The birth of a child is an incredibly defining moment. When a soul crosses the bridge of consciousness and arrives earth side a monumental transformation is occurring. When this is the first born child in a family, a child is not only being born, but the birth of two parents is taking place simultaneously.
The transition to birthing children in a hospital setting has been a matter of contemplation in recent times. We see a small revolution where mothers are reclaiming their power and gravitating towards more natural births. Ideally birth would take place in a calm, secure, inviting environment where both the mother and the baby feel completely comfortable. At our current level of collective consciousness, this is not always possible. The important aspect to keep in focus is that we honor birth as a ritual and do not see it simply as a medical practice, whether birth is unmediated in a home setting or a c-section in a hospital. We must shift from scrutinizing the details of how and where to focusing on what it is that we want to honor and preserve. No mother should ever have to feel shame or regret.
Incarnation is a gradual process that begins way before conception and continues throughout childhood. In other words, the downloading of the soul into the avatar, our physical body, does not happen all at once. Just as the journey of life incarnation occurs in waves, so does birth. There are peaks and recessions pushing forward in a spiral. Many woman who pursue non-medicated births are to thought to ride the waves with conscious breathing. The peaks become stronger and stronger until the woman reaches a point called “transition.” This is the critical point where the mother merges with the mother archetype, straddling the line between the physical and spiritual worlds. She creates a portal, in a literal sense, that allows for an opening between the two worlds. She then lovingly receives the new being, who has crossed through, in her arms and nourishes them (if possible) at her breast.
For those who have witnessed this process, there are no words for the intensity and beauty that takes place in these moments. In our modern society, the straddling between physical and spiritual worlds is not something that is commonly discussed or supported. This is why it is crucial that we empower woman to embrace birth as a ritual and educate them on the incredibly spiritual process that they are partaking in.
Woman should be gently guided and supported through this transition. It should be seen as a spiritual journey. How this is supported will vary between women but the key is that we do not loose sight of what is taking place in the areas that we can not see with the physical eye.
We also must remain cognizant of the fact that mothers need a great deal of support after making this spiritual journey, especially if this is their first time. When we de-ritualize birth, and our lives in general,mental illness like depression and anxiety can begin to manifest. Since the process of bringing a human earth side does not just end at birth but continues throughout early childhood, the mother is actually spiritually tied to their child and continues to hold space for them as they continuously settle themselves into the physical world. Without adequate physical, spiritual, and mental support many woman and children end up having difficulty with this ongoing transition.
The more we are able to ease the strains of the incarnation process the more positive change we will see throughout our world. Our goal should be to empower mothers so that new souls can make a transition to earth that allows them to be enveloped in peace and love.