Hi there,
I am often asked about what “initiation” means. It is rather common to find new schools offerings all types of initiation, which seems acceptable given the generic meaning we find for “initiation” in the dictionary: the action of beginning something, or of admitting someone to society through ritual.
But what does initiation in a spiritual context really mean?
I am here presenting the concept given in the book “The Externalization of the Hierarchy”, by Alice Bailey. In this book, all texts were written by A.B. as she was channeling the ascended Master D.K.
“Initiation is essentially a moving out from under ancient controls into the control of more spiritual and increasingly higher values. Initiation is an expansion of consciousness which leads to a growing recognition of the inner realities. It is equally the recognition of a renewed sense of the need for change and the wise engineering of these needed changes so that real progress can be made; the consciousness is expanded and becomes more generously and divinely inclusive and there is a fresh and more potent control by the soul as it assumes increasingly the direction of the life of the individual, of a nation and of the world.”
In a way, as we read this we could also say that initiation is, in a way, magic, for it is something that we cannot completely explain. An initiation opens a channel so that certain energies and shifts can come into the initiate's field. If you don't believe in energy, Spirit, and spiritual progression, this article is completely pointless.
What I find important to highlight here is that this expansion of consciousness, re-engineering, divine inclusion, and soul control over life are results of the initiation, in a sustainable, long-term manner. Initiation is not a kick, as in a ritual that shows interesting things but then is gone or needs active integration work from the participant. Initiations are a one-time thing, they grow one on the other in exponential terms, and they are not to be repeated. Initiations are not gone if one doesn’t work on them; they shift one’s field no matter what. Once it’s in one’s field, it stays there forever (unless for whatever reason Spirit decides to take it out of you). Also, spiritually, there are not that many initiations for us to take — but there is a huge staircase and energetic preparation between them. This is to say initiation is extremely powerful for one's progression.
A spiritual initiation creates a mark in the energy field, an expansion that starts in its event but carries on, working from that moment onwards until it is completed on its own time (be it weeks or months) so that all results above (expansion of consciousness, re-engineering, divine inclusion, and soul control over life) can take place, leading to an increasing command of the soul over one's life.
Mystery schools are based on initiations, granting more knowledge and authority to disciples as they progress and are able to hold more energy because of the initiations they have received. Yet, initiations are not limited to mystery schools as truly they are given by Spirit (sometimes through the schools and sometimes directly), meaning that Spirit might grant initiations to any adept from any circumstance of life at their own discretion.
To learn more about initiations, I recommend the book “Initiation Human and Solar”, by Alice Bailey.
See you next week,
Aline
Ps: If you wish to work with me for your spiritual progression, read more about my work here.
My full name has four i’s in it, so I often feel that this is no coincidence but a little clue as to what the hell is going on with this life?!