Have you ever felt an insatiable hunger for love and validation?

In this episode, I explore ‘The Hungry Mother,’ a medicine poem that speaks to the experience of, and healing from, narcissistic parenting.

Put simply, narcissistic parenting is where the parenting is all about the parent; the two main features of which are where the parent wants to be seen as perfect, and they feel entitled to ‘get’ love and their childhood unmet needs met – from the child.

This medicine poem is written in deep devotion to our wild and humbling human nature.

The word ‘Mother’ is interchangeable with father, leader, school teacher, guru, partner, organisation, friend, foe or self. The hunger is within us all…until.

It’s going to land differently for each of us at different stages of our journey. It might sting or bring tears. It might nudge denial or ignite rage. It might also validate years of confusion.

This is a medicine poem about re-parenting ourselves, about healing, and about coming home to our true nature.

The hungry mother,
A child starved of love, 
Pregnant and hoping,
Fresh blood will fill the void.

Save me, sweet babe,
For that’s why you’re here,
Be grateful to me though, 
Otherwise you’re out on your ear.

Grow my dear child,
But not too much, 
For I will hold you as a trophy,
Then be seen as good enough.

Also be my bad,
The things I hate about me, 
And I will be disgusted, 
With all that I see.

Perform when I need you to,
Be quiet when I say,
Be good with no definition, 
Meet my unmet needs, every day.

Don’t ever challenge me,
For if you dare do, 
I will discombobulate, 
And blame – yes – YOU!

The roles are reversed,
But so what? you need me,
Put up, shut up, 
And get crumbs in exchange.

For I am your Mother,
Without me you’ll die,
So be what I need,
And never, ever fly.

How on earth do we stop,
This cycle of pain?
We stop needing others,
To fill us up in vain.

This impossible task,
Of trying to get love,
Leads us to remember,
Our core essence IS love.

There will be temporary pain,
And yes, it will be hard,
But what’s the alternative,
Getting constantly charred?

The antidote is to love,
Without thirst and fear, 
ALL of ourselves, 
And walk away clear.

Free from the clutches,
Of a contract doomed to fail, 
I am now my own Mother, 
And live to tell this tale!

I realised my own Soul,
Was also seeking outside,
That – which was deep within,
Yet forgotten and denied.

And now the freedom is breathtaking,
This feeling of love,
Of Being All That Is,
I AM home, I AM love.

By Melanie Swan.

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Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Welcome to another episode where Kim and I discuss the growing divine feminine movement and its pitfalls…

…as many women who are in this movement are struggling to turn ideas into reality, have a lack of internal authority and are using ‘the masculine’ as a dumping ground for traits that are not liked or deemed to be ‘feminine’.

In the first half, we examine why and how our masculine part is often projected outwards, and in the second, we challenge the idea of labelling certain characteristics as masculine or feminine, emphasising the need to own our shadows (that which we think we are not) to reclaim our authentic masculine energy – which naturally restores our feminine energy.

We also define and question the patriarchy, our role in its creation and sustanance, and explore what’s needed to dissolve the trauma preventing us from fully embracing and unifying both energies within.

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Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Ready to debunk some myths about your menstrual cycle?

I talk about 6 of the most common myths in the realm of ‘womb work’ that are limiting our experience of what the menstrual cycle truly is, and get clear on what the antidotes are.

PMS is not a foregone conclusion!
Rather, it's an access point to our subconscious, a time to listen to and align with our truth. Our pre-menstrual time can be SO powerful, and is natures way of helping us to see what’s really going on. As we start to understand and clear the what caused the underlying rage, anger, frustration - and are able to into alignment with ourselves, PMS symptoms disappear.

Chasing the ‘perfect cycle’ is a fallacy.
Our menstrual cycle is a barometer of our our spiritual, physical and emotional health. In the absence of a genuine connection with the ever changing undercurrent of our menstrual cycle, we can take on ideals that our outside of us and try to conform to them, resulting in trying to ‘fit’ our cycle with expectations, that inevitably don’t match. The way forwards is to clear the trauma that is blocking a genuine connection.

