Passages pagan pregnancy : a spiritual journey from maiden to mother

255 Pages·2008·0.89 MB·English

by  Murphy-Hiscock

PASSAGES
Pagan
Pregnancy
A Spiritual
Journey from
Maiden to Mother
Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Copyright © 2011 by F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the
publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
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The Provenance Press name and logo design are registered trademarks of F+W Media, Inc.
®
Published by Provenance Press , and imprint of Adams Media,
a division of F+W Media, Inc.
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www.adamsmedia.com
eISBN-10: 1-4405-3171-4
eISBN-13: 978-1-4405-3171-2
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the
subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in
rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert
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—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American
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Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their product are
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This one’s for Pasley, Jeff, and Devon, who were there for us
throughout my pregnancy and who continue to support us throughout the joys
of parenthood, and for Tallis, who helped her mother review the book.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I say it every time, but it’s worth repeating: No one ever writes a book
in a vacuum, and my support system has, as usual, been invaluable to
me. Janice and Ceri in particular have been strong and encouraging
throughout this book, and it’s the better for their efforts.
Specific thanks go out to Pasley and Colleen, who read the book in
manuscript form while they were pregnant and gave me supportive
feedback. It was an unlooked-for honor to be able to share the work with
them when they needed it, and to share parts of it with Andrea as well.
I’m grateful to Scarlet for always keeping her library available to me and
for obtaining the Dundes book for me not once but twice! Thanks also go
to Anne-Pandora, Kristin, and Andrea for responding to a query about
their experiences, and for assuring me that I was on the right track.
At Provenance Press, Jennifer Kushnier helped me develop the concept
for the Passages series and for this book in particular, while Andrea
Norville was an indispensable support throughout the editing process
and gave me encouragement and reassurance when I needed it. Katrina
Schroeder and Heather Padgen ensured that my words made sense.
Thank you, all! And thanks to everyone at Adams Media for their help in
making my books such a success, too.
And of course, I wouldn’t be able to write about the spiritual aspects
of pregnancy without Ron and Liam, who gave me the opportunity in
the first place.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE
Beginnings
CHAPTER TWO
Universal Mother
CHAPTER THREE
Goddess Incarnate
CHAPTER FOUR
Companions on the Road
CHAPTER FIVE
Responsible Spirituality
CHAPTER SIX
Preparing for Change
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Unexpected
CHAPTER EIGHT
Birthing
CHAPTER NINE
Postpartum
Postscript
APPENDIX
Symbols
Bibliography
Index
INTRODUCTION
SHE CHANGES EVERYTHING SHE TOUCHES
AND EVERYTHING SHE TOUCHES CHANGES.
—chant written by Starhawk
WHEN A WOMAN is pregnant, she becomes the very essence of the Goddess:
she who carries life within her, she who will rebirth new life created
from old.
There is more to a Pagan pregnancy than simply recognizing that
pregnancy and birth have spiritual aspects. This book addresses those
aspects of pregnancy and birth from a uniquely Neo-Pagan perspective,
using rituals and meditations to help you attune to the energies that shift
throughout pregnancy.
This book in no way proposes to replace medical care or practical
advice from professionals; it exists to explore the Pagan spiritual view of
pregnancy, to work through the
spiritual changes that occur over the course of pregnancy and birth
within a Neo-Pagan context.
To attempt a Pagan examination of anything is nigh impossible, as the
term Pagan encompasses so much. In general, it refers to a spiritual path
that embraces an earth-honoring spirituality, often based in a non-
and/or pre-Abrahamic faith, that is polytheistic (a belief in, or
acknowledgment of, many deities), panentheistic (the belief that the
Divine is immanent in the universe, or the animating force of the
universe), or pantheistic (the Divine and nature are synonymous).
When I was pregnant, I looked for some kind of book that examined
pregnancy from a Pagan point of view to help me provide a context for
my experiences and spiritual shifts. And I found not one single thing.
There were books on natural childbirth, how to take care of yourself
while pregnant, and how to nourish your spirituality while pregnant, but
nothing that explored pregnancy in a specifically Pagan spiritual context.
So I wrote one.
Like all other Pagan books, this is not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal.
With Paganism being such a broad umbrella term for a multiplicity of
paths and practice, not everything presented here will fit into your own
views and practices. In essence, this book exists as a source of inspiration
for you. I hope you’ll absorb what is within it with an open mind and
make changes and adjustments as necessary in order to provide yourself
with the kind of spiritual framework you require to meet your own
unique needs during your pregnancy.
This book in no way attempts to replace your doctor, doula, midwife,
birth coach, or whatever medical professional you’re working with
through this incredible experience. We’ll be looking at the Pagan
spiritual aspects of pregnancy, not the medical side of pregnancy.
Although those physical changes are an essential element of the spiritual
evolution throughout the gestational period, and we’ll unquestionably
refer to them, I’m not a medical professional and I cannot stress enough
that the lore in this book is to serve as inspiration only and should not
be taken as diagnosis or prescription at any time. The advice concerning
oils and herbs are not in any way intended to replace the directions
given by your medical professional. If you have concerns or sensitivities,
refrain from using them until you have spoken with your medical
professional. All efforts have been made to ensure that these oils and
herbs are safe to use during pregnancy, but if you are apprehensive,
avoid all use of essential oils and herbal products throughout your
pregnancy, including tisanes.
The only physical thing I will urge you to focus on is eating properly,
sleeping as much as you can, exercising gently, and taking it easy. If this
is your first pregnancy you may be confused or alarmed at how much
TLC your body is demanding. I certainly was. The amount of sleep I
needed was particularly disturbing: I felt like I wasn’t accomplishing
anything because I spent a good twelve to thirteen hours a day asleep.
The second most disturbing thing was the amount of food I suddenly
wanted to consume from the very beginning of my pregnancy. I grazed
all day long. Make sure that you have plenty of snacks on hand.