Closing the bones training weekend near Cambridge Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of March 2025
£349.00
2 days closing the bones training with Sophie Messager in Great Abington, near Cambridge on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of March 2025 from 9h to 5h30.
The booking fee includes a £50 non refundable deposit. In the unlikely event that the course needs to be cancelled (such as sickness), all fees will be refunded.
Refunds are not available less than 2 weeks before the event as materials will have been purchased and the venue hire paid for.
10 in stock
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 version, 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. 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 in November.What does the workshop includes?
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 leave 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 learning 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 an vibrant group of over 500 trained practitioners and teachers.
Who is this course for?
A bit of background about me, your course instructor
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 year prior to reconverting to being a doula and perinatal educator over ten 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.
What is the investment required?
Some examples of what people have said about this workshop:
- Amazing, I loved, loved, loved the course, the venue, the women, 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:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi_2WP3cEt0
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