Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood

[Erica Chan]

Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood: A Treasury of Goddess and Heroine Lore from Around the World

By Merlin Stone

This excellent book can be found in the Matherson Library at Clayton Campus (or it will be when I return it. ) Here's just a sneak peak into what the introduction promises.

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It is in the rich diversity, the almost astonishing multitude of various traits and aspects - many often attributed to the same deity - that the consciousness of what images of woman have been, and what images of woman can be - emerges most clearly. I believe that it is this diversity, and the acknowledgment and celebration of it, that offers the firmest foundation for our growing strength - as we move ahead in our consciousness of ourselves as women, and of our potential as human beings on this planet. THe dishonest canvas rips, the dishonest carved marble cracks apart - as we are each better able to declare ourselves as the unique, multi-faceted beings we each are - leaving behind all false or simplistic portraits, that were said to symbolise all womanhood.

Symbols such as the moon, the sun, the various stars and planets, volcanoes, caves, springs, rivers, lakes, ocean, lioness, serpent, heifer, mare, whale, heron, raven, vulture, dove, fig tree, laurel, corn, marigolds, meteorites, obsidian, Earth Mother, Sea Goddess Queen of Heaven, the force of existence, the flow of existence, traits that appear to mesh, traits that appear to conflict - are each a part of the full and wondrous treasure. images of the creator of the universe, the creator of life, the one who takes in death, the one in whom our twin spirits unite until we are reborn, provider of law and cosmic pattern, rovider of herbs and healing, the one who is compassionate, the one who is wrathful, the essence of wisdom, the guiding holy spirit, Liberty, Victory, Justice, Destiny, Lady Luck and Mother Nature - all have been known in the form of woman. As anthropomorphic huntress, udge, warrior, tribal ancestress, inventor of writing, protector of animals, prophetess, inventor of fire, guardian of the celestial chamber of grain, teacher of carpentry and masonry, scribe of the tree of life - and as the more transcendental, metaphisical female principle that brought existence into being, and continues to cause all to occur - each known concept attests to images of womanhood that refute generalized archetypes, stereotypes, and simplistic dualities.

There are accounts: of mothers mating with their sons, such as in Bachue, Fire Woman and Inanna; of daughters both helping and defying their fathers, such as in Mella and Golden Lotus; of rituals for the Goddess including lesbian relationships, such as in the Mysteries for the Greek Goddess Gynacea and the Roman Bona Dea; of the Goddess choosing a mortal male for a mate and living happily ever after, such as in Mbaba Mwana Waresa; of the women of an entire tribe leaving the males to set up a community of their own, such as in Lia; of the worship of both Mother and Daughter as the sacred pair, such as in Lato and Artemis, Demeter and Persephone, Mahuea and Hina; of reverence for the Mother, two daughters and a grand daughter, such as in the Sun Goddess of Arinna. However one attempts to construct a mold, it will not fit them all.

Along with the pride of regained heritage, in becoming familiar with these many accounts of images of womanhood, we may also gain some insight into the various efforts made to suppress and alter these images, even to erase the very memory of them, by various male-worshipping groups...