Matrescence,* the developmental period of motherhood,  can be framed as holistic rite-of-passage into a new way of life and a new mothering identity that affects a mother in every realm of  life... including the spiritual. This period holds transformative potential for a mother, and mothers' stories and research exploring mother's experiences shows mothers can experience (and often experience) significant spiritual development as a result of mother work  (Athan, 2005, 2013, 2015). 

Mothering and motherhood can be experienced as a spiritual education, promoting a mothering consciousness with growth in spiritual domains seen across all major world religions such as unconditional love, interconnection with the Earth, self-transcendence, heightened awareness and senses, experiences of the sacred or mystery, and meaning and purpose (Athan and Miller, 2005, 2013).

I talk about this psychospiritual mental health approach to understanding mothers' experience, one that frames at least some of mothers' suffering as a response to developing what I'm calling a "matricentric or mother-centered ecofeminist consciousness".  From this perspective, many mother's suffer because they develop a "counter-cultural" (Athan, 2016) commitment through their maternal practice to nurture and protect all Life on our living Earth... within a culture that challenges that consciousness with ways of seeing and being in the world that deny and threatens Life.  

Weaving in a bit of my personal experience seeking support in the spiritual domain as a result of feeling disoriented by my own spiritual development after becoming a mother, I explore the ways this growth can show up a mental health challenges that we can support and alleviate within ourselves and other mothers through proper framing, support, and guidance. 

*Matrescence is a concept brought to our current understanding by Dr. Aurelie Athan of Teacher's College Columbia. Find out more about her,  her body of work, and the articles I reference (which are available for free) at www.matrescence.com.

More information:

Visit Dr. Aurelie Athan's website to learn more about matrescence and to download the articles reference in this episode.

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