13歳少女のイニシエーションに関する一考察 : 初潮と猫イメージをとおして

Abstract

This paper considered a 13-year old girl’s initiation into adulthood as marked by the onset of menstruation, focusing on the psychotherapeutic use of a cat image. The onset of menstruation marks the initiation of womanhood and is an essential but subjective experience through which all girls pass. The ceremonies and "rites" traditionally marking this experience have commonly been lost in modern societies, but the initiation process can be reworked in psychotherapy through the use of images. One particular image which can be used is that of a cat, an image which connects fundamentally with the female psyche. The cat can be seen as a potent medium forming a bridge between good and evil with knowledge of both. The cat image also connects internal and external experiences, and supernatural forces with the internal world. As it has access to, and is at home in, both of these spheres, the image can be used as a source of wisdom and also to teach girls how to hold conflicting values in balance. I illustrate these points by reference to two case histories and other examples.