Christian, spirituality

Untie the Strong Woman


Author: Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD
Publisher: Sounds True
Genre: Spirituality
ISBN: 978-1-60407-635-6
Pages: 400
Price: $27.95

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The Virgin Mary has long been seen as a serene paragon of the Christian faith. Usually portrayed with the Christ child on her lap, she smiles sweetly from behind her veil. But what if she had another side to her – a wild side?

In Untie the Strong Woman, Clarissa Pinkola Estés shows us that the Blessed Mother does, in fact, have a wild side. This strong and vibrant woman challenges the author to do things she wouldn’t ordinarily do. Estés spent time working with incarcerated girls at her leading, and hired an alcoholic for mason work outside her home when she felt Mary was guiding her. The wild woman also includes the Black Madonna, and Estés shares her story, as well as many others.

For those who only see the Virgin Mary as a peaceful mother of Jesus, these images may come as a surprise. Getting to know her and following her leading may cause us to wind up in places we might not have chosen to go. But we can be sure we’ll be in for a wild ride.

Reviewer: Alice Berger