Initiation:

An intense personal experience, often of a death and rebirth sort, resulting in a higher state of personal development and/or admission to a magical or religious organization.

(See also: Initiation, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

INITIATION:

1) a profound realization and understanding within the mind and soul formalized by ceremony.

2) a formal ritual or introductory process, or admitting; of a new member into a group (coven).

(See also: INITIATION, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

INITIATION: An experience that so transforms the individual that their concept of personal and worldly reality has been altered. A dedication ceremony should not be confused with an initiation rite.

(See also: INITIATION, Paganism, Pagan, Pagan Dictionary)

INITIATION: A process whereby an individual is introduced or admitted into a coven. Usually a ritual occasion. Not to be confused with dedication.

(See also: INITIATION, Paganism, Pagan, Pagan Dictionary)

Initiation - An experience that transforms the indivitual that their concept of personal and worldly reality is changed permanently.

(See also: Initiation, Pagan, Wicca Pagan Dictionary)

Initiation - O

This occult term is generally used in reference to the expansion or transformation of a person's consciousness. An "initiate" is one whose consciousness has been transformed so that he now perceives inner realities. There are varying "degrees" of initiation (i.e., "first degree initiates," "second-degree initiates," etc.).

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

initiation

The transition from one point of polarization to another, growing capacity to see and hear on all planes, expansion of consciousness; brief period of enlightenment wherein the initiate sees that portion of the path that lies ahead and shares consciously in the evolutional plan (Bailey)

(See also: Initiation, Body Mind and Soul)

INITIATE:

1) a Witch, Pagan or magician who has been formally inducted into the practice or priesthood of Wicca, Paganism or ritual Magick.

2) a Witch or Pagan who has experienced the initiatory transformation at the spiritual hands of the Old Ones.

3) one who has experienced the initiatory transformation at the hands of other Pagans or Witches.

(See also: INITIATE, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

An experience that so transforms the individual that their
concept of personal and worldly reality has been altered.

(See also: initiation, Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)

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, )

Great Initiator. See WATCHER; WONDROUS BEING

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

INITIATION -

1. clear shine forth of the inner fire, transition to another, growing capacity to see and hear small planes, expansion of consciousness that admits the personality into wisdom attained by the Ego brief period of enlightenment where in the initiate sees that portion of the path that likes ahead and stares consciously in the evolutionary plan. (Bailey) (NAD)

2. an experience that transforms the individual that their concept of personal and worldly reality has been altered. Dedication is not the same. (TRASB)

(See also: INITIATION, Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

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 (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

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

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

Great Mother. See CYBELE; MAGNA MATER; RHEA

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