Publisher's Synopsis
The journey of the Dark Goddess is a natural part of any difficult rite of passage. These transitions are often thought of as negative-death of a loved one, job loss, home loss, chronic illness, divorce-but even so-called "happy" transitions, such as marriage, the birth of a child, or retirement, can come with unexpected instability, grief, and a need for integration. In our culture, we may often feel like we should "move on" or "get back to normal." In studying myth, however, we come to understand that the purpose of challenging life transformations is not positive or negative. YEAR OF THE DARK GODDESS provides an anchor and a roadmap for navigating the disorientation of life transformations and offers resources for embracing changes as initiations that strengthen us and make clear our purpose and power. The book is modelled on ancient rite-of-passage ceremonies and journeys to the underworld and is structured as a four-phase rite-of-passage process: Preparation, Separation from the Known, Transition-Initiation, and Return-Integration. The book provides readers with practical tools-embodied rituals, writing practice, seasonal self-care and community creation-to ground and empower positive transformations in times of challenging change. Readers may use the book as both a linear guide through the initiation year, or a nonlinear tool for structuring their own unique rite-of-passage journey. Readers are invited to create personal challenges, reframe their rite-of-passage through myth work and sacred art, and create a potent and effective rite of passage ceremony to integrate their change. The self-initiation process in YEAR OF THE DARK GODDESS follows a ceremonial year, each quarter section is structured with the following: · An interactive brief of themes and objectives for the quarter, such as making an altar, writing with the ancestors, creating herbal infusions, and storytelling. · A seasonal ceremony template appropriate to the rite-of-passage phase. · A unique retelling of an ancient myth or fairy tale and instructions for deep myth work. These tales contain the formula for how to successfully navigate rites of passage, consciously and unconsciously. · Journaling prompts for reflection and projection, making visible the initiation journey. "Year of the Dark Goddess provides much-needed support in the form of myth and ancestral remembering for the challenging moments that accompany a lived life. I felt life breathed back into my lungs when I read Lara Vesta's words-accompanied by a fascination in learning and remembering the ancestral roots of so many of our modern-day words and stories. I appreciate the way Lara frames this book as a rite of passage in itself and guides you through it with written ritual and journaling prompts to support your journey. This is a book you'll want to keep close alongside a journal and candle." -Becca Piastrelli, author of Root & Ritual "We all go through changes that make us grieve. Whether it's illness, break-ups, losses, or death these transitions are an inevitable part of our human adventure. When we are going through them, we long for a spiritual map to help us make sense of these experiences. If you are a wanderer with a broken heart who is looking for that guide to get you through the toughest of tough times, you've found it. Lara Vesta's Year of the Dark Goddess is the manual to help you honor and integrate your most profound changes. It gently guides you through a year-long initiation with the Dark Goddess in her many guises. When you're feeling broken, this course in the form of a book can help you navigate your way to wholeness through myth and folktale, reflection and mindfulness, connecting with nature and performing sacred ritual. Lara has provided the perfect meeting place to get to know the Dark Goddess; are you ready for the greatest adventure of your life? This book is one I will return to every time I face grief, and I know it will be one that you will turn to again and again too." -Madame Pamita, author of Magical Tarot, Baba Yaga's Book of Witchcraft, and The Book of Candle Magic
