The Blessingway Celebration
Celebrating the
Passage into Motherhood
Babies
are precious. So are their mothers. Whether you are looking for an alternative
to baby showers or want to do something extra for the expectant mother,
consider planning a Blessingway.
A Blessingway is the perfect way to
bring family and friends together to honor the mother and celebrate her passage into motherhood,
as well as provide her with support and guidance.
HBMS offers to coordinate Blessingway Celebrations for our clients as well as for the public. If you are a client, family member, or friend and want to learn more about our Blessingway Celebration services, please Contact Kim.
What
is a Blessingway?
Blessingways are traditionally Native American
ceremonies during which preparation is made for an upcoming major life
event. For pregnancies, the focus is put on the mother-to-be rather
than the baby on the way. The birth of a baby truly is a miracle and
definitely a reason to celebrate. But often times, the importance of
the process itself is overlooked.
The
profound right of passage...
During a Blessingway, games aren't played and there is no gift-giving
for the baby. Rather, the focus is placed on the mother so that she
is surrounded with support and encouragement from her family and friends,
as she prepares herself for the huge transition into her own motherhood. Often
times, hand-made gifts and poems are given to the expectant mother. Belly casting, henna belly paint, hair wreaths or other embellishments, and other such ornamentation are often included in the ceremony.
When to celebrate a Blessingway...
The Blessingway should be planned as a completely separate event from other more traditional baby and birth mother gatherings. The Blessingway is a more spiritual and sacred
experience for the mother-to-be, and can be especially emotional. Therefore, care should be given when planning her special celebration, so that she can truly savor the day, be mindful of her calendar and commitments.
Blessingway
activities...
The activities you choose to have during the Blessingway really depends
on what the mother-to-be would like to do. From sage burning to bless
the home to giving foot baths, a Blessingway truly can be personalized
to cater to the mother-to-be. Rather than bringing a gift for the
baby, ask your guests to bring handmade or sentimental gifts or write
poetry for the expectant mother. Remember, there's no pink and blue
booties to get, as the Blessingway is to focus on the mother-to-be.
Circle of Mothers & Children ~ Candle Lighting Ceremony
All the women gather, hand-in-hand, forming a circle and sit on the floor. In the center, a gathering of unlit candles encircles a single, lit candle. The hostess, taking the candle directly in front of her, lights it from the center candle and pronounces, "I am (saying her name), daughter of (her mother's name) and mother
of (her childrens' names); she directs the next woman in the circle to take the candle in front
of her and proceed in the same fashion.
The circle ends with the Mother of Honor lighting her own candle.
The Blessings Necklace.
Two different sets of beautifully colored beads are purchased. Each set should have enough beads for each guest to get
one of each. At the beginning of the Blessingway, ask your guests to write
down on a piece of paper one blessing for the mother and one blessing for her baby. Using a length of cord, long enough to fit all beads from all the guests, pass it from one guest to another.
Each guest should slip on the blessing beads for the mother and the baby, verbally giving her blessings for each of them. Once everyone has put their beads on the
cord, tie it into a necklace and present it to the Mother of Honor. Put all the pieces of paper with the written blessings into
a journal or scrapbook with them for the mother to look through later.
The mother can wear, carry, or focus on her Blessing Necklace during her
baby's birth. This special keepsake can be passed on to that child later in life.
At the end of the Blessingway, present your guests with a small gift
that makes a lasting memory of the beautiful occasion. Candles and soaps
make wonderful mementos for the guests to take home. Ask them to light
the candle every night until the baby is born.
Be creative. Present
them with favor boxes and ask them to place a marble or bead in the
box every day until the baby is born. Have them decorate the box with
ribbons or words of support and present to the new mother and baby.
Find ways for everyone to be involved in the process so as to show their
love and support for the mother-to-be during her pregnancy and birthing.
Do you want help planning a Blessingway?
Contact Kim for more information.
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For more information on Blessingways celebrations,
look for these Blessingway Ceremony books...