“The Heart of the Goddess dives deep into the realm of the feminine spirit of the Earth. This beautiful book shares how every continent and culture represents a different pulse of her heartbeat, manifesting in many faces and teachings for how to harmonize with
universal creativity and compassionate intimacy.”
—Melissa K Nelson, PhD, President, The Cultural Conservancy

“A loving contribution towards illuminating the many attributes of the great, great Goddess. Intuitive and practical, Hallie Iglehart Austen’s work will nourish and heal its readers on many levels.”
—Marija Gimbutas, author of The Language of the Goddess

“In a world where, separation, isolation, alienation, and violence threaten Our Earth, these images reconnect us to the Great Mother of Us All, She Who Never Dies, Ever Renewed, Woman Constantly Birthing Humanity.”
—Luisah Teish, author of Jambalaya:
The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical Ritual

“A collection of more than 70 Goddess figures from cultures throughout the world. Each is a treasure… inspiring us to embody the Goddess’s virtues in our lives.”
—Yoga Journal

“This book is a visual and spiritual wellspring, brimming with images of the Goddess, the sacred art … found scratched on cave walls, painted on vases, carved in stone and molded in clay, images of the Mother of creation—a whole bookful of beautiful Goddesses.
Each image is accompanied by a short introduction, a poem, and some suggestions for opening the way to deeper appreciation.
Looking at these images, and reading the prayer and poetry, kicked up a swirl of recognition and a tickle of joy in my heart. It’s wonderful to see maternity and femininity so honored in sacred art. The time I spent contemplating these made me feel healed, initiated, and refreshed.”
—Carolyn Garcia, Whole Earth Review

“… a mythical journey to every corner of the Earth.…a delightful book of life affirming legends, rituals, and images that help us envision a more balanced and creative world.”
—Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice and the Blade

“A beautiful book … an excellent resource for information and inspiration from many cultures.”
—Starhawk, author of The Spiral Dance and The Fifth Sacred Thing 

The Heart of the Goddess dives deep into the realm of the feminine spirit of the Earth. This beautiful book shares how every continent and culture represents a different pulse of her heartbeat, manifesting in many faces and teachings for how to harmonize with
universal creativity and compassionate intimacy.”
—Melissa K Nelson, PhD, President, The Cultural Conservancy

“A powerful and illuminating book for our time, a book full of vision, wisdom, courage and compassion.”
—Roshi Joan Halifax, Upaya Zen Center, author of Standing at the Edge

“What a treasure! Decades of scholarship and oceans of love have been poured into gathering this exquisite collection of goddesses from all the world’s wisdom traditions. By gazing at the images and contemplating their stories, I felt myself joyously reclaiming the feminine face of the Holy One that has been imprinted on my own heart all along. I love love love this book.”
—Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity

“Here is the collective vision of women in all the colors of all our peoples. This is our heritage; this is our contemporary wisdom. This is the guide into the future.”
— Arisika Razak, Professor Emerita,
Women’s Spirituality Program, California Institute of Integral Studies;
Nurse-Midwife; Performance Artist

“What it means to be empowered comes to life in us throughout meditations on these sacred cross-cultural images of the Feminine.”
—Vicki Noble, author of Motherpeace and Shakti Woman

“As a gay teenager in the 1990s, I struggled to find a sense of meaning. The Heart of the Goddess was a healing lodestone for me.
The heart of Iglehart Austen’s Goddess is generosity—or love for every part of ourselves, of others, of nature, of Earth…
exquisite prose, interpreting exceptional art…a rare feat of illuminating beauty by creating beauty.”
—Aidan Johnson, Hamilton, Ontario City Councillor

“As a young woman stepping out of adolescence into my teen years, I found myself looking for strong female role models to guide my way. Finding The Heart of the Goddess was like finding a treasure map. I studied every page with fervor, and each Goddess served as my teacher, sister and friend. The wisdom within this book is a gift to all women of every age and culture, as it tells us of the strength and gentleness that lies within the sacred feminine in every corner of the globe.”
—Tina Malia, Visionary Musical Artist

