Women's Rites of Passage (as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ)

One of my favorite photos of my great-grandmother

While I've come to learn that my perspective on life and progression is a lot more cyclical than I thought it was, it has also been nice (aka really important for me) to think more deeply about and experience ritual around these Rites of Passage that women can have through the seasons of their lives. It can sometimes feel like women miss out on sacred ritual, especially as a young woman, and I think Western society as a whole has a violent lack of ritual surrounding the experiences of women. As I've sought to bring more of those back into my life and lives of the women around me, I've felt much more grounded, connected, and healed. (More on these rituals later.) ​

Here is a linear look at what I call “The Rites of Passage” through the Seasons of Womanhood

​Pre-Mortal World : Creation + War in Heaven
Birth and Name Blessing
Age of Accountability, Baptism, and Gift of the Holy Ghost (Around 8 years old)
Menarche and Maidenhood (Around 12 years old)
Menstruation
Join the Relief Society (Around 18 years old)
Personal Ministry: Receive your Endowment, Life Missions, and possibly Marriage
Woman/Mother in Israel : Sister, Nurturer, Community Builder + possibly Mother: Pregnancy, Childbirth, Post-partum, Child-rearing
Matriarch/Wise Woman : Pre-Menopause, Menopause + Post-Menopause


Pre-Mortal World : Creation + War in Heaven
As a spirit of truth, you existed with your Heavenly Parents. You helped to create the Earth and the Heavens. When time came to choose to come to Earth or stay behind, you chose to come to Earth. You may have celebrated as Eve partook of the apple, and wept as your Brother, Jesus Christ, suffered in Gethsemane. 

Birth and Name Blessing
You came to Earth as an infant, through the sacrifice of a choice Mother. Your spirit was given a body, and through Water and Blood you were born. Everyone’s birth is different, and we are all born into various situations. Regardless of the situation we were born into, we are given the opportunity to use our agency to choose how we respond. You may have received a Name Blessing as an infant, or at a different time.  This is a special blessing giving you your name and anything else the speaker feels directed by the Spirit to say. 

Age of Accountability, Baptism, and Gift of the Holy Ghost (Around 8 years old)
As you reach the age of 8, your critical mind starts to form and you start to be better able to discern good from evil.  Around this time, you may be baptized--which symbolizes the washing away of your sins, made possible by Christ. You can renew this every Sunday with the Sacrament. You may also receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost--which allows the Holy Ghost to be with you constantly if you choose.

Menarche and Maidenhood (Around 12 years old)
Menarche is the start of your Menstrual Cycle. In ancient times, this was the time when a girl starts to become a woman, but in western cultures, it is typically viewed as when a girl becomes a youth/teenager/maiden. You move into a space that is a bit more complicated than childhood, which can be hard. There are also lots of wonderful things about this time of your life! 

Menstruation
Your Menstrual Cycle happens monthly--although for some women it is unpredictable. Menstruation is one phase during four phases of your cycle--it is the phase where your uterine lining sheds, which then bleeds out your vagina.  Something special to think about is the symbolism of Blood, especially with regards to Christ and the shedding of His Blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. To learn more, turn to the MENSTRUAL CYCLE AND PHASES and FURTHER EXPLORATION pages. 

Join the Relief Society (Around 18 years old)
The Relief Society is God’s organization on the Earth especially for women. It is an inspired and inspiring group to be a part of! Restored in the mid-1800’s by the first women members and Joseph Smith,, it still continues strong today, providing relief and bringing people to Christ. To learn more, visit and read https://www.lds.org/relief-society/daughters-in-my-kingdom?lang=eng 

Personal Ministry:  Receive your Endowment, Life Missions, and possibly Marriage
As you head into Womanhood, you will start to learn how you can serve those around you--your family, friends, and community. You have special gifts that you been developing and will continue to develop, that will be important in how you learn, grow, and serve during your life. As you start to understand your Personal Ministry, or Mission, you will be led by the Spirit and use your agency in discovering how to use your time and resources--continuing your education, serving a mission, getting married, working in your community, etc.  You may enter the temple if you choose, and receive your Endowment--a special gift of power from God as you make special covenants with your Heavenly Parents. Your training as an apprentice to Heavenly Mother (becoming a Queen and a Priestess) deepens and develops. 

Woman/Mother in Israel : Sister, Nurturer, Community Builder + possibly Mother: Pregnancy, Childbirth, Post-partum, Child-rearing 
As you continue discovering and acting upon your Personal Ministry, your sphere of influence will grow. You will continue to grow in your mission for the family of God--thus becoming a Mother in Israel, whatever that mission is. 

Matriarch/Wise Woman : Pre-Menopause, Menopause + Post-Menopause
Aging is a beautiful, and sometimes difficult, process. As you move into your later years, you will experience a season of transition and transformation--Menopause. Your Menstruation stops and your body experiences a transformation that prepares you to enter a season of embodied wisdom, grace, and power. Amazing.

Another resource is Valerie Hudson's inspiring article here.

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