Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics

In this excellent look into “mystical feminism,” Starr (Caravan of No Despair), a poet and professor of philosophy at the University of New Mexico, delves into the wisdom of historical and contemporary women to help readers “step up and repair the broken world.” Starr identifies the feminine paradigm and energy as receptive, nurturing, relational, and wild. But she does not locate it exclusively in female bodies and advocates an inclusive approach, welcoming those who weren’t born female. Blending elements of Zen Buddhism, Christianity, and Indian asceticism, she offers up teachings from such diverse sources as Mary Magdalene, Sufi saint Rabia Basri, and Hildegard of Bingen. For instance, Mary was a “woman of means” and “neither madonna nor whore,” who serves as an example to modern women who, Starr believes, “have reached a tipping point around the globe” in the fight against gender bias. A highlight is her chapter on forgiving, in which she writes of how Buddhist nun Miao Shan forgave her would-be executor. Second-person openings to each chapter hit the emotional heart of each topic, but activities are mostly dull writing exercises that don’t do Starr’s passion justice. Although Starr’s practical advice is wanting, this is a wonderfully singular compendium of spiritual feminists figures. (Apr.)