Soul Care Archetype #1: The Midwife
Enabling new life to be born in those we companion
Hello sacred companions
And so we begin! I decided to start our journey through the Soul Care Archetypes with a very familiar metaphor for spiritual direction. The midwife is a staple of most books and trainings on spiritual accompaniment, and for good reason. I’m curious to hear how you have already encountered and worked with this archetype, and what new ideas emerge as you read my words and join in the conversation below.
To be really clear: all the archetypes are accessible to every spiritual companion, regardless of your gender or lived experience. So you can engage with the midwife archetype whether or not you have lived experience of giving birth yourself or witnessing another. That said, I also recognise that experiences around childbearing can be a tender subject, and so I encourage you to be aware of what impact this archetype has on you as you engage it (I do share my own pregnancy and birthing experiences in this post, including pregnancy loss).
FYI - For this post only, I am offering a preview, to give my free subscribers a little taste of what is behind the paywall. Going forward, these archetype posts will only be sent to paid subscribers (there’s still no pressure to upgrade unless you feel drawn to!).
I have given birth to two children, and relied deeply on the wisdom and knowledge of my midwives. They visited me regularly through my pregnancy, checking the health of me and the child growing within me. They arrived promptly when labour began and comforted my fears with their calm wisdom. They stayed by my side from the start of labour until my children were born and safely feeding and sleeping. They visited in the days and weeks afterwards, tending to my needs and giving advice on caring for my newborn. Throughout labour, they encouraged me, suggested movements and positions to try, and in the moment of deepest pain and transition they told me with firm conviction that I could do this, that I had the strength within me to stay with the birthing process and bring forth this new life.
At each stage of the labour process, midwives take a different approach. Sometimes they sit back and observe as the mother does the work of labour; in other moments they need to comfort and offer compassion; at other times, the mother needs some clear direction and guidance to stay safe as they progress through the birthing process.
The spiritual companion as midwife trusts deeply in the process, believing in the divine life that is being birthed, even when that feels like an impossible task. That trust lies at the heart of the spiritual direction relationship, and needs to be carefully tended to, particularly at the beginning of the relationship but also as it progresses.
“We need patient guides, people to hold our hands and remind us to breathe, people who recognize and respect the process, and who don’t try to rush it or make us numb it out. We need spiritual midwives who will help us give birth to something new and help us find life on the other side of a transforming faith.” - Kathy Escobar