Rites and Responsibilities

Through real-life stories and step-by-step exercises, renowned rite of passage guide Darcy Ottey gives young people the tools they need to navigate their path to adulthood. “Who am I? How do I fit in? What is my purpose? What can I do to make a difference and address issues like climate change, political turmoil, and social injustice?” These are burning questions for young people today, who despite challenges and uncertain futures, are at the forefront of cultural transformation. Rites of passage support young people to answer these big questions, while initiating them into healthy meaningful adulthood, channeling their gifts, and helping them find their place in multigenerational movements for change. Fundamental to healthy development, rites of passage are found in all cultures, and are one of humanity’s most ancient psychological, social, spiritual, and cultural tools. Through a social justice framework, rite of passage guide Darcy Ottey helps readers learn what rites of passage can offer in times of turmoil and transition, how these practices came to be stolen, destroyed, or co-opted in most cultural traditions, and how young people can reclaim their own rites of passage into adulthood. This book is perfect for young people, while also being an invaluable resource for teachers, parents, mentors, therapists, visionaries, community leaders, and anyone who never experienced a complete initiation and is seeking guidance into wholeness and mature adulthood. Included in this book are: Real life stories from teenagers & young adults that cut across lines of race, class, culture, and gender Exercises for connecting with yourself and your community Trauma-informed resourcing practices, coping mechanisms and suggestions on finding support Tools to navigate the transition to adulthood and create your own initiatory journey Beautiful illustrations, helpful graphics and insightful charts Social science research and examples from around the world