Tag: Rebirth

Dream Doula

Thresholds of coming and going, a dream doula welcomes announcement dreams of birthing something new into the world. A psychopomp as guide to the Other-side, plays death doula to point the departed toward guardians of gateways to the underworld, crossing over the river to ancestral lands into the afterlife, and meeting thresholds of transformation for the ongoing journey of the soul. These profound liminal boundaries of the coming and going of the soul are places where dream doulas await as experienced guides on both sides of this portal of life, death and rebirth.

Birthing dreams may assist in announcing what may be, when given a glimpse in dreams of who is expecting, who is arriving, or any delays in arrival.

Dream Doula 1995

In my pregnancy with my daughter, as I inched towards my due date, she was in a breech position, and I was struggling to get her turned around head down into the birth canal. My OBGYN told me I needed to do something or else she would schedule a C-section. I wanted a natural birth, and so I tried all manner of positions, exercises, and remedies to no end, nothing worked. Finally at my wits end, I incubated a dream asking for assistance in turning her around. Immediately, as I entered a lucid dream, I saw an Asian Wise Woman standing next to my bed. She put her hands on my womb, and each place she put her hands they lit up. She continued to move her hands in the direction of my birth canal, as her hands provided a path of light, and I felt my daughter turn in the womb. She was in a head down position now thanks to the dream doula. She went to leave my side and as she did she stopped and turned to say, you know, your daughter is a fairy queen. I was stunned, and did not know what to make of her statement. Does she come with a manual? I asked. She smiled as she turned to vanish inside the dream.

I went to my OBGYN the next day who was pleased to see I had somehow managed to complete my assignment of getting the baby to turn. After my delivery, I did a follow up with a midwife, and told her about the dream to get the baby to turn. She remarked it is an old midwife trick, done with a flashlight held to the womb, and the baby can see the light shine through and follows the path of light to the birth canal and turns head down.

Thresholds of change for each season or the year, or lunar cycles of new to full moon, are also liminal places of beginnings and coming full circle, where dreams may reflect what has been seeded and what is coming to fruition.

The Psychopomp may assist the departed in locating a portal to the Otherside to cross over or dream into the territory of one’s death as preparation for rebirthing the soul on a home going journey, welcomed by the ancestors.

As Dream Doula we may explore cross cultural welcoming rituals of new family members, and also portals of home going greeted by the ancestors. We welcome and remember, comfort and congratulate on paths leading to the womb of the Earthside Mother, or paths leading to the tomb of the Great Mother. We are welcomed home from Womb to Tomb by Dream Doulas, Fate Weavers, Gate Keepers, and Song Givers of Joy, Celebration, and lullaby. We sing song lines of delivery and travel to the Otherside, for grieving and remembrance, and welcoming the soul home.

Perhaps we can call upon the Dream Doula to assist in the collective rebirth we are undergoing right now, to help turn us around in this upside down world. Opening a path of light for us to follow and find our way through the darkness of the unknown and rebirth into a world where ancient women’s wisdom may be the remedy we need to turn things around.

Heretic

Heretic by Valley Reed

In this painting and process on Easter Sunday, April 20th, 2025 I feel an intensity of a story trying to come through me. Today waking to learn the passing of the Pope, I feel the energy of my painting connected to his story. A dream from a previous night seemed to be a place for gathering creative power and practice to enter the story that was tracking me.

Artist Studio 4/20/25

The night before, I dreamed of living in an art studio, where I had plenty of room to paint, and ample light to see through the windows of the skylight overhead. I felt empowered to create and supported by the space and vision to do so.

Today, I am seeing many elements included in the visionary painting I created. Pope Frances has chosen to be buried in the church of Mary Major, (the first Pope to do so) as well as his adding the feast day of Mary Magdalene to the liturgical calendar as resonate with the restoration of spiritual power to women.

The meaning of the word heretic is rooted in Greek for hairetikós, that means choice. Since the 13th century, the catholic inquisition weaponized the word heretic in their genocide of Women, who were the healers and Wise Women of their communities. In choosing Mary as his dying wish, Pope Frances chose Women.

The painting interweaves the story of the rebirth of Jesus, with a focus on the three Mary’s who attended, Mary Magdalene, Mother Mary, and Miriam, cousin of Jesus. The visionary powers of women are interwoven with generations going back to the Oracular powers of the Goddess.

