Closing the Bones workshop with Sophie Messager
Background
Closing the bones is a traditional postpartum massage ritual. It is most known for its Mexican and South American heritage, but versions of it exist on all continents.
Depending on the culture, a closing the bones ritual involves different elements. There is a massage done using scarves, and/or with the hands, then a ritual tightening of scarves around the body. In some cultures, such as the Mexican, North African, and Russian versions, the ritual may also include a steam bath.
The closing the bones I offer is a blend of Ecuadorian and Mexican traditions, with modifications created together with Cambridge osteopath Teddy Brookes.
The ritual starts with rocking the whole body with rebozos, followed by massaging of the abdomen, hips, ribs, chest, and shoulders, more rocking of the pelvis, and finally wrapping the body tightly with 7 rebozos.
TO BOOK CLICK HERE
What does closing the bones do?
Closing the bones is a specific kind of bodywork designed to help speed up and enhance the healing process and changes that the new mother’s body undergoes after her baby has been born.
It helps healing by providing healing movement in the joints, muscles, tissues and fluids. It provides much-needed space to simply rest and be and be held, as well as for emotions to be honoured, witnessed and released.
Finally, it provides closure and brings the energy back to the mother.
Having massaged hundreds of women for over ten years, some as early as 24h post birth, I know the following: This ritual provides a space for physical nurturing, but also maybe more importantly, holds a space for whatever needs to be expressed, witnessed and released. It is different for every person, depending on what has happened to them. For some it is a joyful honouring, for others, it is a space to acknowledge and let go of difficult emotions.
It is also a wonderful way to honour and support women through life’s transitions, as well as help heal trauma, loss or shock.
The video below gives you a taster of what the ritual looks like.
I am offering a rare chance to learn this in person with me near Cambridge.
What does the workshop include?
History and background of closing the bones.
Practical tuition on how to give a full body rebozo massage, abdominal/chest massage and wrapping ceremony with rebozos.
Learning to create ceremony, ritual and sacred space as part of this ritual. Knowing how to hold space for whatever needs to be expressed. This is a creative and sacred process that adds much to the experience for both you and the person receiving it.
You will not only learn this technique in depth, and be able to offer it to others, but you will also experience for yourself how nurturing, powerful and deeply healing this massage and ritual is, as well as learn to provide it as part of a ceremony.
Plenty of time to ask all the questions you have, and reflect on what you have learnt.A small, intimate group of up to 12 students.An extensive, unique and detailed handout which includes a mix of traditional wisdom and scientific evidence.
Each technique is accompanied by a description, a picture, a tutorial video link, and its effects on the various joints, muscles and organs explained by an osteopath.
Access to a private Facebook group for people who have done the closing-the-bones training, where you can share knowledge and connect with a vibrant group of over 500 trained practitioners and teachers.
Who is this course for?
This course is for birthworkers, perinatal educators and therapists, yoga teachers, sound healers, and for anyone who supports women during the postpartum and throughout life transitions.
A bit of background about me, your course instructor
I worked as a doula for ten years, I also have a diploma in antenatal education and spent several years teaching antenatal classes. I have been facilitating workshops for birth professionals for over 12 years. I know how to present information in a way that is entertaining, easy to follow, and which allows students to learn easily and enjoyably, as well as apply what they have learnt in the class.
Prior to being a doula, I gained a PhD in Physiology of Reproduction and spent 20 years working as a biology research scientist. I teach a unique blend of scientific, traditional and practical knowledge. I am the author of the book Why Postnatal Recovery Matters, published by Pinter and Martin. Learning this massage was instrumental in opening my mind to our lack of postpartum support and to writing the book.
What makes this workshop special?
I offer a unique blend of scientific, theoretical, spiritual and practical experience. I was a biology research scientist for 20 years prior to reconverting to being a doula and perinatal educator over 10 years ago.
As well as history and science, in the workshop I share real stories from my clients, from mothers and birth professionals, which help illustrate aspects of the massage, as well as give you plenty of practical ideas to make it work for you.
I have given this massage to hundreds of women and trained several hundred professionals in giving it. I also co-created a new version of this massage, called the postnatal recovery massage, with an osteopath. I have also been teaching an online course version of the massage to over 250 students.
You will leave the course able to start offering closing the bones to your community straight away.
What is the investment required?
The workshop cost £349.
To book, click here.
Some examples of what people have said about this workshop:
Amazing, I loved, loved, loved the course, the venue, the women, and the ceremonial yet down to earthness feel, the course has stoked my heart. Well instructed, nicely paced, nice balance between instruction, demonstration and practice. A really wonderful day.
I really enjoyed the day. An excellent facilitator allowing knowledge to flow through the group with ease. The day was very well divided between theory and lots of practical. I look forward to practising and developing my skills.
A wonderfully informative and nourishing day. Perfect size group and atmosphere, and I loved your teaching style. You shared your knowledge and experience but also allowed the group to flourish and share viewpoints and experiences
Wonderful. I hadn’t anticipated the level to which I would experience the day. I can’t wait to incorporate this into my practice.
Practicalities of the workshop:
Each day runs from 9h to 5h30pm
We will be practising a massage which covers the pelvis, abdomen and chest so please wear comfy clothing (soft trousers/leggings/jogging bottoms etc are comfier than jeans for this, and if you wish to keep your bra on, then a soft bra is preferable to a wired one)
We love babies and children, which is why we have to say with a heavy heart that they are too distracting for this workshop. During this course, we spend a lot of our time practising a massage in pairs, so babies would need to be put down and would get fed up and upset, and this would impair the learning for yourself and the rest of the group. You are welcome to bring a baby if you can bring another adult with you who can look after the baby and entertain them for the day or who can stay nearby with your breastfed baby until s/he needs a feed.
Refreshments: Tea, coffee, drinks and snacks will be provided at the venue. There will be a longer break for lunch. You will need to bring your own packed lunch, or some food to share.
Here is a video showing what the massage ritual looks like:
