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elib.tech Exclusive… sharing elsewhere will result in being banned!Class OverviewWelcome to a new way of understanding childbirth, preparing for it, and experiencing it. Childbirth is a rite of passage to be enjoyed, at its essence is an ecstatic experience. (Check out the Top 10 Big Ideas from the class below!)Your ProfessorSheila Kamara Hay is a writer, Ecstatic Birth advocate and super-mama to her 3 little ones. She researches ways on how a woman can enjoy childbirth and makes that information accessible to as many women as possible.How to Have an Ecstatic Birth: Changing the ParadigmDoes the idea of an Ecstatic Birth sound like an oxymoron? If so, you are not alone. For thousands of years we have inhaled a cultural and religious inheritance that tells women that we are supposed to suffer during childbirth. In fact, it is our “punishment” for Eve taking a bite of that apple way back in the Garden of Eden. That is one doozy of an inheritance to shake. Congratulations on being here and willing to try something different!I believe the time has come to move beyond the negative paradigm of childbirth. Childbirth is a major rite of passage in a woman’s life, the moment that she makes the transition from maiden to mother. Like any rite of passage, it may not be easy but it is sacred and profoundly joyous. In the process of birth, a woman’s entire being- from the physical to the spiritual- is spread wide open, inviting levels of ecstasy beyond anything she can possibly imagine. Let’s embrace the potential inherent in birth for profound life-altering pleasure- emotional, physical, and spiritual.Welcome to a new way of understanding childbirth, preparing for it, and experiencing it. Childbirth is a rite of passage that can be enjoyed rather than endured. The process of labor and birth is at its essence is an ecstatic experience.The Top 10 Big Ideas1. Create Your Own Birthing CultureWe have all grown up surrounded by a certain story about childbirth- thanks to the media, our family, and the stories we have heard. If these stories aren’t serving us, if the vision we have for our births runs contrary to these stories, we need to consciously re-create the birth culture around ourselves. We can do this by filling our psyche with images and stories of births that mirror what we envision and desire for our own births. This simple act sets in motion a conscious reprogramming of all our long held beliefs about childbirth. To solidify and reaffirm this shift we also must surround ourselves with people that share and support this recreated view of childbirth. 2. Childbirth Can be Intensely PleasurableWe are well aware of the intensity of sensation that arises in childbirth. Most often in our culture this is described and depicted as pain. How many of us are aware that childbirth also holds the potential for intense pleasure? On a physical level, when we are able to embrace rather than resist the process of childbirth, the pleasure is able to organically flow through. Many women experience bliss, ecstasy, spiritual connection, and orgasms among other heightened states of pleasure. As we become more accepting as a culture to the idea that pleasure in birth is possible, more and more women are coming forth to share these stories of pleasure in childbirth. 3. Our Bodies are the Gateway to Pleasure in BirthMost of us are used to living our lives primarily in our heads. Childbirth is a primal full body experience. We can not think our way through it. In fact, trying to rationalize our way through will only inhibit the process of birth. In childbirth, a woman needs to allow her mind, with all its fears, doubts, and worries, to recede and let the body to take over. The body knows what to do. Learning to live in our bodies, trust our bodies, and its wisdom is integral to the childbirth process. This is a daily practice that we can begin right now. 4. Sexuality is an Integral Part of BirthAs foreign as it may feel, childbirth is an inherent part of our sexuality. How else does the baby get in there, right? Childbirth isn’t separate and distinct from all that pleasure. It is the culmination of it. How do you feel about your sexuality? Do you enjoy that part of your feminine nature? Or do you resist it? Sexuality and childbirth are core intertwined components of your femininity on both physical and soul levels. Any traumas or blocks need to be healed and cleared in order for a birth to flow smoothly. The more comfortable you are in your relationship with your sexuality, the more you can welcome pleasure in childbirth. 5. Childbirth Preparation Begins the Day You Are Born (Not in Your 3rd Trimester)The way you live is the way you birth. How do you handle fears? Difficult experiences? Things not going to plan? Ecstatic Birth is an ideal to be inspired by, not a standard to judge our births by. Just like in life, the best of plans can go awry. The difference between people that can enjoy their experiences regardless of outcome and those that don’t is how they process and understand them. Childbirth is a huge opportunity for introspection and one of the most powerful self-growth experiences available to a conscious woman. 6. Tap Into Your Inner WisdomThere is no right or wrong way to birth. There is only the right way for you. Your inner wisdom is the most powerful ally you will have in birth (and life) in navigating all of your options and locating what is best for you. The voice of your inner wisdom is not always rational and it does not live in your mind. Your inner wisdom processes all of your unique life experiences and circumstances, conscious and unconscious, and will unequivocally guide you on your soul’s path. 7. Empower Yourself (Don’t be a Victim)Who is responsible for you having the best birth experience possible? You. No one else can do that for you. Not your doctor. Not your partner. Not your doula. You are the one who will birth your baby. Empower yourself as much as you can. Take a moment and be honest with yourself. Prepare yourself so you feel strong and able to own your birthing power. Where you feel weak, surround yourself with support. Set yourself up to succeed. 8. It’s Not Enough to Wish Upon a Star. Plan for Pleasure!Plan this event like you would plan your wedding, so that every detail serves your pleasure. You wouldn’t choose a catering hall known for lousy food for your reception and just hope for the best, would you? Choose every detail of the birth with your highest pleasure in mind. And yes, that includes thinking about what you will wear.9. Do What is Right for the MotherDoing what is right for the mother is always the right thing to do for the baby. A baby’s happiness and well being is intricately intertwined to the mom’s, during pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Most moms are willing to do whatever needs to be done for the good of their babies. It is time we realize that the single most important thing any mom can do for her baby is take care of herself. A strong, healthy, empowered woman has more to give her child than one who feels victimized or traumatized. A mom who understands the importance of her own pleasure can bring more joy to her child’s life than one who feels deprived. 10. Childbirth is a Natural ProcessWhen the female body is left to do what it does naturally, the outcomes for both mother and child are better. Our bodies contain the innate primal wisdom for birth, let’s allow this to come forth and birth our babies. During childbirth, we must create a container honor the body’s wisdom and support its central role in the birthing process. The central figure birthing the baby is the mom and everyone else is supporting her in surrendering to the birthing process.