Mothers, Myth and Mythos: maternal narrative knowing: maternal narrative knowing

What is the mother myth and mythos? How does mythology of mothers and mothering underpin our experiences? Where does myth and fairytale combine with the personal into mothering mythos? Through which, stories, folktales, goddesses and archetypes do women come to know and experience mothers and mothering? Can such ways of knowing and expression be a source of liberation and empowerment? This powerful, unique collection takes the reader on an intimate journey through the landscape of critical, creative, personal and artistic exploration of the experiences and relationships of women to maternal knowing through myths and mythologies, archetypes and deeply personal experience. Grounded fully in multiple, diverse perspectives on mother myths and stories, and mothers’ presence/absence and representation in art, mythology and folklore, the book includes artistic expression and impression, raw experience of maternal identity, love and loss, the dualism of myth and mythos and how narratives evoking mother-relations speak to and of each other and provide a powerful testimony and analytical insight into the shared elements of our interrelated, culturally-driven stories.

Dr Alys Einion, FRCM is an academic midwife, educator, editor and author, pagan chaplain, vegan, inclusive feminist, hypnobirthing and hypnofertility practitioner, and former Editor of The Practising Midwife. She has authored dozens of book chapters, journal articles, editorials and presentations. Her novels Inshallah and Ash are published by www.honno.co.uk, with Letters from Ravensbrü ck due in 2027. A proud Cymraes, Alys lives in Dundee, Scotland with her adult son and sufficient books to be officially a library. Rachael Williams is a lecturer in nursing, a practising midwife and nurse of Canadian, indigenous/mixed heritage, resident in Scotland, UK. As a staunch proponent of woman-led models of midwifery, and mother of an eight-year-old, she has interests in mothers’ experience of neonatal resuscitation, and of treatment following a change in risk, as well as the global perspective of what makes midwives happy, not least from the perspective of maintaining care quality. She also writes fiction.