SageWoman #53 (rare)
Body & Soul

SageWoman #53
Body & Soul

This issue of SageWoman is dedicated to the awareness of loving ourselves, just the way we are. This isn't always easy: never before have so many worshipped at the altar of someone who looks like Aphrodite, but actually isn't a bit like her. We obsess about our bodies: but do we actually love them?

To begin this issue we share Lady MoonDance's lyrical self-blessing ritual: "Blessing Your Embodied Self." This simple but lyrical ritual (and the accompanying article) speaks of how we can celebrate our true beauty. "Your body is a work of art," she says, "created by the Goddess herself. Scars and wrinkles are badges of honor which mark your character; resolve to see the beautiful spirit in all parts of yourself."

Next is a triptych of articles touching on healing from our deepest wounds, both emotional and physical. "My Body, Sacred: a Journey to Healing" shares Maryam Webster journey to the desert southwest in search of the Goddess — and the healing she discovered there. Lorena Sins took a different path to healing through a gentle but demanding discipline, and tells us about the changes it brings in "Grand Ultimate: of Form, Tai Chi, and Finding My Center." Healing from sexual abuse (as well as other forms of trauma) through our body's reunion with sensuality is the focus of Reda Rackley in "Return to Aphrodite."

Practical ways of connecting with our bodies is the focus of the next pair of articles. Cassie Premo Steele found her body changing — and the unexpected emergence of the Goddess Lilith in her — when she became pregnant and tells us how she discovered weight-lifting in "One Strong Mama" while Joanna Putnoi leads us in meditations and exercises to free our heart in "Senses Wide Open."

Loremistress Diana Paxson turns her attention to the healing goddess of Britain — celebrated by the Celts, Britons and Romans alike — in "Sulis and the Well of Healing." If you are looking for a Goddess to support you through the healing powers of sacred waters, this is an article you won't want to miss!

Our columnists have filled a lovely MayDay basket of luscious healing tips as well: Linda Ledbetter shares the art of making your own natural spa goodies; Susun Weed describes her first years as a herbalist; Lunaea Weatherstone describes daily rituals to keep your relationship with the Goddess alive; Joanna Powell Colbert muses on the magic of birds; Waverly Fitzgerald describes the necessity of sometimes simply taking a break from our responsibilities with a sabbatical and we have a ritual for caregivers. Plus, of course, reviews, the Rattle, and much more.

If you long for a deeper and healthier relationship with your own body (and what woman doesn't) then this issue of SageWoman is for you. 96 pages, published in the springof 2001.