A Workshop for Women in All Stages of the Life Cycle
Just as the purpose of each uterine contraction is to bring a woman closer to the birth of her baby, so too, every trial we encounter is an opportunity for growth. The Fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that when we come up against a challenge, we must never go around it. We are to go into it and then rise above.
The Slonimer Rebbe, in his commentary on Ethics of the Fathers, tells us that we have a choice. We can choose to see the world either in terms of Olam Hasheker, a world of falsehood, or as Olam Hatikun, a world of repair. If we live in a world of falsehood and illusion, we fail to perceive the Oneness of G-d. We fail to see that the Almighty is good, and that all He does is good. We fail to understand that pain and evil exists by Divine design. If we see the world as Olam Hatikun, a world of repair and fixing, we understand that everything that we see, hear, think, and experience is there for our own growth and refinement.
To birth is to raise one's level of consciousness. It's about separating ourselves from our lower selves and seeing the situation from a loftier perspective. We can either see childbirth as nothing but pain that yields a precious gift, or we can understand that every step along the way, that every contraction holds the potential for growth and refinement. This is the metaphor of birth. After all, what does a new baby represent to us if not unlimited potential? Each time we open up and become more of who we can be, we are re-birthing ourselves.
We will explore this concept through stories, guided imagery, mini-counseling sessions, and teachings.
