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being the change
July 2009 
Between the Worlds
Posted on Aug 31st, 2008
by 
martha
martha
I'm loving this book by Judi, one of our own Gaiasters. I met Judi in Oregon this summer, and I'm SO GLAD that I did, and that I found out about this book. I decided to write this review for her Amazon page (I hope I did a good job!). The picture above is of my own copy. (Judi's daughter, Heather, did the cover art!) I really can't say enough about it. It's Really, Really good. Judi is a Very talented writer. I hope you all will take a look!
This book is a spiritual offering of feminist consciousness. Judith Ivy is a gifted writer who surprises and enchants the reader again and again with intelligence and creativity. I'm so glad I read this book. It feeds my heart and soul.
The heroine, an emotionally overwhelmed fifty-year-old social worker striving to make a positive difference in the suffering of people in contemporary society, is moved by great longing within a deeply meditative state to find the true home of her spirit in a civilization of 4,000 years ago based upon precepts of equality, harmony, and balance with all nature. In this way the author invites us to sense our own potential for living in harmony with the natural world and creating compassionate communities of dynamic balance and peace.
As a truly feminist masterpiece, while this story moves surely forward disclosing events in a linear fashion, it also moves in circular --even spiral patterns as the heroine travels through time and learns by remembering, even as her selves evolve as young girl, mother and crone. Eventually, the heroine finds that she, and humankind, has always faced--even as she does now as a social worker--self-serving violence used as justification for societies based on fear and domination.
A few passages from the book struck me with their beauty, and I'll quote a little here:
"It is through the retelling of our past at each circle of the moon...that we weave ourselves into the energy force of the web of life. Each time the story is told we mend the broken places of the web, strengthen the bonds, and are reminded of our connection to the whole, the oneness of life."
"...it takes a community to maintain a community."
Reading this book can be a much deeper experience than enjoying the good read.
This story helps us to be aware of the implicit order of things - the values we hold most dear, and to feel our own capacity to create culture (shared meaning) by living as we want most to live.
This book is a spiritual offering of feminist consciousness. Judith Ivy is a gifted writer who surprises and enchants the reader again and again with intelligence and creativity. I'm so glad I read this book. It feeds my heart and soul.
The heroine, an emotionally overwhelmed fifty-year-old social worker striving to make a positive difference in the suffering of people in contemporary society, is moved by great longing within a deeply meditative state to find the true home of her spirit in a civilization of 4,000 years ago based upon precepts of equality, harmony, and balance with all nature. In this way the author invites us to sense our own potential for living in harmony with the natural world and creating compassionate communities of dynamic balance and peace.
As a truly feminist masterpiece, while this story moves surely forward disclosing events in a linear fashion, it also moves in circular --even spiral patterns as the heroine travels through time and learns by remembering, even as her selves evolve as young girl, mother and crone. Eventually, the heroine finds that she, and humankind, has always faced--even as she does now as a social worker--self-serving violence used as justification for societies based on fear and domination.
A few passages from the book struck me with their beauty, and I'll quote a little here:
"It is through the retelling of our past at each circle of the moon...that we weave ourselves into the energy force of the web of life. Each time the story is told we mend the broken places of the web, strengthen the bonds, and are reminded of our connection to the whole, the oneness of life."
"...it takes a community to maintain a community."
Reading this book can be a much deeper experience than enjoying the good read.
This story helps us to be aware of the implicit order of things - the values we hold most dear, and to feel our own capacity to create culture (shared meaning) by living as we want most to live.
Access: Public
thank you dear one for sharing with us your delightful friend's book. i love your heart!
Keith read this wonderful book as well and it is on my “short list” to read ASAP!
Judi rocks! And so do you Martha for posting this and reviewing it on amazon…..
Hugs!
Aley
a wonderful blog martha, thank you. i will order the book and will come back.
samme
Hi Nicole—Ah! The Human Heart. And our heartfelt longings to remember how we share it! It's a happy experience to share it with you, my dear.
Aley and Samme, I can't wait for your responses to this book! Yes, I read Keith's review and thought, Oh boy! Somebody else is thinking along these lines. This book deserves support, and the reading public will benefit so much from sharing this book.
Thanks for sharing this, Martha. I saw Judi's book there in Florence, but didn't have time to take a look. Sounds wonderful!
Once I'm all moved in, I'm going to get it, too. Will be fun to chat about it at some point….
Dearest Martha, I'm trembling and trying to keep the tears from running down my face (as I made the mistake of ready your blog/review here in public with my cup 'o tea!). Thank you for this beautiful way of explaining what this story is about and what it meant to you. I just feel so honored.
As Keith knows from our conversations about the story, I'm wanting to manifest the sequel to this story in the real world rather than write the sequel. This is something I'm sitting with in as much patience as I can because I'm realizing I can't do it without the universal self guiding me.
In the mean time, I hope others will read it, and eventually (maybe with someone's help) I can get it into the hands of a publisher (and editor to help polish the bumpy places) and get it out into the world. Just getting the story written and self-published was a feat that challenged me to the nth degree. I ran out of steam and confidence for doing the “publisher hunt” thing.
You and Keith honored me greatly by reading the book and giving such wonderful responses/reviews. I hope others will read it, too, even though their take on it might not be the same, which is okay. In the mean time, the story is getting out there into the world by word of mouth and that's super!!
Luf you
Judi
Well, you know, I haven't even finished it yet either. It's just that I know, deep in my heart, that this season will ask me for a lot, and I wanted to be sure to review the book before I got too “busy.” I know a really good book when I read it, and this one is it. I suppose the “end” will be challenging, and at that point, the thing is to look inside and ask oneself, “What's next, Chica?” So, each thing in its time. We ALL must manifest the sequel in the real world. By definition, values of the heart aren't manifested by one. And if everyone in the world reads your book, it will be read into more than 6 billion stories, conscious weavers of the fabric of consciousness. But it takes only the hundredth monkey to shift the world. eee eee eeee eee!!! You KNOW me, Peri and Sprite are good for the manifestation! :)
…it takes a community to maintain a community. I don't know whether I am touched more by the hints and promises of the book(s) now on their way to me (one for me and one for my mom!) or by the warmth and insight of Martha's and Keith's reviews. Conscious weavers of the fabric of consciousness…
Man, I know I'm getting behind when I'm responding to a post from way back when, but just had to say:
Martha, I promise to look inside and ask myself, “What's next, Chica?” :) LOL You, Peri, and Sprite know something about monkeys for sure, and pushing things to the hundredth and shifting the world – I think you're all doing that as we speak!!! :)
willowinthewind
Thank you sooooo much for ordering two, count 'em, two copies of the book! I hope the read is as wonderful as Martha's review. That woman really knows how to extrapolate and articulate!!!
Well, Judi, every word I said is heartfelt, you know?