"Momfulness will go on my reading list with the highest recommendation! It is a book that you can use by closing your eyes, holding a dilemma in your heart, and then opening to a page that will offer the perfect mix of sanity, grace, and humor."
-Amy Saltzman, M.D., creator of Still Quiet Place
As the mother of four children (and the foster mom of a fifth), I can attest to the fact that motherhood leaves stretch marks on us—in so many ways! I have been stretched physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. My limited notion of what constitutes a family has widened, and I have been pulled (sometimes kicking and screaming) into the present moment. Through great challenges and even greater love, my heart has grown to hold more than I ever thought possible.
Motherhood continues to stretch me to this day, and I see no end in sight. It teaches lessons that many spiritual disciplines teach: the transforming effect of true presence, the importance of close attention, the need for deep compassion, the celebration of embodiment, the recognition of the sacred in all things, and the power of community.
Momfulness is the word I use for this spiritual practice of conscious mothering. When we mother with mindfulness and compassion and a willingness to let this vocation awaken our hearts and transform our lives, we walk a spiritual path. We discover that care for our children and family is not a distraction from sacred practice but is the very essence of it.
My husband and I conceived of the word Momfulness at (appropriately enough) our kitchen table, and since then I keep discovering more and more what it means to be Momful. My oldest son Ben calls it entering the “mama zone.” That may be as good a characterization as any. Words can’t capture its full meaning, because Momfulness is best understood through experience. The reflections and practices in this book are designed so that you can deepen conscious mothering in your own life.
And so I invite you to join me in exploring the spiritual practice of Momfulness, whether in the midst of sticky kisses or at the point of sheer exhaustion, at the moment when your heart is broken or at the point when it stretches wide open, as together we cultivate a mindful, compassionate, mothering presence with ourselves, with our children, and with our world.
Pre-order your copy of Momfulness now.