Closing the bones and drumming workshop

Closing the Bones and Drumming: A Ritual for Every Threshold

What is Closing the Bones?

Closing the Bones is a traditional postpartum ritual, best known from its South American origins, though versions of it exist, or once existed, on every continent, including in Europe. It involves gently rocking the body with scarves, wrapping the body in a particular sequence, and in some cultures, a steam bath or sweat lodge. I always include drumming.

The ritual helps:

• Physically, by bringing movement into joints, tissues and fluids
• Emotionally, by offering space to rest and be witnessed
• Spiritually, by marking a transition or closure and gathering back your energy

This practice supports healing during many of life’s transitions, not just postpartum.

What’s covered:

• The history of Closing the Bones and how versions of this wrapping ritual appear in cultures across the world
• The science behind it, including research on diastasis recti, pelvic pain, circulation and emotional wellbeing
• Why being wrapped calms the nervous system
• A live demonstration of the wrapping technique, including how to wrap your chest and ribs with a rebozo
• Why I simplified the ritual by removing the hands-on-skin massage, and what that opened up
• How the ritual adapts far beyond postpartum: menopause, miscarriage and baby loss, grief, and other thresholds
• My training with Mexican midwife Naoli Vinaver, and why adapting a method matters more than following it rigidly
• The science of drumming and brainwave states, including research by Jeff Strong and Barry Quinn on alpha waves, anxiety and depression
• Why intuitive drumming works differently from structured rhythm
• Live drumming demonstration
• Q&A covering working with men, menstrual pain, pregnancy, supporting women after miscarriage, where to buy a rebozo, and how to choose your first drum

Class format

The class lasts 90 minutes, with about 75 min of teaching and 15 minutes of Q&A.

Who is this for?

Perinatal and holistic professionals, sound healers, healers, ceremonialist and ritualists and anyone curious about embodied holistic healing practices.

What you will gain from attending the class:

• A unique skill set to support yourself and others
• An understanding of how this ritual can facilitate healing across various life stages
• A blend of ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience, woven with the added dimension of drumming

What makes this masterclass unique?

I blend over a decade of cross-cultural research, spiritual practice, and hands-on experience into an immersive journey. As an ex-research scientist turned perinatal educator and ritual facilitator, I bridge ancient wisdom with modern understanding, and I add my own thread through drumming.

About Sophie

Sophie Messager is a former research scientist with a PhD in reproductive physiology, now a modern medicine woman, drum facilitator and author of The Beat of Your Own Drum and Why Postnatal Recovery Matters. She has trained with several teachers across rebozo and closing the bones, and teaches her own synthesis, Wrapped in Rhythm, to students in over 30 countries.

How long does it last?

75 minutes, with about 60 minutes of presentation and about 15 minutes of Q&A.

How much does it cost?

The recording of the class costs £30.