Every mother experiences a profound change deep inside when their first baby is born. The stepping stone from woman to mother is a huge one – and it’s something to be celebrated.
When I became a mother myself, my heart was yearning for meaning. For a symbol. Something to capture that profound shift within me. I always loved jewellery, so I began to look for something that could symbolise that, something touchable that could make it more real. I couldn’t find anything, and as the weeks and months went by the search slowly slipped down the priority list.
Four years later I had the pleasure of meeting two lovely ladies at a networking event – a mother and daughter team at Sadin Jewellery, creating beautiful, handmade jewellery. You can see Dinara pictured with me below; she creates these stunning pieces using intricate designs inspired by Central Asian cultures and traditions. The collection they had with them when we met was absolutely breathtaking. When I heard that they also offer custom-made jewellery, bespoke pieces that are totally unique, I knew I had to ask: “how would you feel about creating a motherhood necklace?” And so this gorgeous piece was born… Designs and patterns all carry symbolic meaning; and I was intrigued to find out the story behind the motherhood necklace.
Flowers are powerful symbols in many cultures around the world. They are inevitably connected to new life coming to existence, and new beginnings with endless possibilities. The water lily is a particularly famous flower, present in various forms of arts and religions. It is a symbol of love and life, and it’s widely used in religious ceremonies in a number of cultures. It also symbolises transformation – and this is why it was chosen for this design. As the water lily grows up from the mud into an object of rare beauty, so do people change and grow throughout their lives.
Women are transformed by pregnancy and giving birth. They create new life as an embryo becomes a human being through constant transformation – which is, when we think about it, nothing short of a miracle. In this process it is not only the embryo that is transformed; the pregnant woman also undergoes a huge transformation herself – and the journey to motherhood begins. This rite of passage is celebrated in many traditional cultures with elaborate ceremonies: after all, this is the biggest life event that can happen to a human being.
This ceremony and meaning was exactly what I was missing back when my baby was born. After all these years I’m glad I found the exact thing my heart was calling for – and I will be wearing this necklace with pride. If you’re reading these lines fancying something similar yourself, do get in touch with Dinara and Arshingul at Sadin Jewellery – they will delight you!
