Belly of the Goddess

Witch Hazel

2010-10-19T07:55:00.002-05:00

Witch Hazel is one of the few plants that I know of that blooms in the fall. Saffron crocus being the other that I am aware of.

I have discovered a lot of Witch Hazel shrubs blooming all over the property of my new home, and have become fascinated with it! This is a photo I took of the little yellow flowers.

I have been wondering if it was named "witch" because it blooms in October - the season of the witch...

But no, that is not the word origin for the name. I refer you to this excellent synopsis by Steven Foster that nicely summarizes medicinal uses, history and botany of the plant.

Was it a Good Birth?

2010-05-08T11:02:00.002-05:00

I have not posted in a long time...

Today I am offering a re-print of a lovely article by Michelle L'Esperance, CPM of Warm Welcome Birth Services.

Was it a Good Birth?
By Michelle L'Esperance - Used with permission.

The 65-Hour Birth

When people hear that you're a doula, or thinking of becoming one, are you ever asked questions along the line of, "But what do you do if she's in labor for 24 hours? Or more? I had a friend who...." The assumption is usually that long labor = awful labor for everyone involved. Having recently had the deep privilege of being with a family through their three day-and-night birth journey, I can emphatically say that while an exceptionally long labor naturally has substantial intrinsic challenges, there's also a whole lot of time built in there for sweetness, heart connection, Thai food, ripening magnificently into parenthood, foot-rubs, birth dancing, naps, posing in Salvador Dali mustaches- all while developing monumental patience, flexibility, and fortitude. Here is what I have seen in long labors: for a woman who is physically nourished, emotionally cherished, and who is respected as a legitimate decision-maker for herself & her baby, the experience can ultimately be a positive one. I'm glad to say I've seen this happen both in homebirth & in hospital, the slow unfolding supported by midwives and OBs who are willing to be benevolent watchers and waiters, offering options to the parents based on what their particular situation is.

The Two-Hour Birth

When asked how long they would like their labor to be, many pregnant women will answer, "The quicker the better! A couple of hours would be fine!" There are certainly some benefits to going from contraction #1 to baby-in-arms in the time it takes to savor a great meal. I've known and been with some women who had these ultra-fast labors (medically known as 'precipitous' births). The assumption that some people make about this one is that shorter = easier, as if your body cleverly found some shortcut to the birthing process. Most women who've had a very fast labor describe it as very intense, though- sometimes breathtakingly intense. One said, "It was like suddenly finding myself riding on the front of a speeding train. All I could do was go where it went and hang on." The challenge with these births is to stay centered despite the quick onset of very intense contractions. The atmosphere in the room during a very fast labor can easily tip from intense into chaotic or panicky- our job is to prevent that. Thankfully, the reason it's so intense is usually that unseen things are working very efficiently.

The doula's role in this case (after getting to the client's side as quickly as possible!) is to be a deeply grounding, reassuring presence. The laboring woman will likely have strong feelings about what physical position works for her. The doula can support that as much as possible, making her more comfortable with padding for kneeling, easily reached drinks with straws, etc. After a precipitous birth, the woman may be a bit in shock and disbelief about the whole thing- mentally there can be some catching up to do. Nevertheless, if the birthing mom, partner, and doula have worked together with the attending midwife or OB to create a respectful, responsive birth environment, the family will likely look back on their whirlwind birth with satisfaction and even pride.

So, Was it a Good Birth?

Striking features of a birth such as extreme length or speed, or the decision/need to birth by cesarean, can seem to define the birth to those who weren't there. However, to the laboring mother and her family, the visceral, lived experience is also likely to be remembered in terms of the atmosphere in the room (was it tense? respectful? lonely? nurturing?) and in terms of the decision-making process (respectful? authoritarian? cooperative?). While a woman's image of her ideal birth is not always met, we as doulas can support the family's experience of feeling deeply cared for and truly heard. And whether birth is a long trek, a wild ride, or some other kind of journey, the doula's support can make the journey one that the family remembers with more serenity.

Imbolc

2010-02-02T05:20:00.010-05:00

The beginning of the earth's awakening to spring, Imbolc is one of my favorite of the pagan observed holidays.

For over a month now, the daylight has been growing incrementally longer, and for a few weeks I have noticed that the local birds are making their spring calls.

Tradition dictates that all of the greens used to decorate for Yule be removed and burned on Imbolc or Candlemas as it is also called. Letting go of the vestiges of winter in order to invite the return of spring.

I have always loved making my own traditions or adapting existing ones to my own liking. And so, here is my version:

Each year I cut paper snowflakes to decorate for the winter holidays. I love the zen experience of creating them - a very focused attention. It is also one of those past times - like knitting - that can be done while you are waiting for a baby to be born, as it is quiet and can easily be put down and taken up again as the situation dictates...

I also love that the symbology is non-denominational and suitable for any of the winter holidays in the Northern hemisphere. I make them at home and at work, and I sometimes get co-workers to become as obsessed as I am with making them! We tape them up on windows and walls, and on occasion have covered the entire L&D unit with them!

My rule has always been that we cannot start cutting until after Thanksgiving, and that they must come down by Imbolc!

So I have spent the last week collecting the snowflakes I have made from the various locations where they have been hanging - my front door, the door to the midwifery office, my clinic, etc.

Once I have collected them all, I burn them - usually outside in the garden.

This year, I will take them to the land where we are building our new home and burn them there as a welcome for spring, and an invitation to the anticipated completion and our moving in.

One thing I have never done before, is take photos of my snowflakes and preserve them in cyberspace... I hope that this does not counter the effects of the magick...

Midwifery in MA

2009-12-13T04:57:00.002-05:00

I would like to bring your attention to an excellent discussion about "alternative birthing" that aired on RadioBoston on Friday 12/11/2009.

I must say that it seems just a little crazy to me that un-medicated, natural birth has come to be seen as "alternative"...

You can listen to the program here:
http://www.radioboston.org/shows/2009/12/11/midwifery-in-massachusetts/

And if you do listen, please leave a comment at the blog. This gives the program feedback on the importance of continuing the discussion.

Autumn haiku

2009-10-13T05:52:00.007-05:00

As I was driving down the road the other day, I was following a box truck, and noticed that the wind turbulance would cause leaves to drop from each tree as it passed by, making a lovely display of "leaf confetti"...

