Mother's Blessingway 12-11-11

A mother's blessingway is a gathering of women (although men aren't strictly excluded) to wish a mother-to-be well on her way into motherhood.  Originally, the ceremonial aspects arose from a Navajo tradition, being, I believe, significant to the first-time mother, a girl becoming a woman.

As I enjoy the communion of female friends (and one or two family members!) and wanted to do something to celebrate this special time, I read about the concept and arranged my gathering of women to fall at a 'powerful' time, in the month and in my pregnancy: as close to the full moon as possible, one day after 11-11-11 (considered significant by some), 33 weeks to the day.  Seven of my closest female friends and my cousin, all mothers themselves, and as a last minute surprise, my own mum, all came over for the afternoon. 

We shared poems and stories of uplifting experiences.  Many of us were in tears at the depths of emotion we shared together, some even revealing very personal and difficult circumstances, interlaced with the joy of celebrating our children.  This has resonated with me very deeply.

Everyone brought beads, which I plan to string together to make a bracelet for myself to wear on the day of my baby's arrival, and one for the baby.   A few did some 'birth art' which, along with the stories and poems, will form part of a scrapbook, that I will cherish.

Just for fun, I gave everyone a pebble or stone found at the beach that I had had lots of fun painting small pictures on after William's bedtime over the last few days.  Everyone selected one at random from a bag.  I painted whatever came into my mind, and it seemed that the pebbles found their rightful owners - in a sense, that each choice, though random, seemed somehow appropriate.

Finally, everyone also brought a small piece of fabric, a scrap, but with some significance to each bearer: a piece of a scarf from Nepal, part of a skirt from Thailand, a baby's tiny comfort blanket, amongst others, that will all be pieced together to form a quilt for the baby, something for her (or him) to cherish.  This made my mum's presence all the more of a nice surprise, since it is she with her clever needlework skills that will make the quilt.  Somehow, this gives the feeling that a circle is completed.

Today has been a very uplifting and spiritually affirming day.