Motherhood, Spirituality and Culture

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.

Noelia Molina, PhD is a psychotherapist, lecturer and researcher. She has been engaged in spirituality studies, workshops and teaching for more than a decade. Her PhD investigated the transition to motherhood as spiritual process. Currently she teaches several modules on the MA in Applied Spirituality accredited by Waterford Institute of Technology and hosted by the Spirituality Institute for Research and Education (SpIRE) in Dublin. She also serves on the leadership team of the programme and on the advisory board of SpIRE.

PART I Motherhood and culture Introduction 1 Historical, cultural and psychological perspectives on motherhood PART II Contemporary spirituality 2 Spiritual awakening: the cultural shift 3 Spirituality and interdisciplinary partners 4 Testing the psycho-spiritual approach in the transition to motherhood: a pilot study 5 Extending the psycho-spiritual paradigm: spiritual intelligence theory PART III Motherhood and spirituality 6 Research on the lived spirituality of motherhood 7 Seven narratives of maternal transition PART IV Motherhood and spiritual care 8 Uncovering the maternal transition: prenatal, birth and postnatal experiences 9 Implications for the future