Book Description
The book that changed the consciousness of a country—and the world. Landmark, groundbreaking, classic—these adjectives barely describe the earthshaking and long-lasting effects of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. This is the book that defined "the problem that has no name," that launched the Second Wave of the feminist movement, and has been awakening women and men with its insights into social relations, which still remain fresh, ever since. A national bestseller, with over 1 million copies sold.
Customer Reviews:
I'm glad that I can't relate to this book.......2007-07-17
Let me start off by saying that this book got an additional star from me because I completely agree with the point of this book: That if woman doesn't stand up and provide themselves with an identity and use themselves to their whole potential, they will become incomplete and nothing. This is mainly summed up in the chapter: A New Life Plan for Women. I recommend this book simply on this chapter. It is inspiring, positive, and relevant for women to read, even to this day. However, the rest of this book was hard for me to get through. In reference to the title of my review, I am young and perhaps I can't relate to some of the issues Ms. Friedan has brought up because of the women's movement of the '60's and '70's which has provided me with more opportunity, as a woman, to make life and career choices for myself without pressure or guilt. I am glad that I don't have the restrictions that women had back then and I am so grateful that there were women out there that knew our potential and were not willing to compromise it. But asides from possibly not liking the material because I found it hard to relate to, I did find that Ms.Friedan used alot of subject matter that is at best, subjective (for instance, the chapter Mistaken Choice was absurdly biased-- she makes references that the men in the military that were rejected for service due to mental issues usually came from homes that had doting overly loving mothers, that juvenile deliquency was non-existent in the homes of mothers who worked, that Russian children were more stable and adjusted than American children because their mothers worked or had interests outside the home etc, and that she even goes to imply that over loving a child is more traumatic for the child than raising them in a household where whippings and beatings are frequent possibilties.) There are other scattered observations that she made that I found hard to swallow as well, such as part of the chapter The Sexual Sell which implies that business caters to the homemakers because they do all the buying, and that mothers with careers or serious interests outside the home do not have the time to take to buy from business. I find it hard to believe that big business couldn't capitalize on the working mom. I can't believe that a working mom wouldn't be interested in an appliance that could cut her time to get chores done back then as well as today. That part of the chapter made no sense to me. Basically, I felt that Ms. Friedan used a lot of subjective facts, scare tactics (mother and housewife bashing), and propaganda that was unnecessary, at best, to get to her more inspiring point. I felt that all that "material" detracted from the point of the book, but I am glad I made it all the way through to get to the "New Plan." That's where the "heart of the artichoke" lies. But to those of you who feel that the point of the book is, "women who are unhappy with their lives are this way because they don't have a job" are missing the point. While although it is evident that she found her calling through her career and those around her (upper middle class women with privilege) did the same, her point is for women to challenge themselves and demand more than what is offered. Don't settle for less.
The Feminine Mystique-GREAT service!.......2007-01-11
This book required no wait-time. Great condition, just as I expected. No problems whatsoever!
Friedan and Freud.......2006-10-17
All right.
There seems to be some confusion as to what Ms. Friedan's opinion on Freud was.
To clarify, she WAS NOT A FREUD SUPPORTER!!!
In fact, Freudian thought is entirely contrary to feminist thought.
If you don't believe me, either buy the book or check it out from your local library and see Chapter 5: The Sexual Solipsism of Sigmund Freud.
The following is taken from the first paragraph from that chapter:
"The old prejudices--women are animals, less than human, unable to think like men, born merely to breed and serve men--were not so easily dispelled by the crusading feminists, by science and education, and by the democratic spirit after all. They merely reappeared in the forties, in Freudian disguise. The feminine mystique derived its power from Freudian thought; for it was an idea born of Freud, which led women, and those who studied them, to misinterpret their mothers' frustrations, and their fathers' and brothers' and husbands' resentments and inadequacies, and their own emotions and possible choices in life. It is a Freudian idea, hardened into apparent fact, that has trapped so many American women today."
(Including this paragraph is in no way intended to substitute for reading the entire book. Please buy the book and read it to benefit the most fully from it.)
And for your own edification, Betty Friedan defined the "feminine mystique" as "the problem that has no name"--i.e. what women think when they realize that being a housewife (or what we call today a stay-at-home mom) is not enough for them. That they want more--that they need more. That they need to be given all the same opportunities to develop their personhoods as men have to develop theirs.
In short, the book The Feminine Mystique is about when we, women, realize that we are people too.
The book is about this and nothing more.
And people who say otherwise either haven't read the book or just don't believe that we are people. Maybe they believe that we're just half-people--wombs with brains that are dumber than men's attached to them. Although how they could believe such a thing and actually sleep at night, I do not know.
