Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman's Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful

by Acharya Shunya

Overview

A rallying cry for women everywhere to break free from the shackles of patriarchy and awaken their true nature, brought to life through India’s primary goddess archetypes

“Roar Like a Goddess is a portal to the power of the three wisdom goddesses that lie within each of us. This book is a transmission that will awaken and empower you.” —Tracee Stanley, author of Radiant Rest and Empowered Life Self-Inquiry Oracle Deck

Within you is a wellspring of strength and resilience, the ability to create and enjoy abundance, and an expansive sense of inner freedom and divinity. Yet after centuries of living in patriarchal societies, many women don’t realize how powerful they are—or how much they’ve been enculturated to keep their true nature hidden.

In Roar Like a Goddess, trailblazing Vedic spiritual teacher Acharya Shunya empowers women everywhere to step into their divine immensity and lead powerful, abundant, and wise lives through her revolutionary revisioning of ancient India’s primary goddess archetypes:

• Part 1 features the Goddess Durga—A role model who vanquishes internalized oppression, Durga teaches you how to take back your full feminine power.
• Part 2 introduces the Goddess Lakshmi—Known for her beauty and generous spirit, Lakshmi guides you to cultivate unshakable inner contentment and soul-aligned abundance.
• Part 3 celebrates the Goddess Saraswati—The ultimate teacher of our deepest journey to Self, Saraswati illuminates the gifts of wisdom, peace, and inner freedom.

Throughout Roar Like a Goddess, Shunya honors her progressive Vedic roots while breaking the shackles of tradition to bring modern-day women an inclusive, feminist spirituality. Sharing classic myths, original insights, and empowering practices, Shunya offers a profound process for awakening the many faces of goddess within. “It is time for all women to come out of the closet and roar with all their spiritual power,” she writes, “because that is our true sound.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683648826
Publisher:	Sounds True, Incorporated
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	409,863
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Acharya Shunya is a truth-teller who facilitates authenticity, self-remembrance, and Divine Feminine pathways to awakening within. The first female head of her 2,000-year-old Indian spiritual lineage, Shunya reinterprets and recontextualizes ancient teachings for modern times, empowering people everywhere to lead fulfilled, fearless, and enlightened lives. She is president of The Awakened Self Foundation in California and author of Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom and Sovereign Self.

Table of Contents

Prologue It Is Time to Roar Like a Goddess xi

Introduction The Search for the Hidden Goddess 1

Part I Durga

Chapter 1 Durga: The Power Inherent in Every Power 17

Chapter 2 When Raging Is a Goddess Thing to Do 29

Chapter 3 Roar Like a Goddess When Accosted Sexually 43

Chapter 4 The Goddess Path to Unconditional Self-Respect 53

Chapter 5 Establish Boundaries to Live Royally Like Durga 67

Chapter 6 Defy Stereotypes to Live Like a Goddess 81

Part II Lakshmi

Chapter 7 Goddess Lakshmi and Her Beautiful Symbolism 93

Chapter 8 The Greatest Wealth Comes from Valuing Your Self 107

Chapter 9 The Four Goals of Life and Goddess Lakshmi 121

Chapter 10 The Value of Discontentment in a Goddess's Life 139

Chapter 11 Lakshmi Shows the Path to Generosity 157

Part III Saraswati

Chapter 12 Saraswati's Mythology and Awakening Insights 175

Chapter 13 The Goddess Path of Discernment and Sovereignty 183

Chapter 14 Saraswati Says Wake Up and Face Your Trauma 201

Chapter 15 Goddesses Don't Harbor Irrational Feminine Guilt 217

Chapter 16 Saraswati: The Teacher and Giver of Lasting Inner Peace 227

Epilogue Roar Alongside Your Goddess Community 245

Acknowledgments 247

Notes 249

About the Author 257

Editorial Reviews

05/16/2022

This strong outing by Shunya (Sovereign Self), president of the Awakened Self Foundation, provides a road map for female empowerment rooted in Hindu traditions. The author examines what the stories of Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati can teach modern women about “breaking free of patriarchal conditioning and letting go of internalized misogyny.” Shunya encourages readers to fight internalized sexism, likening the struggle against negative thoughts to the battles Durga (“goddess of power and self-determination”) waged against demons. The four hands of Lakshmi (“goddess of abundance and inner contentment”), the author contends, point to the importance of balancing the “four goals of life”: material security, pleasure seeking, higher purpose, and freedom. Shunya proffers suggestions for how to achieve these, including finding pleasure in art and prioritizing earning money for security. Shunya urges readers to embrace the example of Saraswati (“goddess of wisdom”)—who publicly reprimanded her partner after he almost replaced her during an important ritual—by standing up for oneself and expressing one’s feelings. The author’s feminist take on Hinduism finds the radical roots of its mythology and offers a penetrating critique of how these elements have been obscured by “male pundits” and their biased translations of the scriptures. The result is an enlightening and empathetic guide to finding one’s inner strength. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

