Hello colleagues, The topic of hypnobirthing is a fascinating one.
>From my point of view, we are all constantly being hypnotised. The second/minute our brain waves slow from the day to day, minute to minute beta wave of waking consciousness - those voices that go round and round in our heads, to the alpha wave state of relaxed focused dreamy/alert (I love the way it can be both) we are in a hypnotic state. When we relax 'veg out' to watch telly, talk to someone in power or someone that we admire or fear - whoosh - we are hypnotisable/suggestible. We are hypnotised about birth. We are hypnotised about terror. Both serve to keep the masses controllable. We are hypnotised about many things. It's the way the brain works. What hypnobirthing and other techniques/tools (as Trish said - meditation,prayer etc) do, is make that hypnotising capability/affect conscious and focused on something one desires. It allows our life force to be directed towards "good" whatever that means for a person. Yes, birthing our babies well is part of our primitive brain pattern/knowledge/capability. What evolution has enabled is that the birthing pattern/programme is easily interrupted by threats. In threatening situatins, other biological, primitive brain programmes (digestion, immune response, circulation, breathing) are merely slowed down or accelerated, depending on the threatening situation and the system response required. A good thing that birthing is interrupted by threatening situations - we wouldn't want women immobilised by labour when voracious lions/tigers etc were close. Today's lions and tigers however are often in sheep's clothing. The oh so awake, clever, primitive brain still recognises them for what they are, so we get interruption (and the occasional fetal ejection reflex - when birth is close) of this most vital process. Hypnobirthing and other ideas are elegant ways of managing the perceptions/experiences/expectations and thus the hormonal flows associated with the omnipresent threatening and hurtful influences of maternity care. It allows love and trust (aka endorphins and oxytocin) to flow and minimises fear, anxieties and anger (aka adrenalins, catecholamines and cortisols). Hypnobirthing is one way of taking control of one's reactions in challenging and stressful situations and the control is in the decision to surrender and focus. Diane mentioned EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) in her email. Another elegant tool for managing stress, emotional and physical challenges. If you want to know more, let me know. I practice EFT personally and teach it to birthing women with wonderful results. I helped someone a couple of days ago, over the phone, who's baby had been transverse at 38 weeks, failed ECV etc. Next day, she went to the hospital to check - baby head down. :-) There are many tools (books, classes, workshops, hypnobirthing, EFT, conversations, observations, caesarians etc) which can complement and support the incredible, wonderful intelligence of our beautiful bodies. As one of our colleagues said 'whatever works'. Sometimes we "need to get out of our own way" and these tools help us do that. I'm keen to help people avoid long lasting emotional and physical distress. That does not mean I am anti anything. I am pro information, choice, knowledge and opportunities to learn and grow. love, Carolyn Hastie -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
