Spiritual birth?

[Juvysen]

I'm looking for stories/suggestions for a spiritual birth. I have an interest/I practice various forms of energy/light work (reiki, seven rays etc), but the first birth I had I was all hyped up and stressed out and just was not in a place where I felt like I could connect, I guess (also I was induced from scratch) - and was sort of not sure what to do. The second birth, I had sort of dropped much of my spirituality since becoming a mother (it sorta fell by the wayside). This time I really want to focus more on doing this spiritually, working with the energy that's available to me, etc. I'm just not exactly clear on how to do that. I've been working toward rediscovering my spirituality over the course of the last 6 months (was sort of called, I guess, or something?), but feel bumbling and like a total newbie even though I've been doing this for about 10 years.

I'm interested in any thoughts anyone might have for various energy meditations, lightwork, that sort of thing that might help me get my groove back, etc, as well as any stories of spiritual birth and what you did to prepare?

Thanks in advance!

[honey-lilac]

I don't have a lot of time now before bedtime, but basically... I didn't go in to have a spiritual experience with my first, but it happened. I was in pretty much a trance for most of transition. It was silent in the room, I was in the birth tub, there were very low lights... I just felt bigger than myself alone. I felt like I was hovering over my body looking down on it - but it wasn't frightening, and I was at the same time very tuned inwards. It wasn't escapism, it was... expansion.

My second was a UC birth and I was way too busy tracking myself inwardly to get that sort of an experience. Although, that was amazing too, I "saw" my baby descend and I knew exactly what was happening to her. It was as if I could see inside myself. I suppose in a way that could be spiritual too, something about how transcendence works.

[Fay]

Birth hypnosis was the key to a spiritual birth for me. I recommend the Hypnobabies home study course or even the Hypnobirthing Rainbow Relaxation CD as a starting point.

[Juvysen]

I've been considering hypnobabies. I've just been wondering how it would mesh with my other beliefs/feelings/spirituality. I was planning to buy it next month but am sort of having my doubts?

[honey-lilac]

What about your beliefs bothers you with hypnosis? I'm genuinely interested!

I believe it's possible to get into that state of mind without using any preparation program. It was definitely a surprise to me when I went into the zone. I had planned a very different birth, with music and aromatherapy and yadayada, but apparently all I had to do was tune inwards and that was enough.

As long as you have a safe space, knowledge about the birth process, and you are left as undisturbed as you want to be... that's what it takes to get to the point where a spiritual birth is possible. That's just my opinion, I'm sure ten other people will shoot that theory down.

Anyway, regardless of the birth I'm sure that you can have a very spiritual babymoon - no matter what your actual birth is like. Not to dissuade you from trying for one, of course! Just don't make that something ELSE to stress over, ya know?

[Juvysen]

Nothing bothers me about hypnosis, for some reason it just feels like it's of the mind and not of the spirit? But maybe that would just open it up to the spiritual side of things? i dunno, like i said, I was still sort of mulling over the ramifications, if that makes sense.

Honestly i'm not stressed about it. I'd really like to focus on a spiritual pregnancy as well (if anyone has suggestions on that... ), and was just hoping to look into ideas for during labor more than anything else.

My last labor, i never really went to labor land, if that makes sense, and after the birth I felt ... like it didn't really happen or something. It was just so weird, I was holding the baby, I remembered the whole thing but totally didn't feel connected to any of it, although I did feel more immediate "love" with him than with my daughter... but with my daughter i was so empowered by the experience and labored better ( by which i mean in a more in-the-moment way?), imo. I just really want to get back toward that direction and even more-so if possible. It's a hope and an ideal, but I'd like to see what i can do to prepare for/encourage that, if that makes sense?

[Juvysen]

Anyone else have ideas/stories?

[Adele_Mommy]

Are you familiar with Birthing From Within? This is a book, but also classes and a kind of over-arcing philosophy about birth preparation. Rather than a method or techniques like hypnosis or Bradley, it focuses on examining your own beliefs and attitudes about birth and using your own energy, visualizations, or personal metaphors to prepare for and facilitate the birth. I think it is wonderful!

The book Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin is sort of a guide to home birth, but I found it to have a pretty spiritual slant, and there is a chapter on the spirtual aspects of birth that includes a discussion of the energy of giving birth.

For birth stories I read Labor Day: Shared Experiences from the Delivery Room The stories in this book vary widely, but I found them all to be uplifting and a few are fairly spiritual in nature.

HTH Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy!

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by Adele_Mommy

Are you familiar with Birthing From Within? This is a book, but also classes and a kind of over-arcing philosophy about birth preparation. Rather than a method or techniques like hypnosis or Bradley, it focuses on examining your own beliefs and attitudes about birth and using your own energy, visualizations, or personal metaphors to prepare for and facilitate the birth. I think it is wonderful!

The book Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin is sort of a guide to home birth, but I found it to have a pretty spiritual slant, and there is a chapter on the spirtual aspects of birth that includes a discussion of the energy of giving birth.

For birth stories I read Labor Day: Shared Experiences from the Delivery Room The stories in this book vary widely, but I found them all to be uplifting and a few are fairly spiritual in nature.

HTH Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy!

I bought birthing from within. I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and focus on it... but yep, it's on my list.

I'll have to look for the other two

[Mamapits]

Hi, You can start by communicating with your baby now. If you are interested in pre birth communication I can elaborate.

Also you can connect with your grandmothers. All of them, from the beginning of time to assist and guide you.

support is huge. Find a Douala or a friend who knows what your intentions are and ask them to be at the birth to help you hold a space. You mentioned Reiki, maybe you can get a Reiki practitioner to be at your birth and to give you Reiki while you are in labor of you can ask them to put the Reiki symbols around the room.
Are you birthing at home or in a hospital? if at home you could burn some sage or other incense. Music that feels spiritual to you can be played.

Also Hypnosis is really not so much the mind, it is tapping in the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is the bridge from the higher mind ( supra conscious) to the conscious mind. so it can be used to make a spiritual connection.

having a Mother Blessing before hand can also help put you more in touch with your spiritual side.

[Juvysen]

I'd love to hear more about communicating with the baby now. I did that with my first but I can't even remember how I did it.

I will be giving birth at home, but I'm a very private person - not sure I want more people there than necessary. I plan on having a midwife and she brings an assistant, and DH, and possibly my mother to watch the other children and that seems... like a lot, to me, right now. My husband does reiki, though, as does my mom, so I can talk to them about it.

Last time we set up a sacred space around my house, but again, I just couldn't turn off my brain and get in any sort of zone. Hopefully I'll buy hypnobabies next month...

[Mamapits]

I gotta get to a Dr's appt so I can't write much now but you can start here

http://www.light-hearts.com/treasury.htm

I'll be back, might be a while