Ariadne's Tribe: Minoan Spirituality for the Modern World

Walk the sacred labyrinth with Ariadne, the Minotaur, the Great Mothers, Dionysus, and the rest of the Minoan family of deities. Ariadne's Tribe is an independent spiritual tradition that brings the deities of the ancient Minoans alive in the modern world. We're a revivalist tradition, not a reconstructionist one. We rely heavily on shared gnosis and the practical realities of Paganism in the modern world. Ariadne's thread reaches across the millennia to connect us with the divine. Will you follow where it leads?

Find out all about Ariadne's Tribe at ariadnestribe.com. We're an inclusive, welcoming tradition, open to all who share our love for the Minoan deities and respect for our fellow human beings.

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A bunch of Minoan-themed book reviews

I've posted a good handful of book reviews on this blog, and it occurred to me that it might be helpful to have them all in one place so no one has to sift through five years of blog posts (good grief, has it really been that long?) to find them.

These are in-depth reviews of books that I think you'll find helpful and interesting if you're exploring inclusive Minoan spirituality. We also have a long, long book list over in Ariadne's Tribe of books we've all found helpful. But that doesn't include reviews, just simple descriptions. Some of the books I've reviewed below are now out of print, but they're well worth tracking down via interlibrary loan or the various online used booksellers. A good reference is a good reference, after all.

Herewith, the book reviews:

Chasing the Minoan Sun Goddess: Two Book Reviews. This post reviews both The Ancient and Martial Dances by Arlechina Verdigris and O Mother Sun! by Patricia Monaghan. Both books are fascinating resources, and both were indispensable in our research about the Minoan Sun goddess.

Ecstatic Body Postures: An Alternate Reality Workbook by Belinda Gore. Ecstatic body postures appear in Minoan art in the form of bronze and terracotta votive figurines. Many of us use these poses as part of our spiritual practice. You can find more about how we do that here.

Lost Goddesses of Early Greece by Charlene Spretnak. This inspired set of tales about the Mediterranean goddesses takes us back to a time before their myths were garbled by the Bronze Age collapse and conquering cultures.

The Dawn of Genius: The Minoan Super-Civilization and the Truth about Atlantis by Alan Butler. Despite the click-bait-y title, this is actually a very good, up-to-date book about Minoan culture. There's a lot of outdated, incorrect stuff still floating around online (Sir Arthur Evans' theories about the Minoans have long since been discredited) so it's good to know where to go for current, accurate info.

The Story behind Ariadne's Thread and Labrys & Horns by Laura Perry. These are my two non-fiction books about modern Minoan spirituality and ancient Minoan culture. This blog post is sort of a review; it includes an overview of the contents of each book. But more important, it answers the two most common questions I get about them: What's the difference between them, and why did I write two books about Minoan spirituality?

Minotaur: Sir Arthur Evans and the Archaeology of the Minoan Myth by J.A. MacGillivray. This is the most comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date biography of Sir Arthur Evans that I've found. It doesn't eulogize him but presents him as a multi-faceted human being with both positive characteristics and flaws. It also helpfully explains how a lot of incorrect information about the Minoans became "common knowledge."

Aspecting the Goddess: Drawing Down the Divine Feminine by Jane Meredith. This lovely book offers a collection of simple, effective methods for getting in touch with deities (you could use it with gods just as easily as with goddesses). I found the author's interpretation of Ariadne's myth particularly moving.

If you have suggestions for books you think I should review, please let me know.

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Tagged in: book reviews Minoan
Laura Perry is a priestess and creator who works magic with words, paint, ink, music, textiles, and herbs. She's the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne's Tribe, an inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. When she's not busy drawing and writing, you can find her in the garden or giving living history demonstrations at local historic sites.

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