During a Mother Blessing, we hope to fill the mother-to-be up with love, to let her know that she is supported and connected to a community of women.
At some point during the ceremony, a Red Thread Ritual may be performed.
This is to symbolise that the women in attendance are all connected together, as well as the power of women both known and unknown, who came before us via our Red Thread, or the maternal line. Mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers as far back as time.
The Red Thread is wrapped around the mothers wrist, and then passed to the woman beside her. She wraps the thread around her wrist and passes it along, until all the women in circle are joined together by the thread.
The women in attendance take a moment to breathe, meditate, sing or say a few words about the significance of friendship, support and the strength of birth and mothers.
The thread is then cut and tied as a bracelet, and the attendees are advised to wear this until the mother births her baby. The mother can look down at her wrist during the final days of pregnancy, even during her labour, and remember she is held.
Once the baby has been born, everyone can cut the thread and bury it within the earth, or leave it on their own altar to welcome the baby earthside.
Learn more about Mother Blessings by listening to Together Podcast: Episode 12: Facilitating Mother Blessings for Friends