots movements on the planet today. It is the hope of advocates, with this impetus, the world can be transformed and the future of the many improved across the globe. Certainly proponents could choose an easier road, but that inner voice, that harkening call, is deafening at times. It drowns out all other distractions. It is like the pull of an invisible cord,gentle but firm, not allowing much room to stray. In the early days, paving the road was rough. Pushing that proverbial boulder uphill against established ideas, traditions and the status quo was challenging. Some devotees did not want to introduce Goddess back onto the world stage or vision her temples in neighborhoods. They preferred keeping the Sacred Feminine underground and to themselves, away from the perils of institutionalization,but can society do without their mother much longer? I think not.
Change is coming. Disappointed with mainstream religion, more and more people have been left with an unsavory taste in their mouths as human-made dogma divides people and discriminates across culture and gender. They are disillusioned as religion is used as an excuse for devastation, war and power over others.Goddess Spirituality offers a new path of hope if humanity has the courage and willingness to rethink, redefine, and remember. Goddess Spirituality is not a magic potion,but a roadmap for transformation and change pointing to anew, peaceful, and enlightened age. How will we get there? Where are the guides? Perhaps I can offer some ideas....
This guide starts at the beginning, using the experience of this author's personal and public path as a template as I began to understand and integrate the Sacred Feminine into my Christian-based religious paradigm. I validated this new spirituality by purposefully traveling to sacred sites of Goddess across the globe as a pilgrim. That gave me understanding of the role of Goddess in years past, her sacred landscape that remains today and my place within that landscape. I studied and began to intuit Goddess, particularly through the participatory nature of sacred ritual, a vital tool in developing one's connection with the Divine and for personal transformation.I sought out the camaraderie of others of like-mind to aid me in my physical, intellectual, and spiritual journeys. Then in time, as I grew, I cast my net wider, morphing from student to teacher. I began reaching outside my immediate community to explain the positive affect embracing the Sacred Feminine might have on the rest of the world if Goddess were restored to her original place in the psyche and hearts of humankind. This book reflects this cycle of realization and integration, moving from the personal,into public realms of local communities, then farther out bridging the gap into wider more mainstream realms. Perhaps it can be your roadmap, too!
- GenresGoddess
393 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2008
5 people are currently reading
93 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 19, 2015
Have you ever pondered the possibility of embracing Goddess spirituality? Are you searching for even to go to ? Organizations to align yourself with.?This book is a great place to start. FRom what I gather authoress Karen Tate , a follower of Iisis, has composed a great book for you to read.
Starting from the North she covers goddess spirituality from the persective of the elements and their directions. North pertains to the land and she coverers all the places she has made a pilgrimage to. As a follower or devotee to Isis she takes many trips to Egypt visiting many Temples that were dedicated to Isis. Her trips also take her to Turkey, Italy and other places of Europe. She does not only visit places connected to Isis but she also visits shrines to other Goddesses. In Ireland she visits places devoted to Brigid and several stonehange like sites. In Clonedgal Ireland she goes through an intiation to serve the goddess..
Moving widdershins she then talks about water which faces to West. Aphrodite is the goddess of love. There is some talk about Aphrodite but also about relationships in general . This section is filled with information on howw to find the right lover and how to conduct a healthy relationship. If it will not get healthy sometimes it is best to let it go.
Fire is the element of the south. This is the passion that drives people to succeed. Fire keeps us going or trudging though. FIre also burrns away things . Sekhmet is the noted goddess of fire. She is the one who eliminates the injustice and fights evil . SHE IS ALSO a protectress. We next go to the east where in that is the direction of intellect or intelligence. Dawn is the beginning of a new dawn. Finally there is spirit.
I liked this book despite my previous misgivings. There are great rituals, and prayers to the deities. I counted at least a few good meditations. The end of the book solicits opinions about building Temples to the Gods or keeping it more informal. Discussion about God spirituality is also discussed by several people. Great book.
Starting from the North she covers goddess spirituality from the persective of the elements and their directions. North pertains to the land and she coverers all the places she has made a pilgrimage to. As a follower or devotee to Isis she takes many trips to Egypt visiting many Temples that were dedicated to Isis. Her trips also take her to Turkey, Italy and other places of Europe. She does not only visit places connected to Isis but she also visits shrines to other Goddesses. In Ireland she visits places devoted to Brigid and several stonehange like sites. In Clonedgal Ireland she goes through an intiation to serve the goddess..
Moving widdershins she then talks about water which faces to West. Aphrodite is the goddess of love. There is some talk about Aphrodite but also about relationships in general . This section is filled with information on howw to find the right lover and how to conduct a healthy relationship. If it will not get healthy sometimes it is best to let it go.
