Beautifully written and timely! As always.
For many years i have been saying:
"That is when our learning really starts as we learn more by teaching others than we learned by being taught."
Every time I facilitate a workshop, course or sharing circle, this is always the case. So many layers in the journey of life!
I also very strongly agree:
"I think we should explore re-instating these rites within our lives. How do we know when a child has acquired the skills to hunt or gather or when the become an adult? How to they even know what an adult is? How do we know who our true spiritual warriors are or our mothers, fathers, elders or teachers? Does a piece of paper on their wall make that determination or does it give them the right to perform a function of the machine so that children in suits can govern the world? "
We have abused our richest resource. Our elders. We now luck them up in institutions and throw them away, like the disposable society we have become.
I often think that if we go back to the older ways, listen to our elders, share with them, seek their council, we would be in a much better place.
I also believe that the damage with first nations would do well with encouraging and supporting their ways of healing. Their elders. Instead of the papered people telling them how to do things, how to "fix" these problems.