01/05/2022
Liminal Spaces: ‘Closing of the Bones & Befriending the Mother’ rite
After several years of practicing as doulas and mothers, researching motherhood, maternal subjectivity, -experience, and cultural narratives in relation pregnancy, birth and postpartum, we have developed the ‘Closing of the Bones & Befriending the Mother’ practice designed to offer holistic support to women in their diverse and often challenging transitions into motherhood.
During these sessions space is created for acknowledging, listening, and ‘sitting with’ the mother’s experience and her emotions regardless of what it may be (joy, sadness, anger, euphoria, rage, ambivalence, gratefulness, loss, or indeed other). Furthermore, these sessions are built to support the mother’s process of beginning to discover her new identity as a mother, and help her to mark, or ‘close’ and leave behind that which has been while gently supporting her to start moving with intention and direction into her ‘new skin’. (This practice can also be carried out at other times in life when faced with moving through a significant transitional phase).
The first part of the practice gently maps that 'what is’. It consists of birth-story listening, herbal bath, specially brewed tea that brings warmth into the mother’s body, and very importantly: the setting of intentions.
The second part of the practice begins the ‘journeying in’. It consists of a massage and the ‘closing of the bones’ rite, during which your entire body is gently, yet firmly, wrapped in traditional cloths. (For more on the use of traditional cloths, see our websites). Together with the other parts, this part of the practice is designed to help the mother energetically ‘close’ and mark the end of her childbearing year. During this second stage of the practice, we drum for you, and guide you on a journey.
The third part of the practice begins the process of ‘journeying out’ and ‘opening up’ towards your set intention with compassion and commitment.
Lastly, we end with some light snacks and drinks to end our session together and bring energy into your body.
As of spring 2022, due to the growing demand over the last seven years and our busy on-call lives as doulas, we have decided to dedicate two full weeks, (one in the light half of the year -spring- and one in the dark half of the year -winter-) for carrying out individual sessions. The next full week of these sessions is held at the end of May 23.05 - 27.05. (Fully Booked). If you would like to reserve a session for the week in winter, know someone who might benefit from a session, or have any queries, do get in contact. We look forward to hearing from you!
Warmly,
Doula Deirdre & Doula Marlies
www.doulapraktijkrotterdamzuid.nl & www.doulamarlies.nl
Marlies Phielix is a mother of three, an experienced birth doula (2011), doula trainer at BiA Training, a Certified Spinning Babies® Parent Educator, and a pregnancy- and postpartum masseuse.
Deirdre M. Donoghue, PhD., is a mother of two, a birth doula since 2015, and a pregnancy- and postpartum masseuse. She has published on mothers and art, maternal subjectivity, and -experience, and developed educational materials on combatting gender inequality and gender-based violence against women through art.
‘Liminal Spaces’ is the name of their joint practice bringing together their shamanistic practices with birth work.
