The following is part of a review by Sarrah October Young from Musing Mystical. Please visit their web site to read to review in its entirety.
" .... One of the most fascinating elements of human psychology is the penchant we have for self-reflection. In some form or another, we often delve deep within ourselves to try and find answers that we know lie deep within us. In her book Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey Into Shadow Realms, Frances Billinghurst has carved a path for us to tread in our personal search for the answers we need in order to evolve and become better versions of ourselves.
An experienced writer on this topic, Billinghurst is an initiated witch, ritualist and healer, and runs workshops on metaphysics, mythology, and the occult. Billinghurst thoughtfully divides the book into three parts which make perfect sense if you are new to the idea of Shadow Work and the Dark Goddess Herself. Bundling information together in this way is extremely helpful if you are familiar with the work and want to jump past the background information.
Personally, no matter the topic, I almost always read the intro sections provided because I feel they form the basis or foundation of what the writer is actually trying to get across. Knowing where Billinghurst sits in terms of who she feels the Dark Goddess is and how she perceives Her is valuable information to me and helps me to expand my own knowledge. No matter your knowledge level, I highly recommend reading the introduction section to ensure you gain the same insight. ...
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The section titled “Meeting the Dark Goddess” caught my eye straightaway, with Billinghurst delving into thirteen different representations of the Dark Goddess. She weaves together aspects of the Dark Goddess from across a variety of practices and belief systems, something that is often attempted but poorly executed.
Here, Billinghurst respectfully offers her views on 13 different representations of the Dark Goddess and offers ways in which to work with them. There is a sense of reverence that is felt through her writing about the various aspects and she alludes to deeper works that might be of interest to those wishing to go even further down the rabbit hole of history, myth, and folklore in connection with the Dark Goddess.
The final section is about working with the Dark Goddess and there is no shortage of caution expressed by Billinghurst. She doesn’t shrink back from exploring the enormity of working within the Shadows of ourselves nor does she try and pretty up the process to make it more palatable. Shadow Work is intense, uncomfortable, and life-changing and just because you’ve dipped your toe into this work one or twice does not mean you are free from the gaze of the Dark Goddess. ..."