You'll never quit your job after reading this book.......2006-10-07
I read this book in high school, and was very happy to read it again in my 40s. In each instance, the urgency, and the modern-day applications of this work hit me in the face: the American woman exists in a world with extraordinary pressures. The pressure to get married; the pressure to let a man support you; the pressure to fully believe that unless you live your life through your family and solely through your family that you are somehow a failure.
Some parts of this book feel dated--and certainly the author is concentrating on but a section society: white, college educated, and at the least middle class.
However, look at how our teenager daughters and nieces are being sexualized today--this is only slightly different from the 1950s, where a young girl's sexuality was her primary trading commodity. Look at how the consumer culture continues to influence us. And look at how intelligent women (college educated or not, because there are plenty of smart women who didn't go to college) are still pressured to stay at home. The current cult of the "perfect parent" and "helicopter mother" still stems from the insidious understanding that women must give all to creating a perfect family.
THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE is thought-provoking and still more than a bit scarey. Can anyone imagine a time where your college major was, pretty much, a course in ironing?
If you want to learn more read PINK THINK--more lighthearted but as thought provoking.
Gives insight into feminism's history.......2006-09-16
First of all, I recommend everyone to read the book in order to have an idea where a lot of modern day values come from.
The book recognizes a problem women (as well as all other humans) have to deal with: how to find fulfillment in life. The problem is that Friedan seems to think this problem only concerns housewives and stay at home moms, and that the problem could be solved by those women getting jobs outside the home. An interesting hypothesis, but judging by today's women, clearly wrong. There are plenty of career women that feel rather unfulfilled.
She describes the problem as women slaving away to keep the house perfectly clean and the kids perfectly taken care of, and then getting depressed as a result. They do this out of a perceived societal pressure. To me, the solution seems to be to check whether this is really what their kids and husband want. In reality, probably no-one cares whether you wash the windows once per week or once per month, so you could spend that time thinking about your values in order to raise your kids as moral individuals, or learning about current events, so that you can actually have a real conversation with your husband, or reading a book for fun.
Getting a job because you're feeling unfulfilled trying to outperform Martha Stewart is as much of an escape tactic as becoming an alcoholic. Being a teacher is as much "living through others" as being a mother is. Shuffling papers around like people with average office jobs doesn't intrinsically give any more fulfillment than making a healthy meal for your spouse and kids does.
The book did some good in promoting equal rights for men and women, but also caused a harmful movement that indoctrinates modern girls and women that the *only* path to fulfillment is through employment, which is clearly nonsense. Housewives and mothers can be really valuable to society, which can give them a strong sense of fulfillment.
Aside from the above, the research Friedan did to back up her point was rather bad and biased, with frequent misuse of statistics. A list of factual errors and omissions in her book is listed on this website:
cf.en.cl
In conclusion, the book is important as a historical document, but has to be approached with extreme caution. One could call it propaganda.
- 22yo housewife and part-time science/engineering major
Book Description
This is the tenth anniversary edition of the classic best seller for women seeking their sacred connections. Long ago before the patriarchal period, in many places on Earth, the Goddess was worshipped. Circle of Stones draws us into a meditative experience of the lost Feminine and creates a space for us to consider our present lives from the eyes of women's ancient culture and ritual. Incorporating the most ancient symbol of spirituality — the circle of stones — Duerk weaves stories, dreams, and visions of women to lead each reader into a personal yet archetypal journey, posing the reflective question, "How might your life have been different if . . . ?"
Customer Reviews:
Necessary & Proper for awakening.......2007-04-15
If it speaks to you, try the Women Within weekend experience!
Circle of Stones, Woman's Journey to Herself.......2005-05-02
I can't tell you how this book touched my spirit. "How might (my) life have been different," if I had read this book when I was young and not 52 years. Better yet, how different it might have been if my own mother had read this book, or one like it, when I was young! I have recommended it to every woman who will listen, regardless of age. It is an oh, so gentle, yet oh, so powerful call to reconnect with ourselves and other women for common experience. It is NOT a man bashing book, quite the contrary, it merely calls for natural balance to be restored in our world. If you are a single father of a daughter, I recommend you read this book as a way of guiding your child...read it while she is young for future reference guidance. Mother's, it is not too late for you to learn from this book, and for you to guide your own daughters with it's wisdom.
