My Reflections on Birth, Life and Death
“There’s A Time To Live And A Time To Die!” – My Maternal Grandmother and Mother believed this and I was brought up with their view of this coupled with their own experiences.This grandmother was brought up on a farm and lived close to nature, watching the cycle of life, healing with herbs, eating in season, growing, harvesting and preserving food, and passed this knowledge to her daughter, my mother. Later my grandmother attended births and deaths in the local neighbourhood. She was a wise woman who lived and died well spending 105 years on this earth
In the Buddhist tradition it is believed that we actually select our parents for our earthly incarnation. What a lovely thought when we have a happy childhood, loving parents and family, but a difficult pill to swallow when childhood isn’t at all blissful or life-events impact deeply. Some individuals become numb, detached, apathetic, unfeeling through various biographical events in their lives. Seldom crying or showing emotion – real ‘ice-queen/king’, emotionally-void! I guess this is a Death of a living breathing organisim, where pockets of the ‘Vital-Force’ close-down to protect and shield from further harm, hurt, pain, feeling, etc.
One of my favourite quotes of all time is from ‘Anatomy Of The Spirit’ by Caroline Myss: “Your Biography Becomes Your Biology!” I know this to be true from personal experience and I see it in so many individuals I encounter.
Several years ago I bought a ‘Butterfly Bungalow’ – 10 live caterpillars, a habitat, food and instructions. It was absolutely wonderful to observe them eat their way to adulthood, hang themselves up, form a chrysalis around their bodies and transform into beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies. Observing the chrysalis we noticed the colour changing of each individual, all 10 completely different, the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly – Energy in Action!
Albert Einstein said “Energy never dies, it transforms.”
I love Ina May Gaskin’s book ‘Spiritual Midwifery’ and have read it several times and use it’s teachings as a Homoeopath, in my Yoga for Pregnancy and Yoga for Post Natal Recovery classes. It covers all aspect of birth, life and touches upon death – miscarriage, still-birth and birthing in every shape and form.
‘Dying To Be Me’ by Anita Moorjani is another great book on the subject of life and death.
I believe in reincarnation and the Law of Karma. As a yoga practitioner and yoga teacher I’m fascinated by birth, life and death, read a great deal on this subject and meditate regularly.
Meditation affords me the gift of peering into greatness of The Universe and connecting. For me BIRTH and DEATH and LIVING are all beautifully entwined, a dance of energy and expression of who we are, a journey, an opportunity to connect, experience…….
Dive so deeply into the heart of life. That no matter what struggles and drama happen on the surface. You will know how fiercely you are held, how tenderly you are cared for. You will know that the same force which spins galaxies lives within you and can never die.”
– Jacob Nordby
Geri – September 2018
