Feminine Mysticism in Art: Artists Envisioning the Divine - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1732692416 ISBN 13: 9781732692411

Publisher: Awakening Soul Wisdom, 2018

Synopsis

Silver Nautilus Book Award--Art & Photography; Next Generation Indie Book Award--Gold--Spirituality.

There is a growing awareness that we are threatened as a species and planet unless we have a radical shift in consciousness, and the re-emergence of the Goddess is becoming the symbol and metaphor for this transformation. Feminine Mysticism in Art fills the void of Goddess imagery and wisdom in the West by providing images and writings offered by 70 contemporary visionary artists and writers (male and female) who have committed their life's work to the re-birth of the Divine Feminine in the West. Some of the visionary artists are: AfraShe Asungi, Yasmin Hernandez, Martina Hoffmann, Autumn Skye Morrison, Hrana Janto, Penny Slinger, Carrie Ann Baade, Heather Taylor, Mark Henson, Abba Yahudah, David Joaquin, Andrew Annenberg, Paul Heussenstamm, etc. Some of the visionary writers are: Anne Baring, Margaret Starbird, Arisika Razak, Vicki Noble, Llewellyn Vaughn Lee, Lotus Linton, Sandra Ingerman, Hank Wesselman, Martin Ball. It is an epic co-creative effort by powerful voices in the Women's Spirituality movement, the Inter-Spirituality movement, the Transcendental Art movement, and the Ecological movement.

The mission of the book is to not only document a genre of art referred to as Feminine Mysticism or Goddess Art, but also to reveal powerful images of the Divine in his and her myriad of forms. The ultimate mission of the book is to assist humanity in evolving our conceptualization of the Divine, transcending out of antagonistic, dualistic, and hierarchical gender associations and into a new mode of consciousness that is more inclusive of all of God's creation. In order for this to occur, however, it is essential that the sacred feminine be firmly rooted in human consciousness.  Since the masculine side of God has been so heavily portrayed in Western culture, a large number of people are yearning for images of the Goddess in order to provide alternatives to the conventional dominance of men in religion and society. In contrast, the Goddesses show us that the female can also be symbolic of all the is creative and powerful in the universe as well as provide us with an orientation that can help us save the planet from ecological destruction.

Although the reign of matriarchal societies is long gone, the time of union between the masculine and feminine principles are close at hand. The Goddess is revealing herself to the human psyche in an assortment of ways, from the arts to the sciences.  Her re-emergence is crucial to our society's shift into a new paradigm, a symbiotic union between the masculine and feminine aspects within the human psyche, society, and the world of spirit.  However, before this shift in consciousness can occur, the awakening of the Divine Mother needs to occur on a worldwide level, which is why is crucial to get as many images of HER as possible into the public's view at this time.

See book's website: www.mysticspiritart.com

About this title

About the Author:

Victoria Christian is the head editor of Feminine Mysticism in Art. She is also a contributing artist and writer and she integrated the creative visions of over 65 contributors. Raised in the quaint town of Ashland, Victoria Christian was blessed to grow up in the emerald forests of Southern Oregon, learning as much as she could about the Gaian rhythms of life. She is an avid hiker and biker, which have taken her to some of the most pristine places on the West Coast. She graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelors of Science in 1996, majoring in Sociology and Women's Studies. In 2011, she graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona with a Masters in Applied Sociology, with an emphasis in Social Theory, Sociology of Art, Sociology of Gender and Psychoanalytic Sociology (4.0 student). She did her thesis research on Women Artists and Identity Formation in a Postmodern Society, which turned out to be a major critique of culture and the art world. This entailed qualitative research methods and in-depth interviews with a random sample of artists (50). What emerged from her research was a developmental model of artistic identity development, which revealed the stages that most women go through in their identification process. She wrote a thesis, which was later condensed and published in academic journals and magazines. She is in the process of compiling this rich research into a book, as it can serve to empower women artists in a rationally and scientifically oriented culture that is in many ways antithetical to creative and spiritual development. Victoria started a second piece of research in 2002 on Feminine Mysticism in Art, which eventually led to the creation of this book. Upon interviewing several mystical artists (male and female), she discovered that most of them were extremely gifted and felt marginalized by the traditional gallery scene simply because their work was "too spiritual," "too political" and "too feminist." As a result, all of the artists felt it was necessary to harness their mission and "publish the map" in order to get their images into the world without compromising their spiritual and visionary voices. The book evolved over 12 years and includes the creative visions of over 65 emerging and established visionary writers and artists. It will no doubt be a powerful contribution to the Transcendental Art Movement, the Women's Spirituality Movement, the Inter-Spirituality Movement and the Ecological Movement. In 2015, Victoria received a second Masters of Social Work through Portland State University and has been working in the trenches helping extremely vulnerable and oppressed people get connected to community resources and social support. She also has a thriving counseling and life coaching practice called Guanyin Healing Arts. For more information about her therapeutic modalities and counseling philosophy, please see her website: www.guanyinhealingarts.com As a sacred activist, Victoria wants to continue working as an avatar for the Goddess, assisting the awakening of human consciousness and empowering visionaries to change the world. She has done numerous lectures promoting the book. She has also lectured and done therapeutic workshops on "Healing the Feminine Wound," "Harnessing your Creative Genius," and "Artists and Identity Formation." In 2009, Victoria produced an animated visionary art DVD titled Feminine Mysticism in Art: Artists Envisioning the Divine, which has been featured at various music/art festivals, theatrical performances and spiritual conferences across the globe. To see a trailer and purchase the DVD, see the website: www.mysticspiritart.com.