Ideal for individual reflection.......2004-11-12
Now in a superbly presented fifteenth anniversary edition, Circle Of Stones is a classic spiritual guide for women featuring meditative experiences drawn from ancient cultures and rituals. Vignettes narrating the life journeys and searches of individual women guide the reader into personal reflection. Ideal for individual reflection or for reading aloud among women's circles, this moving vision of past, present, and future for women promotes awareness and understanding of female responsibilities, powers, and dreams. Woman, with a candle lighted/to help her keep faith with her own life.../a centered presence/spreading in concentric circles around her.
Circle of Stones.......2004-03-24
This book is an excellant one to use for women's indepth retreats.
It aids in healing our negative memories. The group would focus on how to expand their horizons, challenge their mind, inspire their spirit while nourishing the soul. It is a good book for a multi-generational women's group. This book helps us to find the path to healing.
A must have for every woman!.......2002-09-12
This book reads like poetry. It is deeply lyrical and has a flow to it like a dreamy, winding stream of music. It draws you in then goes inside of you, affecting your heart and ultimately your soul. There are moments of tears, moments of smiles and moments when you will say, "Ah, I understand that." You simply can't read this book and leave without being changed by it.
Book Description
A revised edition of a landmark work of psychology; the author uses the ancient myth of Amor and Psyche as the springboard for a brilliant, perceptive exploration of how one becomes a mature and complete woman.
Customer Reviews:
A Revealing Treatment of the Psyche/Eros Myth.......2005-08-01
"It is very easy to relegate mythology to a far away place long ago and thus isolate it from the mainstream of here-and-now life." So says Robert A. Johnson in the final chapter of SHE. This short, easy to read book, like Psyche's lamp, sheds light on the inner life of women, as well as the feminine within the male psyche. I've been aware of the Myth of Psyche for many years and have read several books mentioning it. However, I felt the authors often got lost in intellectual jargon or digressive personal experiences, so the meaning of the myth always eluded me. While I had a general idea of its importance, its deeper meanings always remained just out of reach. Johnson systematically takes each stage of the myth apart and shows the reader how it applies to the psyche, and there were many revelations for me in this book. For those who have read SHE and come away unenlightened or confused, I would suggest that perhaps this is not the fault of either author or reader. It does help to have at least a little knowledge of Jungian thought (although Johnson's book could serve as an intriguing introduction to Jungian psychology). I would say that if you're interested in the topic, keep reading about it. Keep building on your knowledge. Over time, your mind will sort out the information--just as the ants help Psyche to sort out the seeds--and you'll come to your own epiphany about the Myth of Psyche, just like I did when I read Johnson's book. I wish readers well in their search.
complex & obtuse.......2001-07-02
I admit, I didn't get it. I bought this book on the strong recommendation of a psychology major, who praised He, She & We (all three books by Johnson). Perhaps my lack of understanding of Jungian theory interfered with my ability to glean meaning from the text.
The book is a short, readable eighty pages, developed around the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche. In Johnson's explanation of how femininity evolves (including the man's feminine side, or anima), a person must go through certain rites of passage, in sequential order, to develop fully as a woman. Psyche must complete four tasks assigned by Aphrodite. Failure to complete any task before nightfall will result in death. The tasks include sorting a pile of many different seeds, collecting golden fleece from rams, filling a crystal goblet with water from the river Styx, and collecting a cask of beauty ointment from Persephone, goddess of the underworld. Johnson explains how each of these tasks represents an evolution in a woman's life (choosing one of the many seeds a man gives to a woman to begin the miracle of birth, gathering the fleece as acquisition of a bit of masculinity necessary to survive in the world, the single goblet of water from Styx as focusing on a single item at once from the vast choices in the universe). The text is rich with metaphor -- marriage as both death and resurrection for a woman, a beautiful oil-burning lamp as a woman's natural consciousness, etc. Interesting, but (at least for me) not particularly enlightening. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I didn't come away with an enhanced understanding of female psychology.
Approachable, Casual Jungian Interpretation.......2001-02-09
This is a short, easy read (about 80 pages) of large-typed, generously-spaced, amply-margined words. Johnson's style is light and casual. Whilst not as in-depth as Marie-Louise Von Franz' treatments, for example, it is also much more approachable and less academically inclined. Still, it provides a concise forray into Jungian thought as related to færy tales and myth.
Whilst the readers of Von Franz might find it too light, I suggest it simply adds to the analytical repertoire. If you enjoy Clarissa Pinkola Estes' work relative to færy tales, you should also enjoy this, too.
Let the Animas Out of Their Cages.......2000-08-15
I picked up this book because I wanted to know more about women. I've been fascinated by them, and irresistably, magnetically attracted to them all of my life. I wanted to understnad a little more about this powerful pull. Women are beautiful, mystical, and wonderfully different. There's that quality in a woman's voice that just doesn't exist in a man's that can make all of the world feel like it's suddenly become light as a feather. There's always been that bewitching paradox about the sexes. We're all human, but our perspectives are inherantly different.
