Midwifing Death: Returning to the Arms of the Ancient Mother

by Leslene della Madre

"Because it rejects the cycle of life and death, violence and the threat of death have become the dominant grammar of international political relations. Patriarchy now threatens the world with terminal illness generated by nuclear weapons of mass destruction. A brilliant combination of scholarship, art, spirituality, and experience, Leslene della-Madre's book powerfully brings us back to ancient ways of honouring divinity both in our lives and deaths. I highly recommend it."
Mary Condren, author of The Serpent and the Women, Religion and Power in Celtic Ireland.

268 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Zola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a priestess of the Divine Feminine, and even I found this to be a little heavy on the history of matriarchal cultures. I skimmed through the first half since I'm already familiar with depictions of the Goddess in ancient cultures and am aware of the connection between birth, death, and rebirth. I wish the whole book had been more like it's last half, with practical applications and mediations on how to best serve the dead & dying.

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved her perspective on the idea that being born and dying are both similar experiences and it's important for the living to guide and assist in both processes. The funeral industry has taken over most of the tasks that families did for their loved ones, and we are still very capable of doing.