Golden Autumn leaves
Float and Dance like confetti
Spiraling to earth

Haiku

2009-09-04T06:28:00.006-05:00

September crickets
Singing loudly their lament
For summer's passing

Love your Body Campaign

2009-08-23T08:17:00.009-05:00

I would not usually be endorsing a company such as Victoria's Secret, but my good friend Michelle Maniaci of Nurturing Moves has entered a "Love your body"contest being sponsored by the company.

The invitation to the contest asks: What makes you feel beautiful? Tell us why you love your body and upload a photo...

I just LOVE Michelle's photo and words. She says:

I love my body because it is a sacred vessel that carries my spirit with every breath. My body is a temple that loves, creates, hugs and smiles. I love my body because it co created and birthed my baby girl. I love my body because it is an expression of my Divine Feminine Essence and wsidom.

If you love this as much as I do, you can vote for Michelle here: http://www.bodybyvictoria.com/#/Gallery/3990

If she gets the winning number of votes, she could win a spa vacation!

Birth Goddess

2009-07-05T05:20:00.005-05:00

I have discovered a birth goddess that I was previously unaware of... I came across her while reading "Birth: An Anthology of Ancient Texts, Songs, Prayers, and Stories" edited by David Meltzer

Eileithyia comes from the Greek Pantheon and she is the goddess of childbirth and labor pain. She was called upon to help the laboring woman endure the pain, and to help move the labor along... but she could also slow things down causing a protracted labor.

Here she is depicted attending Zeus as he gives birth to Athena (emerging from his head fully grown and in full armor). Eileithyia is the one on the left.

When I was dancing with The Goddess Dancing, I created a dance called MotherBirth in which I danced the part of Artemis in her midwife role. Karen danced the part of a veiled wise woman whose job it was to protect the birthing - and I now realize that she was Eileithyia! According to David Meltzer, Eileithyia was usually depicted as being veiled from head to foot.

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-22T05:52:00.002-05:00

On the first Father's Day since my Dad's passing. This photo of him holding me on his lap has a ghostly double exposure...

FREECYCLING

2009-05-26T11:42:00.004-05:00

After 22 years of living in the first house that my husband and I bought together, we are moving! As you might imagine, we have accumulated a lot of stuff in those 22 years. And so this is an opportunity to cull some of our "stuff" and pass on what we are not using.

Being long-time environmentalists, we are loathe to just pitch everything into a dumpster. In my search for what to do with the "stuff", I discovered FREECYCLING.

Here's how it works: Use the link above or search on YahooGroups to find a freecycling group in your locale. Once you find a group, join and start posting the items you want to give away, and in a short time you are getting emails from people interested in your stuff!

Here's an example of one of the groups I joined: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GrotonFreeStuff/

We spent the whole weekend packing and freecycling. I set my computer up in an area I dubbed "freecycling central" and I would check my email every few hours for updates.

The most fun has been actually meeting the people who come to pick-up the "stuff" and learning a little bit about them. I love this!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T06:10:00.002-05:00

On this Mother's Day I bring you more Belly Dancing Mamas!

Doesn't this look like fun!?!

The next session of Prenatal Belly Dance for Pregnancy & Birth starts June 1, 2009.

Details at www.InTheBellyOfTheGoddess.com

Root Chakra Mandala

2009-05-03T05:53:00.008-05:00

Here is the top cover of my drum carrying case on which I embroidered a mandala dedicated to the root chakra. My design was based loosely on Mendhi (henna tatoo) designs, and the colors I chose are earthy reds & browns. The actual work of embroidering was a very Zen experience - and a nice surprising memory of how much I like doing it. I had done a lot of embroidery in my late teens, but it had been years since I picked up a needle and floss.

At the center of my design is the Sanskrit symbol - Muldahara - which represents the chakra .

The root chakra is all about grounding and our connection to earth. I am relatively new to drumming - I am studying doumbek - middle eastern hand drumming. It is a very grounding activity!

Located at the base of the spine, the Root Chakra is associated with the color red and is the grounding force that allows us to connect to the earth energies and empower our beings. This Chakra is related to survival, our body and identity as an individual.

Root Chakra Visualization

The roots of a large tree spread deep underground, anchoring the tree into the
earth, use your creative visualisation to imagine roots, going down from your
body plunging into the depths of the planet and spreading out, just like the
roots of that tree. Envision the prominent bulky roots extending downwards below
the surface, broadening from the base of your spine. These roots are the essence
that will, enable you to draw into your body the positive frequency of the
mother earth. You are now beginning to feel the awareness of a reaction from the
planet deep below the surface coursing into your space. As this occurs, you
visualise the bulky roots that are beginning to entwine with the waters inside
the planet's core, these waters represent the unconditional love, healing the
rarefied energy of the Earth. As your roots entwine with the Earth energy use
your senses to experience the awareness of unconditional love.
From Spiritual Chakra Meditations

Squannacook River Goddess

2009-04-18T05:24:00.010-05:00

On the gorgeous day that was yesterday, I had the opportunity to go canoeing with Dean and Pumpernickel on my lovely Squannacook River. She is a winding and slow moving river in North Central, MA whom I have claimed as my personal goddess...

She has so much to teach me...

Go with the flow.
Take your time, and carve your own path through this earthly plane.
Pick up new things on your journey, and leave behind what is no longer needed.
Give freely of your abundance and support a diversity of life.
When faced with an obstacle, you have many options: you can go around it, or you can go under it, or you can go over it. With enough determination and force, you can move it. And with patience, you can slowly wear it away.
There are times and places to run shallow, and times and places to run very deep.
There are times to move slowly and calmly, there are times to move with exuberance - skipping and hopping and making a little song as you go, and there are times to be very still and silent.

I would love to live like a river flows, carried along by the surprise of its own unfolding...

~ John O'Donohue 1956 - 2008

But I also know that in places, the river still runs deep, and though I've floated in these places, it hasn't revealed itself in such obvious ways. I know that it might be months - years, even - before I understand what it has to teach me. I still need to give myself over to the flow and pattern and rhythm of it to learn its lessons and hear its messages. The river is inside me now, I know, and I need only wait and see where the current takes me, and what lies beneath it

~ Jeff Wallach, What the River Says

My Squannacook River is a very wise goddess indeed!

