Earth Bound Soul

new home

I haven't been around here much lately, but with good reason.All of my efforts are starting to come together and make sense. If you'll remember my post about becoming a doula, you might guess why. 

Training has been going well. Business planning has been eye opening. Networking has been soul quenching. This is what I have been waiting my whole life for. For sisterhood. For belonging. For assurance.

If you're so inclined, please check out my professional website:Earthbound Soul Doula. Feel free to share with your friends too! I will be staying here for personal writing. I think that feels right to me for now. I am blogging on my website as well, but it is entirely birth,pregnancy and family related. 

Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement on this journey. It is beautiful.

xo, d

 

(photo source unknown)

fast lane

I've been thinking a lot about where we're going. How we're getting there.

It seems we all want to ride in the Lamborghini of life when in reality, we need to take the bus.

Success is hard work. It's sweat, tears and telemarketing. It's ramen and beanie weenie. It's hand me downs and dumpster diving.

But eventually, it turns into more. More money, more commitment, more expectation. More stuff, more promises, more than we expected.

I want to lay in the soft grass and not worry about the man. I want to sigh happily while sipping my sweet iced tea. I want to ramble along barefoot after my children while I watch them grow into beauty.

That's hard to do from a Lamborghini. Sometimes even harder from a bus. But I'll stretch my neck out as far as it will let me to watch those boys. And I'll smile no matter how fast we're going.

Inhale

Inhale the nectar that fills his aura.
Lying next to you, nuzzled into your warm breasts,
He smells like toasted cheese sandwiches and s'mores.
You can almost feel the vitality of his being enter into your bloodstream like the oxygen in the air. It hurts to breathe that deep.

It hurts more not to.

You want to take him into your arms and hold him until you forget why you picked him up to begin with.
A lump gathers in your throat and you tell yourself you're being ridiculous.
He's just a baby.

A baby.

A tiny human life that relies on you for nourishment and love. Patience and guidance. Arms that are always open.

A crawling infant that follows you everywhere. A walking toddler that gets into everything and sounds like a pterodactyl. A preschooler who climbs into the back of the car because he doesn't want to be dropped off at pre-school, forcing the principal to get him out. A 9 year old who loves pizza, cheese and Lego. A 14 year old who's always mad at you.

An adult.

Isn't that what we signed up for?

Exhale.

Be present.

Listen.
Return to the earth and listen.
Bring your soul to the mat and spill it out all over the red plastic.
Hear the howl of the full moon and let the dew of the night fall on your shoulders.

You want to take a stand. To make a change.
Yet you're unwilling to step outside that box and look at things from the ground up.
Let the wind whisper truths onto your skin.
Open your womb to birthing every sacred idea you've ever jotted onto the back of your grocery list.
Embrace the answers you hear in the silence.

sacred.

sacred. such a powerful word. 

I've had so much energy in my heart for this word. What is sacred? 

"everything" she whispers.

when I started my sacred soul journey a few years ago, I had no idea where it would lead me. I tried to control the path, cause that's what I do. correction: did. when I let go and let the energy take over, I learned so much about myself. I'm still learning. 

at some point, I had the realization that I was put here to empower women. to uplift women. to shift the self loathing that we have all become accustomed to having into something sacred for each woman whose life I was allowed in to. it's been a challenging road to this point, because I am still empowering myself. when I get out of the way, it all becomes so clear.

I have been scared to move forward. the what if's started screaming in my ear. the dangers and challenges and consequences became more apparent. but I let the truth simmer inside of me until it was such a part of me that  I could not ignore it anymore. and the truth is still there, patiently waiting for me to breathe life into it. 

"Imagine a new story for your life, and start living it" ~ Paulo Coelmo

I have taken the first steps into becoming a birth doula.

so many women have had births that traumatize them because they feel disempowered. unheard. ignored. neglected. I was one of those women many years ago. through the creation and birth of my newborn, I felt more called than ever to help women have the choice, the knowledge, the power and the strength to let their voices be so loud that they cannot be ignored. so they may have the kind of birth that will make them feel like the all powerful goddesses they truly are. 

I pour over birthing books like they are candy. I research the ins and outs of birth around the world. I talk to other "birthy" mommas and gain knowledge from all of them. I feel the calling to be in this field stronger than I have felt anything in my life, with the exception of becoming a mother myself. 

I'm on the verge. and I'm reading to dive head first into the sacred pool of birthing women. 

 

It's been so long.

I've been a little busy since my last post.

Mourning the loss of my best friends pregnancy. Discovering that my guess date for baby's arrival was off by roughly 4 weeks. Delivering baby exactly 4 weeks from my first guess date and lately, baby mooning.

Add to that trying to love on my sweet monkey as much as possible so he doesn't feel neglected with his new baby brothers arrival and I am spent.