In this slim but nourishing volume, Johnson lucidly examines the Greek myth of Psyche and Cupid. Using Jungian pysychology, he shows that the trials a girl must undertake to become a woman are no different today than they were in the ancient world. Johnson tells us why myth is so important to us as humans. It's one of the truest, clearest records of ourselves. When a myth is passed on from one generation of storytellers to another, it is refined and slowly given its truest shape. The parts that glow are given more emphasis and the parts that don't are left along the way.
As the author stresses, this book is not really about women, but rather about the 'feminine' that exists in both women and to a lesser degree men. In learning to understand the psychological imperatives of the female, not only will a man be more adept in his relationships with women, but he will also better understand his own complex nature.
Very Enjoyable.......1999-11-29
A great presentation of the myth of Psyche and her trials, and integrating that knowledge with his own Jungian analysis. Tells the story well and simple, explaining what the trials in the story of Psyche are telling modern day women and men. The feminine aspects of the human have been trapped somewhere from Ancient Greece to about 1960, and is now slowly revealing itself. Johnson may have a good start and understanding of this knowledge for those who are looking for more of a balance in their lives.
Book Description
In this updated reissue of his 1984 classic, James Fowler applies his groundbreaking research on the development of faith to Christianity. In his revised first chapter Fowler locates his approach to the study of human and faith development in relation to the contemporary conversation about identity and selfhood in postmodernity. Fowler invites readers to explore what it means to find and claim vocation: a purpose for one's life that is part of the purposes of God. Reclaiming covenant and vocation as ideals for responsible, mature, Christian selfhood, Fowler shows how a dynamic understanding of what vocation involves can both inform and transform lives.
Customer Reviews:
Too deep, for a newby........2007-07-25
I was hoping that this book would be more basic in the approach to faith development, but it read like a thesis. He interacted with many of the leading voices, but I was too new to this study to engage completely. There are some helpful elements, but unless you are well versed in this field, the book will be over your head.
An academic text that eventually gets to the point!.......2007-01-09
This book is definitely academic. Perhaps not as academic as Fowler's other books in that it seems ostensibly to be written for layperson, student or educator. However, (and I write this as an academic myself) Fowler seems unable to break free of the academic genre. The book reads like fellow academics were the audience in mind. The standard dance of academic writing is engaged in, everything meticulously argued out using the language of the discipline. All fine and good, but it might tend to lose the layperson. It certainly lost me. Fowler eventually gets to the point, that the key to finding our vocation lies not within us, in our own hopes, desires and needs, but in the faith (and wider) community to which we belong. We need to be outward looking rather than inward looking to find our true vocation. What I said in the last sentence takes Fowler a whole chapter to say. At times I thought he was spinning it out to knock a book out of it, but I genuinely think he can't break out of the mould of the academic writing genre. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read this book, as despite its form, its content is a message worth hearing.
Great.......2007-01-04
This was a great resource in my college studies and my college aged children have read it for personal reference. Quoted in many of other readings I've done on Christian worldviews.
Reconcilating Fowler's 'Faith' and Christian 'Faith'.......2006-01-15
Fowler's Faith Development Theory is commonly being used to describe Christian spiritual growth. Yet, when it was first formulated, Fowler described faith as `seeking meaning in our lives' and universal, thus not limited to Christianity. This theory, which arise out of Piaget's cognitive and Kohlberg's moral development theories are descriptive and did not take into consideration the supernatural/spiritual.
This book was Fowler's attempt to reconcile his development theory to the Christian theological concept of salvation and sanctification. His approach to integrate this is by the concept of vocation which `is the response a person makes with his or her total self to the address of God and to the calling to partnership'. He defined this partnership as synergy between the human potential and the work of the Spirit which he called `grace'. Fowler defined blockage to this synergy as sin and unblocking this synergy as salvation. The aim of this partnership is `in God's work in the world' which Fowler elaborated as partnership with God the Creator, with the governing action of God and in the liberative and redemptive action of God. However, what Fowler was describing are a series of behavioural pattern. Any description of spiritual growth must include a new creation, inner transformation and fruit of the Holy Spirit. One needs to differentiate between descriptors and contents.
Fowler then went on to describe vocation, relationship of vocation and Christian communities and the Christian story. While I agree that our vocation is a call by God for His purpose, I do wish Fowler had explained how the different stages of his theory can be directly linked to the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, justification by faith and the work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us into Christian maturity (Christ-likeness). In the final chapter, he did try again to integrate spiritual maturity and development theories but surprisingly, he used Levinson's seasons of life theory instead of his own. In the end, Fowler did not give a clear picture of the integration of his faith development theory and theology.
