Our Misson

In the spring of 2024, as I sat in the infusion center waiting to receive my first round of aggressive chemotherapy, I thought of the moment when I held my newborn in my arms. That moment, nearly 17 years ago, was the first time I had ever done something that stretched me beyond the bounds of what I thought I could do, testing my strength in a way I never thought possible. I could have never anticipated that the lesson I learned during childbirth - I’m strong and can do hard things- would carry me through so many unexpected challenges ahead.

 

As a young mom starting on my journey to motherhood, I had these little hopes and dreams. A thought that maybe I could do something different with my birth….that maybe I could have the unmedicated, empowered delivery I had heard stories about….. Instead of delivery being the start of me being disconnected from my baby, maybe it could be the start of a beautiful bond between me and this new human being. Maybe, instead of doubting myself, I could trust myself…

 

knew I would need someone to guide me and encourage me, so I searched for a doula and found Rachel, who met me in early labor with a comforting smile, warm hands, and encouraging words. When unexpected questions arose, I turned to her. When I was scared about what I was feeling, I was met with calm reassurance on her face. And when I held my baby in my arms, she reminded me that I had known how to do it all along. I remember thinking, “I’m Superwoman! If I’m strong enough for that, I’m strong enough for anything!”

 

Over the coming weeks and months, Rachel was also my guide for what it looked like to have a trusting connection with my baby. She encouraged me to rest when he rested, be gentle with myself as I healed, and listen to my baby’s cues. She gave me the confidence to trust myself and my intuition.

 

For subsequent babies, I had other wise women by my side, who guided me through other challenges- malpositioned babies leading to difficult deliveries, surgery for my newborn, and extended PICU stays- but their presence taught me the value of walking alongside someone during the hardest moments of their lives. They couldn’t fix or change circumstances for me, and in fact doing so would take away my power. But through their belief in me, they helped me discover a secret- that I’m strong and can do hard things.

 

It was in the midst of growing a family that I realized I wanted to help other women discover this secret. I realized that birth had been a journey of growth and transformation for myself, and I wanted to provide other women with the same encouragement and support I had received on my journey- thus the name Masa, Hebrew for "journey."

 

A few years ago, my journey led me down a path I didn’t want to take. Early menopause and a breast cancer diagnosis came as a shock, and forced me to dig deep again. I questioned my calling, my abilities, and who I was in this new season of life. Yet, the voice whispered deep inside of me and reminded me.. “Elaine, you’re strong, and you can do hard things.” And, just like childbirth, the adversity brought growth and transformation. Just like childbirth, I would never trade the lessons that I’ve learned or the woman I’ve become.

 

Along with this growth, I have had to adapt what “strong” means and looks like for each season. Sometimes strong has looked like grounding myself when I felt like intense contractions would sweep me away. Other times, strong meant resting when my brain and my body needed to heal. And in my current season, strong means tuning out the noise and listening to the small voice inside that’s guiding me to what’s next.

 

The journey that we walk as women is an ancient one, and since the beginning of time women have known these truths- how to move with the rhythms of our bodies and the earth, and that we are created with the ability to nourish and care for ourselves and others.

 

These are the truths that I want each woman to discover for themselves. My passion is that women in every stage- adolescent, motherhood, or matriarch- will know their innate strength and ability. That no matter the circumstance, no matter the challenge, they have always had inside them what women have had since the beginning of time- the ancient wisdom and strength to overcome- and be transformed in the process.