A blessingway, or mother blessing, is the non-commercial “equivalent” to a baby shower. It’s a ceremony for a pregnant woman, to honour her transition into motherhood.

Traditionally, a South American ceremony, marking the transition of Maiden to Mother, blessingways are an opportunity for a mother to be surrounded by close friends and family who she trusts – and can gain wisdom from.

A typical blessingway might include ceremonies such as henna tattoos on the mother’s belly, a belly cast, candle lighting, a bead ceremony, or anything that is personal to the mother to be to honour her impending birth.

Like a baby shower, it’s a lovely opportunity to share good food, and good company, but that’s where the comparison ends. A blessingway, is focussed on the mother to be, and it’s her day to be pampered, and spoilt.

Here are a couple of ideas for blessingways, that pamper the mom to be, and are fun for the guests.

Bead Ceremony:

Each guest brings a special bead to the blessingway, and threads it onto a strap to make a necklace for the mother to be. It’s a nice thought to give a blessing or message with your bead as you thread it on, perhaps why you chose it, and it’s significance.

Candle Ceremony

Each guest brings a candle to the blessingway, and the labouring woman lights it when she is in labour, to be surrounded by positive and loving energy.

OR

The mother to be provides each guest with a candle to light when she goes into labour, so their thoughts are with her from afar.

Quilt Ceremony

Each guest brings a piece of fabric, or quilt panel to the blessingway, and together they lay out a quilt design to be sewn together. It’s nice if someone other than the mother to be has the responsibility of sewing the quilt!! So it’s a lovely gift.

The wonderful thing about a blessingway is, it’s so personal to the mother to be – so if she’s crafty, centre the activities on that. If she’s a gardener, plant a commemorative garden, if she’s a cook – bring food (that said, it’s nice for guests to bring a freezable meal for after the birth) If she’s musical, compose a song. Use your imagination.

 

 

Photo Credit: embodied yes