My beautiful daughter Raine is now at boarding school 800 miles away. It’s a bittersweet experience for me; I know she is going to have the time of her life and make life-long friendships, but I miss her presence in our home. She is so funny with a mature sense of humor that always makes me laugh; and she is the one that understands me more than anyone on the planet.
Recently I read of a time when girls living hundreds of years ago went through an initiation into womanhood at about the age of 12 to learn the sacred ways of healing, living and guiding others. This led me to dream up what feminine wisdom I could pass onto Raine before she left our home.
I imagined a secret school for girls like an etiquette class but oh-so-different. It would be a school to initiate girls into learning how to show up in the world in their power, using their most powerful skills, assets, knowledge in the best ways possible.
These are some of the things I would invite them to practice:
- Alignment with the highest part of ourselves
- Breathing deeply
- Drinking water often
- Learning to listen
- Learning how to calm and address those emotions within through caring for the child within
- Learning responsibility
- Learning to take focus off of self
- Awakening to and honoring the memory of our ancestors – women folk.
- Learning to be direct and transparent while staying in their own power center.
- Experiencing the power of field of energy that exists between us and learn how to increase it.
Well she left too soon for that to happen, but I also know there is still plenty of time to initiate her into all of this; a lot on this list she already knows because I have shared it with her and we practice a lot. With this in mind, I wanted to send her to school with a reminder of her powerful connected self. So I made this poster to go on her wall in her dorm next to her bed. I hope she reads it often and doesn’t forget. I’m already thinking of the next poster to create and send to her – perhaps a photo of herself with a phrase over it. I will be sure to share as I create them.
I WANT A COPY for ALL my daughters!!!!!!!! PLEASE???? xoxoxoxox
Okay Shirley, I’m working on figuring out the best way to make more. :o)
Katariina, this is sort of uncanny: I just led a weekend for girls called The Sophia Camp, with everything on your list above on our agenda! This year’s Sophia Conference, and every one going forward, is a fund-raiser for the Camp which was so wonderful. I also described it as a kind of “finishing school” but different!
Of course you are! This is very serendipitous. I can’t imagine a more suited woman to be initiating girls into their Sophia-ness. I would love to learn more about this.
What a beautiful picture of Raine!
You are so unbelievably talented, and more importantly, a brave and wonderful mother. So thankful for you and Raine in my life!
think you could help me make a 12 year old boy version?
Yes!!!
Sent from my iPhone
I think we should collaborate on this one! okay?
this is simply just “bangin” as my friend would say. totally wonderful for any age….