The result is an enlightening and empathetic guide to finding one’s inner strength.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Shunya’s writing reflects her teaching/speaking style. She retells key traditional stories, analyzing them creatively and insightfully, while connecting them to history, social movements.” —Library Journal

“Acharya Shunya, the first female head of an ancient Vedic lineage, brings the powerful Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati alive for our modern context with her vivid pre-patriarchal interpretations of their qualities and activities. She offers direct practices to locate these goddess energies within ourselves. The book provides an ongoing point of reference to refresh our goddess connections in the face of everyday challenges. Her personal stories and those of other women offer inspiration and guidance for readers to strengthen personal agency, dedication to self-care, and care of others based on wisdom, self-respect, and respect for all life.” —Rachael Wooten, PhD, Diplomate Jungian analyst and author of Tara: The Liberating Power of the Female Buddha

“What Acharya Shunya has accomplished in this book is nothing short of a reinterpretation of the Hindu tradition, harnessing its mythic power for the empowerment of women of all faiths (or none). Her command of a vast and varied tradition is unmistakable, her wisdom is evident, and her enthusiasm is infectious. This is a book destined to be life-changing for anyone bold enough to enter into its symbolic world. It not only rocks—it roars.” —Rev. Dr. John R. Mabry, author of Spiritual Guidance across Traditions

“One of the gifts we receive from the Indian tradition is the recognition of the divine feminine as Shakti, the nondual energy of life. The goddesses of India are faces of the one great Shakti, and each of them has her own nature—which is a facet of our nature. When we know how to internalize and contemplate these goddess energies, their Shakti can transform us from within. Acharya Shunya beautifully reveals how understanding and practicing with these goddesses can empower a woman to experience her own deep power, beauty, and wisdom.” —Sally Kempton, author of Awakening Shakti and Meditation for the Love of It

“Roar Like a Goddess is a portal to the power of the three wisdom goddesses that lie within each of us. This book is a transmission that will awaken and empower you.” —Tracee Stanley, author of Radiant Rest and Empowered Life Self-Inquiry Oracle Deck

“Through my work as a yoga advocate and spiritual activist, I’ve found it increasingly important to turn to ancient spiritual texts as a blueprint for modern living. In her newest book, Acharya Shunya does just this: through discussion of goddess legends and theory, she provides actionable information for empowerment and establishes herself as a unique voice in the field of yogic and feminist studies. Unafraid to speak truth to power, Acharya Shunya’s voice is powerful and resonant like a channeled message for us from the divine goddesses of Vedic culture. There are many messages and practices that all will find useful, regardless of gender identity. I love the meditations and affirmation practices particularly as a foundation for self-development, as well as a powerful addition to my personal practice. Roar Like a Goddess is a timeless book so needed right now, in our times. It is a resource and a delight to read that I will be turning to again and again.” —Susanna Barkataki, author of Embrace Yoga’s Roots

“Roar Like a Goddess is a much-needed clarion call for every woman (and man) to stand up and exclaim: ‘I’m willing to be seen. I’m willing for my voice to be heard. I’m willing to be fully connected to myself. I’m willing to own and express my place of value, purpose, and belonging within myself and in the world around me.’ Shunya’s is not an ego-centric petition. Hers is one that also exclaims: ‘I’m willing to see you, hear you, stay connected to you, and welcome you as equally empowered as I am.’ Shunya’s words are not a request but a clear-hearted demand that this modern era asks of all of us—all women and all men: to stand up and affirm our interconnectedness and express our full potential as human beings. Filled with keen insight, inspiring stories, and potent exercises, Roar Like a Goddess is a treasure and pleasure to read—a seminal work for all of us who wish to embrace a clear path to knowing and standing up in who we truly are.” —Richard Miller, PhD, founder of iRest Institute, developer of iRest Meditation (iRest.org), and author of iRest Meditation: Restorative Practices for Health, Resiliency, and Well-Being and The iRest Program for Healing PTSD

