Motherhood, Spirituality and Culture

Motherhood, Spirituality and Culture

Author: Noelia Molina

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-02-25

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 0429892780

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Motherhood, Spirituality and Culture explores spiritual skills that may assist women in changes, challenges and transformations undergone through the transition to motherhood. This study comprises rich, qualitative data gathered from interviews with 11 mothers. Results are analysed by constructing seven unique maternal narratives that elucidate and give voice to the mothers in their transition by in depth exploration of six themes emerging from the analysis. Overall discussion ranges across such realities as: • desires, expectations and illusions for mothering; • birth and spiritual embodied experiences of mothering; • instinctual knowing; identity and crisis, and connections of motherhood; • changes and transformations undergone through motherhood. This study presents a unique framework for qualitative studies of spirituality within motherhood research; by weaving together transpersonal psychology, humanistic psychology, spiritual intelligence and the spiritual maternal literature.This book will appeal to all women who have transitioned to motherhood. It willalso be of assistance to professionals who wish to approach any aspect of maternity care and support from a transpersonal perspective. It will also provideunique insights for academics and postgraduate students in the fields of anthropology, psychology, psychotherapy and feminism studies.


Enlightenment Through Motherhood

Enlightenment Through Motherhood

Author: Astra Niedra

Publisher: Voice Dialogue in Daily Life

Published: 2013-12-13

Total Pages: 92

ISBN-13:

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Motherhood is misunderstood. Since time immemorial we've believed that when women become mothers they are taking time out from real work and serious personal growth, especially spiritual development. But we've got it all wrong. While heavily pregnant with her third child, personal growth writer Astra Niedra attempted a holiday in the tropical paradise of Australia's Far North with her husband and two young daughters in tow. During this ‘holiday’ (we need another word to describe 'an extended overnight excursion with young children) she discovered that the skills and abilities mothers are required to use each day as part of their job are the same as the practices prescribed for enlightenment seekers. Join Astra on her journey of discovery and feel inspired, entertained and spiritually uplifted, all the while becoming increasingly grounded in the unshakeable truth that there is far more to being a mother and raising children than conventional wisdom would have us believe. “Absolutely brilliant! This book is just what the world needs now as our planet continues to move towards political and ecological disaster while the patriarchal systems that still dominate our thinking continue to devalue everything traditionally – and biologically – female.” "In a most perfect balance of yin and yang, of logic and feeling, of humor and gravity, Astra Niedra reclaims for all human beings – not just women – a precious element of that which is truly sacred in life." “Her simple spellbinding stories, her keen intellect, and her unfailing humour make this book a pleasure to read. Here is a new way of thinking of spirituality, of valuing our humanity while living a spirit-infused life, and a fascinating (and novel) path to enlightenment! It's a consciousness changer and I loved it." – Dr Sidra Stone, author of Embracing Our Selves, Partnering, Embracing Your Inner Critic, and The Shadow King "I enjoyed this immensely... Definitely a fun and entertaining book while sharing a bit of spiritual goodness as well." – Katie "This book put into words just what, and how, I was feeling about my own spiritual journey. Women and men have such different experiences and this book beautifully articulates them." – Amanda "A great read for all mothers, I loved this book!" – Ann Shepich “Enlightenment indeed! I hope many women have the opportunity to read Astra’s book. Being pregnant, birthing and mothering are the most important jobs on earth. Honouring these roles is important for governments and society to appreciate and elevate to a much higher status. Astra’s journey is familiar, delightfully written and inspiring.” – Susan Ross, Midwife, Birth Educator and author of Birth Right


Rewilding Motherhood

Rewilding Motherhood

Author: Shannon K. Evans

Publisher: Brazos Press

Published: 2021-09-14

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1493432303

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Women are often told by their communities that being a mother will complete or define them. But many mothers find themselves depleted and spiritually stagnant amid the everyday demands of being a mom. They long to experience a rich inner life but feel there is rarely enough time, energy, or stillness to connect with God in a meaningful way. This book takes the concept of rewilding and applies it to motherhood. Just as an environmentalist seeks to rewild land by returning it to its natural state, Shannon Evans invites women to rewild motherhood by reclaiming its essence through an expansive feminine spirituality. Drawn from the contemplative Catholic tradition and Evans's own parenting experience, Rewilding Motherhood helps women deepen their connection to God through practices inherent to the life they're living now. Topics include work-life balance, identity, solitude, patience, household work, and mission for the common good. Throughout, Evans encourages women to see motherhood as an opportunity to discover a vibrant feminine spirituality and a deeper knowledge of God and self.


Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad

Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad

Author: Samantha N. Stephenson

Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor

Published: 2022-10-13

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 1681927764

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In the midst of a culture that is increasingly confused about sexuality, love, life, and our very identity as persons, the Church offers us the truth of who we are. For women, this truth is rooted in motherhood — not just biological but, even more, spiritual — because women are the bearers and nurturers of life. Yet it’s difficult to understand and defend the true value of motherhood when the lies that permeate secular culture have seeped into our own way of thinking, even in the Church. Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad helps Catholics to peel back societal assumptions to understand the fundamental misconceptions fueling our culture’s attacks on marriage, motherhood, and the family. Examining current practices in light of these faulty assumptions will empower women in their own motherhood and equip Catholics to combat the culture of confusion by boldly proclaiming God’s vision for our lives. This book offers a deep dive into what the Church teaches on motherhood and its dignity, equipping us to understand the WHY behind those teachings. It is only by living within a vision that honors the self-gift of motherhood as the pinnacle of womanhood that love, and not self-interest, can begin to reorder our lives.


