According to philosopher Luce Irigaray, for women to 'become what we areā¦[means] to refuse to allow parts of ourselves to shrivel and die that have the potential for growth and fulfilment'. In this volume we have thirteen Australian women who have done just that, refused to 'shrivel and die' but instead have continued to grow and develop even when that desire for growth has led to them pruning off from their lives religious traditions which inhibit flourishing. The cultural context means that each woman has encountered Christianity at some point, but not all continue with that tradition. Instead some have embraced Wicca, others have explored Goddess, Buddhism and New Thought.
Every woman's journey is a reflection of her unique spirit, and yet each woman has indented the very strong threads that bind together spirituality with everyday life. Often it is spiritually that provides that impetus for change and growth, and equally often it is each woman's experience of daily lift which challenges, informs and shapes her spirituality.