I would like to share a Guest Post from Janae Bell, certified yoga instructor, meditation and moon circle teacher, spiritual guide, and founder of Goddess and the Moon, about the new trend for expecting mothers, mama blessings, and how they’re the alternative baby shower everyone is opting for? Janae has been featured in Medium, Glam, California Business Journal, When Women Inspire, Fit For Joy, and more!
A conventional baby shower might not be for you, and that’s totally fine. One of the sweetest—and most spiritual—ways to shower a mom-to-be with affection before the baby arrives is by having a mother’s blessing, and it’s pretty easy to plan. Instead of having the complexities of a shower (think: coming up with games to play and sitting down to open dozens and dozens of gifts), a mother’s blessing simply celebrates mom.
The mother blessing ceremony is a unique and sacred ritual for expecting mothers. Stemmed from the beautiful practice of indigenous traditions, blessing ceremonies were historically held for warriors preparing for battle, as well as for women preparing for births. Instead of physical or monetary gifts, the focus of the ceremony is on the emotional and spiritual aspects of birthing. It is the intention of this circle to offer the mama the space to remember her power, let go of fears, and to be seen and witnessed, celebrated and honored for her journey into motherhood.
Guest Piece:
Mother blessings are special and sacred ceremonies for mothers-to-be. The ceremony originated with indigenous traditions of “blessing way” ceremonies, which were traditionally held for women about to embark on a birthing journey. On their passage, one was blessed with song and dance during the ceremony. Keeping this in mind, we strive to respect other cultures and not appropriate their traditions. Thus, we hold our own modified version of this event within our community, not using the exact same title, but always acknowledging the roots of this ceremony.
The concept of a mother blessing is similar to that of a baby shower, but there are major differences between the two events. For example, a baby shower emphasizes gifts to celebrate the birth of a new child, while a mother blessing emphasizes a woman’s remarkable transformation when she dedicates herself to a journey from maidenhood to motherhood.
In place of opening gifts, this time is dedicated to a much more important spiritual purpose for the mother-to-be and her family. I was inspired to create a sacred and safe space where a woman in transition could reflect upon the journey that brought her to this point, as well as release what has no longer served her as she moves forward into a new phase of her life
. It is my belief that we in the Western world do not honor our rites of passage enough. Sometimes, we get lost in the traditional ways of celebration that usually involve items of monetary value, and there are emotions that cannot be measured in dollars. As a result, I want to help others to acknowledge and honor the transitions in their lives that they are going through.
This can be a scary process as well as a thrilling one at the same time. In creating these offerings, I wanted to provide a safe and loving space for mothers-to-be to express their vulnerability, pride, excitement, and fears in a way that is both safe and loving, and where they can slow down with those closest to them. It is through these blessings that we have a unique opportunity to express our love, friendship, and appreciation, all of which we feel, but are hesitant to express at times or are too caught up in the business of daily life to do so. Through these ceremonies, we gain a greater appreciation for the bonds that connect us to each other, as well as a memory that stays with us as a source of strength and resilience in our life.
Please credit Brian Hollars, Instagram @brianjhollarsimagery and website Brian J Hollars
