INITIATE

One who has been "initiated" into the mysteries, an official Epopt, a magus. For such a one, initiation is an ongoing process which is never completed. It has been said, "An initiate is not one who knows everything, but one who knows that he has everything to know."

Initiates know the meaning of the terms "Black," "White" and "Yellow" M/magic(k) but realize that, in fact, all M/magic(k) is one. No magus ever ceases to be an Initiate, no matter how far into the wildernesses of technocratic society life may lure him.

(See also: INITIATE, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Initiation. From the same root as the Latin initia, which means the basic or first principles of any Science. The practice of initiation or admission into the sacred Mysteries, taught by the Hierophants and learned priests of the Temples, is one of the most ancient customs. This was practised in every old national religion. In Europe it was abolished with the fall of the last pagan temple.

There exists at present but one kind of initiation known to the public, namely that into the Masonic rites. Masonry, however, has no more secrets to give out or conceal. In the palmy days of old, the Mysteries, according to the greatest Greek and Roman philosophers, were the most sacred of all solemnities as well as the most beneficent, and greatly promoted virtue. The Mysteries represented the passage from mortal life into finite death, and the experiences of the disembodied Spirit and Soul in the world of subjectivity. In our own day, as the secret is lost, the candidate passes through sundry meaningless ceremonies and is initiated into the solar allegory of Hiram Abiff, the "Widow’s Son".

(See also: Initiation, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Initiation

1)An event, or doorway, that acts as an expansion or transformation of a person's consciousness. An initiate's consciousness has to some degree been transformed so that he now perceives reality from a higher perspective. There are many types of initiation, either of spiritual or social nature.

2) a ritual that elevates an individual to a higher office in a social or religious organization . (See Spiritual Initiation)

(See also: Initiation, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Initiation (from Latin initio entering into, beginning)

Generally, the induction of a pupil into a new way of living and into secret knowledge by the aid of a competent teacher. In ancient times initiation or the Mysteries were uniform and one everywhere, but as times passed, each country -- though basing its Mysteries and initiation ceremonies on the one original wisdom common to mankind -- followed manners of conducting the procedures native to the psychology and temperament of the different peoples. In still later times most of the original wisdom was but dimly remembered; and the Mysteries and the initiation ceremonies degenerated into little more than ceremonial rites, with more or less academic or theological teaching accompanying them -- as was the case in the Mysteries of Greece, for instance; although it is true that there were genuine initiates in Greece down to the fall of the Mediterranean civilizations.

"Every nation had its exoteric and esoteric religion, the one for the masses, the other for the learned and elect. For example, the Hindus had three degrees with several sub-degrees. The Egyptians had also three preliminary degrees, personified under the 'three guardians of the fire' in the Mysteries. The Chinese had their most ancient Triad Society: and the Tibetans have to this day their 'triple step': which was symbolized in the `Vedas by the three strides of Vishnu. . . . The old Babylonians had their three stages of initiation into the priesthood (which was then esoteric knowledge); the Jews, the Kabbalists and mystics borrowed them from the Chaldees, and the Christian Church from the Jews" (TG 333).

In theosophy initiation is generally used in reference to entering into the sacred wisdom under the direction of initiates, in the schools of the Mysteries. By initiation the candidate quickens natural evolution and thus anticipates the growth which will be achieved by the generality of humanity at a much later time in developmental evolution. He or she unfolds from within the latent spiritual and intellectual powers, thus raising individual self-consciousness to a corresponding level. The induction into the various degrees was aptly spoken of as a new birth.

The seats of initiation were often situated on mountains, which because of this were regarded as holy mountains. Often rocky caves or recesses in mountains were chosen for their inaccessibility, and used as initiation crypts or chambers for teaching; in ancient Egypt the Great Pyramid was an initiation temple.

"The initiated adept, who had successfully passed through all the trials, was attached, not nailed, but simply tied on a couch in the form of a tau (ill.) (in Egypt) of a Svastika without the four additional prolongations (thus: +, not (ill.)) plunged in a deep sleep (the 'Sleep of Siloam' it is called to this day among the Initiates in Asia Minor, in Syria, and even higher Egypt). He was allowed to remain in this state for three days and three nights, during which time his Spiritual Ego was said to confabulate with the 'gods,' descend into Hades, Amenti, or Patala (according to the country), and do works of charity to the invisible beings, whether souls of men or Elemental Spirits; his body remaining all the time in a temple crypt or subterranean cave. In Egypt it was placed in the Sarcophagus in the King's Chamber of the Pyramid of Cheops, and carried during the night of the approaching third day to the entrance of a gallery, where at a certain hour the beams of the rising Sun struck full on the face of the entranced candidate, who awoke to be initiated by Osiris, and Thoth the God of Wisdom" (SD 2:558).

