Birth is the act or
process of bearing or bringing forth offspring.
The offspring
is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at
which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the World. In 2010, more newborns arrived in September
than in any other month.
Until very recent times, a birth was
dangerous to the mother as well as the child. Thus rites of birth were common
in many pre-modern societies. In the
Viking Age, people would pray to the Goddesses Frigg and Freya, and sing ritual
songs to protect the mother and the child.
Fate played a huge role in Norse culture and was determined at the
moment of birth by the Norns.
Norse lore also includes other tales about
birth: A 9-headed troll was born through
a giant's feet. - Dwarves were born from the maggots in a
giant's rotten corpse. - The first man and woman were made from
trees. -
A male God changed into a female horse and gave birth to an eight-legged
horse.
Human women were the only care-givers at a
birth, and a midwife or official witness of a birth was termed bjargrýgr, "helping-woman". The assistance rendered by the bjargrýgr or
midwife went beyond the basic mechanics of delivery. The bjargrýgr was also responsible for magical assistance
to ease the birth such as runes, herbs or songs. A description of the little that is known
about childbirth during the Viking Age is summarized by Jenny Jochens:
"The
birth itself was expressed in the image of the woman 'becoming lighter'. What
little is revealed about the birth process suggests that delivery techniques
were universal and changed little over time. Only women were present. The
normal birth position was for the woman to kneel on the floor, with helpers
ready at her knees or supporting her arms. As the birth progressed, she would
shift to a knee-elbow position, and the child would be received from behind.
Runes and songs were offered as age-old remedies for difficult births, probably
performed by a bjargrýgr
trained through experience and apprenticeship. Many stories of birth include
prolonged and difficult births, dismemberment of infants, and problems with
lactation." (Women in Old
Norse Society)
Nine nights after birth, the child had to be
recognized by the father of the household. He placed the child on his knee
while sitting in a high seat. Putting
the child on the knee of the father confirmed his or her status as a member of
the clan and bestowed the rights connected to this status. The child could no longer be killed or
exposed by the parents, without being considered murder. Water was sprinkled on the child, it was named
and thus admitted into the family. There
are accounts of guests being invited to bring gifts and wish the child well.
Children were often named
after deceased ancestors and the names of deities could be a part of the name -
Alfhild, Herdis, Njorth. People thought
certain traits were connected to certain names and that these traits were
carried on when the names were re-used by new generations. This was part of the ancestor worship.
The life expectancy at birth was about 20
years. Half of those who survived birth
lived only to their seventh year. Children
under the age of 15 made up nearly half of the population. Of those that
reached the age of 20, about half reached the age of 50. At some points of history, perhaps 15 percent
of the total population was 50 years or older. And only 1 to 3 percent of population was over
60 years old.
A typical woman probably bore 7 infants
during her lifetime, 29 months apart on average. Babies and small children automatically
became the custody of the mother following a divorce. During pregnancy, women were expected to
continue working. After the child's
birth, the mother typically returned to work with little delay. Evidence
suggests that mothers nursed their children until the age of 2 years, which may
have dictated the interval between the births of a couple's children. A typical couple probably had 2 or 3 living
children at any one time. Few parents
lived to see their children marry. And
fewer lived to see their first grandchild. Three generation families were rare.
When one member of a couple died, the other
remarried quickly. It was probably
difficult for a single person to run a household alone. During the Norse era, multiple families lived
in the same longhouse, working the same farm holding. This clan played an important role in shaping
Norse society and its laws and customs and was the standard unit of society. A
household might consist not only several husband-and-wife couples and their
children, but also the families of servants and bondsmen. During this time, the typical household size
was probably ten to twenty people.
The Mother Goddess is fertility and
growth. The Goddess in her Mother aspect
is the bearer of children and a sexual being.
Some Wiccans believe that a small group of semiprecious stones will help
ease the pain of natural childbirth and delivery. Some holistic health or pagan shops may be
able to order a charm or bracelet that incorporates these stones together or
other herbs. If you don't have enough
time to custom order, you can always place the loose stones in a small, sealed
pouch that can be held during delivery. Using
a pouch like this can also serve as a focus object during childbirth, similar
to the techniques used in Lamaze. Once
the pouch is no longer needed, the stones should be passed along to someone
else who is pregnant or trying to conceive.
Many Wiccan parents choose to have a special
ceremony to mark the child's naming. This is usually held outdoors, weather
permitting, about a week after the birth. In addition to officially giving the
child his or her name, it's also an opportunity for the parents to officially
pledge their love and loyalty to the child.
A birthday is a day or anniversary
where a person celebrates
his or her date of birth. Birthdays are celebrated in numerous cultures, often
with a gift, party or rite of passage. Although the major religions celebrate the birth of
their founders (e.g., Buddha's Birthday), Christmas – which is celebrated widely by Christians and
non-Christians alike – is the most prominent example. In contrast, certain
religious groups, as is the case with Jehovah's Witnesses, express opposition
to the very idea of celebrating birthdays.
Catholic, Orthodox,
Anglican, Methodist and Lutheran Churches teach that baptism is a sacrament that has actual spiritual effects and certain key
criteria must be complied with for it to be valid. Christians consider Jesus to have instituted
the sacrament of baptism. It is usually
believed to be essential for salvation.
They are baptized in water, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
Although baptism is not
used in Jewish rituals, Tvilah does have some similarities. The act of
immersion in natural sourced water for purification is specific for certain
circumstances. Of all of the
commandments in Judaism, the brit milah (Covenant of Circumcision) is probably
the one most universally observed.
Many cultures practice
or have practiced initiation rites, with or without the use of water, including
the ancient Egyptian, the Hebraic/Jewish, the Babylonian, the Mayan, and the Norse cultures. The
initiation done in the Bapedi tribe of South Africa
is normally regarded as a stage where a boy is to be taught manhood and a girl
to be taught womanhood. A man will not
be allowed to marry or have any special relationship with a woman who did not
go to an initiation, because she is not considered to be a woman.
Birth in the 21st
century can still be dangerous.
And birthdays many or may not be honored in various ways. Either way it is a rite to at least remember
and research.
"As I prepare myself for
the delivery of my baby, I am calm, serene and relaxed. God is in charge and Goddess
is with me and my baby. Every person and every situation connected with this
birth is in tune with the Divines orderly direction, and everything is perfectly
timed.
After the delivery, every part
of my body will be restored to perfection. Filled with thankfulness and joy, I
rest. The power of the Divines has brought forth my perfect baby.”
And so it is.
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