Are Rites of Passage Really Necessary?

Share thoughts and ideas regarding what can be done to meet contemporary humanity's need for rites of initiation and passage.

Moderators: Clemsy, Martin_Weyers, Cindy B.

sally
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Post by sally »

I work in a school (not teaching, business manager)where we are trying to introduce an understanding of rituals and ceremonies as a part of daily life. We are a withdrawal program for 15 year olds as part of the state school system in Victoria, Australia. My principal spent three months in Canada on a Churchill Fellowship, and came back deeply impressed with programs to do with first nation Canadian peoples and their environment and history. We try hard to incorporate an indigenous perspective (Australian aboriginal, specifically Victorian, Koori perspective) into our curriculum. But even just the fact of leaving home and" known" space and coming into a new environment we also see as a rite of passage....creating a sense of independence but with permission.
this is my first post and I am so interested in everything you are all saying!

Cindy B.
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Post by Cindy B. »

Hi, Sally, and welcome!

Just curious--would you please explain more what you mean by "withdrawal program"? I think that I know what you're on about, but being from the States I'm not sure. Sounds interesting. Thanks!

:)
If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s. --Jung

sally
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Post by sally »

Its a program where students (14 - 15 year olds) leave their usual school and come to our school for nine weeks. Its seven days a week, 24 hours a day, only one visit from parents/ guardians/ family half way through the nine weeks for a weekend. No television, no telephone. We do provide a laptop and the students can communicate with family and friends via email or snail mail. Its withdrawal in the sense of leaving their "normal" life behind, and doing this different program with 45 other students, most of whom they do not know.

We are introducing ceremonies initially in the form of arrival and departure ceremonies, hopes and dreams, fire circles at night to discuss community issues,

.

Cindy B.
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Post by Cindy B. »

So now, Sally, I'm curious about the overall goal of this program and the sort of students selected. Thanks again. :)
If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s. --Jung

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

Sally, it sounds great. Fascinating, actually.

Sacred ritual is taken most seriously with two things:

change and death.

~

shiftyshelton
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Post by shiftyshelton »

Clemsy brought up a good point about the difficulty of developing rites in a multicultural society. It seems as though the solution in American society is athletics. As we've seen in recent events (Miami Dolphins) the lack of guidance within the athletic spectrum can result in athletes creating their own versions of initiation rituals which are detrimental to team chemistry and or exemplary social norms.
Do athletics represent the last forum in which initiation rituals have real meaning?

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

shiftyshelton wrote:Clemsy brought up a good point about the difficulty of developing rites in a multicultural society.

...Do athletics represent the last forum in which initiation rituals have real meaning?
The rites of sacraments, graduations, weddings, funerals, Bar Mitzvahs and the like become deeply meaningful to the participants who are true believers.

Outside the institutional setting, there is the meaning we give to relationships (e.g.., "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood"), to life passages (baby showers and retirement parties), and the social pecking order (initiation and the swearing of oaths).

Ritual remains meaningful for those who are inside the metaphors, living the life represented by the symbolism.

~
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

As I write this, I am watching a live news event from the White House. President Obama is presiding over an award ceremony for recipients of the American Medal of Freedom. Among the sixteen recipients is my friend Gloria Steinem. She richly deserves the honor, which was started by John Kennedy, 50 years ago.

~

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/us ... h_20131121&

~

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