Fire is the element of the south. This is the passion that drives people to succeed. Fire keeps us going or trudging though. FIre also burrns away things . Sekhmet is the noted goddess of fire. She is the one who eliminates the injustice and fights evil . SHE IS ALSO a protectress. We next go to the east where in that is the direction of intellect or intelligence. Dawn is the beginning of a new dawn. Finally there is spirit.
I liked this book despite my previous misgivings. There are great rituals, and prayers to the deities. I counted at least a few good meditations. The end of the book solicits opinions about building Temples to the Gods or keeping it more informal. Discussion about God spirituality is also discussed by several people. Great book.
September 23, 2009
It is not often that I regret buying a book, but this book is one of those. I was very disappointed. What I expected to be a book filled with Goddess and Her path was actually closer to an autobiography of the author. Most of the book is detailed descriptions of her travels, rituals she's been involved in, prophetic dreams she's had, and other experiences. I was hoping to find ways to rebirth Goddess in my life and live my religion, but instead I know just about everything there is to know about the author and not a lot about Goddess. I didn't even bother to finish reading it.
Having said all that, there were a couple invocations/prayers to Goddess and some guided meditations that I liked, but that was about it.
Having said all that, there were a couple invocations/prayers to Goddess and some guided meditations that I liked, but that was about it.
February 24, 2022
I love this book! It is one of the few which I have spent multiple times re-reading! Every time I hold this book in my hands, I am transported to my 18 year old self, on the cusp of adult independence and seeking the Divine Feminine in myself and in the world around me. Without a doubt, this book has left a lifelong impression.
Karen Tate writes in a way that makes readers feel involved and connected, travelling across wide expanses of time and geography. 'Walking an Ancient Path' leads readers across various areas of spiritual life via the four elements, explaining how they metaphorically and literally manifest in our lives. First comes earth, which is explored through pilgrimage to sacred sites, followed by water, where readers learn about connecting to themselves and the Divine through ritual; fire relates to personal growth and transformation (fire), and the book concludes with air and how we can co-create a better future through Goddess spirituality.
Throughout, Tate provides anecdotal stories, giving philosophical and spiritual concepts tangible real-life meaning. Not only does she write beautiful words about philosophical concepts, but each of Tate's books carry the practical aim of changing the world we live in for the better and of 'manifesting a new normal'.
'Walking an Ancient Path' creates a bridge between the ancient and the modern, allowing readers to bring ancient wisdom into the present and future in relevant and meaningful ways.
Karen Tate writes in a way that makes readers feel involved and connected, travelling across wide expanses of time and geography. 'Walking an Ancient Path' leads readers across various areas of spiritual life via the four elements, explaining how they metaphorically and literally manifest in our lives. First comes earth, which is explored through pilgrimage to sacred sites, followed by water, where readers learn about connecting to themselves and the Divine through ritual; fire relates to personal growth and transformation (fire), and the book concludes with air and how we can co-create a better future through Goddess spirituality.
Throughout, Tate provides anecdotal stories, giving philosophical and spiritual concepts tangible real-life meaning. Not only does she write beautiful words about philosophical concepts, but each of Tate's books carry the practical aim of changing the world we live in for the better and of 'manifesting a new normal'.
'Walking an Ancient Path' creates a bridge between the ancient and the modern, allowing readers to bring ancient wisdom into the present and future in relevant and meaningful ways.
April 15, 2018
Walking an Ancient Path takes us on a spiritual journey with one of the foremost pathfinders in the Goddess movement. Karen Tate not only invites us into the sanctuaries of the Divine Creatrix across the continents, she recreates rituals and encounters with the deity that broaden our connection with the inner life. On this journey, we are also challenged to transcend the limits of religious dogma by understanding and retrieving the values of a society that honors Goddess – inclusion, equality, reciprocity, and interdependence.
February 19, 2022
I’ve read this a few times since I purchased it. I always get something I overlooked in previous reads. And there is something there for the novice as well as the person seeped in Divine Feminine herstory. I love Karen Tate’s candid discussions about politics in the community and her personal stories of visiting sacred sites. I love that the book is also sprinkled with meditations I can record and play back, or prayers I’ve used at my home altar. A well-rounded guide to incorporate Goddess into one’s life or community.
February 22, 2022
This is a candid look inside the life of a woman from the South who discovered Goddess and embraced it as part of her life journey and she's taking us along. I like to look inside the lives of people who have a relationship with deity and see what that looks like. Divided into sections reflecting the four elements and spirit; from sacred travel or pilgrimage, to politics in the community and the creation of temples and shrines, this book has all that and more, including prayers, meditations, and some very interesting accounts of the author making a connection with deity.
March 3, 2022
I can understand why this book was a finalist in a national book competition. Great for beginners or those who are looking for fresh inspiration. I turn to it when I need to plan a ritual, do a meditation or need insight about topics. My favorite chapters were Tate's experiences of Isis, her pilgrimages to sacred sites and her commentary on building community, prophecy and politics in the community. Really good for Isis clergy but what's written can be applied to most goddess worship.
