Ancestrally Embark to Study Birth and Death

Greetings! I am Katie, a person in pursuit of further study in the realms of birth and death. Amongst many things, I am an educator, a seasoned organic farmer and a trained birth doula. Over the past few years, I have had the great pleasure of providing support for some of my dearest of kin during their pregnancy, birthing, and postpartum journeys. Through these experiences, it has become evident that this work will be of immense service to whomever I have the great fortune of supporting through these meaningful thresholds of life. I have been crafting long-term goals in which I envision a beautiful weaving of my work farming and serving as a doula. This comingling of careers will allow me to provide multi-layered, nourishing support for families during their passage into parenthood AND meaningful support for people nearing end-of-life.

From my perspective, one of the tragedies plaguing our current globalized culture is the lack of communal, tribal support, which runs deeply in our ancestral bloodlines. As humans, we once sourced all of our immediate needs, be they physical, emotional or spiritual, from within a tight-knit, proximal community. These tiers of support have rapidly changed over the last few centuries and, in doing so, have radically shifted the ways we connect with people during birth and end-of-life. I am here to help reshift this narrative; All beings deserve to be seen, heard, held, and cared for, especially during these sacred life transitions. I am showing up to offer this essential care, and I am ready to lean into the support of teachers who help me gain critical insights on how to do this work well.

I created this GoFundMe as a heartfelt request for support from my family, friends, and community. I have discovered an excellent opportunity to travel to Ireland to study culturally relevant rituals and traditions pertaining to birth and death. Over the years, I have come to hold a high level of reverence for cultural exchange, and with this reverence comes a strong beckon to be more deeply in tune with my own culture. As some may know, I have roots rich with Celtic essence. Ireland, an ancestral homeland of mine, seems like the proper place to strengthen my foundation for providing care as both a birth doula and an end-of-life doula.

So, I request that you help me strengthen this perennial taproot. Whatever contribution is within your means will aid me in pursuing this imminent journey. This experience is sure to act as a catalyst in the direction of the livelihood I am whispering into existence. I hold the intention to listen deeply to all the lessons that are sure to arise along the way.

I am immensely grateful for your time and consideration. Please get in touch with me, Katie, with any further questions or clarifications. Blessings to you as you learn with new ventures, and ENJOY!