Sacraments and Rites of Passage

“He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.” Tao te Ching

Rites of Passage are in every faith. From baptisms, dedications, and Wiccanings, to weddings and handfasting, to a Mass for the Dead or a pyre. In every age of life and every culture, Rites of Passage mark who we are on our life’s journey.

There will be many articles about specific Rites of Passage for Pagans. It seems almost redundant to write about them here. But for me, Rites of Passage are far more than the traditional ceremonies that designate the changes of my life path.

Yes, I’ve had some of the traditional Rites of Passage. As an infant, I was Baptized at a small Methodist Church on Easter Sunday. I received Confirmation from the same church as a teenager. As a young adult, I changed my path and went through the program called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA, to convert to the Catholic Church. I received a blessing of Confirmation and my first Eucharist, again on an Easter weekend. As a mature adult, (at least I certainly hope so!), I changed again and embraced a Wiccan path. My rite of Marriage and Handfasting was performed by a Wiccan Priestess in a beautiful ceremony that incorporated both my Wiccan beliefs and some of the traditions of my husband’s Navajo beliefs.

I can honestly say that all of these Rites of Passage were, in some way, life changing experiences. The Catholic Encyclopedia states that, in a very broad sense of the word, a Sacrament can be defined as an external sign of something sacred, or as Dictionary.com defines it, “a visible sign of inward grace.” http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sacrament

This is actually a definition with which I can agree. But while the Catholic Church only recognizes seven Sacraments, as a Pagan, I recognize that the number of Sacraments in my life are infinite.

Starting first grade. My first solo. The first time I drove a car with absolutely no one with me. (Most definitely a Rite of Passage, not only for me, but for my parents as well!) Going to college. My first love. My first broken heart. Starting my first job. Losing my first job. My second broken heart, and even my third. Moving across country, away from my family. Finding a true partner. Starting a family. Dedicating myself to a specific Tradition.

These have all been events in my life that have provided me with insight to change. I consider them as Rites of Passage and Sacraments as well.

Over the last few years, I’ve taken to marking seminal events in my life with getting a tattoo. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that tattoos have historically been used to literally “mark” a person who has gone through a Rite of Passage (thank you Discovery and History channels). I have four, each with a story and meaning.

My first tattoo is of a lotus blossom and I had it done after my father and one of my sisters died. I was on my own, in a state 1300 miles away from family and had lost the one person in my life who I thought would be my support net. He wasn’t. Lotuses can bloom in adverse conditions and I was at a time in my life when I needed to bloom.

My second is a Celtic Earth knot. I had it done when I finally felt grounded and felt like I had a good foundation from which to grow.

My third is a family medallion, showing two parents and two children dancing in a circle. It represents my family, my husband, daughter, son and myself. Ever in motion, the dance of my family continues.

My fourth is a symbol of the Tradition to which I dedicated myself. It’s a Wheel, showing all the colors of the Sabbats and Chakras. It represents my connection to a group of others, also dedicated to this path, a connection I treasure.

I remember speaking to a young lady when I moved back to Louisiana in 2005. She asked about the tattoos I had at that time and I explained what they meant to me. When I told her that they were symbols of Rites of Passage, she seemed confused. She told me that, since she had already passed her Confirmation in her church, that she didn’t have any more Rites of Passage to go through, so she couldn’t understand how I did.

I felt sad for her.

Life changing, soul changing, events don’t stop in between becoming an adult and dying. If anything, my own Rites of Passage have become more intense. Perhaps because I expect to continue to have them, I’m better able to recognize them.

So I’m sure I’m not done getting tattoos. Who knows what the next one will be, but it will be a visible sign of the inward grace I receive from experiencing some event that helps me know myself and guides me on my path.