Aphrodite's Daughters: Women's Sexual Stories and the Journey of the Soul

In the introduction of this book Jalaja Bonheim tells the incredible story of her journey through India and her discovery of the history of Indian dance.I continued to read the book and suddenly I could not put it down. She tells the sexual stories of many women: pregnancy, rape, incest, bisexuality, marriage, relationships, polyamory, passionate monogamy etc. Jalaja writes about different women's experiences and doesn't try to push her opinions onto the reader. While reading the stories you can explore your own sexuality, and what it means to you personally. Jalaja's insights were incredible, and changed my life (at a time when I really needed a deeper understanding of sexual abuse and intimacy). This has become one of my favorite books on women's sexuality, and it probably always will be.

Unbelievable! An avid reader, this is the ONLY book I own that I, selfishly, refuse to lend out from my personal collection. (I have however, bought a copy for at least 5 different friends!) Through a series of spiritual and sexual accounts nationwide, Jalaja encourages, no, make that -demands- us, as women, to re-evaluate, not only the role of sexuality in our lives, but the ineffable link between body and spirit; between passion and God. Expect to be changed by this book. It will challenge you, provoke you, and in the end, comfort you. No matter what your history, your sexual orientation, your desires from Self or Life, you will put this book down with a sigh, revelling in the wonder of who you are as a woman.

I read this book slowly over several months as my decades-long marriage finally came to an end. It was as if I'd been handed a lifeline from a sisterhood of fellow travelers through the same shadowed valleys and sunlit summits as myself. Jalaja's genius is in the deep listening and compassion with which she honored these women in the telling of their sexual and spiritual journeys. I have had the good fortune to attend a workshop with Jalaja and understand how these women were able to bring their stories forth in such rich dimensionality.I gave this book to all my sisters, sisters-in-law, and nieces. Then I gave it to about a dozen of my friends and started a women's spirituality circle to explore the lessons and questions from the reading of it. Most of the circle members also read it slowly, often in tears, digesting the layers of meaning. That's how important this book is to those struggling to understand the impact on their souls of their sexual relationships. Many of the stories are told by women in their later years, and it is reassuring to those younger that the early traumas often are transformed eventually into a rich inner experience of one's own divine femininity. I have shared this book widely, but my best dividend was the postcard from Italy saying that my niece and her boyfriend were reading it to each other. Share this book and nurture a future where the sacred dimension of our lovemaking is recognized and celebrated.

Aphrodite's Daughters is a remarkable collection of stories told in women's own voices and beautifully interwoven with the author's own observations and thoughts.I found myself reading my own sexual story throughout the book - a true validation of my own journey. A compassionately written book, Aphrodite's Daughters is a must read for any woman, or man, who seeks a deeper understanding of our sexual experiences as it unfolds along our sacred paths