Rites Of Passage

It's sad, that most of our traditional "rites of passage" have been tossed to the wayside. Societal steps towards communal acceptance, which were once the core of tribal communities, building the next generation of leaders.

In a way, I guess, we retain some form of initiatory process, however, nowadays they seem to revolve around alcohol fueled parties, sex, drugs and gambling, without any real benefit to the individual in question, beside boasting about how many pints of beer they are able to drink, before intoxication.

Not only were rites of passage a way to bring a child into "man-hood," they were a core practice in building the community morale and codes of conduct amongst group members and key to the spiritual development of the group as a whole.

I once heard a story of a Native American tradition, which was used as their own "rite of passage." As a boy was coming of age he would be sent into the wilderness, alone, with nothing but a cloth. His task was to travel, deep, into the forest and find an unfamiliar place to sit. As the sun was setting he would use the cloth to blind fold himself, at which point he would not be allowed to remove it until rays of the morning sun pierced the cloth, blessing him as a "man". Surrounded by wolves, bears and other nocturnal predators, to become a man his fears would have to be overcome and his "monkey mind" would have to be silenced.

After a night of unrest, the sun would rise and the boy would shed his blindfold. He would then "see" that whilst he sat in darkness, so did his father, watching over him, spear in hand. The lesson "downloaded" would be that no matter where you are or how scared you may be, the holy father/Great Spirit, will always watch over you, protecting you in the darkest of times.

I do believe that the misplacement of this societal tradition has lead to a sense unknowing amongst the youth of today. A disconnected view of Self and the personal relationship possible with Great Spirit, which may account for the increase in adolescent crime and depression in the 21st century.

With over expose to the "pleasures" of modern life, it's easy to lose ourselves and our traditions in the vast ocean of materialism, which is never further than a mouse click away.

The fact that we've become a multicultural global community can only benefit us in this process, allowing a cross-pollination of cultures. Bringing the smallest minorities around the world closer together, as a unity of conscious earthlings.

LOVE always,
Andray Voronov


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