This journey also brings up all of my doubts and fears as the event of our child's birth becomes more real. Art making has helped me to make sense of my feelings which are at times overwhelming!
The drawing above shows a tree of life nurturing my little one in a protected womb inside the earth. Maybe I am within this tree, which is opening with new life. There are ten moons around the edge of the mandala - before the time of our current medical knowledge, pregnant women would know their baby would be arriving in ten full moon's time. These moons show the passing of time. I realised as I made marks on the page that the dark areas of the moon were just as important in preparing our baby and I for the birth as the brightest full moon was.
The next drawing documents what I imagine the landscape of birth to be like. This idea comes from a wonderful book, 'Birthing from Within' by Pam England and Rob Horowitz that has lots of art making activities to inspire inner journeys thorugh pregnancy.
In this image, I have made it through a forest to the top of a steep mountain, my beautiful partner by my side. I realise that I still need to get back down the other side of the mountain, crossing rivers and plains till I reach the ocean shore where our child will be born. I am nourished by the land, the support and love from family and friends.
The labyrinth represents knowing I must go inside myself, alone, to make the voyage. As I stand at the top of the mountain I am aware of both my partner's presence in the room and the inner lanscape I am traversing within the same moment. When I look at this image, it makes me smile and I feel excited about going on this journey!
Hello beautiful woman. Relishing your pregnancy is so, so important. Here is a few excerpts from an article I wrote after giving birth, and it is the best advice I could conjure.
ReplyDelete"I will not lie to you, birthing is a powerful experience that brings you closer to the forces of nature than any other, but it is unpredictable, fraught with complication, and the only thing that is guaranteed is that it will absolutely NOT go to plan.
(when giving birth) Fear is not your friend. To give birth you must be brave, and to parent, forgiving..... if for some reason your birth plan isn’t working, hand it over to the grander plan, stay in the moment and just… keep breathing."
All my best thoughts go with you for a safe and sacred birthing. You are a beautiful mumma and your child divine.