This wide-ranging book derives its 40 chapters mainly from a radio series of the same name with four main parts addressing deity, archetype and ideal, ritual and healing, alternatives to patriarchy, and sacred activism. Some contributors are well known, and others less so, but the content forms a powerful message amounting to a new cultural agenda of rebalancing masculine and feminine and demanding a radical reshaping of education and culturally embedded roles. The editor argues that patriarchy is based on racism, sexism, environmental and cultural exploitation resulting in inequality, abuse and injustice. The necessary new education is unlikely to come from the system itself, but must draw on many of the insights and experiences contained in these inspiring interviews and articles. A number of mythological figures make an appearance, including the Egyptian Sekhmet, and there is a thoughtful reflection on the role and significance of Mary Magdalene. Ava explains the importance of the Queen archetype along with the maiden, mother and crone as an embodiment of empowerment as a architect of life. Among the more unusual but persuasive contributions is David Hillman on pubescent goddesses and sexual rituals. The last part n Activism includes contributions from Charles Eisenstein and Matthew Fox where one can discern real change afoot, albeit initially at our cultural margins. The hope of the volume as a whole is to contribute towards the emergence of a new normal and every reader is sure to find elements that they can incorporate into their own lives. ~ David Lorimer, Network Review - Autumn 2015 issue

Karen Tate has managed to bring together voices that discuss religion, politics and activism, and the Sacred Feminine. She weaves a rich tapestry of interviews and essays based on her weekly internet radio show that bears the same title. Rev. Dr. Tate is no newcomer to the Scared Feminine. She has written three more books exploring its diverse dimensions. In the beginning of the book, Karen describes her own journey of self-discovery. Then she offers us a true banquet of perspectives and ideas in the words of the show's guests. You'll certainly recognise some of their names: Selena Fox, Joan Norton, Charlene Spretnak, Ava, Barbara G. Walker, Tim Ward, Riane Eisler, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Starhawk, Lydia Ruyle, Layne Redmond and many others. These thinkers challenge us to reflect deeply upon the world and ourselves. They bring to surface hidden truths, ranging all the way from myth and ritual to American politics, economy, and businesses. I recommend reading each piece separately, then devoting some time to its consideration. This isn't a book you'll read overnight, but a treasure-trove you'll come back to time and again. Its almost 400 pages contain many gems of wisdom! ~ Harita Meenee, Sage Woman Magazine - Issue 88 'Serenity'

As the editor says in her forward, this book discusses all the stuff women were traditionally not supposed to discuss; sex, religion, power and politics. In its pages a diverse group of women and men have come together to discuss the dilemma created by the misogyny of ' the people of the Book,' the 'patriarchy that needs God to justify injustice' In its pages we read essays and transcripts from a cross-section of contributors to 'Voices of the Sacred Feminine Radio' (USA), vital voices seeking to reshape our world. In the exploration of the Sacred Feminine paradigm, common ground is found between Christianity and Paganism, there is bridge building between many forms of spirituality, but there is iconoclasm too. An inspiration to all, women and men, who value freedom in all her forms. However, there are one or two articles to which I reacted with shock or violent disagreement, but that is the nature of a forum. Love it or hate it, all these theories are food for thought. ~ The Inner Light, Volume 35 number 2

Voices of the Sacred Feminine: Conversations to Re-Shape Our World raises questions about the Sacred Feminine's role as deity and ideal, and stems from the author's internet radio show which considers the basics of sacred feminine theology and visions and its role in reshaping the world. Contributors to this discussion range from Noam Chomsky and Matthew Fox to Shinoda Bolen and Starhawk - well known names in spiritual and contemporary philosophical circles alike - and provide an intriguing discourse on the images of God and the sacred feminine. The result is a survey that belongs in new age and women's history holdings alike. ~ James A Cox, Midwest Review

Voices of the Sacred Feminine: Conversations to Re-Shape Our World by Karen Tate This is a huge collection of essays and interviews exploring the role of the sacred feminine. There’s a great diversity of voices, opinions, ideas and energy – and in this it is an incredibly rich assemblage. The odds are you won’t agree perfectly with everything, but learning about how to roll with that is one of the joys of becoming less competitive-patriarchal in the first place. Without hierarchy and the desire for power over other people, we have a lot more room to be ok with difference. Rooted as it is in American culture and politics, this is a book that has most to offer to American readers. I would say absolutely, this is not just a book for women. There are many male contributors, and it is an expression of feminism as equality, rather than the man-bashing portrayal that the media tends to prefer. One of the many things this book does is explore why patriarchy is bad for most men, too, and what we might collectively do about that. I found a great deal to chew on, and a lot of authors I hope to read further, and a lot of subjects I just do not know enough about (yet) so if issues of feminism in relation to Paganism and spirituality are not familiar territory, if you don’t know where to start in terms of considering why we might need Goddess, and what the absence of Goddess does to a culture, this is a fantastic jumping off point. The scale here is almost overwhelming, but it doesn’t do a person any harm to be overwhelmed once in a while. ~ Nimue Brown, Pagan Dawn, Goodreads, Amazon

