Perhaps because it is a cloudy and rainy day it is a good time for reflection. It's been a busy summer with many projects pulling me in different directions. I think its my restless nature that is a bit frustrated with the baby steps each of my projects are taking, but mostly likely that is the creator teaching me patience. We submitted a grant proposal to the National Geographic All Roads Seeds Grant, but have yet to hear anything about it. The good news is that those who have not been selected for funding have already heard that they were not selected. However, the deadline for the next round of grant proposals is nearing and I am left wondering whether we need to resubmit or not. This film business is a whole new world for me, I recently attended a few film screenings during the Indian Market in Santa Fe, NM. Boy, what a panorama of artistic talent! I was happy and excited to meet the film makers, actors and producers of some of the films that were screened. I also got to meet my producer Tracy Rector. After many phone conversations, Facebook messages, and some computer face time, the world of computers left us and we got to meet face to face. So glad we are both on board with this project. She is just as excited about this as I am.
As for the birth center, thanks to the dedicated women working on this project between meetings, things appear to be moving along nicely. We have finally all agreed on a name. The Breath of My Heart Birthing Place, in Tewa it is "Navi pin haa un muu " which means "you are the breath of my heart." As that this will be a place where the baby takes it's first breath of life, I think the name is befitting! We have also spent a lot of time on our mission and vision statement. With many revisions and time, this is what we all finally agreed on.
Vision: To attain greater community wellness through the growth and reclamation of birth traditions and practices in Northern New Mexico, by cultivating a nurturing an environment that welcomes all families’ cultural strengths, and Ways of Knowing.
Mission: To bring to reality a sustainable birthing place that celebrates pregnancy and birth as a sacred rite of passage through midwifery care. To raise awareness and promote wellness, growth, and healing in our multi-cultural communities by honoring woman as our first environment.
You can follow our progress at: http://www.bomhbirthplace.org/
We are currently working on a logo and I am happy to say that I was selected as one of the board members. We are in the process of adding additional board members and working on bylaws. Basically the nuts and bolts of our birth center is being worked on right now. I am also in the process of collected and learning about Pueblo traditional birth practices. It will be an ongoing project for me and I hope to meet with each of the Northern and Southern Pueblos to talk about traditional birth practices. This is a BIG task and an exciting one. The first talking circle will be held in Tesuque Pueblo sometime this month. I was blessed to have met with an amazing woman and elder who seems just as motivated as I am, to see our traditional birth knowledge and language return to our communities. I have to say, our last visit was very touching and encouraging. After our visit I went home, burnt some cedar and prayed for more people like that to be placed in my path.
She was a great reminder that our ancestors are always there and waiting to listen to our prayers and provide the healing knowledge to walk in a good way. With my weekly and sometimes daily commuting to Albuquerque for work and other family matters; it is easy for it to weigh heavily on my spiritual needs and ability to connect with what is really important. But it's people like her who help bring me back to center with what is really important. As that is what I am thankful for.
My family and I recently participated in Corn Dance in our village and I definitely prayed for the strength, clarity and courage to move forward in a good way. It is still a constant challenge to maintain a certain level of balance between work, family, and my spiritual needs as an individual. As it is so easy to get caught up in the busy comings and goings of daily life. So if anyone sees a young Native woman speeding down I-25 from Santa fe with my pow-wow music blasting in the early AM or very late PM..it could be me. It seems lately the sunrise and the sunset have becoming my morning and evening blessings on my way to a busy life!..
