of Birth

Around 9:30pm the other night, my Doula client needed my support because labor had begun. After talking to her husband I headed over to their house, which was filled with items to welcome their new baby boy.

The birth was amazing. Having the experience of giving birth four times myself, I can approach childbirth education from a personal experience. I share a lot about the Law of Attraction in my birthing classes and discuss the concept of creating the birth you want by feeling more Joy during pregnancy and birth. It's very different than any other birthing "method".

This was a very fast birth and during that time, the husband was so emotionally supportive, that I was able to grab their camera and snap several photos of them together. I SO wish that I have photos like that when my kids were born. I have *very* few photos because I never took the responsibility to "assign" that to someone at my births.

I took this photo during the part of labor called, "transition". It is the most amazing picture because it looks like you can see the intense energy coming from the Mom!

This was the most powerful birth that I have ever attended. Seeing the laboring Mom Joyful in labor is something that I rarely get to witness in hospital births. Watching her smile during pushing made me realize that teaching about birth with the law of attraction component was the secret to empowering and educating couples about birth in a very positive way.

I am sure that other Doulas can relate when I share that this was one of those births that changed me. It gave me even more affirmation that I am on the right path. I love being a Doula and childbirth educator. I am very passionate about helping people learn the Truth about birth and all of the options and choices that couples today are faced with.

I am working on a book called, "Attraction Birth". It's taking a bit longer than I anticipated to finish the book, because I have a few births lined up and really want to go through the experiences before finishing. I plan on offering teacher trainings all over the country to train and certify childbirth educators in, "Attraction Birth". It will be a new and exciting adventure!

Birth is something that changed my entire life philosophy and beliefs. The way that Devin was brought into this world was the very first step onto the path of Trust, Respect and Freedom that we are living today. I know that by educating others about options, I am not only opening doors for them that they didn't know were there for their birth, but for parenting and educating and health care and everything else that follows.

Tablescaping

Something that I have been doing for years is creating tablescapes. We were inspired by Waldorf-style nature tables for a quite a while. It slowly turned into themed tables where the "only use things from nature" Waldorf "rule" got old here quick. I loved making nature tables but wanted to expand it outward to really be something that enriched our life and that was a fun discussion and inspiration point in our home.

Tablescapes began to take form every month or so, inspired by one of our interests. I often times start it with a theme and then the family adds to it if they want to. I love that it is such an organic, interesting art form that grows as long as you have it out. It has real depth and shadows. Depending on the time of day you see it differently according to where the sun is shining into our home. We all enjoy moving things around, or adding something fun to it.

Tablescapes are something that our family has learned from, laughed over, got lost in daydreaming, and become inspired from. Whatever your families current passion is, be it Legos or Legumes you can create a Tablescape to celebrate, honor and explore a certain topic in an unique and artistic way. The possibilities are endless!

I'd love to see photos of your tablescapes! Please place a link, if you'd like to share, in the comments section of this entry.

Creation Inspiration

I thought that it would be fun to share some snapshots of a few of the things that we have created this week.

I made a stone path through the woods leading to Devin's treehouse.


Devin built a tree house earlier in the week and yesterday added a workshop to it on the bottom level.

I made Blueberry Margaritas from frozen blueberries that we picked at Foss Mountain.

Devin made what he calls "Chinese Slippers" out of wood and rope.

Tiff made our family in Doll Ghost Form. So cute!

Devin made a knife from heating metal scraps in a fire and them pounding it into shape. He then made a handle from a wooden dowel and velvet rope.


Joe made a garden waterer for next years garden. We are prepping the ground already and Joe invented this awesome waterer out of an twelve-foot perforated pipe that is often used for septic systems.


Devin created a "foot washer" for us to use before we go in for the night. In the summer none of us wear shoes, so our tootsies need a hose-down at the end of the day. Devin's invention is really useful! I'm so grateful to him for making something to make our life easier and more fun!

Devin made a necklace out of pine. He sanded it down for a long time creating a smooth, beautiful look. (He says it also doubles as a weapon or decoration )

Children of the New Paradigm

We take it from our children starting in preschool, then once they hit their teen years, we are trying to give it back to them. We see that some kind of spark is missing. It's their self-love and inner knowing.

