About Us
Our Birth Story
The Wisdom of Birth Deck was born out of friendship, deep intimacy, and an experience of birthing with support. Yiska and Zivar have been dear friends for many years. Their friendship reached new levels of trust when Zivar invited Yiska to serve as doula for the birth of their daughters, Rumi and Ara. Yiska was a profound support, especially through the challenges of welcoming Ara, who was born during the peak of Covid and 3 weeks late!
Zivar’s birth story could have been wrought with disempowerment and difficulties. However, Yiska’s presence as a support person and advocate transformed Zivar’s experience of birthing Ara into an empowered rite of passage. As Zivar processed her experience, she could not shake the feeling that Yiska’s expertise (brought from attending hundreds of births) needed to be accessible to all birthing people.
The Wisdom of Birth Deck was born.
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Zivar and Yiska designed this deck so that more people could feel supported when they are giving birth, and more people could adequately support birthing people through the process. Birth experiences — whether they are positive or not — are deeply informed by the things we think, say, hear, feel, and do during labor. And so, the prompts are designed to raise your awareness of things that may be more helpful and more supportive.
The Wisdom of Birth Deck is a bridge between that strength and vulnerability. Feeling capable while accepting help. Feeling empowered while welcoming others to support our experience. Trusting our intuition while accepting guidance.
The imagery is intimate and evocative; a source of inspiration and affirmation as you prepare for the birth of your baby. Through the intimacy of birth, The Wisdom of Birth Deck is for you and for your entire birth team.
Pregnant people can use this deck to discover within yourself the things you wish to hear, think, feel, and do during labor.
Partners, doulas, and loving family members can use this deck to gain new insight as you prepare to offer the support so many people crave when they are giving birth.
The Wisdom of Birth Deck is part education, part inspiration. We encourage you to share your realizations with everyone involved in the birth. Use the prompts to gain clarity about what you need, and what you can offer.
Throughout our lives, we experience many different “births” — not all of which are physical. In the spirit of an oracle deck, the wisdom herein is perennial and can serve as an everlasting touchstone to bring gifts of encouragement. As you revisit the Deck time and again, embrace your innate strength and vulnerability!
Remember your power. Carry that power with you as you continue to breathe new life into the world. We offer The Wisdom of Birth Deck to you as a sign of our complete and unconditional trust and support of you: body, mind, and spirit.
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The cards can be used to:
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Explore your relationship with birth and how you want to be supported.
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Expand your expectations around your birth experience.
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Seek insight and inspiration from the prompts and artwork.
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Spark conversations with your support team about how to best support you.
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Journey toward the best possible experience of your birth and beyond.
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Revisit your birth experience to fully process your story.
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Be inspired and re-inspired even years after giving birth.
Whatever your intention, just like in birth, there is no “right way” to approach this deck. Go in order, or pick cards at random. Pick one at a time, or several at once. Pull them on your own, or explore the cards with a partner. Be inspired by the prompts and artwork alone, or look them up in the companion booklet. However you’re inspired to explore the deck is perfect.
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Art: Johanna DeBiase
Content: Yiska Obadia
Creative Direction: Zivar Amrami
Production: Temenos Center for the Arts, Zach Fredman
Copyediting: Kate Kosydar
Creative Design: Kevin Reardon + Kajsa Quintero
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