“I grew up with The Heart of the Goddess as one of my earliest memories. The images of creative, destructive, compassionate and powerful goddesses have given me and my contemporaries visions and words for what it could mean to embody femininity beyond what society had prescribed. I feel that having these figures in my life from an early age gave me an inner resilience to the sexist messaging I came across every day. I hold these Goddesses dear to my heart, in particular Pele, who represents the grace and divinity in anger, an emotion which women are told we are not allowed to have.”
—Jaime Iglehart, Multimedia Artist

“Hallie Iglehart Austen’s brilliant and timely new edition of The Heart of the Goddess provides a lucid wealth of
inspiration for awakening to the deep archetypal wisdom embodied in the myriad forms of the Divine Feminine.
May this artfully presented and heartfully portrayed book offer each reader a clear reflection of their own
sacred indwelling divine feminine nature, and an invitation for us all to attune to these potentials within ourselves that we may embody and awaken to the fullest dimensions of our True Nature.”
—Michelle and Joel Levey, founders of Wisdom at Work,
and authors of Living in Balance: A Mindful Guide for Thriving in Complex Times

“A co-creator and leader of the Feminine Spirituality Movement, Hallie Iglehart Austen has written a timeless classic that brings Goddesses of the past and present alive for us. Read it, savor it, meditate on it, make it your own, and your life, as mine has been, will be greatly enriched.”
—Patricia Ellsberg, Social Change Activist, Meditation Teacher,
and co-conspirator with her husband, Daniel Ellsberg, in the release of The Pentagon Papers to the press in 1971

“Calling to us from the high level of a consciousness of our entire global family, The Heart of the Goddess sings a song we must hear in order to fully experience and understand Goddess reverence.”
—Merlin Stone, author of When God Was a Woman

“This affirmation of the strength of women could not be more timely. From my experience working with grassroots women’s projects in developing countries, I believe that Goddess plays an enduring role in understanding the link
between mythology and modern-day women’s rights defenders who have adapted their own womanspirit to achieve transformational change.”
—Jane Sloane, Director, Women’s Empowerment, The Asia Foundation

“Reading The Heart of the Goddess is a joyful and empowering experience.”
—Diane Mariechild, author of Motherwit

“Hallie Iglehart Austen and Annie Dillard are contemplative writers imbued with a spiritual quality, … explorers and quixotic searchers. … A feminist and an avid believer, [Austen] espouses the concept that God could be a woman.”
—Elise T. Chisolm, Baltimore Sun

“This fine work brings together nearly 100 Goddess images with meditations on their spiritual meanings. While the text is a friendly, readable blend of history, mythology, and poetry, the plates upstage it completely. Primarily chosen from ancient and tribal art, these illustrations evoke the primal power of feminine divinity; the few modern pieces share this quality. Similarly, the selection shows goddesses of all ages, races, and body types, thus avoiding the multicultural Barbie-doll look of many similar works. A good introduction to the subject for novices, and a delight for the expert.”
—Patricia Monaghan, American Library Association Booklist,
author of The Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines

“Hallie’s work has inspired many of us in the women’s spirituality movement for many years. She has reminded us that we are the keepers of the flame and guardians of the hearth and spiritual power. In her new book, she invites us to become the goddess as we sing her chants and feel our connectedness to the power of the earth, sea, and sky. This is a delightful book of life, affirming legends, rituals and marvelous images that help us envision a more balanced and creative world.”
—Lucia’s Garden Newsletter, Houston, Texas

“The Heart of the Goddess is a powerful resource for rediscovering the feminine in each of us. I discovered this book when I was in graduate school, long before I met Hallie. The skillful and passionate presentation celebrates the essence and beauty of ancient traditions of feminine energy and is one of the most inspirational books I know.”
—Mingtong Gu, Qigong Master and founder of The Chi Center

“Hallie Iglehart Austen has given us a rare and much-needed pictorial survey of the metaphoric life and power of the Goddess. Her concise introduction and commentaries are eloquent and informed. A thoroughly readable and delightful book.”
—Jamake Highwater, author of The Primal Mind

“I went to a daylong workshop [with] Hallie Iglehart. … This day gave me a taste of transcendence. … Hallie’s clear, nonjudgmental personality …. strengthened me, taking me a step farther in my spiritual journey. … I can accept the goddess as a wise and valued friend—a useful companion who has opened doors to places I might never have seen without her.”
—Karen Lindsey, Ms. Magazine

“… conveys the sense that the Goddess is alive.”
—Starr Goode, The Goddess in Art, TV Series