Product Description

A guide for personal exploration of the path to the divine feminine and the spiritual power of women. *Reveals the essential role of women in creating and maintaining the psychic/energetic/emotional landscape of society. *Explores feminine roles and the archetypal model of the Great Goddess from both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. *Includes exercises, meditations, and visualizations drawn from ancient techniques to assist women with their spiritual awakening and self-realization.

The Path of the Priestess takes readers on a journey deep into the heart of the feminine experience. It describes the author's years of first-hand experience in the ancient arts of Tantra, Dzogchen, and Indian and Egyptian temple dance and healing, as well as her research into the feminine principle in the mystic teachings of the Alchemists, Hebrew Kabbalists, and Christian Gnostics.

Beginning with an analysis of the basic issues and frustrations inherent in contemporary society's conditioning of and expectations for women, readers travel back in time to the age of the great temples, schools, and sacred societies in which women still held and transmitted the spiritual light that nourished all of civilization. Through its mythic and historic tales, descriptions of sacred ritual practices, and teachings on the Goddess traditions, The Path of the Priestess provides contemporary women with the means to enter this time-honored path. In keeping with the experientially based teaching methods of these traditions, it also offers exercises and visualizations designed to align women with the powerful, sensuous, and loving energies of the most profound feminine role model that shaped and preserved culture and society-the Great Goddess.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #127519 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-15
• Released on: 2003-01-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
A must read for anyone in the healing and performing arts. -- Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D., author of Shaman, Healer, Sage

An inspiring read. -- Belinda Gore, Ph.D., president of The Cuyamungue Institute and author of Ecstatic Body Postures: An Alternate Reality Workbook

An intriguing tale of an American seeker on the spiritual path. -- Ellen Burstyn, actor and writer

Exploring the true nature of women's emotion, the visualizations and meditations are unique and imaginative, as well as effective. -- Magical Blend magazine

Her knowledge of the Goddess is deep-felt and genuine. Her poetic Goddess imagery can be used for lifting your spirits. -- SageWoman magazine

Here, in vibrant words, is the transmission of the sacred current that would illumine our reality. -- Jean Houston, Ph.D, author of A Mythic Life and Jump Time

I give The Path of the Priestess my highest endorsement. -- Penny Slinger Hills, author of Sexual Secrets

Rose is a masterful teacher and writer. . . . Reading this book can be a big step in reclaiming our feminine heritage. -- Maya del Mar, Maya Del Mar's Daykeeper Journal, July 2003

Review
". . . will raise the feminine power to the level of consciousness needed in the 21st century. Exploring the true nature of women's emotion, the visualizations and meditations are unique and imaginative, as well as effective."
(SageWoman magazine )

"Rose is a masterful teacher and writer. . . . Reading this book can be a big step in reclaiming our feminine heritage."
(Maya del Mar, Maya Del Mar's Daykeeper Journal, July 2003 )

"In this beautifully written book Sharron Rose shares her challenging journey between two diametrically opposed cultures: the ancient, spiritually dominated world of the East and the modern, technologically dominated world of the West. An intriguing tale of an American seeker on the spiritual path."
(Ellen Burstyn, actor and writer )

"In this rich and fascinating book Sharron Rose evokes the connection between the Goddess and the luminous energy body in a way that is meaningful to modern readers. Through this process she reveals an ancient and sacred path toward healing ourselves and the world around us. A must read for anyone in the healing and performing arts."
(Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D., author of Shaman, Healer, Sage )

"An inspiring read. Sharron Rose takes us on her spiritual journey, unveiling at every turn the presence of the Divine Feminine that has been hidden in this age of spiritual materialism, an age from which we are beginning to awaken."
(Belinda Gore, Ph.D., president of The Cuyamungue Institute and author of Ecstatic Body Postures: An Alternate Reality Workbook )

