closing the bones
traditional honouring ceremony with
rebozo & abdominal massage
closing the bones ceremony in surrey, sussex & se london
a deeply nurturing, traditional postpartum ceremony to honour your birth journey as a rite of passage.
the closing includes a restorative rebozo massage to the body, gently encouraging emotional reconnection to your physical self after birth.
a deeply soothing abdominal & womb massage supports & closes the vulnerable wombspace & hips, to strengthen & revitalise your energy.
the closing is relevant for all births, including loss or miscarriage, whether you are journeying through fertility or perhaps even years after birthing your children, this is a beautiful way to come into your body, to meet & honour yourself there.
i would love to share this beautiful ceremony with you,
emma
“the ceremony was the first time since our birth that allowed me to truly relax into my body and breathe again.
being able to talk about elements of my birth and have those words heard and recognised brought me to a place of understanding that I hadn’t been able to articulate and really helped me to start healing and making peace.
the whole ceremony was exactly what my body and mind needed at this moment and it was magical to experience this”
— kind words from a beautiful first time mama
what to expect
my closing ceremony includes rebozo massage to the body from head to toe, plus restorative abdominal massage. specifically blended, warming oils, massage the belly area, from the ribs to hips & pelvis.
soothing the muscles & ligaments around the belly which have been stretched over your pregnancy, improving circulation & supporting lymphatic drainage to move excess fluids after birth.
the massage is completed by wrapping each part of your body with rebozo cloths, to close you physically & emotionally & help you return to your body.
the session takes place within your own home, so you don’t have the stress to travel or worry about your baby, whilst you take time to relax.
closing ceremony
2 hour session
includes;
intention for your closing
full body rebozo massage
womb massage
ceremony box with herbal bath tea
closing with debrief
3 hour session
includes;
birth or breastfeeding debrief
womb cleansing & intention setting
full body rebozo massage
womb massage
ceremony box with herbal bath tea
additional £80 to all price tiers
sliding scale payment options
i work with a sliding scale payment scheme, to ensure my work is valued whilst maintaining accessibility for those on low to no income. your choice of payment scale is taken on trust, i will never ask for validation of your economic situation, i only ask you to pay in honesty - please read my blog post for full explanation - here
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please pay this amount if you have stable, financial security, accessing my services would be considered as part of your regular, monthly expenditure, perhaps alongside other personal services that you are able to choose to access. this price reflects the cost that i would choose to price my services at, without a sliding scale.
choosing this price tier enables me to be able to offer a lower cost to those who cannot afford to access this comfortably & you also contribute to the reciprocity pot that allows me to give back to global community projects.
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please pay this amount if you have some expendable monthly income, but that accessing my services may mean you have to save up to afford to do so, or make a compromise to your monthly finances, without that being detrimental to your basic needs.
it means that you fall somewhere between tier 3 and tier 1, but if you do benefit from having financial support from family, friends or employer benefits, please consider reaching out to those resources before choosing the sliding scale.
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please pay this amount if the reality of your economic situation prevents you from accessing my services at the higher price tiers. if you are just meeting your basic living costs from month to month and do not have savings or expendable income, but you need the support of my services.
iif this tier feels inaccessible for you, please contact me to talk through options for payment plans.
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we will share an additional 1 hour which can be tailored to your needs. this could include a birth or breastfeeding debrief, acknowledgment of loss through miscarriage, stillbirth or abortion, or if you have feel you would benefit from some additional time to talk or receiving womb clearing or deeper intention setting. we can talk before the session to ensure your needs are met.
if you have any questions about costs or making payment for services, please always reach out to me, i’m really happy to talk it through - emma@namamama.uk
closing
rituals box
each closing ceremony includes a rituals box with a herbal bath tea, aromatherapy inhaler & reflections journal to encourage deeper reflection & self care around your closing.
you can choose to include a belly warming mask or nourishing belly oil for an additional £10 to extend your self care practice further.
honouring the lineage
i am so honoured to have learnt this sacred ceremony directly from dr. rocio alarcon, a renowned ethnobotanist, traditional midwife and healer from equador. rocio was passed the knowledge of this massage ritual from her own grandmothers, who cared for the women in their village with this gentle, honouring practice for generations.
