Cocooning : A Ritual of Transformation

Cocooning: adapting a Postpartum Healing Ritual to Serve a Variety of clients

After I started offering Closing the Bones rituals to people going through a variety of life experiences including but not limited to post-birth, I began wondering if Closing the Bones was the most appropriate name to use. How could I translate a therapeutic ritual that has originally used in a very specific context to a reach wider spectrum of clients? Is it okay for me to practice this? What are my responsibilities as a ritual keeper and doula? With permission from my teacher, I am now using the term Cocooning.

I learned Closing the Bones as a birth integration tool for postpartum people.

The mother/birthing person is essentially swaddled in fabric, similar to how a newborn child is swaddled. I love the intention of giving back to the mother/birthing parent what they offer so continuously to their children: nourishment, a feeling of being held, supported, and tended with a steady loving embrace. It feels full-circle to me, this act of “mothering the mother” as some postpartum traditions call it.  In expanding this ritual to serve people of all genders and life experiences, including but not limited to those in the birth continuum, Cocooning feels aligned to me. This practice settles the nervous system, similar to the way a weighted blanket provides deep pressure therapy. The sound bath component allows brain waves to slow down, creating an immersive journey for anyone receiving it.

Caterpillars completely dissolve and rebuild themselves within their chrysalis

The process of metamorphosis has always fascinated me. 800 thousand insect species transition from larvae to adults through complete metamorphosis. This is approximately 85% of insects and 70% of all known animal species

The caterpillar carries cells known as imaginal discs that remain dormant until they enter their chrysalis. As the majority of caterpillar cells dissolve completely the imaginal discs become activated for the transformation to occur. After metamorphosis, butterflies retain memories of their life as a caterpillar. What a remarkable symbol of caring forth the lessons we learn along our personal evolution!

Cocooning is a fusion of the skills I have gained over the years.

Combining hands on healing, compression/wrapping of the body (Closing the Bones) and lush soundscapes, I am continuing to witness the unfurling of the magic that this space holds for my clients and myself.  I hope that this process resonates with you too. We all deserve a space to really ground into the present. Whether it is amidst a big life transition, personal transformation, or simply whenever it simply feels right, cocooning is here for you. Like the caterpillar who dissolves and rebuilds itself, while still retaining prior knowledge, you have the opportunity to dissolve into the unknown and emerge with new awareness, too.

Cocoon art by Laura Maccarrone: http://lauramaccarroneart.it