In Memory of My Dad

2009-04-01T14:41:00.008-05:00

Dad sitting in the sand at Salisbury Beach

Normand Joseph Bernier
Jan 6, 1934 - Mar 29, 2009

I did not have the closest, warmest relationship with my Dad. In fact, I knew very little about him and I am sure that he did not really know very much of anything about me other than the most superficial facts about my life.

I do know that just about more than anything, he liked to be home. He did not care for travel, and on the rare occasion that he was away from home for more than a day, he was always restless to get back.

In the last year of his life, he spent a lot of time away from home. He was very unwell with a multitude of chronic health problems including diabetes, that resulted in a leg amputation followed by complications that left him in and out of hospitals, ICUs, rehabs, and nursing homes. We (my Mom and siblings) finally managed to get him home with hospice and take care of him for the last few days of his life. I am very grateful that we were able to give him this gift of care and comfort.

He had a few good days at home before making his final descent.

On one of the last days that he was alert and able to speak, he told me that he liked the beach - that he liked the feeling of the wind that he got there... And so, that is where I will try to remember him...

Noruz ~ Spring Equinox

2009-03-20T16:54:00.006-05:00

I was introduced to Noruz by my mother-in-law who was born in Iran. I have been celebrating the Persian New Year - Noruz - for over 20 years now with my husband's family. I have come to love it and have adopted & adapted it to my own aesthetic.

The traditional altar set for Noruz must include seven things that start with the letter "S". For my altar, I use some items that start with the "S" sound in Farci, and some items that start with "S" in english...

Here are my seven S's:
Sebze - sprouted lentils
Serkeh - vinegar
Seer - garlic
Saffron - used often in Persian cooking
Sumac - a spice used in Persian cooking
Salt - my addition
Seeds - my addition

The altar always includes some spring flowers such as hyacinth, tulips or jonquils. I like to add a bowl of eggs as well.

It makes perfect sense to me to welcome a new year with the beginning of spring.

Aidee shomo mobarack!

Beautiful Belly Dancing Mamas!

2009-03-13T05:16:00.002-05:00

These are some of the lovely goddesses participating in my March 2009 Prenatal Belly Dance class.

Mother Gaia's Healing Chicken Soup

2009-02-14T04:00:00.012-05:00

I have been seeing a lot of patients with GI viral illnesses lately, so it seems a good time to share my recipe for Healing Chicken Soup.

In recent years, there have been some studies that have examined the properties of chicken soup as a healing modality for viral illnesses, and there is some science showing the effects of hot soup on white blood cell activity in the body, among other things.

My recipe makes use of body/mind medicine as well as herbal medicine.

The body/mind part of the recipe comes from preparing the soup with a healing, loving, and nurturing intention. Can you imagine how comforted you would feel if your loved one brewed up a big pot of soup just for you? Do not under-estimate the healing power of such a nurturing gesture!

The herbal medicine comes from the use of several herbs known for their antiseptic properties - lemon, oregano, onion and the queen of herbs - GARLIC!

Ingredient list:

3-4 pieces of chicken (with bone and skin) or a whole chicken

8 cloves fresh garlic (or more if you like...) chopped

1 medium onion chopped

zest and juice of 2-3 lemons

3-4 TBS dried oregano

Water

2-3 carrots chopped (may substitute parsnips, turnip or any other veg that you prefer)

2-3 ribs of celery chopped

Other optional additions include rice or noodles

Put the chicken into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1hour.

While the chicken is cooking, peel and chop the garlic and set aside. Letting the chopped garlic rest for 20-30 minutes before adding it, helps to bring out the potency of the anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects.

Remove chicken and let cool. When cool enough to handle, seperate meat from bone and skin and chop coarsely, and return to pot.

Add chopped onion, lemon zest, oregano, garlic and veggies, and rice or noodles if using and lower heat to simmer. Cook for another 30 minutes, and add lemon juice at the end.

It is now ready to serve!

The soup freezes well. I often make a double batch to put some up in the freezer for when I really need it!

Healing Properties of Belly Dance

2009-02-06T10:53:00.006-05:00

There are many of us who have known for a long time that practicing belly dance can be very healing to body, mind and spirit. For myself, learning and practicing it, and now teaching belly dance, has been a wonderful healer of my body image, my sense of self, my confidence, my mood and my femininity...

Recently, in an on-line radio program which aired on Voice of America, Christy Cuellar-Wentz of Mommy-Muse, focused on this assertion. The program was developed in part to promote the Christy's new eBook "The Belly Dance Prescription: Shake your Hips and Depression".

Among the experts interviewed for the program were my good friend Michelle Maniaci of Nurturing Moves. Also included in the program were Delilah of Visionary Dance Productions, and Lisa Sarasohn - author of "The Woman's Belly Book". What a great line-up of guests, each who thoughtfully shared her wisdom about the benefits of belly dance.

You can listen to the podcast of this program here:
http://www.modavox.com/voiceamericacms/WebModules/HostModaview.aspx?ScheduleTime=12&BroadcastId=42698&ShowId=927&Flag=1

The quickening

2009-02-03T07:49:00.006-05:00

Imbolc has been one of my favorite sabbats for a long time now. It holds so much promise for the return of spring and warmth and the re-greening of the earth.

Persephone is making ready for her return from the underworld, and her mother Demeter is stirring from her long winter's sleep.

It reminds me of the quickening - the time in a pregnancy when a woman feels the fluttery movements of her baby for the first time - usually between 16 - 18 weeks gestation. Long ago, this was thought to be the time when the baby came to life. We now know, via ultrasound, that the baby has been moving for many weeks before that movement is percieved by the mother.

Even though the earth is still covered with thick layers of snow (and more coming today) here in the northeast USA, things are beginning to stir and awaken deep in the earth. If you look closely, you might find some of the trees are already forming their buds...

Momifesto

2009-01-07T15:33:00.004-05:00

I came across this "momifesto" recently in surfing the web and wanted to share it...

The author voices many of the wishes, suggestions and goals for good care that I hope are given to the women I serve during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

Here is an excerpt. "Encourage me to listen to the needs of my body and the baby within. Have faith in this natural process, and help me keep my faith in it. "

Read the entire entry here: http://blog.lkbaby.com/?p=47

Corpora Amaroso

2008-12-25T07:26:00.006-05:00

During the Holiday shopping season, I was perusing many of the catalogs that arrived at my home via the mail. I am on the mailing lists for several "women's" catalogs, such as Isabella and Femail Creations

Are you familiar with these? Among their wares are many lovely gifts of music, books, cards and jewelry - many with inspiring words such as "there is no way to peace - peace is the way" and "contentment is not the fullfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have." All very appealing to me...

Why is it then, that Isabella also carries NUMEROUS "beauty" products designed to counter the "signs of aging", or from which "you can expect 60% more firmness and a 40% reduction in the appearance of fine lines and pore size" or that promise to give you "that I-just-got-back-from-the-best-vacation-of-my-life look". These are direct quotes lifted from product descriptions.

The ubiquitous messages of you are not good enough, young enough, slim enough, bright enough, beautiful and desirable enough are everywhere!

I found myself needing to call upon Corpora Amaroso - the goddess I created for the Goddess Gift create a goddess contest last year. She tells me that I am perfect just the way I am! WHEW - thank goddess I came to that realization before I purchased that anti-aging serum...

Winter Solstice

2008-12-21T07:23:00.002-05:00

Merry Yule & welcome the return of the light!

I must direct to to Kerrdelune's beautiful post for today. Her winter images are the most moving to me...

Hail to the Chief

2008-12-03T08:34:00.006-05:00

I was on my way to a belly dance rehearsal in Cambridge when I noticed this window display. It is the front window of Hubba Hubba on Mass Ave in Central Square. I just love it and had to share!

Take a good look at all of the characters looking to Obama to bring us all together - Jesus Christ, King Kong, Pee Wee Herman, Miss Liberty, Kachina Dancer, angels, skeletons and many more. Can he do it? Who do you see in the crowd?

Very clever indeed...

Flax Pax

2008-11-27T14:38:00.012-05:00

Flax Pax Body Warmers.

What are Flax Pax? They are a 30" long baffled sack of flax seeds with an outside case which can be removed and laundered. Warm for 2-3 minutes in microwave (or in the top of a large double boiler). Made from many choices of very beautiful 100% cotton fabrics

Made in Maine by my friend Mariah.

Comforting, beautiful, useful, biodegradable...

What do they do? Pax wrap gracefully, warming neck and shoulders, back, and/or legs and feet. They warm you up in cars, cool rooms, and in your bed on cold winter nights. Comfort for those who live alone, and those who are ill or bereaved. Soothe aches and pains, congestion, etc. Wonderful for menstrual cramps or early labor cramps!

I have several in my home - the flax seed smells so nice when warmed.

Flax Pax Pricing: $25 each, including shipping east of the Mississippi. $22 each for orders of multiples of four to the same address, US shipping included. $20 each if picked up in Liberty or Belfast, ME

Why not support a wonderful cottage industry? Contact Mariah at Mariah@midcoast.com or phone (207)589-6006

A belly dancing birth!

2008-11-25T08:24:00.001-05:00

Wow! I had the wonderful privilege of attending the birth of one of the women who was in the mini belly dance class that I described in my 11/2 post.

I was just coming on duty and walked into the room. The dad-to-be recognized me immediately and cried out "the bellydancer!" The laboring woman was just recently fully dilated, and her baby was having decelerations when she pushed, so the midwife who I was relieving had helped her to get into a hands & knees position. (She had an epidural, but was able to move well...) From this position, she began to shimmy her hips - the baby rotated - and was crowning with-in 5 minutes - and I got to catch her!

Sweet!

A Stay of Execution... More on the North Shore Birth Center

2008-11-19T08:20:00.009-05:00

The board of the Beverly hospital, in response to public outcry, has decided to reconsider the proposal to close the North Shore Birth Center to births.

I saw the coverage on the TV news last night. It was quite an impressive show of support coming primarily from the families who have given birth there - and the hospital board took notice. Yay for birth activism!

A small victory. There is still work to do...

Get your updates here:
http://savethenorthshorebirthcenter.wordpress.com/

Curious about home birth?

2008-11-14T07:23:00.003-05:00

The NY Times just published a really nice, fairly thorough and balanced, non-sensational article on home birth, describing both the benefits and the risks.

Check it out here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/garden/13birth.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Interest in this option seems to be on the rise since the release of Ricki Lake's movie "The Business of Being Born". See my post dated 12/18/07. If you have not yet seen the movie, you really should. It is now available on DVD. You can purchase it or add it on your NetFlix queue.

Save North Shore Birth Center

2008-11-09T06:36:00.006-05:00

I have just learned about a very serious threat to close North Shore Birth Center in Beverly, MA.

Birth centers offer women a safe and satisfying alternative to hospital birth, and home birth. North Shore Birth Center was the first in New England, and over its 28 year history, has had 7000 babies born under its roof. It is currently one of only 2 birth centers in all of Massachusetts. The births are attended by midwives.

On November 18th, Northeast Health Corporation's board of trustees will vote on a proposal to disallow births to continue at the birth center. The proposal is motivated by concern over escalting costs of operation...

SOME THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY! Don't you think?

Women deserve to choose the birth experience that is right for them and their families.

A grassroots organization "The Campaign to Save the North ShoreBirth Center" is forming under the guidance of MFOM (MA Friends of Miwives).

Here are some links to learn more about how you can help in the effort to stop this closure:

LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN http://savethenorthshorebirthcenter.wordpress.com/letter-writing-campaign/
UPCOMING MEETINGS: http://savethenorthshorebirthcenter.wordpress.com/brainstorming-meeting-this-sunday/
MEDIA COVERAGE: http://savethenorthshorebirthcenter.wordpress.com/in-the-news/

Sisters Singing

2008-11-06T06:43:00.009-05:00

Sisters Singing: Blessings, Prayers, Art, Songs, Poetry & Sacred Stories By Women

A while back I submitted a bit of writing to be included in this anthology edited by Carolyn Bright Flynn.

