Rites of Passage: Initiation

Initiation 

In terms of rites of passage this is one of the most important aspects of spiritual and magickal practice. It is not only a membership to a club that gives you access to different knowledge, both books and practical  research; it is a way of honouring your teachers. It is a transformative process for those dedicated to their spiritual path, which ever path that may be. 

This process is not only something to differ yourself from those who dabble, want to be cool, or to belong. In it's purest form initiation is about surrender as strength; as open hearted trust in something and someone other than yourself. You surrender to your Goddesses and Gods, your Ancestors and spirits to bring you what you need, where you need to be, who you need to be with and to others that need you.

It is not about being visited by a Divine or spiritual force. You might be. yet if you do not make space for these within you, external forces are not going to stick. It is a baptism of sorts. If you do not relinquish your "sins" or your control it is not going to have deep long lasting transformative power. That isn't to say the Gods are not watching, just that if you are speaking how can you hear anything else? In this space where we make promises to forces larger than ourselves; surrendering our lives to the path of love, joy and happiness.

While the ritualized process is important, even just in terms of psycho-drama, this transitional theater mean nothing without embracing total surrender. Even if this surrender happen only for the briefest moment during the process you are far more likely to have a deeper, richer and fuller experience in that one moment than those who believe that power, entitlement and deep wisdom can enter a vessel while it is still full of ego.

A healthy ego is not bad or wrong. Yet if it remains dominant during the initiation process the full transformative power of initiation becomes accessory to it rather than an event where the ego learns to co-operate, loosen it's grip and accept the knowing and power of the rest of the self. It is why we surrender our names and take new ones. Not as a device for ego empowerment but a surrendering of all were were, to become all we could be. A strong clear will and a healthy ego are essential for a good witch but the whole of the person and witch must be nurtured, centered and have a valid voice. To be able to full to do trance work, spirit work and astral journeying witching often requires letting go, surrender as an integral part of all those processes.

So what is a "valid" initiation?
For me it doesn't matter who performs it. It doesn't matter if you are in a couple or a group or a coven,or even if you are alone. A valid initiation is one where it changes you through the power of surrender. What matters is that it changes you. It is not how many bells and whistles you have,or whom you evoke or where. It is all in that moment when you relinquish, let go of who you think you are, your ideas of being in control and then, then something amazing can truly begin. It is still only the start of the journey and one with many levels and layers of surrender yet to come. Only then does the authentic spiritual process begin. If your heart, body and mind grip onto the self so tightly how can anything else enter?

All of the traditional parts of a standard initiation come from symbolically (or can be seen) as ways of surrendering. From the blindfolds, the bindings, the herbs or potions you may take before hand. There is often chanting, ordeal or pain. All of these loosen the idea of control. While they play a part symbolically and literally within a process to empty yourself of desires, fears and thoughts then you are as blind after they remove the blind fold as you were before. Not because I say so but because your illusions make you blind.
 The blindfolds and binds, herbs and what-not are not the essential part. If you are still bound by fear, of a desire to be anything but vulnerable to anyone or anything thing, these are the real bindings. It takes a lot of courage, strength and trust in the process, trust in your faith. In perfect love. In perfect trust. This is not about trusting the people, those along side you conducting the ritual (although why you would do magick with people you don't trust is beyond me) but the perfect love and trust of faith it's self.

Trusting the process, understanding that ritual is cathartic dreaming in the concious world opens up possibilities of self and community we have yet to imagine.

Bright Blessings xxx