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

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.)