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Rites of Passage 1
By Atalanta Lloyd-haynes of Spines & Spirit
A Blessing Way I attended my friend’s Blessing Way for her second child today. What a sacred, moving experience. A blending of ancient and new ritual, suited perfectly to our particular place in this world as it is today. A mixture of her woman friends, both long-standing and more recently formed connections...soul-sisters all it became apparent by afternoon’s end. We made our circle in a small clearing by Never-Never Creek, as the large flat rock by the “Birth Canal” was already claimed by happy, frolicking tourists. Curiously, spontaneously and quite without conscious intention, the clearing was protected from the path by a tree with a vagina-like hollow at its base. The whole tree looked like a woman about to birth her child. How beautiful that the perfect space is always there when one walks in the flow of life and releases expectations of perfection, or attachment to carefully laid plans. The circle was made, nine mothers, and a number of smaller people, crawling, running, and jumping in and out reminding us to be playful even in ritual. Any discomfort was dispelled by the discovery that our trials and tribulations of mothering are common to all. Everyone owned to being less than our own perfect (and very likely unobtainable) ideal, and yet, I saw in each of us that we are all so very conscious in our mothering of our dearly beloved little teachers. Our mother of ceremonies led us in the ritual, beginning with the calling in of our ancestral mothers and giving the names of our children. I could feel them gather around us - transporting us into that space between the worlds - protected and nurtured - so many mothers, all the way back to the first Mother of us all. She who incarnates in every woman born, whether acknowledged or not - and links every woman as soul-sisters. We were asked to each add a bead to a birthing necklace - and share the story of the choice. Some were exquisite, some prosaic, and some “stolen” from our own daughters stores...all have a little of our energy for our dear friend to draw on in her labouring moments. A pile was started of materials for a baby mobile - feathers, stones, sticks, seeds and shells. Stories were told and letters read out - written with great love by those unable to make the journey, and we each gifted our friend with a word or several of her as a mother...love and light, patient, saintly, extraordinary, gentle, the list is long, I am sure at least someone said inspirational. We were challenged to dip our fingers in a bowl of water, and to release any fears around mothering and birthing - our own and our friend’s, into the river. And finally, we each had a length of beautiful thick orange wool tied around an ankle or wrist to be worn until the babe has entered the world, and were given a candle to burn when the labouring begins. It was an extraordinary experience, I feel incredibly blessed to have been a part of it. Each of us in our way brought an aspect of the Great Mother to the circle from Maiden to Crone - even though all of us are still in the Mother phase of our lives. I am glad the rituals and rites of womanhood (and manhood too) are resurrecting. They are so helpful, connecting us as they do with the nature of this spiritual exercise we call life.
Atalanta Lloyd-Haynes is a mother who in her spare time (snort) works as a Certified MEM™ Practitioner, business consultant and coach based in Bellingen, Australia. Atalanta recently contributed to “One Page Wisdom - Book One”, and is researching and writing a book on effective and simple spiritual practice for everyday life.
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PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
Spines & Spirit
We remove emotional splinters using MEM.
spinesandspirit.com
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Hi Atalanta, Great intel... http://www.qondio.com/graphics/smilies/emoticon_smile.png It sounds like a moving, caring and loving ritual. God honors that kind of stuff.
God bless,
Jim
Hi Atalanta, It's me again... I never tried sending a "smile" before. If all that you got was a link instead of the actual smile... oops, sorry.
Jim
Thank you for sharing this very moving story, Atalanta.
These unique ceremonies from other parts of our world are very inspirational and you made this a great read.
Best wishes.
Frederick
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you Frederick!
Blessings
Atalanta
Never-Never Creek? What an intriguing name. That sounds like a story all in itself. Very thoughtful article with some beautiful descriptions.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you all for your lovely comments. It was an extremely moving experience that I felt blessed to participate in. It is wonderful to be able to share it with others through here.
Blessings
As a male, I would have loved to be a part, or at least be there, to view such a wonderful ceremony Atalanta. Your description was brilliant enough for me to 'imagine' that I was there. Thankyou for that. As for the 'males' right of passage ... that's when your father takes you to the Hotel and buys you your first drink. Hardly a comparison worthy of noting. :o)
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you John, so glad you enjoyed it.
Blessings
Atalanta
Hi Atalanta, I enjoyed this intel. I have often wondered if we as a society have lost the capacity to celebrate the important moments of life. Grant
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you Grant, it would seem that the capacity has not been entirely lost, despite best efforts...Love!
"How beautiful that the perfect space is always there when one walks in the flow of life and releases expectations of perfection, or attachment to carefully laid plans." I have found that to be so true, and I strive to keep reminding myself (until it becomes habit) to go with the flow, release those expectations and stress that goes with them. That the result will be perfect anyway. Is there a special significance to the color orange for the wool?
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you Donna...funny you should ask about the wool. My friend commented on it actually - she had red wool in mind as it symbolises the cord...orange was as close as she could find that day and decided that it was fine...another example of allowing what is rather than stressing about what "ought to be" xo
What an extraordinary ritual. May ask which culture it originates from, Celtic or Aboriginal?
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Is a melding of several - celtic and indigenous... however it is also unique to our time and place...
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