I am halfway through my doula training here on island. The Sacred Birthing Community Doula/Preconception Course is one of those experiences that is terribly difficult to summarize because every moment is packed with information and wisdom. It is so much. It’s crocodile tears and fulfilling deep breaths and sore-stomach laughter. It’s a call home, a return to the sisterhood, a time to remember the spirits, dreams, and lessons forgotten.
I have been learning about my own birth. I am learning about how and why I came into this world. I have remembered that I am here as a teacher. I came here knowing there would be challenges, and knowing that I am fully capable of overcoming them. I came here to learn.
I have been learning about the way I was raised, the values I hold, and the things I believe to be true. I am unpacking these experiences so I can support families completely without projecting my own traumas or judgements onto them.
I have learned about community. I have learned how a supportive community can make a huge difference to a family before, during, and after birth. I have learned about the magical way communities can spontaneously come together around birth and death. I am learning how to support people in the ways that they would like to be supported, through any hardship or celebration. Most surprisingly, I have learned about how to be cared for. It was harder than it seemed, to let others do things for me that I so recently could do myself. So I had to learn how to be independent in ways different than I am used to and let go of my stubbornness. This is an important skill for birthing people to become aware of throughout pregnancy and especially post-partum, and a doula can help to create this space.
I have been learning about the trauma and pain that I hold, and the importance of processing this to avoid bringing it to a family. So much has come up for me relating the trauma of the car accident to other traumas to my body and mind. The accident has opened me up to process feelings that I had not been ready to process prior. (More in another post)
I have been opening myself to the Divine Feminine. This is one of my favorite topics the class has explored so far. Our class included a discussion on how we feel we embody the divine feminine and what parts of our femininity we have struggled to embrace. We discussed how we have been celebrated and how we have been shamed for being ourselves. American ‘culture’ does not include much ritual, which can be very isolating when going through growth and change. In a culture that celebrates manhood, how can we commit to celebrating growth and change in women, non-binary folx, and/or trans folx?
The terms ‘Divine Feminine’ and ‘Divine Masculine’ have given me some trouble, as I find it difficult to define certain traits as masculine or feminine. They are intertwined. There’s so much between and beyond this dichotomy- how can characteristics embodied by a spectrum of people be filed into two categories? Still, there is something to be understood through exploring our place within the divine feminine and divine masculine.
Additionally, we often discuss the importance of supporting men through this confusing time in our world. As feminine power rises and the fear of being woman diminishes, men may be struggling to figure out their place in this world. While a large amount of the work is up to the oppressor, not the oppressed, we are learning ways to aid in understanding and transition.
We have been practicing strategies for celebrating the arrival of a soul. We are coming to understand the importance of creating a birth atmosphere that gently allows a baby to feel completely welcomed and loved. We are learning the importance of communicating with spirit babies- souls that visit before, during, and after conception that may one day be born. We are also using this communication to release souls who may not have arrived at an opportune time, and process the grief that can come with this release.
I’m learning that I want to be a helper. I seek to support people in hardship. I am drawn to all aspects of pregnancy and birthing- preconception, prenatal, birth, postpartum, abortion, miscarriage, what have you. I will show up without judgement- I am an advocate for all pregnant and/or birthing people, especially QT/POC, differently abled people, and people of marginalized communities. I will continue to explore the ways I benefit from oppressive systems. I will be aware of the space I take up as another white woman in the birth-world. I will put energy into educating myself and taking action. I will be an ally, and when necessary, and accomplice.
The Birth Doula Skills Course I took last June at Bastyr University offered a more consolidated and clinical look at the role of the doula. By nature and due to the length of the Sacred Birthing Community Doula/Preconception Course, we spend more time exploring ourselves and the relationships in our lives before diving into the role of supporting delicate and powerful families. The Birth Doula Skills Course gave me practical skills and resources for supporting birthing people physically and emotionally, and for developing a business as a doula. In the Community Doula program, I am able to explore the spiritual aspects and magic of birth. These two programs have complimented each other well, and I believe any doula or parent- to- be would benefit from taking both or either program.
Here is an outline of the Community Doula Training borrowed from the Sacred Birthing School website:
Course Outline
The Sacred Birthing Doula course, created and presented by Barbara Essman, is a 92 hour experiential training program that prepares individuals inside and out to be present for the welcoming of babies to earth. Through group discussion, personal inquiry, and a variety of creative projects, Barbara walks the class through the curriculum so that each student arrives with the full understanding of what it means to be born and what is needed to insure that each baby has the opportunity to enter this world unharmed. Articles and films are also included to spark discussion and raise issues. The first five weeks of this course are the foundation, starting with the core values of Sacred Birthing and exploring Sacred Birthing Insights. Then discovering who you are and gaining an inner knowing of the beauty of you. This will allow you to be fully present with pregnant families, unencumbered with the past, fully present in the now, and ready to take the journey into the future.
