July 4 is upon us, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, at the end of the Revolutionary War, establishing the 13 colonies as sovereign, no longer under the rule of Great Britain. It was a hard-won freedom, considered radical, certainly by Britain, and even among many colonists, who lived under the tyrannical reach of the King, ensconced thousands of miles across an ocean.
Almost 250 years later, we too are in the midst of our own revolution. We are seemingly at “war,” not only with the contagion of the novel corona virus, but we are witnessing the uprising of our citizenry in opposition to our own tyrannical government and police forces, as well as a growing current of change, reminiscent of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, when people of color were joined by white brothers and sisters, to protest the inequities of systemic racism permeating our society for some 400 years.
Many people are waving the flag of “freedom” these days, claiming it is their “right” to go without a face covering, in the face of a pandemic. People are gathering in great numbers in protest against police brutality, expressing their anger and frustration with a pervasive system that has condoned and actively promoted the subjugation, terrorization and genocide of black bodies, while others are brandishing weapons, to “exercise” their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, in support of the institutions in question, and more nationalistic ways of thinking and being.
This country is now seething with the greatest polarization its populace has seen, since the years leading up to and the Civil War and immediately following. This upheaval may be alarming, even frightening, to many, but it is necessary. We have certainly been at odds with each other on many occasions, for various reasons, since the birth of this nation in 1776, but this moment somehow seems different. We appear to be on the cusp of something new, a renaissance, giving birth to a new age of enlightenment, one that is possible only as a result of reaching a critical mass. Enough individuals are now operating within an evolved consciousness, one that is balanced between heart and mind, intuition and logic, feminine and masculine.
This wave of unrest has come at a crucial time. The Earth is going through a rebirth. As inhabitants of this living being, the Earth, we are witnessing our mother metamorphosing before our eyes, and we too are experiencing the expansion and contraction associated with the birth of our new civilization.
If we have had the experience of becoming a parent, we may recall it is a time when we likely undergo some very conflicting thoughts, emotions and feelings. Depending on our circumstances, we may be, at once, elated and terrified for what the birth of this new life will bring. How will it impact us? What may we be expected to sacrifice? Will I know what to do in this new role? Am I responsible and capable enough to guide this child through the challenges and triumphs encountered in a lifetime?
Many of us are asking ourselves these same questions, as we stand on the precipice of the old way of being, without any sense of what this new era will bring. Most of us have also been in a period of ‘sheltering in’ or ‘quarantine,’ as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Both of these terms are closely related to periods just before giving birth and postpartum, once the baby is born. A woman might, depending on her socioeconomic status and cultural conditions, have ‘taken her chamber’ or entered a period of ‘laying in,’ in the weeks before birth, in order to ensure the best outcome during childbirth, which certainly was a dangerous time for women and still can be. After the birth, some women would enter a period of ‘confinement,’ to give mother and child an opportunity to acclimate to each other and the baby to its new environment. In Latin American countries this time is called ‘cuarentena’ (40 days), having the same root as ‘quarantine,’ a term we are all too familiar with in this culture of Covid-19.
If you are a woman who has given birth or partnered one during this arduous process, you are aware of the critical period called ‘transition,’ which is the final phase of labor, before the pushing begins. This phase is typically the most challenging for a woman. During this period time may become distorted and the mind can be foggy. A woman may feel disoriented and become irritable, averse to distractions, and overwhelmed after coping with the intensity of labors’ contractions. Women can begin to lose their resolve and feel hopeless or helpless and require focused emotional support to persevere through this strenuous and exhausting stage of birth.
Does this feel familiar? It is 2020 and we are in the midst of our own ‘transition’ period. An old way of being is coming to an end, and many of us are unsure if we can make it through the turmoil we are experiencing both internally and externally. If this is our first “birthing” experience, we may be very frightened. We may feel out of control, anxious, frustrated and angry. Regardless of how many books we read and classes we took, nothing could prepare us for the intensity of the current conditions.
If we have ridden the waves of expansion and contraction before and had to reinvent ourselves after a period of crisis, perhaps we may feel less so, but the discomfort is potent, nonetheless. In this case, we may be able to serve as ‘midwives’ and ‘doulas’ for each other, to help create a safe space within which we can process our emotions, as we enter this new phase of our collective existence.
How can we create this safe space for ourselves and others? We can follow some simple practices known and used by women during childbirth, passed down since time immemorial.
1. Get in the Water: Being fully submerged in water is one of the most relaxing places to be during periods of mental, emotional and physical stress. Getting in water relaxes our muscles, which enables the body to open up, releasing tension and toxicity. Get. In. The. Water.
2. Focus on the Breath: Breath is the single most effective means we have at our disposal to promote our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing. When we become conscious of its rhythm and begin to slow it down, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs the “rest, digest and heal” response. Slowing the breath down, which means elongating the inhalation and, particularly, the exhalation, sends the signal to the brain that we are in a state of calm and ease, and all the other the other markers begin to normalize.
3. Make Sound: Sound vibration is an effective way to break up stagnant energy, which we experience as tension in the body. It relaxes the throat and mouth, which have a sympathetic energetic relationship with the anus and perineum, the region of the body associated with the Root Chakra, which is the energy center related to the fight, flight and freeze reaction to stress. When the mouth and throat are relaxed we can speak the truth of our emotions and give productive outlet to fears related to our survival. Hum, chant, moan, scream, talk, cry, sing.
4. Let Go: The tighter we hold on to the old, outmoded ways of thinking and being, the harder it is for us to move toward what our soul is inviting us to become. If we can enter into a state of allowing, secure in the knowledge that everything, without exception, that is occurring, and all the experience we are attracting to us, is moving us toward a greater state of balance, individually and collectively, even though it may appear to be utter chaos, at the moment.
5. Ask for Help: Be willing to reach out to others, when you are feeling challenged to remain balanced physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. A conversation with a trusted friend, family member, mentor, spiritual advisor, counselor or therapist may serve to you in the direction of a greater state of internal harmony. We all benefit from creating productive channels for thoughts and emotions that have become overwhelming. If we are willing to address them as soon as we notice a shift in our sense of wellbeing, we may avert entering into a serious state of crisis. It takes courage to ask for help.
6. Use Affirmations: Bring the mind back to the present moment with positive statements that bring a sense of relief. Create some that feel authentic to you and write them in a journal.
· “My breathe is my ally. Slow, deep conscious breathing signals my brain I am in a state of calm.”
· “I am relaxing my shoulders, releasing my jaw, inhaling deeply and exhaling completely.”
· “I am doing this. I am learning to thrive in the face of adversity.”
· “I’m so proud of myself for rising to this challenge.”
· “I am safe to evolve into who I am becoming.”
· “I love myself and support my growth.”
We are giving birth to a new iteration of humanity, one that is founded on the principles of true equality, expressed through unity consciousness and a respect for all beings and the Earth. We are reclaiming a freedom we have surrendered to conditioning, by those who have embraced hate and fear, wielding their power as a means to control any who call into question their unchecked, presumptive authority.
This labor may be long and painful, but it is finite, and will ultimately yield new life filled with joy, wonder, curiosity, hope, compassion, and love, the likes of which we may only have dreamed, yet are now midwifing into manifestation.