Month 7
pregnancy blessing Ceremony
Welcome to your Third trimester, Ayurveda Mama.
As you move into your third trimester, you will begin to prepare for a gentler labor and post-birth recovery as we guide you through the process. But before we dive into the very “real” realm of birth preparation and recovery, we want to move into the realm of beauty.
This month, you will be reconnecting with the sacred divine feminine through intention, ritual, and prayer. Right now, there is nothing to “fix” or “prep”. This month, we are simply moving into a place of deeper peace and relaxation. This is where you will ultimately find balance and healing.
During your Pregnancy Blessing, we will use beauty, aromatics, cleansing, and anointing, to mark this moment of your passage into motherhood and bond yourself and your baby together with a shared sacred experience.
WHAT’S IN MY BOX?
Dear Mama, this box is to honor you. Your body, your life, your focus has shifted and changed so much throughout these last few months. You are HOME to this special little soul that is growing within you.
This box is to bring beauty and ritual into the incredible work that you’ve already done to invite your baby into this world with love, care and intention. This box is to honor and nourish your body, mind and soul so that you may continue to nourish your little one as you approach the sacred transition of welcoming him/her into the world.
In this box you received:
Nourish: Abhyanga Oil
Abhyanga is the practice of self massage. Nourish is our beautiful pregnancy massage oil.
Brahmi, known as the “herb of grace,” is a beautiful adaptogenic herb used in Ayurveda as a nerve tonic, rejuvenator, and stress reducer. It also reduces anxiety, calms the mind and improves memory. Rose is a beautiful healer of the heart. Her gentle medicine invokes more beauty in ones life, as well as an experience of protection, ease and grace.
Ritual: Herbal Bath
The ritual art of herbal bathing is a timeless way to honor sacred moments with reverence. This Ritual: Herbal Bath is a divine blend of herbs that support peacefulness of the mind, opening of the heart, and invoke deep feelings of gratefulness. This ritual bath, as part of your pregnancy blessing, will mark this sacred time in your body and heart forever.
Ubtan Dusting Powder
This fragrant dusting powder is used to beautify the skin, packed with essential herbs and minerals, it exfoliates to reveal a natural glow. Sandalwood is a natural astringent that helps the skin to become naturally smooth and radiant; it brightens the complexion while rose soothes the skin. This Utban powder can be used after abhyanga on your whole body, or can be made into a paste by adding milk, oil, rose hydrosol or spring water and applied as a face mask.
Organic Rose Hydrosol
Also known as rose water, this pure rose hydrosol when poured into your ceremonial bath or misted over your body, soothes, tones, and refreshes. Rose also heals the emotional heart and helps to process grief.
Cleansing Incense
Incense smoke is traditionally used in Ayurveda to cleanse and purify an environment. This pure incense is hand rolled and scented with pure essential oils.
Plumeria Flower Essence
Plumeria is Nature's potent sedative, inducing a deep level of relaxation. When the need to say, "I don't care, I just need to let go and relax" arises, Plumeria is a powerful aid to letting go and unwinding. This remedy addresses the stress and tension of modern life - insomnia, tight muscles, nerves strung like tight wires. Plumeria helps put life's demands into a proper, balanced prospective. Flower essences are made from the flowers of plants at the peak of their bloom. They contain the spiritual essence of the plant and address issues in the body on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level.
*Products are subject to change depending on personalization.
Your blessing-way
Many women are choosing traditionally inspired blessing-ways instead of baby showers, or are maybe doing both! A blessing-way is a celebration of the journey into motherhood, and instead of focusing on showering the baby with gifts, it is focused on showering the mother with love, support, and blessings in her transition into becoming a mama.
According to Ayurveda, the baby’s five senses develop one month at a time over five consecutive months of pregnancy. It is a tradition that there is a celebration during each one of these months, bringing extra attention to nourish the specific sense that is developing as the focus of the party. As mama’s senses are engaged, baby develops a keen sense and the ability to perceive through it clearly.
Seventh Month: Sense of Touch
During this celebration, we want mama to feel amazing.
