Fatherhood – Manhood Ritual – Responsibility
Fatherhood - The Phoenix must die!
The initiation into fatherhood: The phoenix must first die in order to be able to rise again from the ashes. This is how we grow into our new role as father or mother. The old must die so that one can take on the new responsibility, reborn. Wive and husband must each face their own death and impermanence so that the body and mind can learn the difference between pain and suffering. This is the only way responsibility arises and the core of the family can grow. You become part of something bigger in body and mind.
When faced with opposites, the path of family does not lead to conflict and separation, but greater value comes from the two opposites of man and woman.
Initiation into Fatherhood - Becoming a Family
In order to become good husbands and fathers, good wives and mothers, we must have the courage to the completeness of the soul (voluntary sacrifice). Then family life will take on a meditative and religious character. The common path until death and beyond death with the respective tasks of the expectant husband and father and the expectant wife and mother. The dance of marriage and family begins back to back. So that we can learn to trust and protect each other from our blind spots.
The difference between men and women is that the man perceives things and the woman perceives people. A man's mind is sacred and a woman's body is sacred. This way, we know what we need to support and protect each other.
Father - Head of the Family
As the head of the family, the man has the duty to assume responsibility and defend his wife and family. Men have the responsibility to protect their wives and children from physical and, above all, spiritual dangers. Men often overlook this responsibility and, in doing so, endanger not only their own lives but also those of their wives and their families. Therefore, it is important that men learn to protect their wives and recognize dangers early on. Dangers lurk everywhere today (see "Deathly Mother and Feminism").
We cannot be good parents to our children or to our own heart matters until we confront the power of the mother in our culture to the corner.
The Father's Primary Task - Upbringing
The father bears the educational responsibility for the crucial separation of his children from the maternal image of the soul. The mother is the primary bearer of this image; later, other women take her place, whether in a positive or negative sense. This separation is a delicate and at the same time highly significant task of the greatest educational consequence.
Mere physical maturation is not enough. The profound rites of initiation and rebirth ceremonies are necessary to truly complete the separation from the mother—and thus from childhood. This is the central task of the father's role.
The Fundamental Importance of Religion
Just as the father protects his son from the dangers of the external world and thus becomes a model of his persona, so the mother protects him from the inner, dark threats to the soul. In the sacred rites of initiation, the initiate therefore receives instruction in matters beyond—in religion. Through this, he becomes capable of dispensing with maternal protection. Therefore, the father must introduce his children to religion. This is a fundamental part of upbringing: The father imparts religion as divine protection. Without this protection, children cannot truly separate from their mothers.
Male Rite of Passage
Unfortunately, modern society has largely abandoned these sacred practices, leaving men helpless in their spiritual development. They are expected to undergo the profound inner transformation to mature manhood without any guidance. The result is entire generations of chronologically adult fathers who were never properly initiated into mature manhood.
In traditional cultures, initiation was far more than mere ceremony. It fulfilled crucial psychological functions: It separated boys from maternal influence, introduced them to male wisdom traditions, confronted them with their limitations through trials, and bestowed upon them recognition within the community of men. All of this enabled the crucial shift from boyhood to manhood consciousness. Without such initiation, men remain in a state of diffuse, unclear identity.
The Victorious - The Three Jewels
My great refuge, are my crown jewels of great happiness. I pray from my heart never to be separated from these. Keep holding me with the iron hook of your compassion.
I lovingly keep the teachings of my kind parents. What good is verbal freedom if you don't untie the knot of avarice? What is the use of feigning discipline if one does not abandon deceit and falsehood? What is the use of patience practiced for the sake of reputation if one cannot endure the weapons of hurtful words? What's the use of superficially striving for positive action if you don't really get over your laziness?
The Three Poisons - Greed and Hate & Ignorance
What is the use of enduring difficulties in practice if one does not give up one's absent-mindedness? What is the use of meditating on openness, the wisdom aspect, if one does not experience appearances as helpful? What good is extensive knowledge if you don't understand the profound core point? What's the use of explaining the law of cause and effect to others if you don't act according to it yourself?
Until one has killed the venomous snake of disturbed emotions, it is false to claim that they are primal consciousness. Until the whirlwind of jealousy subsides, it is false to claim to be practicing the enlightenment mindset. As long as one has not overcome the ego illusion, it is wrong to claim that one understands the equality of things. As long as a master has not tamed the demon of egoism, he is ruled by the three poisons.
Prayer for the Expectant Mother - Marriage & Family
You mighty, holy, and just God! You have bestowed countless blessings from your gracious hand upon your chosen people, our fathers and ancestors. You have made the dear Mother of God, in body and soul, a worthy dwelling place for your Son. Even in the womb, you filled Saint John with the Holy Spirit.
A mother humbly prays for the life and prosperity of her child. Accept the sacrifices she makes for its sake. You have entrusted this child to her womb. Guard what is yours and protect it from all the cunning and wickedness of the Evil One.
Give this mother your merciful help so that the young life may happily see the light of day and be preserved for the gracious rebirth of baptism. May it serve you in all things and attain eternal life. Amen.
The Father Prays for His Children - Family
Father of all people! You have given us our children as the most beautiful blessing. To whom could we better dedicate them than to you! They are, after all, your children first and foremost. And only from you have I received the power of a father. I commend their body and soul to your mighty protection. You created them, redeemed them, and you are the sustainer of their lives.
Your Son himself became a child and was subject to his parents for most of his life, so that all children may become holy through him. Make their body your holy temple, in which you dwell with joy. Protect their hearts from sin and bad habits! Never let them be blinded by the follies of this world.
I will gladly raise them in goodness, as far as it is in my power. Give me the right measure of love and severity, of patience and good discipline, so that I may punish and reward, admonish and forgive at the right time. Give me the right word at the right time and the power of a good example in every situation. Thus, obedience will become a joy for them, and respect for their parents a matter of course.
Give my children a pure and tender conscience that protects them from temptation and calls them to do good! May a noble love for their fellow human beings awaken in them, a joy in bringing joy to others. In difficult times, give them trust in you and light in the hour of darkness. You love them more than we can love them.
And you are more faithful than we can be. One day we wish to find our children with you again in the eternal happiness for which we want to raise them. Amen.
The most successful and therefore the happiest are still, even today, those parents and educators who truly come to their children from God and with the splendor of a divine mission. The child does not know what is right, but we should know; that is why God has placed unreasonable children in the hands of reasonable parents.
The Father's Blessing - Family
Often, especially in the morning or evening, at farewell, and on other occasions, the father makes the sign of the cross on his children's foreheads with holy water and says:
I, Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless you. Amen.
The Father Consecrates His Family to God the Lord
Where a beautiful cross hangs in its place of honor, the father often gathers his family. He consecrates himself to God and to the Holy Family and renews it from time to time, alone or with his family.
