The Ideal Body

Statue of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and craftsmanship

This next week I am going to talk about health, body type, and obesity myths.  I am going to begin with a series of photos today because I think that is worth more by way of introduction than all the things I could say here.  Women place a high amount of pressure on themselves to look a certain way, needlessly expending huge amounts of energy towards self-hatred of their bodies.  Imagine how many commercial industries would fail if women were satisfied with their natural beauty.

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Cambodian smiling goddess

Durga, invincible Hindu mother goddess who kills the demons in our path

Hecate, Celtic goddess of wisdom, crossroads, and wild creatures

Kuanyin, the female Buddha of Compassion

Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth, beauty, and prosperity

Saraswati, Hindu goddess of learning and music, arts, and science

Another image of Saraswati

Aphrodite (Greek)/Venus (Roman), goddess of love

Stone Age image of the Mother Goddess

Woman of Willendorf, one of the earliest known forms of the Divine Mother

Notice that through time and around the world, the divine female does not look like this. The modern American fashion model represents a minority in the many forms of beauty that exist.

Photo Credits:


Aphrodite: http://www.123rf.com/photo_4224366_statue-of-venus-aprhrodite-greek-roman-goddess-of-love.html

Athena: http://www.123rf.com/photo_8684634_athena-statue.html

Cambodian goddess: http://www.123rf.com/photo_9802873_rock-sculpture-of-a-smiling-goddess-at-angkor-cambodia.html

Durga: http://www.123rf.com/photo_7795492_hindu-goddess-durga-on-lion-with-trident-in-temple.html

Kuanyin: http://www.123rf.com/photo_13231007_guanyin-the-goddess-of-mercy-god-sanya-hainan-worship-nanshan-temple.html

Lakshmi http://www.123rf.com/photo_13055031_lakshmi-hindu-goddess-image-statue-in-devi-jagadamba-temple-khajuraho-india.html

Model Drawing: http://www.123rf.com/photo_15306968_fashion-sketch-of-beautiful-slim-nude-woman-silhouette-walking-on-the-catwalk.html

Saraswati (golden:) http://www.123rf.com/photo_10237600_close-up-of-a-figurine-of-goddess-saraswati.html

Saraswati (multicolor): http://www.123rf.com/photo_13595163_hindu-goddess-saraswathi.html
 
Stone Age Mother Goddess and Venus of Willendorf: LaMotte, A.K.(2006)
‘Images of the divine feminine’. Your World Religions http://yourworldreligions.blogspot.com/2009/10/images-of-divine-feminine-western.html