Tired of battling your inner critic?
This is a wounded part of us that we don’t have to manage, put up with or work around. It’s a part of us the NEEDS our attention, connection and love. Criticism comes from fear and this needs processing and integrating so that we can see clearly. It’s totally possible to do this!

Bleeding On The New Or Full Moon Means Something Specific
Nope! Only we know how the interaction between our unique menstrual cycle and the moon cycle is both supporting and challenging us. Again, when we don’t have a genuine connection, we can take on external beliefs and structures that keep us stuck in a certain way of  being. The antidote, as always is to do the work to get a genuine connection.

Blaming The Moon or Astrology On Our State Of Being
Not necessarily directly related to our menstrual cycle, but very popular in the work of cycle attunement and women’s work….Attributing our state of being solely to the moon phases or astrological climate blinds us to what is really going on within. The antidote again, is to look within, understand what’s going on and then look at how the moon phase or astrological climate is amplifying that.

The false premise that hormones are the only drivers of our health.
I discuss how factors like trauma, synthetic hormones, the pill and toxins affect our hormones, and that we need a wholistic approach to heal and take care of our menstrual cycle.

The antidote to all of this is to look within, attune to our unique cycle and listen to the information it’s giving us.

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Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Many women I come across talk of keeping themselves small. It's one of the core wounds that women in particular struggle with.

In this episode, Kim Barnard and I explore the 4 aspects that form the 'root system' that keep us living with tethers on our life force, and how to heal.

There are several expressions of keeping ourselves small, which are (but aren't limited to):

• Feeling not good enough, or unworthy
• Believing that somehow we don't deserve love / money / success
• Imposter syndrome (fearful that people will find out who we really are underneath)
• Feeling afraid to embody our life force and what will happen
• Scared to share an opinion
• Afraid to do what the work we want to in the world

The 4 areas of the root system and how to heal it are:

• Cultural influences
• Past life roots:  exploring the 'trauma triangle' - victim, perpetrator and failed rescuer states of being within within our consciousness.
• Roots in this life that are part of our attachment template.
• Generational roots that amplify what's already running in our consciousness.
  
  

The main take away from this episode, is that it IS possible to heal this, for the tethers to come off our energy, and to embody our life force again.

We would love to hear how this lands with you, head on over to Instagram to share your experience.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

A short and sweet episode to share with you a Womb Medicine Poem to restore the beauty and wonder of the womb centre. 

It starts with a brief introduction, and then there's a guided practice to listen to the poem with your womb.

I invite you to attune to the feel of the words, the energy, and the response from your womb.

It’s a chance to dip your toe into the potency of your womb, to tap into the void from which all of life is born, and to resonate with the frequency of creation.

I'd love to hear your reflections and experiences— it's your time to shine!

See The Moon shine
Regardless of phase
This is your time beauty
To shine in all ways.

No more push on regardless
No more have to’s or should’s
This is your time beauty
To be as wild as wild woods.

From the depths of your soul
Go with your flow
This is your time beauty
Let go, let go, let flow.

Your womb is the void
From which you create
This is your time beauty
To connect and activate.

Be lovingly ruthless
As you intuit your way
This is your time beauty
Don’t waste another day.

So shine beauty, shine
This is your time
This is your time
This is our time.

By MELANIE SWAN

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Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

I applaud and welcome a more inclusive, accepting, loving world. 

To love each other in our unique expression is wonderful, it’s progress, it’s needed.

However…I have noticed a very gradual eradication of the word WOMAN in women’s work. 

In reference to a woman’s cycle, I’ve seen the word WOMAN replaced with ‘menstruators’, ‘people with womb’s’, ‘people with periods’. 

If that’s what a person wants to call themselves – fine. 

