Conversations with the Goddess at Petra

Book cover - Conversations with the Goddess

Welcome to Kala's Quick Five, where I chat with fascinating authors, artists, teachers and researchers and ask them five questions about their work. My guest today is Dorothy Atalla, author of - Conversations with the Goddess: Encounter at Petra, Place of Power.

Kala: Dorothy, you experienced a personal communication with a divine feminine presence. How did these conversations begin?

Dorothy: On a cold January day in 1981 I took an afternoon break by listening to music for relaxation. While I lay on my living room carpet I floated on the waves of sound and lost sense of time. I suddenly saw with photographic clarity an image of a woman who radiated scintillating light. She was richly dressed and wore a diadem in the manner of east Indian royals persons. She turned her head and smiled in my direction. I had never had such an experience, and didn’t know who she might be. At the time I didn’t know this vision was going to be a preface to the conversations which would follow later on.

Kala: During these conversations, the topic of Petra in the country of Jordan was mentioned. Why is ancient Petra important to you?

Dorothy: The site of ancient Petra made a big impression on me. It has a wild and surreal beauty. Of all the sites I visited in Jordan, it’s the one where I felt that something remained from the presence of ancient peoples who had lived there. Also I met up with the Goddess there. I just didn’t realize it until seven years later.

Petra is important to all of us. It is presently the primary cosmic power point on earth which is initiating a new planetary cycle, a cycle of 26,000 years. As a power point Petra has ushered in a new reality. The prediction was this: in this new cycle the Divine Feminine will re-emerge and come into prominence, even in our time. Along with the re-emergence of the Divine Feminine a new birth of consciousness has been occurring, an evolutionary leap for humankind and the planet, in which humankind is shifting from an old way of thinking into a new way of thinking, from an old paradigm for living to a new paradigm for living.

Kala: You talk about being empowered through your conversations with the Goddess. How did the experience change you?

Dorothy: What was empowering about the conversations was this: I came to understand that the disempowering story which our culture has given us about our lives as females can, and will be, transcended. When our misperceptions about ourselves as females are cleared away, we can begin to see the powers which are uniquely ours.

One experience which was a shift for me was my perception of what it meant to live in a female body. I think it isn’t uncommon for us women to have a conflicted view of our bodies. I was born into a culture which didn’t see the human body as spiritual, especially the female body. Spirit was a different entity, separate from body, and more important than body. Woman’s body processes were considered to be only biological processes.

The information about women’s natural transformational mysteries which came up in conversation with the Presence changed that. Why ? Because for the first time in my life I learned that the female body has spiritual power. This information presented a different paradigm for how I thought about myself in relation to my body.

In fact, a substantial part of my book is devoted to dialogues about the natural transformational mysteries of woman’s body and psyche, about how they are inextricably intertwined. Especially important is the part of the dialogue which speaks of how our female bodies’ transformations are fundamentally inseparable from our spiritual development. This counteracted what I had learned at a very early age, i.e. that my body was separate from, and even inferior to my mind and spirit. This split in perception came from the cultural mythology in which I grew up.

Catholic theologian Rosemary Ruether said that there exists in our cultural mythology a fundamental dualism in which woman, body, instinct, and nature are equated with the earthly finite aspects of existence. The other half of this equation is man, mind, spirit, and culture. The pole of man/mind/spirit/culture has been perceived as the more important -- and also the dominant -- pole. Ruether calls this hierarchical dualism.

Kala: What do you believe that the feminine presence is bringing to humanity at this time?

Dorothy: She is bringing her love for all living things. She is bringing in her power, the power of the Divine Feminine, in a way that we have only now begun to explore. To humanity she offers the possibility of co-creation with her, to design an entirely new way of living together.

What she is bringing through my book, Conversations with the Goddess: Encounter at Petra, Place of Power, is a glimpse into ancient peoples’ reverence for the Goddess. She is also bringing a correction of distortions in perception which accumulated around her over many centuries. Her purpose is to clear away whatever stands between her and humanity right now, so that we will have a closer connection with her than we have had.

Kala: Many patriarchal religions have eliminated the Goddess from their belief systems. Do you feel that there will be a return to understanding and embracing the Goddess?

Dorothy: Since I first saw the Great Goddess in 1981 there has been a rising tide of interest in the Divine Feminine. Many books about the Goddess have come out since then. In addition, there is now much information on, and discussion about, the re-emergence of the Divine Feminine and the Goddess on the Internet. For example, there are three sites I know of which have attracted thousands of women. These sites offer programs for women to develop leadership and collaboration that is in alignment with their feminine power: Feminine Power,  Inspiring Women Summit and BraveHeart Women and there are probably other such virtual gatherings of which I haven’t yet heard.

Also, there is a greater sense of urgency in the air about the welfare of the planet, who is our mother. We have begun to recognize that we must create a new way of life that benefits all life on earth. Life becomes unsustainable unless we change our ways. I prefer to believe that we will return to understanding and embracing the Goddess, although outer signs seem to say otherwise. In crisis lies opportunity.

Kala: Dorothy, thank you for joining me here on Kala's Quick Five. More about Dorothy and her book can be found at her website: www.conversationswiththegoddess.net

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More about Kala Ambrose:Kala Ambrose is an award winning author, business intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. As a business intuitive she brings a wealth of knowledge to corporations, businesses and individuals providing insightful solutions with a competitive edge to achieve their business and personal goals.

Kala's book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala's Guided Meditations CD's include a sacred site trilogy including Spirit of Hawaii, Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  Kala Ambrose is a highly interactive teacher on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire.Kala lectures on Wisdom Teachings, Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine).