Practical Midwifery for Shifting Paradigms by Sibyl Dana Reynolds ARCWP

Within the ensuing chaos of the past weeks, I hold fast to the belief that something “other” is being called forth. I believe that the Sacred Feminine is re-emerging through the creative efforts and wisdom of those called to fierce and conscious service for the greater good. 

Personally, I have recently spent frequent sleepless nights in discernment of my next right action. This morning during meditation, I found a nugget of clarity for my next steps on the path. I opened my journal, put pen to paper, and began to map my practical and spiritual responses to my current call to serve as a midwife for the paradigm shift. In some ways, it feels as if I’ve been in training my entire life for this mission.

I believe, as do many others, that we are living through a season of shifting paradigms. When I refer to the paradigm shift, I am referencing the energetic and very real shift from centuries of patriarchal power and abuse to a return to balance between the masculine and feminine. The Sacred Feminine is laboring to rebirth within the current chaos and resurgence of patriarchal havoc. As a woman, I feel a responsibility to carry forward the creative, generative, compassionate, life-giving, inclusive, and nurturing qualities of the feminine through fierce, organized, and dedicated resolve, service, and right action.

Today I feel called to share my personal outline for self-care and service as a midwife of the paradigm shift (the rebirth of the Sacred Feminine).  My spiritual guidebook, The Way of Belle Coeur: A Woman’s Vade Mecum, offers additional in depth practices for the feminine inner journey.

Like many women (and men), I have navigated the terrain of patriarchal abuse throughout my life’s journey in an up close and personal way. I spent twenty-two years exploring this them while writing Ink and Honey, the story of a medieval, spiritual sisterhood of women that lived by their wits and their prayers in the midst of patriarchal oppression. We too, live within the grasp of a dark age. To my mind this current moment in time offers me the invitation to step into radical service. Extreme self-care (for body, mind, and spirit) is crucial to the process as I foster my stamina and spiritual sustenance for the work at hand.

There are various facets to my current call to action that are practical, creative, spiritual, and service-oriented in nature. I share what I recorded in my journal this morning as my outline for midwifery…for the rebirth of the Sacred Feminine below. I offer this with the hope that you may find a piece of it to be useful in some way. I invite you to contemplate your specific call and to create your personal working plan for right action at this time in herstory and history.

Midwifery for Shifting Paradigms

1. 1. Practical preparation: As I enter into this new role of midwife for shifting paradigms I must prepare and maintain inner and outer balance as I….

• • assess my particular creative gifts and talents, intuitive wisdom, life-experience, and skills with regard to how I can best serve as a midwife for the paradigm shift.
• • simplify, clear, and organize my workspace and environment for the work at hand. I must create my inner and outer sanctuary for prayer, meditation, journaling, and deep listening for God’s guidance.
• • maintain order in my environment to help sustain a sense of inner calm so I may be centered to respond appropriately to the ever-evolving challenges and tasks at hand.
• • open my heart to embrace the pain and suffering surrounding me as I work with others to discover new pathways to understanding, acceptance, and resolution.
• • be attentive to the needs of my inner Mary and Martha, the contemplative and activist.

      2. Ongoing practical and essential daily practices: The practice of extreme self-care is essential. I must be fully conscious to ensure that each day I tend my body, mind, and spirit as God given instruments for the work of midwifery.  I will be gentle with myself in the process.  I know there will be days when I won’t follow this prescribed outline completely. There is no shame in this, but rather the knowledge that tomorrow I will begin again as best I can. The following outline is my personal prescription.

Extreme Self-Care

     Care for my body: I commit to conscious daily care for my physical body in the following ways:

• • Life-giving hydration (water nourishes my cells, neurons, and internal organs)
• • A daily walk in communion with nature
• • Healthy eating as much as possible (occasional chocolate is also good medicine)
• • Morning stretches and body movement for my circulatory system
• • Imagine my daily bath/shower as an energetic cleansing for negative thoughts
• • Incorporate essential oils for stress relief (lavender, frankincense, peppermint)
• • Choose an item of symbolic apparel (scarf, linen apron, piece of jewelry) each day to remind me I am shielded with God’s Love and Protection.
• • Sleep for renewal and enriched dream life.

Care for my mind: I commit to conscious daily care for my mind and emotional well-being in the following ways:

• • Limit social media interaction and intake of news, television, etc. My absorption of too much information has the similar result of overeating…it creates indigestion and overwhelm in for my mind and emotions.
• • A Sabbath rest from technology: One day each week I choose to fast from all technological devices.
• • Selective reading for upliftment including: poetry, Scripture, literature.
• • Take an occasional ten-minute break during the day to color in one of my adult coloring books.
• • Stop what I’m doing when emotions arise and take time to journal about my feelings.
• • Ongoing, loving conversations with my husband for clarification, support, and varying points of view.
• • Support and wisdom from my Belle Coeur Sisters and beloved friends.
• • Support and guidance from my therapist and spiritual director.

Care for my creative heart and spirit: I commit to the daily tending of my creative heart and spirit as a living prayer through the following practices…

• • Prayer woven into daily tasks, as well as, morning devotion and meditation.
• • Slow stitching (embroidery in free form)
• • Weaving
• • Mandala making
• • Frequent periods of silence and re-centering.
• • The prayerful dedication of my daily work to a global prayer need (such as: world hunger, world peace, protection for children, etc.).
• • Pray the Rosary.
• • Sacred reading (lectio divina).
• • Listen to uplifting music for spiritual enrichment/insight (audio divina).
• • Peruse artwork, images, photographs for creative inspiration (visio divina).
• • Sacred art-making and craft as a prayer form (knit a prayer shawl, craft prayer beads/Rosaries, create a visual prayer collage, prepare of a meal with prayer and sacred intention).
• • Light candles with prayer.
• • Sacramental observances.

Service for the greater good: It’s taken a lifetime for me to be able to name the offerings of self, service and creativity that I feel called to share. As a midwife for the paradigm shift and rebirth of the Sacred Feminine, I offer myself in service in the following ways to the best of my abilities as…

• • A hope-bringer who practices inclusivity and loving kindness to the best of my ability.
• • A compassionate listener.
• • A sacred artisan, creator of beauty and inspiration.
• • A spiritual writer.
• • A co-creator with circles of other midwives as we find our way together in this time of transformation.

To be continued…

The work of midwives for shifting paradigms is ancient, yet, new terrain. Most days I don’t know where I’m going with all of this. It’s truly a “one day at a time” experience. I wake up and pray to be attentive and ready, I listen for God’s guidance, then respond as best I can. My introverted nature is being stretched. There are distractions at every turn. Stepping out of my much preferred, cloistered life is my current growing edge. It’s uncomfortable and the pull to do what I must do is demanding that I step out of my comfort zone.

In the days, weeks, months, and dare I say…years to come…sacred midwifery will no doubt evolve, grow, and eventually the rebirth will be facilitated. The Sacred Feminine will return and the balance of feminine and masculine will be restored for the benefit of humankind...eventually. Women will once again be honored for our wisdom, creativity, and contribution to the whole. This is the vision I must hold dear in this time of darkness, chaos, and challenge.

I know many of you are also feeling called and you, too, are responding to the role of midwife for shifting paradigms. Let us join our hearts and minds to pray, co-create, and collaborate as we assist the rebirth of Sacred Feminine. Her delivery is past due, but the midwives have arrived…