The ritual of a boy becoming a man is one that has been practiced for centuries among many indigenous tribes around the world. For example, among the Cherokee tribe of North America, one part of this ritual is called the passage.
The passage involves the boy standing on a stump in the forest for one night, blindfolded until sunrise. You must imagine how hard and scary that must feel to know you are alone, blindfolded in the middle of a forest filled with bears, wolves, and God knows how many other creatures that could kill you in one second, and yet the boy must go thru it to become a man.
When the sun rises, and he removes his blindfold, he discovers he was not alone. His father stood nearby, guarding him the whole night. It is a powerful symbol of the boy’s transition into adulthood and the trust he must place in a higher power, his community, and himself.
But beyond the Cherokee tribe, there is a more profound lesson to be learned from this ritual. It reminds us that in life, we must have faith in something greater than ourselves. Just as the boy trusts the ritual and the process, we must trust God to guide us through life’s challenges. Listen to your heart and intuition, people tell us. And that is precisely what we have to do.
Sometimes life can seem overwhelming when we feel lost and alone, and it looks like there is no one to turn to. In those moments, it is easy to feel like we are standing on that stump, blindfolded and scared. But just as the boy’s father was always there to protect him, we can take comfort in knowing that God is always with us, even when we can’t feel Him.
Trusting in something we can’t see can be challenging, but that is the essence of faith. It is the belief that there is something greater than ourselves, something that guides us and gives us strength. And just like the boy on the stump, when we finally take off our blindfolds and see the light of a new day, we can feel the joy and peace that comes from knowing we are not alone.
So let us all take inspiration from the ritual of the Cherokee tribe and remember that during life’s challenges, we can trust in God to be with us always and everywhere. Let us have faith in something greater than ourselves and find the courage to face whatever comes our way.
Following your heart can be challenging, and it goes beyond logic and reason, but it is also one of life’s most rewarding experiences. Trusting your inner voice leads to a purpose, passion, and fulfillment-filled life.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” King Solomon tells us.
For just as the boy became a man on that stump, so too can we grow and thrive when we trust in the power of something greater than ourselves.