Review of In Her Service (first edition of Aphrodit'e Priestess) by Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Several years ago, this lovely review was made of the first iteration of Aphrodite's Priestess, my very first book and one of premier English-speaking works on the modern worship of Aphrodite. (Because it WAS several years ago, some bibliographic  details have changed -- like the book's title, my last name, the publishing house. You know, little things.)

Aphrodite's Priestess
Laurelei Black
Asteria Books, 2009

All you need is Aphrodite by Eva Yaa Asatewaa

Some months ago, Laurelei Dabrielle--High Priestess of Dragon's Eye Coven--sent me an invitation to review her book, In Her Service: Reflections from a Priestess of Aphrodite (Magic Woods Publishing, 2007). I was in the middle of one of the busiest times in both my personal and professional life. It was sent in the form of an e-book, which usually makes me leery--quality being a gamble there. I took a look at the stack of pages emerging from my printer, took a quick flip through ("Chapter 1: Priestess or Prostitute?") and thought, "Right...I'll get around to this someday..."

Someday--coincidentally?--turned out to be July 22, which is the Great Lady Mary Magdalene's day and, as I learned from Dabrielle's text, deep into Hekatombaion, the first month of the Athenian calendar, during which fell the bathing feast known as Aphrodisia. I also discovered that there was much to admire and enjoy in Dabrielle's well-written account of this little-publicized aspect of pagan practice.

Raised a Baptist in the Midwest, Dabrielle began to explore neopagan paths through the Internet and some covens and eventually felt most called to service of the One she calls "the violet-crowned Kyprian" and many other expressive honorifics. She interprets and honors Aphrodite in a way that makes sense to her, and she's not out to convert anyone to her particular approach. She is, by her own admission, a "hodge-podge," and I can certainly identify with her eclecticism and avoidance of dogma. She does not take herself too seriously, and her voice, throughout the book, is conversational even when authoritative.

If you have never considered Aphrodite (a.k.a. Venus) a serious goddess, then read this book, and the scales will fall from your eyes. I remember once hearing someone opine that the reason so many ancient statues of Aphrodite are armless is because they were deliberately ordered de-armed by the testosterone-fueled, but highly threatened, powers that be. I can't say if that's historically accurate, but Dabrielle underscores the formidable power of Aphrodite as more than a beneficent, even lightweight and easily-trivialized, goddess of romance and sensuality. The Lady should be understood as a Great Goddess archetype--Mother Creator, Majestic Harlot and Fierce Avenger. In Her Service relates the interwoven myths that show Aphrodite in all of these powerful roles.

Okay, so what about the nervous-making "prostitution" angle? Dabrielle includes an extensive discussion of the historical practice of "temple prostitution" or "sacred sex" and its problem for modern sensibilities and United States law but argues that "sex is only one aspect of Her service" and, indeed, an aspect that can be omitted if does not suit you. Priestesses did then and do now invoke, contact and often embody the Goddess, enabling supplicants to benefit from Her energy, whether it be through simple, compassionate acts of warmth and kindness or through actual ritual copulation as in the neopagan Great Rite (physically uniting the embodied Goddess and God). While Dabrielle notes the many ways in which Aphrodite worship may be expressed, she has her personal limits and counsels readers to decide what's best for them and respect their own boundaries, too.

"At its essence," she writes, "the force at work is that of Love," and goes on to speak about the priestess (and Goddess) as healer in a way that reminds me of the wonderful role Ann Margaret played in the movie Grumpy Old Men! Really! Rent that very funny movie, and you'll see what I mean!

Besides the personal and historical material, Dabrielle offers examples of ritual procedure, a mytho-history of the Venusian idea, some lovely description of the Three Graces (considered by some to be daughters of Aphrodite and ideal models for us) and the Oreads, mountain nymphs (who gift Aphrodite with unpolished gems and wildflowers, appealing to Her wilder side). She previews a book she's working on which should please potential lesbian and bisexual fans of The Goddess who might otherwise wonder what all of this has to do with them.

