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About this Episode
In every traditional initiation, the threshold is faced in solitude.
So if birth is supposed to be a rite of passage…
Within 'modern' birth circles, we’ve been told that birth is a rite of passage - and women reclaim birth when we honour this. Books have been written about it!
But what was also suggested, was a midwife stands at the threshold—guardian-ing the rite.
Here’s the problem: A true rite of passage does not have a guardian. A rite of passage requires the initiate to walk alone. That is it's ENTIRE intention, and purpose - as a rite.
So why has birth been framed differently?
And why are birthworkers placed at the center of something that - by its very nature - must be faced alone?
When you look deeper at traditional initiations across cultures, the structure is always the same:
1 The initiate is prepared in advance. Spiritual mentorship before entering the wild.
2 The threshold is crossed alone.No one guiding, or to outsource to.
3 The return is witnessed.The moment the initiate emerges, changed, and is fully received by the community.
How did birth—the most ancient, organic initiation of all—get framed differently?
Why, when it comes to birth, do they believe a woman cannot do it?
Do they think she is incapable?
Do they believe birth is different?
Do they not trust that every woman can walk into the wild alone?
Something isn’t adding up.
And I'm getting loud about it, because it's keeping women disconnected and disempowered.
And I feel like there's an agenda. And I'm not OK with it.
Make sure you're following The Midwitch Podcast for Part 2 of the 'Rite Remembering' SOLO SERIES episodes - and join us @themidwitch on Instagram to follow the conversation. It's going to be BIG!
So if birth is supposed to be a rite of passage…
Within 'modern' birth circles, we’ve been told that birth is a rite of passage - and women reclaim birth when we honour this. Books have been written about it!
But what was also suggested, was a midwife stands at the threshold—guardian-ing the rite.
Here’s the problem: A true rite of passage does not have a guardian. A rite of passage requires the initiate to walk alone. That is it's ENTIRE intention, and purpose - as a rite.
So why has birth been framed differently?
And why are birthworkers placed at the center of something that - by its very nature - must be faced alone?
When you look deeper at traditional initiations across cultures, the structure is always the same:
1 The initiate is prepared in advance. Spiritual mentorship before entering the wild.
2 The threshold is crossed alone.No one guiding, or to outsource to.
3 The return is witnessed.The moment the initiate emerges, changed, and is fully received by the community.
How did birth—the most ancient, organic initiation of all—get framed differently?
Why, when it comes to birth, do they believe a woman cannot do it?
Do they think she is incapable?
Do they believe birth is different?
Do they not trust that every woman can walk into the wild alone?
Something isn’t adding up.
And I'm getting loud about it, because it's keeping women disconnected and disempowered.
And I feel like there's an agenda. And I'm not OK with it.
Make sure you're following The Midwitch Podcast for Part 2 of the 'Rite Remembering' SOLO SERIES episodes - and join us @themidwitch on Instagram to follow the conversation. It's going to be BIG!
Hosts & Guests
No transcript available for this episode.
