Guest Author - Deanna Joseph
As a folklore writer, I am always interested in acquiring new research materials for my library. As I already have a pretty extensive library, when I first saw “Goddess Alive!” by Michelle Skye I wondered if it could possibly offer me any information I didn’t already have access to.
I was pleasantly surprised. The first section I turned to was the chapter on the Valkyries. I was so pleased to find that this chapter not only contained information about the Norse Goddesses who escort the slain battle heroes to Valhalla, and the Norse Goddess Freyja, but it also had some information on Brunhildr (sometimes spelled Brynhilde) that I’d never seen before. The names of the Valkyries are also given.
Goddess Alive! features 13 goddesses from Norse and Celtic folklore. They are connected to either seasonal dates or moon phases.
The first part of the book is titled “The Turning of the Year” and features the following goddesses:
The Winter Solstice: Cerridwyn, Welsh Goddess of Rebirth and Renewal
Imbolc: Brigid, Irish Goddess of Fire
The Spring Equinox: Eostre, Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring
Beltane: Freyja, Norse Goddess of Love and War
The Summer Solstice: Aine, Irish Goddess of Faeries and Fertility
Lammas/Lughnasadh: Danu, Irish Mother Goddess of Wisdom
The Autumn Equinox: Modron, Welsh Mother Goddess of Mystery
Samhain: Hella, Norse Goddess of the Underworld
The second part of the book is titled “The Faces of the Moon” and features the following goddesses:
Waxing Moon: Branwen, Welsh Goddess of Sovereignty
Full Moon: Maeve, Irish Goddess of Personal Power
Waning Moon: The Valkyries, Norse Goddesses of Battle Magic and Soul Journey
Dark Moon: Morrighan, Irish Goddess of Magic and Death
New Moon: Rhiannon, Welsh Great Queen and Horse Goddess
Each chapter is laid out into sections which include information on that particular goddess, the holiday or moon that they represent, a guide to a pathworking for that particular goddess, a guided meditation, an invocation to that goddess, an activity, and then a ritual.
The guided meditation is visually appealing, and rather complex, so you’d either want to record it or have someone read it to you. In the chapter on the Valkyries I chose to read the meditation several times over, then I just did the meditation on my own. I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as recording it myself first, but it can definitely be done.
The information on the different goddesses is extensive and well-researched, and the details on the holidays and moon times are very informative. For the spiritual soul, the pathworking, activity and rituals are beautifully done and are sure to please.
Much more than a simple guide to ancient goddess mythology, I found “Goddess Alive!” to be not only informative, but beautifully laid out and rich in tradition and legend. I thoroughly enjoyed Michelle Skye’s easy to read (and understand) writing style, and the illustrations by Kris Waldherr were beautifully done. I would highly recommend it to not only the folklore buff, but to all those interested in furthering their own spiritual practice.
