We did it! My first girls group has become a sisterhood. By the light of the dark moon we crossed the mountain, night hiking up Tennessee Valley, sleeping at the peak. It was very very very wet, windy and cold. We woke at sunrise to greet the ocean and descended to Muir Beach for an epic ceremony with all their families.

I held space for 20 people to honor the gorgeously messy journey of family, the girls transformation into young women, the power of nature, and the humility of simply being human. It was incredible. The ceremony lasted 4 hours! This is what conscious rites of passage looks and feels like ~ what a gift to all. More than 7 years together! Beyond words grateful for the support and willingness of all the girls, their families, and all our guides and allies. It was also my first night away from my son. May this beautiful ending reveal a powerful new beginning for all of us. Oh how the many layers weave. Surrounded in beauty, giving thanks ✨🌙

Thank you Diana for your devotion to understanding and spreading awareness around adolescence as "a period of transformation, not mental illness." We love you!

More from Diana and her valuable work at developmentalscience.com

"The teens had worked together in advance to create a series of questions on a range of topics that they all addressed throughout the evening. I took a lot of notes. I was especially struck by how much these weaving spaces are needed—spaces for young people to be held in safety and non-judgment to do the vulnerable work of weaving themselves, authentic & caring relationships, and the world they will inhabit. I was grateful to attend such a rare event featuring teens’ voices. As one of the young women shared: Young people need “tender reverent space.”  (Read full post 'Weaving the Social Fabric')

We especially love your words from another recent blog post... "Epic isn’t easy. I don’t think you get to epic without working hard for it…epic demands a leap out of the comfort zone. And there’s usually a lot of learning involved." (see full Epic post here) "Epic" pretty much sums up the panel for us and especially the girls - thank you for describing why.
An honor to walk the path with you,
Emily, Quetzal & the girls