RITES OF PASSAGE AND INITIATION COMMENTS

Welcome to this section of the website.

Here you can read about why Rites of Passage could be useful within our culture.Amrita interviews young people to find out what happened for them.

Amrita is available to run ten day Rites of Passage for your school or organisation. Contact us for details.

What did you bring to the camp?

I was confused before I got to the camp.

I brought a strong hatred for my father who had deserted me when I was 18 months old.

I also had a lot ofÊ love to give and was willing to share. I am happy with my life but I am having some relationship trouble. All up I was pretty happy I guess.

The Rites of Passage camp gave me a sense of responsibility and being accountable for my own actions. It made me feel independent and it awakened my senses.

I carry a greater sense of myself, and the fact that I am who I am with no-one else‘s help.
John (15)

TOM, 15 SPEAKS

What's a Rite of Passage?

A point in time where it is recognised that part of your childhood is being left behind and you are moving into adulthood.

Rites of Passage when successfully moved through proves that you are more able to hold responsibility.

Responsibility for yourself, for others and things in domestic life that need to be taken care of.

What did you get out of your camp experience?

It helped me work through and discard emotional garbage that has been acquired through childhood. That helps me to move onto the next part of my life, I don't have it always dragging me down.

The camp answered questions about what is going to happen as I move forward into my life that would not have been answered before: especially around relationships and sexuality.

What does Initiation mean to you?

I suppose it's a point where you can demonstrate that you can take on some of the things that come with adult life, and the pressure that may be there as an adult .

Do you feel you went through an Initiation?

Yes I think I did. Through a combination of two experiences; one when I was out with the men, the other when I spent the night alone in the bush.

I've got to think about what I can say about the men‘s time. It's a lot to do with facing fear! We were learning what fear is based on and what the reasons for fear are. To put it bluntly, facing fear and dealing with it is much more grown up.

The other experience was when I went out for a night in the bush, alone.

I feel I became a lot more in touch with myself. It was like it showed me what it‘s like to be at peace, not waiting or running from something. Just to be absolutely in the moment, I suppose and how to enjoy stillness.

How would you describe the overall experience?

I think the camp deals with the transition from childhood to adulthood very well. It's not to be confused that once you‘ve done the camp you are an adult, it just makes you much more aware.

It does not say that once you‘ve done one kind of initiation you become an adult, there‘s more to it than one ceremony or one experience.

There is a whole range of things to be moved through before adulthood can be reached.

The camp helps greatly in starting this movement.

FROM CLARE (14)

I couldn‘t feel myself on the ground. That‘s when I found out I wasn't inside my body with my energy.

That made me feel awful because I felt unworthy in a way and left out because the others could feel themselves.

The men and boys went away leaving us with the women. Amrita suggested I spent a night out in the bush, alone.

I was really excited!

I found a nice spot to put up my tent - a modern version of a mud hut. I attempted to light a fire but everything was too wet, so I had an early night.

I spent a lot of time asking myself who I am and also examining my dependency on my boyfriend.

I felt a bit helpless, because I didn't really know what I was supposed to do; I thought I had to work something out, that I would see lightning and know who I really was.

In the morning it was raining really heavily, so I ate a banana.

When I finally emerged from my tent and had a walk around, I found I could feel my feet on the ground - for the first time in my life. I was going to cry with excitement.

I couldn‘t stop walking around because I really wanted to feel it.

Not much later, Amrita arrived singing a little song. I went back to the others.

I prepared myself for a circle with women that evening.

Johanna interviews Amrita to find out more about her thoughts about Rites of Passage and then she was interviewed about her time as an exchange student. For Johanna's interview go here.

A Story About A Girl speaks of Amrita's dream of Rites of Passage being a part of community living.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HOST A RITES OF PASSAGE CAMP IN YOUR AREA CONTACT US.

For information about current events, talks and appearances at Conferences go to News.

To order GETTING REAL... about growing up! go to that section of the site and find the order form.

One last comment from a native American Indian elder said:
ÒYou know a civilisation that lacks rites of passage, because it has a sick soul and you know it is sick for three reasons;
1 there are no elders
2 the young are violent and
3 the adults are bewildered...."