My contribution is titled "A Midwife's Invocation". It was originally a prayer that I wrote for myself during Midwifery school - I would use it before attending a birth. Later, I sort of fleshed it out with the intention of creating a peformance art piece comprised of music, belly dance and spoken word. (This project is still on the back burner...) But the written prayer was accepted and is included in this beautifual book. The book is now being released!

"This magical book is a well of blessings. Sit beside it, let down your bucket. Open it anywhere and you will hear their voices. Your sisters are singing, praying, murmuring stories, telling us, in a thousand ways, what we most need to know: that we belong to each other and to the living Earth.” --Joanna Macy, author World as Lover, World as Self

A Book launching celebration is taking place on November 8th in Santa Cruz, CA.

Learn more at SistersSinging or at WildGirlPublishing

Illuminated belly

2008-11-04T16:12:00.004-05:00

I came across this in my internet wanderings... I think this is so cute - and imaginative! What a fun way to accesorize your pregnant belly!

The photographer tells me it was taken at a belly dance performance in Eugene Oregon. The dance troupe is called "Luminessah".

A tough crowd...

2008-11-02T02:13:00.004-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to teach belly dance to a group of pregnant teens.

For almost a year now, I had been having a conversation with Eileen - the childbirth educator who works with the teens in the hospital's Adolescent Reproductive Health Service - about wanting to offer my belly dance for pregnancy and birth classes to this group. Well, I finally had the chance to try it out! The opportunity was prompted by one of the FOBs in the class saying that he had seen something on TV about belly dancing being helpful for birth - and so we took the bait!

This was a group of about 7 , nearly full term young women, some with their male partners, one with her mom and aunt, one by herself, and all African American.

Teens are such a tough crowd! With my strong urging, I got them to stand up and get out of their chairs and to each tie on a coined hip sash. I was unable to convince any of the guys to put on a hip sash - usually in adult groups at least a few of the men are willing... I did a very limited instruction in hip movements, snake arms and shimmies. The shimmies brought out a lot of giggling!

They are so self-conscious. No one wants to stand out or indicate that they are actually having fun, or appreciating it, or getting it...

I gratefully got some feedback from Eileen the next day:

"I saw one of the young women, Janiel with her sister Trisha, this morning when she came in for her appointment in the clinic. For you: Janiel sat through some of it, she was in the corner away from the door, Trisha was getting into to it too......well, both of them were still beaming smiling when I saw them this morning, said that they were talking about it all night, laughing."

Yay! I can't wait to do it again!

Belly Dance for Pregnancy & Birth

2008-09-21T06:48:00.004-05:00

I'm back! After not posting for a long time...

Over the summer I resigned from The Goddess Dancing. I am now starting my new venture - In The Belly Of The Goddess - dedicated to applying the benefits of belly dance as a prenatal exercise and childbirth preparation activity.

Visit my new website - www.InTheBellyOfTheGoddess.com - for details on classes, articles, and a great resource page with links to more articles and video clips.

The Business of Being Born

2007-12-18T08:31:00.000-05:00

Birth is big business in the USA. So many of the policies & procedures set up in hospitals are for the convenience and smooth functioning of the institution and NOT about what is best for mother and baby. I know because a work in one...

This new film produced by Ricki Lake which examines American birthing practices is opening in a very few US cites in January. If you are lucky enough to live near one of them, why not check it out and educate yourself?

http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/screenings.htm

You can take a peek at the trailer for the film here:
http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/trailer.htm

But do not despair, there are groups who are working to improve maternity care in the US and world-wide. The movement to make maternity care Mother-friendly is the agenda of the following organizations:

Childbirth Connection: 212.777.5000 - www.childbirthconnection.org
Choices In Childbirth: 212.983.4122 - www.choicesinchildbirth.org
Citizens for Midwifery: 888.CFM.4880 - www.cfmidwifery.org
Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) - www.motherfriendly.org

Women of the world - take back your power!! Learn about birth practices so you can make informed choices about what you want for yourself and your babies!

Lovely Venus

2007-09-25T12:37:00.000-05:00

I was driving in to work this morning in the pre-dawn hour and I got to witness the lovely morning star venus shining so brightly in the eastern sky! She will be there for the rest of September and into October if you want to have a look.

Interesting response to WSJ article

2007-09-25T09:59:00.000-05:00

If you have followed this blog, you no doubt are aware of the article about belly dancing during labor & birth that appeared in the Wall Street Journal in August. Just in case you are not, here is the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB118618710665287942-lMyQjAxMDE3ODA2NTEwODU3Wj.html

Anyway, the article generated a small flurry of interest. It was picked up by quite a few bloggers, but the most interesting was one posted at "Improvisations: Arab Woman Progressive Voice" in her August 5th posting. (click on the archives and scroll down...). Be sure to click on and read my comments!

What do you think?

BOLD

2007-09-02T02:45:00.000-05:00

My company and I will be participating in BOLD Boston on September 29th.

BOLD (Birth on Labor Day) is a global movement whose mission is to bring attention to making maternity care mother-friendly and safe, and to raise awareness and funds to support mother initiated dialogue and solutions to maternity care. In a nutshell, mother-friendly care puts the woman at the center when considering any policies regarding her maternity care. It trusts the woman to know what is right for own care.

Local communities produce Karen Brody's play "Birth" which has been called "the vagina monologues" of birth. In the play, various birth vignettes are presented. The vignettes come from actual interviews that Karen Brody conducted with women about their own experiences of giving birth. One of my favorites is the one where the woman's mantra through-out her labor is "My body rocks!"

The Boston BOLD will also host a Red Tent event - and that is where we will be performing our dance MotherBirth. The dance tells the story of an empowered pregnancy and birth in which the mother is supported by a community of women including the midwife, the grandmother, and the ancestors.

Learn more about the BOLD movement!! Join us in Cambridge on September 29th!

Flip flops?

2007-08-16T07:14:00.000-05:00

I am walking around my house this morning wearing a pair of "flip-flops" and I got thinking about how they got their name...

I am assuming the name comes from the sound they make as they slap against your feet when walking, and in that case unless you walk with a decided limp, I think they are better called "flip-flips" or "flop-flops". I know when I walk in them, both feet make the same sound and I would describe it as definite FLIP!

What do you think?

Wikepedia was no help at all in this investigation, by the way.

