Question regarding initiation as compared to buddhism
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Hi all Thankful for this great forum,
my question is does moving the deeper levels of advancement hinge on being formally initiated into an "order" per se for instance i have some to understand that to practice things like tibetan tantra tummo practices and such one must receive empowerments or initiation from a guru does this apply to the western magickal path as well? if not does this lessen the effectiveness of our path of western magick or does one need a formal initiation just to progress my feeling is one can progress regardless of initiation in the formal sense.
also can one be initiated into something like tibetan buddhism and still practice thelema or should just one practice be taken up?
sorry for all the questions any advice would be great.
Thanks
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93
enoc777 asked:"does moving the deeper levels of advancement hinge on being formally initiated into an "order" per se "
It depends, as you indicate, on the tradition. Sure, as Alrah says, some people get the bolt out of the blue, and they're on their way. But very, very few people are ready to comprehend such an experience and to negotiate with themselves, as it were, so that they can balance out the energies that surge through them. There are mystics and would-be mystics galore on this planet - naturally equilibrated mystics are as rare as unicorns.
Hermetic Qabalah has evolved over the centuries as an initiatory path. There's a lot of information in it to be learned and (more important) understood, and its modus operandi is based on progressive steps that mitigate the difficulties and hazards the practitioner can expect. So, as we've been discussing in other threads, you need to look for a group that appears to have its act more or less together. On your own ... how will you know what you're missing?
I had some very preliminary Qabalistic training from a good but self-initiated group and then went solo for a couple of interesting but rather iffy years. I finally tried a self-initiation ritual, and in the middle of it, received a flash of inspirational insight from an Inner Plane Source. It didn't exactly 'speak,' but it effectively communicated to me :
"You really don't have a darned clue what you're doing, do you?"So I closed off the ritual. However, since I'd begun the process with sincerity, I think that ceremony helped me locate a group that did have an idea what it was about. The magick worked, but not for some months.
To repeat a point I've made before: you have to commit to finding what you feel you need, and let the Universe provide it.
93 93/93,
Edward -
thanks all for your inputs I guess it mainly depends each person is different, i just find the buddhist tradition a bit stringent when it comes to practicing published teachings like those in the 6 yogas of naropa if the techniques are published people will try them especially most of us from the western tradition, i was told not to practice those techniques without being initiated into buddhism i find the ethical system of buddhism kind of restrictive i really feel that one in this time we are in can make progress from just reading and practicing even from a book the way they make it sound its like you need permission to practice i just want to make sure this isnt the case with thelemic system.. thanks all.
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Enoc, if you think about it more its an easy answer. The tibetan yogas of Naropa are not published because it's a delicate process of training the mind so as to not get into an asylum by maladjustment of the mind having a teacher is most helpful. As Crowley wrote to restrain the body is so easy compared to restraining the mind - and we are dealing with the mind - the best computer on earth... well you understand when you practice.
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The Six Yogas of Naropa have been published by Snow Lion Publications. Google it and you will find it. Lama Yeshe has also written a few books on the subject.
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With things like Tummo, you need a teacher because a large part of the practice isn't written down, but handed down person-to-person. Things like "The Six Yogas of Naropa" are more like crib notes, or mnemonics, for those who are already initiates in those practices. A lot of the physical practices and yogas are "knacks" and you have to go through stages that only someone who has done the practice will notice you going through, before you can proceed to the next stage. If you try and "reconstruct" the practices from the writing alone, there's a high chance that you'll get the wrong end of the stick, or even damage yourself. (As someone said somewhere once, there are many more ways of missing a bullseye than hitting it.)
It's somewhat the same with Thelemic practices, although not to so great a degree (the instructions were carefully written by Crowley so that - as I think he says somewhere - in the event of some huge catastrophe, talented and dedicated people might be able to reconstruct the practices just from the writing - but even then, there are a few things in the A:.A:. system that aren't written down anywhere).