Initiation
Initiation marks the point at which the individual recognizes in fact, and not only in theory, his identity with the Divine Self in which he has his existence.
It is a conscious process and not something that happens to you in a wave of euphoria.
I have heard many people in the New Age movement talk about Ascension and the idea of taking ascension classes. I have asked them to explain if, by ascension they are referring to the process that is spoken of that Jesus went through. They usually become hesitant to associate their process with that of Jesus’.
When I explain that what Jesus went through is the process of Initiation that makes one an Initiate, an Adept and a Master Mason, they usually recoil from the idea. But, this makes for a great disconnect if followers of Jesus do not want to associate themselves with who he really was, namely, the Wayshower to the path of Initiation and, by extension, his process.
For many in the New Age community there is a lot of difficulty for them to make the transition from mysticism, which is usually associated with the Eastern tradition, to occultism, and the Western tradition.
The prevailing thinking seems to be that everything eastern is holy, spiritual and therefore good while, on the other hand, anything western is unholy and therefore bad but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this thinking reflects the deep separation that exists in the minds of mankind that is responsible for the maladies of the world.
All things are spiritual
It needs to be understood that regardless of one’s culture, race, religious or spiritual orientation, everyone must and will achieve initiation, whether it is in this life or the next or whether it is on this planet or somewhere else.
The process of Initiation liberates the individual from the bondage of ignorance
In fact, what keeps mankind in bondage is his ignorance of his own nature, origin and destiny. And, it is this ignorance he each yearns be liberated from.
The reward or wages at the end of this journey toward liberation is Wisdom, not Gold
I recently heard a minister ask his congregation who would sign up for a life that does not involve material prosperity. The answer is clear: Jesus did. Initiates do.
For the initiate on the path of initiation or liberation, he or she must renounce the world of matter because it is only through this renunciation that he will realize that he has dominion over all Matter.
Each person would do well to regard initiation as a pivotal process in his lifetime and strive to endeavor that every life experience or cycle of life experiences, progress them into a wider field of awareness and expression, all of which will result in their final Initiation.
The underlying theme of the individual evolutionary process is the desire to reconcile each pairs of opposites, which Venus, in Taurus, reveals to the aspirant. Venus, later in the sign of Capricorn, reveals to man the desire for the whole, the universal, which marks the hallmark of the Initiate. This process as impacted by Capricorn leads the individual from a self-conscious to group conscious entity. This is how Brotherhood will be established on the planet in the Aquarian Age. The internal process that each person goes through steadily works this out in the physical, emotional and mental bodies of those prepared to take the next step.
Initiation, which is another name for fusion and/or synthesis, involves the capacity to see, hear, comprehend, synthesize and correlate knowledge.
Initially the body and soul aspects are fused and then, in the final stage the soul infused vehicle merges with his spirit to create a fully illumined entity.
Man is becoming increasingly inclusive due to extra-planetary perceptions
Initiation begins a process that releases the powers of Christ consciousness within the individual resulting in the perfection of the personality vehicle that allows for the transmission of those powers outward, from the causal plane, into manifestation in the physical world. These practices also modify the chemistry of the blood, which in turn causes a modification of the structures in certain areas of the brain.
The Initiate thus becomes the perfect vehicle, as symbolized by Hermes the messenger of God, because he has now become a God/Man. He becomes he “who is called the twice-born” who has built a new physical and not only metaphysical temple of which Solomon’s temple is an example. These entities are human and live amongst us but go about unseen and/or unknown because they do not occupy the limelight and have no need to do so.
They oversee the administration of this planet
These beings know and understand the quintessence of pain and the depth of “sin” and suffering that mankind has experienced and, because of this knowledge, they are able to adjust their methods for working with humanity to fit the needs of each individual. They have a love for humanity that triumphs all setbacks because this love is founded on patience, experience and wisdom. They are distinguished by their knowledge, dynamic will, courage and silence.
