Focus Meditation for Birth Workers

I have been taking a midwife assistant class recently and one of the assignments I was given was to share a grounding exercise.  I pieced this focus meditation together based on some of the energy centers of our body and what I felt would help me step away and ground myself before entering a birth.  This is my first attempt at writing my own meditation so, you know, it is a humble offering. So far I like using it.  I think it would be helpful for doulas, midwives and helpers at any birth to do something similar.   I think I may do this one (along with prayer) as needed on any given day when I need to refocus with my children.  I also really like the calm heart meditation for this purpose.  I also usually pray before entering into laborland with a family.   What kinds of things do you do to ground yourself?

Grounding Exercise: Focus Meditation

Close your eyes.

Place your hands palms together like they are praying in front of your heart. This is the energy center that relates to our ability to give and receive love. 

Breathe in gently.

Breathe out gently.

Let your service be that which is motivated by love.

Now move your prayer hands parallel to your throat. This energy center relates to sound. It has to do with seeing and hearing truth.

Breathe in gently.

Breathe out gently.

May you speak and hear truth.

Now move your hands between your eyes above the nose where your “third eye” resides. After gently pressing your thumbs into this spot, roll your eyes upward toward the source of all truth. Focus yourself to this third eye. This energy center governs the mind. This chakra is the seat of wisdom, vision, intuition, and our concepts of reality. *

Breathe in gently.

Breathe out gently.

May you be conscious of the dialogue inside your mind and distinguish truth.

Now lay your hands open palmed on your knees.

Breathe in all of the resources that you will need for this birth.

Breathe out all of the things you will not need.

Breathe in strength, calm, focus.

Breathe out stress, fear, distraction.

Breathe in peace, humility, diligence.

Breathe out doubt, selfishness, pride.

Breathe in faith, power, love.

Breathe out the negative.

Breathe in the positive.

*We have a tendency to over analyze, over-think and let our mind get in the way of our intuition or promptings. Make sure that it is your inner vision that runs your life rather than those around you. Beware of getting stuck in a vision that someone else has for your life or seeks the approval of those around you instead of God.