I am a spiritual midwife, called by the God-Us to heal the Earth by healing
birth. I first heard my call to assist women becoming mothers,
to realize birth as a spiritual as well as a natural rite-of-passage,
by birthing my own babies consciously. My initiation in
giving natural birth was in January of 1970. It was the
first time an obstetrician had seen a woman squat on the
delivery table to give birth. Postpartum, when I wouldn't
be separated from my newborn Loi Caitlin (as they had no
rooming-in arrangement), they put me back in the labor room
with my baby. A laboring mother in the next bed was screaming,
"Ah Dios, Dios!" How she suffered: My heart went
out to her and I soothed her from my bed, my first experience
as a spiritual midwife.
About this time in my life, I began to teach childbirth
education and prenatal yoga classes. My goal was to help
more babies be born consciously ~thus, creating a sustainable
future for my own child ~ and future grandchildren. I had
a significant dream during these years. In my dream two
brilliant white doves flew to me. I watched them land on
my hands, and when they walked from my hands, now tingling
with energy, up my arms, to my heart, I was filled with
radiant light.
I
understood at that time that my hands and heart were agents
of the healing light. It was awhile later that I met this
archetype in the Greek myth of the two midwives who flew
to the birth of the twins Artemis and Apollo in the form
of doves. By then I was well known as the "baby lady"
of my community and preparing for my next challenge in reclaiming
birth.
My second and third births were twins and when I was in
the hospital, they x-rayed me and announced that my pelvis
may be too small and I would need a cesarean section. I
checked myself out of the hospital and went home to give
ecstatic birth to my footling breech baby, Oceana Violet
and her head first twin, Cheyenne Coral. From that point
on, 1974, I have only birthed and midwifed at home. I clearly
saw what a distraction hospitals can be when giving birth.
After my third birth, I understood that I needn't hire
anyone to be paranoid for me when laboring to bring forth
my young. In 1975 I became a spiritual midwife whose main
tools are my faith in the naturalness of birth, my healing
hands and word medicine. My community made me a midwife
by asking me to attend births. Rather than getting trained
by an institution, and learning a medical set of rituals
to take women through birth, I apprenticed directly to birth
itself.
My promise as spiritual midwife is to honor the journey,
be attentive to what presents itself, and remind a mother
by my presence that she already knows how to give birth.
I trust that if a woman consciously conceives her baby without
the help of experts, she is able to give birth unassisted
by the medical experts. My "back-up is whatever God-Us
is "on call" that night ~ in over a generation
of attending births, every woman I have midwifed has given
spontaneous birth.
Once I was called to a birth and forgot to bring my birthing
kit. Then I realised that I am my midwifery kit ~ I had
my ears through which I could hear the baby's heart, I had
my hands through which I could feel the baby, and I had
my heart ~ which loves the baby earthside. After that experience
in 1980, I founded HYGIEIA COLLEGE, a mystery school in
womancraft and lay midwifery I teach the "inward skills"
~ how to cultivate intuition and know our embodied perception
is the medicine bundle, or midwifery kit par excellence.
At this writing, mid-90's, there are over 600 students
currently enrolled in Hygieia College, studying an essential
midwifery which locates the power to 
give
birth in the God-Us ~ a divine life-force which brings our
babies to the light. It is an international mystery school
which, I am proud to say, graduates midwives who practice
differently than I.
Each midwife serves her own community, and is responsive
to what is best-for-life in the moment. Rather than a method,
or a training course, Hygieia College is a journey to the
sources of healing and an un-training of erroneous beliefs
and actions which interfere with spontaneous childbirth.
I see this un-training process akin to removing the mind
swaddling of the prevailing technocratic culture.
From attending birth mindfully, I recognized that there
is a lot of work to be done to heal fertility, specifically
the abortion epidemic and on the other extreme, infertility.
Women who had abortions as well as women who had difficulty
conceiving, are more likely to have difficulties surrendering
to the power of the birth-force.
