Belonging

Initiation.  Every group, organization, school or activity seems to always have some sort of initiation.  This isn't always the case, but for the most part there is always some sort of ceremony to welcome new individuals "through the door."  Over the years, I would have to admit that I have gone through too many initiations to even count them all.  Whether it was a short meeting for cheerleading in high school, or a boring initiation into college,  I feel that this mythological tradition is an important part of our lives, even after centuries and longer.

        My first real initiation was my freshman year of college at a smaller Catholic school.  Sports and pride in the s hool were an integral part of the environment and experience of this university.  After all the freshman had moved in and parents had left,  older students led freshman into a small gym and squished into one level of bleachers.  You could feel an electric level of excitement as students found seats with new friends and roommates.  The noise levels increased and decreased as time passed, but the high energy buzz around the room lingered.  Then,  a much older student, dressed in school colors to the extreme suddenly took stage.  Commanding our attention, he soon made it perfectly clear that we had been selected as chosen students to take part in the long standing traditions, honor, loyalty and pride in the school and that we would soon be officially a part of carrying on all that we stood for.  Loud, upbeat music and students standing and pushing forward in a confusing mass were followed by flashing lights and a run to see if we really wanted this.  The thing that sticks most in my mind was the older students stopping every student and specifically and enthusiastically, half talking half yelling, if each if us was ready to be a Zag right before swinging us into a flashing gym to run through a winding maze of students clapping to you.  This kind of initiation, being very painless, was an experience that made me feel a part of a bigger picture, which is what initiations are for,  to bring new people into a group.

Not all initiations are painless, though.  Thankfully, most group ones are, but cultural initiations are not always, and mythological initiations are most definitely not.  In some cultures,  if the initiated person can withstand the pain presented to them,  they are considered to be worthy of joining.

http://listverse.com/2010/07/17/10-incredibly-painful-rites-of-initiation/

The link above tells stories of multiple different cultures that perform ceremonies that are extremely painful, and are the only way that individuals can prove themselves and join the ranks of womanhood, or manhood.  Why do we do these types of ceremonies though, painless or not?  I believe it is a sense of belonging for some and proving to ourselves and others that we belong.