The Rites of Passage Adventure Weekend
The process begins with the Rites of Passage Adventure Weekend (RPAW). This initiation weekend takes place near Buffalo Creek, Colorado in a primitive setting. The isolation of the natural setting removes participants from the routines and patterns of their lives so that they can re-create themselves. They have the opportunity to let go of old patterns that might no longer serve them. They start fresh, discover new, more mature qualities, and learn and adopt new responsibilities and roles.
The RPAW incorporates physical or emotional tests that help a boy discover inner resources that he often doesnt know exist. Through this experience he gains new self-respect and confidence. This process helps ensure that the initiate is ready for the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood.
During an RPAW the adult staff helps boys learn their own lessons. Participants learn about accountability, integrity, personal responsibility, honest communication, connection to feeling, and about the importance of discovering a sense of mission in the world.
After the boys have faced their challenges, they are honored in a celebration and presented with a talisman. The initiates are recognized with a new status within the community; they are no longer boys but not yet men. They are called "JourneyMen", meaning that they are now on the journey to manhood.
Boys wanting to experience the weekend can download the Application Form for Boys and return it to us.
Men or fathers interested in attending/staffing the weekend can download the Application Form for Staff and return it.
Journeymen (boys who have done the weekend) interested in staffing can download the Application Form for Jman Staff .
Spread the word by printing the Event Flyer . Post it in public place or distribute to friends and family.
Download the application form above, then call to confirm space is available...and mail in your registration forms with your deposit or the full fee or pay via credit card below. We will follow up with you upon receipt of information.
INVESTMENT:
Threshold Passages, Inc is a 501c3 registered non-profit. Funding is needed to run our programs and we therefore charge nominal fees. Payment plans are available. If you are unable to pay the full amount, contact us for other financial options. No boy will be turned down for lack of finances.
Cost is $295.00 per boy to cover costs for Lodging, Food, and Training. Travel fees or airfare not included.
Fees can be paid by check: payable to...
Threshold Passages Inc.
11968 W. Berry Ave.
Littleton, CO 80127
Donations and program fees can be paid by check, credit card or Paypal account.
RPAW Boys Participant Fee ($295) RPAW Staff Fee -Mentors ($150) Background Check Fee ($40) RPAW Staff Fee -Journeyman ($100)BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SAFETY
Rites of passage have played an important role in many cultures for thousands of years. We believe that our rites of passage must be relevant and appropriate for our culture and time, while tapping into the old traditions that still hold meaning.
Participants are adolescent males, ages 12 to 17, who apply to participate in the RPAW. Participation is limited so that sufficient adult mentors are present for the youth attending. The typical ratio of staff to boys during an RPAW is 2:1. Threshold Passages adheres to a strict non-discrimination policy. The weekend begins on a Friday evening and ends on a Sunday afternoon. The event is held in a natural setting.
The specific processes used at rites of passage are kept confidential from the participants. That is so younger members of the community do not receive the adult information before they are ready, because rites of passage are considered sacred and personal and should not be treated casually, and because rites of passage rely on a degree of theater, surprise, and spontaneous response that would be lost if participants knew in advance what was going to happen. However, adult members of the community, especially parents, can be fully informed of all processes and events of the RPAW.
The isolation of the natural setting removes participants from the routines and patterns of their lives so that they can discover new aspects of themselves. They have the opportunity to let go of old patterns that might no longer serve them. They start fresh, discover new, more mature qualities, and learn and adopt new responsibilities and roles.
The participant has an opportunity to experiment with these responsibilities and roles in a non-shaming environment, and to adjust to some of the changes that may begin on the RPAW. The participant's time away gives the community time to prepare for the changes as well. When the participant returns from the RPAW as a "JourneyMan" (defined below), his family is encouraged to accept him as changed and to support the adolescent's increased exploration of life-skills and roles.
Primarily with young men, initiations incorporate physical or emotional tests. These help the boys discover inner resources that they often are unaware of and gain new self-respect and confidence. The tests also help ensure that the initiate is ready for the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. In the RPAW, the tests are individualized. They are challenging, but do not involve winning and losing, which can create shame. Each boy has the opportunity to test himself in ways that build self-esteem and facilitate growth.
