“It was a human fact, understood by most cultures, that when youth go through their transition everyone is affected and involved…The youth must cross from innocence to self-knowledge, from simple dependence to the challenges of independence on one hand, to community involvement on the other.” –Michael Meade
Dear Women,
With the new year blossoming into spring, resolutions of self-transformation are in the air. In a time when we need strong resolutions to stand up for who we are, and what kind of world we want to create, I would like to share with you a very powerful way to bring the energy of transformation into your life, and discover who you are in the world. Sacred Emergence: Initiation into Womanhood is a week-long ritual sponsored by the Sacred Fire Community’s Lifeways Program. It is held by a community of women, led by two women, and focused entirely on helping you discover and honor yourself as a woman in this world. Initiation rituals have been a primary part of almost every culture since ancient times. But our culture has lost the honoring of this important transition in life. It is an extraordinary, and many times difficult experience when we pass out of the hands of our parents, and learn to make our own way in the world as an adult. An adult, in the context in which I use it, is not just learning how to keep a job and find a stable life, although that’s very important. But, instead, it is learning the true essence of your being, why you were born on this earth at this time, and how you can use the gift of this life to contribute to your world, your community. This ritual is about discovering, grounding, and bringing your fullest self into the world.
When I participated in this ritual in 2010, it propelled me into adulthood in ways I could not conceptualize until after I went through it. It was a journey with many challenges and beautiful experiences, giving me the support and ability to discover the depths of myself, and come home to who I really am in the world – a self that was unknown until I really took the time to uncover it. I went through the ritual with eight other women who all went through similar things, and we came through together in an amazing experience that bonded us for life. After Initiation I was left with an all encompassing sense of love that I had never experienced before. I felt connected to everything in existence and so grounded in that connection that my mind was peaceful, and accepting of exactly who I was in each moment. I have been challenged in many ways since initiation, and with every challenge I have also held a deeper sense of acceptance of myself than I ever had before. And I have felt supported and held in my growth with these challenges. I have had many interesting and amazing opportunities to heal, connect with myself, and bring my gifts into the world that I feel I can only attribute to going through this experience.
The ultimate goal of Initiation into Womanhood is to fill you with a renewed love of the world and your place within it. It is a time to join a community of women and celebrate your womanhood. It is a journey deep within yourself and your connection to the world. Many of the older women whom I share this experience with wish that they had had the opportunity to participate in such a community-supported invitation and celebration of their transition to adulthood. It is a great blessing that these rites are being restored to our culture, and it is my honor to invite you to consider participating in it.
Please consider my words, read the announcement attached, and take a few moments to search within your hearts to see if you are interested in going through Sacred Emergence: Initiation into Womanhood. If you have more questions, concerns, fears, or excitement, that means you have interest; and I would love to speak with you about that to the best of my ability over email or phone. You can request an application or address any comments, questions, or concerns by emailing sacredemergence@nullgmail.com.
Thank you for reading and considering! This is a magical opportunity and, I believe, one of the greatest gifts you could give yourself!
love,
Brianna Jonak
