Blessingway

The Blessingway is a healing ceremony rooted in Navajo tradition.

While not intended to cure illness, a Blessingway is a highly spiritual

and private ceremony designed to avert misfortune,

protect the home and even bless a pregnancy.

Recently my best friend and maid honour, with my mother and sisters hosted a Blessingway or Mother Blessing for me at my parents house. A Blessingway is a gathering of women who are important and respected by the mother to be. It allows the the mother to be prepare for birth spiritually, mentally and emotionally for her new role by been supported by the strong women in her life.

I think for most women or at least for myself, I dreamt of pregnancy been a magical time, with glowing skin and all mother earth! However my experience has not been quite that. Following some unexpected health news for myself a Blessingway really was a perfect way to celebrate the pregnancy and focus on the future.

My mother and creator of itsallboutthebigday decorated her house to set the scene for the Blessingway (how lucky am I?!). She created beautiful flower arrangements and other details for the day that you will see throughout the blog post. The afternoon was captured by a wonderful friend and photographer Verona Photography.

I was even made a beautiful flower crown for the Blessingway. Pop over to itsallabouttheigday Facebook page to find out what flowers she used to create the piece.

The girls put together cheese boards and created smoothies for people to snack and sip on through out the afternoon.

Each woman invited was asked to think of some words of advice, wisdom or encouragement to write in this book. I was blown away by the words written and letters read out by friends during the afternoon. These are words I will treasure for ever. There was letters, poems and my aunt wrote the words of wisdom she was given from my grandmother when she was having her first!

We all gathered in the sitting room and as the group relaxed and chatted they were invited at different times to participate in Blessingway traditions. One of the traditions was for each woman to either bring a bead or choose from a variety of beads provided by my mother. Friends that were unable to attend had sent beads with the reason as to why they choose that bead. Each person made a blessing as they strung a bead. This created a beautiful bracelet that I wear from now and until birth (its been firmly planted on my arm during a few emergency trips to the Rotunda!). This bracelet reminds me of the love and support around me in these final few weeks.

Another tradition is lighting a candle and each guest ties a ribbon around this candle while offering a word they wish for me, the mother to be. Each of the guests were then given a candle to take home.

Once I am in labour a message will be sent to each woman and they will light this candle to symbolize their connection and support with me through labour and motherhood. I am suppose to light my candle when I go into labour but not so sure how that will go down in hospital!

I came away from the day feeling so relaxed and supported (as cliche as that sounds). Each of the guests that attended sent messages saying the same. It really was perfect way to celebrate my journey to motherhood and know I have the support of many great women around me no matter what hiccups I encounter.

Here are some pictures from the afternoon.

My dress was from Penny's which my mother altered the neck line for me!