Who are you

“Who are you” is the one question that plagues each and every one of us. It is critical to our emotional growth and maturity and the answer can only be found within. This is what Teen Journey is all about; they use rites of passage to help campers answer this life altering question. If you ask them what Teen Journey means to them, they state “it’s a journey of discovery, of letting go, moving forward and waking up”. Waking up in particular requires us to embark on a journey within.

“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”   C.G. Jung

Teen Journey came about from the realisation that ancient wisdom and indigenous knowledge holds the key to finding oneself. They use rites of passage because by their nature they are the coming of age rituals that mark the transition of an individual from one status in their life to another. They have modified and adapted them to be suitable in the modern world and the youth of today. At the core Teen Journey is a camp experience that goes far beyond your typical camping excursion. It deals with the complex and often treacherous subject of identity. This is why they use an array of internationally renowned leaders and an experienced team of mentors.

“The most adventurous journey to embark on; is the journey to yourself, the most exciting thing to discover; is who you really are, the most treasured pieces that you can find; are all the pieces of you, the most special portrait you can recognize; is the portrait of your soul.”  C. JoyBell C.

Teen Journey is successfully addressing a huge social issue faced by the youth of today. The youth are a reflection of the society they live in; they are influenced by and are products of the challenges faced by our planet.
Today’s teenagers are bombarded with a lot of confusing messages that lead to their identity being lost in the noise. They have to deal with challenges like unemployment in a world that has a culture of consumerism and materialism. Suicide rates and extreme violence amongst this group is the highest it has ever been. Clearly something is not right, the signs are there constantly screaming at us.

They are expected to navigate a world that awards assimilation and punishes individuality. The pressure to fit in from society, their peers and parents leads to them losing their identities and leaves them without the skills they need to be empowered and independent adults. What exacerbates the problem is that a lot of parents also suffer from the same phenomenon and are therefore unable to foster independence in their children. This then leads to the breakdown in families and lack of trust between parent and child.

The media and advertisers have shifted their focus onto the young consumer. They bombard them with information and conflicting messages in an attempt to get them to buy their products. This has produced the instant generation that expects instant wealth, instant food, and instant health. The need for constant instant gratification has produced a generation that lacks forethought, introspection and emotional maturity.

The exchange of wisdom between elders and the youth no longer exists. Ageing is seen as a disease in our society further widening the distance between elders and the youth. This is one of the relationships that are revived by Teen Journey.

Artificial communities on television and computers isolate them and fill up their lives with noise that prevents them from hearing their inner voices. Teen Journey removes them from the noise filled environment and returns them to Mother Nature. Looking deep into nature opens them up to hearing and listening to their inner voice.

“Listen to your inner voice... for it is a deep and powerful source of wisdom, beauty and truth, ever flowing through you... Learn to trust it, trust your intuition, and in good time, answers to all you seek to know will come, and the path will open before you.” Caroline Joy Adams

Teen Journey is an unforgettable and life changing experience for the teens who get to attend the camps. Here are some of the comments made by teens that have been through this experience.

"The staff were inspiring, unique and embodied people of the world rich in culture. I felt like my mentor really "saw" me."

"Everyone is amazing. So happy to know that there are these kinds of people out there who actually have faith in our usually shallow generation. I learned that I can stand strong and know that I have a place in the world-as a Goddess. That workshop changed so much for me."

"I learnt to say things from my heart and not to judge and disrespect people. I am stronger, more powerful and a lot more confident."

"I will have more confidence in my actions. And remember to breathe in times of stress. I will not judge others because by judging others and making comparisons I am only closing myself off to things and experiences. I will remember that life is only one aspect of our whole being and our connection to each other and the Earth is the fire that burns within us and makes us who we are. There is no me and you, us and them."

For more information of teenjourney visit http://teenjourney.org/

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