Pagan Portals – The Temple Priestesses of Antiquity, by Lady Haight-Ashton Moon Books, 128 pages, 1803410280, August 2022 I think it’s very common for modern witches and priestesses to feel a connection to our predecessors, at least this is true for me. Reading about the lives of priestesses, oracles, and healers of the past builds a bridge between past and present, reminding me of the timelessness of the Goddess. Pagan Portals – The Temple Priestesses of Antiquity by Lady Haight-Aston was a very interesting read that took me through the cultures of priestess traditions dating back to 12,000 B.C.E. in Mesopotamia all the way to the present age. “Whether Oracles, Seers, Psychics, and Sibyls, or Sacred Dancers and Healers, the ancient Temple Priestesses wove a narrative of both realism and mythology. They held court in every ancient civilization with their mysterious and mystical powers. These empowered women enthralled those who sought their advice while always serving the Goddess they revered.”1 Lady Haight-Aston’s resume is quite impressive. She is a Third Degree High Priestess of both Gardnerian and Cabot Hermetic Tradition, as well as High Priestess of Sacred Moon Coven and the Iseum of the Graceful Goddess. She is also a professional psychic, trance medium, Sacred Dancer, teacher, and tarot reader. In 2019, Lady Haight-Aston published Pagan Portals – The First Sisters: Lilith and Eve. The vastness of her knowledge of different traditions and forms of Goddess worship shine through every page of this book. The most prominent priestess cultures covered in this book are those of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, including Goddess cults of Isis and Hathor, the Oracle of Delphi, and the Vestal Virgins. But I was surprised to learn about other traditions that I had previously not heard of before, such as The Ank Priestesses of the Isle of Iona and the Cumaean Sibyl that presided over the Oracle of the Dead in Baia, Italy. I will admit each section is short; this isn’t a full deep dive into any one priestess tradition, but rather a small sample of each one. But there is still plenty to learn from this book, and I found it valuable to read about all the different priestess cultures side by side. I noticed similarities and differences stand out more than when I study one priestess culture on its own. And as someone who has studied different priestess cultures previously, devouring any piece of literature I could get my hands on, Lady Haight-Aston still provided me with plenty of new revelations. As she weaves her way through periods of the past, Lady Haight-Aston notes different speculations of academics and clearly informs readers where there is a lack of archeological evidence to make assured claims. But simultaneously, she adds her own perspective as an initiated priestess to share missing links of herstory. I deeply appreciated her point of view and am always glad for a feminist version of history, but for those who this might not be appealing, there is ample reference sources provided at the end of each chapter for readers to investigate themselves and draw their own conclusions. I mean, if we’re being honest, priestess cultures have hardly been given the academic recognition they deserve, especially in comparison to the study of different priesthoods. To this day, putting together the pieces to better understand these cultures is still quite a challenge. As much as I value the efforts of historians and anthropologists, I feel there is value in having a modern-day Priestess share her thoughts on the significant findings too, providing an experiential interpretation of the artifacts and records. One of my favorite chapters was “The Modern-Day Oracle Priestess” where Lady Haight-Ashton discussed prominent women that have helped to keep the Priestess tradition alive in recent times, such as Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Sybil Leek. In this section, Lady Haight-Ashton also shares more about friends of hers that have created different communities. I was thrilled to learn about these, especially Woolston-Steene Theological Seminary (the only degree program in the United States for Wiccan ministry) and the Aquarian Tabernacle Church International. All in all, Pagan Portals – Temple Priestesses of Antiquity was a fantastic read that expanded my knowledge of the influence Priestesses had on cultures of the past. Lady Haight-Aston’s personal path of Priestesshood helps to shine light on what the experience of these devout women of the past might have been within the context of their unique cultures. This book serves as a reminder of the spiritual and political influence women have had through time, and it inspires hope that the way of the Goddess will someday thrive again. For those interested in the pathway of the Priestess, Lady Haight-Aston provides many resources to explore as one finds their own path towards serving the Goddess in the modern world. ~ https://musingmystical.com/pagan-portals-the-temple-priestesses-of-antiquity-by-lady-haight-ashton/, internet