Ideas come of age.......2005-10-24
This is a summary of Fowler's theory of the development of faith, and it reflects the clarity and completeness of an idea that has matured and been shaken down to the basics. Also,the discussion of vocation in the last chapters is inspirational and well articulated.
Average customer rating:
- It was not what I was expecting
- Great practical advice
- Aspie Girls finally recognized!
- Voice of Reason, Rays of Hope
- It deserves 3 1/2 stars
|
Asperger's and Girls
Tony Attwood ,
Temple Grandin ,
Teresa Bolick ,
Catherine Faherty ,
Lisa Iland ,
Jennifer McIlwee Myers ,
Ruth Snyder ,
Sheila Wagner , and
Mary Wrobel
Manufacturer: Future Horizons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Development
| Child Psychology
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
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General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Autism & Asperger's Syndrome
| Children's Health
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Special Needs Children
| Children's Health
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
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General
| Special Needs
| Parenting & Families
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ASIN: 193256540X |
Book Description
At last, here is a book that provides up-to-date information about girls and women with Asperger's Syndrome. Covering topics such as diagnoses, education, puberty, relationships, and careers, experts in the field share practical advice for both caregivers and the women and girls who are affected by Asperger's. Other chapters are written by women who have been diagnosed with ASD. They candidly reveal their experiences and compassionately advise others. Finally, this book recognizes the unique problems of girls on the spectrum. About the Authors: Dr. Tony Attwood is the world's foremost authority on Asperger's Syndrome. Dr. Temple Grandin is arguably the most successful woman with autism. Catherine Faherty, Shelia Wagner, Mary Wrobel, and Teresa Bolick are major figures in the Asperger's field. Lisa Iland, who has a brother with autism, offers insightful social advice. Jennifer McIlwee Myers and Ruth Snyder have Asperger's Syndrome; their intriguing stories will make you laugh and cry.
Customer Reviews:
It was not what I was expecting.......2007-10-05
As an Aspie female, I was a little taken back by how much I fit the bill and yet how much I felt the authors assumed we don't understand. I don't think it is so much not "understanding" as an inability to "apply" the information to ourselves. For myself, as I feel that I am on the "outside looking in," the body I see when I look down does not seem to be attached to my brain -- therefore, it is not my body and not my responsibility. I wonder if that statement makes sense to anyone out there?
Great practical advice.......2007-09-10
I bought this for my 20 year old with aspergers, and it has even been helpful for me, not to mention how much she's getting out of it. Several good chapters, and the chapter by Lisa Iland is worth the price of the book by itself--my daughter STUDIES this chapter and has learned so much about social skills for girls her age, and is inspired to seek out more.
Aspie Girls finally recognized!.......2007-07-27
It's about time girls with Asperger's-associated symptoms were acknowledged and discussed. The experts do a good (though somewhat repetitive) job of explaining why it took so long for Aspie girls to be "discovered." But the best thing about this book is the way the adult Asperger's women enlighten us about how these girls feel and think, the kinds of gender specific problems they have, and especially the handy tips about how we who love our Aspie Girls can best help them cope with the difficulties they face. Thanks to all who contributed to this book!
Voice of Reason, Rays of Hope.......2007-07-22
It's high time a book about girls with Asperger's joined the growing plethora of autism/Asperger's (a/A) literature. This is an excellent book that discusses a previously overlooked population, girls on the spectrum. Women From Another Planet?: Our Lives in the Universe of Autism is the ideal companion book to this one as it is a compilation of essays by and about women who are on the spectrum.
How I wish I had this book when I was a tween! It is very enlightening and empowering. Drs. Attwood and Grandin offer their input and I raise my glass to Dr. Attwood for removing the stigma from autism. I think his words of wisdom deserve a place of high honor among a/A and NT (neurotypical) alike. Hats off to Dr. Attwood!
This brilliant and sorely needed work illustrates the social challenges girls with Asperger's face; it offers a nonjudgmental look at how Asperger's behavior is often mistinterpreted by the NT world. Authors McIlwee and Iland are personally involved with Asperger's; McIlwee has Asperger's and Iland's brother and some of her friends are on the spectrum. Hats off to these women for describing the challenges girls with Asperger's face and for speaking to tolerance and the rationale for behaviors that most of the NT world condemns.
