Dawn Hiruko
Psychic Medium
Expecting Mothers Birth Blessing Ceremony
A Mother Blessing is a unique and sacred ceremony for an expectant mother. It originates from the indigenous traditions, which historically were held for warriors descending on a journey to battle, as well as women, who were embarking on the journey of birth.
This ceremony surrounds the mother-to-be with Angels, her guardian angel, Our Creator, her loved ones passed over, love, support, prayers, and positive intentions, from her loved ones, whom the she trusts and admires, as she begins her journey towards labor, bringing life into this world.
This ceremony is very emotional, helping the mother-to-be, by filling her with energy from Angels, Our Creator, the universe and also from Mother Earth, bringing up emotions, which in turn fills her body with delivery hormones; including Oxytocin, which actually helps her to give birth.
How is this different from a baby shower?
A mother blessing is similar to a baby shower in that it is a gathering of close female friends and relatives, however there is a great difference between the two. The difference lies with whom the focus is set on, a baby shower is full of gifts for the new life coming to earth, whereas a mother blessing is focused on the remarkable transformation that a woman is going through, in their mind, body, and soul, through the journey from childhood, to motherhood.
The ceremony focuses much more on the emotional and spiritual aspects of the birth journey, than it does the physical or monetary gift giving aspects, of a traditional baby shower.
*Gifts for mother, child, and family are always welcome at a Mother Blessing, but do not expect to sit through the normal scheduled gift opening aspect of a baby shower.
What goes on during the ceremony?
Instead of spending an hour or two opening gifts, this time is for a much more spiritual purpose for the mother-to-be and their family. A mother blessing traditionally opens with honoring each and everyone’s birthing ancestors and the journeys they embarked upon for each woman that is present at the ceremony that day. This event is very intimate and meant to be shared with the mother-to-be's closest family and friends. Think closest friends, sisters, mother, aunts, nieces that are young adults, grandmothers and the wisdom of your feminine elders.
We start with purity. All White. The mother-to-be will be dressed in white, with her belly bump showing, and bare feet. Everyone who attends must also wear all white and be barefoot (or flip-flops, that can be removed easily). Each person will have their feet bathed upon arrival. Guests will be asked to bring two things: a poem, song, prayer, quote or scripture about pregnancy, birth or motherhood; and an all white scarf to cover their hair.
There will be fear release ceremony performed for the expectant mother, surrounded by angels of all kinds, for love, peace, healing, and protection, the fear release ceremony is done to express her deepest worries, while we, as a group, build her up and help her work through her fears, leave them behind, and prepare for her deep journey to the heavens, to retrieve the soul of her child, and bring them safely to earth. This will be written on paper and released through fire into the universe, traveling up to the heavens and her ancestors for support and love.
Group activities will also be incorporated; belly bump painting, creating birth affirmations, a red twine will be joined and then cut for each person attending. Also the family / friends at the ceremony will bead a chain of crystals to support the mother-to-be, through birth; I will draw a sacred foot bath and a give her a foot blessing, (creating a path for her into motherhood), and her attendees will recite their messages for the mother-to-be. Everything is to make her feel like an empowered woman, ready for her battle. Then, we create our own Holy Mother Water, set with intentions of love, support and positivity. The blessed water can be used for many purposes during labor, such as being drank, poured into her birthing bath, used to cool her head or body (offering positivity and abundance from her loved ones, promoting support during this battle of love). Then, if any is saved for the baby, the water can be added in the newborn's first bath, blessing the newborn with intentions from angels and the people who will support it's mother, through parenthood. It can be used for any instance, where light and positivity may be needed for the mother-to-be, to gain strength and complete her journey of sacred love.
At the end, the group comes together in a blessed circle, setting all of our intentions into positivity, releasing all negativity. The core of the mother blessing IS this actual "blessing circle". This can take many forms, and as the facilitator, I work closely with the mothers and her family members, ahead of time, to incorporate many of their family traditions, values, or spiritual beliefs, into this circle ceremony. A blessing to the mother can take shape in many forms, but the heart of it, is to bless the way for the new mother, on the journey she is embarking.
Is a “blessing way” the same thing?
For the most part, yes. A mother’s blessing is an intimate party, inspired by an ancient Navajo ceremony called "a blessing way". The ceremony is held to prepare an expectant mother for her upcoming birth journey—to shower mom-to-be with love, support and encouragement. The act of birth is seen as a rite of passage for women, and this is meant to help a woman feel mentally, physically and emotionally ready to give birth. A mother’s blessing is a modern ceremony that can give moms-to-be a similar sense of support and honor, as Navajo mothers-to-be have received in traditional blessing ways.
*Being conscious of mind, we strive to not appropriate other cultures and be sensitive to their sacred traditions. This is why, we hold this event in our own modified version, not using the same exact title, and making sure to always acknowledge the heart from which this ceremony rooted.