Dabrielle also lists and translates numerous names for Aphrodite, breathtaking in their diversity. Some of them are:

• Eurynome: Creatress who rose from Chaos and danced all creation into being
• Moira: Fate
• Ambologera: Postponer of Old Age
• Chrysheie: Radiant Like Gold
• Euploios: Fair Voyage
• Praxis: Action
• Epitymbria: She of The Tombs
• Callipygos: Beautiful Buttocks

and the inevitable

• Porne: Goddess of Lust and Patroness of Prostitutes

The message of Aphrodite meditations and rituals seem always to be thus: Find beauty within oneself and love it fiercely. I certainly can't argue with that!

(c)2008, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Timothy Alexander Reviews In Her Service

Timothy Jay Alexander is one of the very few writers specializing in the contemporary practice of ancient Greek religion. His books, A Beginner’s Guide to Hellenismos, Hellenismos Today and The Gods of Reason are among the rare titles available on the market in this genre. When In Her Service became available on Amazon, Timothy reviewed it (to my great pleasure).

"To begin with, while I do not know the author personally, I did have the opportunity to discuss this work with her prior to my reading it. The author went to great lengths to make sure I was aware that this book is not a work about Hellenismos, or written for Hellenic Reconstructionists.

"Within in the opening chapter she also explains that her influences are Gardnerian Wicca, Cochrane traditional Witchcraft, modern Druidry,and other Neopagan traditions. After reading the book, I have to say this is an excellent resource for practitioners of Hellenismos, Hellenic Reconstruction, and Hellenic Polytheists. If fact, perusing through the bibliography, one notices that the overwhelming number of resources are primary and secondary sources for the ancient Greek religion and ancient worship of Aphrodite. The work includes what many will recognize as a Reconstructionist methodology. It includes a good bit of information on tradition style Hellenic rituals, with an excellent modern interpretation example that can fit into Hellenic Reconstructionist practice, a sufficient amount of historical perspective, a good list of epithets, and enough information as a primer on the subject. Where it lacks is the breezing over or ignoring of Aphrodite's other qualities, such as being a Goddess of the Sea and a Goddess of War.

"What will some Hellenic Reconstructionists not like about this book? It is not a sanitized, lily white interpretation of Aphrodite's worship. Some so-called Reconstructionists are nothing more than bored intellectuals who were raised in a typical Puritan cultural paradigm. They either ignore, reject, or condemn the mystical, ecstatic, orgiastic, and erotic rites of the ancient Greeks. Their attempt is to sanitize and sterilize everything. These Hellenic Reconstructionists are fundamentally disconnected from what they espouse and what they actually do. Overall, this is a worthy work for both Neopagan and Reconstructionist alike. The book is well written and presented, and I'm hoping to see a larger, more expansive book on this subject, from this author, in the near future. I fully recommend this work. "

Michael Manor Reviews In Her Service

Michael Manor founded, with his wife Lissa, the Qadishti Institute and moderates the discussions that are happening among many of the world’s contemporary priests and priestesses of sacred sexuality. I met mike and Lissa at the second Qadishti Fest, held at Our Haven in French Lick, Indiana. Because the qadishti of Babylon and Aphrodite’s priestesses in Greece were “kissin’ cousins,” I’ve learned quite a bit from the qadishti community and consider myself a part of it. When I asked Michael to review my work, I was very pleased that he consented.

Here is the complete review:

“This is a most laudable effort, well-balanced, highly introspective but also based upon history. The approach is one of confidence but not absolutism, authoritativeness but not authoritarian, and also accessible for modern Pagans. You will find something new in the old, something recognizable in the commonality of human experience, especially loving experience, but also something to the modern mind refreshingly innovative.

“I might offer an alternate perspective on matters Gorean (relating to an early comment on John Norman’s controversial Gor series), but the reference was non-judgmental and fit with the general scheme of the introductory chapter. I do not concur with the entire of Norman’s entire thesis, but recognize some biological predisposition toward certain characteristics and conventions of heterosexual relationships. I disagree with his notion that healthy relationships are, or even could be, based upon patterns of dominance and submission. In this, I agree with what I perceive to be this author’s general orientation on the subject.

“The bridge between the worship of Aphrodite and related Goddesses of Love exists in many areas: the eight-pointed star (the planet Venus), common iconography, some common titles and divine responsibilities, and the central issues of love, sex, and relationship. I would note that a central nexus may have been found in the Erycine sanctuary on Sicily, a place served in succession by Phoenician priestesses of Astarte, Greek priestesses of Aphrodite of Eryx whom the Greeks held to be Astarte, and also Roman priestesses of Venus Erycina whom the Romans held to be Astarte and likely later identified with Venus Genetrix, Mother of the Julian line.

