Last night, I had the privilege of attending a LunaCircle at Lunapads. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Lunapads, it is an amazing organization run by two beautiful, socially-conscious women right here in Vancouver. While their products include a collection of eco-friendly menstrual products, it is their focus on empowerment, education and environmental awareness that first inspired me when I met Madeleine and Suzanne at SVI Vancouver a few years ago.
When I heard about the monthly LunaCircles they were hosting, I knew I had found my tribe. For me, storytelling is best served in a circle, since each story is given the same amount of energy and reflection. It is a powerful thing to witness, a story circle, especially with a group of women who are meeting for the first time and discussing something very personal: birth.
This particular LunaCircle was titled We ♥ Doulas, and I knew I had to find my way to the circle. Six months ago, a dear friend of mine found out she was pregnant, and almost in the same breath that she told me, she then asked if I would be her doula. Feeling honoured to walk this journey with her, the fear then set in. What does it mean to be a doula, and am I, a-yet-to-be-a-mother, even qualified? I knew that the LunaCircle would offer me insight and advice – and yet it ended up offering me so much more; a reminder that we already hold our own wisdom.
Suzanne, our hostess for the evening, began the storytelling by passing around a Russian nesting doll. She asked us to introduce ourselves, our mother and our grandmother as a way of paying tribute to our birthing history. She reminded us that when our mother was inside our grandmother, the egg that we came from was already formed. This powerful visual, of three generations of women being inside one another, brought tears to my eyes. It also reminded me of the importance of ritual; the passing of the doll aligned our energy and gave way to a beautiful evening of authentic, vulnerable conversations.
The lovely doulas from Fig Birth Services, Danika and Andrea, guided us through the many pathways of motherhood. They held the space in such an open way, including each of us: moms, expectant moms, daughters, and soon-to-be-doulas like myself, in rich conversation and a guided meditation. They also gave me a beautiful gift – they told me that the only thing a doula needs is her heart and two hands to support a mom-to-be. Everything else helps, but at the end of the day, if you are there with a loving heart and ability to help when and where needed, that is the best thing you can offer. Beauty lies in simplicity. By the end of the evening, I felt inspired, empowered and above all, grateful for such an open, honest community of women who share stories the way they were meant to be shared – with love.
For more information about LunaCircles and our experience yesterday evening, check out the Lunapads blog or gain another perspective from our evening of doulahood at WestEndGirl blog.
Btw: I am also working with Lunapads to build a Brand Narrative for their new venture, GDay Vancouver, which focuses on celebrating, empowering and educating girls as they come of age. Stay tuned for more as the stories unfold.