As their daughters reached adolescence, Santa Barbara-based Janet Lucy and Terri Allison noticed a lack of spiritually focused resources to guide young women in understanding their changing bodies and monthly cycles. Searching for answers, they delved into the past, uncovering goddess mythology from different cultures and periods that highlighted the qualities they wanted to share. They channeled these discoveries into their book, Moon Mother, Moon Daughter, aiming to support their daughters through adolescence with meaningful lessons to help them embrace their true selves, celebrate femininity, and deepen the mother-daughter bond—at a time when mothers and daughters often find themselves drifting apart.
The result is a curious blend of multicultural myths, quotes from relevant literature, personal anecdotes from the authors’ experiences as mothers, and activities designed to foster self-reflection as both mothers and daughters embrace the transition into adulthood. In an era when girls are coming of age in an increasingly disconnected world, Moon Mother, Moon Daughter: Myths and Rituals that Celebrate a Girl’s Coming-of-Age has emerged as essential reading for mothers and daughters seeking to reconnect with age-old wisdom.
We spoke with Janet Lucy and Terri Allison about the lasting impact of Moon Mother, Moon Daughter. They shared their hopes for girls as they transition into womanhood and the purpose behind their work.
Discover how Moon Mother, Moon Daughter uses ancient mythology and cultural practices to help girls transition to adulthood with our exclusive interview available in the November – December 2024 issue Coming of Age in the Ancient World in Ancient Origins Magazine. Get it here!
Featured Image: Representative image of a coming-of-age celebration. grape_vein / Adobe Stock