Late night magic, medicine, and miracles
Dear you,
Before we dive in, for the sake of full disclosure, you should know it's presently about 4 hours past my bed time, and I've had one of the most amazing nights.
I'm writing this from that place where bliss and exhaustion intersect, and I may be just a little hard to follow.
But bear with me, if this late night letter gives you even a taste of the magic I've lived tonight, it will be worth it.
Ready?
Great…
Everyone I work with is birthing something.
An idea, business, culture, a book, a paradigm, a new relationship with themselves or their partner, or even a website.
Tonight though, it was a baby coming earthside that I had the privilege of witnessing, holding space for and supporting.
When I was a little girl, there was three things I wanted to be/do when I grew up.
A mama of a big family, a woman who could heal others with the magical herbs I read about in carob smelling shops that promised to lift the suffering of people I loved, and a dancer for Prince or Michael Jackson.
My dancing career was short lived but by the time I was 27 I was the mama of 3 beautiful brown boys (and at 35 our curly haired little girl joined us, making my big family wishes officially complete). And my love for the healing arts has stayed steady and has manifested as many things through the years, including massage therapist, doula and my own unique and healing approach to photography.
Tonight was everything. I witnessed and reflected back, in real-time the beauty, power and strength of my client - an incredible birthing mama. I tapped into my skills in plant medicine, space holding, and took all of the photographs…. we even danced a little.
It's no secret - we live in a nutty world.
Sometimes it seems we may never find our way out of the pain, panic, and problems we are facing.
But tonight as I watched this incredible human open and become a portal for new life, this human who just grew a whole other human, with out any plan or instruction manual or really without anything driving the process other than her body's innate wisdom….
As I watched this brand new being come earthside, knowing just how to find his way into his mama's arms, this sweet babe with a whole entire life ahead that will be filled with miracles and mundane.
This fresh start.
This proof of the miraculous.
This life affirming moment.
I was reminded of so many things, including…
Our work is to both surrender and to actively pursue that which we want to bring forward. We each have within us an innate intelligence that is always doing everything it can to orient towards life. We don't have to "make" it do anything but we can decide whether or not to nourish and care for ourselves - and this makes all the difference.
There truly may be nothing more valuable or beautiful than caring for one another.
Self-care in its truest form is what prepares us for everything. Investing in ourselves is one of the greatest gifts we can give (and receive).
We deserve to surround ourselves with support, with people and concepts that lift us, believe in us, and encourage us.
Our lives are so valuable and so worthy of documenting. We are the historians, the photojournalists, and the genealogists of our experiences. Our future selves cheer every-time we mark the moment with words and photographs.
I recognize that I'm on an "I just witnessed a real-life miracle high" and maybe would have been able to write this a bit more effectively tomorrow after a good nights sleep. But my hope is by writing it to you now, while I'm still buzzing from this magic - the medicine will transmit and somehow you'll find yourself just a little more inspired and engaged in your own birthing process, no matter what you're birthing.
Much love,
Danielle
