Dear friends,
This week I am so excited to talk about the Ice Age Art Exhibition in London that I visited a couple of days ago. I was so moved by the tiny carved figurines which depicted pregnant women and the female form in all its glory, carved some 30,000 years ago (there were other objects from that time as well as female figures). It seemed almost too incredible to me to be looking at something made from stone, bone, Mammoth ivory or tusk so many thousands of years ago. Voluptuous female bodies with pronounced vulvas, to slim pubescent bodies, either with or without round bellies bearing new life were timeless and presented fertility and motherhood in such a natural, unassuming way. The absence of sexual allure and the idealisation of the modern rendition of the female body enabled them to be seen as more of a sacred effigy than an objectified female ‘nude’.
Considering the cold weather during that time, where clothes would certainly have been worn, it is strange that the naked female form is portrayed almost exclusively. We can speculate all sorts of reasons for these images, from shamanic object used in a ceremony, to aiding protection when worn as a necklace, or as a symbol of the powerful function of the female human body in its various stages from puberty to menopause. Nowadays women are often afraid of this power and ashamed of how their body changes over time especially after childbirth. These images reminded me of how amazing women are and could certainly act as a powerful Totem.
I would like to invite you to celebrate your fabulous Self this week (and every week!).
Exercise 1:
This exercise is suitable for any stage of your life, whether you are pregnant or not and is for both women and men of any age!
Look in the mirror and repeat as often as you wish: ‘I love you… (Your name)’. It is important to feel as much self love and acceptance as possible as the baby grows inside your body. You are not only giving birth to your baby but to a new you – whether it is your first baby or your fifth! Each time you too are born again. If you are not pregnant, just feel the love and acceptance for yourself anyway.
Exercise 2:
Make a Totem: ‘anything which serves as a venerated or mystic symbol or emblem’ (PJC)
Make an object out of any material that serves as a symbolic representation of Conception, Pregnancy, Birth, Parenthood, Loss, Baby, Dreams, Love, etc.
With loads of Love for a wonderful week,
Alex xx
