According to Wikipedia, a rite of passage is defined as, “a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another.” As a society, we experience a variety of more formal rites of passage such as a Baptism, First Communion, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, The Women’s Rite (Munay Ki), and funerals to name just a few. Throughout our lives, the one thing we are guaranteed is change. The more I have progressed in my personal spiritual path, the more I understand the importance of rites of passage.
While some rites of passage are more formal and recognized by broader groups within a culture, every individual experiences many opportunities throughout their lifetime to level up (always a signal of a rite of passage). A rite of passage is movement from one dimension into another, one realm to another, one chapter in life to another. It’s a letting go of one way of being and an opening or accepting into a new way of being. Sometimes rites of passage are subtle. I have woken up at times and just decided I’m no longer going to do x, y, or z or I’m going to end a relationship, etc. That would be a rite of passage, because I am choosing to end something and start something new. Some rites of passage are more grandiose, like someone who does a Vision Quest (https://wildernessquest.org/vision-quest-2/?gad_source=1 ) and sets an intention to eat very little, drink the bare minimum, be out in nature and discover something about the deepest core of themselves. Some people who experience plant medicine journeys are also going through a rite of passage in that they are overcoming a fear and consciously working towards getting to the root of an issue. Whatever they discover becomes their medicine and allows for them to experience a change in perspective. Any change is perspective is also a rite of passage.
While traveling in MT, I experienced a rite of passage that was all about releasing fear and embracing personal power. Prior to travel, I felt compelled to book a visit to Wild Horse Island (as referenced in my last blog post). Once I booked the visit, I dreamed of a horse there, “D” who wanted to exchange Reiki energies. (This is an example of the Universe conspiring to bring together the perfect elements in order to meet my overarching intention of releasing myself of fears.) I subsequently forgot about the dream. My friend remembered it and brought it up as we were leaving for MT, allowing it to be fresh in the forefront of our minds. I was having a few feelings leading up to the visit to the island. I knew I needed to be alone. I knew I would be discovering something about myself, which is why I needed to be alone. (Being alone on an island full of wild animals is facing a fear in and of itself).
I left the group and went out on my own. As I was doing so, I thought to myself, “This is my very own Vision Quest.” I knew I would “see” some things. I tried to find a path I thought would lead to the shore, because I was being drawn to the water. Instead, I ended up off trail in a more remote area. I got a weird feeling and looked up to see a 14 point buck staring right into my eyes. (BUCK MEDICINE– A guide on the path of life. Symbol of virility, fertility, gentleness, wisdom impendence, and creativity. And encounter can be a gentle nudge from the Universe, carrying messages of growth, awareness, opportunity, peace, and spiritual guidance.) It startled me because I knew he had seen me, when I had zero awareness of his presence. It was then I realized I had been too much in my mind and not in my heart (feeling and sensing the environment around me). I could actually feel the fear response in and around my body (both physically and energetically). I discharged the energy in the form of a hucha clearing (Munay Ki) and I made my way back to the trail and found the shoreline trail.
Along the path, I felt really alive and connected to the natural environment around me. I found a listening stone (which is a stone shaped like an ear). I telepathed to spirit, “Okay, I’m listening,” as I picked it up and carried it with me. I then felt the presence of a Wisdom Keeper (in spirit). I started to hear the environment around me speaking very clearly. I dropped the listening stone and picked it up again. The listening stone flew right out of my hand (as though some energy had knocked it out). I knew I needed to let go and just listen.
The voice guided me to a very large pine tree. The tree said it was a “journey tree”. I leaned my back against it. I was then flooded with thoughts of fears that I have and memories attached to those fears. The fears began as very superficial and progressed to deeper and deeper fear, until ultimately, I realized I am afraid of my own power. I experienced flashes of imagery, perhaps from previous lifetimes where I was persecuted and or killed as a result of my powers (which include innate knowingness but also healing abilities. That realization induced a catharsis. The tree indicated it would clear those for me, so I willingly surrendered and felt the energies moving and shifting both within and around my body. It felt so overwhelming that I cried, which I knew was simply representative of release. I felt in awe that I could even perceive everything happening in that moment and how fortunate I followed my intuition, went off on my own, and was having this deeply moving experience all on my own.
