Okay, I'd like to hear some others weight in on this. Out of the vast majority of this population of this forum, I am among the least likely to father a child (though, it's not an impossibility, I could probably engage in the act in order to make a baby, I think). If there is anything I envy of women, it is by far the ability to grow and birth a baby. However, circumstances being what they are this is exceedingly improbable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Thus I have reservations about developing any of my own ideas about how the birthing process should occur. It will never be my decision. None the less, I've had conversations with my very best friend, who has offered me the use of her womb should the need arise (after she has spawned at least two of her own), and she has had some dubious but thoughtful reactions to my wild ideas about birthing babies magically.

Now, I don't mean some kind of Charmed BS - I mean, of course, surrounding the process with magic, from ritual surrounding the baby-making, to meditations and blessings throughout gestation, to executing some kind of magic during the birthing process itself, related to the nature and wellbeing of the child, invocations to Divinity and Destiny. A kind of Mystical Baptism as it were.

I'm curious as to the views of others here, especially mothers, but from anyone with ideas in this vein. I am also interested to know if anyone has encountered cultural artifacts of this nature - I haven't begun to really dig into the subject so I am not sure how often this sort of practice occurs in a culture, if ever. I do know that there are some really interesting ideas out there on natural child birth including things like painless birthing and orgasmic birthing. I don't know much about these methods/traditions, but something like this would seem like the ideal method to be used on conjunction.

On a separate thread, I outlined a hypothetical method for rigging a newborn's natal chart by invoking the forces of the signs, the planets, and the AC/MC currents to establish a magical version of a natal chart to be impressed upon the newborn rather than the 'natural' natal chart. Though it seems an act of hubris, the same thing can be accomplished in the creation of certain magical objects to great effect, and it was said by Bardon I believe, or maybe Agrippa, that it is the Magician who rules the stars, rather than they what rule the magician. Although my method is typically to pin down and sustain an existing influence when it occurs, the principle is not different, simply more involved.

Do you think that this approach to baby making is something to reasonably consider, especially within a practicing family (that is, mom and dad both practice)? Do you think it is a reasonable request for, for instance, a surrogate? I'm not sure what processes are involved in religious births, or if there typically are any...

whatcha think?