Review:

"Art, in its highest form, is direct connection with divine source. Art communicates to our soul beyond words and concepts, and can transmit Universal Truth. Feminine Mysticism in Art beautifully shares vast collections of the art of our times, expressing the power and presence of the Divine Feminine and Primordial Sacred Union. I found this book to be an important and timely spiritual and political resource, that shares deeply the empowerment of the feminine, during these evolutionary times."

Andrew Harvey, Founder and Director of the Institute of Sacred Activism, 

"The mystical feminine has a vital part to play in the present work of global healing and transformation. Feminine Mysticism in Art awakens us to HER central role. These images and mystical writings speak directly to the soul, reminding us of her eternal presence, her power, and beauty."

Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee, Ph.D, Sufi teacher, author of numerous books on the Divine Feminine 

"This exquisite book of astonishing and often haunting images of the Divine Feminine and Sacred Union created by contemporary artists will encourage us to embrace a new reality--that an exclusively masculine image of the Divine is not, and can never be, whole without HER." 

Margaret Starbird, M.A, author of "The Woman With The Alabaster Jar."

"In this masterpiece, the editors Victoria Christian and Susan Stedman, a mother/daughter team, give us a vision of where we are going as a human species--to a more integrated consciousness where the excuses of dualism no longer hold us hostage.  This rare collection of new spiritual art demonstrates how artists are once again leading the way into uncharted territory of human evolution.  It is tremendous contribution to the women's spirtuality movment and is a must read for any women's studies, transpersonal psychology, sociology, or transcendental art programs."

Debra Giusti, Founder of Harmony Festival, Wishing Well Productions 

"The reclaiming of the Divine Feminine is not just a means to women's wholeness, but a necessity for men's completeness and overall societal balance as well. Our ability to envision the Divine is a pathway towards bringing it back into practical daily life. And in this beautiful book and DVD project, the marriage of exquisite sacred art and words combines into a beautiful, inspiring vision of that Divinity." 

Brooke Medicine Eagle, author of Buffalo Woman Comes Singing and The Last Ghost Dance. 

Celebrating the wondrous diversity of the global visionary culture in a refreshingly feminine light, Victoria Christian's encyclopedic and scholarly book shares a profound menage of arts and mystical writings. This uniquely post-postmodern media is overflowing with magic and is sure to charge up your creative chi. This visionary primer is a must-have for any arts aficionados and scholars. It will no doubt inspire imaginations everywhere."

Delvin Solkinson, PhD, Managing Editor of CoSM Journal of Visionary Culture 

"If Victoria Christian's Feminine Mysticism in Art were nothing more than the reproductions of stunning and provacative images that she collected, you'd have yourself and artbook of extraordinary beauty and depth. But it's so much more. If you can accept her invitation to bring your "beginner's mind" to this book, you have in store one of the most profound journeys into appreciation of divine mystery that you'll ever experience.  What a vast achievement of art and language."

Jeff Golden, Politician, Sacred Activist, and creator and host of public televisions, Immense Possibilities, 

About this edition

• Publisher: Awakening Soul Wisdom
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1732692416
• ISBN 13: 9781732692411
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 434
• Editor: Christian Victoria, Stedman Susan