Time - an excerpt from Giving Birth to Ourselves

TIME

Within a week two women gave birth . One was having her first child - it took almost 30 hours. The other was having her fifth baby - it took her three hours. Her four previous births were only an hour long. And so, to both women , their labors were long.

Life experience does not necessarily fit into linear, logical measures. Births are a gift to us in reminding us of that.

The time it takes for us to realize our goals, whether inner or outer is just as relative, and requires just the kind of willingness to persevere as birthing does.

Contemplations--

· Do I choose realistic time frames for getting where I want to go?
· Do I accept that I am not always in control of what happens on the way?
· Am I willing to allow time to be elastic in reality and bounce on it like a trampoline rather than smothering in it like a rubber mask?

Activities--

Do a visualization back into the womb to re experience womb time.

Being in labor or at a labor or with a child or in love are all experiences that can produce an altered sense of time. Talking about it with each other may help us reclaim the time without clocks which is usually disallowed in this culture, even to children.

Meditations to alter time: Sit still, moving just your arm as slowly as possible. Walk as slowly as possible. Go for a walk to explore outside with a 2-year old. Sit next to a loudly rushing stream. Put your watch aside and enjoy it.



Giving Birth to Ourselves - Contemplations for midwives & other birth companions is available at www.lulu.com