ADULTHOOD RITES
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ECOPSYCHOLOGICAL ADVENTURE PRACTISE
Recently, counselling psychologists have extensively written about the psychological transitions in human life (Adams and Hospon, 1977) and the need for intervention strategies to cope with them (Brammer and Abrego, 1981).
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While most of this material has focused on mid-life crises, divorce, and career change, the transition from childhood to young adolescence has been largely neglected. Researchers have not addressed the deeper developmental issue of the change of identity from childhood to young adolescence. Children need to understand and be prepared for this change.
In many ways, our present-day Western civilization is an exception in the history of humankind because of its lack of rites of passage for young adolescence. Most young people are left alone to discover their own initiation with many of them getting lost.
Some of the psychological functions of rites of passage include the a)act of preparation from the family of origin, b)coming to terms with childhood fears, c)learning new coping skills, d) metaphorically dying psychologically to the childhood identity, and e)emerging with a new outer and inner identity.
The outer identity of a competent young man or young woman is established by passing tests and challenges, while the new inner identity emerges through the receipt of the vision process. The dream or vision often provides both the personal emblem and the instinctual personal guidance for their new status
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Rites of passage or adulthood rites, whether formal or informal, are essential aspects of education. Although our culture seems to have dropped many of these formal aspects, the process of initiation continues to occur in the cycle and life of our adolescence. Some of these, it seems, are in peer group activities, their escapades, athletics, music, and creative writing projects (Allan, 1978). My argument is that so much more can be done by society. From my experience, youth and adults want to do more in their lives. They feel something is missing, but they are not sure what, where, or how to start.
Adulthood rites, through ecopsychological adventure practice, aim to develop mature concepts in youth such as the meaning of life transition, the function of fears, how to face new challenges, develop new skills, learn social responsibilities, and how to communicate effectively with parents, peers, and friends. The key component of the practice is first consciousness, of being aware of the need and the importance of initiation. The second component is awareness of the right time, and the third component is helping provide an appropriate structure or container for the experience.
The practice involves theoretical and practical elements that are based on the foundation of outdoor experiential learning, adventure therapy, and adulthood rites of passage