Amanda Gloria Valdes is a wise woman, teacher, and guide for space holding + transformation, serving as a birth doula, mindfulness teacher, and yoga teacher trainer. Her mission is to catalyze change by building strong communities through arts, yoga, and accessible wellness services for folx nationwide, in particular for BIPOC communities. Amanda has been absolutely integral to my own training and emergence as a yoga teacher and space holder.
Amanda, it’s so good to be with you!
We're going to play a short game I made up called, "this or that, without context" in which I give you two concepts and you choose one - for whatever reason you want - and you can share why, or not.
Pisces season or yoga blocks: Pisces Season
The Bronx or summertime: Summertime
Cold steel or a fresh cut grass: Fresh cut grass
The spine of a book or the spine of a human: Human spine
Bliss state of unity or attitude of gratitude: An attitude of gratitude
Diet coke or sour patch kids: Sour patch kids
The world recently lost Miss Tina Turner, renowned rock goddess and a Soka Gakkai Buddhist, like you. What are some ways you relate to Tina Turner?
I relate to Tina Turner with her drive to never give up and really live, breath, and awaken your mission!
Can you share more about Soka Gakkai Buddhism chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo? When do you turn to it and what can it do?
Soka Gakkai is the most diverse Buddhist community in the US, part of a global network that practice the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism centered on respect for the dignity of life.
Chanting “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” is a way to embrace and bring forth our Buddha nature. It means calling out my potential to be happy as well as the potential for the happiness of others. I turn to chanting it, or daimoku, everyday.
What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned about yourself as a teacher and creator over the years?
The most unexpected thing I learned is to truly trust my voice and my heart. The closer to the union with that will always steer me the right direction.
What has to be true of the wellness industry in 5 or 10 years?
I think the next 5-10 years the wellness industry can be a great opportunity to access healing tools that can be shared and revisioned, rather than something we are just consuming. Can we explore within our communities accessibility to tools from food access, plant medicine, to well-being spaces for all folks?
What does a flow state for you feel like? Give us just a few words.
Flow state shows up for me when I can be present in my mind, body, and mission, with minimal distractions from my phone, etc. If I were to choose one word for flow state would be to be in presence.
What is it like to hold space for someone giving birth? What is childbirth like from the perspective of the birth worker / doula / space holder?
To hold space for someone giving birth is sacred, exhilarating, scary, sensitive, emotional, and remarkable. As the space holder, we really need to constantly having a conversation with our ego and re-center the birthing person. I am constantly navigating this space and it is not one-size-fits-all.
How do you reconcile your deeply compassionate heart with your fierce Kali challenging courage?
I reconcile my compassionate heart with my Kali challenging courage by exploring balance and sitting with myself and what that is from moment to moment. To conjure up compassion is courageous. Courage and compassion work hand to hand (two sides of a coin).
What is the connection between the eight limbs of yoga and the birthing process?
This is a very deep and profound question. In short, the eight limbs of yoga explore how we move through inner observances and outer observances, through postures (asana) to breath, removing one's senses, to concentration, meditation, and finally toward bliss. When we take this same framework and look at the birthing process, we are exploring where we are in union with ourselves, our birth team, providers, checking in with oneself from inside out, and moving through austerities to blossom into actual birth and liberation.
I’ll offer some reflections on the parallels here…
Among the eight limbs of yoga, the Yamas are the “outer observances” or ways to conduct an ethical life. They explore external observances that affirm and are in union with a path of integrity. In birth work, this can show up in self-face, care from our providers, our health system, and broader society.
For example, the first Yama “ahimsa” or nonviolence is reflected in non-violent, inclusive affirming care, informed consent, and non-harming towards oneself and others in care.
The Niyamas are the “inner observances” of the eight limb path, and have to do with spiritual and self-discipline practices. In the experience of fertility, whether its pre-conception, conception, pregnancy, or beyond, big changes require deep reflection, unearthing our view about our own bodies, and deep surrender.
For example, labor is a great example of the third Niyama “tapas” or heat / spiritual austerities. In labor you’re literally you're moving from one state to another as you transition toward birth. A birthing person is faced with deep self transformation and literal sensations of fire during that process. The fifth and final Niyama “isvara pranidhana” (surrender to God) is like the deep surrender to the process of birth and the self-transformation that occurs through that process.
How often does the concept of lineage or ancestry enter into your experience of your present?
Constantly, whether its dreams, feelings, family discussions, remembrance of traditions to inform the present.
Something that you can’t live without today that you could a year or so ago.
My family and loved ones.
Something that’s not a part of your life right now that was a year or so ago.
My niece is pure joy.
What have you been pecking at lately?
Planning a wedding.
What have you squirreled away for later?
Lots of admin work.
Anything else to leave us with?
Life is so short, can you be in presence and gratitude now?