Author Jasmine Elmer on how, in the writing of her book, Goddess with a Thousand Faces, everything began to make sense . . .
In 2022 I turned 40, that is a big milestone in a person’s life often characterised by the purchase of a shiny new sports car, a flashy piece of jewellery or a girl’s trip away with copious amounts of prosecco. All of these are fine choices, but for me, I went inwards. It felt like I needed to find myself in new and deeper ways, a desire to uncover new truths and wisdoms about who I was. I wasn’t always like this, you could have described me as the archetypal ‘extrovert’, often the life and soul of a party, I could be found anywhere where the action was, and often I was the instigator of the buzz. But turning 40 was like a switch, and suddenly I desired peace and inner knowing more than anything else. It was this Jasmine that stood at her kitchen counter in December 2022 (I am a Christmas Day baby) and on a scrap of paper from my child’s notebook, scribbled my first thoughts about the book that was to be my answer to this longing.
On that paper, I wrote Goddess with a Thousand Faces and bullet pointed my ideas about how ancient goddesses might hold some answers for us modern women today- for me. As an ancient world expert, I was in the habit of looking into our distant past for answers, captivated by a time when technology, hustle culture and perpetual pressure were non-existent. As I stood there staring at this piece of paper, a little voice whispered inside saying: ‘how did we get to this?’. I had apparently ‘made it’, a beautiful home which I owned, a loving husband, a wonderful son and a job that made me light up. Why wasn’t any of this the blissful nirvana I had been told it would be? Why wasn’t I happy and fulfilled? Perhaps these goddesses could tell me.
So, I began to write, to read, to reflect. As I delved deeper into each story, I started to gather pieces of the puzzle. It became clearer and clearer with each story I wrote that these goddesses could act like a mirror, showing us the aspects of ourselves that we have lost and become blind to. More than that however, I could see myself with absolute crystal clarity as I peered at myself through their lens. As I locked myself away to write, now emboldened by a deadline following my first book deal with Renegade Books and a wonderfully supportive editor, the truths came spilling out. As they did it became utterly clear that this had become a very personal journey, one of self-discovery and wisdom.
Each goddess had something to say to me, as I listened intently, I realised what I was actually doing was embarking on a healing journey. Not every goddess touched my heart, but some of them were so personal that I shed many a tear as a told their stories and realised that they were my own. That the yearning I had inside to find myself was calming, because I began to see the oneness of us all. That my pains, pleasures and fears were likely the same as many other women, today and yesterday. This gave me hope, connection and the impetuous to show women that our experiences are shared, that the personal circumstances may be specific to you, but actually you are just experiencing the human condition. The cure? Each other.
As the individual stories of these goddesses began to emerge, a pattern did alongside them. I knew I wanted to focus on aspects of femininity as the main thrust of the book, but I wasn’t quite sure exactly what I wanted to say, or what I hoped would be revealed. As the picture became clearer, I could see what I came to find. All of these goddesses shared a commonality – that their truths had been supressed, moulded and censored by the male hands that held them. That their original messages had been obscured by the patriarchal lens through which they were, and sometimes still are, viewed. And then the diamond I was looking for- that the denial of these aspects of our femininity are the reason so many women today are feeling the crush. That we have to deny, adapt, mask and change so many aspects of who we truly are to fit into this heavily skewed masculine world. That the reverence for the feminine has been maligned to the detriment of us all, male and female. That we need more nurture, compassion, care and kindness, not more doing, pushing, striving. That we need balance! The tapestry woven by these goddesses was a beautiful one, and a keen reminder that we need both qualities to be whole as a human and supportive as a culture.
Back to 40-year-old me standing at the kitchen counter pondering human existence Everything finally made sense. This book has shown me in real tangible ways that we have lost our path, that we have been so focused on the next goal, the next achievement, obtaining this thing or that, and ‘having it all’ that we have forgotten. We have forgotten to be, we have lost sight of our truths, disconnected from our authenticity. I could finally let out a sigh of relief, the inner wisdom had been revealed to me in glorious technicolour. I had rewritten these goddesses, and they had rewritten me.
(c) Jasmine Elmer
About Goddess with a Thousand Faces by Jasmine Elmer:
Steeped in ancient magic, dark divinity and wild ways, Goddess with a Thousand Faces takes you on a historical journey like no other…
Blending mythological retellings with historical research, Goddess with a Thousand Faces traverses the world and transports through time to bring ten formidable and inspiring ancient goddesses to life. Meet Artemis, the Greek goddess of the wilderness, never without her bow and arrow; Sedna, Inuit goddess of the ocean, guarding the icy waters and all its creatures; Isis, Egyptian goddess of healing, who dwells by the River Nile, just to name a few…
Jasmine Elmer explores these goddesses of our past, uncovering their truths, their rebellion and their freedom. For too long, they have been written out of history; lost to the sands of time and stamped into silence. Goddess with a Thousand Faces restores these women to their glory.
Pour over this treasure trove of myths, legends and mighty goddesses. Hear the messages echoing through the ages and see yourself in the faces of these icons. For while their stories might ancient, today they are more important – and more powerful – than ever.
A treasure trove of beautiful storytelling and ancient wisdom, perfect for fans of Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola and Storyland by Amy Jeffs.
Goddess with a Thousand Faces by Jasmine Elmer, published by Renegade Books on 12th September, is available to buy here.