In 1986, my partner Frederick Baker and I published the
tome CONSCIOUS CONCEPTION: ELEMENTAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE
LABYRINTH OF SEXUALITY. In this book we articulate the practice
of fertility awareness as an opportunity for Self-realization,
in the specific focus of fertility. My work in spiritual
midwifery includes conscious conception and I often connect
with a family before they conceive their baby in capacity
of midwife.
What I notice is that a baby who is consciously conceived,
who is desired by both mother and father, already has the
foundation for health, wholeness and holiness in place.
A baby who is not wanted, on the other hand, is spiritually
handicapped in that their Source, the earthly mother and
father, are disconnected. Children who are not wanted are
more likely to be abused, and "act out" for negative
attention ~ for it is better to be wanted by the police
than not at all.
According to research reports, babies who are born in violence
(standard obstetrical management of birth in hospital) are
more likely to be involved in violent crimes as youths and
adults. (See the Jonn Vascocellos congressional report from
California.) My work in conscious conception, toward making
every baby a wanted baby (rather than a mistake in a contraceptive
method), contributes to a more peaceful society.
My firstborn son, and fourth baby, Gannon Hamilton, was
our first freebirth. We didn't pay anyone to be responsible
for our baby's birth and in 1980, my partner, the baby's
father, and I experienced a most powerful spiritual initiation.
There were no other adults present to distract us from the
immense sexual bonding of the original lovers greeting their
newborn together. The Holy Trinity has new meaning for us
since Gannon's birth ~ Mother/Father/Baby. And we honored
the Son as he is ~ already enlightened, whole, perfect.
Needless to say, no circumcision.
When I conceived and birthed my fifth baby, Quinn Ambriel,
in 1985-86, I prepared for these experiences as a vision
quest. I was given a vision which has sustained me spiritually
ever since. When I ecstatically gave birth underwater to
my fifth baby Quinn, I saw every mother on this earth giving
birth with her lover between her legs ~ in a unique, and
creative expression of love. No masked man, no paid paranoid
in attendance ~ only the original lovers who first invited
the new one to join them in holy family. I see this as central
to what will bring peace and an authentic self-sufficiency
to the world. Once parents birth their own babies, in a
balanced partnership, they know they can also take care
of this baby. The trust that is established in a freebirth,
a delivery free of MANipulation and medical control, lasts
a lifetime.
The fear-based imprint of hospital birth is "the institution
will take care of me". The consequence is socialized
welfare ~ the institution of government taking care of our
own responsibilities. Again the experience of being my own
midwife has made me freer ever since and the sequel of homebirth
naturally follows: natural healing at home (no pediatricians),
home school (no teachers), and the living experience of
spirit (no churches). We do not rely on institutions to
mediate or make safe life for us. Birth is as safe as life
gets.
Continued …part2
Copyright © Jeannine Parvati Baker
author of Conscious Conception
Conscious
Conception
by Jeanine Parvati Baker is the comprehensive reference
for fertility awareness. All natural methods of family
planning, both ancient and current, are presented within
the larger context of sexuality and an evolving spirituality,
which embraces the religious wisdom traditions and goes
beyond.
"This book is a beautiful, breath of fresh
air! Ms. Baker is a goddess, and will thoroughly help
you to see the goddess within yourself. What can I say
about this lovely work of art? As you meditate through
the words of this "bible", you will begin
to cultivate a fertile self you never knew you had.
I bought this book to help with my fertility problems,
and it is wonderful in this aspect, but it is oh, so
much more! Please read this book."
Order
Jeanine Parvati Baker's book at our bookshop
Or order via mail: Ash Tree Publishing PO Box
64 Woodstock, NY 12498 include a check or money
order for $29.95 (CONSCIOUS CONCEPTION retails for $25.00
plus $4.95 shipping)
Wise
Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
by Susun S. Weed. Simple, safe remedies for pregnancy, childbirth,
lactation, and newborns. Includes herbs for fertility and
birth control. Foreword by Jeannine Parvati Baker. 196 pages,
index, illustrations. Retails for $14.95.
Now in its 24th printing. A confirmed favorite with
pregnant women, midwives, childbirth educators, and new
parents. Packed with clear, comforting, and superbly helpful
information.
Read a
review
Read an excerpt: Herbal
Birth Control