Mythology drives culture and hence politics and the economy, so in order to change politics and economics, we have to change the mythology. That is exactly what Karen Tate has been doing for nearly a decade now with her radio show Voices of the Sacred Feminine. Her new book, also titled Voices of the Sacred Feminine, is an anthology that collects many powerful thoughts about Goddess spirituality as a tool for implementing that change on a personal, community and world level. Some of the pieces are essays written for this collection and some are transcripts of interviews from the radio show; all offer valuable insights into ways we can shift the current paradigm toward a more balanced, compassionate one. Voices of the Sacred Feminine is not a polemic – though of course, people steeped in the limited monotheistic patriarchal worldview may view it as such – but an encouragement to move forward, evolve, and heal, both within ourselves and in our communities at large. The wide variety of women and, yes, men who contributed their thoughts to this collection provide us with a window into Goddess spirituality in its great diversity as well as its underlying unity. In these pages you will find righteous anger, certainly, but also compassion, inclusion, and the stubborn fearlessness that has allowed women to survive and even occasionally thrive throughout the centuries of male domination. It is these qualities that drive us forward as we work to change the world. The book is divided into several sections based on several overarching topics. The first section, which addresses the existence of the Sacred Feminine and its (Her) manifestation in the world, gives us glimpses into divine forces from Mary Magdalene to Lady Liberty. These essays and interviews remind us that the Goddess is always relevant in every day and time and that to leave Her out is to risk dangerous imbalance, as we have seen for so long in worldwide society. The second section offers a variety of journeys into healing through opening ourselves to the Goddess in Her many guises. Whether it’s a formal ritual, a meditative reading, or a thought-provoking essay about why the Goddess should be important to men, each piece suggests a way toward the healing that is necessary if we are to put ourselves, and our world, back together again. The third section focuses on the values and paradigms that Goddess spirituality offers to the realms of politics and business. How wonderful it would be if the cooperative, egalitarian spirit of the Sacred Feminine infected our governments and companies! But that won’t happen on its own; we have to work for it. And the fifth section shows us exactly how we can achieve that goal. Sacred activism is a concept that can help us bridge the gap between personal spirituality and doing good in the world. The Goddess lives in all of us and She empowers us to speak out against the current, damaging paradigm. But instead of just complaining, we must offer a replacement, a new model. Voices of the Sacred Feminine addresses exactly this issue, this need to find a better way and to take action to implement it in the world. As Ms. Tate so perceptively comments, we must take on the taboo subjects of sex, religion, power and politics if we are to change them, and with the Goddess at our side, I believe we will ultimately succeed. ----- Laura Perry ~ Laura Perry, Goodreads, Facebook, Amazon

“Voices of the Sacred Feminine” is an excellent collection of articles, written by numerous luminaries, New Age ministers and scholars of both genders, interspersed with dialogues excerpted from interviews conducted on “Voices of the Sacred Feminine Radio,” a show hosted by Rev. Dr. Karen Tate, the editor of this volume. The articles vary in focus from topics such as Goddesses (Kali-Ma, Sekhmet, Persephone, and the Virgin Mary), to feminine spirituality as an antidote to terrorism, to women in politics, women in positions of power, and the mysteries of menstruation and the female orgasm. I especially appreciated the article which points out the misogynistic tendencies of the Republican Party! And it was hard to miss the poignant irony inherent in the piece by a former Catholic priest, who was defrocked by the Church for advocating women in the priesthood! Yes, in so many ways, this world of ours is still in the Dark Ages, isn’t it. I also loved the book’s opening quote, a gem from Arundhati Roy: “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” The focus throughout the book is on discovering, defining and strengthening the Divine Feminine in our individual and planetary consciousness, so that we may blossom the world into equality, compassion, love and spiritual wisdom. Many contributors point out the problems created by the global patriarchic culture: wars, staggering wealth inequality, racism, violence, greed, and the destruction of our planet’s ecosystems. This book is therefore an urgent, many-voiced call for planetary healing, through the resurgence of all that is female, holistic, balanced and nurturing – and a beacon to help each of us to find our innate spiritual power, the God/Goddess within, our own “Sacred Roar.” The book’s first article features a quote from Amma, the spiritual leader and outstanding humanitarian with whom I have spent many years: “Women are the power and the very foundation of our existence in the world. When women lose touch with their real selves, the harmony of the world ceases to exist, and destruction sets in. It is therefore crucial that women everywhere make every effort to rediscover their fundamental nature, for only then can we save this world.” Karen Tate has given us a message of hope in a world on the brink of despair, reminding us that we all can and must use our focused energy to bring in a new era of equality, harmony and peace on Earth. And it is up to us to make it happen. As she affirms in the book’s Conclusion, “As we will it, so it shall be.” Thank you, Karen Tate! ~Ram Das Batchelder, author of “Rising in Love: My Wild and Crazy Ride to Here and Now, with Amma, the Hugging Saint” --- ~ Ram Das, Author, Rising in Love

A wonderful book by a wonderful woman, sounding a sacred roar that rises from the rich compendium of voices within, all recovering and transmitting age-old knowledge of the Sacred Feminine - knowledge that has been hidden and denied us for far too long. ~ Anne Baring, Beloved Foremother and co-author of The Myth of the Goddess and author of The Dream of the Cosmos: A Quest for the Soul.

This is a vital work to bring the indispensable feminine co-creator into the field of Conscious Evolution. ~ Barbara Marx Hubbard, author, visionary, Foundation for Conscious Evolution

Join Wisdom's feast...with this four-part anthology, featuring many entries by women and men covering topics on ritual and healing, archetype and ideal, sacred activism, and social change. Voices of the Sacred Feminine is sure to inspire, challenge, and enlighten all who are interested in exploring greater balance, justice and understanding in our world today, from the traditional to the cutting edge. Each contribution may be seen as its own unique 'beat' of the frame drum, including a chapter in memory of the late Layne Redmond's musical legacy,whose story is featured in this volume's final section. Providing a rich banquet for our contemporary times, this volume is highly recommended. ~ Karen Ralls, PhD, Oxford historian and author