Never have I read a book about birth with which I so closely identify. I need to tell every woman I meet about this book, and I am already considering making it a “required read” for my homebirth clients.

The reason is simple: Birth is spiritual. No matter what your religion, giving birth is a mystery, a gift to women, and as Marcie says, “a leap of faith.”

Birth is spirit, and our society has forgotten this.

Spirit is what is essential, and what is missing in “medicalized” birth today. Marcie’s book is unabashedly bold, so honest and raw and emotional, and makes no apologies about this fact. That is what I absolutely love about it. I love that although some women may be offended by this boldness at first, everything she says can be identified by every and any woman if she just digs deep enough.

Her idea of spirit in birth is the obvious reason women have become so irresponsible in birth. Epidurals, scheduled c-sections- it all comes down to the fact that birth can just be this thing that happens to women that haven’t found their strength, those that haven’t been informed of “the Truth.”

And “the Truth,” in Marcie’s words, is this: “You are capable. Your muscles, bones, ligaments and skin were made to birth. Your soul, your heart and your Spirit were created to support you in this task, and your intellect was designed to support your confidence, not undermine it.”

There is something for every woman in this book. For the passionate homebirther like me, there is a feeling of sisterhood and delight about seeing these words on the page for everyone to read. For someone who has had an undesirable birth experience, there is compassion, healing and hope for better. And for women that have never given birth before, there is unbelievable optimism and promise and truth about what birth really is.

This wonderful book is almost a personal dialogue with the reader, one where you feel connected to the author. Interspersed are provoking questions, workbook-like sections encouraging the reader to get down on paper her own emotions and beliefs. Whether you have birthed before or not, these journaling questions are invaluable and something I would like every pregnant woman to have. The quotes and meditations (written by Marcie) on birth are so beautiful and thoughtful.

Read this book to empower yourself, read it to nurture yourself and to help stir up the power that is inside of you that is your birthright as a woman.

Perhaps my favorite idea presented in this book, and the one I believe to the absolute core of my body and soul is this:

In my own words, this comes down to respecting birth, my cardinal belief. We cannot control birth any better than we can control other natural processes, like death. We can only go into our experience without fear and with trust and with faith. This book exemplifies that principle like no other and will make every woman want to find this trust and faith within herself.

Marcie writes that birth is “powerful, beautiful, instinctive.” Prepare with this book, and experience birth as spirit for yourself.

Marcie Macari is an author, speaker and workshop facilitator. She can be reached at: 1-888-432-7171, or by visiting her site: www.shebirths.com