This book will take all readers through the emotional spectrum; you will run the gamut from anger; tears; laughter; surprise and hope. Hope is the silver thread that runs throughout this book and is what connects every passage. That silver thread is really a common thread that links all individuals, a/A and NT alike. This book is the voice of reason and hope. We need this book!
It deserves 3 1/2 stars.......2007-02-07
I've read many books on this subject and it wasn't due to lack of knowledge or awareness of it by any means. And no one recommended me to any of the books I read on Aspergers. The Pluses of this is it specifically addresses a group of females who haven't yet been included in books on the subject. One of it's major downers witch it repetedly says in the book is that it isn't much to say about the women now do to lack of research on us. So It says basically nothing new to what I already knew and read. I would say at the most I appreciated 1 and 1/2 chapters in it and the others (some) were good but nothing all that impressive. My fav chapter was written by the author who is one of the least famous writers in the book and the 2 chapters from the most famous people who wrote it were the most dissipointing chapters. And the fact that 3 of the writers all contradicted themselves slightly really bothers me. With the most famous guy being inaccurate. I'm thrilled they r starting a support core and more research for others about us. But, using a role model who doesn't have Aspergers!? Are you serious!? I like Temple Grandid alot but, she doesn't belong in this book!
Book Description
Proving prayer to be as valid and vital a healing tool as drugs or surgery, the bestselling author of Meaning & Medicine and Recovering the Soul offers a bold integration of science and spirituality.
Customer Reviews:
This book literally hit me over the head.......2007-06-14
This book DID literally hit me over the head - in a book shop! I was browsing through the books and this novel fell off the top shelf landing on my head before it hit the floor. At the time I was more interested in the books I had under my arm so I placed it back on the shelf....but 6 months later I regretted that decision and trackedit down.
I have a large interest in Avalon - I find that era particularily fascinating and this book was a great insight but more importantly it was just a great read about one womens journey and connection to Avalon. There are so few books like this around (that I can find) - I am grateful this one smacked me over the head to be noticed, lol!
Appreciated by someone younger also.......2007-04-04
This book was appreciated from perspective of a younger woman also, so not only midlife women will enjoy! Made me think!
Put it all together for me.......2007-01-22
I just read this book as I approach my 60th birthday and am having some discomfort with reaching that age. I had read Crones Don't Whine several years ago also by this author, but didn't connect it when I purchased Crossing to Avalon.
I found this book so interesting, enlightening, and helpful that it will go on the shelf with other books I lend out but always want back. I was able to connect the Goddess ideas with the Jungian archetypes and then directly to how I feel personally in a more direct way than with any previous books I've read. I would highly recommend this book. I'm not sure if it would have made the same great impression on me if I hadn't earlier done some reading on these subjects.
Mythos for Women.......2006-08-26
Crossing to Avalon is part of the Goddess Movement that many women are finding after being raised in male-dominated religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Goddess of Ms. Bolen is almost a material, earthy Person as opposed to the spiritual sky God. The author makes several interesting points about opening oneself to Spirit and accepting the Body as sacred as a monstrance or a shrine. Other reviewers have given their opinions on the strengths of this book, so I will not repeat them here.
The book has many of the same weaknesses as others in the Goddess genre. Avalon posits that before the horrible men got into power and forced their horrible male gods on us, everyone worshipped a Goddess figure and celebrated female things like menstruation, menopause, birth, etc. There was little violence and women ruled over men with their profound wisdom and magic powers.
It does not bother Ms. Bolen, who is a psychiatrist, that there was no writing from these times and therefore no way to really know what the people said or did about almost anything. Feminist spirituality devotees can write a novel about a little figurine that looks like a pregnant (or perhaps obese) female and turn it into the Venus of Willendorf. Reality on the historical front is not as important as creating a misanthropic mythology that puts the Female front and center. I doubt Ms. Bolen would be as open-minded about the medical information she reads in psychiatric review journals. She would want footnotes and facts and testing done, something that is not a part of Goddess History.
I found Ms. Bolen's musings on pregnancy, birth, breast feeding, and menstruation to be fanciful. I doubt that it was "patriarchy" that decided to call menstruation "the curse." I imagine it was coined by women who were sick and tired of bloating and cramping every single month and feeling exhausted and bitchy. There is a reason the birth control pill that allows a woman to bleed only once or twice a year is wildly popular. A lot of male-created religions have menstrual taboos and I used to think they were ridiculous until I thought, "perhaps women started them to give us an excuse to take a break once a month. 'Make dinner? I'm on my period; you know I can't touch your food/go to the mosque/have sex with you for a week!'"
