My Philosophy

“We live in a world of uncertainty and many people
are lost, confused and disenchanted”

I believe, like many others today, that we are at a point in time of existential crisis and no matter how or where you look at things, much of the world appears broken.  Whether you are looking at climate change, social inequality, political divisions, human rights issues or the mental health epidemic, they all point to the world, its cultures and its people being out of balance.

I am not here to preach or tell you what you should do, or even have an answer to all the issues mentioned, and I know there are issues I have not mentioned.

I would, however, like to put forward my belief of something that can assist us all as we navigate today’s challenges and transitions, and that it is, in part, that a lack of traditional initiation/rites of passage and community in society today, has led us to:

A society of adolescent adults, parents, business leaders, as well as politicians and political leaders,
and that an adolescent society leads to an increase in what is often referred to today as a midlife crisis.

This in turn has led us to a society which suffers from:

A lack of identity, meaning and purpose.
A loss of community.
A loss of a sense of belonging.
A lack of mature guides, mentors and elders.

Now, I am not suggesting for one moment that we all rush out and find where to do a rite of passage, however, I do want to say that I believe in the concept and importance of bringing the framework of rites of passage into how we consciously navigate life’s many challenges and transitions today.

Let’s take a look:

A rite of passage or initiation consists of three parts:

1. Separation
Marks the beginning of the rite and involves the individual’s detachment from their previous status or role.

2. Initiation/Ordeal
This is the liminal phase, the in-between period between the old and new stages of the journey. It is often characterized by uncertainty, ambiguity, and various trials or challenges

3. The Return
The return phase signifies the successful completion of the transition/initiation and the individual’s integration/return to their new role in society, with their new identity.

The piece that’ is missing today.

In today’s world, we see and experience a lot of separation and many ordeals, but we lack the communities and places to go for the Return phase. We simply do not get seen and recognised by people who really understand what we have been through. Quite often, our own friends, parents, family and work colleagues do not understand because they don’t have the framework.

It is this recognition, understanding and acceptance of our new place in society that completes the transition/rite.

As Michael Meade has put it, “Without a return, the soul keeps doing Steps 1 and 2 over and over again”, and this is where people end up lost, confused, disenchanted and going round and round in circles.

In my work, I am looking, as much and where possible to enable people to properly complete the third phase of whatever transition they are going through.