3 daily rituals for navigating rites of passage

Blue-04 by Georgia O'Keeffe, 1916.

At various points in our lives, we all experience a rite of passage- a significant transition from one stage of life to another. This is a key threshold moment where our identities, roles, behaviours and lives undergo a metamorphosis.

How we mark this moment defines how we meet inevitable cycles of change, loss and renewal: can we trust the unknown and champion our growth? Or will we clutch on to old fears, hurts and habits, inhibiting the fullness of our maturation?

The bare bones of a rite of passage encompasses three stages- it begins with separation, where we move away from the old, and ends with incorporation, where we settle into our new skin. But the stage in between is a liminal space, and how long we spend here can vary hugely- from days or weeks to several years.

Irrespective of the length, one of the most challenging aspects of this time is that we're in limbo, standing between two worlds. We can't skip or hustle this seemingly fallow period. And if we try- through distractions or denial- we risk exiting the process before our new wings have fully developed.

Instead, this is a time for listening, observing and sitting with questions.

There is a bigger cycle at play here. If we can allow the soul to hold us within its cocoon, it will imbue us with a new vision, to perceive and gift the wisdom we've been carrying all along.

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Here are 3 simple, daily rituals for tuning your senses in times of transition:

• Write. This could be journalling, poetry, love letters to your ancestors, or any other format. The key here is to not necessarily expect your writing to make sense. This is a wonderful way to sit with questions, and see if, in time, something within you begins to answer back. You might find certain recurring images or patterns as you read back over the pages. Hold these symbols like a talisman and trust their transformative agency.

 

• Walk. Before you step onto the path or trail, hold a question in your mind, with the intention to allow the more-than-human world to speak to you as you cross the threshold. You might observe the way a particular tree reminds you of seasons within your own life, or how a leaf clings to the edge of a riverbank. Try not to get too attached to any grand epiphanies or clear answers. Each footstep along the walk is kneading a shape your future self will recognise.

 

• Sleep. Seriously, do not underestimate this one. While our conscious mind switches off, our unconscious mind is weaving magic and provides golden threads of insight if we pay attention. Before you go to sleep, place a journal and pen beside your bed, and ask the "dream maker" to show you images or scenes that relate to your question. Then, as soon as you awaken in the morning, grab your journal and write down any symbols or flashes of narratives you remember.

 
Dancing with your deep imagination in this way may be foreign at first, but it's worth staying with it. Working with these practices provides a direct link to the wise counsel of your inner self.

During times of great change, this is our compass, our guide, and our sanctuary.

With spring hail and sweet rhubarb compote,
Cherise x