Journey to the Dark Goddess

This book is a practical guide to navigating the difficult times of life from a Reclaiming Witchcraft perspective.Jane Meredith aptly points out society's unhelpful perspective of despair as failure or a roadblock toward wholeness. On the contrary, she compares the "journey to the dark goddess" to the stages of the moon: 1. feeling the pull towards the dark (waning moon), 2. being immersed in darkness (new moon), 3. venturing out of the darkness (waxing moon), 4. experiencing the brightness of life as an integrated whole (full moon.) Using three myths, her experiences in a group as well as her own personal accounts of this journey, Jane Meredith gives ritual ideas, poetic examples of this process and "mapping" suggestions (recording one's experience) to help the reader navigate their own dark times with compassion. She inspires these spiritual pioneers to allow darkness to come when the soul alerts us that it's time to go down deep.One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it doesn't discount the severity of depression. Jane Meredith gives "trigger warnings" before explaining the nuts and bolts of certain rituals, emphasizing the importance of self care and creating a support system to check-in with during this process. To me, this means doing the difficult work while also being kind to oneself and realistic about potential outcomes.This book is not just for witches or pagans! The enclosed exercises and stories are applicable to people from all walks of life. A must read!

Jane Meredith takes the reader down to the Underworld to confront and heal one’s inner darkness in Journey to the Dark Goddess: How To Return To Your Soul. Focusing on the goddesses that exemplify the archetype of the Dark Goddess, Jane Meredith does the Shadow Self justice by not condemning or neglecting it, but rather viewing it as a divine aspect of the self and finding the gifts of healing and integration through confronting and working with it. While the books seems focused on women as an audience, I think anyone willing to push themselves out of their comfort zone for the purpose of healing can gain something from this book, regardless of gender.Drawing on myths of dark goddesses and their journey into the Underworld such as Inanna, Psyche and Persephone – Meredith illustrates the gifts that come with exploring one’s own darkness with honesty. The book is a mix of neo-paganism, Jungian theory and shamanistic journeying. Dark goddesses demand a lot of internal work, work that often feels like sacrifice – but it is here that we gain their greatest gifts and blessings – that of personal transformation and liberation. Full of fantastic exercises and wisdom, the book bravely tackles some very difficult subjects such as depression, fear, existential crises, and trauma. Best of all, the book is full of anecdotes from the author sharing her own journeys to the underworld and her own journey of healing.

I chose this book because I needed to deeply reflect on the possibility of ending a relationship. I am new to the neo-paganism in general. I found myself lost in the explanation of the myths. They seemed to drag on, but from what I understood they helped me to understand how the journey to the Underworld would be. I enjoyed doing the rituals because they helped me do some deep soul searching.

Jane Meredith's book is both well organized and articulate. It gave me the kind of streamlined kind of instructions to dig deep into the stuff I didn't know I was avoiding. She takes you to the dark places unapologetically and brings you back up. Her writing is both "unfluffy" and vulnerable. Even though our lives are so different, I found myself constantly relating to her own story.I probably spent 4 years looking for a book along these lines. I've read all kinds of books and been to a good share of hippie-dippy bright and shiny workshops while living in Southern California the last bunch of years. None of them had the depth I was looking for. I'm not wiccan nor practiced in ritual but found the instructions easy to navigate. The entirety of the book contains the kind of wisdom I've been waiting for for a long time.Warning: This is not the kind of fluffy self-help book you'll find on the shelves of a chain book store. It's not meant to destress you, or make you happier about your life right now. The exercises and rituals are meant to turn your world upside down a little bit (or in my case a lot) so you can re-emerge your true self.I was so inspired by the book I sought out her website and joined her online/ phone course. I can't recommend it enough.

Jane Meredith shows us that in order to break our unhealthy patterns we must confront ourselves and in so doing be reborn. Journey to the Dark Goddess shows us how to realistically pursue our healing by facing our inner self and the things we fear most. In that process we can learn to appreciate our dark journeys and the low points in our life or at the very least recognize the necessity of them. We all have our lessons to learn. She gives us some help getting through these lessons and some shortcuts we might use. Albeit, shedding the snake skin of our old self in the underworld is the ultimate goal - Ms. Meredith is not giving us an easy way out. Journey to the Dark Goddess is informative reading that transforms the soul. In my opinion, it is a journey worth pursuing - read the book!

Obwohl geübt und trainiert tief in die verwundenen Wege des Unbewussten hineinzugehen, fand ich mich durch dieses Buch herausgefordert. Das macht man nicht so eben zwischendurch. Das erfordert eine sorgfältige Vorbereitung und einen Ankerpunkt in der "Oberwelt". Ich habe begonnen, mir die Schritte in einer Extra-Kladde zurechtzulegen und werde erst dann die Arbeit beginnen.Es wird sich lohnen.

One di the most inspiring book I’ ve ever read!

An incredible book. At the time of purchase it really did help me prepare for embracing the shadow/hidden self of me. The journey also prepared me to release a lot of the attachments that others had placed upon me. A great book for the magickally inclined who are seeking the truth inside the cave they are now ready to enter.

I say surprisingly as I am not someone who likes etherial approaches to healing. As a counsellor, I am practical in my approach to clients and in my own healing. However, this is a really kind and warm book. It talks to the woman who is slightly older, who wonders what on earth their role is now. It looks at ageing as a welcoming, positive process - rather than one that is to be tolerated. It helped me see that this 'third age' of living (not youth, not middle aged) is one of opening up, not closing down.

Received book from Amazon if a timely fashion., Great book. Very Pleased with the purchase.