“I Am a Spiritual Midwife”

by

Guest Author

I am a spiritual midwife: I listen to your words and your body. I ask God to bring me images, sounds, smells and memories of what you are experiencing beyond your spoken words.

I listen even more deeply for the responses that would be most helpful, most healing in the moment. I trust my intuition and the messages I hear.  I honor what comes to me and consider it carefully.  It might be a deep sacred silence, a touch, looking away, inviting prayer, breathing with, singing a song, offering a blessing, inquiring for more, writing your experience as I hear it as your poem/prayer, listening for or inviting an image from the mundane to the divine, or asking for more information…There is no formula.

I am a spiritual midwife.  We co-create rituals that help you deepen and honor the turning moments in your life.  We explore together where you are turning towards that which opens you to something new, or away from something that you no longer need.  Whether it be a child, animal, house, body, moment, or whether it be a separation, a death, a transformation. We honor, celebrate, grieve, deepen.

I am a spiritual midwife, I help you remember your own wisdom, traditions, music.  I help you remember your own poetry, your own words, your own hope.  Your breath.  I help you remember when remembering feels impossible.

I am a spiritual midwife.  We do this all in the name of Healing. Thank you for allowing me to join you during this precious time.

Chaya Gusfield

Rabbi Chaya Gusfield is a spiritual director, board-certified chaplain and teacher. She was ordained as a rabbi in 2006 through the Aleph Rabbinic Program and she completed her training as a spiritual director in 2001 through the Mercy Center in Burlingame. She currently serves as a palliative care chaplain at Kaiser Richmond and Oakland. Rabbi Gusfield teaches Torah and leads spiritual direction groups using a variety of modalities including using writing for deep reflection and sharing. She works closely with Buddhist teacher Eve Decker offering healing services and workshops.  You can find Rabbi Gusfield’s writings on her blog at https://chayasgarden.wordpress.com/.

Picture of Guest Author

Guest Author

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

1 thought on ““I Am a Spiritual Midwife””

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

God, the soul You have given me is pure

Elohai neshama she-natata bi tehorah hi November 4th, 2024. I am anxious, in distress. The US election is tomorrow. Surely goodness will prevail. Surely? To make everything significantly worse, today is the fourth anniversary—the fourth yahrzeit—of the loss of our beloved son Eli, who died of liver disease, at 52. November 6th, 2024. Many are in a

Read More »

Ordinary Heaven by Philip Carter – Designing our Book Cover

We’re excited to announce the publication of our latest book from SDI Press—Ordinary Heaven: Exploring Spiritual Direction and the Journey of Human Life.  It is our honor to share this work with the SDI Community. This extraordinary book is written by Australian spiritual director and longtime SDI contributor Philip Carter, and the practical and mystical

Read More »

Tending Our Hearts Together

Today we gather in the first of 2 sessions with Pam Winthrop Lauer and fellow spiritual directors of diverse political leanings to tend to our overwhelm, worry, anger, fear, excitement, and other feelings about the U.S. election. Using the principles of Nonviolent Communication we will be guided through meditation, group participation exercises, and themed break-out

Read More »
Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top

Welcome!

We're glad you're here.

Subscribe to SDI updates to receive a FREE eBook filled with contemplative wisdom!

As a free gift for signing up for SDI’s updates, we are offering you a 59-page eBook filled with contemplative wisdom!

Please use it as you wish: 

  • for inspiration on your spiritual journey
  • for the delight of finding wisdom that you can feel in body, mind and spirit 
  • for a moment of reflection 
  • as a token of our deep respect for who you are and your contribution to our movement 
Â