Going to Meet the Great Midwife--an inner journey

It was windy, high up in a rocky, mountainous region. I hiked the final push over a high pass and came to the village of the Great Midwife. The children were wrapped in colorful shawls with hats on their heads to protect them from the wind. They gladly brought me to her home.

It was made of wood yet stacked into a circular shape, so that the wind could easily pass around it. No corners. As I entered the doorway, my eyes adjusted to the light of the fire. When she closed the door I felt contained and safe, protected from the harsh wind. Herbs were hung from the ceiling, around the edges of the room, like sentinels of peace.

The Great Midwife pinched off some dried leaves and flowers and poured hot water fomr a pot on the fire over them, making us some tea. We sat next to each other on the floor near the fire.

When I asked her about this book she smiled. Her bronze face, etched by the years and the elements, glowed with the light of her soul. She motioned me closer and leaned her forehead against mine, transmitting wisdom in an unspoken way. I felt it course through me to my heart and then out my writing hands. She showed me how to tap into her transmitted wisdom – a rose flower, a datura flower, or touching my thumb and forefinger into a circle.

I pulled some basil and a sprig of rose from my garden out of my bag and handed it to her as a thank you . Happy gratitude filled my heart as I said goodbye with a hug and left her round house. The wind had settled down and the children had unwrapped themselves to play more freely.

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The Great Midwife speaks the language of metaphor, as dreams do. So while images and events can carry a literal meaning, they also carry a deeper meaning which may be translated slightly differently, according to the time and the translator.
As an example, I’ll share my interpretation of this journey. I did the journey very early in the morning. I’d awoken at 3:30 and couldn’t sleep, so crept down to my Womb Room to do the journey.
Wind and Rocky and thin air of a mountain pass = the Vata state of that time of day and my own imbalance.
The children under wrap = results of creativity were covered due to the unbalanced state.
Round house= the special nature of this person and the non-resistence yet unbending nature
Going into the dark = the unknown
With only the light of fire= elemental forces
Herbs hanging from the ceiling = plant allies participate
Smile=blessings on my book
Wrinkled face= wisdom of the years
Motioned me closer= I need to move towards her position
Leaned her forehead against mine= passing her wisdom non-verbally
Tapping into her wisdom with:
Rose= beauty, yet setting limits; my power plant
Datura=altering my state
Fingers in a circle= chin mudra, which I have used in meditation to maintain the energy
I give her:
Basil= fiery passion
Roses = sweetness and love, my power plant
Wind settle down=grounded again
Children unwrapped=creativity unleashed

After writing down this journey I easily went back to sleep.
-by Terra Rafael