Blessing Ways
A Blessing Way Celebration is a time to gather together to pamper, support, and honor the mother-to-be.
The honored mother will receive:
- lots of pampering
- a keepsake necklace or bracelet made of the beads chosen especially for her by the women present
- a yummy meal
- strength and encouragement for her upcoming birth
- and lots of love to send her off into motherhood
Blessing Way ceremonies, also called Mother Blessings, come from the Navajo tradition and serve as a right of passage for mothers who are expecting or adopting (whether it be her first baby or tenth!). The richness of this mother-centered ceremony makes it a wonderful, more spiritual alternative to the traditional baby shower. During the ceremony, special time and attention are given to the mother-to-be. By fully receiving the love and support during this ceremony, she will have greater resources within herself from which she can then draw upon as a mother. With her closest female friends and family present, the mother-to-be is given a loving send-off into motherhood. This is a time for those present to bestow their wishes and blessings to the mother, a time for sharing wisdom and support, and ultimately, a time for celebrating life!
As your Blessing Way hostess and guide, I will take care of the details of planning this event you will never forget! You deserve it!
The activities and elements of the ceremony should be meaningful to the mother being blessed, so activities may be added or left out according to your needs. Activities include:
- Blessing Beads Sharing Each guest will bring a bead to offer for a Blessing necklace or bracelet. We will go around in a circle and each woman will present her bead and her blessing to the honored mother. We will then string these together into a beautiful necklace or bracelet for her. This will serve as a reminder of all the love, support, and blessings you have received for your pregnancy, birth, baby, and life-long journey of motherhood.
- Pampering Belly painting (or belly casting), an aromatherapy foot bath, a hand and foot massage, and hair adornment are acts of service to pamper and honor to the mother-to-be.
- Gift Giving Guests may bestow gifts for the mother, to help remind her to take care of and celebrate herself after the baby has arrived. Some mothers may prefer for guests to purchase gift certificates towards birth or postpartum doula services. I can also help organize a postpartum support schedule, having the guests sign up for days to bring meals, help with housework, or pamper the mother after her baby has arrived. Traditional baby shower gifts are also welcome.
- Candle Lighting During this part of the ceremony, each guest is given an unlit candle. Going around in a circle, each guest will share her connection to the mother and something they cherish about her while lighting their candle. They will take this candle home with them and will light it when they get the call from the phone tree that she is in labor, sending her strength, support, and positive thoughts.
- Celebration Feast The Blessing Way Celebration concludes with a pot-luck meal of your favorite foods or other nutritious items so that each guest is literally nourishing the body of the mother and her baby with her food offering.
I will provide beautiful hand-made invitations, materials for stringing your Blessing necklace or bracelet (guests provide the beads), materials for belly painting, footbath ingredients, the hand and foot massage (along with any guests who wish to join in), flowers for hair adornment, and ceremony candles. I will facilitate the celebration and bring music (and incense if desired) to create a serene atmosphere. If you wish to do a belly cast there will be an additional fee for extra materials.
Price for Blessing Way Ceremony as outlined above: $200
Special: $150 for birth doula clients
Please feel free to customize your celebration to what is most honoring and desirable to you, the mother-to-be. You may have other elements you wish to include in your ceremony which were not listed above (for example: prayer flags, singing, storytelling, journaling, meditation, and belly dancing). Generally, the guests are only those females who are closest to the mother-to-be, but if you would like to include the father and male friends and family (or children), they can join in all or some of the activities (for instance, just the candle-lighting and feast…). Whatever will make you feel most cherished and celebrated!
Prices will vary for customized ceremonies
Contact me to schedule and Be Blessed!