<p>In this episode of <em>Mother Wisdom</em>, I watch the pendulum swing between <strong>victimhood, radical responsibility</strong>, and the seductive (and harmful, in my opinion) idea that you were simply an “energetic match” for your birth experience.</p><p><strong>Was it random? Was it cosmic? Was it preventable? Was it what you really wanted deep down in your subconscious?</strong></p><p>These are the uncomfortable questions so many mothers, women, humans grapple with, especially when things don’t go as imagined. <em>And especially when you’re on the internet in the alternative health, quantum blah blah blah, corners.</em></p><p>This episode is a meditation on making meaning from what <em>has</em> happened, rather than obsessing over what could have been. On taking responsibility for the choices you made, not claiming you’ve masterminded the entire universe around your subconscious.</p><p>I talk about the damage I perceive can come from telling women they “attracted” their birth experience, how spiritual bypassing hides behind personal growth language, and how to hold the complex truth that <strong>sometimes things just happen</strong>, without slipping into blame or victimhood, or on the other side, playing God in your own life.</p><p><strong>In this conversation I explore:</strong></p><p>* The illusion of control and the reality of chance</p><p>* The harm in “you manifested this” narratives around birth</p><p>* What <strong>radical responsibility</strong> <em>actually</em> means (hint: it’s not about controlling the uncontrollable)</p><p>* Acknowledging both <strong>randomness</strong> and <strong>deep intelligence</strong> in the unfolding of birth. And life. And mothering.</p><p>* Exploring the many threads that may influence birth: fascia, trauma, nutrition, ancestry, biomechanics. But perhaps most importantly, the humility of <em>not knowing.</em></p><p>* How to take aligned responsibility without ego</p><p>* The mental gymnastics we do to avoid feeling what <em>is</em> or <em>was</em> (as I watched myself do when I was late the other day) and the invitation to come back to presence</p><p>* Turning difficult experiences into wisdom, not through spiritual bypassing, but through embodied reflection and integration</p><p>Subscriber Content</p><p>* The lovely little, or not so little (it’s 37 pages!) <a target="_blank" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/motherwisdom/p/your-powerful-placenta-guide"><strong>Placenta Birth Guide</strong></a> - women centered, mother powered placenta birth videos, all about cord burning, traditional understandings of the spiritual significance of the placenta, a placenta burial ceremony ‘recipe’.</p><p>* A delicious <a target="_blank" href="https://motherwisdom.substack.com/p/guided-meditations"><strong>bundle of guided meditations</strong></a> for the childbearing year including….</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/motherwisdom/p/relaxation-meditation?r=1m2x99&#38;utm_campaign=post&#38;utm_medium=web&#38;showWelcomeOnShare=false"><strong><em>Relaxation Meditation</em></strong></a></p><p><em>Settle into our bodies, becoming still, and just be in this moment and in our experience.</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://motherwisdom.substack.com/p/birth-visioning-meditation"><strong><em>Birth Visioning Meditation</em></strong></a></p><p><em>A guided exploration into your birth portal and the divine vision you hold for yourself, as well as listening to any messages your baby may have for you.</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://motherwisdom.substack.com/p/release-with-the-river-meditation"><strong><em>Releasing to the River Meditation</em></strong></a></p><p><em>A fear release meditation. Exploring relaxing our grip on fears or anything else that may feel heavy in this process of preparing for birth.</em></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://motherwisdom.substack.com/p/opening-to-receive-meditation"><strong><em>Opening to Receive Meditation</em></strong></a></p><p><em>Made with postpartum in mind. Opening to the energies of receiving, and an opportunity for you to tune into any mantras or reminders that may come through.</em></p><p></p><p>🧡 You can upgrade your subscription <a target="_blank" href="https://motherwisdom.substack.com/subscribe">right here</a>.</p><p>Mentioned in this Episode</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://nurturedgrove.podia.com/mini-placenta-guide">Free Mini Placenta Guide</a></p><p>If this resonated…</p><p>* Comment here in the comments!</p><p>* Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify</p><p>* Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it</p><p>* Tag me on Instagram with your takeaways: <a target="_blank" href="https://instagram.com/nurtured.grove">@nurtured.grove</a></p><p>Connect with me:</p><p>* Instagram - <a target="_blank" href="http://instagram.com/maible.arden">@maible.arden</a></p><p>* Website - <a target="_blank" href="http://www.maiblearden.com">MaibleArden.com</a></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://motherwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">motherwisdom.substack.com/subscribe</a>