But, nothing changes that fact that women have wombs. Women have a cycle, Women have periods. Women birth babies. Trans women don’t. Men don’t. 

This is not to diminish anyone’s abilities, or unique expression of who they are within.

I have noticed in order to be current and trending and liked, there is an attempt not to say WOMAN. 

I believe this to be the slow, gradual, eradication of the word woman from our everyday language. 

It’s subtle, it’s done in the guise of trying to be respectful.

But, let’s not include different expressions of humanity by diluting or dimishing another. 

Woman. Let’s say it again. Woman. 

A woman’s cycle – a woman’s period – women give birth – women breast feed – women go through menopause – women have womb’s. 

Women’s only circles are Sacred. Women NEED women’s only spaces to heal, to share, to be with each other – just as men, trans men and trans women do.

This isn’t exclusion, it’s an honouring of woman in her essence, so that we may come home to our true nature, and meet the world from that place.

Women – let’s not give away our true essence in an attempt to be liked, to be seen or experienced as inclusive, or for fear of being trolled/cancelled.

I know many women who think like this but are scared to actually say it in our current climate.

‘Woman’ is not up for cancellation! We can all live together, respectful of all, AND respect and celebrate each others differences. 

Join the conversation Instagram post, I’d love to hear your experience.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Kim Barnard @sacred.womban and I get together for a great chat about Perimenopause!

I’m in perimenopause right now (at the time of recording) and share my experience and how it can be a time of accelerated growth and change to align with our deeper truth.

Saying NO with no attachments
The ability to respond rather than react
The first signs of perimenopause – the grit! an adjustment of values, and a need for our outer world to align with those.
What is ‘sacred rage’?
Dismantling the patriarchy and owning our part
Ways to prepare and work WITH for perimenopause – emotionally / spiritually
Ways to prepare for perimenopause – physically – Anthony William ‘Cleanse To Heal’ book for the liver cleanse.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Through oceans of time, women have been in some form of subjugated position and have looked outside of ourselves for our spiritual path and autonomy over our own bodies.

This has resulted in a collective power imbalance that helps neither men nor women.

Our collective dissociation from, general disgust with and medicalisation of the womb and menstrual cycle, has put a woman’s womb in a vulnerable position, leaving the door open for patriarchal systems based on external authority and validation, to take power over a woman’s reproductive system and cyclic nature.

However, there IS a movement of women, a movement of consciousness, that wants to redress this imbalance. 

In order to actualise this shift, we as women must make the changes within and take responsibility for our own body, our own empowerment, and our own evolution.

This Ceremony gives the framework, guidance and practices to embody our seat of power, The Sacred Womb. 

Or construct your own Ceremony – my message here is that we CAN redress the power imbalance by doing the inner work.

Upcoming dates of Self-Initiation Ceremonies 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Welcome back to the podcast after an 8 month break! I give an update on what’s been happening the last year, details of my move to Thailand and an update on The Sacred Womb Book. 

Below is a summary of THE Book 🙂

For millennia, women have been in a subjugated position. Handing on over our power for safety, protection, and money and care. And it’s not worked. We have ended up struggling with a collective power imbalance, and in order to redress this, we must make the changes within and stand up to take responsibility for our own evolution.

Women are becoming more empowered. Yet something is missing. It’s our Womb. An organ that nurtures life, without it the human race would die out. Yet it is a part of the female body that has been attacked, pushed away and ignored for as long as HIStory dates back. 

Women generally don’t like their menstrual cycle. And that’s just the first level. This disdain ripples out into not liking their womb & whole reproductive system, which holds the power to birth consciousness in the form of babies and new concepts and ideas for the evolution of the human collective.

