As a woman awaits the birth of her child, there is a ritual that is practiced in America
and it is called a baby shower. It is the closest that we come to
celebrating the state of being that a woman is in…the anticipation
of the “almost here time.”
There is another ritual that is becoming popular known as the “Blessing
Way Ceremony” in honor of the Navajo Tradition. Some call it
a Belly Blessing or Mother Blessing but it came to me as the “One
Who Carries Life Within Blessing.” These celebrations usually
take place in the latter part of the Oneness. Women who are family
members and/or friends come to celebrate the wonders of Motherhood.
When women gather in “SiStarhood” there is a healing
effect that is in place. The bond that is formed in ritual is very
strong and lifetime friendships develop.
The celebration is usually planned by female members of the family,
close friends or even a woman who facilitates these types of rituals
and ceremonies. In fact the Mother to be can create her own ceremony
if she is so moved.
On the day of the ritual, those who arrive to participate in a day
of celebration, are smudged with the smoke of sage, cedar and lavender.
If the smoke is irritating to the Mother especially, then an aromatherapy
blend of the same ingredients can be added to spring water and sprinkled
instead or they can be symbolically “swept clean” with
a broom.
The women then gather around the expectant Mother, encircling her
and giving praise and thanks for the sacred space that is being created
at that moment. Giving thanks for love, bless the space with moon
water, moving in clockwise motion. Making a joyful noise, gathering
around, sharing birthing stories and tales of Motherhood.
A specially decorated chair, designed for comfort, is where the expectant
Mother is seated, with flowers strewn about giving off a fragrant
bouquet. Colorful pillows are placed on the floor for the adoration
of the belly with henna painting or belly casting.
Pampering can include tending the hair with loving strokes. All the
while affirming a most beautiful birth with ease and grace. Women
have traditionally given their community of SiStars a footbath scented
with oils and herbs to comfort, rejuvenate and refresh one another.
Follow through with a foot massage and the senses are truly pleasured.
It is a time of sharing birthing stories that speak of joy, courage
and love. |
In Africa, India and various cultures throughout the
world there is a custom where the women of the clan paint the swelled
belly with henna designs that speak to health, luck, joy, prosperity,
spiritual awareness and protection. This beautiful work of art will
adorn her belly until the day the child comes forth through the Web
of Destiny. The painting, created only weeks before the day One becomes
Two, is a reminder of the love, support, strength and courage of
the “SiStarhod”
Women like to help their “SiStars” look and feel beautiful
from the inside out. The Hair Ritual is a relaxing experience that
will prove to be beneficial to the body, mind and spirit. Weaving
flowers into the hair or placing a crown of flowers upon the head
is a way of showing honor to the initiation process of this Shamanic
Priestess.
A special piece of labor jewelry is presented and given by the Elder
of the clan. This piece of jewelry is symbolic of all who gathered
together in “SiStarhood”, that the Mother would be well
prepared spiritually, emotionally and mentally for the journey that
she is about to embark upon.
The dance of the belly is always a great way to end the festivities.
That is when all of the women circle around the “One Who Carries
Life Within” and they move their bodies like the ocean waves
in celebration of an easy birth. It is a fun and joyous time being
shared.
Rites of Passage mark a very special time in our lives. These times
should be acknowledged, honored and remembered for years to come.
The ritual for the One Who Carries Life Within is inspired by the
Ancestral Mothers and created for modern women.
“Giving birth is priestess work; it requires a woman to pass
through a painful and dangerous initiation in which she journeys
to the threshold between worlds and risks her own life to help another
soul to cross over.” Jalaya Bonheim Aphrodite’s Daughters
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