“In this modern compendium of ancient Hindu goddess mythology, Archarya Shunya teaches us how to harness our divine rage with power and precision—like focused fury from the forehead of the goddess! Thank you, Archarya, for this potent gift. The aim of divine rage is not vengeance, but to reorder the world.” —Valarie Kaur, author of See No Stranger and founder of the Revolutionary Love Project

“Roar Like a Goddess is my favorite kind of mythological book, as it demands the contemporary reinterpretation of the stories and archetypes we encounter and acknowledges their evolutionary nature. Acharya Shunya skillfully shows how we are the ones who must keep the Goddess energies evolving and alive within us, which will ultimately lead us to becoming the fully sovereign, authentic beings that we were born to be.” —Meghan Don, author of Feminine Courage: Remembering Your Voice and Vision Through a Retelling of our Myths and Inner Stories

“Roar Like a Goddess is not a book about the Goddess; it is the voice of the Goddess, bold and clear, with a message ancient and ever new: You are That. Drawing from her life experience, the inspired wisdom of the Vedas, and a fearless commitment to support spiritual awakening for all, Acharya Shunya has gifted us with a revolutionary guidebook for living truthfully, compassionately, and fully. Nothing less will bring forth the healing necessary for our families, nations, and our planet. Gift this book to yourself, your mother, daughters, friends, and allies. It’s time.” —Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian, spiritual director of Center for Spiritual Enlightenment and author of The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga

“Roar Like a Goddess is one of the most introspective, thought-provoking works in the true spirit of ‘know thyself’ in current times. Who is a true goddess? What does it take to become one? Acharya Shunya takes us to an astute journey merging the ancient and the modern, guiding each one of us to rise to our Highest Self. A must-read for every woman out there, and perhaps men too!” —Somanjana Chatterjee, board member of Silicon Valley Interreligious Council

“In this timely and transformational book, Acharya Shunya offers spiritual seekers a much-needed gift: a rational, sensible, and eminently practical understanding of the Divine Feminine in all its diverse expressions. With engaging storytelling and a treasure trove of practices, Roar Like a Goddess shows the way to communion with the Goddess within all of us, regardless of our gender or belief system.” —Philip Goldberg, author of American Veda, The Life of Yogananda, and Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times

“Tuning into the archetypal and symbolic energies of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati offers us a way to embody our inner power and self-agency at a time when we are all being called upon to wake up in the world. If you need to find or refine your voice and would like to encourage others in your life to do so too, please gift yourself and everyone you know a copy of Roar Like a Goddess.” —Felicia Tomasko, editor in chief of LA YOGA Ayurveda and Health and faculty at Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Religion and Spirituality

“Roar Like a Goddess is radical permission to embrace our holy wrath, highest pleasure, and deepest authority for the benefit of all beings. The Goddess herself pours forth and transforms our consciousness directly through the stories in these pages. Acharya Shunya shows us how to let our own lives become the very vehicle of the Divine Feminine. If our world has a path forward, this is the map.” —Vera de Chalambert, public theologian, spiritual storyteller, and Harvard-educated scholar


“Roar Like a Goddess explains the unique and complex theology of Shakti in an accessible manner . . . to all who seek an understanding of reality that views the body, mind, and consciousness as inhabited fully and without limit by the Divine. Acharya Shunya opens up the possibility of self-transformation and self-affirmation through the practice and path of the Divine Feminine—to all who have known oppression.” —Rita D. Sherma, PhD, author of Radical Immanence: An Ecological, Emancipatory, Hindu Theology of the Divine Feminine and director and associate professor, Graduate Theological Union Center for Dharma Studies

From the Publisher

07/01/2022

In her previous books, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom and Sovereign Self, Shunya mined India's scriptural classics for practical (recipes) and intangible (meditation) self-help. Her new book argues that "spiritual knowledge" can free women or anyone femme-identifying from patriarchal repression, connecting them to their inner goddess. Three revered Hindu figures provide her framework: Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Durga embodies power, courage, and righteous rage; Lakshmi represents self-worth, contentment, and balanced goals; Saraswati models wisdom and peaceful authenticity. They are not worshipped as individuals (Hinduism is not polytheistic) but seen as manifestations of Maa Shakti, the Supreme Divine, within. Conversational and hortatory, Shunya's writing reflects her teaching/speaking style. She retells key traditional stories, analyzing them creatively and insightfully, while connecting them to history, social movements, her own and others' experiences (footnotes give sources), and offering brief "contemplation" suggestions. VERDICT Readers looking for life-coaching advice, admonition, affirmation, inspiration, and encouragement will find it here. The text also contributes general knowledge about Hinduism and Indian culture.—Patricia Lothrop

Library Journal