I wonder if the way alot of us in my culture who have been born and are being born influences our connection with life and Earth. I was pondering how different my own experience of being born, giving birth and witnessing birth is so different from some other cultures. The experience of arriving head first into the world into a room of clinical blue,with steel bowls and forceps,of alien humans covered in rubber and plastic, smelling of antiseptic; compared to arriving to be received by the earth and a group of women and a mother who consciously shared the trauma of the experience and the calm after the storm .
Of course modern medicine has made birth less life threatening,less painful,but I was just wondering about the difference and whether it affected us in mysterious ways. Our feeling of connection to the earth, being received into a welcoming community,a sense of grounded security. The medicalisation of birth and the shock of coming from a warm water filled darkness to be out in bright light, feeling air,inhaling the first lung of an alien substance essential for life . This is our entrance into the world. Within this world which is created by other humans who have been through similar experiences what could we discover : separation, loneliness,fear. It's almost not surprising to me that we are living disconnected lives,with all the problems we are trying to deal with. One problem I can see most of human life struggling with is the rise in addiction . The number and variety of addiction I see is definitely a cause of a great deal of suffering. Alcohol,drugs, gambling,sex, shopping, sugar ,the list could go on. However,as Gabor Maté has said ,more than once, when there is addiction, don't focus solely on the addiction, but look for the trauma.
It's at this time of the cycle of life ,of birth and growth that I watch the birds preparing to receive their new lives. Pairing,nesting, calling to each other. No wonder one teacher told us to study the birds,for they have alot to teach us.
Maybe we cannot completely undo the effect of our birth as it is part of life, but in looking at how it could have something to do with our current situation and therefore wondering if reconnecting with our earth,changing our ideas on our relationship with life, might just be a small step in a direction towards healing.
I welcome your thoughts.