Front page of the Wall Street Journal!

2007-08-12T11:49:00.000-05:00

Get this - I got a call on Saturday morning from one of my midwife colleagues who told me that she was sitting down with the WSJ and having her morning tea, when to her great surprise she saw my picture on the front page! Yes, really, I was on the front page of the Saturday August 4, 2007 issue of the Wall Street Journal - below the fold, but none-the-less! The article titled New Labor Moves:Belly Dancing Hits Delivery Room is about using belly dance in the birth room - or as the article puts it "the delivery room".

Here is the story...

I presented "Belly Dance for Pregnancy and Birth" at the Partners in Perinatal Health conference this past May. This was a presentation geared toward birth professionals to introduce the idea that belly dance is a birth dance, and to teach the participants about how it can be used during pregnancy, labor and birth.

Rachel Zimmerman - the author of the WSJ article - was among the attendees that day, and approached me because she thought there might be a "story". And I guess she was right!

So after dozens of emails exchanges and phone calls with her, this is what she came up with. Here is a link to the article. (I am told that this link may have a limited life-span. If so, you can look up the article in the paper's archives, but you have to be a subscriber to read the whole thing...)

I think she did a pretty good job of distilling all the information I gave her, and she did a really good job researching the "phenomenon" across the country. Unfortunately, journalists being under the constraints of their editors, she was forced to cut a lot of material...

Pretty cool, huh?

Can I start calling myself the Belly Dance and Birth pundit?

My Whirlwind Belly Dance Weekend!

2007-07-15T19:08:00.000-05:00

I just finished a fun weekend filled with belly dance.

It started out on Friday night in Connecticut with a perfomance gig at Shalimar's Belly Dance Connection. This is a sweet, once-a-month performance venue hosted by Shalimar at the Marco Polo Restaurant in East Hartford. This had to be one of the most appreciative and attentive audiences I have ever danced for. You should check it out if you have the chance!

From CT, I headed out to Northampton, MA to take a workshop on Saturday with the lovely Leyla Jouvana and her drumming husband Roland. I really enjoyed the workshops about beautiful arms - I had no idea there were so many variations of snake arms - and understanding the drum solo. Leyla is so lucky to have a wonderful drummer in Roland, and the two of them demonstrate how the dancer and drummer work together to create a satisfying performance. Special thanks to Whitney for bringing this wonderful artist to our area!

And finally on Sunday I was off to Brattleboro, VT to teach a workshop at the Empowerment Arts Goddess Camp. This was a wonderful experience to share The Sacred Shapes of Belly Dance and The Dance of the Sea Anemone with a small group of fabulous women! We had a nice space in a finished barn on the banks of a lovely brook where we danced, and shared and participated in ritual together.

All in all a very satisfying weekend!

Towards Balance: The Story of the World According to Yin & Yang

2007-07-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

My dance company - The Goddess Dancing - just held our annual show this past June.

In the show, we debuted our latest choreography "Towards Balance: The Story of the World According to Yin & Yang"

I was inspired to create this dance after taking a class in Delsarte technique with Joe Paul Williams.

Delsarte technique is a method of expression which among its attributes, describes universally understood body postures and gestures that express Body, Mind and Spirit. As a very simplified example, an uplifted head and outward palms express Body, a forward tilted head and edges of the hands express Mind, and the steady level head position and backs of the hands express Spirit. Joe shared with us that while Body and Mind represent opposites in varying degrees along a continuum, Spirit is always the perfect balance point between the two.

This got me thinking about balance and YinYang and how out of balance our world is right now...
And so, this 3-part dance was created.

Part I takes place in the earliest civilizations - a "body" time - when survival depended on lots of physical work such as hunting, gathering, planting and birthing. Movements used in this section were primarily circular. The "Yang" dancers perform with their backs to the audience.

In part II we see the rise of the Patriarchy - a "mind" time - with it's great exchanges of ideas, formation of governments and male-deity religions, the building of structure and infra-structure, and struggles for power. The dance movements in this section are primarily linear and staccatto in quality, and this time it is the "Yin" dancers who face away from the audience.

And finally, part III takes us to a future time where we have come back to Spirit - to balance. This part of the dance opens with a short Tai Chi sequence and continues with dance movements comprised primarily of undulations. We see the Yin and Yang dancers relating to each other, moving in and out, toward and away, in a continuous motion of give and take...

Breasts on a Plane...

2006-11-23T10:39:00.000-05:00

You no doubt have heard of Snakes on a Plane...

What is it about the airlines and breasts? See my last posting...

Here is the story as related from one of the Midwife lists I subscribe to:

Emily Gillette was flying with her husband and 22 month-olddaughter onOctober 13, 2006 out of Burlington, Vermont. Their flight had been delayedby several hours and when it appeared they were ready to take off, Ms.Gillette began to nurse her daughter.

It was then that aflight attendant approached her and asked her to cover up with a blanket. Ms.Gillette declined and told the flight attendant that she was within her legal rights to nurse where she was without any covering. Ms. Gillettewas sitting near the rear of the plane in a window seat with her husband next to her,nearest the aisle when she began nursing. After Ms. Gillette refused to cover up, the flight attendant then allegedly told Ms. Gillette that she was offending her. (Can you believe this!?)

The family was then approached by a Delta gate agent and told that they were being removed by the flight attendant from the flight. Ms. Gillette and her family complied and although a conversation with a co-pilot did take place off theplane and the family requested to be re-boarded, they were not and instead were rescheduled on a different flight the following day. Ms. Gillette has filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Right Commission regarding the incident.

A woman's right to breastfeed wherever she is, is legal and is protected in Vermont under the Public Accommodations Act. Freedom Airlines has issued several statements, although they give contradictory information. In one statement, Paul Skellon, a spokesperson for Phoenix-based Freedom Airlines, said that they were aware of the incident and that Freedom expects mothers to nurse in a discreet manner(which is assumed under a blanket). In a second statement, he recanted and said that Freedom welcomes all nursing mothers and would not expect them to use a blanket in the future. As well, the second statement issued by Mr. Skellon is full of inaccuracies, including the statement that the family refused to re-board, when they were in fact asking to re-board and were denied that request. Ms.Gillette and her supporters are very upset that Mr. Skellon and FreedomAirlines are both trying to minimize a very grave situation where awoman's basic civil rights were violated and are attempting to shift the blame from themselves to Ms. Gillette, who did nothing wrong and was perfectly within her rights.

