Anyone wanting to book a ceremony at their home- please note I am based in Pembrokeshire, Wales and only work within a certain milage from where I live.
Closing the Bones is a postpartum healing ceremony, which was created to nurture the mother after her passage through giving birth, and her journey into motherhood. It is a celebration, a setting of sacred space, and a way to nurture Mama & baby.
Closing the Bones is a tradition from Ecuador, where the postpartum mother is blessed, anointed, massaged and wrapped. There is a calling of her spirit back to herself as she has been a portal for carrying new life – as a Warrior woman she has stood before the birth altar and and has walked the threshold between worlds. A transformation has begun as the mother embraces new aspects of herself through this rite of passage into new stages of motherhood. The intention is to provide a space as a nurturing and supportive environment in which healing can take place on these many levels.
The ceremony begins in blessing the mother. A variety of healing techniques may be used involving Robozo, massage, reiki, aromatherapy, and sound healing. There will be a ‘closing’ done by gently wrapping the cranium, the midsection and the pelvic area, helping to facilitate shrinkage of the uterus guide the bones back to their original positioning. Once complete, she is allowed to lie quietly and integrate her experience. (image- massage and robozo)
The Mother can also have the “Belly Binding” technique should she wish.
This process literally helps close a Mother’s body, which opens in so many ways- physically and spiritually- both in preparation for, and during birth itself.
The ritual also helps close a new Mother energetically, as both pregnancy, and the intense process of labor and birth, can be very vulnerable times for a woman, psychologically and psychically.
A woman’s hips open during the pregnancy, becoming wider and wider, and that after the birth it is paramount to help close them back to their normal width, otherwise mothers can suffer from pelvic instability (many women are suffering from hip issues in our society due to the lack of closing the bones massages post birth) and leak energy.
(image- Closing the Bones ceremony)
In Ecuador, women are given this massage within hours of the birth, and receive it again at least 5 or 6 times during the first 40 days postpartum. The massage stimulates blood flow which in turn; cleans, renews, moves fluids (may help with milk supply/lochia), moving hormones, immune system, toning muscles and tissue. In traditional cultures, the 41 days of the postnatal period represent a sacred time. In this time the woman will have the closing massage at least 5 times, the first being 6 hours after birth, this begins to put the bladder and uterus back into place.
The hips support the weight of the spine and head and that they are often the seat of unresolved emotions and trauma, which can be felt upon the hips as adrenalin crystals, that need to be released during the massage.
(image-using the robozo)
The massage itself includes sifting with a rebozo, using the rebozo for closing the hip bones, and using various hand massage techniques using oil around the pubic bones, belly and around the hips.
There is an energetic and spiritual aspect to the whole ritual, which provides a safe space for the mother to feel nurtured and release emotions associated with the birth and motherhood.
African Proverb….“Being pregnant and giving birth are like crossing a narrow bridge. People can accompany you to the bridge. They can greet you on the other side. But you walk that bridge alone”. Closing the Bones is a blessing and honouring this warrior mother who may have come to the birth altar for the first time- but is as important for the mama birthing her 2nd, 3rd, 4th……
The Closing of the Bones Ceremony is designed for mothers from postpartum and beyond. The ceremony is open to all mothers at any time who wish to find some closure for themselves and want to take part.
Perhaps you wasnt to be empowered to hold your own ceremony for a freind/sister? Then my Online teaching is for you! Learn how to hold ceremony, cleanse space, honour your sisters.
In Person Services- all offered in the comfort of your home…
Closing the Bones ceremony … from £160, contact me to create a beautiful ceremony for yourself, you and your friends/family , just you and your baby.
Should you need to cancel a treatment/meeting within 24 hrs I charge a 50% cancellation fee.
Please note, I am based in Pembrokeshire Wales. Contact me 07919324448 or by email info@rachaelcrow.co.uk for more information.
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