The Sling Diaries Love + Adventure, Vol. III: Wisdom

 

There is so much wisdom that once was and is slowly being lost. Wisdom passed from grandmothers to mothers and mothers to daughters. Wisdom in parenting, growing food, living alongside the earth, surviving. Wisdom in nurturing, listening, and feeling. There is an inner voice that some have quieted throughout their lives because it's what their ancestors did. We, as a society, have wandered far from our roots and it's essential that we take a step or two back.

Many times we stray so far from what is natural because it's considered to be what is right. Our most innate knowledge is lost amidst the voices of our culture. Like a leaf fallen into a river, our inner voice is quickly carried away. I want Odin to be completely in touch with his roots and his voice. I want him to understand what is natural and honest.

When I learned I was pregnant, I did so much research. Hospital birth was covered by insurance but a homebirth was not. For me, homebirth seemed so much more primal and natural, we decided to pursue it even though it was a huge financial burden. I didn't see birth as a medical procedure, I saw it as the amazing ability to bring a human being into this world and I knew I had the strength to do it. It seemed normal to me to have a baby in my own space with people I felt very comfortable with. With a very understanding midwife, we were able to make payments and have the birth we thought was most natural. We brought Odin earthside in my room, on my bed. It was the middle of the day and there was a very soft springtime breezing blowing through our double windows. We didn't have curtains, but a tapestry hanging in front of the window seemed to mimic Odin's first breaths. This felt so right.

I hope to inspire Odin to follow his instincts and revert to the wisdom of his parents to follow his own path. I hope he isn't afraid of a breastfeeding mother and never thinks twice about a woman nursing in public. I hope he learns to appreciate locally grown food and the knowledge of where that food came from, rather than something processed and packaged who knows where.

I hope Odin takes moments to breathe with the earth. I hope he stops to taste, hear, and feel her beneath him. I hope he learns that every action has a reaction and that as a human being, he has so much power. His impact is important, as is all of ours, it's just a matter of what we want that impact to be. What bits of wisdom do we want to pass down to our children and theirs? 

I am wearing Sakura Bloom's custom luxe in Shiitake.

You can find our previous Sling Diaries here.

Photos are all by my dear friend, Hadar Pitchon.