BIRTH

In Waldorf Schools the teachers take the time at faculty meetings to do child studies. The teacher does research into the life of her students and this is shared with the faculty. One of the questions the teacher asks the child's parents is what was the birth of the child like.

I was talking to a neonatal nurse the other day and she said she thinks there has to be some correlation between the birth experience of each child and the ease or lack there of in the life that follows.

I wonder whether the extreme overuse of caesarian sections in so called 'developed' countries somehow changes this measure as a predictor of the rest of a person's life. If, instead of going through the process of coming through the birth canal and emerging into the world, a baby is plucked from the womb, mostly with no warming and often with no rhyme or reason to the timing of the birth, does this somehow change the child's destiny.

Does a caesarian birth, or a birth with suction applied to the head, or a birth with a kind of screw into the baby's scalp, or the old fashioned high forceps, or a ton of drugs, change the destiny of a person? Are the changes caused by these processes the destiny of the person?

If we chose our parents while in the spiritual worlds, then we have to know that all these things are somehow perfect for our lives. So, essentially, they couldn't be any different.

I love this poem by Thomas Traherne about being born. It kind of obviates all the speculative thinking I am doing on this subject and gives a beautiful picture. Enjoy!

Wonder

How like an angel came I down!
How bright are all things here!
When first among his works I did appear
O how their glory me did crown!
The world resembled his eternity,
In which my soul did walk;
And ev'ry thing that I did see
Did with me talk.

The skies in their magnificence,
The lively, lovely air;
Oh how divine, how soft, how sweet, how fair!
The stars did entertain my sense,
And all the works of God, so bright and pure,
So rich and great did seem,
As if they ever must endure
In my esteem.

A native health and innocence
Within my bones did grow,
And while my God did all his glories show,
I felt a vigour in my sense
That was all spirit. I within did flow
With seas of life, like wine;
I nothing in the world did know
But 'twas divine.

Harsh ragged objects were conceal'd,
Oppressions tears and cries,
Sins, griefs, complaints, dissensions, weeping eyes
Were hid, and only things reveal'd
Which heav'nly spirits, and the angels prize.
The state of innocence
And bliss, not trades and poverties,
Did fill my sense.

The streets were pav'd with golden stones,
The boys and girls were mine,
Oh how did all their lovely faces shine!
The sons of men were holy ones,
In joy and beauty they appear'd to me,
And every thing which here I found,
While like an angel I did see,
Adorn'd the ground.

Rich diamond and pearl and gold
In ev'ry place was seen;
Rare splendours, yellow, blue, red, white and green,
Mine eyes did everywhere behold.
Great wonders cloth'd with glory did appear,
Amazement was my bliss,
That and my wealth was ev'ry where:
No joy to this!

Curs'd and devis'd proprieties,
With envy, avarice
And fraud, those fiends that spoil even Paradise,
Flew from the splendour of mine eyes,
And so did hedges, ditches, limits, bounds,
I dream'd not aught of those,
But wander'd over all men's grounds,
And found repose.

Proprieties themselves were mine,
And hedges ornaments;
Walls, boxes, coffers, and their rich contents
Did not divide my joys, but all combine.
Clothes, ribbons, jewels, laces, I esteem'd
My joys by others worn:
For me they all to wear them seem'd
When I was born.

Thomas Traherne