Sacred Severance Box

Instead of cutting the cord, our plan is to separate baby from its placenta by doing a cord burning ritual. This cauterizes the cord nub and prevents infection. It also warms the baby and supposedly makes the cord fall off faster. (And baby won't have an obnoxious clamp on its abdomen for 4 or 5 days!) Here's the box for the ritual. Written along each side is a Jewish blessing called the Shehechiyanu, which thanks God for the gift of life. It is recited when a ritual or experience happens for the first time. Its translation is "Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe Who granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion." The symbols in each corner are various traditional symbols meaning life or eternal life. More about cord burning here.