The Chalice and the Blade :The Chalice and the Blade :
Our History, Our Future
by Riane Eisler
Paperback, 304 pages
Published by Harper San Francisco
Publication date: October 1, 1988
ISBN: 0062502891
Reviews:
Doug from Mountain View, California,
U.S.A. , 01/29/98, Required reading for the next millenium
Having read this book over a year ago, there is hardly a day that goes by
that I do not relate something that happens in the world and in my life
to the insights I gained from that experience. This was the missing puzzle
piece I needed to formulate a code by which to live. I will do whatever
I can to pass this information on to my children. I believe it is our only
hope if we are to survive as a species.
Leslie from Mobile, Alabama , 10/10/97,
The MOST IMPORTANT book I've ever read...
Based on the work of the remarkable archaeologist Marija Gimbutas and many
other scientists and scholars, Riane Eisler discusses Truth after Truth
of our world's wonderful Prehistory in which, rather than the caveman Lie,
our ancestors were peaceful, highly artistic, compassionate people who loved
and celebrated all Life and worshipped the Goddess. The remains of their
cities prove that they lived communally with no slaves and no signs of war
for 2000 years until the cruel, bloody invasions of the peripheral, nomadic
Indo-Europeans. Our "civilization" has ever after been based on
the Dominator model: a history filled with wars, slavery, murder, rape,
violence; men dominating women, children, and other men; in which values
of compassion and peace are set aside or suppressed. I was continually amazed
that in each chapter, Eisler brings up new points for discussion, speaking
directly to the Soul about our history and the Present. And from the Truth
of our Prehistoric past, when people were developing a truly peaceful and
egalitarian society, we definitely can make this a reality for our future.
This can be a world in which every Person is truly Free and Equal, a world
without war or violence, in which the Arts flourish, creativity has no bounds,
and we live at peace with all of Nature and ourselves: "the power of
creativity and love - symbolized by the sacred Chalice, the holy vessel
of life - is the governing principle."
Lena from Sweden, 12/28/96, The chalice
and the blade, a guide in history.
In The chalice and the blade, Riane Eisler shows how the beginnings of male-centered
religions destroyed the old world, where the Garden of Eden was a reality
and giving the stuff of which the legends later was made. She takes us through
the destruction of the godesscult to the repressive society that we still
live in today. Eisler succedes in describing how the knowledge, about the
ancient equalitarian partnership society, can help us today towards a new
partnership, to defeat oppression, war, and build a new world.
J.B. , 12/06/96, The Chalice and the Blade: beyond feminism
C&B is the seminal work in cultural transformation for the world. It takes no scholar to recognize there are significant problems in our world. Doomsday pronouncements are readily available; and quick-fixes have become as common as Birkenstocks. Eisler's work offers something completely different.
Beginning with the literally "hard evidence" unearthed by archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, Riane Eisler builds a case for the declining spiral of western civilization commencing some 15K years ago. This epoch--if one can speak of such a vast time span as an epoch--is characterized by dominance of the majority by the self-selected few--and while not necessarily so--has taken the form of patriarchy. Eisler then describes a more distant past characterized by cooperation, equality and what she neologizes as "gylany." This gylanic culture, or a culture run by "partnership principles," is one which existed before, and can again exist in our world. Eisler refers to this process as "cultural transformation."
This work not only paints a hopeful picture for our future, but is the definitive response to both radical feminism and the so-called men's movement. While the latter make marginal progress and often have the effect of further polarizing issues, Eisler demonstrates a true paradigm shift toward linking, cooperation, equality and peace. C&B is the seminal work for our future.