EP 237: "Sage-escence" – The Natural Menopause Movement, Shamanic Midwifery, and Birthing the Wise Woman with Jane Hardwicke Collings

In this episode, Kimberly speaks with Jane Hardwicke Collings, a post-menopausal grandmother, former midwife, and founder of the School of Shamanic Womancraft. They explore how the lessons learned from the natural childbirth movement must now be applied to menopause, discussing what Jane calls "sage-escence," the becoming of the wise woman. Jane shares her journey from hospital nurse to home birth midwife, how her midwifery awakened her to the patriarchy's medicalization of women's bodies, and why she sees a natural menopause movement emerging. They dive deep into the connections between all rites of passage, from menstruation to birth to menopause, and examine how unresolved trauma surfaces during these transitions. The conversation also explores sexuality and the erotic through life's seasons, the impact of childhood trauma on menopausal symptoms, body shame, aging, and the cultural pressure toward hormone therapy versus embracing natural processes.

Bio

Jane Hardwicke Collings is a post-menopausal grandmother, mother of a blended family with four adult children and four grandchildren. A former Registered Nurse who worked in Paediatric Intensive Care Units and Women's Operating Theatres, she became a midwife at 26 and left the hospital system so as not to be complicit with institutionalized acts of abuse and violence on women and babies masquerading as safety. She was a homebirth midwife for 30 years in city and rural areas of Australia.

Jane carries the lineage of Shamanic Midwifery from her teacher Jeannine Parvati Baker and created the School of Shamanic Womancraft in 2009, an international Women's Mystery School. She travels internationally giving workshops on the wisdom of cycles, the spiritual practice of menstruation, sacred dimensions of pregnancy, birth, and menopause, and reclaiming women's rites of passage. She also offers teacher training, books, and e-courses.

Jane is a co-creator of Hygieia Health, a not-for-profit with a mission to create freestanding birth centers and fund homebirth. She lives in the bush on the edge of a forest in New South Wales, Australia, committed to walking her talk and treading lightly on the earth. She sees herself as an Agent of the Goddess, a Priestess at the altars of transformation.

What She Shares:

–Journey from hospital nurse to home birth midwife

–Applying lessons from natural childbirth to menopause

–Sage-escence: the becoming of the wise woman

–How childhood trauma affects menopausal symptoms

–Salutogenic vs pathogenic perspectives on women's health

–Personal healing journey around sexuality at menopause

–Crowning the Crones ceremony

–Preparing for the transition to elderhood at 70

What You'll Hear:

–Jane's awakening to the patriarchy through midwifery training

–Why she left hospital to become a home birth midwife

–Bringing midwife eyes and heart to all rites of passage

–The state of birth in Australia and globally

–Free birth, doulas, and current threats to birth workers

–How home birth advocates are embracing medicalized menopause

–HRT keeping women in a static hormonal state

–The natural menopause movement emerging

–Anti-aging culture and the privilege of aging

–Body shame rooted in menstrual shame

–Kimberly's reflections on cosmetic procedures and nervous system impact

–How orgasm and sexuality change across a woman's lifetime

–Healing sexual inheritance from mothers and grandmothers

–Unresolved trauma surfacing at menopause as healing opportunity

–First sexual experience as imprint that unfolds through life

–Libido changes through life stages

–Finding new reasons for sexuality post-reproduction

–The spiral of life: what unfolds at each new season

–Honoring crones and receiving their wisdom

Resources

Website: https://janehardwickecollings.com/

IG: @janehardwickecollings

Kimberly's Mobilize Freeze Course: https://kimberlyannjohnson.com/freeze/