Ideas and weaknesses.

I've decided to go ahead and do something that's been on my mind for a long time.

I am going to start giving free childbirth education to all who need it. I can't possibly do this in private classes (which is how I've been teaching), so I'm going to use the big community room at the library and teach expectant parents what they need to know about the basics of childbirth.

It won't be as comprehensive as a normal 12 hour series, but it will be something, which is usually always better than nothing. I plan to teach the stages of labor, hospital procedure, natural coping methods, and circumcision education.

I am hoping that this will spiral into more. I want to do breastfeeding classes, postpartum support groups, babywearing classes, newborn care classes, sibling classes ... and the funny thing is, I don't care one single bit that they will all be free of charge. I really don't care. Hopefully I can pick up a few more doula clients to help pay for my expenses, but if not, I'm sure the funding will come from somewhere. Things always work out they way they're supposed to.

Now, what I need to work on for me. I have a huge distrust of doctors and hospitals. I don't trust the medical community to do anything in patients' best interest because they stand to make so much money from illness. A c-section can easily cost 20 times what a vaginal birth costs, even more if that vaginal birth is unmedicated.

The clients I normally teach also have this distrust, so it hasn't been an issue in the past. However, opening up free classes is going to bring in a whole new element of parents that I don't usually work with. These are moms and dads who DO trust the medical system and plan to have their babies in the hospital, not at home. It is ESSENTIAL that I not bring my own bias into the classes. I absolutely must not do or say anything to create more fear for these new parents. Acting like the hospital and doctors want to kill them is certainly not going to benefit anyone, and will be extremely harmful psychologically.

It is critical that I overcome these mental roadblocks before the classes start. I need to meditate on this, release my anger and resentment, come to terms with my own biases before I can open myself up to others.

Om tare tuttare ture svaha - Essence of awakened body, quickly, with boldness, taking away all fear, distress, and suffering of all beings, complete victory of truth over all negativity, duality, all accomplishments, Hail mother Tara

Om tare tuttare ture svaha
Om tare tuttare ture svaha
Om tare tuttare ture svaha
Om tare tuttare ture svaha
Om tare tuttare ture svaha
Om tare tuttare ture svaha
Om tare tuttare ture svaha

Hear Green Tara's mantra here:
http://www.dzogchen.org/chant/tara.htm

Consider listening and perhaps chanting along.