LOVE
I could list my designations, my job titles, and experiences. I could talk to you about the things I’ve seen, accomplished and am working on and while that’s all well and good, nothing, absolutely nothing, comes close to the experience I treasure the most — MAMA.
From the second I discovered I was pregnant, jumping for joy in the bathroom as I looked at the line on the stick, there was an alchemical quickening within me. The mystery and miracle of life occurring within me. I knew that something very different was being birthed inside of me as this child grew within me – ME.
I set the intention to birth differently than my mother and all of the women that I knew had done — to birth at home, in a tub, with a midwife and doula. My intention was that my child be born as peacefully as possible. I’d watched the video of the women giving birth in the Black Sea and thought, oh, yes, that’s for me; I know that this baby wants to be born this way. There was no other choice for me. And so, the Universe, in its infinite wisdom, wrapped itself around my intention. At 5 months pregnant, I was hired, by another woman, at a company which provided me with the insurance to cover the midwives. To this day, I have great gratitude to Celeste Ray for having the heart to hire me knowing that I would most probably not return once I gave birth. Birthing my daughter, naturally, in our bedroom, taught me that I am stronger than I think.
Being a parent is a high and holy path — whether a child comes through you or to you — your life will be forever transformed. On a daily basis, I get to grow as I grow my child. I am her mentor, she is my spiritual teacher. I tell my daughter, “I’m so glad that I get to grow with you.” The love I feel for her is like a mighty river that continually flows without ceasing. I am deeply grateful for this experience. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Inspired by my experience as a mama, I began working privately with mamas while going through the Practitioner Training program at the Agape International Spiritual Center, founded by Michael Bernard Beckwith. I began studying with Michael Beckwith in 1999 and immersed myself in classes spiritual and psychological as well as studying parenting, and attending non-violent parenting and communication workshops. I was already a hypnotherapist utilizing that skill with my gifts as a soul reader to support women in manifesting their full creative expression.
I am passionate about women being given the support to birth babies naturally, if they choose, and growing children with compassion, peace, confidence and kindness so that they grow to be caring, confident and resilient people. I knew something had taken hold of me when my husband and I talked about my returning to work after my 6 week maternity leave — before I had given birth to our child — I burst into tears and was inconsolable about being separated from this being that I was bringing into the world. Internally, I’d already made a decision that I was going to work from home and be with our baby no matter what. And, that is what I did, making a choice to place growing my child above bringing in a 2nd salary. I lead my first parenting workshop at Agape in 2004 and have been working with families and facilitating workshops since then at Agape and around the country. I can’t seem to keep myself from sharing information with pregnant women and parents about the ways in which we can empower ourselves and our children through compassionate communication and practical tools.
The mama lioness that I am feels called to create a world that is more peaceful for our children. Not as a platitude but a real, tangible experience. It’s not okay with me that women die in childbirth or are unsafe when pregnant; that girls in other countries are married off as young as 10; that there’s human trafficking or genital mutilation. I have an 11-year old and I can tell you that she’s not ready to be married. I am fortunate because in the American culture, I don’t need to marry her off to survive. I can’t imagine that any parent truly wishes to give their child away in order to survive. I believe that a part of them shrivels and dies when they feel that this is their only option. That option needs to be amended.Everyone wants to feel loved, important, heard, seen, and accepted. That is our unalienable right.
I know that together we can create more peace and affect change. Notice what’s unfolding in our world. Old structures are dissolving, people are joining together around the world saying they want change, that feminine energy needs to be activated in people around the world, especially in leaders.
I invite you to join with me in the active creation of a just and kind world for ourselves, our children and the next 7 generations that is more peaceful and peace filled.
Will you stand with me? On Mother’s Day, May 13, 2012, join me with mothers and others for an information gathering and celebration at the Washington Monument called the Million Mamas March, which is the launch of the Million Mamas Movement.
Please contact me for more information: wendy@millionmamasmovement.org/HTML Guide
