{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Replay - Learning from Mary, Mother of God: Dr. Christine Valters Paintner on the Sacred Feminine; Being a Loving Witness of Life; and Turning Challenges into Helping Others","description":"It\u2019s Christmas, and we\u2019re celebrating the birth of Jesus, so it\u2019s the perfect time to think about his mother, Mary. While she is omnipresent in Christianity - especially in Christian art - we know very little about her. This is why I was very excited to learn more about, and from, her through my guest, Dr. Christine Valters Paintner. Christine is the author of Birthing the Holy: Wisdom from Mary to Nurture Creativity and Renewal. She has a PhD in Christian spirituality, is an abbess, and is the author of more than twenty books on spirituality. Christine tells us about her American mother, Susan, a United Nations employee who struggled with rheumatoid arthritis but transformed her suffering into a gift for others when she earned an MA in social studies to become an advocate for people with disabilities. Susan teaches us to empower others - to not see ourselves as victims, but to use our challenges to help those around us - and to embrace the power that comes with older age. In the second part of the episode, we talk about Mary and her lessons: to show up in the world, to accept the calling to create the holy, to embrace the power of the sacred feminine (intuition, creativity, dreams, and gestation), and to be a loving and present witness in both birth and death, in the positive and the negative. Christine also shares an important lesson for many women: that we are not responsible for everything, and that sometimes we, too, need to be taken care of. Finally, she speaks about healing our ancestors by healing ourselves. I invite you to reflect on Mary, her presence, and what she represents to you during these holidays. And I wish you, dear listeners, blessed holidays and a happy 2026. To learn more about Christine and her work, please vist her website here.  Subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves\u2026\u201d newsletter here.  To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net For more about \u201cThank You, Mama", please visit: http:\/\/www.thankyoumama.net Connect with Ana on social media: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/anatajder\/ https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ana.tajder ","author_name":"Thank You, Mama","author_url":"http:\/\/www.thankyoumama.net","html":"