Session 1 – Introduction In this first session, students are introduced to the Sacred Birthing Vision of soft birth practices and the core principles that inform a sacred birth. We answer the questions ‘What is a doula?’ and ‘What makes a Sacred Birthing Doula different from other doulas?’ Birthing history from ancient times to present is introduced and the beginning of connecting with Spirit
Session 2 – The Sacred Birthing Insights Some of the 18 Sacred Birthing Insights will be explored in depth through discussion, art work and creative writing. These insights form the foundation for understanding the Sacred Birthing philosophy. Here are examples of these Insights; “First, do no harm”, “All birth is sacred” and “The baby’s soul is a conscious creator and participant in conception and birth.” Students can take these insights into their lives, their work and into the pregnancies and labors that they support.
Session 3 – Food for the Soul and Body K Nourishment for pre-pregnant, pregnant and lactating mothers is the focus of this session. It takes more than food to care for a pregnant mom. We will also explore what she is “eating” emotional. Help take care of her by taking care of yourself. You are a role model. We’ll discuss how you nourish and care for yourself through exercise, food, quiet time, etc. Body kinesiology is introduced as a technique for getting in touch with our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs.
Session 4 – Parenting and Your Birth Stories How you were parented affects how you will in turn mother a mother. Your birth story is your foundation and begins to shape who you are. Each birth story is important. We’ll learn to listen with love and compassion to each story including your own.
Session 5 – Heal Your Own Birth This 2-day workshop gives you the opportunity to see your birth story in action and take responsibility for healing what needs to be healed and celebrating what needs to be celebrated about the day you were born. There will be time for integration and discussion as well as a re-experiencing of the birth itself. The next two weeks are a time to explore the divine in all of us – masculine and feminine – and reaching for the highest alliance with the divine spirit within.
Session 6 – The Divine Feminine. We will explore the 13 archetypes of women, women at her full power, the heart beat of the womb and reclaiming the divine feminine. We will discuss the concept of the Divine Feminine and connect with the divine nature of the mother.
Session 7 – Divine Masculine as Father The divine male seeks balance within himself with respect to the archetypes of warrior, magician, lover and king. A father’s role during preconception, conception, pregnancy, birth and beyond is very important and all aspects are explored. We will explore the questions “How do we support men? The next five weeks will take us deeply into exploring birth from the physical, emotional and spiritual levels.
Session 8 – Pregnancy Care This includes nurturing the time of rapid growth of mother and baby physically, emotionally and spiritually, understanding pregnancy changes and how men and women experience these changes, and a look at modern pregnancy care under the midwifery model and the medical model
Session 9 – Holding space for the women in labor – Birth ways This includes a look at the anatomy and physiology of birthing, what is a soft birth and exploring the birthing environment.
Session 10 – Birth Technology and valuing an unmediated labor Through role-playing and discussion we will learn about a doula’s role at birth. Value is placed on unmediated labor and ways a doula can help the mother stay on this path in a variety of settings and circumstances. This session also includes the power of touch.
Session 11 – Working hand-in-hand with the magic of both the sacred and the modern medical technology. MAP and body kinesiology are called upon, as are monitors and tools of allopathic medicine to provide the best possible outcome for all involved. This session will include the risks and benefits of epidural use for mother, baby and father.
Session 12 – Preventing birth trauma We will explore being with mother, baby and father if prevention is not enough. In this class we will discuss circumcision, miscarriage and being with women who have had abortions. The next three classes are about the baby, baby’s experiences, connecting with baby, and when a time to grieve is necessary.
Session 13 – Baby Doula and Baby Whispering Interaction and communication with a newborn must be done with the utmost care to preserve the soul’s integrity and uphold the baby’s full potential. In this session we’ll discover how Baby Whispering can reduce the effects of any trauma that may have taken place during a birth. This class also includes the art of breastfeeding.
Session 14 – Quantum Touch This two day workshop will help participants extend their energy work and move into the importance of holding space for birth
Session 15– A Time to Grieve When the family experiences a pregnancy loss through miscarriage, abortion, still birth or death after birth the doula can help and be more effective if she has taken time to understand her own grief. The next two weeks are the after care parts of the course – caring for the family and caring for the doula
Session 16 – Becoming a mother, becoming a father, becoming a family The birth, as a rite of passage, that turns woman into a mother and man into a father is a very profound and is an emotional experience leading to elevated states. Included in this session is caring for the family, the doula’s role, breastfeeding and creating an environment that supports the new mom to feed her baby around the clock.
Session 17 – Celebration – Creating a community of doulas and caring for families. Community Doulas carry the responsibility of preserving the rituals surrounding birth, including blessing ways and placenta rituals. Suggesting, creating and encouraging these rituals with parents-to-be can enhance the birth experience for all involved and lead to bonding and friendship that will last a life time. Support of new parents is the goal.
These are some thoughts about how the course will unfold. This unfolding, like birth, is unpredictable and may lead to some very surprising side trips. Come with an openness to witness your own birthing process as you step into the honor and joy of being with pregnant families through pregnancy, labor, birth and beyond.
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