When developing Rise Up, I encountered a wide range of attitudes within all cultures I reviewed. I felt the need to look at each culture through a lens that is based on values—not cultural, racial, or gender biases. Woman-honoring and respect for the Earth were central to everything I selected. Further, I searched for aspects of varied traditions where a commitment to the values of equality, compassion, nurturance and creativity were openly expressed; where a priority was placed on maintaining the common good as well as exploring individual spiritual growth and fulfillment. I then synthesized some of what I found to be the most profound and inspirational aspects of a variety of cultures, past and present.
I invite you to travel openly with the female divine. For me the values that are articulated by Her in many of the cultures I have reviewed are multifaceted. She can be outraged at injustices as much as She can understand and forgive. She can bring life forward and She can be the force that brings dissolution when the process has been completed. She is both demanding of integrity and amused by the child within all of us. She comforts us and guides us. She is presented in Rise Up in many guises ready to meet each of our inquiries, dialoguing with us as we evaluate our own value systems and shape our actions.
Elizabeth Fisher