My Servant, My Friend
by Tigris Powers

I heard her voice on the other end of the line and something relaxed deep within me. There was a familiarity, a comfort in our conversation. Had I known her once before, in another lifetime perhaps? She was at the same time strong and gentle, and I knew that she was the one. We both knew that a larger force had brought us together and we honored the calling.

A woman should not conceive of giving birth without another woman standing by her side. It is an ancient wisdom that we are just beginning to remember in our modern times: women birthing with women. It is a sisterhood that cannot be easily explained in words but can be deeply felt within. This was my experience as I gave birth to my daughter with a doula by my side. Something sacred transpired between the constraints of space and time, and I felt as if the Divine Mother herself was standing beside me.

As I sat down to write this article, it became clear to me that the concept of a doula, a female servant, doesn’t have to be limited to the labor and delivery room. In these times, women could use more sisterly support in all aspects of our lives. As women, we are creators, and we birth new life in many ways. How wonderful it would be to have another woman standing by us, supporting us and serving our highest good on the journey.

Comparable to the love of a mother, sister or best girlfriend, a doula makes a promise, expecting nothing in return, to witness our darkest moments and hold the vision of our brightest moment at the same time. She is dedicated to our highest potential, and she serves as a beacon to our grandest vision and desire. She is a servant to our becoming, a vessel through which the Goddess is transformed from spirit into matter.

I encourage you to find your doula and to be a doula to a woman in your life. May you feel the deep sisterhood that comes from this ancient exchange of love. The following poem was my gift to Aine, my doula, after the birth of my daughter and so much more. Our sisterhood continues today, and we honor the journey.

Doula
By Tigris Powers

How shall I call you?
Oh, goddess beside me
embodying the Mother Divine
through space and time
as gently we rock
to the rhythm of Her tide
swelling inside of me.

There is no need to see you
Oh, Isis, divine alchemist
as I channel all energy inward
surrendering to this birth
I feel you, pillar of strength,
unwavering in the temple
that houses this sacred space.

Your voice is a whisper
Oh, Hathor, fountain overflowing
sounding from within my soul.
It steadies me on the path
from which my ego pulls
away and I must return
each breath deeper into the womb.

Your hand embraces my own
Oh, Gaia, great nurturer
grounding me to the fertile earth
where pregnant seeds burst.
Down, down, deep within
you guide me to the den
where all life begins.

You call forth courage
Oh, Kali, fiery soul
lead me beyond myself
to feel more then ever I’ve felt
as you push and birth
my spirit free
that it may rise and carry me.

Oh, goddess! Beside you
two lives are born anew
mother and child,
beauty and peace.
Life continues to no end
And I shall call you
my servant, my friend.

 

©Tigris Powers, 2008