Without these rites, we see women in their 60s struggling with the inner restlessness and emotional confusion more commonly associated with adolescence. Without guidance or acknowledgment, many of us remain “Maidens” indefinitely—seeking, proving, clinging to roles that might no longer suit our souls.

The absence of this guidance creates a societal paradox. We see it in our current rush of self-appointed “life coaches,” for instance, where wisdom is assumed rather than earned. Coaching, teaching, and mentoring are powerful roles, yet without deep, reflective rites of passage, we risk the blind leading the blind—sharing advice that’s untested, ungrounded.