I am extremely passionate about women’s health. I’ve been obsessed by the idea of women’s circles and the sacred feminine since my mid teens and now as a Teen Yoga teacher I am currently creating lessons and workshops specifically for Teen girls in which I’ll facilitate yoga Menarche sessions and empowering blessing ceremonies centered around the moon, flowers, the seasons and connecting to the divine feminine from within. I want to lead ‘Red Tents’ and nature inspired women’s circles, bringing yoga, dance, art making, massage, reiki and meditation into the mix and so I’ve been researching a good number of books to inspire me as I create these sacred feminine workshops for Teen girls and Women alike- perhaps even Mother & Daughter workshops? From all I’ve read, these are my favourite books on the topic of goddesses and finding your inner goddess.

Awakening Shakti: : The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga by Sally Kempton

This is a book to slowly savour and steep. The author presents information of Hindu Goddesses in an accessible and compelling way. Each chapter, which follows the same format, is centered around a specific goddess and includes meditations to help the reader manifest the goddess and her energy. Even if you don’t particularly believe in Hinduism or goddesses, a person could benefit from reading this book by exploring personality archetypes. Each person embodies a combination of Hindu goddess archetypes, and it can be helpful when you want to enhance or diminish certain aspects of your personality. Awakening Shakti is an amazing introduction to divine feminine wisdom packed full of info, practical exercises and visualization. Every Woman who relishes her feminine energy and time to herself should invest in this book.
Beautifully written and a keepsake by the bedside.
Buy the book here: Awakening Shakti

The Red Tent: A Novel by Anita Diamant

This is an epic tale based on the Biblical character Dinah and her life. I found the story very moving with poetic sentences throughout, giving the entire story a dream-like feel within a historical context. I found myself being envious of the close, nurturing relationship that the women share in the book, especially when they are in the red tent (birthing or menstruating). It’s rather sad that men have nothing equivalent and what passes for “male bonding” is, in my opinion, quite pathetic and immature in comparison (beers and football? Gimme a break!). And may be it’s even sadder that, as far as I know, now there is nothing remotely like that for women either.

There is a strong theme of Goddess worshiping and celebration of the female power in the story. The contrast between Jacob’s masculine god and Dinah and her mothers’ gods/goddesses is quite stark and it left me wondering just how our modern world might have been different had the masculine Judaeo-Christian God not supplanted the Goddess pantheism which had existed for thousands of years before. This a story that very much appealed to me on an emotional and intellectual level. Highly recommended!
Buy the Book here: The Red Tent: A Novel

The Red Tent Resource Kit by Molly Remer

This book has lots of great ideas for ceremonies, activities and a list of resources. I see it as a buffet of choices, it’s fun to pick and choose how to put them together. Wonderful way to freshen up an existing Red Tent or great for creating a new experience for women! The information within the pages are solid and well researched. The author clearly loves being a red tent facilitator and she offers some beautiful yet simple ideas in this tome. If you hungering for depth, connection, restoration, and renewal in a busy world? If you yearning to reach out to other women in sisterhood and co-create a powerful Red Tent Circle experience?  Then this collection of essays and ritual resources is for you. You will find four complete Red Tent “recipes,” circle leadership basics, moontime musings, and readings, quotes, and poems to help you facilitate a rich, inviting, welcoming, creative space for the women of your community.
Buy the book here: The Red Tent Resource Kit

Sacred  Circles: A Guide to Creating your own Women’s Spirituality Group by Robin Deen Carnes

This is an interesting collection of experience in relation to women’s spiritual experience, individual and in groups. It presents a variety of frameworks within which groups have formed and guidelines within which groups have achieved a level of positive interactions. It includes examples such as using storytelling and ritual as vehicles to bring a group closer together. This guide book offers practical advice as well as inspiration for starting a women’s spirituality circle. The information about anticipating problems is especially relevant, and useful guidance is offered. Authors acknowledge they are not experts or professionals  which is refreshing! Yet many of their ideas are based in sound academic principles, as well as common sense and inner guidance.  From Jewish to Christian, Mormon and Pagan, women’s sacred circles are sprouting up everywhere, in astonishing variety providing a haven where essential female values can be discussed and embraced. This book offers a step by step guide to creating and leading your very own!
Buy the book here: Sacred Circles: A guide to creating your own Women’s spirituality group.

Moon Mother, Moon Daughter by Terri Alison

Inside this book are  myths and Rituals that Celebrate a Girl’s Coming-of-Age is chewy and concise, informing moms about how they can honor the sacredness of being female. Authors Lucy and Allison weave moon and goddess mythology and provide a myriad of activities for moms and daughter to do independently and together–to encourage reflection, introspection, understanding, and celebration of becoming and being a woman.

Among topics addressed in the book are the value of spending time alone, how to guide your daughter in awakening and connecting to her inner wisdom and intuition, how to guide her in finding and having confidence in expressing her voice, and the power of honoring your body.

As the cover of Moon Mother, Moon Daughter promises, the advice has new-age overtones, using the moon as a guide and metaphor (the most sacred feminine) throughout the book. However, any mum can easily draw upon the ideas and tweak them to fit into and guide her relationship with her daughter. This is a terrific book with wonderful goddess mythology to share and empowering ideas from which to borrow.
Buy the book here: Moon Mother, Moon Daughter

Wild Feminine by Tami Lynn Kent

This is a fantastic book for deepening your relationship with your womanhood. It guides you through a series of exercises to connect physically and psychically to your womb, ovaries and vagina. A book that is deeply needed, Tami delves into the relationship between the health of our pelvic bowl and female organs and our ability to stay united with our instinctual female essence – which can be a challenge in the modern world. Tami has really walked the walk and the book radiates the knowledge and balance that can only be gained from many years experience. Compassionate and grounded in it’s approach, full of heart and hope, I recommend this book unreservedly to anyone working to reclaim health and wholeness. Fascinating ways to acknowledge and accept our feminity instead of, at best, taking it for granted or, at worst, denigrating ourselves as the culture encourages. This book is Empowering and enabling.
Buy the book here: Wild Feminine

Red Moon by Miranda Gray

A cohesive collection of stories, exercises, and information with a mingling of ancient and modern wisdom for the understanding of the cyclical nature of womanhood and what it means for you physically, mentally, creatively, emotionally, sexually, energetically and spiritually.
 If you are drawn towards learning more about the aspects of your menstrual cycle outside of just the biology of it, this book is just so wonderful in doing just that!  You will gain a much deeper connection and view of your bleeding, as well as the other phases (before ovulation, during ovulation, before menstruation and during menstruation). The exercises are incredible with such intense and vivid visualizations which will open up an  awareness of the energies of each phase where you’ll discover your magic, art and your lifestyle will greatly enhance. I like the idea of the moon dials and can’t wait to begin traditions to pass on to my future generations. This book is one I will be referring to often in my life, as well as passing its teachings, and its content on to my children, and any other women who are yearning to feel the sacred connection in depth! It fills me with longing for ritual and community with other moon sisters and mothers!
Buy the book here: Red Moon

Here is another book review of books on the topic of the sacred feminine: Empowering books for Wild Women

I’ve also written book reviews for Yogi Approved click, on the links below:
Six Soulful books for the summer
Five books for the Winter reading list
Five books for your Fall reading list

And Bad Yogi:
8 Poetry books to inspire your yoga practice
4 books by inspiring yoga teachers

I am available to review copies and creating sponsored blog content, visit my contact page for details.
Please note that I do not accept self-published books or e-books for review.