Self Initiation
-
When becoming a probationer of the AA, is there an initiation ritual? How about a self-initiation formula?
I know there is a self-initiation ritual for becoming a neophyte (liber DCLXXI).
I moved To Calgary which is so far from any AA activity. If I continue studying my probational material & finish my 'grade' work, after one year I should be able to preform the ritual in Liber DCLXXI correct? I would imagine, when the time come - I would have to repeat it many times. Who here is a self-initiate?Looking down the road, once a student graduates and becomes a Zealator, is there a special ritual preformed for this? Is there a ritual for the path of self-initiation to go from a Neophyte->Zealator, and so on...
Or would the formulae for this be clear once I advance that far?
Thanks!
-
"":svwwhnic]When becoming a probationer of the AA, is there an initiation ritual? How about a self-initiation formula?"
Yes, there's a specific Class D (ritual) document for it. It's difficult for me to conceive of a self-initiation ceremony since the specific purpose is for one who is in the chain to link you to it and associate you thereby with the inner links.
"Looking down the road, once a student graduates and becomes a Zealator, is there a special ritual preformed for this?"
Yes, there is a quite beautiful initiation ritual.
"Is there a ritual for the path of self-initiation to go from a Neophyte->Zealator, and so on..."
No.
-
"":gt0p56nf]
Is there a ritual for the path of self-initiation to go from a Neophyte->Zealator, and so on...Or would the formulae for this be clear once I advance that far?
Thanks!"
IMHO You cant ask a teacher if you need a teacher! some need less teaching than others.you will eventually decide for yourself what you need and when.
-
Pyramidos is not the Neophyte self-initiation ceremony, it was specifically constructed based on Liber Throa, the initiation ceremony of the neophyte for Crowley's 6=5 working.
-
@Jim Eshelman said
"It's difficult for me to conceive of a self-initiation ceremony since the specific purpose is for one who is in the chain to link you to it and associate you thereby with the inner links.
"I have been thinking about this some. It seems there must be a Source for the current that the present orders are working from. I think of it as a distant River that some have diverted by means of a canal to bring it to the community in a more convenient and workable fashion.
Shortly after I began practicing the Eastern Spiritual Exercises on a daily basis I had a lucid dream that morphed into a full blown astral projection and I crossed a 'portal' of sorts and went inside a mountain where certain events took place that I will keep to myself. I look at the experience and it sure had initiatic characteristics and I wonder about that now and then.
I think self-initiation is possible but the Path from there requires a most intrepid Spirit, indeed. One must be tuned to the most subtle influences on deep Inner Levels in order to choose rightly and make progress. One would likely have to gain K&C of the HGA within a couple years in order to make real progress beyond the elementary levels. There might be serious obstacles to overcome but overall this might be a Superior approach.
For those in rural parts of the world (like me) this might be the only workable alternative at hand.
-
The main problem that I see with self-initiation is that one does not have an official superior to guide them. It's kind of like trying to teach yourself how to swim without having someone else help you - except that there are only a handful in the world who know how to swim, in this metaphor. Learning is unnecessarily slow-going, and fraught with danger.
I attempted this and it sort-of worked, and sort-of failed, but I'm sure it pales in comparison to the lowliest initiation that I could potentially go through that is conducted by actual Initiates.
Of course, I don't know what other options there are for those who aren't near a place where Initiates reside. I'm lucky, living next to New York as I do, and I know many people don't have as many options as I do.
-
93,
I tried self-initiation years ago, and ran into a wall, like other people. My problem, in a nutshell, was that I could only initiate myself into something - a truth, a vibrational energy, a White Lodge (choose your own term here) of which I already had at least partial awareness and understanding. Or at least, a pretty colorful fantasy that I could expand upon. As I found when I finally took initiation with ToT, that to which I connected was far higher, or profounder, or subtler, or more potent (whatever word you prefer) than anything of which I was previously capable of imagining.
Now, that didn't mean I simply possessed a problem-free inner linkage from that day forward. And I can imagine it might be possible for somebody of sufficiently balanced mind and openness of heart (intellect is secondary here) to achieve true self-initiation. Some of the great initiates did this, and I'm sure, so have a lot of lesser ones.
But for most of us, after the first hurdle has been crossed, there's still the problem Ash identified. The initiatory process puts us through a lot of ordeals, and there are times when we need the guidance of someone more experienced to get through the confusion and paranoia of what comes up from subconsciousness.
93 93/93,
Edward
-
93
I personally feel that self-initiation is entirely possibly. Who would have initiated the first initiator? It simply comes down to the ambition of the aspirant. Now, I should also mention that I am a Probationer, but I was well on my way in self understanding before taking the path of the AA. I went through Evans-Wentz Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines and went well down the path of Tummo.
The person who makes the initiation happen is the initiate. The Orders, the Officers, and the degrees/grades are just symbols of the progress of the initiate, but the have no intrinsic value in themselves. A photograph of a roller coaster rider, though possibly evokes memories, is no now way the ride itself. The amusement park, ticket takers, and the operators of the ride really have little to do with what you get from that ride.
Buy the ticket, take the ride.
93 93/93
