Rituals of transition and life changes, called Rites of Passage, mark significant periods in life, movement between life-stages, and personal transformations.These are rituals of honouring and empowerment. They are a public acknowledgement and recognition of growth. Just as the seasons pass in order, so do the stages of life. The inner and outer worlds mirror each other, so Rites of Passage provide a further link with the Earth and the Cosmos. Rites of Passage include coming of age, marriage or hand-fasting, pregnancy and birth, elder-hood, hand partings, death, and rebirth.