with woman

With Woman

From "Hypnobirthing: The Mongan Method":
"In other parts of the world- Spain, France, the British Isles and Old Europe- the lives of the people centered on nature and motherhood. They honored Mother Nature, Mother Earth and Mother Creator. Women were revered as the givers of life.

With no awareness of the link between intercourse and the conception of a child, it was believed that women brought forth children at will. As creators, they were thought to be connected to deity. Statues of the goddesses of these early people were of full breasted women with bodies clearly depicting the ballooning abdomen of women about to give birth. These primal people regarded birthing as the highest manifestation of nature...

Women were nurturers and healers, developing, brewing and administering medicine. All healing came by the hands and healing spirit of women. They collaborated and exchanged learning, overseen by the 'wise women' of the village."

And later, in the same book:
"In Germany [in the early 16th century]... Martin Luther wrote, 'If women become tired [in childbirth], or even die, it does not matter. Let them die in childbirth. That's what they are there for."

I have been reflecting upon this for a couple of days now, and I'm just wondering how we got from the place where women were honored and revered to the place where we were regarded as disposable baby-makers, to where we are now... still working through the misogyny that started creeping into the human race during the second century. And not just in childbirth... this climate of woman-hating permeates through our entire culture.

Damn, you guys, I'm pissed. I better go to bed before I end up writing a book, or before my head explodes.