CHOICES

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1.. Choice Most individuals wrongly believe Initiation is a rare and elusive process undertaken in dark, shadowy vaults and beneath a cloak of secrecy. In fact, Initiation is a very natural process that occurs within each of us, all the time. Indeed, reading this essay is a part of your current initiation. Along the road of our evolution, mankind has adopted and then discarded a multitude of ideas, beliefs and gods.

One of the very few of these to boast an unbroken lineage from our earliest origins to modern day, is initiation. Traditionally, initiation follows a three-part template.
1.. The candidate meets or is introduced to a member of the group, who will offer a potted history of the group and a summary of its motives and practices. An Open day is a good example of this.
2.. Having liked what he has seen, the candidate will then undergo a trial or ordeal to prove his worthiness to become a member. An apprenticeship or study course are examples of this.
3.. Upon successful completion of the above, the secrets of his grade are conferred upon the candidate: A membership card and certificate is awarded.

When broken down into these three steps it becomes clear that everyone continually partakes in the process of initiation. I do not just refer holy men who devote their lives to achieving their favored brand of utopia, or even the hippy who is initiated into the local pagan of wiccan coven. No, the process of initiation includes the little old lady who attends her local church every Sunday morning. Although in this case the ordeal is strictly symbolic; a form of sympathetic magick. In relating tales of Jesus' trials and ultimate crucifixion the priest is attempting to evoke the essence of Jesus in the hope that this will rub-off on his congregation. Joining a social club is also a species of initiation, as is the taking up of a new hobby, an extramarital affair, or even a dinner party. Having now looked at initiation from a slightly different perspective I am sure that you will suddenly become aware of the many initiation processes currently operating within your own life.

Supernatural literature is extremely adept at guarding its secrets from the profane. The seeds of the student's failure are sown with the very first page he reads.. Indelibly embossed upon the consciousness of each and every student is the phrase: 'When the time is right, a teacher will come.' This is the first padlock on the vault of occult secrets, and for most that terrible sentence will effectively prevent any real progress. Why? Because the student knows, all-too-well, that no real guru is going to come knocking on the door of their flat (above the Butcher's shop in a suburb of Coventry.) Not to be deterred, the intrepid student will try and learn how to pick this lock. To this end he resorts to the minefield of occult literature: D.I.Y. Initiation manuals for the masses.

Having bought his book, the student is immediately faced with the second occult padlock. This states that: 'All printed rituals contain omissions and deliberate errors indented to lead the student astray.' The rituals of initiation are amongst some of the most closely guarded secrets of mankind. Deep in their heart, the student knows that the deepest secrets of Nature are not to be found in the pages of a book, whatever miracles its advertising material claims. The student now has only one option remaining to him, he picks up a copy of the Yellow Pages and rings his local coven; knowing this to be a major violation of the first padlock.

[Note: Eventually, even the most closely guarded secrets fall to the printing press. Yet disappointment awaits the student who has traveled the length of the country to pay £100 for a 4th generation photocopy of the innermost secrets of whatever order. Later in this essay I will discuss exactly why it is that even these 'genuine' text always fail to move the student as he scrutinizes the squiggles for god's fingerprint.]

The first two padlocks effectively weed out 99% of potential student in a very blunt manner. The third padlock is much more subtle. Since the student is unable to perceive the 'entities' the masters of his group claim to be in communication with, how can he be sure that they are not simply making it all up? Furthermore, even if the group are in communication with something, is this something what it claims to be? Together, the three occult padlocks form the anti-initiation process that works in direct opposition to the positive three steps.

2.. Sacrifice.

Our earliest and most pure traditions of ritualistic behavior, the central object of worship is a living fire, about which all participants dance around and leap over. On different levels this flame is both a symbolic and physical representation of the flames which cook their food and light their dwellings. This living fire is the center of their magick circle, and from which all else radiates outwards. Compare this to modern practices whereby the student is most earnestly warned to ensure that his magick circle is an absolute void, by means of progressive banishings and other protective devices. Today's student stands alone in a completely empty universe.

With time, our earliest rituals developed and flowered into the great mystery cults of Egypt, Persia, Greece, etc., etc..

