Keys to the Open Gate: A Woman's Spirituality Sourcebook - Softcover

Snow, Kimberley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0943233631 ISBN 13: 9780943233635

Publisher: Conari Pr, 1994

Synopsis

"We undertake a spiritual search when we are homesick for light, when there is a yearning for connectedness," begins Kimberley Snow in her introduction to this field guide to women's spirituality. "The aim of this source-book is to help us as contemporary women to redefine spirituality for ourselves while discovering how we tap into it through felt experience. Drawn from Judeo-Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, Native American, Sufi, Hindu, Shamanic, Goddess, and other traditions, Keys to the Open Gate is a practical resource for any woman who wants to participate in spiritual awakening, deepen her sense of self, and connect more fully with the world."
Through an eclectic collection of writings, meditations, and visualizations, Keys to the Open Gate sensitively addresses issues of particular interest to women, including: Beyond God as Male or Female, Sex and the Soul, Childbirth as a Spiritual Event, the Womanspirit Movement, and Deepening Spirituality through Nature.

About this title

Reviews

Celebrating feminism within a religious context requires some literature and liturgies, which this book provides. Snow has gathered multiple examples of spirituality for peaceful reflection. The tone of the whole work reflects the peace she has found while exploring the heart of woman. Male voices join the chorus of their sisters. Beautiful traditional views of woman appear beside disturbing but challenging visions of the feminine being. Lynn V. Andrews' "Menopause" makes a wonderful meditation for resurrection. "Learning from the Amish" by Sue Bender proves the happy range of spirituality. A Jesuit priest from India, Anthony de Mello, adds masculine spice to this vast collection. Snow's search has examined every holy well of human experience and its feminine depths. The subjectivity of the editor is mirrored in the introductions to the many writings and rituals. Objectivity rests on the impressive extent of bibliography. Women will not be surprised by the book's outpour but will welcome it with recognition. All contemplatives will recognize its messages. Gary Young

Snow, a Buddhist who used to teach women's studies and writing, has gathered an impressive group of brief vignettes and paragraphs on topics ranging from accepting the female body to developing creativity to becoming meditative. These vignettes are drawn from a wide variety of sources, predominantly female and contemporary, and from various psychological and spiritual traditions, including Native American, Christian, and Buddhist. They are woven into Snow's workbook-like text, often supplemented by bibliographical notes. The progress of the work follows the order of the seven chakras or energy centers according to Kundalini yoga, but it is designed to open the reader/worker to many types of sensitivity and experience, regardless of one's belief. Recommended for public and seminary libraries.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Conari Pr
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0943233631
• ISBN 13: 9780943233635
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352