Studying at Da A Luz Postmodern Midwifery school in Spain
Living and studying at Da a Luz was a wildly creative and radical year. I was not just learning from the Holistic, Postmodern Midwifery school, but the collective wisdom which the ‘birthing tribe’ in the community holds.
These experiences remain within my being and bless me daily. It deeply serves my family and friends. It changed what I know to be possible surrounding the right of passage of pregnancy and birth. Sometimes we need to live it to believe it.
Cup of tea break at school, see the enterance?
During my almost year long stay, the river which we lived by came and went. The white dragon (snow) came and rested on the surrounding mountain peaks. My life deeply intertwined with beauty of the students and families living together.
The school was made by hand, from stones collected from the river bed. A wildly different learning environment than school or university!. Vanessa Brooks, who visioned this school is deeply creative and i’m grateful for her and all the people she pulled together to build this temple. Da A Luz team says “We are proud to present our project to transform midwifery education for a future generation, a sustainable network of autonomous practitioners to support families to birth how, where and with who they wish”.
Safe and protected inside stone walls with the fireplace warming us during winter.
We were so fortunate to learn from many different teachers, midwifes, doulas, woman’s health specialists, herbalists and creatives with diverse life experience. Coming from all over Europe to share their specialities. The teachers had time, and the environment opened for a deeply intimate learning experience.
My time there was not planned in advance, so the only option I had for accomodation in the community was to build a home - and we got building. Thankyou to those with the knowledge and sisters who put so much energy into building so I had somewhere to live in the community. Living in earth is beautiful, and something I envisioning doing again.
I am deeply deeply grateful for the core community which hosts students to live with them during their stay. It is incredible they way you daily show up to yourself and family and your own children. Creating and sharing a different way. We sang a lot as a group, as a community - when you sing together, your hearts find the same rhythm.
Vanessa Brooks visioned this school, and made it happen with her hands.(You can listen to our interview together here). Co director Deborah Rhodes is an independent midwife and expert in Breech and twin birth. Wibbs makes the temple livable, with a working off-grid electricity source and lights warm fires, volunteers, alumnai students and people help make it all possible daily. Thankyou to your daily hard work, year by year.
I was blessed to meet people from around the world. See how it is to raise children in a different way, with presence and time. A slower pace, where money is not the only driving factor of ones lively hood.
Midwifes Rock Gathering 2023 !!!!!
How the life brought me here…
Spontaneously, I came to be here and attend the school for 9 months and ride this wave, which i would have not found myself on unless i was in Europe already visiting my 93 year old grandfather.
During my visit to my grandparents, I started reading a book because I was sick with a flu, which talked of a big festival and i found myself there a month later. Amongst an insane 52 thousand people I saw a girl in white overalls, who I followed out of a workshop with the knowing in my mind that i HAVE to talk with her. For whatever reason this was present, it was an unexpected feeling to gain simply after looking at someone. We got taking and she shared with me her time volunteering at Da A Luz, inspiring me to do the same and a loving family generously agreed to give me a shot at helping them out over the summer! And so it continued from this inner voice.
A deep sense of completeness has stayed from this time and connection to a beautiful birthing community. To Spanish way and land that enabled this lifestyle and teachings, I am tremendously grateful for.