There were successive degrees of initiation, of which seven are usually enumerated. Of these the first three were preparatory, consisting of discipline of the whole nature: moral, mental, and physical. At each stage, the neophyte had to pass through a carefully graded series of tests or trials in order that he might prove his inner strength and capabilities to proceed. In this manner the neophyte reached and entered the fourth degree, in which the powers of his inner god having by now become at least partially active in his daily life and consciousness, he was enabled to begin the experience of passing into other planes and realms of life and of being, and thus to learn to known them by becoming them. In this way he acquired first-hand knowledge of the truths of nature and of the universe about which he previously had been taught.

In the fifth initiation, called in ancient Greece theophany (the appearance of a god), the candidate meets for at least a fleeting moment his own spiritual ego face to face, and in the most successful of these cases, for a time actually becomes one with it. Epiphany signifies a minor form of theophany.

In the sixth stage, theopneusty (in-breathing or through-breathing of a god, divine inspiration), the candidate becomes the vehicle of his own inner god, for a time depending on the neophyte's own power of retention and observation, so that he is then inspired with the spiritual and intellectual powers and faculties of his higher self.

In the seventh degree, theophathy (the suffering a god -- suffering oneself to be one's own inner god), the personal self has become permanently at-one with the inner divinity. The successful passing of the seventh trial resulted in the initiant's becoming a glorified Christ, to be followed by the last or ultimate stage of this degree known in Buddhism as achieving buddhahood or nirvana. Since limits cannot be set to attainment, however, still loftier stages of spiritual and intellectual unfolding or initiation await those who have already attained the degree of buddhahood.

In Buddhist works four degrees of training, in these cases equivalent to initiation, are given: 1) srotapatti (he who has entered the stream), one who has commenced the task of transmuting the forces of his nature to the purposes of his higher self; 2) sakridagamin (he who comes once more), one who will be reborn on earth only once again before reaching the lower degrees of nirvana; 3) anagamin (he who does not come), one who will no longer be reincarnated anymore, unless the choice be made to remain on earth in order to help humanity; and 4) arhat or arhan (the worthy one), one who at will can and does experience nirvana even during his life on earth.

(See also: Initiation, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Initiant (from Latin initio entering into, beginning)

One who is preparing for initiation, as distinguished from one who has been initiated -- the latter being an initiate. One who is an initiate in one degree may be only an initiant as to a higher degree.

(See also: Initiant, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Definition and meaning of Initiative

Initiative - [Social Studies]

Initiative developed out of the political reform efforts of the Progressive era in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Initiative is the process by which special interest groups, through voter participation, propose bills to their legislature for a vote. In this way, voters can force lawmakers to deal with difficult issues.

(Source: The Social Studies Center at Texas University )

Also see these pages:  Social Studies, Social Studies Sitemap, History, History Sitemap

For more dictionary entries, see » Initiation Dictionary

Definition and meaning of Initiative

Initiative - [Social Studies]

Initiative developed out of the political reform efforts of the Progressive era in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Initiative is the process by which special interest groups, through voter participation, propose bills to their legislature for a vote. In this way, voters can force lawmakers to deal with difficult issues.

(Source: The Social Studies Center at Texas University )

Also see these pages:  Social Studies, Social Studies Sitemap, History, History Sitemap

For more dictionary entries, see » Initiation Dictionary

Initiate (from Latin initio entering into, beginning)

One who has entered into or begun, or passed at least one initiation in the sacred Mysteries; initiates can therefore be of various degrees. Synonymous with reborn, dvija (twice-born), Son of the Sun, etc.

(See also: Initiate, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Definition and meaning of initiative:

initiative

An initiative is defined as the procedure by which citizens can introduce a subject for legislation, usually through a petition signed by a specific number of voters.

(Source: Madrid Waddington High School )

Also see these pages:  American History, American History Sitemap, History, History Sitemap

For more dictionary entries, see » Initiation Dictionary

Initiate. From the Latin Initiatus. The designation of anyone who was received into and had revealed to him the mysteries and secrets of either Masonry or Occultism. In times of antiquity, those who had been initiated into the arcane knowledge taught by the Hierophants of the Mysteries; and in our modern days those who have been initiated by the adepts of mystic lore into the mysterious knowledge, which, notwithstanding the lapse of ages, has yet a few real votaries on earth.

(See also: Initiate, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

The third form of initiation in human language is velaric initiation: initiation at the velum, or soft palate. (In a few languages the closure may also be uvular, but the term 'velaric' covers both.) Velaric stops are also called clicks. This velaric airstream is almost universally ingressive. To perform velaric ingressive initiation, one raises the back of one's tongue back so that air cannot pass it (as when pronouncing a velar or uvular stop), and simultaneously does the same with the front of the tongue or the ...