Our collective consciousness is starting to shift though. Periods are becoming less taboo, there a few books on the shelves of mainstream book shops; periods have been addressed on screen, for instance in Sex In The City 2, and a feature length cartoon; period advice features in magazines; we have great period pants (a wonderful advancement from the old inch thick surf boards, no wonder we dreaded ‘that time of the month’!) Some secondary schools are starting to teach cycle awareness to girls; there are several podcasts out about periods, some extending to the power of the womb; and in general conversation between women, it’s much more of an open topic. 

This is all a great start. Yet is it just the beginning.

Generational trauma and emotional pain from this life show up in the menstrual cycle, in many different ways, and it will be empowering for women to understand how to read these signs and symptoms, so that they know how to navigate their healing process from the inside out. 

This sort of grounded information is not yet written down. These two topics are not yet written down and linked in a way that women have access to. This book does that, in a very practical, grounded way that will guide women to heal.

What is also not yet written is the true power of a woman to birth new consciousness for personal and collective evolution . 

A grand concept, yes. Yet, I have been doing this for years myself, and training women how to do it. It works. 

This is a handbook for the empowerment of women: through the physical womb, the energetic womb and the collective womb. It is a book that will make a place in time, where women were given the information, guidance, healing information and practices to re- embody the wisdom of their true nature. 

It will redirect women from looking outside themselves for their power – to a source within that is Divinely designed. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Melanie Swan is a Trauma Resolution Specialist, Womb Medicine Woman, Perimenopause Guide, and host of The Sacred Womb Podcast. 

With over 24 years of clinical and metaphysical experience, she supports women to resolve repeating patterns at the root, heal the womb, and navigate perimenopause as a profound initiation into their true nature. 

She leads the Womb Medicine Woman Training® and is currently writing her first book, Sacred Womb, Sovereign Woman.

The Sacred Womb Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

In this inspiring and rich episode, Lisa talks us through;

• What is Generational Healing? 
• How generational healing can help symptoms (such as addictions, relationship problems, medical conditions) in THIS lifetime/timeline.
• What is the Spiritual Lineage?
• What exactly we’re looking for in generational healing – what created the split – the separation from Source, what created the need for one’s relationship with certain spiritual practice to be stopped, or changed into different spiritual practices. 
• What 'Death Truths' are and an example of how they can be passed on.
• How feeling suicidal can be rooted generationally.
• Re-membering generational glories, strengths and resources – and why they might have been forgotten.
• The potential this work has for individuals, communities and our collective consciousness on a global scale.
• Lisa’s goal to bring this work to 1,000’s of people across the globe – to clear the roots and origins of trauma that keeps us fragmented and separate from self and Source.
• Training in CRM® and The CRM® Foundation, donations are now open and will be very gratefully received!

USEUFL LINKS

The CRM® Foundation website – use this link to make a donation

CRM® Training and Schedule

ABOUT LISA SCHWARZ

Lisa Schwarz, M.Ed. is a licensed psychologist, consultant, and international educator working in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She is the developer of The Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM)®, a trauma therapy model that employs brain-based physiological safety as the foundation for healing and is the primary author of The Comprehensive Resource Model®: Effective therapeutic techniques for the healing of complex trauma.

Lisa has, for the past 28 years, been dedicated to creating innovative methods for working with severe dissociative disorders (Complex PTSD, DID, DDNOS), attachment disorders, and gestational trauma.

Her work bridges neuroscience and consciousness in trauma healing through a combination of traditional psychotherapy, somatic therapy, and indigenous healing methods.

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Melanie Swan is an internationally renowned leader in healing the physical womb, restoring the metaphysical womb, and connecting with the cosmic womb.

She’s a Womb Medicine Woman and Mulit-dimensional Womb Healer with 20 year’s experience – who guides and empowers women to come home to their true nature.

She hosts The Sacred Womb Podcast and founded The Womb Medicine Woman Training®, which she's been running for the last 7 years and is currently writing her first book The Sacred Womb, which is, at its core, a handbook for the empowerment of womankind; due for release in late 2024. Having traveled extensively she currently lives in Thailand, with her two much loved cats, Sophia and Lyra.