Ashton, who reveals herself to be a modern Oracle and Sibyl, who does not live in a temple complex or underground cavern, instead has a Coven and teaches and works within the confines of her historic 18th century home in a little village in Maine, brings forth a clear, concise and veritably understandable (to all who choose to enter) doctrine where the language is not only descriptive, but the visions created within her prose ones that clearly reveal the mysteries of this Sacred Calling and its legacy for the today’s Modern Temple Priestess. FULL REVIEW: https://annecarlini.com/ex_books.php?id=370 ~ Exclusive Magazine, Review

Temple Priestesses are sadly a thing of the past. These women were revered and held in high esteem, unlike a lot of women nowadays. This book was not only empowering, but informative and a joy to read. Lady Haight, a Third Degree Gardnerian High Priestess, wrote this, not just intellectually, but with such reverence that I could not put it down. She explains the life of the ancient Temple Priestesses and how society saw them as if she was there and experienced it herself. I learned a lot about the various Oracles, Sibyls, and Priestesses. As a witch who worships multiple goddesses, there were things about the Goddesses themselves that even I didn’t know. Not only did Lady Haight delve into the ancient Temple Priestesses, but also talked about modern day priestesses such as Doreen Valiente, Laurie Cabot HPS, and herself, Lady Haight-Ashton HPS – Oracle, Sibyl, and Sacred Dancer. She discusses Mesopotamia and the first Priestess, the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Hathor, the Priestesses of Goddesses Artemis and Diana, and the Goddess Athena and her importance to Athens, Greece. I was shocked, but delighted, that she goes into female Shamans, Priestesses of the ancient Druids, and even has a chapter covering the Labyrinth of Hades and the Oracles of the Dead. Shocked because when most think of Temple Priestesses, they will normally associate them with the Goddesses and not Gods… especially Hades. Most will shy away from discussing Hades and certainly do not want to think about, or imagine, Oracles or Priestesses of the Dead. Well, someone had to give messages to people about their passed on loved ones! This book is such a deep well of information, I will be reading it over and over and I hope that others who are interested in ancient HERstory and wish to understand more the life of the ancient priestesses, as well as modern ones, pick this book up! ~ Cyndi Snow-Pilcher, https://paganpages.org/emagazine/2022/10/01/book-review-pagan-portals-the-temple-priestesses-of-antiquity-by-lady-haight-ashton/

Fascinating Book What a fascinating book. There is such a wealth of history with an elaborative insight into a forgotten world that has had no visibility in our modern society. The author has shed light with intriguing prose captivating my attention to read onwards. I really enjoyed reading it! ~ M.L., verified Amazon purchaser

I love this book. It is full of interesting historical detail. And very well written by an author that does her research. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Ancient History, Women's History or Religion ~ Stephen G. Fontneau, verified Amazon purchaser

I have not been able to put this book down. In just the first chapter I learned a lot that really sucked me in. Lady Haight Ashton is a brilliant teacher and definitely knows her stuff. I'm grateful she shared her wisdom with the world. ~ Raven Wagner , verified Amazon purchaser

From Orion Foxwood: Lady is a brilliant medium and a clear, accurate medium for the voice of the divine. I have been privileged to hear the messages that come through her and they had the un-mistakeable mark of authenticity. I highly recommend her class and her books. ~ Orion Foxwood, Facebook

Lady Haight-Ashton is a great writer and a great friend. I have all her books. Full of knowledge and wisdom. ~ Leslie Cabot Armstrong HPS, Facebook

Read this book carefully and you will be inspired by Lady Haight-Ashton's informative and scholarly reporting of the hidden and often purposely misrepresented and much misunderstood Herstory inside the life of Temple Priestesses of Antiquity. Her clearly understandable and impactfully descriptive language creates visions in our minds and hearts that reveal to us the mysteries of this Sacred Calling and its legacy for today’s Modern Temple Priestess. ~ Gypsy Ravish, HPS