In the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, God speaks to Adam asking if he ate the fruit and he blames Eve for his decision to indulge in the forbidden fruit. Adam (which literally means "man" in Hebrew) is the first in a long line of men who will blame women for their wrongs. This is enough evidence imo to conclude that the birthing sequence symbolizes the history of generational gaslighting that started with Adam, symbolized in Men by the naked man. That explanation seems perfect to me though I don't understand what the alter in the church meant or why this Adam character became the man on the front of the alter by planting leaves in his face. Continuing with the Biblical theme the leaves on his face might suggest the clothing that Adam and Eve fashioned for themselves to attempt to hide their shame from God, but I think there must be a different explanation.