Ideas for celebration:
Include some gentle massage for mama with many hands all at once.
Belly painting is also a beautiful idea!
Hair brushing or ceremonial hair braiding while mama receives a rose-water foot bath.
This is also a great time to let your girlfriends know that you would like gentle, soothing, oily (Ayurvedic style) massages after your birth experience to facilitate your recovery and mothering strength.
Ideas for your blessing-way
Gather fresh flowers locally.
Gather flowers to arrange around your environment as well as to use in your bath. These fresh flowers will be used for making flower water to drink, for making a flower crown or garland, flower mandalas or arrangements, hair braiding, and for floating on top of your ceremonial bath. You’ll want to make sure the flowers you gather, especially for your bath and drinking water, are free of pesticides or harmful chemicals.
Below are a list of flowers you may want to use, and their significance:
Lilac – SWEETNESS & SOFTNESS, softens anything (mood, emotions, heart, body, mind) that has become rigid, brings laughter and joy, divine feminine energy
Peony – “ENOUGHNESS” & PROSPERITY, brings blessings and abundance, allows you to slow down knowing you already are enough / you are safe / there is enough
Magnolia – TRUST THAT ALL WILL BE WELL, brings gentleness to times of transformation, helps us accept the natural process of change that is occurring in our life
Marigold – HONORING ENDINGS, brings sunshiny happiness & joy, abundance, supports ability to change and grow
Rose – MAGNIFIES UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, offers protection through proper boundaries, heals the emotional heart, forgiveness, bloom into your highest evolution and highest expression of your soul, brings joy, beautifies the skin & hair
Honeysuckle – EMBRACE THE PRESENT MOMENT, helps us to let go of a past we are clinging to, moving forward in your fullest way without being held back, sweetness, playfulness
Violet (Purple or yellow) – MOTHERLY NURTURING ENERGY, dispels dark worries and fears, sweetens and warms the emotional heart
Neroli (Orange Blossom)– CALMING, joyful, strengthens the spirit, reduces stress, reduces fear & anxiety, beautifies the skin
Linden – INSTILL CALM & A SENSE OF BEAUTY, divine feminine energy, inner peace and happiness, soothing
Pregnancy abhyanga.
Using the Nourish: Abhyanga Oil you received in your box, arrange for a pregnancy massage to begin your blessing-way. You can have the massage privately, or invite a close female friend or friends to massage you. This month, your baby is developing their sense of touch, so use this time to show your baby the experience of what it means to feel safe, loving, nurturing touch.
Arrange a beautiful, aromatic, peaceful environment for your massage. Use candles, essential oils, gentle music, and low lighting to invite relaxation and peace.
Remember, it is unsafe to lay on your back for an extended period of time while pregnant, so lay on your side or use pillows to prop yourself up while you are facing up. You can lay sheets and towels down on the edge of a bed or couch, or arrange sheets, towels and cushions on the ground to lay on. The intention is to fully relax and receive your massage, so be sure to use as many pillows you need to support your head, belly, and legs.
Keep in mind that oil will get everywhere and can stain, so use old sheets and towels you are not attached to, or purchase some cotton cloths just for this special occasion. You can cover your pillows with plastic bags to protect them and then put the pillow cases on over the plastic bags, and cover the pillows with towels for added comfort.
Gentle udvartana or ubtan.
This fragrant dusting powder is used to beautify the skin, packed with essential herbs and minerals, it exfoliates to reveal a natural glow. Sandalwood is a natural astringent that helps the skin to become naturally smooth and radiant; it brightens the complexion while rose soothes the skin. This Udvartana powder can be used after abhyanga on your whole body, or can be used as an Ubtan powder made into a paste by adding milk, oil, rose hydrosol or spring water and applied as a “soap” for the entire body.
Ceremonial bathing.
After your abhyanga massage and udvartana, you can begin your herbal bathing ceremony.
Herbal bath making is an art. You are crafting medicinal waters that heal the feminine body, heart, and spirit.
