A Mother’s Blessing is a community blessing over an expecting mother. Usually the mother is pregnant, but they can also be done in situations including surrogacy, fostering, and adoption. It is a wonderful ideal for brand new mothers and each following pregnancy. The idea is that the mother is surrounded by her tribe that will walk with her and support her during the transition into motherhood. It is a precious time for women to come and pour positivity and love into her life.
“A mother blessing is NOT a blessing way. A blessing way is a Diné Navajo traditional ceremony that is deeply spiritual. To call what a modern mother blessing looks like now a ‘blessing way’ is cultural appropriation and is something MamaPixie strives hard to not be a part of. A women’s online group stated “1. In 2004, Native feminists wrote us to request that the term ‘Blessingway’ no longer be used to describe non-Navajo prenatal ceremonies such as the one described in this article. They explained that the term ‘Blessingway’ refers to a sacred spiritual ceremony performed by the Navajo people to celebrate rites of passage that occur throughout the entire life cycle, and not only the passage into motherhood. They suggested the term ‘Mother Blessing’ was a more appropriate term for a ceremony that was influenced, and respectful, of this tradition, but not practiced in accordance with the Navajo faith and culture.””
Mama Pixie
The ceremony can be as special as each different mother with a host of variations. No single Mother’s Blessing is the same as another. Each mother should work with the host to choose activities that feel special to them and communicate the feel they wish to have when entering motherhood.
Examples of special ceremonies can include prayers, belly art such as henna, paint or belly casts, massages, community candles, connection bracelets or a bead ceremony. For a comprehensive list of activities, click here.
The goal of a Mother’s Blessing is that the mother feels supported, loved and encouraged at the end of the ceremony.
