The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood [Paperback]

A “beautifully written and self-revealing” memoir of motherhood—in all its messy glory—as a spiritual practice, by a longtime yoga and dharma teacher (Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance)

Sutra is the Sanskrit name for a short spiritual teaching, and it comes from the same root as the English word suture, or stitch. This story of motherhood as a path to awakening is, says yoga and meditation teacher Anne Cushman, “an homage to the long threads that run through all human lives, stitching up what’s shredded in our hearts.”

The Mama Sutra spans an eighteen-year journey through motherhood as a spiritual practice, chronicling Cushman’s first pregnancy, her daughter's tragic stillbirth, the joyful birth of her son, the “home retreat” of early motherhood, the challenges of parenthood, the diagnosis and gifts of her son’s developmental differences, the meltdown of her nuclear family and its reconfiguration into a new and joyful form, and more. This is a powerful story of the rawness and beauty of life.“In this beautifully written and self-revealing book, Anne Cushman shows us how motherhood carries us into the heart of the spiritual journey. The key is realizing that the messy imperfect moments are not a problem; they are the very grounds of the path. Please gift yourself and others with The Mama Sutra—it’s deeply engaging and fresh, poignant and wise.”—Tara Brach, author of True Refuge
 
“This is an extraordinary book. I couldn’t put it down. The prose is exquisite and real. I’ve never given birth or had a child but now the experience is vivid, the deep mystery and enchantment reveal3-