Rites of Passage for Women: What We Lost and How to Reclaim It

Ritual has been part of human history for eons, and yet modern women are often crossing life's biggest thresholds silently and alone. In this episode of the Brave Woman Podcast, Tanya dives deep into what ritual really is (and what it is not), why ritual is essential for embodiment and integration, and how ritual creates safety, belonging, and true transformation especially inside women's circles, retreats, and sacred spaces. Drawing from her own lived experience, years of facilitating women's circles, and somatic trauma-informed wisdom, Tanya explains why ritual is not about performance, intensity, or spiritual theatrics, but about grounding transformation into the body. ✨ In This Episode, You'll Learn: What ritual actually is and why repetition creates safety and belonging Why ritual is not about performance, reenactment, or catharsis How ritual helps the body cross thresholds and complete transitions The role of ritual in rites of passage for women (birth, first blood, marriage, motherhood, elderhood, loss, and death) Why modern women experience burnout, overgiving, and exhaustion as a result of being uninitiated How ritual supports trauma-informed healing without re-traumatization How to tell if a ritual "worked" (and why intensity is not the measure) How ritual heals the sister wound, mother wound, and witch wound The sacred balance of masculine structure and feminine flow in ritual design Why ritual is what makes circles, retreats, and transformational work actually land 🌿 Key Takeaway: Ritual is not the "pretty" part of the circle; it's the part that anchors transformation into the nervous system and the body. Without ritual, experiences stay conceptual. With ritual, they become embodied, integrated, and complete. 🔗 Resources Mentioned: Women's Circle Ritual Handbooks (Seasonal editions available): https://sistershipcircle.com/op/womens-circle-ritual-handbook Ritual Design Masterclass -- Learn how to design powerful solo and group rituals using themes, symbols, and sequencing: sistershipcircle.com/product/how-to-build-a-ritual