Mother Blessing

One of the best parts of my job is that I get to experience the most intimate of gatherings with stories told, emotions shared and experiences honored. I was requested to henna a mother to be and photograph her Blessing a while back and while I’ve hennaed bellies and photographed events, I always sit in awe as the women of the circle share their birth stories, their matriarchal lineage lines and offer words of guidance and support for mom to be. This ceremony was a living room turned into a sacred space. The guests were saged and cleansed before entering. The candles were lit and placed on the birthing alter to show support for this second-time-mom-to-be. Her close friends from her first time birthing gifted this experience to her. How beautiful is that? I love the home birthing community for this reason. I know my closest women friends are mostly the women who birthed with my midwife, and those women have helped me become the woman I am today and the mom I continue to be. Here’s a glimpse at what a Mother Blessing might look like and some of the beautiful moments shared…