River crafted a wonderful Mother Blessing ceremony for me and a few friends in the comfort of my home, as part of my preparation for becoming a mother prior to the birth of my first child. Although I was a little nervous about being the centre of attention during an emotional spot in late pregnancy, River’s holding of the space gave me such rest from having to ‘entertain’ guests, and it was so easy and light, whilst I was also left feeling profoundly loved and cherished. The excitement and tenderness we all felt about this child coming was palpable, and one friend said when she got home she still felt like she was in a ceremonial realm, in a very special headspace, and didn’t quite know how to do ‘normal life’ again that evening! I really appreciated that River and I shared values on issues of cultural appropriation, and that it was important to us to come up with our own ritual objects, materials and practices to weave into the ceremony. Thank you dear River.