WELCOMING A NEWBORN

(Dictated by two Gnome Elders)

We Gnomes build a nest in our home when we are expecting a child. It is something we learned from the birds long ago, before our written history. It gave our ancestors a sense of comfort and security. Perhaps we built our nest under a large bush or tree, but the reason why we built this nest has long ago disappeared into the antiquity of our ancestors. As I speak of this Gnome tradition, we do not expect you to build an actual physical nest in your home. That would be rather impractical for a human to do in this world, but I am sure by now you have set aside a place in your home for the coming child. Like us, in a very similar way, you are building your own nest, the child's nursery.

You might add to the nursery, if you can, pictures of relatives, items that mean something to you and your husband, and items that mean something to the family. Ask the family members who wish to participate for tokens like scarves, etc. to pad the nest until the coming of the child. This, in our opinion, will give the child a sense of place, of connection, and these things should be kept about your nest until the child is born. These tokens should be something of value to the family, but should pose no physical danger to the child. These items will help to give the child a sense of place. It is also good to have a priest or priestess bless the areas the child is to sleep in beforehand and also bless the father and mother at the same time.

As the time draws near for the child to be born, we suggest that you spend more and more time in your nest. Obviously, we do not wish a mother to be bored in her nest, and so we have people come to visit and tell her stories, sing songs, and play music. I do not, of course, know how much your family would be willing to do to entertain you and the child. You might also read books which would bring you comfort, and you could begin reading to the child in the nest, for all children are conscious and aware in the womb. If family members come and tell stories about you and your life, funny stories, interesting stories, the baby does hear. You are giving the child a sense of place, so that he is born in a place that feels like home outside your womb. Help any friends or family to understand the concept of a nest. Obviously, the most frequent visitor to the nest should be the father. He should bring gifts and funny stories and read often to the baby in the nest. The nest should remain intact up to the time of the birth of the baby and beyond. The child will himself tell you when he no longer needs the nest.

When the child is born, of course, we have a gathering, a welcoming of the child. Family and friends bring food and gifts, and there is a great feast, much joy, much storytelling. I am not sure how much of this you can do, but do as much of it as you can, the sooner the better, as soon as the baby and you are able to entertain. Some time after the singing and dancing, and before the feast is to begin, we have the mother holding the baby and the father with his hand on the baby's head, and everyone, family and friends, gather about them in a ring, outside if possible, weather permitting. The priest or priestess gazes into the baby's eyes, and our priests and priestesses do see into the future. We see the happy times and even the sorrowful times. We see the baby's future, and what we do as a priest or priestess is to say a prayer. Ours is spoken in a singing, chanting manner, to tell of the baby's future, but only in a positive way, creating a positive path for the baby, so that the sorrowful times will not have such a great impact. It is a prayer poem that is inspired by the spirit which comes from the Mother and Father Creator. The priest or priestess, in a joyful manner, guides the baby's spirit down a positive pathway to the utmost joy the baby can experience from cradle to grave, a beautiful, blessed pathway spoken out loud. Others of the friends and family will add their own joy and hopes.

The priest or priestess then gives the baby a spirit name. It should be a spirit name the priest or priestess feels is right for them, one which will protect them, but will also give them a sense of kinship to the Mother and Father Creator and to all creation. At some point, the baby will receive another name, which should be given to him upon reaching adulthood, but that name will come from another source to be determined by spirit. Then the baby is given a final blessing. After the blessing, the priest or priestess, in a prayerful way, predicts a positive future for the mother and father. He tells how they will be good parents and speaks of the many blessings they will receive from the Mother and Father Creator. After the blessing of the parents, the priest or priestess intones the blessing of the three (Mother, Father and Child), and then the feasting begins. There should be several toasts honoring the mother, the baby and the father.

Obviously, not all Fair Folk build nests, but many of our traditions are similar.