Rebozo Closing Ceremony / Cerrada / Closing of the Bones

I first received the knowledge of this ceremony as a gift from indigenous midwives I studied under in Cotacachi, Ecuador in 2019. I was invited to attend a traditional Closing of the Bones in a postpartum mother’s home, and then brought back to the midwife’s home where she encouraged us to practice on each other so we could learn it in our own hands. When a friend of mine asked her if it was appropriate for us to bring her cultural practice back to our communities in the United States, the midwife responded that it would be inappropriate not to share it with mothers in our communities after receiving the knowledge. Thank you  parteras, Mama Lucmila in Cotacachi and Mama Rosa in Otavalo for sharing your knowledge with us.

In Ecuador, they use a “manta” to wrap the hips and pelvis tight after birth. They believe this brings the expanded energy that was lost in the birth process back into the body. In this tradition, the wrap and tie is done by the midwife and left on for a couple days until the next postpartum home visit.
When I studied under Rachelle Seliga of INNATE Traditions, I learned the ceremony again, a bit differently. Rachelle teaches from the Mexican culture of her mother in-law and discovered that a similar version exists in traditional Russian culture as well. This ceremony uses a traditional Mexican “rebozo,” a long scarf-like cloth very similar to the manta, and utilizes 7 different wraps on the body, as well as a spinal extension from a tie on the feet. 

This ceremony is not fancy, nor complicated. In fact, some don't even call it a "ceremony," but more of a common-place practice done after birth. It is very simple medicine-- being witnessed in the postpartum time for all you have grown, birthed, healed, repaired, lost, grieved, gained and all the ways you have transformed as you were initiated in this rite of passage of Motherhood. I come to your home, share tea, and invite you to share any reflections of your birth or share your story. We then invite in slowness and presence and begin the wrapping as a gratitude practice, making our way down from head to toes and blessing your body. 

Most women I have worked with don't feel ready for a closing until about 6 weeks to 4 months post birth, but it can be done any time you'd like. I also like the phrase "postpartum is forever." It is never too late to invite in this practice to honor this path and transformation, or to acknowledge a point in time. 

• The physical rebozo wrapping and ceremony (with breastfeeding pauses throughout)
• Gentle and simple womb massage
• Castor oil pack treatment for womb (or breasts) or herbal bath 
• Nourishing herbal tea
• An opportunity for birth story sharing and processing
• An opportunity to ask any questions about your new postpartum body, baby,
  or breastfeeding

• Closing up the pelvis after birth, both physically and energetically
•  Facilitating healing to the abdominal walls, fascia and ligaments of the pelvis
•  A gratitude practice of the body of the mother, and reflecting on the power
  used to birth the baby
• A ceremony to honor closure of anything that needs to be recognized, as well as honoring the rites of passage into motherhood with the death of the maiden

For more information on the history and benefits, please read this article by my teacher and mentor, Rachelle Seliga: https://www.innatetraditions.com/blog/Closing-of-the-bones-rebozo