Faye Recommends: ‘Dance of the Womb’ DVD

‘Dance of the Womb’ DVD

Maha’s DVD has been endorsed by the Australian Doula College.

Director Renee Adair says:

“The DVD, Dance of the Womb is an inspiring, informative and gentle journey into belly dancing for birth and beyond which can be enjoyed by pregnant women, Midwives, Doulas and Childbirth educators alike.

Maha ‘walks her talk’ when sharing with us the amazing birth of her third child at 46 years young.

This DVD will, I’m sure, give women the freedom and confidence to trust their bodies to let go and allow themselves to discover their own rhythm in their labour and birth.”

A MUST HAVE DVD FOR ALL PREGNANT WOMEN

‘Dance of the Womb’ book

‘Dance of the Womb’ is A WORLD FIRST.  This 280 colour page book specifically details the enormous benefits of using the movements of belly dance as a birth dance. It instructs a woman on how to make use of this ancient wisdom to ease and empower your passage to motherhood.

‘Dance of the Womb’ is more than just a detailed instruction manual for exercise in pregnancy, it is also a beautifully crafted story of Maha’s life interwoven with the details of each belly dance movement. The dance movements and their spiritual, emotional and physical application in turn serve to illustrate Maha’s experiences on her journey from maiden to mother. Maha describes the art of the belly dance as a bridge between East and West and encourages women to apply their innate feminine intelligence into the act of giving birth. She positively encourages women to follow this thread colourfully woven through her own powerful stories. ‘Dance of the Womb’ is a practical manual as well as a deeply personal and inspiring tale.

Get in now and order your copy before Christmas. Visit:  http://www.soulbirth.com/bellydance_for_birth_book_and_dvd.113.html

Self Nurturing Tip of the Week: Take some time off

Take some time off

Now that the year has drawn to a close with Christmas just a week away, take this time to totally relax and have some time off.  It’s a good time of year to recharge your batteries, join in the Christmas cheer (just don’t over do it!) and catch up on much needed rest.

Birth Tip of the Week: Read some positive birth stories

Read some positive birth stories

Why not start with the story of the birth of Christ, seeing as that’s what Christmas is all about? It’s a great story and helps us to realize that material possessions don’t matter.  Birth can happen in the simplest of settings, wherever it is intended. It is a time to honour the divine in each of us and to realize that birth is a very spiritual event. To read some of the biblical stories around the birth of Christ, go to:
http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/p/christmasstory.htm

For some great reading, see the birth stories located on the Soulbirth website.  Visit: http://www.soulbirth.com/birth_stories.26.html

“Christmas Day”

“Christmas Day”

The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or “Christ’s Mass.” It is the time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus.

As it does not say in the Bible, no-one knows when Jesus was born, neither which day nor even year. One reason for this is that at the time Jesus was born people used the Roman calendar which was different to ours. It is now believed that Jesus was born between 7BC and 4BC.

Around 350 years after Jesus birth, Pope Julius 1 chose 25 December as the date of the Nativity. This date seemed to be a good choice because many people had from early times celebrated other winter festivals around this time. There was the Roman Saurnalia where Saturn, the god of Harvest, was honoured by merrymaking. In Northern Europe, Yule, giant logs were trimmed with ribbons and green plants and burned in honour of the gods who it was hoped would make the sun shine more brightly.

Both of these festivals were around the time of the winter solstice which is the day in Northern parts of the world that is the shortest of the year. With our modern instruments we now know this to happen on 21 December.

Christmas Day is a public holiday in Christian countries. Festivities include the exchanging of presents. To children this is probably the most exciting day of the year when if they have been good they can open the gifts left by Santa Claus.

For more stories and Christmas activities follow this link:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Christmas/ChristmasDay.aspx

Faye Recommends: “Early Loving, Early Learning – Loving Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter”

“Early Loving, Early Learning – Loving Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter”

A series of recordings, which feature experts being interviewed on their main topic of expertise. In these interviews Pinky McKay asked each professional (individually) to explain how you can support your baby’s development through the most appropriate care and interactions for each stage, from pregnancy through infancy. To find out more about these recordings, go to:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1066440

This Week’s Q & A: How can we find out more about belly dancing for birth?

How can we find out more about belly dancing for birth?

Following Maha’s article on Belly dancing, I have had so many emails from readers, asking how they can get more info about belly dancing.

The good news is…as from NEXT WEEK I will have Maha’s book and DVD available from my website as I have ordered some in. If you would like to reserve your copy before they all sell out, just drop me an email and add your name to the list. I will let you know when they arrive.  They should be here by next week.

Maha will also be coming to Perth next August/September next year to run a ‘Bellydanceforbirth’ training session, for anyone wishing to learn this skill to pass on to others. She will also be doing these sessions in many other locations.  Stay tuned and I’ll bring her schedule to you next week if possible.

Self Nurturing Tip of the Week: Henna Body Art

Applying henna to the belly toward the end of a pregnancy in certain cultures is believed to protect or bless the mother and child during the difficulties of labor. It’s believed to guard against the evil eye and protect from evil or malicious spirits that may be near during delivery. Henna designs are viewed as protective. Having henna applied and having someone touch your pregnant belly, is very calming. The henna paste is cooling and can help relieve heat exhaustion and soothe hot skin. Henna brings something restful and joyous to the strenuous last trimester and helps women embrace this transformation.

Birth Tip of the Week: Create a Belly Cast

Create a Belly Cast

Kits are available now to take a cast of your pregnant belly. This enables you to create a lasting memory of the pregnancy. The kits come with full instructions, materials and decorative ideas. The cast can then be decorated with many different materials to create a wonderful centerpiece, or can be given a special place in the child’s room.

In creating your cast, time can be taken to focus on your baby. This can be a lovely activity to do as part of a ‘Blessing way’ ceremony before the babies arrival.

“Rituals and Ceremonies”

“Rituals and Ceremonies”
by Faye Read

During this time of creating new life, one tends to be a little in awe of the powers that be and the miracle that is taking place within us. It is an ideal time to reconnect with some of those ancient traditions, which have somehow been lost in our westernised way of life.

The traditions surrounding birth include many different forms of ritual and ceremony. We can celebrate love, conception, welcoming the incoming soul, the woman’s pregnant state, and birth as a woman’s rite of passage.

After the birth we can celebrate the new arrival, hold a name giving
ceremony, baptise the baby, have a special burial ceremony for the placenta and also celebrate the woman as she takes on her new role as a mother. All of these occasions and more are worthy of such ritual and ceremony.

Candles, essential oils, smudge sticks, mandalas, chants, drums, music, special beads, cloth, crystals or gifts, are often used as ceremonial objects to help create the right energy for such an occasion.

A ceremony which is particularly enjoyable and becoming quite popular is the ‘blessing way’. This is held in the weeks leading up to the due date of birth. It is held to welcome the child and bless and honour the family that is bringing the child to earth. The family and circle of friends come together to welcome the baby in and show support for the parents by creating an environment of readiness, love and acceptance.

This is an excerpt taken from the ebook ‘Childbirth Preparation’, written by Faye Read, available at:
www.childbirthpreparationebook.com

Faye Recommends: Ayana Organics

To see the full range of Ayana Organics, visit:
www.ayanaorganics.com.au