Menarche Ritual

{A coming of age ritual for young women}

The Binghamton Pagan Community





The coming of age ritual for girls that we do here in our community is very beautiful. All the women of the community are part of the circle. The young woman (girl) is given a ritual bath of herbs (by her mother) and then dressed in white. She is told to bring a reminder of her childhood with her to the circle. She is then blindfolded and lead to the circle by her mother. The women in the circle stand one behind the other with their hands on the hips of the woman in front of her and spread their legs to form a "birth canal". The young woman crawls throught the birth canal symbolizing her rebirth into womanhood. She is then un-blindfolded and her mother says whatever words she would like to share with her and then asks her if she is ready to leave her childhood behind (but also reminding her to always remember the child that lives in all of us). All the women in the circle wear red and bring a gift for the young woman (the gift is traditionally something red - candles, flowers, etc). The we share red grape juice and jelly filled donuts (symbolic ). Each woman in the circle then shares the story of her first menstruation. Some stories are sad, funny, but each is our own experience. Then we all gather around her and chant "She changes everything She touches and everything She touches changes". Then the circle is open.



I hope this will help you. I always wished I had had something this positive when I first started my period. - Otter



Reprinted with permission of the Binghamton Pagan Community.

Wow I really like this....it is something I wish was shared with me as well ! Thank you for sharing it with us Indie, I am going to place it in our BOS....so it doesn't get lost on the boards...

How are you?? Hope things are better....you have been in my thoughts!

Glad you like this one. I was cleaning up my bookmakes and came acrossed it. I thought the same for when I was young. To bad I missed this for my own daughter.

Thing are OK. Just hate playing the waiting game. Am giving more and more thought to taking a leave from work. Worrying about myself, caring for home and with the added stuff at work is to much. I like my job but if I can't care for my own what good am I for work. I had to miss work yesterday because a god awful headache kept me up all night and was so bad it made me sick to my stomach and cold sweats. Never in my life have I had one that bad. When I called in Mr. B. was not happy, but I just couldn't handle it. All day I felt off. I hate doing that to him, he's suck a nice ol man. I guess no I know it's time to step back and care for me. Not being there to help just adds to my stress.

Any who. Glad you like this. I hope others will find it useful.

Blessings,
Inde

You do need to take time for you....your health always comes first....the rest, including family can take a back seat...for if you are ill, you can't take care of them anyway...lol...

I am here for ya, you know that! Just PM me, I will get right back to you...I also have your phone number around here somewhere...I need to check my phone book....

Thank you again, so very much for sharing the Menarche ritual....I know that someone will LOVE to give this wonderful gift to their girl!

What a wonderful ritual!