"Dancer, artist, philosopher, and spiritual adept, Sharron Rose is of the lineage of those bold and luminous women who take the journey to the Goddess wherever and to whomever it may lead. In this potent work Shakti power dances off each page. Here is the Goddess in her many forms, and in her masterful teachings. Here is living witness to the emergence of the light of the Divine Feminine after the long dark night of the patriarchy. Here, in vibrant words, is the transmission of the sacred current that would illumine our reality."
(Jean Houston, Ph.D, author of A Mythic Life and Jump Time )

"The Path of the Priestess provides both eloquent insights into the nature of Goddess energy and ways for the reader to realize it for themselves. Goddess consciousness is the evolutionary path of choice for the planet. I give The Path of the Priestess my highest endorsement."
(Penny Slinger Hills, author of Sexual Secrets )

"Her knowledge of the Goddess is deep-felt and genuine. Her poetic Goddess imagery can be used for lifting your spirits and for drawing forth the joy of knowing the Divine Feminine in yourself."
(SageWoman magazine )

"The Path of the Priestess takes us on a compelling journey deep into the heart of the feminine experience. It presents a glimpse of the essential and significant role of women as caretakers of the psychic, energetic, and emotional landscape of society. . . . surely this book will prove to be a landmark text in this ever-expanding journey of awakening."
(Lesley Crossingham, New Dawn, Nov-Dec 2006 )

"The conversational tone make it an experience similar to curling up with a close friend with whom you've lost touch."
(Cerridwen Iris Shea, SageWoman, December-March 2004, No.63 )

About the Author
Sharron Rose, an internationally acclaimed teacher, writer, performer and Fulbright scholar in World Mythology, Religion, and Sacred Dance, has been investigating and imparting the wisdom of ancient cultures for the past 25 years. Her most recent video release of her Awakening the Feminine series includes many of the exercises presented in The Path of the Priestess. She lives in Los Olivos, California.

Customer Reviews

Mind Expanding and Boundless!
What a beautiful and eye opening homage to womankind from a spiritual seeker who has traveled such a great distance from her beginnings as an American feminist of the sixties. In the first chapter she describes her powerful initiation by a woman teacher ( Sitara Devi) into the ancient art of Indian temple dance, Hindu Tantra and women's mysteries. . ( I was pleased to see the photographs of Sharron with her teachers. I have read too many books about
spiritual seekers or anthropologists and the revelations they have received from their teachers without ever seeing an image of these teachers. Even though I have enjoyed these books I have often wondered whether the teachers were fictional
characters.)
From that point on, in the first section of the book she journeys into the deep realms of meditation, healing and visionary experience as she seeks out the ancient woman's mysteries in the traditions of Tibetan Tantra, Dzogchen,
Egyptian mysticism, Gnosticism and Kabbalah. As a woman seeking my own path to inner knowing, I found these chapters to be extremely beneficial and enlightening. Her experiences and insights into working with one's emotions, the way in
which she describes how painful experiences in childhood can impact both the physical body and its energy field and her search to find and relate paths to healing were particularly inspiring to me. I was also touched by the respect she
shows for her teachers and the humility she demonstrates as a seeker on the path.
As I continued to read, I was impressed with the courage she has in speaking out about the social, cultural and political issues that plague so many of us these days. Taking an ancient approach that values women in all their fullness as spiritual teachers, healers, mediators (today known as political activists
and politicians) and caretakers of our planet, she gave me a new and empowered view of my potential as a woman. Her vivid exercises designed to nspire ferocity in the face of danger, self-confidence and determination, joy, passion,
and mystery, love, humility and rapture have helped me to feel free to express the full range of my emotions. In addition, they have given me new strength to deal with the issues that plague me in my relationships with both men and
women. Her call for women to come together as they did in the days of old to shed the imprints of the patriarchy and create a more balanced, harmonious world is so exciting. I, like Sharron, feel the sadness and horror of the current
socio-political atmosphere. I too care about issues such as the negative and disturbing media induced visions of women, the destruction of our environment and the manner in which we and our children, have become experimental subjects
for the mind and body altering drugs of the pharmaceutical industry.
As an alternative to the limited visions of women offered to us by the media, in the last three chapters she offers myths, stories and meditations on the many manifestations of the Great Goddess who she describes as the most profound female role model to shape society. Stories such as the way the Hindu Goddess
Durga is created to fearlessly battle with and become victorious over our inner and outer demons gives us courage. Innana, who "revels in the fullness of her sensuous expression" presents a new view of sexual freedom. . Isis the
Egyptian goddess who is the great mother of Alchemy and the Western spiritual tradition shows us the great healing power that we all contain. These and her stories of female spiritual seekers such as Mirabai of India, Machig Lapdron of
Tibet, Mary Magdalene and Sharron's own powerful teacher Sitara Devi who fought throughout her life to transcend the limitations imposed upon her as a woman by modern Indian society have shown me that even though to some the world may
appear limited the only true limitations placed upon me are those created within the dark recesses of my own mind.

