My “Activated” Star~Seeds of “Remembering” started to take Root in me when my sun was Concieved in 2004. During My 1st Trimester of Pregnancy… I Closed my Healing Arts Practice, Sold My House&Car and Gifted Most of my Belongings. I was Finally Free to “Go Back to EarthSchool”. My PregnantSeeSoulJourney and Vision Quest led me to Hawaii Ghana Ethiopia South Africa and Indonesia. I was DownLoading Messages from my Womba and Recieving lessons from Great Mother and Her Huge army of Midwives, Sangomas and Traditional healers every Step of the Way. I felt so Primal Healthy and strong. I arrived in Bali when I was 3 Moons away from Delivery… My “Plan” was to Return to Big Island and Give Birth with Pele’s Power&Blessing.. But as Fate would Have It… Bali Called Us Home; to Stay. In the End, I chose an Unassisted Water Birth on the Beach in Bhuitan East Bali.
My Waters Released at 6pm while I was having dinner with New Friends in Candidasa. I Knew that All was in Divine and Perfect Order..so I stay and Enjoyed my dinner and Time with Sisters. About 3 hours later I heard the Ocean Calling Me and I felt the Need to ReTreat. I hopped on a motorbike and went back to Lumbung Damuh. I took alot of Slow BellyDancing walks on the beach and ManyMany Showers…My Final Destination was the bathtub… The water was Cold because I had long since used up All the Hot water but I still felt in the Zone and Deeply Rooted:) I chose to be Physically “Alone” during our Birth but there were 13 Ancestors and Midwives Holding Deep and Sacred Space for Me. ( Not to Mention..One Real Live SiStarMama and Midwife “On BackUp Call” in Nyuh Kuning) It was a Fantastic Unassited Gentle and Empowering WaterBirth! I only had One Moment of Temporary Insanity (aka Fear).. It was when I breathed/Pushed his head out and I saw his Face under the water.. I felt my InnerWisdom Tell me to Relax and WAIT for the next Wave~contraction…My Human mind worried about him not being able to Breathe under water.. and just as Quickly as that Fear came to the surface One of My Sassy SpiritBidans Said; “Child Dont You Know that He wasn’t breathing in yo Belly…CutOut that NonSense..Squat and Use What Ya Got…You’ll thank Me Later.” I Trusted Her.. I Trusted Me and I Trusted the Powers that BE. Moments later I had a Beautiful Strange Orgasmic Release that Marked Blessing’s Earthly Beginnings. (at that time I never knew that Orgasms could be a part of Birth so that was a nice Unexpected Surprise:) And I Now Know that By Listening and Waiting for the Next Wave.. I did Indeed come through My First Birth TearFree.. Sometime After Birth My SisterFriends arrived and a Real Live Midwife “Checked” me.. Visually Confirming there was no Tearing. I participated and witnessed my first cord burning and within a couple of Hours ate my ari ari (Placenta) cooked medium well with Lots of Coconut Oil Garlic and Rosemary. It was Truly a Great Birth and the Best “On the Job” Training One could ask for:)
Needless to Say I arrived in Indonesia on a 30day Tourist Visa and We Stayed for 3 years.. We became an Interconnected part of Our Local Village in Penestanan and We are Blessed to Be Part of a Big and Beautiful Extended Family. I Know First Hand that It takes a Village to Raise a Child and Many Many Many Mamas to help us Stay Calm Cool and Collected:)
~I will not pretend that I Know Exactly where this Traditional Birthing Path will Lead. EveryTime I think I figured something Out…Life Throws Me a “Have You Considered this”? Curve ball that Keeps me on My Toes.. Im always Yearning to Learn More.. It’s a good thing I Love to Play and that I have Great Teachers and Teamates:) The Child in Me plans to Stay Open to Magical Enchantment and Simply Live My Way into the next chapter.. I Remember Soooooooooo much and I Have SOOOOOOOOOO much to Learn! My Heart and Hands are Open to the Journey as it Unfolds.”~
“At the Beginning of Time the Way that Women Gave Birth was Simple. For a Woman’s First Birth she would be Quietly and Unobtrusively Attended by her Mother or a Mother Figure.
But for her Next Births, the Woman Would Prepare a Quiet Secluded Spot and Once Labor Started She Would Go there… and Birth Her Baby Confidently, Alone and that Is How It Was for a Long Time.”
Editor’s Note: The author wanted to include this website with her article: www.ablessingrain.org
I’ve just started doing research and writing again, and have been going through all my past birth stories. I am the “midwife who checked the perineum”. Amber, your birth was astounding to me as you had said to me (in the capacity of potential midwife, friend and scooter riding escort) that you never felt the need to read anything about pregnancy or birth, as you strongly knew everything was just perfect. You told me all along you were going to have your baby on your own, and you did, just a kilometer away (never got the call on my cel), on my birthday. Bless you.