The Closing of the Bones

A healing ceremony for times of transition

There are moments in life when the body opens — physically, emotionally, and/or energetically.

Birth.
Miscarriage.
Pregnancy termination.
Menopause.
Illness, grief, and other profound thresholds.

In many traditional cultures, these moments are recognized as initiatory — times when the body, nervous system, and spirit require intentional care, containment, and integration. In modern life and modern westernized medicine, that kind of support is often absent.

The Closing of the Bones ceremony is a somatic and ritual container offered to support women through these significant life transitions — helping the you feel gathered back into yourself, integrated, and resourced as you move into what comes next.

What this ceremony offers

This ceremony offers support after experiences that profoundly reorganize the body — such as birth, pregnancy loss/termination, or menopause. It provides a ritual marking of a life threshold and embodied support for crossing and integrating the passage that threshold represents.

We support the nervous system to settle, the pelvis to feel contained and integrated, and the whole being to sense a return toward wholeness.

People often describe leaving the ceremony feeling:

  • gathered back into themselves

  • more integrated and settled

  • deeply held and nourished

  • clearer and more grounded as they step forward

This work is especially supportive in postpartum spaces — including after birth, miscarriage, or pregnancy termination — when the body has undergone a profound opening that calls sufficient closing and care.

Lineage & orientation

Closing of the Bones ceremonies exist in many forms across cultures around the world. The ceremony I offer is rooted in traditional Mexican medicine, shaped through my direct training, and held with deep respect for the lineage from which it comes.

This offering is grounded in ritual, human connection, and somatic care.

What happens in the ceremony

Each ceremony is deeply personalized and unfolds slowly, guided by your body and your needs and intentions.

Sessions typically last between 2 to 7 hours.

Depending on your circumstances, the ceremony may include:

  • an opening conversation and intention-setting

  • gentle touch, holding, and containment

  • an herbal steam bath and/or sauna

  • rocking, wrapping, and binding with long woven shawls (rebozos)

  • elements such as sound (voice and Himalayan sound bowls), and silence

  • a cacao or tea ceremony to support grounding and closure

  • time for rest, integration, and reflection

Postpartum, pregnancy & timing considerations

This ceremony can support different phases of the reproductive and life cycle, and timing matters.

  • After an intervention-free vaginal birth, aspects of the ceremony — such as rocking, wrapping and binding with long woven shawls — may be offered within the first weeks postpartum.

  • After births involving complications (including hemorrhage, forceps or vacuum assistance, or cesarean), the ceremony is typically offered later, once the body has had additional time to recover.

  • Certain elements of the ceremony may be supportive during early recovery following pregnancy loss or pregnancy termination.

  • During pregnancy, aspects of the ceremony can be supportive and may help the body practice release and surrender in preparation for birth.

Because each body and experience is unique, we begin with an initial phone conversation to understand your intentions, needs, and timing, and to determine which elements of the ceremony are appropriate for you.

Who this ceremony is for

This offering is for people who have or have had wombs and are moving through — or carrying the imprint of — significant transitions, including:

  • postpartum after birth (at any point, not only immediately after)

  • miscarriage or pregnancy loss

  • pregnancy termination

  • perimenopause and menopause

  • pregnancy and preparation for birth

  • other initiatory life transitions (such as the death of a loved one, divorce, etc.)

Location

Ceremonies are offered:

  • in your home, or

  • in a peaceful rural setting in Vernonia, Oregon

Details are discussed during our initial conversation.

Important notes

This ceremony is:

  • somatic, relational, and body-centered

  • grounded in ritual and nervous system support

  • held slowly, with care and attunement

This ceremony is not:

  • medical care

  • psychotherapy

  • a replacement for working with your healthcare provider

Any relevant considerations or contraindications are discussed prior to scheduling.

Investment

This ceremony is offered on a sliding scale of $350–$850, reflecting the length of the session, the depth of care, and a commitment to accessibility.

It is my intention to make this work available to those who need it. If financial resources are a concern, we can talk during our initial conversation about what is possible. Alternative arrangements — including trade — may be considered.

An invitation

Transitions change us.

When they are not honored, held, and integrated, these crossings are not fully metabolized in the body/mind/spirit, and their echoes can linger, affecting how we feel, move, and orient to life. This ceremony offers a space to be met — to be held through an intentional closing — so that you may leave the ceremony feeling more fully gathered back into yourself and supported as you step into the next phase of your life.

Please send me a message to inquire or schedule an initial conversation.

Contact me here