Anna Watts 'Embracing the Shakti of Birth'
Embracing the Shakti of Birth
Shakti is the primordial creative potentiality representing the dynamic source energy that is believed to have given birth to the entire universe. Shakti is one the earliest recorded terms related to the divine feminine, meaning to bring forth or to give birth to – whether this is the birth of a baby, of consciousness, or the birth of mother earth herself. Known in Sanskrit as Śakti, the literal meaning of shak is power or potency, married with the Sanskrit root div which means to shine.
Shakti power is present in us all and to fully embrace this instinctual and intuitive energy we must disentangle ourselves from the controlling power of the patriarchy, including dismantling internalised patriarchal influences in our lives. This is never truer than in modern day birthing practices which are driven by out-dated medical procedures to claim ownership over pregnant and birthing mothers under the guise of safety in the time of maternity.
This presentation will explore our role as doulas and guardians of the birth space, in facilitating the recognition and release of negative patriarchal beliefs before reaching the threshold of labour. Embracing our own shakti essence and supporting mothers to connect with their true feminine presence for giving birth with embodied confidence and joy.
Anna Watts
Founder of Celebration of Birth, Anna Watts, affectionately known as the ‘Wise Woman of Doulas’, has been guiding families through the journey of pregnancy and birth for over 30 years, honouring and celebrating birth as a ‘rite of passage’ for mother, father,
and baby.
In 2009 the Celebration of Birth Doula Academy was established to provide holistic training for Birth and Postnatal Doulas with a strong foundation of skills, including professional mentoring, to become a confident doula, or to build on your current doula
experience.
The Celebration of Birth courses are a rich blend of educational, experiential, creative and healing processes, supporting empowered birthing choices, and strengthening the spiritual connection in pregnancy and birth. A much-loved experience during the Sacred Birth training is the ‘water doula’ session, where participants hold loving space for each other in a warm water pool, a time to practice being present and to receive
gentle care from a doula partner.
Anna’s experience as a Sacred Birth and Doula Educator, Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Spiritual Healer, Counsellor, and mother of two beautiful daughters both born at home (one a water birth) brings a depth and grounded warmth to her teaching.
In the Maga season of her life, as a new grandmother, Anna is delighting in supporting her family to blossom and flourish by holding true holistic care at the centre of wellbeing for future generations. The red thread lineage continues to be grounded in deep trust for birthing wisdom.
