Personal and Group Retreats

Closing of the Bones

You are warmly invited to join in a ceremonial workshop where you will learn how to offer a Closing of the Bones ceremony, an ancient postpartum ritual that honors the physical, emotional, and spiritual journey of birthing.  It offers a crucial completion to a rites of passage that mostly gets ignored in any meaningful way in our modern world.   This completion of the birth rites of passage is crucial in the overall health of mother, baby, and parents; it is an ancient, essential part of postpartum recovery + health.

This sacred tradition, historically practiced across many cultures, helps to physically "close" the body after the opening of childbirth, supports emotional processing, and marks the profound transition into postpartum and motherhood. While Closing of the Bones definitely has roots in Mexico, it ALSO has origins in Russia and Morroco amongst many, many other places in the world. For more anyone concerned about cultural appropriation, I encourage reading this article by the amazing traditional midwife Rachelle Garcia Seliga who shares more about this history of this cross-cultural tradition. I have been given permission and encouragement from the midwives I learned this ritual from in both Central America and Mexico to share this way of postpartum care for the well being of all mothers everywhere.

You will come away with a deep respect for this sacred tradition so that you can then offer your own version of it to anyone in your community during the postpartum period (6 weeks-20+ years!) as well as to those who have lost pregnancies, and those who are going through significant life transitions.

Details

Date: Sunday, May 4th 2025  

Time:10:00 AM - 3:00PM  

Location: Heartsong Transformative Arts Space 

Whatcom County, Bellingham WA

Investment

$275 includes in depth teaching on the Closing of the Bones ritual with a demo, lots of hands on practice, light refreshments, womb massage oil, and a hand-crafted belly binding cloth to take home

This Workshop Is For

-Doulas, Midwives, Mothers, anyone female identified who provides postpartum care

- Those experiencing significant life transitions

- Women seeking closure after pregnancy loss

- Anyone feeling the need for energetic boundaries and renewed centeredness

*This ceremony honors all birthing experiences and paths to motherhood.*

What to Bring

- Comfortable clothing (loose-fitting pants/skirt and top)

- A special item for our community altar (optional)

- A shawl or blanket for warmth

- Journal for reflection + notes

- An open heart

Facilitated By Erin Quies Wild, is a bodyworker, a doula of birth and a midwife of life transitions. She is a regenerative grief guide, psychedelic journey doula, a mother of two and a committed steward of the earth who has lived on Orcas Island since 2004 and has been facilitating retreats, including doula trainings, for the past 20 years.

Registration

Space is limited to 12 participants to ensure an intimate, personalized experience.  

To learn more or with questions, please contact Erin at erinquies@gmail.com or 

text (360)298-0733

Register here

Host Your Own Retreat

Are you looking for a magical place to host your own retreat? Erin's land on Orcas Island offers 10 acres of simple beauty. Contact her for more information.