The Importance Of Closing Of The bones

The Closing of the Bones ceremony holds transformative importance in postpartum care, honouring the physical, emotional, and spiritual shifts a woman experiences in her journey from maiden to mother. After birth, a woman’s body is in a vulnerable, “open” state—her pelvis and bones widened, her energy stretched to its limits, and her spirit often feeling expansive, tender, and unanchored. This ceremony acts as a loving gesture to “close” and ground her again, providing gentle containment after the intensity of birth.

Traditionally practiced in communities across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Closing of the Bones may include practices such as abdominal massage, pelvic binding, herbal infusions, and warmth from heated cloths or oils to help guide the mother’s energy back into her core. The binding process, often done with a traditional cloth called a “rebozo,” gently compresses the hips and abdomen, symbolizing closure, restoration, and the re-establishment of physical boundaries.

In Mexico and Guatemala, the practice of Closing of the Bones is intertwined with the use of the “rebozo,” a woven cloth that holds cultural and spiritual significance. This cloth is used to gently wrap and compress the mother’s body, symbolizing a return to her wholeness and containing her life force after it has expanded to support new life. For Mayan and Aztec communities, this ceremonial act is a way of restoring the mother’s physical boundaries and honoring her role in the circle of life.

Similarly, in many African cultures, postpartum ceremonies involving warm oil massage, herbal steams, and gentle binding provide a sacred space for mothers to heal and reconnect with their inner selves. These practices not only address the physical "openness" of the pelvis and abdomen after childbirth but also nurture the mother’s spirit, marking her passage through one of life’s most profound thresholds.

Beyond the physical, Closing of the Bones offers a sacred space for emotional release and reflection. In this ceremony, mothers can process their birth experience and release any lingering fears, grief, or feelings of overwhelm, making space for acceptance and joy in their new role. By honoring her body’s journey and her spirit’s resilience, the ceremony reaffirms a mother’s identity as an individual, a reminder that her own wellness is integral to her family’s strength.

At its heart, Closing of the Bones is a celebration of the mother as a vessel of life, a safe return to herself, and a ceremonial rite of self-love. It connects her with ancestral wisdom, reaffirms the power of community support, and embodies the gentle truth that healing happens not just through time, but through honoring the depth of what it means to give life.