You may want to choose an intentional day for your pregnancy blessing to harvest a particular energy, such as a new moon for setting intentions and new beginnings or full moon to honor the journey you have been on so far and the cumulation of all the moments prior, leading up to your ceremonial bath.
Choose the temperature of your water intentionally as well. The water should be warm and comforting, like you are being held in warmth. It should not be too hot as that is contraindicated for pregnancy.
Start by making a decoction (tea infusion) with your herbal bath blend from your box. Pour the herbs into a large pot of boiling water (about 16 cups of water), and let the water simmer until only half remains. Strain out the plant matter so that a strong herbal tea remains. You will add this herbal infused water to your bath later on.
As you fill your bath, gather your materials such as your herbal bath tea infusion, your incense, rose hydrosol, and flower essence. You can also add additional touches such as honey, milk, clays, salts, crystals, fruits, and essential oils.
You can use the fresh flowers you gathered to make flower mandalas or arrangements around the bath area, or to float on top of the water. Magnolia flowers, peonies, whole fresh roses, and marigolds are some favorites for ceremonial baths.
Light candles around the bath and burn incense, sage, palo santo, or sweetgrass to cleanse the space. Play relaxing or uplifting music that you love.
After your bath is filled at the desired temperature, pour in all the ingredients you would like to use, including the herbal bath tea, your rose hydrosol, 10 drops of Plumeria Flower Essence, and any additional ingredients you gathered.
For your rose water, pour about half in, and save the other half for rinsing your hair with upon closing of the bath.
Once your bath and bathing environment is made, soak in the bath for minimum 20 minutes, or longer if you desire. It is important to note that you should go into your ceremonial bath with a clean body, so shower before your abhyanga massage. That way your body can soak up the benefits of the oil from your abhyanga, the herbal powders of udvartana, and all of the beautiful ingredients in your herbal bath. When you step out of the bath, pat yourself dry, allowing most of the scents and oils to remain on your skin for ongoing absorption. Choose a light, flowy outfit to wear for after your bath that makes you feel beautiful.
Prayer and mantra.
During your bath, you can listen to sacred mantras or have women friends sing sacred songs around you while you are bathing. Incorporate prayer and mantra into your entire Blessing Way by meditating on names of God, chanting mantras, or saying prayers in your own words while creating and receiving your massage and bath.
Fresh flower water.
Prepare fresh flower water and have someone serve you fresh flower water to drink while in the bath or immediately upon finishing your bath. Fresh flower water brings joy and sweetness to the emotional heart.
Favorites: lilac, rose, honeysuckle, violet, peony flower, orange blossom (neroli). See what you can find blooming locally, but also check that it is safe to ingest, safe for pregnancy and free from chemical sprays.
RECIPE:
Fill a glass jar loosely ½ - ¾ full with fresh aromatic flowers and the rest with fresh or alkalized mountain or spring water
Cap and allow to sit outside in the sun for an entire afternoon or 4-5 hours.
Strain off flowers and drink right away (does not keep, so it should be made the same day as your Blessingway. If you are planning your ceremony for the morning, the flower water can also sit in the moonlight overnight).
Ceremonial hair braiding.
Ceremonial hair braiding is a tradition amongst many cultures. In Vedic culture, there is a ceremony done during pregnancy that translates to “parting of the hair.” Parting of the hair was seen as a symbol for the rite of passage, and traditionally brought good health for the development of the baby, a safe delivery, and joy and happiness to the mother.
Just before stepping out of the bath, use the remaining rose water to rinse your hair. Gently squeeze out any remaining water (so that it doesn’t drip) and allow your hair to air dry.
After you have dressed, your friends attending your Blessing Ceremony can brush (or comb), your hair, ceremonially part your hair down the middle, and then braid your hair with the intention of bringing you beauty and radiance.
After your hair is combed and braided, they can place flowers in the braid, and adorn you with a flower crown or flower garland that they have made in advance.
full circle.
This ceremony can be repeated, one year later, with both mama and baby in attendance, to honor the transition into motherhood, strengthen the bond between mother and baby through this shared experience, and to bring the ceremony full circle.
Your Yoga Practice.