Toddlers and babies are especially susceptible to the cabin pressure changes during take-off and landing and nursing them is a natural and convenient way to help them continually equalize that pressure in their ears. Nursing is also a soothing and calming activity for both mother and child and a goodway to calm travel jitters.

Save the Breastmilk!

2006-10-26T13:30:00.000-05:00

It has come to my attention that breastmilk is one of the fluids being disallowed on airplanes for security reasons. Any breastfeeding mother knows how precious pumped breastmilk is, but I am sure there are many out there who do not understand the issue.

I have added my name to a petition being sent to the Transportation Security Administration. Click this link to learn more:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/738223140?ltl=1161738944#body

Please educate yourself on this issue and consider signing on...

Equality Now & Search Engines

2006-10-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

My Belly dance company, The Goddess Dancing, supports an organiztion called Equality Now. It is an an international human rights organization dedicated to action for the civil, political, economic and social rights of girls and women. We donate 1% of our annual profits to this group.
Some of the issues of concern to Equality Now include:

RAPE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
SEX TRAFFICKING
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
GENDER DISCRIMINATION

Now here is a really easy way you can help support this excellent orgnaization - by using GoodSearch as your search engine.

You use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine—but each time you do, money is generated for their work on behalf of women and girls around the world. Each time you search $.01 is donated to Equality Now. Last year, search engines generated close to $6 billion in revenue from advertisers. With GoodSearch part of this advertising revenue will now be directed to Equality Now.

Save the Foreskin!

2006-07-15T20:41:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks I have been driving my husband's car and listening to his pre-set radio stations. He listens to those stations that target the male aged 18-45 demographic - rock music and typical "yakkity-yak" morning shows. One morning as I was driving home I caught part of a show where people were calling in with their "worst circumcision" stories and of course there were a lot of laughs...

I'm thinking: Is this supposed to be funny? Is this supposed to be entertaining?

Most people have at least heard of so called "female circumcision" now more accurately called "female genital mutilation" or "FGM" and most everyone who hears about it agrees that it is horrible, and that the practice should be stopped.

It is about time that male circumcision is recognized for what it it - male genital mutilation. It is not funny, rather it is tragedy.

The USA is the only country in the world that routinely circumcises newborn males, even thought the evidence does not support this practice. Most of the Medical Associations from the USA, Australia, Britain, and Canada, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecolgists now agree that routine circumcision is unnecessary and is no longer recommended.

I encourage you to check out all of the information at NOCIRC and ICGI and educate yourself about this important human rights issue.

Progressive

2006-06-21T21:25:00.000-05:00

PROGRESSIVE: This word describes both my politics (mostly) and my new eyeglasses!

Yes, I just took the plunge of moving from single vision glasses to progressives. They definitely take getting used to. Lot's of head movement to find "the sweet spot" where what I am looking at is clearly focused. I have this idea that I must look like a bird moving it's head to see...

More on Net Neutrality

2006-06-06T06:55:00.000-05:00

This is important stuff!! The House of Representatives prepares to vote this week on whether to protect Internet freedom...

Corporations like AT&T are spending millions in paid advertising, lobbying, and campaign contributions to convince Congress to give them control over what you see and do online. Regular Internet users are fighting fight back by using the magic of the Internet. By letting others know about this humorous video, you are indeed helping the Internet to save itself.

Let's not let big business take control of what we have access to via the internet!

Check out this video clip http://www.savetheinternet.com/moby to find out more about what you can do! And pass it on...

A word for today

2006-05-21T08:52:00.000-05:00

I came across this word recently: Pulchritude

pulchritude \PUL-kruh-tood; -tyood\, noun: That quality of appearance which pleases the eye; beauty; comeliness; grace; loveliness.

Want some more? Here are a couple of dictionary links:

http://www.wordreference.com/definition/pulchritude

http://www.wordsmith.org/words/pulchritude.html

Internet Freedom

2006-05-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

Let's not let corporate America take away our Freedom of speech on the World Wide Web!!

The House of Representatives will soon vote on whether or not to preserve Internet freedom—and the fight to protect Network Neutrality is gaining huge momentum.

The SavetheInternet.com Coalition now has 524 member organizations, 637,386 petition signatures to Congress, 3,251 blog links, and 5,634 MySpace friends. We will only win this fight if the public is mobilized, Congress is bombarded from all angles, and word spreads around the Internet like prairie fire.

Here are some resources compiled by MoveOn.org you should check out today about the current threat to Internet freedom:

MoveOn's blogger resource page is full of facts and links to help you inform people about Net Neutrality:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1771&id=7594-6827355-AW6zb35XGn_qVT4_HmV71w&t=3

MoveOn member Mari Fetzer designed a FANTASTIC image with links to 5 things people can do today to preserve Internet freedom. The coding is available at the bottom of: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1769

Check these out! Several fun videos are now on the SavetheInternet.com Coalition website, including a great Halo mimick on Net Neutrality: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1770

Comedy site "Ask A Ninja" has a unique perspective on Net Neutrality: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1768

Mother's Day

2006-05-10T18:52:00.000-05:00

I have not posted in a LONG time, but it is my plan to begin posting regularly again. Call me the reluctant blogger!

I want to share two upcoming events of interest for this coming Mother's Day:

The first is a Peace Vigil:

A Mother's Voice~The Power to Pacify!

~ Please join us on Mothers' Day ~A peaceful vigil to express opposition to the Iraq war ~ Monument Park ~ Central Street, Gardner, MA

12:00 - 3:00 PM

And the second is a Mother's Day Parade:

Mother's Day Parade

featuring a giant puppet "Great Mama" who will give birth to the world

attended by a band of belly dancers (myself included)

Downtown Northampton, MA

1:00 PM

Followed by a forum of birth professionals - midwives, doulas - and birth activists

in Pulaski Park

Many of you may already be aware of the origins of Mother's Day, but just in case you don't, let me tell you that before it was taken over as a "Hallmark" holiday, it was a political event organized by women to protest war. A friend recently sent me an eMail with a copy of Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day proclamation written in 1870, that I wanted to share.