Their knowledge, experience and courage are based on ages of endeavor, failure and renewed undertakings, which led to their eventual victory. Because of this, they are now in service to mankind for a purpose that is enlightened, intelligent and cooperative. This service to humanity is continuously adjusting itself to meet the needs of the group; to the hierarchical plan and purpose of the Planetary Ruler. And, because they understand the plan for humanity so well and possess clear illuminated vision, they can bend their will unflinchingly and unswervingly to perform the Great Work of creation.
The Mystery of the Lion and the Unicorn “going up to town” holds within it the secret of initiation in which man must go up to the portal of the temple for admittance into the ‘Hierarchy of Masters’. It also alludes to the “mystic raising” of which Masonry holds the key.
Masonry will be the religious philosophy of the 21st century
The story, The Mystery of the Lion and the Unicorn, also deals with the emergence of the one-pointed consciousness of the initiate. It also speaks to the defeat of the Lion, which esoterically, has always been used to symbolize the personality, wherein the lower self and animal nature in man is territorial and selfish.
The defeat of the King of Beasts results in the triumph of group, world consciousness and selflessness over selfishness and self-consciousness. In the true esoteric understanding of this myth, the king of beasts is blinded and killed by the piercing of his eyes and heart by the long horn of the unicorn, and the Initiate is born.
The literal meaning of initiation is “to enter into or begin something”; in the broadest sense it means entrance into the spiritual life. Therefore, a man who takes his first step into the spiritual kingdom passes out of the purely human kingdom into the superhuman or fifth kingdom.
Just as Man passed out of the animal kingdom into the human kingdom during the stage of individualization; on the path of initiation he now enters upon a life of spirit and begins the final stage of the fivefold evolution.
He groped his way through the Hall of Ignorance for many ages; has gone through the Hall of Learning and is now entering university or, the Hall of Wisdom.
Upon graduation he will receive his degree as Master of Compassion, with Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding.
- Knowledge—a product of the Hall of Learning may be described as the sum total of the human experience and discovery. It can be correlated, diagnosed and defined by the use of human intellect. Knowledge is concerned with the material side of life, evolution, matter in the solar systems, the planet, the three worlds of human evolution and the bodies of men.
- Wisdom—the product of the Hall of Wisdom relates to the development of life within the form and with the progress of the spirit through the ever-changing personality vehicles. And, with the expansion of consciousness that succeed each form life to life. Wisdom deals with the essence of things and not with the things themselves. It is the intuitive perception of truth apart from the reasoning faculty; the innate perception that can distinguish between real and unreal. Wisdom might be described as the gradual blending of the mystic and the occultist and is the therefore the erecting of the temple of wisdom on the foundation of knowledge.
- Knowledge is the science of matter, wisdom is the science of the spirit
- Knowledge separates and is objective, wisdom is synthetic and subjective
- Knowledge divides, wisdom unites
- Knowledge differentiates, wisdom blends
- Understanding—defined as the Faculty of Thinker in Time, able to appropriate Knowledge as the foundation of wisdom. Understanding is that which enables the individual to adapt the things of form to the life of spirit. Wisdom deals with the One Self; Knowledge with the Not-Self; Understanding is the point of view of the Thinker or his relationship between Wisdom and Knowledge.
Initiation is the normal process of evolutionary development. It leads to the mountaintop where vision can be obtained—a vision of the Eternal Now, where past, present and future exist as one. A vision of the golden pageant of all the races with the golden thread of pedigree carried through the many types of personality vehicles. A vision of the golden sphere that holds all life forms—deva, human, animal, vegetable, mineral, elemental— held in unison through many evolutions and through which can be seen pulsating life beating in regular rhythm.
Initiation leads to the cave within whose circumscribing walls the pairs of opposites are known, and the secret of good and evil are revealed. It leads to the Cross and to the absolute sacrifice which must transpire before perfect liberation can be attained. Only then does the initiate stand free of all earth’s shackles, and is held by nothing in the three worlds—Physical, Emotional and Mental. Initiation leads Man to the Hall of Wisdom and puts into his hands the key to all information, systemic and cosmic, in graduated sequence.
L.V.X—May Light be Extended Upon You!
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Etta D. Jackson, Ph. D. 