Frozen II is a tale of Power, of Leadership and of Transformation
There are many layers to Frozen II. Elsa’s journey of self discovery weaves through a tale of transformation for each of the main characters. The story throws the spotlight on the destructiveness of the patriarchy, showing us the differences between Authoritative Dictatorship (familiar to us all) and Peaceful Leadership (a pipe dream, perhaps, for most. But not impossible.). Frozen II is about Journeys and Love.
As I watched this movie, I was struck by how well it told the story of how The Birth Map and how the process of creating a map aids in the journey through birth and the transition into the beyond.
In this article, I look at the journeys of Ana and Kristoff as an analogy to the birth journey.
If you have yet to experience Frozen II, this article may be a spoiler.
Into the Unknown
It begins with an acknowledgement of facing The Unknown.
Here we are afraid of taking a risk, and yet feel drawn toward this new direction. Compelled, pulled…we must follow the path into the unknown. A mix of excitement and apprehension.
Change is coming.
Lost in the Woods
Into The Enchanted Forest…and it becomes apparent, each character will be transformed. And as the story unfolds, they find themselves on a separate transformation journey. Ana and Kristoff’s stories could help us understand the Birth Journey.
Kristoff’s is a self reflection, he is realizing that his relationship is complicated by responsibilities and that they remain individuals within their partnership. Kristoff sings, perhaps a song for Every Father, of feeling lost in the woods. He sings of how a person can be a landmark to help you find your way and refers to Ana as his “True North”. He finds direction with her. In the Birth Journey, this is very apparent. As a woman is drawn into the journey, her partner can only follow. She is the direction. She must have the freedom to Find Her Way, and his role is to support her. She needs his support, and he needs to see the landmarks in order to do this. He needs to know where the paths are. His own Journey is one of growth, from independent to responsible. In the moment of birth he acknowledges she is the ‘True North’, the decider. He feels that she is the one who knows what to do. And he must wait for her.
Some paths must be walked alone, others are for dancing along together, and there are junctions where we rest, or huddle, as we come to a decision or an understanding before choosing the path.
The process of coming to understand what must be done, means that for a time we sit. Alone. Feeling unsure. We need information, and it may not be obvious what to do until we understand the information.
For Ana, she observes what is going on. But does not understand it all. As the puzzle pieces come together, it becomes clear to her. She knows what to do. She can embrace her role as ‘the true north’.
The Next Right Thing
When we know our path, we can move forward. Assured. To get to this point, we may first feel despair, as we come to accept a path we may not have imagined ourselves on. It may be a point where we see we have only our inner strength to propel us forward. For Ana, she was realizing she could move forward even though the task ahead was Big. It was her task. And she knew what to do. In order to move forward she first experienced a grief, an acknowledgement that there was a before and a now. And that there was a future. She found hope, and a path.
What do you need.
Kristoff trusts she knows what she is doing. She has discovered her way. He supports her and respects her. He is awed by her power, and sees it does not diminish his own. As they move together on this path, they are both enriched.
Birth Cartography is a process that brings together a woman and her partner, she is the lead, the decision maker in this journey (it is her body), and her partner is her supporter. This process strengthens communication skills that will aid the relationship as it transitions and evolves. This process helps in communicating with care providers and other involved in this journey. Through this communication we align reality and expectation, we discover the different pathways that may open (or close) to us as our journey unfolds. This way, we can make informed decisions on the directions we will take. Our Birth, Our Way – no matter what.