A New Look at an Ancient Mystery

If you dig deep into the past, before Christianity and the advent of science, you will discover a time when women's Blood Mysteries – the biological events of menstruation, childbirth, and menopause – accorded them great power and respect. People once believed that conception was a culmination of some kind of female magic – that women conceived children on their own by withholding their menstrual blood. During this time, women in menopause were also revered for their ability to carry within themselves their magical, mysterious blood – and all its power. But as science became more sophisticated, seeking to tame and dominate the forces of nature, the Mystery was lost. Now, in The Women's Wheel of Life, the authors re-examine the Blood Mysteries, creating new, empowering archetypes that guide women towards greater self-awareness and self-respect.

The Thirteen Stages of Women's Lives

Middle-aged women who have turned to women's spirituality have struggled with the confining concept of the triple Goddess found in many ancient religions. The image portrays just three phases in women's lives: the Maiden, whose rite is menstruation; the Mother, whose rite is childbirth; and the Crone, whose rite is menopause. But where does the woman in her late thirties and forties fit in? For the first time, the authors of The Women's Wheel of Life offer a fourth phase which falls between the Mother and the Crone – the Matriarch: She is a woman at the peak of her sexual and professional power, who, over the years, has developed a powerful sense of timing which compensates for any loss of youthful energy. But the Matriarch is just one figure in The Women's Wheel of Life. There are twelve archetypes around the wheel residing in phases of innocence, power, nurturing, and wisdom. Although the stages flow somewhat consecutively, women revisit certain stages in their lives numerous times or leap ahead to stages further along the Wheel. The means of movement among the stages relies on the thirteenth stage and archetype – the Transformer. Completing the women's wheel of life, the Transformer is at the center, and whenever we cross the threshold of a major life transition, we enter this stage.

The authors developed the Wheel as a synthesis of forty years' work in women's health, spirituality, and psychology, drawing on over a hundred interviews with women in all stages of life. As you read The Women's Wheel of Life, look into your own experiences, find your own truth – and share what you learn with others. A truly transformational experience awaits!