The forgotten promise of feminine rites of passage
“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the butterfly calls a new beginning.”
- Richard Back, Illusions
There are moments in life when we transform into something new.
Our identity undergoes a transformation as we age and grow.
From child to adult, from maiden to mother, from innocent to wise … there is a perpetual human process that occurs across cultures and time periods.
In these periods of transformation, we leave the safety and comfort of knowing who we are and understanding what is expected of us and transition into the discomfort of the unknown - where our identity isn’t as solid as it was before and we must face who we are becoming.
Rites of passage are universal
Rites of passage have been practiced within every culture across time.
Even within our rational-materialist culture, one can still find some morsels reflective of traditional rites of passage.
Graduations, marriage, birthdays, baby showers …
I’ve asked myself:
“Did these events ever really reflect my own growth and transformation?
Or did I simply participate because that’s just what one does or what is expected of one to do?”
Modern-day rites of passage reconnect us to our sacredness
As often is the case in Western culture, the sacredness and intention that is vital to a transformative experience have been expunged.
We’ve entered into a time when people are feeling more empty than ever.
More depressed, more stressed, and less connected.
The rite of passage ceremony is such a helpful framework because it:
shows us how to more fully participate in the process of change
infuses meaning into that change,
and brings us the wisdom bestowed when we’re connected to life’s natural cycles.
Rites of passage ceremonies bring intention to special moments of transition in a person’s life.
There are numerous feminine rites of passage that mark a transition from one identity to another.
At Budding Moon we offer ceremonies for:
Menarche (first blood) - transition from child to adult
Mother blessing - transition from maiden to mother
Birth blessing - transition from spirit to form
Wise woman - transition into elderhood
These don’t follow any particular tradition. There’s no need to copy ancient rites of passage or appropriate ceremonies from other cultures in order to celebrate and mark these transitions in our own lives.
We simply re-infuse sacredness and intention into the rite of passage to create something that is truly meaningful to the one being honored.
Why hold a feminine ceremony for yourself or your loved one?
Feminine ceremonies at Budding Moon aim to bring back the intention, meaning, and spirit of the human experience into important transitions that happen in the female body and impact our evolving sense of self.
The person being honored receives:
Acknowledgment from their loved ones that they are seen and supported during this life change
Supportive stories from others who have already undergone this transition
A welcoming into a new stage and what that means culturally, personally, and spiritually
Love, compassion, kindness, and special gifts
These ceremonies aim to remind us of long-forgotten feminine wisdom and intuition that stands to embolden and empower us at this time in history.