The journey tree reminded me of my astrology of late which consistently nudges me to be myself, whom I am in this world, regardless of any external influence. It says things like, “You are a disrupter. You are not supposed to experience life like everyone else. You are different. Embrace you personal powers. You are learning to embrace your uniqueness and operate from that position.” This is a direct revelation to release fears which prevent me from accepting fully my own power and uniqueness.
I thanked the tree and was ready to wander further down the path. As I roamed, I heard “the boneyard” several times. I looked at the shore and noticed a massive pile of driftwood all washed ashore. It was completely weathered, white as bones. I knew that was my next destination. I milled around the driftwood for a few moments, then found a log upon which I sat. I took my shoes off, stuck my feet in the water, and had a snack.
I thought about getting all the way into the water, then thought no, not now. I felt compelled to look at all of the stones around me. The entire shore was composed of the most beautiful rainbow colored stones. I found a bright green one (depicted above). It reminded me of a mushroom. I heard the words, “Dead Man Stone” in my mind. I then received a download of information about the stone. It was for me, and it would go on my mesa. It represents the dying off of all of the fears I’d experienced at the journey tree. It represents my personal and unique power. I picked it up and held and it woah, it was FULL of amazing energy. I recommitted myself to fulfilling my destiny and mission in this lifetime.
I then reflected on my relationship with Liz and how appreciative I am of her. A shaman stone drew my attention to it. I knew that was for her.
I went back to the boneyard, as it was calling to me. I heard information about bones and how they store memory and experience. They are sustaining. They have lifeblood inside of them. Bones are the ancestors. I heard that nothing is how it appears. The driftwood looks like bones. Nothing but love is real. Even the bones are temporary. My intuition drew me right to a single rib bone among all of the bright white driftwood. I heard information about why a rib bone. Biblically, God created woman from the rib of Adam. It represents fertility and creation of the feminine itself. For me, the medicine/power of the rib bone is overcoming the fear of whom I AM, my own creation, and the “cage” that keeps me in fear or disconnected from my power. I picked that up. I also saw a perfectly white feather, which for me, represents Spirit and how Spirit is always within and around me. (It should be noted here that every rite of passage I’ve gone through in the past few years has involved finding a pure white feather.)
I knew I’d undergone a rite of passage and would never be the same as I was before this experience. As I was making my way back to the meeting point, I observed a group of doe with their fawns grazing across the trail. Deer medicine is all about innocence and the heart chakra. That’s when I get the text message from Liz, saying she found the horses, all black, except for the one I saw in my dream, “D”, brown with the white stripe down her nose. That was a huge moment in time. It was a huge affirmation of my own gifts and abilities. It was affirming of my very deep friendship with Liz (for she trusts in her me and my skills/gifts with her entire BE-ingness- I’ve been struggling because not everybody does and that creates suffering for me when I put too much energy into the disppointment). It cemented for me what I want in my life, the types of relationships I want to create and pour energy into.
I was only able to have this profound experience because I was open to it. I opened myself up in the dream world. I opened myself up to travel. I opened myself up to sharing my experience with Liz. I opened myself up to taking a different path than the group and trusting my own intuition. In travelling my own path I found myself. In finding myself, I come home completely transformed, having shed a new depth and layer of fear. I am happy and I am grateful!
Fast forward to after I get home, I’m doing a Reiki session when the person notices the stone. She has an app on her phone and offers to look up what type of stone “The Dead Man” is. Turns out it’s a shell fossil which has healing properties. Those properties include: “calming energy, diminishing feelings of stress and anxiety, and actively removing toxins from the body. It’s specifically recommended for business people, as it supposedly accelerates accomplishments, facilitates positive communication, and encourages novel ideas…It’s also said to improve confidence”!
Life on Earth is truly amazing. Cherish every single moment you have. If you have an amazing experience with a rite of passage, I’d love to hear it!
