When does the Journey begin?

A spirit separates from AllMother to take on a body, perhaps to learn a new lesson
A fetus separates from her mother’s womb, telling it to push her out into life.
An infant discovers her hand.
A baby pulls herself up to her feet, and dancing, takes a step.
A toddler says “NO!”
A child plays with other children, and recognizes the community of the child separate from the adult world of parent.
A student goes to school, to junior high, to high school, to college, to graduate school.
A girl discovers that she is different, from not only her mother and her sisters, but from her peers.
A maiden’s body sprouts breasts, hair, pimples, hips, and blood.
A virgin discovers lust and longing, fantasy and sex.
A daughter leaves home to make her own place, alone or with another.
A graduate and a drop-out leave school, hand in hand.
A female conceives, and is forever a mother--connected, whether the child lives or dies, whether she aborts, nurtures, rears, or passes the child to another.
An applicant goes to work to buy a car, feed her children, develop her talents, or buy her freedom.
A bride is married or partnered.
A wife is divorced, widowed, abandoned, or she escapes.
A body is shattered by accident, disease, crime, war or age.
A life finds vocation, or loses it.
A mind, separated from body and spirit, searches for them in work, addiction, religion, recovery.
A mother’s child says goodbye as she (mother or daughter) sets out on her own journey, in life or death.
A woman’s body sprouts gray hair, fat and wrinkles, burns and freezes her, and finally, stops bleeding.
A face looks into a mirror and sees the face of her mother.
A seeker becomes an initiate, then a priestess, then a wise woman; then if she is strong enough, a crone.
A spirit separates from a body to return to AllMother.