A profound and joyous path for every woman
The Path of the Priestess is a profound and potent guidebook for women of the twenty first century. After reading it I realized that it is actually three books in one. Part one, which documents Ms. Rose's personal quest for the teachings and practices of woman's mysteries among the sacred societies of India, Tibet, Egypt and Alchemical Europe was reminiscent for me of writers such as Lynn Andrews and Carlos Casteneda. However, in this book, Ms. Rose not only sweeps you along with her on a magical journey into the trials and tribulations of an American seeker but also shows you the deep respect and reverence for woman and the Goddess as transmitted to her by the teachers and teachings she encounters. I also enjoyed the photographs of her together with these teachers.

From this impressive journey, in chapters five and six, she offers a fascinating commentary on the history of humanity and particularly the conditioning of women. In these two chapters she opens our eyes to the underlying motivation behind the repressive and controlling nature of the patriarchal forces that have increasingly dominated our lives. In addition she offers us a clear and vital alternative in which we as women can gain the strength and self-esteem to face up to these forces. At the same time she shows us how to work towards a more loving, peaceful and harmonious way of living. Chapter Six, Lifting the Veil from the Face of Modernity in which she contrasts the imprinting of women in contemporary society with that of these sacred societies is especially moving, perceptive and provocative. Her analysis of the goals, successes and failures of the feminist movement, gave me new insight into the ways in which we have been manipulated by the media. These two well-documented chapters recalled for me the nature of the work of scholars and writers such as Riane Eisler, Naomi Wolf and Marija Gimbutas. But in this book, Ms. Rose as an initiate into and practitioner of the ancient teachings offers us even greater insight into the essential roles of women.

As a woman who has always been sensitive to energy and emotion, I was particularly affected by her description of woman's role as the keepers of the psychic-energetic-emotional landscape of society. Honestly, after reading these chapters I began to see myself, and the ways in which I have been taught to interact with the world in a new way.

I found the last three chapters to be extremely beneficial. Reading the myths and stories of the Goddesses gave me a deeper understanding of the many facets of woman. The exercises that follow are written in a lush, poetic language that deeply touched me. After reading the book I purchased the Awakening the Feminine video series tapes in which Ms. Rose transmits the teachings and exercises found in these three chapters. I found these tapes to be extremely enriching and beneficial as well. I thank Sharron Rose for opening the door for me to a unique and extraordinary vision of the power, grace and majesty of womankind.

A crucial guidebook for dancers
I strongly recommend this book to all my dance students and all the members of my dance troupe! Dancers interested in channeling goddess energy will be thrilled to find a very readable story of how dance and spirituality can be explored together. I found the exercises profound -- they helped me explore how movement and gesture can help me feel, in my body, the divine energies of compassion, sensuality and strength, and how to convey these feelings to others. I always intuitively sensed that dance activates sacred energies -- Sharon's amazing scholarship and years of dancing has given her valuable insights and experience which confirm this. What a gem!