Winter Solstice Ceremony #6 2023 Rite of Passage
MY HISTORY — ORIGINALLY POSTED 2/21/2024 ON INSTAGRAM@THEPOINTOFYOU
ADDED SEPTEMBER 17, 2025
I didn’t actually do a post about my 6th Winter Solstice rite-of-passage ceremony in 2024. A few photos were just included in a reel about my trip to Munich for my 60th (still tough to say/admit/believe) birthday.
I did part one of the ceremony on the actual day of the Solstice (December 22, 2023), but it wasn’t flowing to find a threshold to walk through, much less the time to walk through it. My father had arrived for Christmas, and days were full. I just rolled with it, trusting that the perfect time and place would drop in, if I could just be patient and listen for it. Letting my Self “break the rules” in this way was definitely a part of my 2024 Soulwork. No accident, 2024 was all about reclaiming my own RULER archetype for my Self — my 6th archetype — doing the work of releasing my need to control (hold back) my success and Self expression, by being responsible for (controlling) others’ success and Self expression..
In hindsight, the ceremony and oracle cards I drew were profound in ways that I didn’t see coming.
Accepting who I AM was about accepting all of me. Ultimately, my rite-of-passage commitment to my Self was to accept and honor the gifts of my whole life story. I was facing head on the way I still punished my Self for everything I had lost — feeling like a such a failure in my life — rather than seeing how much I had gained because of my strength, courage and commitment to living (not dying) and to completely rebuilding my life … by finally answering the call of my own Soulwork. The card I drew was PARTNERSHIP. At first I was a little stumped, but trusted. A few months later, after completing a very large project that had become too dependent upon me, I chose to end a significant business partnership, effectively giving up half of my income overnight. Not surprisingly, this release opened the door for healing more of a deep trauma wound, related to anorexia. (I’ll share more another time.) Ultimately, the partnership card was about developing a collaborative partnership between my ego and my Soul.
Expressing who I AM in relationship was about getting to use my wisdom for my own success and prosperity, expressing for my Self, by making my own desires and goals equally consequential (and a priority) in my life. The card I drew was POTENTIAL. Indeed. First, my own. Never again will I allow my Self to be paid to express for someone else. Been there. Done that. For me, that’s separating my self from my the potential of my true Soul.
Becoming who I AM in community was about participating in life by expressing and realizing my own creative vision … not just sitting on the sidelines nor hiding behind creating for others. The card I drew was SOLITUDE. Again, seemed “wrong.” It wasn’t. I was beginning a new journey of expressing my Self for my Self … a huge direction shift for me in being the creative visionary for my own work.
The overall card I drew for the year was PROTECTION. Indeed, primarly learning more about narcissistic strategies and how to protect my Self from them.
JANUARY 16,2024 — Rite of Passage Ceremony
The perfect day and time did drop in, on my birthday, in Munich. Since I was working with my Ruler archetype, I chose to have birthday breakfast at Cafe Königen (Queen). My sister had flown in from DC to celebrate with me (and Bryan), and as we were walking through the Englischergarten toward the restaurant, we came upon a tree with a heart made of snow. We could see that there was an A on the left side of it. Optimistically, I said “Maybe there’s a K on the other side” —our initials for Amy and Kim. There WAS! What? What were the odds? We like to think that our Mom (who passed in March 2022) had something to do with it.
After breakfast, we walked to my chosen threshold — the Siegestor — a 19th century triumphal arch. After World War II, it was almost demolished, because it’s original dedication had been to the glory of the Bavarian Army. Instead, it was rededicated with a new inscription: “Dedicated to Victory - Destroyed by War - Calling for Peace.” A powerful for me to commit to my own internal peace.
