Nurture the Wow
Finding Spirituality in the Frustration, Boredom, Tears, Poop, Desperation, Wonder, and Radical Amazement of Parenting
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Discover the transformative spiritual practice of parenting and find solace amidst the daily challenges.
In Nurture the Wow, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg offers a fresh perspective on the demands of parenting, inviting readers to approach it as a spiritual practice. Bombarded by relentless pressures from work and life, parents often struggle to meet their children's needs while neglecting their own inner longings. Ruttenberg argues that by shifting our mindset, we can find purpose and meaning in the very work of parenting itself.
Rooted in Judaism but incorporating a wide range of religious and literary traditions, this book explores how ancient ideas about relationships, drudgery, pain, devotion, and purpose can ease the hard parts of a parent's job and enhance the magical moments. Through insights both enlightening and laugh-out-loud funny, Ruttenberg reveals how the experiences of parenthood can lead to living fully, authentically, and soulfully.
More than just another parenting guide, Nurture the Wow is a parenthood book that shows how the crazy-making, rage-inducing, awe and joy-filled moments can be a path to transformation. Perfect for new parents and anyone seeking mindfulness in their parenting journey, this book offers insightful meditations on raising children with wisdom from ancient traditions.
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Ruttenberg (Surprised by God) takes up the ancient quandary of how to situate spiritual practice alongside effective parenting and considers the question: "What if parenting were considered a spiritual practice in its own right?" The book searches the depths of Judaism and other religious traditions for what each can teach parents, but also reverses the question to ask what parents can bring to religious and spiritual traditions. Eschewing easy answers and prescriptive diagnosis, Ruttenberg encourages homing in on the wonder of the universe, the creator, and the "wow" that parents and children can engage in together. A standout chapter exploring the depths of parental fears and issues of control will have readers contemplating ways to embrace the unknown in their spiritual and personal lives: "As much power as we have over our children's lives, as much as we are able to control who they are and how they will be in the world in some respects, there are certain important things that we can't control. Ever." Ruttenberg's personal struggle makes the book relatable to practitioners of all faiths. This is great gift for parents-to-be or new parents who are wrestling with how to stay grounded and maintain their spirituality in the hectic early years of raising a family.
