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Rites of Passage and New Mother Support

Through all time and in every culture, human beings have honored the sacredness of the turning seasons of the earth, and the seasons of our lives.  Here are some of the ways that I can support you and your family and community in honoring these times:

Rites of Passage:

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A Rite of Passage is a ceremony that marks a major life transition. It is a sacred opportunity to embody your longings and intentions in a creative form, so that they can be manifested in this world.  It calls upon the Sacred forces of life, the Elements, Nature, and the gathered community to bear witness to this moment of transformation in an individual's, couple's or family's life and to support them in their unfolding.

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I'd be happy to assist you in planning and/or leading any of the following:

 

Wedding Celebration Planning

Commitment Ceremonies

Blessingway Ceremony for New Mother

Baby Blessings and Namings

House Blessings

Coming of Age Ceremonies for Young Women

Transition Rituals

Grandmother Ceremonies

Elderhood Ceremonies

Grieving Rituals

Memorial Services

 

Please call to discuss details.

 

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New Mother Support:
 
Motherhood is a sacred vocation, and an awesome responsibility.
Not all women have the support networks that can help to ease the transition into motherhood.
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We offer the following support services:
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  • A free consultation to assess your needs and concerns
  • Home visits for emotional support and practical planning
  • Help you develop a support network to assist you with food shopping, meal preparation, household chores and childcare for the week after the baby is born.
  • Postpartum follow-up
  • Parenting resources and mentoring
 
Sliding Scale fees  No one turned away!  This is a labor of love.  It is not intended as a substitute for medical or psychological care.
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Metamorphosis:
The Art of Becoming a Butterfly
May this reflection on metamorphosis feed your soul and your imagination, as you consider the times of transition in your own life..
“There are three phases to the butterfly’s life cycle: the larva (caterpillar), the pupa or chrysalis (in the cocoon), and the imago (a mature adult, a butterfly).


The transformational chrysalis phase is one of the great mysteries of biology. No one knows exactly how the butterfly changes form in such a dramatic way. But this much is known: inside the caterpillar’s body are clusters of cells called, of all things, imaginal buds. Imaginal refers to the imago, the adult phase, but it also means “to imagine”, and psychologists use the word imago to mean an idealized image of a loved one, including the self. The imaginal buds contain the idealized image, the blueprint for growing a butterfly. While the caterpillar goes about its earth-crawling business, these cells, deep inside, are imagining flight.“2

 

“The caterpillar's immune system recognizes these imaginal buds as foreign and tries to destroy them. As the buds arrive faster and begin to link up, the caterpillar's immune system breaks down and its body begins to disintegrate... into a mass of creamy material, which is utilized for the production of new organs... Through a powerful, devastating process, the caterpillar is no longer a caterpillar. It is transformed and reborn as a butterfly.

 

People who experience being engaged with a powerful force that seems to lift them beyond themselves seldom fully understand what happens in such moments. Nor do they find it easy to talk about the experience. Something has been annihilated. Something extraordinary has been born.” 2

 

Sources:
1. http://imago-transitions.com/philosophy.htm

2. http://www.butterflyspirit.org/stories/noetic_science.html

 

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