There is a game that I enjoy playing and I aim to incorporate it into every aspect of my life! I call the game "free-wheeling", I initially played it with Openhand.  Before beginning to play, you need to become present and pay close attention to all that is happening around you. When you play this game with an open mind and an open heart pure magic happens. Expect the unexpected! Miracles, synchronicities and symbols abound, when we simply stay open and tune into the natural flow.

So how do you play?  You simply open up and watch what's happening inside of you and see where you are drawn.  You can play anywhere, at any time.  It helps to ask the Universe to "Show me" before you begin and then watch where you are taken, what do you notice, what are you being shown? Surrender any mind-led intention to something bigger... to your higher mind, intuition or inner knowing.  Perhaps you feel a pull to go out doors and where to from there - left or right?  Just follow your intuition...  noticing and paying attention as you go...  Sometimes my mind resists the pull to go a particular direction as perhaps that takes me away from home and I'm already late for dinner, for example.  Yet if I am being drawn to the right, I trust that is the way to go, even if that results in tardiness on my part :) It may also result in some unforeseen magic!

On one such occasion, John and I were playing "freewheeling" and were taken through a woods far from the hostel where we were staying.  We had followed the pull and then realized we were lost and very far from the hostel, it was now lunchtime and we were due to depart with friends shortly.  To summarize we ended up miles away and miraculously hitched a lift with a wonderful woman with whom we had a lovely connection and she kindly drove us all they way up the small track to our hostel.  We arrived just in time to join the end of the lunch queue as a forgotten tray of veggies was taken from the oven after our unexpected adventure.  

Playing the freewheeling game reminds me of the magic, joy and wonder that is all around when I let go and focus on being present and what I am being shown.  There are no ordinary moments!  Here is a clip from the movie The Peaceful Warrior.

With love and joy, Fiona

When I began my doula journey, I could not have anticipated how valuable the support of other doulas would be.  In a society where there is often much competition and a "dog-eat-dog" mentality in the work place, I was delighted at how my experience of working with other doulas was so different.  This was particularly highlighted to me when chatting to someone who worked in the financial sector and was facing many challenges in her interactions with her colleagues.

In my experience, doulas encourage and support one another in an awesome way. It's a special working relationship where right outcome is the priority.  I love the fact that when doulas go to see a client they genuinely encourage the client to go and speak with other doulas, as they know how important it is that clients find the doula that is right for them.  I love they way we openly recommend one another and generally work together seamlessly to offer the best care for the families we work with.  

On a number of occasions I have worked as part of a team supporting a particular woman or family and it has been such a positive experience.  It feels really great to share ideas and work alongside others.  It allows us to feed each others enthusiasm and be more creative than we might be on our own. Solutions and possible ways forward are much more readily found when a number of people work together. It is also more fulfilling and enjoyable!

Of course it's not all plain sailing!  We don't always see eye to eye and there are differences of opinion and personality clashes.  Mostly though when we are open, true and communicate well, the issues are easily resolved, we learn and grow.  Every situation provides an opportunity to learn something about myself and to develop.  I believe that we draw challenges to ourselves so that we can work through them and resolve something inside of ourselves.

Learning to Trust

Initially I was sometimes challenged or disappointed when a potential client would choose another doula over me.  I wondered if I didn't have enough experience, was not as forthcoming as I might be... etc.  Over time, I began to increasingly trust the process. The work I did receive felt right and positive, while on the occasions where another doula was chosen, I would sometimes already have had a niggling feeling that something wasn't quite right or would have left our meeting feeling tired.  It's not always clear though I have come to realise, with experience, that all is as it is meant to be and that there is a higher purpose unfolding that I need to trust.  It is such a relief not to need to "get a specific job", rather to be myself and see what unfolds.  

I feel very blessed to work in a role where co-operation, love and encouragement is the prevailing attitude.  I very much appreciate having the support of other doulas who are there if I ever need anything - it's a pretty special community.  Next week we will gather together to celebrate the launch of the Scottish Doula Network's
 new website, it's been wonderful to collaborate to bring it all together.

With love and gratitude for my doula sisters, and my other families and support networks, Fiona