Teen Journey 2010 - Self Discovery for Youth

Written by Lifecoach Brodie

Ever heard of the phrase rite of passage? As defined on Wikipedia... "A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another."

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2029115/%20TJ%20Web%20Seg1.mp4

In September, I joined an incredible team of leaders in a 7-day youth camp focused on rites of passage & self-discovery for youth. With 45 teen participants and a team of over 15 staff, Teen Journey 2010 was a powerful event. We had tons of fun and participants were continually challenged and each experience acted as a catalyst for deep levels of learning, integration and discovery.

To begin, the youth washed their hands in a bucket of ocean water, washing away what they were leaving behind and stepping forth into receiving what they had come for. Passing through a cedar archway to the sound of the drums, they entered the dock to board the boat for our coastal retreat.

As soon as they arrived, the youth were instructed to strip down to their bathing suits for a swimming test/first initiation ... they had to swim to shore! I was honoured to have the opportunity to mentor one of the boys whom had never jumped in water over his head. I guided him into feeling comfortable wearing a life jacket in front of his peers, and together we took the plunge on the count of 3! Arriving at shore, I picked up a beautiful stone and handed it to him saying, "This stone represents your courage and willingness to step beyond what you previously thought you were capable of." He gladly received it as his magical moment was caught on film by the awaiting film crew. It was amazing when we first surfaced to hear him exclaim, "Oh my God, it's salty ... we're in the ocean!" In that moment, I felt a rush of love as I realized the depth of trust he was offering his world in that moment. That, along with the rush of exhilaration as the tingle of cold ocean water shot through my body.

For the next 7 days, we built a dynamic village based on trust, acceptance, love, non-judgment, and belief in each other. By listening to each other, by sharing our deepest fears and our wildest dreams, through sharing meals, and through a rich variety of team building and self-discovery exercises and games, we were able to penetrate the common veils of judgment and cultivate a living atmosphere of acceptance and love... with teenagers!

There were continual challenges for all to face and overcome. I learned a lot about myself and working with and supporting youth. As a mentor, I was continually balancing my role in creating rules and boundaries with hearing and honouring the voice of each youth. We were continually challenging the teens and calling them forth into their own individual greatness, and thus there was a continuing effort to dissolve resistance and transform it trust and willingness.

Among all the activities at Teen Journey, some of the most memorable and impactful were:

• The Initiation Swim - all participants had to swim to shore from the boat dock to get to land.
• Treasure Hunt & Tribe Building - each tribe was given a treasure map where they were guided through the forest to their treasure chest. In each chest were all the elements necessary to building a unified and powerful tribe.
• High Ropes & Low Ropes Challenge Courses - set in the forest, these courses included a 50-foot high tight rope walk & wobbly climbing wall. 30-feet up, as I leaned forward to cross the horizontally-suspended wobbly ladder, I was filled with a sudden surge of momentum and found myself running/flying across to the other side where I got to kiss the tree!
• Warrior & Goddess Day - where males and females were guided through a powerful day of cultivating the essence of their masculine & feminine through breath work, lessons on sacred sexuality, martial arts, exploring powerful questions, etc. In the evening, we met by a fire where the warriors and goddesses were able to ask the opposite sex ANY question they wanted. Questions were answered by those who felt called to respond.
• Surprise Concert in Forest! Delhi to Dublin rocked through to the very soul of the Teen Journey crew in the rainforest on the shores of the ocean.
• 6-hour Solo Journey & Fast - Awoken at 5:am, gathered in silence, and led into the forest, each youth was blindfolded and guided to a sacred individual circular space to remain within for the entire time. Many powerful visions came out of this experience, which shaped a significant portion of the TJ experience.
• Clay sculpture workshop - each youth was given enough clay to sculpt their head in metaphorical or real-life expression.
• The guided visualization - I guided the teens through a powerful & focused process called The Dickens Pattern, where they defined their top 2 limiting beliefs. We busted through the limiting beliefs, transforming them into 2 empowering beliefs and integrated them into a new system of personal beliefs that will serve them in their continuing quest for self-realization, fulfillment, and success. We also explored The Power of Visualization, and How We Create Our Emotional and Physical Reality using physiology, focus, and language. This was gift for me to have the chance to guide the youth through The Dickens Pattern. Developed by Anthony Robbins, world-renowned expert on success psychology, this guided visualization process was a transformative experience for me as an ecstatic participant at his Unleash the Power Within event in 2009.
• Film school - youth explored the modern world of film, earning 4 high school credits for the experience! Here's some of what they created: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szI9QgVDSD8

There was so much to take in as we built community and shared in an unfolding into our own personal discovery of the question, "Who Am I?"

Everyone pushed themselves beyond what they were used to and comfortable with. The TJ Leadership Crew, along with a handful of other Mentors, Guides, and Elders stepped UP in major way for the youth.

I plan to co-create a similar rite-of-passage camp for the youth in The Kootenays (my homeland). If you are interested, please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (250) 353-2189. This experience is something that deserves to be re-created around the world! Rite-of-passage has profound importance at significant stages of life. Besides the importance, it's also an absolute blast to be part of an experience like this! Let's make it happen ... our youth deserve it.