Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Breinn's Blessingway

Bre's Blessingway was a beautiful, encouraging, Spiritual event. About 20 of Bre's closest relatives and friends came together to help prepare her for her new path in life, motherhood. The first thing we did was have Bre sit on a chair. As sisters, Lacy and Riah washed and massaged Bre's feet(to symbolically prepare them for the new path she will walk, "motherhood"), Larah and Kailyn massaged her hands and I, mama jill, brushed and braided Bre's hair in a french braid, something i havent done for her in years.

As I brushed and played with her hair I told her about the day of her birth. I told her about the morning drive to the hospital the day of her birth and what an intense experience her induced birth was. I tried to convey to her how becoming a mother for the first time changed my life. I told her what a holy thing birth is and gave her tips for relaxing her entire body during labor. To surrender to the contractions, dont fight them, allow her body to work as it was created to work to bring forth new life.


I told her that her goal during early labor was to feel as relaxed as she did right at that moment. A surrendered birth is an easier birth.

The second part of the Blessingway all of the attendees presented an article from nature that they had brought that represented motherhood or birth to them. We had many interesting choices. Lots of pine cones, which contain the seed for the new strong tree, seashells, a baby sand dollar,rocks, willow branch, a spider web (which is delicate and intricate looking but pound per pound 5 times stronger than steel. Just like a mother). Sister Lacy even presented Bre with a bag with chicken manure in it:) Explaining that, "sometimes motherhood is dirty"

In the next part of the Blessingway everyone presented their Blessings for Bre and babe in the form of a poem, Bible verse or sincere wishes and prayers for Bre's passage and for sweet baby. Of course, there was hardly a dry eye in the room as we all wept for joy for Bre and for her child.

At this point I sent a lit candle around the circle of loved ones. As we held the candle we all expressed our connection to Breinn and how she has effected our lives.


This part of the Blessingway was extremely emotional as we all expressed our deep love for our beloved , Breinn. Many of us could barely get the words out of our mouths but instead spoke with our tears and hugs presented to her. There was no question to all present how loved Breinn is.

After that emotional time we had a time of laying our hands on Bre and petitioning God, through prayer, for Breinns birth experience, for health and safety for her child and that Bre and her husband Wes will be bound together in a closer union than they have ever experienced as they bring forth life together.

This prayer time was so powerful, yet so sweet. It was an annointed time where we felt Gods Holy Presence in our midst. After our voiced prayers, while still in a worshipful mood, I turned up the CD of Serene and Pearl singing "MAGNIFY YOU LORD" and the Holy moment continued through their angelic voices filling the room as we continued to pray and praise God silently with our hands raised to Him.

The last part of the Blessingway we wound a single hemp cord around all of our wrists, symbolizing our connection as mothers and/or future mothers with Breinn and symbolizing the circle of life.

We cut the string between each of us and tied it off on our wrists, promising to wear the string as a reminder to hold Bre in our thoughts and prayers until after the birth of her child.

All in all it was a beautiful heart felt event and Breinn expressed afterward how it was so much more meaningful to her than she had imagined it would be.

"Be blessed honey, we love you so much. I know that you will be a wonderful mother and that God will use you and this new life He created and is entrusting to your care."

love,,,,,mom

3 comments:

Patty-Jean from LittleQuiver said...

just Beautiful!!! tears came to my eyes as i read about the hemp string tied around everyone, and then keeping the bracelet/string around each wrist as a reminder to pray for baby and mama until after the birth - WOW - i had a blessingway for my 1st, Selah - and am still sooo grateful for it (she's 3).
Did you read the Doran's book? where did you get that idea of the hemp circle?

mamazee said...

love it, jill... and the picture of Riah - yikes! I know we've been buds for awhile, but the last picture i saw of her, she was Haven's age... :) and Haven was a newborn... time flies, doesn't it? I hope Bre's baby comes easily and in peace - very excited for her (and you!)

Unknown said...

That was beautiful Jill! What a special day for Bre!