rocio explained to us that this ceremony is rooted in her Ecuadorian culture, that she shares this practice with others so that people around the world can feel held, supported & honoured during the sacred time after birth, without appropriation. in the west there has sadly been much appropriation of this beautiful practice where the ceremony has been adapted without permission. the name “closing the bones” is a westernised term that is not associated with the ceremony in traditional cultures, where it is known simply as hipping, manteada or encadenamiento. i give thanks to rocio & to her grandmothers & draw on their energy each time that I offer this closing, each year i make contributions from what i gain from my practice to midwifery projects in other countries including south america & indonesia, and the rebozo’s i use support intergenerational industry in oaxaca, mexico.
book your closing
please fill in the contact form below to enquire about availability & book your closing ceremony
photo kindly taken by Tania Gault
reciprocity;
“the practice of exchange with others for mutual benefit, especially where privilege is granted”
for each of my offerings i make a yearly contribution to relevant charities or organisations to support their work & acknowledge the privilege in the work that i do.
for each closing ceremony, a percentage will be donated to the IAMOE Centre, a heart centred organisation founded by Dr. Rocio Alarcon. a rainforest that preserves ancient knowledge, traditions & the natural habitat of the Amazon by creating experiential learning opportunities for people to connect with themselves, humanity, nature, and spirit.
“the ceremony was everything I had hoped for and more. Emma took the time to learn a bit about me before the ceremony and I felt genuinely cared for and honoured by her throughout the process. The ceremony itself was very moving and helped me to process my birth experience more than I was able to alone. It left me feeling relaxed, loved and stronger - and ready to move gently into my new chapter of life with my little one.”
what to expect & common questions
the treatment will be held within your own home so that you can fully enjoy rest & relaxation after the treatment.
depending on your choice the ceremony will last between 1-2 hours, with a space before & after the treament to talk about your birth or parenting journey, or perhaps any emotions which may have drawn you to seek this ritual. in this time, if you have a little one, they will usually feed & fall asleep in this time!
what are the origins of closing the bones?
there are many cultures around the globe who hold subtle variations on the massage, cloth & ceremony of this postpartum ritual. my offering is based upon the direct teaching by dr. rocio alarcon of the "encadiamiento" ceremony of equador. rocio was a trained midwife in south america who began to provide the closing rebozo treatment to the mothers within the hospital that she worked, as she answered her call to hold the woman after her birth. she was following the instincts that were guided by her own grandmothers, traditional midwives within her village who she had seen care for women in this way as she grew up. rocio explained to me that this is her ecuadorian culture, & she shares her teachings so that all women can feel held during this sacred time, without appropriation.
do i need to have given birth to receive the massage?
no, this is a beautiful & therapeutic ritual massage which can feel incredibly healing for anyone who may have experienced trauma, anxiety, or overwhelm. you do not need to give me any explanation to ask for this treatment, and offer this ceremony to everyone as an opportunity for emotional healing.
seeking specialised support for trauma is always valid,. i am very happy to make time to listen to your story, if you feel open to share, or not, and can recommend local therapists if needed.
can my friends be a part of the ceremony?
i currently offer the treatment as a private, 1:1 session, however if it feels important to you to have others witness and hold you, please do contact me to arrange a chat to see how we might make it work.
can i receive the massage if i’m menstruating?
yes, however this is a deep pelvic and abdominal massage which could potentially feel uncomfortable if you are bleeding at the time.
which area locations do you cover for this massage?
i carry out the closing the bones ceremony within your own home, typically 1 hours drive from my home in dorking.
covering areas of se.london, surrey & sussex. please drop me a line if you’re unsure!
when can i receive the massage, after birth?
whenever you feel comfortable. in many cultures, this massage is given immediately after birth, it is perfectly safe to do so, but is not always practical! for a new mum, within the first 4 weeks can help to move the lochia bleeding, however there is no time limit for this massage - even 20 years after birth this can be an extremely healing experience..
can i receive the massage, after a caesarean birth?
yes most certainly, this ceremony is for all births! please just be sure that your scar has fully healed beforehand, since the massage will move over & around this area.
can i receive the massage, if i had pelvic pain during pregnancy?
yes, there have been many cases where the closing massage has really helped to reduce discomfort & bring about a rebalance for those who suffered with symphysis pubis dysfunction.
can my baby stay with me during the massage?
yes, of course! within the fourth trimester, your baby will have a need to be close to you. it's usual to feed little one before we start, and they can enjoy the relaxing vibes whilst they (hopefully!) sleep on or near you. if you would like to have someone, perhaps your partner, there to hold your baby whilst you receive the massage that's completely fine too - whatever helps you to be able to relax and take this time for yourself.
note - all text & images copyright 2023 @namamama.uk