The institution of traditional parenting and school is set up in such a way that parents end up believing that they need to help instill self-worth to children. It seems a prevalent idea that self-esteem and confidence is something that needs to be "gained".

Our unschooled children who are growing up in a partnership paradigm usually never loose the self-worth that all humans are born with. From the moment we are born, our default setting is to love ourselves. It is all part of human survival. You do not see an animal in the wild insecure or living with low self esteem. It isn't something that needs to be gained or instilled in children, unless kids are robbed of it through living a life where others value obedience above all else.

In the old paradigm, parents and educators create the very problems they are trying to later "fix", In the same way a doctors preventative actions often times cause problems in birth and then the doctor ends up placing themselves in the role of the "hero" rescuing the woman and her baby from certain trauma, the current model creates low self-esteem and insecurity that it later tries to fix and then it seems that the institution is to thank for their child feeling better about themselves.

When we are living a life in the new paradigm, kids never loose their inner knowing of Who They Are. They do not need to rely on others telling them their greatness to know their greatness. I find it facinating, but a very signifigant differnce from how I felt as a child...My children do not care what others think about them. This doesn't mean that they don't care about others feelings or needs. On the contrary.... my children have a great deal of empathy for others. They just do not value what others think of them as any reflection of how they measure their own self-worth.

My children love themselves Unconditionally, because they are loved without conditions.

Radical Music

Introducing my children to new and exciting experiences is in one of my roles as a Radical Unschooling Mom. If given the choice between experiencing something new, or doing something we have done before, our family almost always chooses a new experience.

When our friends from Texas came to visit recently they brought with them Singing Bowls and a Didgeridoo.

Singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls, rin, medicine bowls, Tibetan bowls or suzu gongs in Japan) are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, standing bells sit with the bottom surface resting. They have the most unique, beautiful sound.

A Didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia at least 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It consists of a long hollowed out log, which, when blown into, produces a low, deep mesmerising drone with sweeping rhythms.

It was so exciting learning about these instruments and listening to them. We all got to try out the singing bowls and really enjoyed playing them! Living a full, exciting life, rich with opportunities, experiences and resources is important to us in the life we choose to live with our family.

Every week it is something new to learn, grow and share together. What an awesome new experience. I'm very grateful to my friends for sharing so much of themselves during our visit together!

Peace, Love and Fairy Houses

One of my children's favorite outdoor activities is building Fairy Houses. It's somewhat of a tradition in the Northeast, and especially with our family!

The Fairies often leave our children tiny rocks and gems in gratitude. They run outside first thing in the morning to see what the fairies left them that night.

Materials

Sticks, Bark, Pine cones, Flowers, Berries, Pebbles, Pussy Willow Branches, Feathers
Other natural materials such as shells and stones

Instructions

Pick a safe, protected spot (for example, against a tree or stone wall) to place your fairy house. Watch out for poison ivy... (I found this out hard way this week!)

Poke sticks and bark into the ground and prop them against each other to hold the walls and roof in place.Use large stones as the foundation and build up with sticks from them.
Use pine cones for a fanciful fence, tiny pebbles for a pathway to the front door, a bent pussy willow branch as an archway, and a feather to decorate the birch bark chimney (and can double as a flag or a plume of smoke).

When the home is finished you can tuck a house-warming present inside. For instance: a pussy willow bud (fairies use them for pillows), an acorn cap cup (perfect for mint tea), stems of lavender (splendid wands), ripe berries, or some other surprise.

Tiffs Tips:

1. Although woodland houses are usually made, beach houses or backyard bungalows are also appreciated. Tiff recently made an entire house out of shells and starfish!

2. Build the house out of natural materials, such as fallen twigs, driftwood, pine cones, and bark found on the ground. Don't pick materials from living plants or trees and sure not to disturb an animal's home.

3. Build houses year-round, not just in the summertime. Fairies love finding cozy spots after a snowstorm.