Stepmothering

A Spiritual Journey

Jasjit K. Sangha

In this memoir, the reader is drawn into the life of a South Asian mother and full-time stepmother as she embarks on a spiritual journey of healing and renewal. The author does this through short stories, narrative, and a voice that is authentic, accessible and inviting. Sangha poignantly shows how the pressure to be a “good mother” and “good stepmother” left her feeling inadequate, resentful and angry as she negotiated loyalty conflicts and cultural differences in her bi-racial stepfamily. Rather than succumbing to this pressure, the author describes how she restored her sense of self through nurturing her spirituality. This book is an inspiring real life example of how (step) mothering can shift from being overwhelming to being a catalyst for empowerment and personal transformation. This unique and insightful memoir has been used in course curriculum in women’s studies, sociology and education, at both undergraduate and graduate levels of study.

About the Author

Jasjit K. Sangha completed her PhD from the University of Toronto in The Department of Adult Education and Community Development. She has been working on research related to mothering for nearly a decade, exploring how women engage in transformative adult learning through the process of (step) mothering. She has recently published two books with Demeter Press: a memoir, Stepmothering a Spiritual Journey (2012) and a co-edited collection, South Asian Mothering: Negotiating Culture, Family and Selfhood (2013).