The Myth of the Perfect Mother

The Myth of the Perfect Mother

Author: Carla Barnhill

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 196

ISBN-13: 9780801064661

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Barnhill asserts that much of what people understand to be God's ideal is actually based on secular culture. Barnhill addresses several issues mothers struggle with and offers a positive view of motherhood based on biblical principles.


Myths of Motherhood

Myths of Motherhood

Author: Sherry Thurer

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 1995-05-01

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 0140246835

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This groundbreaking and irreverent history of motherhood is worth a hundred advice books for any mother who’s ever been made to feel guilty or frazzled by society’s impossible expectations. Analyzing data from the psychoanalyst’s couch to the hidden history of wet nursing, psychologist Shari L. Thurer wends her way from the Stone Age to the age of Hillary Rodham Clinton, painting a vivid, often frightening picture of life for mothers and children in a time when their roles were constructed by men. Along the way, she debunks myth after myth—exposing the not-so-golden ages of Classical Greece and the Italian Renaissance, and revealing the pervasive ideal of Dr. Spock’s selfless, stay-at-home mother as the historical aberration it actually was. A work of impassioned scholarship and astonishing range, The Myths of Motherhood does nothing less than recast our conception of good mothering.


Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality

Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality

Author: Raymond Arroyo

Publisher: Image

Published: 2007-03-06

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0385521804

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“Everything starts with one person . . . I don’t care if you’re 5 or 105, God from all eternity chose you to be where you are, at this time in history, to change the world.” “If you are following God, He never shows you the end. It’s always a walk of faith.” “Faith is one foot on the ground, one foot in the air, and a queasy feeling in the stomach.” —Mother Angelica Are you unsure of your purpose in life? Stuck in the past and worried about the future? Hamstrung by fear, failure, or trials? Mother is here to help. For more than twenty-five years, Mother Angelica has dispensed spiritual wisdom and practical advice to millions around the globe through her lively broadcasts on EWTN. Now she shares with you her personal life lessons and hilarious counsel as never before. Raymond Arroyo, author of the bestselling biography of Mother Angelica, has assembled an inspiring collection of her powerful insights, comic musings, and no-nonsense guidance for everyday living. Culled from never-before-seen interviews, private conversations, and recorded lessons not heard in over thirty years, to which Arroyo had exclusive access, these selections capture Mother Angelica’s spunky spirit and profound wisdom at their zenith. In Mother Angelica’s Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality, the beloved nun is your personal mentor. Together you’ll discover: How to find God’s Will in your life How to pursue inspirations fearlessly How to make sense of pain and suffering How to spiritually overcome personal faults and trials Created in cooperation with Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, this devotional treasury is accompanied by original prayers from Mother Angelica’s private collection. Within are the meditations, personal beliefs, and pithy life lessons that transformed a disabled child of divorce into Mother Angelica, founder and CEO of the world’s largest religious media empire. Packed with real-world hope, this little book is sure to transform your life in a big way. A portion of the proceeds of this book goes to support the work of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery


Parenting as Spiritual Practice and Source for Theology

Parenting as Spiritual Practice and Source for Theology

Author: Claire Bischoff

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-12-13

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 3319596535

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This volume investigates how mothers can understand parenting as spiritual practice, and what this practice means for theological scholarship. An intergenerational and intercultural group of mother-scholars explores these questions that arise at the intersection of motherhood studies, religious practice, pastoral care, and theology through engaging and accessible essays. Essays include both narrative and theological elements, as authors draw on personal reflection, interviews, and/or sociological studies to write about the theological implications of parenting practice, rethink key concepts in theology, and contribute to a more robust account of parenting as spiritual practice from various theological perspectives. The volume both challenges oppressive, religious images of self-sacrificing motherhood and considers the spiritual dimensions of mothering that contribute to women’s empowerment and well-being. It also deepens practical and systematic theologies to include concern for the embodied and everyday challenges and joys of motherhood as it is experienced and practiced in diverse contexts of privilege and marginalization.


On Pilgrimage

On Pilgrimage

Author: Dorothy Day

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 1999-08-01

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 9780567086914

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"When Dorothy Day sat down to record her thoughts in diary form, she wrote not only as the leader of the Catholic Worker movement but also as a mother, a grandmother, and a deeply religious woman who was passionate about everything from baking bread to prayer. But whether describing day-to-day happenings or exploring the writings of the saints, Day's reflections return to her abiding theme - the call to personal and public transformation. Her diary entries touch on numerous social and moral concerns still vital in our day: the disenfranchised poor, the benefits of meaningful work, the significance of family, the dangers of secularization, the decline of moral standards, and the importance of faith."--BOOK JACKET.


This Life That Is Ours

This Life That Is Ours

Author: Lauren Burdette

Publisher: Upper Room Books

Published: 2019-04-01

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13: 0835818667

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This Life That Is Ours offers 40 gentle meditations with guidance for reflection on the spiritual journey of motherhood. These practical, soul-affirming meditations nurture a mother's heart and spiritual life in a season fraught with overwhelm, exhaustion, and loss of identity. Through the lens of Burdette's real-life stories, the reader is invited to ponder her experience and to contemplate where God might be present. This book is divided into three sections. Reflections in the first section, "Becoming a Mother," explore the dynamics of being a new mother and the whirlwind experience of those early months and years. The second section, "Becoming Yourself," considers what it means to return home to yourself—to begin to find your identity again, both within the realm of motherhood and outside of it. The third section, "Becoming Holy," names the holy paradoxes of motherhood—the ways it can be both extraordinary and mundane, both gift and sacrifice—ultimately deepening one's experience of the holiness of motherhood. This Life That Is Ours includes an introduction, a preparatory guide for the reflective journey, a closing spiritual practice, and a conclusion. This book can be used in communities of mom groups, intergenerational groups of women, or spouse groups and would make a great gift for new mothers and mothers-to-be.