"Mommysattva is a wise, funny, and refreshingly real guide to what happens when the ideals of mindfulness practice meet the chaos of everyday motherhood."
-Anne Cushman, author of The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood
In Mommysattva, writer, meditation teacher, nutrition therapist, and mom Jenna Hollenstein envisions motherhood as the most spontaneous, impossible, and hard-won path to wisdom and compassion.
The book is not a guide to motherhood; it's a collection of bite-sized essays examining motherhood as a spiritual journey that includes compassion and vast expansion of the heart. It explores many of the felt experiences of those who mother-from the intense metamorphosis of becoming a mother to the practice of motherhood as a teaching on what it means to be present to mothers' innately activist role in bringing about positive change. And also irritation, resentment, endless snacks, and, sure, vomit. How to bring it all to the path without shame, virtue signaling, or setting up endless years of therapy for your kid? Hollenstein, in a deeply honest exploration of her own journey as a mother, as well as her Buddhist practice and anthropology, sociology, and psychology, offers a view of motherhood that is deep, kind, and real.
The essays shimmer with the message that every single thing we do as mothers is an opportunity to embrace the power, love, chaos, and possibility of this magnificent path.
Industry Reviews
"A deeply informed and compassionate application of Buddhist principles to ease the path of mothering. Honest, intelligent, and supremely helpful." --Karen Maezen Miller, author of Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood
"Mommysattva is a wise, funny, and refreshingly real guide to what happens when the ideals of mindfulness practice meet the chaos of everyday motherhood. Jenna Hollenstein writes from the heart of the parenting hurricane, offering ways to stay present, kind, and attuned to the mystery-even as the winds blow." --Anne Cushman, author of The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood
"This book is not just for mamas who meditate. It's for any and every mother awakening to the reality that status quo motherhood is a setup for disempowerment, overwhelm, and a perpetual sense that, no matter how much we do, it will never be enough. Jenna offers perspective and tools that counter the oppressive systems, norms, and narratives that keep us from our full potential as some of the most powerful changemakers walking the planet. I especially love the way she illuminates the core reasons it's so hard for moms to stick with a meditation practice. So many books about motherhood offer shallow, insufficient solutions to complex issues. Mommysattva is not one of them. Jenna goes deep, and speaks to the challenges of modern motherhood with the respect and reverence mothers deserve." --Beth Berry author of Motherwhelmed and founder of Revolution from Home