The flow of waters coming down the mountain is connected with troubling the waters with the healing powers and intervention of an angel. Mary Magdalene is the first to enter and receive the healing powers of the waters.

The Christian priest is Peter who is kneeling staring at his shadow, where his lust for power created the base for many to abuse people around the globe in the name of God.

The cedar on the hill is a humble resilient tree that endures. In my mind I thought of generations of Palestinians who have survived, and those who have not, and how Pope Frances was a voice for the voiceless. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, reflects a refugee whose life was endangered. The hope in the message in the rebirth of Christ, carries also to the Palestinian people of Gaza.

The death of Pope Frances the day after Easter, brings a spiritual message of his station in life and death, as someone of integrity and spiritual meaning. May the doors, and paths, and gateways be open for us all, where no one is turned away due to gender, religion, nationality, tattoos, wealth, sexuality, political party, or education level.

Dream Healing with the Benu Bird

At a recent Dream Healing workshop I was teaching in Grand Junction, Colorado, there were themes of heart and soul interwoven with the dreams shared. I incubated a healing dream while catching an afternoon nap, prior to giving a lecture that evening on the Healing Powers of Dreams.

“Bennu Bird” by Michelle Celebrielle

During my dreaming, I was gifted with the presence of a large white bird which flew overhead.  I could clearly see the huge white wings until it landed on a tall tree upon bare branches.  I looked closely at the face of the bird,  noticing the streaks of black coming out from the eyes and long narrow feathers reaching out from the crown.  I recognized it as the mysterious Benu bird of Egyptian myth, bringer of renewal and capable of retrieving and bringing forth the energy of soul.  A wonderful ally to accompany our dream journeying for the weekend.

There were themes of the heart and relationships which presented themselves over and again from our group of dreamers. One participant shared a dream which was full of opposites and polarities which gave the opportunity to dance with each of the polarities represented in the dream. The dream was brought to life through the movement accompanied with the intent of each of the polarities. The dreamer was able to reach a resolve toward wholeness through the movement and integrate the separation of loss into complete freedom. The wings of the Benu Bird were flying through the dance at the end, to bring about healing liberation. Another young woman brought through a vision of seeing a possible love relationship which culminated in the couple riding off together on black and white horses. The dream also gave counsel and warned her of the need to be willing to wait and not hurry into the relationship.

A doctor who attended was eager to see how dreams could help her better care for her patients. She journeyed with two power animals, that of the cougar and the eagle which became one creature. She was on call during the whole workshop and was indeed living in two realms at once. The bringing together of these two animal protectors will help her to better navigate the challenges of her dual life.

The energy of relationship and the balance of opposites flowed throughout the day, and in the end, the feeling of connection was the gift, like the egg of the Benu bird in the tree of life, which promises renewal for the future.

The Benu Bird according to Egyptian mythology recounts the bird as a carrier of “Ba” or soul energy. The soul energy is able to leave the physical body and travel at will, something we can do nightly in our dreams.  The Benu Bird is akin to the Phoenix and bringer of renewal which comes with each era. It is a rare occurrence to witness a Benu bird, as there is only one such bird in existence.  The Benu bird has no mate but continues through self regeneration. It has the capacity to integrate both polarities of Masculine and Feminine into one being. It builds its nest in the tree of life, laying a single egg to break open a new era of soul.  It was the song of the Benu bird which sang creation into being. The mysterious Benu Bird is a beautiful story of how, we may each give birth to ourselves and participate in this renewal of soul and spirit. Through this transformation of death and renewal, we can bring all parts of ourselves into wholeness as a way to help heal the past and bring about a brighter future for coming generations.

Included in this healing and to honor the Benu Bird, I offer this poem of prayer;

Dream of the Benu Bird

May we walk in beauty as we step upon the earth,

and sing our lives into being.

May our souls learn to soar as the Benu bird,

and dance awake our dreams.

May we bring about more balance in connection to each other,

the Earth we all share,  and all the creatures upon it.

May we honor those who came before us,

and the gifts they have given.

May we remember where we came from,

and what we each came here to do.

May we honor and protect the children,

and future generations, through our actions today.