Mothers' Day Proclamation:
Julia Ward Howe, 1870

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise all women who have hearts,whether our baptism be
that of water or of tears!
Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided
by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage,
for caresses and applause.

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that
we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one
country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be
trained to injure theirs.

From the bosom of the devastated earth a
voice goes up with our own. It says "Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not
the balance of justice." Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate
possession. As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of
war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest
day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the
dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
whereby the great human family can live in peace, each bearing after their own
time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God. (Goddess?)

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I
earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may
be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest
period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different
nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and
general interests of peace.

Belly Dance as Birth Dance

2005-03-12T14:14:00.000-05:00

There are some of us who believe that belly dance was the first prepared childbirth exercise. I am one of the proponents of this concept, even though there is relatively little historical documentation for this...Let me tell you why...

My belief stems from my personal experiences of attending hundreds of births(possibly over a thousand, combining my nursing experience and my midwifery experience - I have stopped counting...), combined with my experience of learning and becoming a belly dancer. You can read my article, where I describe my research into, and my personal thoughts and experiences which lead me to this conclusion, at my website, (follow the links to the Birth pages).

Recently, ePregnancy Magazine published an article on Belly Dancing During Pregnancy in which I was interviewed as the "expert". The author, Barbara Atkinson, who stuided belly dance with my troupe, did a nice job of capturing the elements that I, as a birth professional, felt were important.

One of the most often referenced writers on this topic is Morrocco, a NYC based dancer, anthropologist, and all around smart person on the topic of belly dance. Her series of articles tells about her experience of witnessing a traditional birth ritual in the Middle East. Click here to read one of the several related articles she has written.

On my website, I have compiled a resource list of articles and links addressing the topics of belly dance, pregnancy and birth. If you are interested in this subject matter you must check it out! I believe mine is the most comprehensive list on the WWW, and I am always updating and adding new things as I find them. I invite you to let me know if you find an article or reference that I should consider for this list - you can send me an e-mail through my website addressed to "Attn: WebGoddess".

Cathy Moore, CNM
The Goddess Dancing
Belly Dance for Body, Mind and Spirit
www.thegoddessdancing.com

MotherBirth

2005-03-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I promised to tell you about another dance related to the Maiden/Mother/Crone trilogy that my troupe conceived of and created. We are calling this dance MotherBirth.

I was the lead choreographer on this one. I had already developed a solo dance depicting my interpretation of the Birth story, informed by my work as a Midwife. This troupe dance grew out of that one, and added in the Maiden/Mother/Crone mythology.

The dance opens with the Crone, danced by Karen. She is coming to the end of her life and must pass on her wisdom attained through the years. She dances with two veils - one black and one white. In the second part of the dance, the Maiden enters and she and the Crone dance together. The Crone is transmitting her wisdom and leaves the Maiden with the white veil.

I danced the role of the Maiden (who is also the midwife), and I used the archetype of the Goddess Artemis as my inspiration. Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo. Her mother Leto gave birth to her first, but then had a prolonged labor with Apollo. Artemis midwifed Leto during this difficult labor.

In my Maiden dance, I begin with innocence and joy, I remember what grandmother Crone taught me, and I soon realize that I must prepare myself for my adult role as the midwife.

The Mother dances next. It is a dance of abundance and anticipation of meeting her child. Anita-Cristina is costumed all in red and draped in three red veils. As she dances, she removes the veils, and leaves them scattered on the stage.

The Crone and the Maiden dance again together to prepare for the birth. We push away the darkness, we ready the cradle, we boil some water, we prepare the depression in the earth to receive the baby... When all is ready, the Mother enters as her labor begins. The labor builds in intensity until the birth - and this is where the dance ends.

We got some excellent photos taken by Allison Perkel, and you can see them here at our website (Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see the photos).

The Crone's Cauldron

2005-02-23T09:38:00.000-05:00

I was rehearsing with my troupe last night. We are creating a new dance based on the archetype of The Crone. It will be one of a trilogy of dances depicting the goddess archetypes of the maiden, the mother and the crone. Anita-Cristina is the lead choreographer for this project. It is turning out to be a very cool dance - we are using some dark, eerie music for the opening. But, I don't want to give away anymore...

We will be presenting the dance at our year end show in June. If you live in the Boston area, you might want to check our website www.thegoddessdancing.com for information on the show...

As a troupe, we have been working with the Maiden/Mother/Crone archetypes in our dances over the past couple of years.

This began when we designed and performed a dance that was an adaptation of a dance play created by playwrite and scholar, Jeffrey Fiske, called Eve and The Serpent.

The characters are Eve - maiden, The Serpent - crone, and The Tree of Knowledge - mother. The dance re-tells The Garden of Eden story and focuses on the experiences - initiation, loss of innocence, coming of age- of the maiden. You can see photos of this dance at our website. You can learn more about Jeffrey Fiske's dance plays at Yasmina's Joy of Belly Dancing site.

The following year, we created a dance based on The Mother archetype, called "MotherBirth". I'll tell you more about this dance in my next posting...

Cathy Moore
The Goddess Dancing
Belly Dance: Body, Mind and Spirit
www.thegoddessdancing.com

Belly Dancing during pregnancy

2005-02-21T13:38:00.000-05:00

This is my first posting...

I was interviewed for an article about belly dancing during pregnancy about 6 months ago by Barbara Atkinson, a free lance journalist who was at the time taking belly dance classes from my group. The article was recently published in ePregnancy Magazine. In the print copy of the magazine, the article was given a front page blurb that stated "What's the sexiest way to prepare for labor? Belly Dancing?" OK, so it was the February issue featuring lots of references to love, sex and Valentine's day... and the cover model wearing sexy lingerie...

The article itself, is well done, and actually reflects my thoughts about belly dance as a prenatal exercise and as preparation for labor. Barbara did an excellent job with the material I gave her. You can read the article here.

And if you would like to learn more about belly dance for pregnancy and birth, visit my website www.thegoddessdancing.com and click on the links to my resource page.

Cathy Moore, Certified Nurse Midwife and belly dancer
The Goddess Dancing: Belly Dance for Body, Mind & Spirit
www.thegoddessdancing.com