“I applaud this work and look forward to reading more by this author. “

Kevin Gardner Reviews In Her Service

Kevin Gardner, the High Priest of the Temple of Ishtar, is the author of two highly regarded books for Wiccan clergy. He wrote The Wiccan Minister's Manual and A Handbook for Wiccan Clergy.

Here is what he has to say about In Her Service:

“This well written and researched work touches upon a couple of areas that though traditionally are aspects of religious worship & practice, for probably as long as religious beliefs have been around, are often considered as ‘taboo’ or controversial by the modern day Pagan. Lady Laurelei handles these subjects with insight, knowledge, authority and taste. For anyone who is interested in sacred sexuality, some of the older traditions, the Divine Feminine, and Greek traditions, you would do well in adding this work to your library.”

In Her Service: Reflections from a Priestess of Aphrodite

If you read this blog, you’re going to see occasional references made to my other (non-blog) writing – articles, poems, novels and non-fiction books. Though I’ll likely only reference works that pertain to Aphrodite, I DO write on other topics. (However, I tend to use pseudonyms to differentiate between themes, so you may have a hard time guessing what else belongs to “my” credit.)

I’ve actually already written and published a non-fiction book about what it means to be a contemporary priestess of Aphrodite. In Her Service: Reflections from a Priestess of Aphrodite was released in October 2007 through Magic Woods Publishing.

Okay, so it’s my own publishing company, and I’m currently using a print-on-demand printer/packager. Whatever. It’s a well-written, well-edited book on decent paper with a slick-looking cover. I didn’t want to mess with traditional Pagan/New-Age publishers because I wanted complete artistic control of my work. I’m also sufficiently aware of the market’s current size – miniscule. So, self-publishing/POD made the most sense for me, despite the pervasive stigma that is attached to it.

I’m working on the marketing, and I’m building up a little head of steam. Folks are buying the book, and I’ve gotten excellent reviews thus far. My goal/desire/intention is to bring Aphrodite’s worship into public consciousness. She has been very rejected for the last 2,000 years in all aspects of life except art. Most people have a very poor understanding of Her role, and that includes Neo-Pagans of every ilk (including Neo-Hellenics).

Simply put: I wrote the book because it didn’t already exist. Very few people have written about what it means to honor any of the Olympians, and none have written about Aphrodite. As a fledgling priestess, several years ago, I had no resources to consult. There were no Yahoo groups until I started Thiasos Aphrodite. I knew of one ritual group in California, led by folks who had been my friends when I lived there. Those were the only people I knew who actively worked with Her. Several Hellenic websites mentioned Her, but most didn’t have any contemporary perspective or information to share, and those that did seemed to think of Her as a lesser figure in the Greek pantheon. Worse still, people continue to write of Her as a vindictive, vain and petty prom-queen-type, when they bother to write of Her at all.

I muddled through, though, and learned what I could, where I could. I have worked with Her using reclaiming techniques, and I have conducted exhaustive research into primary resource material. The topics I thought about, read about and talked with others about form the basis of this first offering in Aphroditic service.

This 124-page book discusses (among other topics) issues of self-identifying as a priestess of love, sacred sexuality and temple “prostitution,” the dark aspects of love and beauty, energy exchange and offering, ethics, and enhancing personal grace. I’ve also offered a number of resources, a complete bibliography, and two fully-developed rituals.

It’s a beginning. This is certainly not a complete manual for any man or woman who wants to serve or honor Aphrodite, but it is a starting place. The discussion can continue from here since it has been slow to start elsewhere.

As I continue to write, I’ll keep exploring what it means to be Aphrodite’s priestess. I’m working on a book of rituals as well as a collection of poems. I’ve hit on several topics that I feel I can explore in articles for Pagan publications, and one or two that might make good non-fiction book topics. The first offering that I began (and the one that is taking the longest to bring to fruition) is a novel that I began in January 2004, and I hope to finish the initial draft by May or June of this year so that I can start the editing process – and get to work on subsequent installments in the series.

I hope my fellow priests and priestesses, having heard the summons, will carry on the conversation in their own ways.