Try and imagine yourself to be a candidate undergoing initiation into the Egyptian mysteries:

You are deep underground in the pitch-black chambers beneath the pyramids. All around you echo ominous and disturbing sounds, smells and movement. All of these being amplified and distorted by the mind-altering drugs you have unknowingly taken.
Whilst reading an inscription carved between two brass rings embedded in the wall, you feel the floor start to slide away from you. A 50ft drop opens before your horrified eyes. The bottom of bristles with row upon row of sharp spikes about which are strewn countless human bones. Your only option is to hang on to the brass rings. Can you cling on using only one hand, or will you be forced to drop the torch in your hand, your only source of light, in order to hang on with both? And how long can you maintain your grip before fatigue hurls you to a certain death on the spikes below? There must be a clue to your escape encoded in the inscription. But you cannot decipher it and with each second your fingers and arms strain a little more under your own weight.

The movie, A man called horse, did much to bring to public awareness the sun-rite of certain American Indian tribes. In this, the candidate's chest is skewered by two short wooden rods. Chords are attached to these and the candidate is literally hauled into the air, spun around and left suspended for the weekend. Are you capable of imagining the excruciating levels of agony endured by that candidate?

At the core of all initiation is not only an ordeal, but a terrible ordeal. This formula is preserved even in that most conservative and 'respectable' of secret societies; the Freemasons. When the Masonic candidate's blindfold is removed, he discovers that in addition to being bound, hand and foot, a noose is applied around his neck and a dagger is drawn to his heart. If this were not enough, an officer reads a long list of terrible consequences should the oath of secrecy be broken: Ulp! In short, the formula of initiation is this:

'The application of trauma opens supernatural doorways.'

The depth of the doorway to be opened is directly proportional to the severity of trauma imposed upon the candidate. The more efficient the initiatory body is at convincing the candidate that his life is in imminent danger should his courage or strength fail him for but a second, the more successful will be the initiation. Of course, completely unknown to the student is the fact that his every step is watched and even guided by unseen or disguised attendants. There is an interesting parallel here with the ever-increasing number of individuals who suffer with mental health or personality disorder issues. One of the first areas to be explored by a Doctor or Psychiatrist are the patients' religious or supernatural beliefs. Because most, if not all such individuals have experienced paranormal phenomena. Why? Mental health and personality disorders are caused by trauma (or initiatory experience) In each instance, the trauma is not guided by a group of high-adepts with a genuine regard for the candidates well-being. No, the ordeals of such unfortunates are presided over by an overbearing mother, a bullying brother, and abusive father, an alcoholic husband, etc., etc.. This form of trauma still opens the same supernatural doorways, but the energies evoked are chaotic and unregulated. Eventually, these will consume the victim with obsessive, paranoid visions of demons and hell; and will destroy him.

[The above has attracted a great deal of attention and OrangeBox feels the subject of Supernatural and Mental Health is one that requires a good deal more investigation. Over the coming months we hope to publish several essays on this subject in our Features section. The first of these has now been posted and is well worth a read. (Click here to go there.)]

Other parallels can be found in the cases of 'near-death' accident victims who experience O.O.B.E.s, tunnels of light, and general religious visions. The practitioners of black magick may torture their sacrifice in order to generate energies that they can tap into and manipulate. Sexual magick utilities the sexual trauma of the orgasm to open its doorways. There are many other examples.

It follows from the above that one does not have to tap into an existing power source. It is quite possible for an individual to open a doorway for themselves. This however, is a most dangerous undertaking, one I would certainly not recommend or advocate to any student. Besides, it is difficult for even the most enterprising student to create a ritual that will surprise himself.

One way or another, all occult secrets are guarded by both natural and man-made padlocks. The Catholic Church -for example- has sealed their doorway by placing a tollgate (the priest) between the worshipper and God. All other occult, religious and mystical practices have similar insulating devices installed.

3.. Reward.

Generally speaking, there are three types of individual:

A.. Will flatter himself that he has a genuine and sincere interest in his newfound hobby (be this spiritual development or car maintenance.) In keeping with his boundless enthusiasm for new knowledge, great care, and money will be spent in selecting the most sumptuous of books. The student will then proceed to flick through the book in exactly the same superficial manner in which they skim through a T.V. guide or their own life. A few cursory glances to confirm old beliefs are given, before the book is discarded and attention is directed towards the next great fad. He has failed.

B.. Will read the literature carefully (albeit his attention will wane rapidly after the first few chapters.) He will try and understand what the book is trying to say and how these principles may be applied to his own life. But when the bush in his garden does not instantly burst into flames, he lacks the patience, courage and determination to actually do something, and will fail.

C.. Will take whatever scraps of literature he may possess; however badly presented or written. He will use these to transform his life.

The difference between success and failure is the difference between reading the dry text of a ritual and actually experiencing it firsthand. The nature of the rituals described in occult literature is irrelevant. The sole determining factor is the candidate's own determination to succeed.