Initiations

Having been in, and having had close friends in various magickal groups over the years, several of which are initiatory, the subject of when and how has come up on more than one occasion. Every group has a style, some are more weighty than others, etc etc.

I was told a story tonight about someone who didn't want to accept an initiation into a newly born tradition because she wanted to see the thing whole first and then decide. She couldn't wrap her head around the idea of why she had to be initiated first. After all, if you don't have to "work" for it, what does it mean?

That's how it works for some of us. You are checked out, watched, taught without knowing it, and once given the high sign, you can be brought inside. However, first you have to be initiated. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse? Not at all. There are things you can't and won't understand until you have been hooked into that flow of energy. There is also the matter of loyalty and secrecy.

Here's an analogy: Think of it as being hired for a classified, high level government job. A background check is done. If you pass that, your current skill set is surveyed to see if you need additional specialized training. Once you're up to date, you're officially hired and given the key to the office where all of the classified files are locked away. Without that key, you're not getting anything behind that locked door.

Initiation is that key.

How do you dip into the pool of knowledge, of Ancestors, without first getting wet? You can't. Honestly, I think many do it backwards (I said many, not all). Just because you can check off a list of books does not make you an initiate of anything other than amazon.com.