See also:

Initiation phonetics, Initiation phonetics - Pulmonic initiation, Initiation phonetics - Glottalic initiation, Initiation phonetics - Velaric initiation

Read more here: » Initiation phonetics: Encyclopedia II - Initiation phonetics - Velaric initiation

It is possible to initiate an airflow in the upper respiratory tract by means of the vocal cords or glottis. This is known as glottalic initiation. To perform glottalic pressure initiation, one lowers one's glottis (as if to sing a low note), closes it as if for a glottal stop, and then raises it, building up pressure in the upper trachea and oral cavity. Glottalic egressives are also called ejectives. Since the glottis must be fully closed to form glottali ...

See also:

Initiation phonetics, Initiation phonetics - Pulmonic initiation, Initiation phonetics - Glottalic initiation, Initiation phonetics - Velaric initiation

Read more here: » Initiation phonetics: Encyclopedia II - Initiation phonetics - Glottalic initiation

Initiation by means of the lungs (actually the diaphragm and ribs) is called pulmonic initiation. The vast majority of sounds used in human languages are pulmonic egressives. In most languages, including all the languages of Europe, all phonemes are pulmonic egressives. The only attested use of a phonemic pulmonic ingressive is a lateral fricative in Damin, a ritual language formerly used by speakers of Lardil in Australia. This can be written with the extended version of the International Phonetic Alphabet as See also:

Initiation phonetics, Initiation phonetics - Pulmonic initiation, Initiation phonetics - Glottalic initiation, Initiation phonetics - Velaric initiation

Read more here: » Initiation phonetics: Encyclopedia II - Initiation phonetics - Pulmonic initiation

Not all categories have initial or terminal objects, as will be seen below. Directly from the definition, one can show however that if an initial object exists, then it is unique up to a unique isomorphism. The same is true for terminal objects. The automorphism group of an initial (or terminal) object I is trivial. Aut(I) = Hom(I,I) = { idI }. ...

See also:

Initial object, Initial object - Properties, Initial object - Examples

Read more here: » Initial object: Encyclopedia II - Initial object - Properties

The partners of Measles Initiative are: American Red Cross International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent United Nations Foundation Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) World Health Organization (WHO) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) These organization endorsed a joint declaration on January 31, 2001 dec ...

See also:

Measles Initiative, Measles Initiative - Partners, Measles Initiative - External link

Read more here: » Measles Initiative: Encyclopedia II - Measles Initiative - Partners

Great Initiator. See WATCHER; WONDROUS BEING

(See also: Great Initiator, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

The initial topology on X can be characterized by the following universal property: a function g from some space Z to X is continuous if and only if is continuous for each i ∈ I. By the universal property of the product topology we know that any family of continuous maps fi : X → Yi determin ...

See also:

Initial topology, Initial topology - Definition, Initial topology - Examples, Initial topology - Properties

Read more here: » Initial topology: Encyclopedia II - Initial topology - Properties

See Main article: Initial D (film) A live-action movie based on Initial D was released on the 23rd of June, 2005 in Asia. The movie, jointly produced by Japan's Avex Inc. and the Hong Kong Media Asia group is directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, whose credits include the 2002 smash hit Infernal Affairs and 1999's The Legend of Speed, a previous street racing melodrama. Initial D - International Release. The film was released straight to DVD in Australia on October 21, 2005 and has recently made its North American debut at The Im ...

See also:

Initial D, Initial D - List of Releases, Initial D - Manga, Initial D - Anime, Initial D - Movie, Initial D - Games, Initial D - Mountain racers' code, Initial D - Tokyopop alterations, Initial D - Background, Initial D - Characters, Initial D - Games, Initial D - Movie, Initial D - International Release, Initial D - Cast

Read more here: » Initial D: Encyclopedia II - Initial D - Movie

Set in the late 1990s, it follows the adventures of Takumi Fujiwara, an eighteen year old who helps his father run a tofu shop by delivering every morning to a hotel over Mount Akina in Gunma Prefecture with his father's Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX. Having driven the mountain pass every morning to deliver tofu (for five years before his first race), Takumi's driving skill is highly developed. In mountain pass racing, power is not the only key to winning. Balance, skill, and courage are what is needed to win. Mountain pass racing (a ...

See also:

Initial D, Initial D - List of Releases, Initial D - Manga, Initial D - Anime, Initial D - Movie, Initial D - Games, Initial D - Mountain racers' code, Initial D - Tokyopop alterations, Initial D - Background, Initial D - Characters, Initial D - Games, Initial D - Movie, Initial D - International Release, Initial D - Cast

Read more here: » Initial D: Encyclopedia II - Initial D - Background

Initiation Healing: Method promoted by author and Reiki Master Rev. Ojela Frank, D.D., author of Life Quest: A Journey into Self. It involves energy activation.

(See also: Initiation Healing, Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Given a set X and a family of topological spaces Yi with functions the initial topology τ on X is the coarsest topology such that each is continuous. Explicitly, the initial topology may be described as the topology generated by sets of the form , where U is an open set in See also:

Initial topology, Initial topology - Definition, Initial topology - Examples, Initial topology - Properties

Read more here: » Initial topology: Encyclopedia II - Initial topology - Definition