Ms. Bolen's ideology of Body as Sacred ignores that it is our Body that we have in common with every other mammal, and it is only our Minds that have evolved beyond them. A dog menstruates, gives birth, and suckles. It is precisely our Body that gives us a disadvantage to men -- before antibiotics and hospital births, women died years and years before men. Before chemical birth control a woman could expect to become pregnant every year until menopause, and traditional families all over the world had more kids than you can count with your fingers. Before formula, children sometimes died because their mothers did not make enough milk to sustain them. Women are on the average smaller, weaker, and slower than men. This sort of feminist spirituality seems to take what makes us vulnerable to "patriarchal oppression" and celebrate it. It reminds me of Buffy the Vampire, where anorexic Sarah Michelle Gellar would fight off males who could have snapped her neck in a second and not broken a sweat. THAT is the reality of the female body.
I admit that I hold to an Aristotelian view of the Primacy of the Mind and not the Body, and I am not an epiphenominalist as I think Jean Bolen appears to be. This influences the way I read books like this. I get the impression as I read that Ms. Bolen is soooo spiritual that she can miss that "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Women consoling each other becomes a Goddess infusion in her mind, rather than the very physical brain response that people and animals get when touched and comforted. The fact that the author is a psychiatrist interests me, since she does not appear to hold that emotions and responses are related to a physical brain but are instead part of a numinous Thing that lives within us, perhaps the Goddess.
I am a man, watch me roar (if I have to I can do anything - I am stong, I am invincible...I am mannnnnnn).......2006-02-21
You know, I have to say - this book is awesome - especially if you are a woman.
I am not.
I am reading this as a women's studies requirement at a "womens centered" university I attend (what can I say?).I am struggling to read this book and find parallels to the male journey... argh. If you are a guy, skip this!
I know all of you are going to click on the "no" helpful voting button for this review - I don't care.CLICK IT TWICE FOR ALL I GIVE A RATS TUSHY. I just spent more than 800 bucks AND WASTED 3 MONTHS OF MY LIFE to take this class called the 'Psychology of Women' that took me on a womans mid life spiritual quest. Men, stay away from this book. Women, bare your teeth and vote NO to this review because I am evil. Thank you.
Average customer rating:
- a lot of good information here
- Using our own brain to make the mind our best friend
- FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT!
- To long LIFE!
- Powerful Piece for Women and the Men Who Love Them
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The New Feminine Brain: Developing Your Intuitive Genius
Mona Lisa Schulz
Manufacturer: Free Press
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ASIN: 0743243072 |
Amazon.com
Dr. Mona Lisa Schulz reveals the intricate science behind women's intuition in The New Feminine Brain, and shows that while ignoring one's sixth sense can devastate the body, honoring its messages can lead to greater creativity, improved physical well-being, and joy. Coming from the pen of a board certified neuropsychiatrist, neuroscientist and medical intuitive, the topic receives just as much clinical attention as it does the breathe-out-and-tune-in type. Schulz begins with a crash course in neuropsychiatry to illustrate how the female brain's innate adaptability has caused women to literally rewire their thinking for survival in today's (man's) world. Unfortunately, the body doesn't always buy what the new feminine brain is selling. The result can mean disaster to a woman's health. Pinpointing the true source of one's physical aches, infections, diseases, and psychoses requires an honest look within.
Embracing her own Attention Deficit Disorder, Schulz zooms from rich discussions about gender brain wiring to quick patient stories, to questionnaires that help readers learn how their own brains are "wired for mood," "wired for fear," or wired for early senility. It's an interactive ride punctuated by dizzying lists, charts, and checklists that involve frequent page-flipping. Schulz point out that detailed descriptions of prescriptive medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements (complete with dosage recommendations and cautions regarding drug interaction), all include a caveat: simply medicating the body doesn't promise long-term physical and emotional health. Here, intuition must preside. Schulz responds with multiple strategies to help women nurture even the tiniest inner voice, and become their own best medical intuitives.--Liane Thomas
Customer Reviews:
a lot of good information here.......2007-08-28
The writing style Mona Lisa uses feels somewhat academic. It's not a quick read, but it is worth the effort.
Using our own brain to make the mind our best friend.......2007-03-16
Mona Lisa is a double doctor and still remains board-certified and licensed. This tells you alot about her integrity and credibility from the start. Female brains differ from woman to woman and the unique constructions are what Mona Lisa works with. This book really is about working with your own wisdom and harnesing your own brain power to access intuitive genious. No two people are the same. Intuition and the intellect are together a powerful suportive force. Follow Mona Lisa's instructions on your brain style and see what unfolds. This is a winner.
