MMM #9: Rites of Passage
We’ve lost connection with the practice of initiating our boys into manhood. Rites of Passage have been a way to mark this transition from child to adult and to prepare a young man with what he will need for his life. Why have we strayed from these ways? And, what can we do to reinstate these traditions into our culture?
Synopsis:
What is a Rite of Passage?
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Initiation
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Acknowledgement of passage from one stage of life to another (not only boy to man, girl to woman)
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Death & Rebirth
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3 Stages:
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Severance
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Threshold
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Incorporation
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Always constitutes some sort of ordeal, challenge, personal sacrifice made to signify what one is willing to give in order to claim new life, new possibilities, new growth
Why does having Rites of Passage for our people matter?
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Way-finding = gaining clarity in one’s purpose
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Creating a sense of belonging
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Building tradition in culture and community
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The cost of NOT having Rites of Passage
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Wayward people who feel as though they have no purpose, don’t matter, and don’t belong
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Contributes to many identity disorders (i.e. Who am I? What is my life about? Where do I belong?)
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What about self-initiation? (i.e. creating one’s OWN Rite of Passage)
TAKE ACTION:
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Reflect upon what it in your life no longer serves you (HINT: these things may have served you at ONE point in your life, but are no longer what you need on your journey)
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Create a list of EVERYTHING that no longer serves your purpose AND/OR who you are becoming
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Send to me therisingmanpodcast@gmail.com or share in Rising Man FB group (TAG ME)
Apply for Elements – 3 day Nature Initiation For Men 10/26-10/28 in Ojai, CA
