hello all, I'm writing this in a rush, busy marking third year students
assignments - so forgive me if it is a bit...errambly - but all this is
too interesting and important for me not to comment. I really appreciate the
stories and am constantly amazed at our human capacity to function and
function remarkably well despite the supremely difficult experiences...
and the stories of triumph and joy...how encouraging they are to
hear/read
and how inspiring you ALL are
There are so many rich topics of conversation here, deep and important
matters to consider and a building impetus to develop effective strategies
to manage and change the contemporary paradigm of fear and distrust. The
conversation of the last while has shown, in my mind, the clear and
startling difference between the medical model of (ill)health - based on
disease, decay, fear and distrust and the social, midwifery model, based on
health, love, growth, wonder, faith and trust.
Vicki and Nic are certainly developing effective strategies, with their
beautiful films and stunning workshops in a wonderful,deeply moving,
positive way. And yes, Vicki, it is important to get your work in people's
faces and speak to their hearts, not merely their intellect.
The National Maternity Action Plan is another. Each of us - continuously
presenting it to pollies, media, obs, health services, people in the street,
anyone who will listen - or not, still present the idea - it takes six or
seven presentations of an idea/product for it to take hold in someone's
brain - ask any advertising person - unless the idea/product has a huge
emotional code -which is why fear is s powerful as a memory fixative.
Our culture is continuously subjected to hypnosis/brainwashing about
birthing of the unsavoury kind, the kind steeped in fear and distrust, as
evidenced by the obs educational material quoted by Vicki; the comment by
the midwife to Toni's sister in law; the RMO that Justine met etc...We are
continuously being moulded, shaped by forces and information that appear to
be designed to steer us towards self doubt and fear - unless people see what
they are doing, they continue to do what they always did - it then becomes
'normal', that is how unconscious processes work. It is the human that is
the only animal that is capable of reflection and modifying behaviour
accordingly, but most of us seek to justify what we did, rather than looking
objectively and considering all possibilities and chosing a better path next
time.
Self doubt and fear are powerful memory fixatives and behaviour modifiers.
That is why advertising works so well. They understand the way the human
brain works. Advertisers want reaction, they don't care if it is positive or
negative, it is emotion that codes learning and drives behaviour - apathy is
the problem for advertisers, there is no behaviour change when people are
apathetic - which is why each of us has to be so positively energetic around
this stuff - and take time out for self nuturing and self development - like
the natural seasons and the growth cycle, otherwise we get 'burnt out'.
The climate of fear around birthing is mostly unconsciously driven and
perpetuated - the climate of fear is feeding itself in medicine (as you can
clearly see by both Vicki's and Justine's stories). It is however true that
most medicos want the best for the people they care for and believe they are
doing the best thing. Unfortunately they are being pulled by deeply
embedded, unconscious strings of fear and don't realise it.
The use of Hypnobirthing is one excellent way of defusing/minimising and
redressing the unconcious fears and redirecting the energetic force towards
positive outcomes. It enables us to harness our energetic power for ideal,
desired outcomes, instead of diving head long into the pit of unpleasant
realities made by our unconscious fears.
Those of us who can see the truth, that fear is becoming the moving force of
western world birthing must develop and hold on to the vision of conscious
women centered care - recognising that each interaction with birthing women
and our disease fixated medically oriented colleagues must contain the seeds
of faith and trust; must be therapeutically oriented towards best outcomes -
ie intact, healthy mothers and children; asking the questions that liberate,
demonstrating the wonder and incredible wisdom of our bodies/spirits (thanks
Vicki and Nic!) We have become so socialised into a polluted plastic, fear
based world, we have, as a culture, lost our connection to our own pristine
wilderness and our deep DNA coded wisdom.
Time to step out of the brainwashing (them and us; litigation;
powerlessness; terrorism; perfection is a right - root out anything that
isn't) and bring back the wild women (and men) :-)
My guess is the arts is the way to do it - speaks to us/grabs us/shows us on
many levels - go Aviva, Vicki and Nic
need more songs, dances, plays, theatre, film, satire, sculpture, paintings
