Untie the Strong Woman: Blessed Mother's Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul

I picked up this book because it is by one of my favorite authors and hesitated -- I am not Catholic and wondered if this was going to speak to me on a level I could comprehend. Oh why would I ever doubt the powers of Clarissa Pinkola Estes? In our world, any time harshness, bitterness, hatred and loss can be fought with love, kindness, and open-handed compassion that is a victory for souls. Her quest to build a fountain is worth reading alone as it is a obeying of a deep-seated need and the wat [...]

Pinkola-Estes' dedication to the sacred feminine and women's wild soul is inspiring. Her Jungian influence translates as she integrates personal narrative, poetry and folkloric analysis into her discussion of Blessed Mother's Immaculate love. As with her other works, she does an excellent job explaining how common tropes and symbols are found in distant indigenous communities. As a person who has done advocacy work for women, I would recommend as a tool for critical reflection and profound discu [...]

I admired and loved Women who Run with the Wolves, I was blown away by Dangerous Old Womanere aren't words to describe how much I liked this book and how my heart was drawn into the stories told by this marvelous wise cantadora. I read it, then started againIt is a book I will return to over and over, especially in this season of Lent -- Dr. Estes brought me into the warmth of her firelight to share the spirituality and joy of family and faith.

First of all, I love the main title of this book: Untie the Strong Woman. I love that it is a command and that it calls the Divine Feminine the Strong Woman. The secondary title gave me pause: Blessed Mother's Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul. If this sounds Catholic to you, it really is. I admit that, despite the cover, I was expecting a more universal approach to the Divine Feminine, but truly this book is adoration of Maria specifically. Yes, it does link her to other aspects of the Divine F [...]

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This book was so religious! Many times I was bored and skipped all the poems. However, some of the stories were quite interesting, as I didn't know so much about the sacral symbols and how they have evolved throughout lifetime in many cultures. The thing I loved the most was the passion of the author and her strong beliefs.

beautiful tribute to our lady, the one who is always with us and who is always on our side. a multiculture view of this religious icon of deep faith.

Before discovering this beautiful, moving work, I had only heard of Dr. Estes through her previous masterpiece, Women Who Run With The Wolves, which I must admit I have yet to read, although I do own it.The present book is a loving tribute to Mary, the mother of Jesus, but it goes beyond that, for Dr. Estes connects the Blessed Mother to the Divine Feminine. Thus, she is really the Great Mother Goddess, prevalent in all human cultures throughout the centuries, and known by many names.It's really [...]

Although I am not (officially) a Catholic, I have always been impressed how Catholicism embraces the feminine. This may sound odd, considering the way the boys in the Vatican treat women, but I don't think it is. There is something older, wilder, more female and, dare I say, more deeply attuned to Spirit than the rules, regulations, glitter and power of Vatican city. Many of the nuns I've met get this. Estes brings this older, darker, more vibrant female to the fore, and she does it with great r [...]

This was not my favorite book by CPE, but I did enjoy it immensely. I think the disconnect for me was in the overt emphasis on Our Lady, Mary the Mother of God. I have never felt much affinity or affiliation with the Virgin Mary, probably because I did not grow up in Catholic setting. I felt a much stronger connection with the Wild Woman archetype of Women Who Run with the Wolves. However, I could appreciate the archetypal associations between the Lady and the Divine Feminine. Clariss Pinkola Es [...]

I am surprised by the way this book easily helped me shift my paradigm towards understanding Mary as a fighter for the good of all as opposed to just an example to live up to. Had another eye opener about the hispanic perspective on Mary which is empowering to the individual. Images of statues and paintings of Mary were enlightening too. Found the image of Our Lady, Shirt of Arrows on page 67, moving. Absolute favorite part so far is the long chant she quotes, "Guadalupe is a Girl Gang Leader in [...]

I like the way that Our Lady of Guadalupe in general and Mary in particular as depicted in this book is both Strong and Feminine, not a meek and mild individual who fades into the background. She is our Mother and she cares about us deeply and is willing to fight for her children as any Mother would do. I believe this book finally does her justice. I first got this book from the Library and was surprised and delighted when I managed to buy a copy not long after i had finished reading it.

Sacred feminine in service to the suffering and lowly of the world. I wept through some of the pages, wept with joy and bleeding heart. Beyond religion, beyond denomination, beyond psychological theories, beyond language, beyond the colour of the skin, beyond the background there She is, there I am.

i enjoy her lyrical voicethis a celebration and finding of comfort in the vast love of the divine motherthe author's love is in a dualistic framework stillthough the heart of the mother shines through her writingi like how her stories are grounded culturally and historically (albeit sometimes an oversimplified history) i would like to meet the author she sounds neat

Clarissa Pinkola Estes is my go to for introspection in what it means to navigate this world as a woman. I am now going to look into The Black Madonna more because of this book. The chapters discussing The Black Madonna are the ones that resonated with me most. I highly recommend any of Clarissa Pinkola Estes' works to uplift your soul <3

I love any book by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, and this was no exception. She discusses women's issues, and reminds us that Mother Mary is always with us in the most trying times of our lives. It was very inspirational, a little more religious than I like, but still a good and moving book.

