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The Elodrym View on Initiation by Myrddin Masery
Not everyone who studies magick will choose to be initiated by a group. They may not perform a solitary initiation. They will, though, be initiated in some way. Before going into different types of initiation, let’s look at what it is. An initiation is a transformative process. Dion Fortune, an acclaimed 1930s esoteric author, wrote that what the initiate thought was highly important becomes less vital and what they thought was insignificant becomes “the strategic center” of their lives.(1) She was writing about esoteric studies, but it can apply to initiation. The emotional intensity of a rite of passage will very from person to person, but each time the individual finds a sense of connection with the world around them and are birthed into a new view. Sometimes people are initiated unexpectedly when they are thrust into a mystical experience. A sudden event, such as near death, sever illness, an overwhelming sense of unity while viewing a natural scene, or even feeling the blessings of surrounding spirits or natural elements (earth, air, fire, water) can set them on a magickal path. Self-initiation is a ritual designed by or for a single mystic. It is a way to acknowledge their determination to learn and it's a call to the Universe, “I accept your challenges, blessings, and knowledge.” The final type of initiation is one performed by a group. Ever since humans have been living in communities there have been group initiations. There are basically three reasons for this: to welcome a new member, acknowledge their accomplishments, and bestow or unlock powers. Knowledge that was once considered occult, which means hidden, is fast becoming common. It can be found in books, in less formal groups, and across the internet. The ultimate secret of magic is to find happiness by living in the present moment and that true power lies within the choices we make. This is why there are no great mysterious keys of power revealed at Elodrym initiations. However, the four elements, guides, ancestors, and the Divine are asked to bring gifts that will aid the initiate in the years ahead. Elodrym initiation rituals are designed to acknowledge a connection between each member. Gathering in circle strengthens community bonds. It’s a reminder that each person has the responsibility to do no harm to members through physical, magickal, or verbal means. It is a spiritual welcoming embrace. Ego alone corrupts the purpose of initiation. Everyone is initiated at some point in their life, whether it is into a magick tradition or a new phase of living. Therefore, to say a self-initiation is invalid or that a practitioner’s initiation by “such and such” group makes it invalid, is an egotistical insult. There are two paths of learning or training in this world: experiential and formal. Let a mage's knowledge be judged by their conduct and not their manner of education. Being an Elodrym initiate does not make any member better than any other initiate. We do, however, hope our members will conduct themselves with integrity. (1) Fortune, Dion. The Training and Work of an Initiate. p.11-13 (Samuel Weiser, Inc., 2000) Original publication by Rider and Co., 1930.
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all content is copyright © 2006 The Order of the Elodrym - All rights reserved. |
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