Our Nature is not to live in isolated nuclear families. Our Nature is to live in close connection with extended families and communities.
Children are not meant to be raised by their mothers alone. Humans are co-creative creatures. We are cooperative breeders.
Women are not designed to go through pregnancy alone.
Women are not meant to go through birth alone.
And most importantly, women are not meant to be alone in the postpartum period.
Why have we put down ancient, deep-rooted, global, & cross-cultural traditions that secure the long-term well-being of new mothers, and therefore children, families, communities, and nations?
Why have we continuously bought into the notion that “I can do it all myself”? This is NOT heroic! We mistakenly believe that the more we can do “on our own,” the stronger, better, and more valuable we are.
I propose we turn this notion on its head for a while.
In fact, I suggest we put it down for good. We are not doing anyone any favors by trying to do every darn thing by ourselves. In doing so, we ruthlessly deny our instincts and intuition, we neglect our spiritual needs, we go against Nature, and we relinquish the gifts of our ancestors.
Consider these issues that are much too prevalent these days: postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postnatal depletion, adrenal fatigue, sleep deprivation, moodiness, women losing themselves, women needing convincing & permission to practice self-care…
When we live in tight-knit, healthy families & communities, we naturally have the practical support and the affirmation we need to take care of ourselves and in turn to better care for our children. This is ancient wisdom.
We don’t need to continue the trends of self-neglect and suffering in isolation. We do not need to be alone in child-rearing. And we need not be alone in healing our griefs.
Today I stand with you.
Please know you do not have to go it alone. Love and support are abundant all around you. Ask for what you need. Put a call out for what you deeply desire to make manifest. Let others who have the same dream join you in co-creating the new culture of Love our world so desperately needs. Open your heart to the love that rumbles in your bones and bustles in your soul. Love and unity is our birthright. So. Let’s claim it.