Another great book from CPE about the Goddess Mary. I listened to it on CD while driving to Maryland and have several Mary experiences along the way. That's what happens when we tune into our own divine Self and intuitive knowing.

This book is the authors experience with Mother Mary throughout her life. It is so inspirational and insightful. Absolutely love this book.

Untie the Strong Woman is an extended discussion about the manifestation of the Blessed Mother in folk culture in Mexico. There are also references to Her power among Eastern European immigrants to the U.S. These are the two branches of Clarissa Pinkola Estes's family, comprised of strong female ancestors who maintained an unbroken bond with the Mother for (seemingly) centuries, who taught Clarissa how to hear Her voice. Each chapter explores a unique facet of the Great Mother to her faithful, w [...]

Dans la même veine que "Femmes qui courent avec les Loups", Clarissa Pinkolà Estès nous propose cette fois-ci de partir à la rencontre du Féminin Divin, avec la Vierge Marie et ses différentes apparitions. Mélange d'anecdotes, de psychanalyse et de spiritualité, cet ouvrage fût étrange à lire à ses début, pour ma part, mais fortement intéressant par la suite. Il éveille l'esprit, de la même façon que " Femmes qui courent avec les Loups ".Très ancrée dans la chrétienneté il n [...]

Une étoile, cela meriterait peut être une et démi, une misérable tentative de faire passer une vérité Latino-Tsigano-Catholico-Païenne personnelle pour une vérité universelle et un mépris de la réalité physique pour des élucubrations psychanaliques catholiques il y a longtemps dépassées. Ce livre est lourd, rébarbatif, rempli de l'imagerie de la pacotille internet du style AOL des années 80, et se perds dans les détails sans intérêt. Si vous pensez que c'est un essai sur la n [...]

Beautifully written, wonderfully told stories, poems and prayers that are both comforting and empowering. While YES she's writing about a "Catholic" figure, as someone who is non-denominational and otherwise non-religious, I felt like the essence of Mary as The Mother transcends any and all religious boundaries.This book is for those who are broken down, lonely, lost, feeling hopeless and suffering. But this book is not ONLY for these people. It's a book for everyone. It's for people who don't f [...]

Nejsem cílovka, tohle je kniha pro ženy. Ale ze zvědavosti jsem ji přečetl a některé kapitoly mě zaujaly. Druhá polovina knihy už mi přišla moc roztahaná. Vidím to na 3 a půl hvězdy. Zaujalo mě, ač ta kniha je oficiálně křesťanská (panenka Marie, Ježíš, papež atd.), ve skutečnosti je to krásná pohanská kniha, tedy tak to já alespoň cítím.

Many stories from people who have strong belief in the power of the Blessed Virgin. The author has spent a good deal of time with people in prison and Latino immigrants. Remember the prayer, the Memorare. The author calls it the most powerful prayer.

Skipped most of this, I simply got bored. I loved Women Who Run with the Wolves, but this didn't come anywhere close to that.

a perfect reminder that all of us are loved.

this book is really repetitive (and I'm only up to page 54). i get the main argument, and i like it and agree with it. I'm just not sure if i can read 310 more pages of it.One of my favourite quotes (this whole book feels like a prayer and reverence)".Holy Womanwho is unafraidof any dark.May all be givenThe ways of seeingThat most benefitThe growth ofRather than the restrictionof their souls."

The title indicates a promise which I personally find is not fulfilled. As a presentation of a female archetype, in the authors world, maybe the only female goddess image?, it is disappointingly anemic and dry. I get a picture of a meek, mild, loving mother figure- and I miss the complexity of a fully mature woman- which in my eyes embody both the meek, mild, loving mother, as well as the mother who with raging fire will fight to protect her self and the one she loves. A mother who teaches her c [...]

If I could give two-and-a-half stars, I would. Some years ago, I read Women Who Run with the Wolves and I loved it, so I recommended this book to my book group. This one wasn't nearly as good as that one, though. Part of the reason I wasn't happy with this book was that it was very different than what I expected. I expected the author to talk about the feminine divine in many of her forms, but it was all about Mary, Jesus' mother and some about Jesus as a baby/child. Once past this disappointmen [...]

An intriguing book - Not Catholic, it took some stretching (at many levels) to be open to what appears to be a book about Mother Mary/Virgin Mary and her divine powers, yet is about Holy Mother (not VM). Even as I write this I have some difficulty being clear on all this. Did I make the assumption this was about the Virgin Mary, the Madonna? and then confused myself in the stories told, that really are, to me in my heart and soul and mind, about the Divine Feminine/Goddess?There is still much wi [...]