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT!.......2006-10-15
Exhilerating and fast-paced with life changing information contained in each paragraph on every page. Mona Lisa Schultz has a keen, marvelous, and wicked sense of humor that radiates healing energy from cover to cover. I look forward to reading it again and remembering even MORE after implementing her plan for menopausal memory loss and improving attention span. I highly recommend this transformational book.
To long LIFE!.......2006-04-20
Such a unique approach to life. Loved it. Yes, using our inner voice/intuition brings us closer to long-term physical and emotional health.
Also a good addition are great services such as the Health Club for the Mind Agogus.com, which keep you mentally stimulated, healthy and confident. Now that we can live older, we have no other choice than to make use of all those great tools. To long LIFE!
Powerful Piece for Women and the Men Who Love Them.......2006-03-01
Even though it is clinical in spots, after years of reading books on similar subjects, this book is definitive in its value to women, especially to those of us who want clear and direct information. I recommend this book to all women, regardless of age, as well as the men who love them.
Joanne Victoria
http://www.JoanneVictoria.com
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The Fear of the Feminine
Erich Neumann
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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ASIN: 0691034737 |
Book Description
These essays by the famous analytical psychologist and student of creativity Erich Neumann belong in the context of the depth psychology of culture and reveal a prescient concern about the one-sidedness of patriarchal Western civilization. Neumann recommended a "cultural therapy" that he thought would redress a "fundamental ignorance" about feminine and masculine psychology, and he looked for societal healing to a "matriarchal consciousness" that forms the bridge between the feminine and the creative.
Brought together here for the first time, the essays in the book discuss the psychological stages of woman's development, the moon and matriarchal consciousness, Mozart's Magic Flute, the meaning of the earth archetype for modern times, and the fear of the feminine. In Mozart's fantastic world, Neumann saw a true Auseinandersetzung--the conflict and coming-to-terms with each other of the matriarchal and the patriarchal worlds. Developing such a synthesis of the feminine and the masculine in the psychic reality of the individual and of the collective was, he argued, one of the fundamental, future-oriented tasks of both the society and the individual.
Customer Reviews:
A Veil is Lifted.......2007-02-13
Neumann's insight of this intricate psychology simply amazed me. I read this book a couple of years ago so I have a difficult time recalling particular passages. What did strike me though was how the fear of the feminine, is so often morphed into the blaming of 'woman.' What I took from this book is that the fear of the feminine, is the fear of coming to consciousness, a fear of developing a deeper relationship to one's self or soul. Unfortunately, this fear of the feminine principal often becomes distorted and turned into humanity's fear of 'woman.' What is feared, ultimately, is what grants freedom. In other words, like Eve, the feminine principal may seduce, but it is in the call to higher consciousness.
Mel Mathews is the author of several novels, including: LeRoi, Menopause Man, and SamSara...
Book Description
In this engaging commentary, the distinguished analyst and author Marie-Louise von Franz shows how the Feminine reveals itself in fairy tales of German, Russian, Scandinavian, and Eskimo origin, including familiar stories such as "Sleeping Beauty," "Snow White and Rose Red," and "Rumpelstiltskin." Some tales, she points out, offer insights into the psychology of women, while others reflect the problems and characteristics of the anima, the inner femininity of men. Dr. von Franz discusses the archetypes and symbolic themes that appear in fairy tales as well as dreams and fantasies, draws practical advice from the tales, and demonstrates its application in case studies from her analytical practice.
Customer Reviews:
Archetype in Fairy Tale.......2007-05-24
This book is a rich source of understanding for anyone interested in working to understand the deeper meanings of fairy tales in the cultures of the world.
Enlightening Discernment Between the Feminine & Anima.......2004-01-19
There are not very many fairy tales geared towards the real woman and the real woman's needs and life journey. Most fairy tales with female characters are based around the real man's inner woman - the anima. Von Franz accurately points out some of the fairy tales which point the way to healing for women, and delves into the meaning of their symbols. Even those who only have a rudimentary idea of Jungian concepts would learn a lot from The Feminine in Fairy Tales. I have read the book several times, learning more and more from each reading. I highly recommend it.
Enlightening Discernment Between the Feminine & Anima.......2001-01-23
There are not very many fairy tales geared towards the real woman and the real woman's needs and life journey. Most fairy tales with female characters are based around the real man's inner woman - the anima. Von Franz accurately points out some of the fairy tales which point the way to healing for women, and delves into the meaning of their symbols. Even those who only have a rudimentary idea of Jungian concepts would learn a lot from The Feminine in Fairy Tales. I have read the book several times, learning more and more from each reading. I highly recommend it.
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FEMININE MISTAKE, THE: ARE WE GIVING UP TOO MUCH?