I am writing up Harvests birth story, however. I will post it soon. But for now...love.

My tribe of women are strong.

Yesterday, I was surrounded by a tribe of women. Beautiful, gentle souls. They had all gathered to honor my entry into motherhood with my husband and son and to give me their love and support. Something I so desperately need and thrive on right now in the absence of a mother or maternal support.

The setting was beautiful. The people I loved were near. It was going to be a beautiful day for us to remember forever.

As the blessingway was about to start, my best friend came to me and whispered that she was bleeding. She is 17 weeks pregnant. We went inside to try and figure out what we should do. She was an hour from her home and family and had only seen her midwife once and wasn't sure she was going I continue seeing her. I called my midwife who gave us suggestions. Ultimately, we went to the closest hospital where she was admitted for observation.

I so much needed this baby shower. As an affirmation to my strength as a woman but also as a mother. I desperately needed to feel loved and supported by women and by the people I cared most about. I needed them to show that they loved and cared about us.

After we left for the hospital, my friends and family bound together for my best friend. Praying for her and making her a prayer bracelet with beads that they blessed. They videoed the ceremony for us to watch when we can. Most of these girls had only met my best friend once, possibly twice, yet they immediately sprang into action to give her whatever spirit and energy they could.

They also continued with my blessingway, making me a beautiful necklace of love and support. They wanted me to know how much they love me and that we are all held together with the same thread.

I can't ever express to them how much it means to me that not only did they send love up for me, but they surrounded my best friend with light and force. They went above and beyond anything I could have asked for. These women, this tribe, have shown me love beyond words. And that is more than I could have ever asked for.

(as of right now, we still aren't sure why she is bleeding but everything checks out ok medically. We are still praying that she and the baby continue to grow and be ok.)

what do I really, really, really want?

for a woman so opinionated, you'd think the answer was simple, or even clear. but it has never been simple. or clear. 

I want so much but at the same time, find peace in being content with what is.

is it selfish to want? I ask myself. 

or, is wanting simply dreaming? or perhaps just setting goals? 

 

...I want so much.

equality and respect for women. so much so that there have been talks of a revolution.

I want real food available to everyone. oh, and health care. I want that to be free.

I want people to honor each other and realize that there is so much more to living than what you can buy.

I want to crumble all the walls that protect me so that I can live a life of unbridled joy.

I want to always be at peace with myself and my world, showing my children how to honor themselves as they grow. 

I want to remain confident in myself even when faced with uncertainties.

I want to surround myself with a tribe of women who heal and protect and love one another at all times. 

I want simplicity. and peace. and love. and respect.

and healing. 

and light.

I want a better life for everyone.

is that too much to ask?

 

now, what do you really, really, really want?

a grateful thank you to rain, for her soul-stirring prompts for warrioresses. you are beauty. 

Grateful.

My husband and I have a great relationship. We've evolved from the ripping your clothes off every time you see each other madness to a place where we are both comfortable enough to laugh at ourselves, as well as each other. Don't get me wrong, the passion is still there. But there is something so gratifying in being able to be your complete honest self with someone no matter how silly or crazy you might appear to them.

This is something that has taken me a while to learn. And I have done it kicking and screaming.

See, being lighthearted, especially in a deep committed relationship is not something that comes easy to me. It used to. I used to be that girl. The one who could joke about anything and make fun of herself and feel lighthearted no matter what. But years of darkness finally silenced her. And coming back into the light has not been easy. And to be honest, I'm still learning, struggling, journeying.

The best part of all is that my sweet, beautiful, loving, crazy, obnoxiously lighthearted husband has given me room to grow. He's had his own frustrations along the way, I know. But at the end of the day he will look at me and say "I love you. That's it. I just love you."

And for that, I am grateful.

8.

Tomorrow, my child turns eight.

As any mother can tell you, learning from your child is one of the most heart wrenching, soul filling experiences you can have as a woman. He came to me, eyes closed, nuzzling into my breast almost before I held him. Over the years, he has taught me how to become a better person. A patient, loving, open minded person. I only hope I've taught him half as well.

He is sassy, inquisitive, funny, intelligent, hard headed, determine, dirty, loving, sensitive, artistic, imaginative, beautiful and perfect to me. He is often way too loud, covered in dirt, making a mess and having a ball while doing it. If only we could all be so free and happy.

He loves lego, Harry Potter, waffles, fried chicken, ice cream, calamari, sushi, dancing, singing, our dogs, his new baby brother or sister, his family and getting into stuff.

He isn't fond of chocolate cake, beans, religion, bullies, baths that are too hot, being bossed around and going to bed alone. 

He fills me with pride and love daily. He can make me laugh like no other. He still climbs onto my lap for cuddles and gives the sweetest kisses. He has made the person I am today. A more loving woman. A good mom. A sensitive soul.

Happy Birthday, Monkey!