BABY BLESSING CEREMONY

I held a Baby Blessing (or perhaps I should say Child Blessing) for a gorgeous little girl on the beach. 

The couple were married here on the Isle of Skye eight years ago, by my sister Minister Sonja Eckl and were returning to have a blessing for their daughter. Sadly, Sonja is no longer with us, so her husband passed their enquiry to me, and we worked together for a couple of months to create a personal and unique ceremony.

When I got up this morning I chose my outfit and then realised I'd chosen Sonja's clothes... clothes she would've worn for ceremony... clothes her husband gifted to me after her death.

On my way to the beach, I collected water from the well, only to remember, Sonja had a connection with this well too, also collecting water from here for ceremonies. In fact, it was the first place I went when I heard she'd died... a pilgrimage to honour her life.

Sonja was with us today!

I met ten month old O, her mum and dad, and their friends, and we walked to the beach, which - despite being June - was wild!

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So we huddled in, all sitting together on the sand for the ceremony, sheltered from the wind by the rocks.

We called in Love; acknowledged and gave thanks to O's ancestors - grandparents and parents, considering the qualities they were passing on. We took time to be present with the challenges of birth, for O's parents to release anything left over. And we welcomed O wholeheartedly, sharing the meaning of her name. We gave thanks for her life and all she brings to the world. Her parents spoke promises and their friends, O's guardians, read letters of promise to her. I made a blessings branch with blessings written on ribbons which I waved and then gifted to be added to her blessings box with the promises and letters from the day. All were blessed... not just a Child Blessing but a Family Blessing too!

O was such a happy wee soul!  A total joy to hold ceremony for and she particularly enjoyed bubbles and the wind chime, smiling throughout.

Another gorgeous family I feel a deep connection to, who I hope will stay in touch.

They've been travelling for three months in their campervan! A family after my own heart! And invited me to look them up if I'm ever in their hometown in Germany to meet up. I will definitely be doing that one day! I wonder how old O will be when I get there...

Here's what they just messaged me...

"We are so glad we found you, there was no better person to hold O's ceremony, we just LOVED every second of it and can’t thank you enough for putting all of it together so perfectly! So from the bottom of our hearts: Thank you so so much!"

When I have the joy of holding a baby blessing... or any ceremony... I feel it blesses me too! 

Thankyou to Penny Hardie Photography for these gorgeous photographs and to O's parents for letting me share them.