Soul Shelf: Warrior Goddess Training

on self-trust, honesty, and choosing yourself as a woman

There are some books that offer new ideas, and others that feel more like a quiet remembering of something you already know but have perhaps lost touch with.

Warrior Goddess Training sits somewhere in between. Written by HeatherAsh Amara, whose work draws on Toltec wisdom and women’s circles, it is rooted in the idea that many women have been taught to move through the world in ways that keep them small, accommodating, and disconnected from their own truth.

Rather than asking you to become someone new, the book gently invites you to notice the ways you have learned to abandon yourself, and to begin, slowly and honestly, to choose differently.

What the book is really exploring

At its core, the book looks at the subtle and often invisible ways women are conditioned to prioritise others over themselves.

Not in an abstract way, but in everyday moments:

• saying yes when you mean no

• managing other people’s emotions

• staying quiet to avoid conflict

• shaping yourself to be more acceptable, more likeable

These patterns are not framed as weaknesses, but as learned behaviours, often rooted in a desire to feel safe, loved, or included.

What the book does well is bring awareness to these moments without judgement, while also encouraging a deeper level of honesty about the role you play in maintaining them.

The “warrior goddess” as a way of being

The phrase “warrior goddess” is not used in a dramatic or performative sense. It points to a balance between two qualities that are often seen as opposites.

The “warrior” represents:

• clarity

• boundaries

• responsibility

• the willingness to take action

The “goddess” represents:

• receptivity

• intuition

• creativity

• connection to self

The work, as Amara presents it, is about integrating both. Not becoming harder or more forceful, but becoming more whole.

This kind of power is not about pushing or proving. It is about being able to stand in your truth, while remaining connected to yourself.

Self-abandonment and self-responsibility

A central theme throughout the book is the idea of self-abandonment.

The small, often unconscious ways you move away from your own needs, feelings, or desires in order to maintain harmony, approval, or a sense of control.

The invitation is not simply to notice this, but to take responsibility for it.

• where are you not being honest with yourself?

• where are you choosing what is familiar over what is true?

• what are you tolerating that no longer feels aligned?

This is where the “warrior” aspect comes in. It asks for a level of honesty that can feel uncomfortable at times, but ultimately creates more freedom.

Patterns, not identity

One of the most grounding aspects of the book is its reminder that these ways of being are not fixed.

They are patterns that have been learned over time.

• people pleasing

• overgiving

• self-doubt

• hesitation

are not who you are, but ways you have adapted.

Seeing them this way creates space for change, without needing to reject or criticise yourself.

A slower, more embodied kind of change

The practices in the book are not about quick transformation. They are simple, reflective, and often repetitive in nature.

They invite you to:

• pause

• notice

• tell the truth

• make small, conscious choices

There is something quite grounding in this pace. It allows change to feel integrated, rather than forced.

Over time, these small shifts begin to alter how you relate to yourself, your boundaries, and your decisions.

Final reflection

If you are drawn to work that explores self-trust, boundaries, and the subtle ways you show up in the world as a woman, this is a thoughtful and accessible place to begin.

It does not promise a new identity or a dramatic transformation. Instead, it offers a steady path back to yourself, one that is rooted in awareness, honesty, and choice.

In that sense, it feels less like becoming a “warrior goddess,” and more like remembering that you never needed to be anything else.

A small note

If this kind of work resonates, it is also something I explore through my retreats and gatherings, where there is more space to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with yourself in a supportive environment.

You can find upcoming experiences here.