Rites of Passage

Examples of Rites of Passage

A rite of passage is a ritual that marks a point in time where an individual transitions from one point in life to another. Common rites of passage include birth, coming of age, marriage, divorce, and death; however there are many smaller points of transition that may be useful to mark.

Getting a driver's license - often filled with joy, this marks a new level of independance and freedom for the individual
A child's first day of school or college - often done in kindergarten to mark the beginning of schooling, however could be done each year at the beginning of the school year.
Children moving out - when parents have reached the point where all of their children are grown and independantly living on their own there a transistion as they are no longer primary caregivers. This rite may be filled with both joy and sorrow.
Graduation - this may mark the end of each school year, or may mark the end of large chunks of schooling, such as primary grade, secondary grades, trade school, or university
Purchasing a first home - this marks a time when an individual or family group has the resources to own their own home, land, or personal space.
Renting first apartment - this is often one of the first steps towards gaining independance as an adult
Purchasing prom or wedding attire - this may mark a time that is associated with coming of age or moving from one relationship status to another
Baby shower/mother blessing/parent blessing - the time before a baby is born is a time of preparing, and this can celebrate the transition that the parent(s) will go through
Job promotion or change - starting a new job can be exciting and terrifying, and is a time of change and transition
Expiation/Removal of previous religious ties - expiation is making amends for something that has gone wrong, or that you've done wrong. While this is often for specific actions, in the pagan community it can be done to break ties or oaths to another religion. It is particulary useful in cases where an individual may have been baptised or similar.

Birth or adoption of a child - this marks the point in time when a child joins a family, and is often full of joy and trepidation
Coming of age - this can be marked at many different times depending on when an individual can be said to have transitioned from childhood to adulthood. Common ages include onset of puberty, legal voting age, legal age to consume adult substances, legal age of majority
Gender claiming - this marks a transition when an indivual was assigned a specific gender at birth and has made the decision to acknowledge or transition to a new/different gender
Coming out - this marks a time when an individual acknowledges that they are interested in romantic or sexual relationships that are not hetero
Naming a child - this may differ from the rite of passage celebrating the birth of a child, and instead can focus on their ancestral connections or their becoming an individual
Making an elder - this marks a point in time when someone, particularly in the pagan community, has reached an age and level of knowledge that they are ready to pass on to the next generation of seekers
Marriage - this marks a point in time when individuals come together to join their lives
Divorce or separation - this marks a point in time when individuals who have been married or long-term partners decide to go their seperate ways. This rite may be done individually or with all parties present
Retirement - like starting a new job, leaving a job can be full of both joy and trepidation, especially at the end of one's work career and exit of the workforce
Troop deployment and return - joining or leaving the armed forces is a major transition in lifestyle, and can be siginificantly helped by formally acknowledging the transition
Reintegration following trauma - traumatic expereinces are an unfortunate part of life, and it is often useful to ritually mark the healing. This may even be broken down into various stages of healing as the individual needs.

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