December 29, 2015
It was with excited anticipation that I waited for my copy of Walking an Ancient Path to arrive in the post... Already an advocate of Goddess spirituality, I couldn’t wait to read Karen Tate’s account of her own experiences on the Goddess path.
From the opening chapter of the preface I was drawn in by Tate’s
analogy of a wounded world in the absence of the Sacred Feminine - ‘much
like a child growing up without a mother’- . An endearing start to a heart-
warming story of a deeply personal journey with the feminine face of god.
Walking an Ancient Path is a re-awakening of the female aspect
of the divine that stirs something within the reader to rethink and embrace Goddess consciousness as the missing piece of our spiritual, cultural and political lives that can address the many influences on human conditions around the planet today.
Aimed at both men and women of all faiths, the essence of the writing reaches out to all those who have grown disillusioned with mainstream religions and reaffirms that a patriarchal and male dominated religious system is out of balance with the needs of humanity and has been since the suppression of the Goddess aspect in spirituality. Tate gives carefully researched reasons for this and explains why.
The structure of the chapters, beginning with ‘how to use the book’ and the explanation of the elemental themes of earth, air, fire and water sections provide a comprehensive guide to the reader seeking to incorporate practical and creative ways of expressing the Goddess in their lives.
The author spans her life from a catholic upbringing growing up in the bible belt of New Orleans to becoming a Goddess advocate and eventually a Priestess of the Sacred Feminine. Her spiritual quest (shared by her husband of twenty years) includes her love and associations with the Egyptian Goddess Isis, leading to her sacred tours and travels including Egypt and Ireland where she was ordained; and her continual calling to help mid-wife the rebirth of the Divine Feminine in contemporary society.
Photographs throughout the book, meditations, prayers and ordination rituals are included which give a real insight into the depth of the author’s faith and commitment to Goddess.
Concluding the work and particularly useful are recommended resources and glossaries of the many multicultural Goddesses and the values and principles for spirituality of the Sacred Feminine. The author makes it clear that her view of Goddess consciousness is about the balance of both feminine and masculine principles - an integral point as harmony is always achieved through a balance of opposites.
Conclusively, this is a book to inspire and empower anyone who resonates with Goddess energy and wants to expand their knowledge. Karen Tate’s love and passion for her subject shines through and I defy anyone to say that she has not achieved her aim to bring the Sacred Feminine into the mainstream.
Personally, I think she’s done a grand job.
From the opening chapter of the preface I was drawn in by Tate’s
analogy of a wounded world in the absence of the Sacred Feminine - ‘much
like a child growing up without a mother’- . An endearing start to a heart-
warming story of a deeply personal journey with the feminine face of god.
Walking an Ancient Path is a re-awakening of the female aspect
of the divine that stirs something within the reader to rethink and embrace Goddess consciousness as the missing piece of our spiritual, cultural and political lives that can address the many influences on human conditions around the planet today.
Aimed at both men and women of all faiths, the essence of the writing reaches out to all those who have grown disillusioned with mainstream religions and reaffirms that a patriarchal and male dominated religious system is out of balance with the needs of humanity and has been since the suppression of the Goddess aspect in spirituality. Tate gives carefully researched reasons for this and explains why.
The structure of the chapters, beginning with ‘how to use the book’ and the explanation of the elemental themes of earth, air, fire and water sections provide a comprehensive guide to the reader seeking to incorporate practical and creative ways of expressing the Goddess in their lives.
The author spans her life from a catholic upbringing growing up in the bible belt of New Orleans to becoming a Goddess advocate and eventually a Priestess of the Sacred Feminine. Her spiritual quest (shared by her husband of twenty years) includes her love and associations with the Egyptian Goddess Isis, leading to her sacred tours and travels including Egypt and Ireland where she was ordained; and her continual calling to help mid-wife the rebirth of the Divine Feminine in contemporary society.
Photographs throughout the book, meditations, prayers and ordination rituals are included which give a real insight into the depth of the author’s faith and commitment to Goddess.
Concluding the work and particularly useful are recommended resources and glossaries of the many multicultural Goddesses and the values and principles for spirituality of the Sacred Feminine. The author makes it clear that her view of Goddess consciousness is about the balance of both feminine and masculine principles - an integral point as harmony is always achieved through a balance of opposites.
Conclusively, this is a book to inspire and empower anyone who resonates with Goddess energy and wants to expand their knowledge. Karen Tate’s love and passion for her subject shines through and I defy anyone to say that she has not achieved her aim to bring the Sacred Feminine into the mainstream.
Personally, I think she’s done a grand job.
July 20, 2008
My friend and mentor, Karen, has done more to rebirth the Goddess than anyone other than Rianne Eisler and Gimbatus.
March 13, 2012
Super interesting deep read... a lot of googling to be done for this one.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews