Initiation

Concurrently with the establishment of formal religion there arose violent antagonism between the church priesthood and the priesthood of the ancient Mysteries and its Initiation. This antagonism developed despite the fact that there is not one iota of difference between the Nazarene's Second, or Spiritual birth and that mentioned in the Scriptures: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." __St. John 3:3.

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. __St. John 3:5, 6, 7.

This is the finding of the Kingdom of heaven, i.e., "It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. " __St. Matt.13:11. The Philosophic Initiation of the Arcane Fraternities is known as attaining to Soul, Cosmic, or God-Consciousness.

Initiation, in the real sense, is not, as so popularly conceived, a matter of ceremonialism, or ritualism. Ritual or ceremonial initiation is a symbolization of the spiritual concepts which the Neophyte in the Mysteries must bring into manifestation in his life and action.

Ceremonialism has its proper place and a value beyond question, because it teaches moral lessons; ethical principles; makes for a deeper, broader outlook on life; helps to formulate ideals, and brings about, or is designed to bring about, closer relationship between man and an, i.e., prepare the field and the vision for a brotherhood between men.

Ritualistic or ceremonial initiation is the outer symbolization or picturization of the inner growth which the individual must experience, if he is to pass through the second or spiritual birth; know the secret of the Kingdom of Heaven or God; attain to Soul, Cosmic or God-Consciousness, Spiritual Initiation is that which, if we are to believe St. John's Revelation, all men must ultimately experience if they are to be among the "wheat" - and live.

Ritualistic or ceremonial initiation illustrates to the candidate and Ideal of life to strive for - if he desires to become happier, healthier, more successful and to gain greater freedom from everything that might retard his material and spiritual development. It is symbolic of an inner growth to be experienced by daily following the teachings in practically every way. Just as, in kindergarten classes, we employ pictures which instruct the juvenile mind, so ritualistic initiation helps to portray to the candidate, in concrete form abstract truths which he would otherwise be incapable of grasping.

Despite the beauty and truthfulness of the system of morals taught the candidate by means of ceremonial initiation, if he will not practice the precepts taught, if he will not apply them practically in his every-day life, he will not experience the inner growth or development which will show the practicability of the lessons taught.

Despite the beauty and truthfulness of the system of morals taught the candidate by means of ceremonial initiation, if he will not practice the precepts taught, if he will not apply them practically in his every-day life, he will not experience the inner growth or development which will show the practicability of the lessons taught.

Philosophic Initiation, in its true sense, is a development through which all Acolytes or Neophytes, not excluding Moses and, later, the Nazarene, were compelled to pass to become adepts in the Greater Mysteries of the Initiate Schools of Egypt. This is an inner growth or development. It is a process of eternal becoming. It is the acquisition of spiritual intelligence and Wisdom; it is the one and only means of experiencing the Second Birth and revealing to the individual the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven.

In life, beginning with the cradle and ending in mortal sleep, man experiences growth and change, physical and mentally, but neglects the spiritual side of himself.

Physically, man's body is continually undergoing changes. Mentally, he seldom thinks today as he did yesterday, Spiritually, he should also be attaining to "greater and more Light," but, unfortunately for his welfare, he is too occupied with material affairs to give it thought of effort. Man usually leaves this most important part of his life to his minister or priest, forgetting entirely that only the "laborer is worthy of his hire," that only Talents wisely used, multiply.

True initiation is possible only as man awakens to the Truth and permits himself to be consciously guided by his intuitive faculty and, in so doing, follows a system of training that will accelerate the growth and gradual unfoldment of his spiritual faculties.

In the process of Philosophic Initiation, the Neophyte actually earns his growth and advancement as a result of his conscious efforts, and by living a life in conformity with the scientific spiritual principles, tested and applied throughout the ages, thus earning self-mastery, or Mastership, by his own efforts. The Neophyte becomes the Master in fact; it is the "reaping of what he has sown."

Within the innermost being of every man are implanted by God or the ever-operative Law the latent faculties and potentialities which may be unfolded and brought into manifestation. Therein is hidden the Divine Spark; the germ of Godhood; the Christos that may end in Christic attainment.

Just as the unspeakably beautiful and fragrance-bearing rose is latent in the rootlets of the plant, growing into the stalk, and budding into the rose itself, so is the Master, Christos or Soul in embryo hidden deep within every man. But there is a difference! The seed of the tree, or the fruit, or the root of the plant, has no free-Will to develop independently. These must depend on the Law which governs their growth and development.

Man, the highest in the kingdom of conscious life, is endowed by his Creator with free-Will and free-choice; enabling him to proceed with the awakening and unfoldment of the potential Christos within himself whenever he so Wills. By this means he may proceed to raise himself unto the gods; or, Biblically speaking, "Become one of the Sons of God, having gained the knowledge of good and evil," as a result of his experiences in traveling the Path of Life.

With our birth into the world as a three fold being, we are given out "working tools." They consist of the body, the mind, the spirit of life wherein is contained both the seeds of the Tree of Life and of Death, to grow as we may select, and - greatest of all - the Divine Spark - a part of God Himself; the Christos; a Soul bo be - a potential Christ.

We are also allotted a span of years on the plane of physical life, with the strength to perform all labors, and for the purpose of making use of the "builder's tools" to construct a temple wherein an awakened spirit - the Soul - may dwell.

The purpose of life itself is diversified; to be, first of all, a co-worker or co-creator with God; to recognize our fatherhood and serve our family well; to be a useful, loyal citizen; to labor for the support of ourselves and those depending upon us for sustenance, and, greatest of all, to awaken and develop the Divine Spark, the Soul-seed, the Christos, into Christhood; Sonship with the Father; Cosmic Consciousness.

This is the meaning of life. It is the purpose of life as pointed out by St. John in Revelation. We are not born to suffer - except as we bring suffering upon ourselves; to stagnate and to die; but to live fully and abundantly; to develop from one plane to another; ever upwards until we have finally reached the last rung of "Jacob's Ladder," reaching into heaven.

The "working tools" are not given into our hands for misuse or abuse; for the purpose of carnal indulgence; obtaining by graft and viciousness that which tightly belongs to others; but to create for ourselves, by "sowing," i.e., effort, everything needful for our own welfare and the well-being of those for whom we are responsible.

These "tools" are for the purpose of temple-building; that the Soul, attaining Consciousness, shall find a fitting refuge where it may know the peace which is heaven and wherein the Light from God shall be ever-burning.

Philosophic Initiation is the birth, or rebirth, into a new and higher understanding. It embraces the development of one's own intuitive powers: enabling the individual to grasp an ever-enlarging measure of truth that will show the way to an ever-in-creasing comprehension of spiritual verities.

Alas! Humanity, as a whole, has so far retrogressed that it has all but lost its intuitive faculty - the Divine channel - which would be the connecting link between man and his Creator and all that is Godly, hence to his temporal and eternal welfare.

In the loss of the intuitive faculty, man has developed his mind, his intellect, almost wholly and without Spiritual warmth or feeling. Intellect is not to be thought of lightly; but an intellect without spirituality can lead only to mortality and the ultimate death of individuality.

Truth, or the Way, is as infinite and all-encompassing as God Himself. Truth cannot be circumscribed with a narrow circle of confined within the grasp of man for selfish purposes. There is no limit to the Wisdom of god; hence no limit to man's growth and comprehension and the acquisition of wisdom, except the limitation which man places upon himself by his refusal to make the necessary effort to grow.

If man refuses to believe, of if, worse still, denies that there are higher possibilities than commonly recognized, then by that very act against himself, he closes the "door," upon which we are commanded, in both the Greater Mysteries and Biblical text, to "knock," and so loses his opportunity to advance beyond the merely human, carnal state.

When man, believing in his heart, states that he cannot accomplish certain tasks, or succeed in certain efforts, he, by that very thought, dooms himself to failure. The vast majority of mankind - aye, all but the very few - build about themselves a fence and refuse to venture beyond it. As a result, they narrowly circumscribe both their efforts and what might be the results of such efforts. No one, neither God nor the Law, limits man, but himself.

"These and even greater things shall ye do," is the promise. But to benefit by the promise, man must boldly put aside all fear and sense of limitation, and proceed as though success had already been won.

This is as true in the material as in the spiritual; in the spiritual as certain as in the material world. Man's possibilities are limitless, unless fear and inertia hold him in their deadly tentacles.

Man is the individual point or unit within a circle. That circle may be small and exceedingly limited, or it may be as wide as the universe itself. Man's vision may be so beclouded and self-centered that he is unable to see beyond himself, or it may be so broad and all-containing as to include both the earth and the heavens. Man may hold himself bound to the lowest rung of "Jacob's Ladder," or he may fearlessly and confidently climb to the highest and be lost in the sky. No one limits man. He limits himself.

The greater our vision, the more we unfold, the wider becomes the circumference wherein we may operate; mentally, materially and spiritually. Life is a trinity; a three-fold activity, and our efforts may be limited to one, two or all three planes of activity. It is as possible to succeed materially as spiritually; Spiritually as materially. It all depends upon our outlook, the knowledge we acquire and finally, the efforts we put forth.

The door to God's storehouse is never locked, but to obtain what which is contained within, we must "knock." the "door" will not open of itself. We must open it. God's wisdom, or the wisdom which is of God, is limitless.

If we refuse to make the effort to develop our faculties and capabilities, we close ourselves to the wisdom which would bring us all things. On the other hand, we may follow Solomon's example; seek wisdom with all our mind and all our heart, and "all other things will be added unto us."

The savage and the cultured listen to the same melody, but with vastly different impressions - all due to their degree of development and perception of what constitutes harmony or the savage cry of the Soul. The connecting link between man and God's wisdom being the feelings and desires of the heart and the Soul's intuition, it behooves us to make the necessary effort to develop our intuition and be able to absorb more of truth and deeper wisdom.

This process of development is Philosophical Initiation. It is the second or spiritual birth, the unveiling of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, the accomplishment achieved by only a few, because the many are unwilling to put forth the necessary effort due to lack of deep-rooted desire.

Philosophic Initiation is an orderly process of the spiritual or Soulual part of man, but greatly intensified. Man may have evolved or have been bred to physical perfection, may have acquired deep mental acumen, become highly intellectual and have become a storehouse of facts, and yet be wholly lacking both in the feeling of the heart and spiritual consciousness.

All to many reach high planes of mentality, yet remain evil at heart and lacking in wisdom. Intellectuality is highly desirable; so is physical perfection; but man is only able to evolve from darkness and ignorance, from evil and degradation, into truth and Light by means of awakening and developing his Soul into Cosmic Consciousness.

Man's true progress, the progress of the human race, is not brought about by efforts made in the physical laboratory, but in the laboratory of the human heart. It is there where the emotions direct the actions of man. In the heart, or, more correctly, by the feelings of the heart, base passions are changed into the pure gold of what we know as love, which is impersonal and from God. In the transmutation of evil tendencies, the refinement of his nature and the development of good-ness which is Godli-ness, man fulfills his mission in life, while also evolving and developing the real man; mortality putting on Immortality.

Man has learned to read with precision the reaction taking place in his test tubes, but who is able to read or measure the reaction constantly taking place in the laboratory of the human heart? Wherein is the difference between the civilized - the truly cultured man - and the uncivilized man? Is it a mere physical difference? Hardly so, because the uncivilized man is usually stronger and capable of greater endurance. Is it intellectual attainment? Hardly that, because this all too frequently ends in coldness and unfeelingness in the heart.

What then is the difference? Is it not almost entirely a matter of spiritual advancement? A depth of feeling for his fellow man? A deeper sense of honor? A higher degree of manhood? Greater nobility of character? A morality unknown to the savage (who is not immoral, but unmoral) of the cold intellect?

The difference between the more advanced races of today and people of the days of the Roman empire, when thousands were torn to shreds by savage beasts and blood ran like rivulets at the mere drop of the hand, is not due to a difference in intellectual attainment. Intellectually, the people of that day exhibited a standard unequaled today - particularly in the field of literature. The vast difference is due to a change in heart and feeling; in the sensing of something better; and this is a spiritual quality, stemming from the inner spiritual self of man.

While we are still capable of fighting on the battlefield like the early savages, at the behest of ignorant and self-seeking politicians, or in the protection of those incapable of protecting themselves, few of us would willingly sit in the arena and derive pleasure, entertainment or satisfaction from watching wild beasts mangle fellow human beings for any cause whatever.

All that is true of the race in a greater or lesser degree. The second or spiritual birth, the solution of the Mystery of the kingdom of God, Philosophic Initiation, or the attainment of Soul or Cosmic Consciousness, call it what we will, aims directly at the change to be made in the human heart.

Philosophic Initiation is possible only through, or by means of the purification or Regeneration of the whole man; physical, mental and spiritual. Regeneration carried to success, brings about the birth into a new life, or a rebirth that is spiritual, but makes itself manifest in the whole man.

To be Regenerated is to be born again.

This does not alone affect the spirit, but the mind and body as well. Purification, a prerequisite to Regeneration; results in freedom from grossness and carnality through their transmutation; from grossness and carnality through their transmutation; from iniquities, base and vile habits. Purification of body and mind alone is not enough; the heart must be in agreement, and this agreement, or feeling, changes the whole of man. The real man, he who has awakened and developed, or brought into consciousness the Christos, has also attained to a cleanliness of body, a sound and potent Will, and a heart that has learned to throb for the woes of humanity.

Philosophic Initiation is living a life. Life is a school. School is an opportunity. Every moment of life is changed; a variation of opportunity to advancement and greater success. This is a fact of which we must become keenly conscious. If we permit opportunity to pass us by, we are the losers; we have retrogressed to that degree, because that opportunity may never present itself again.

Every man born of woman is not in truth born to woe, but with the means and the opportunity to change the undesirable into that which will side-step loss and sorrow and bring him blessings instead.

There is a real difference between the man of the mass, and he who accepts the challenge to "take up they bed and walk,"i.e., follow the Way, the Truth and the Life.

The average man is content to pass through life blindly; seeing as through a glass darkly; ignorant of what his mission may be, or could be; or whither he is drifting. Without realizing what he is doing, he permits his Divine possibilities and potentialities to remain dormant and undeveloped. Biblically, he ignores his "hidden talents."

Such a man is much like a piece of drift-wood in the grip of a rushing current; helpless to direct his own course, and destined to destruction, unless kindly fate intervenes.

The man who has even but partially awakened has also become conscious of an idea to be achieved; a goal ahead to be reached. He begins to concentrate every effort and centers all his energies toward the development of his latent possibilities and potentialities. He is hastening the day of his freedom from Karmic indebtedness - the bondage to an unknown destiny created, not by God, but by himself. Such an individual is like an expert swimmer who is able to direct his course and avoid the precipice of the falls below.

Life, however difficult it may be at times, is not only an opportunity, but also a gift. The difficulties are the means to develop the strength within us. Life is never a curse, not a misfortune as all too many believe; because misfortunes are in themselves stepping stones to success. Success, carefully analyzed, is not more than misfortune gilded.

If we really believe in religious precepts, hence that God is love, can we possibly believe that He would curse us by giving us life? If God is love, then out of this love He has given man life and the opportunity to achieve according to man's own ideal with the ultimate possibility of Sonship with the Father. Life is what man makes of it.

It is a grand opportunity given us to grow, to gain experience, to gather wisdom as the result of experience. Man, according to biblical inculcations, cannot become the Son of God until he has gained the knowledge of both good and evil. This is only as a result of blessings on the one hand and misfortune and sorrow on the other. Life is a school on a grand scale; every experience we pass through is a problem which challenges us to prove whether we recognize the right from the wrong.

The school of life is presided over by two impartial, unbiased instructors and we should expect no favors. One is Nature, the other God. Each of these demands that we learn our lessons well. They are unrelenting and unforgiving. They recognize no excuse and demand from us an accounting. We cannot run away from them, nor in any way escape them. They, then, not call a halt on ourselves and meet our problems as men are expected to meet their duties and obligations?

Philosophic Initiation is by way of the crucifixion of the self, the sone of man. Crucifixion implies giving up; a change; a sacrifice of that which only appears desirable to us, for something that is actually a benefit or advantage to us. The earthly, or carnal man with his misleading desires, his prejudices and biased opinions, his sensuous longings and cravings of the flesh, his indulgence of appetites that degrade him, must be hung on the cross, or crucified. In the process, he must give up these undesirable traits, however painful the ordeal may be, and replace them by something better and higher.

The average man's mind is much like a run-away horse. He has no control over his thoughts. His thoughts, if they can be called such, control him in his every act. These thoughts, when analyzed, are actually desires of the mortal, carnal man, which have hardly reached the mid to be thought about or reasoned out, and control him as desires, without rhyme or reason.

The drug addict supplies his body with "dope" to the point of satiation so that there is no further desire or need felt for it for the moment, or until its influence wears off; but when deprived of the drug beyond a certain period, he will commit crime to obtain more to satisfy the craving or suffering.

In like manner, the average individual does not recognize any necessity to deprive the appetite, or call of the mind and body, and continues to indulge in what is really enslaving and degrading him. However, as soon as he becomes aware of the harm he is bringing upon himself and begins to retrieve his steps by refusing to further indulge his appetite, he is met with the stern resistance of every force of his being, except for his inner spiritual forces.

It requires a strong resolution and an indomitable Will to regain self-mastery, once it is lost. This is the crucifixion- or cross-I-faction, i.e., the crossing of, or running contrary to, developed and long-indulged habits.

While the individual is unconscious of a desire to perfect himself, attain self-mastery and develop his possibilities and potentialities, to improve his mentality and his physical self so as to reach the highest degree of health and well-being there is no struggle. But once he awakens to his Divine possibilities and begins to resist the tempter, his undesirable desires and appetites, the fight begins and continues until the carnal man of the spiritual man has won the battle.

Progress on the path of Philosophic Initiation and Regeneration, attaining the second or spiritual birth, is always by way of sacrifice. Sacrifice simply means giving up that which we are accustomed to, habituated to, or "beholden to" for something that is to our greater benefit. It is a sacrifice, because we have allowed ourselves to become "enslaved" by it, and are no longer masters of ourselves.

It is to be borne in mind that nothing that is good or beneficial to us, either physically, mentally, economically or spiritually, need ever be given up or discontinued. We are required only to refuse further indulgence in that which is not really beneficial to us; in those things that are injurious or prejudicial to our advancement and well-being.

Just as we naturally expect the developing child to give up its toys as it grows into youth, so is it expected that the man seeking to progress on the path of initiation will throw aside all things what will retard or impede his progress.

Philosophic Initiation, the second or spiritual birth, is the great climb up the steep and rugged ascent toward the top of "Jacob's Ladder." It is by no means a smooth path because the debris of a long, mis-spent life may be strewn all along the way. To be able to make the greatest progress, one must divest himself of all unnecessary impediments retarding advancement. The higher the climb, the greater the necessity to free the self of all excess luggage, otherwise their weight will prevent ascent or, at least, slow it down.

Pride is one of the greatest of obstacles in the way of those who are awakening to the desirability of obtaining wisdom and spiritual attainment. Pride causes man to cling to the things that have become a habit; to the things his neighbor looks upon as of the greatest importance, and he feels he must keep up with his neighbors, whether or not it is to his welfare. This blocks his path to the search for enlightenment because it set him apart. He forgets that, Biblically speaking, "God's people are a peculiar people," so-called because they refuse to be bound down to customs and usages followed for the sake of mere appearances.

It is not always an easy matter to change or chain this "beast," unless one is thoroughly and completely "converted" to the new way of life, so that nothing else matters. For many it is a long struggle to give up the old death-bringing way of life; "preparing new bottles for the new wine," or new way of life; but if it is the desire to attain and to ascent the path - Jacob's Ladder - to wisdom and God, it must be done.

After all is said, pride is a cloak that is made to hide the real man; to prevent others from seeing us as we are, not as we pretend to be; and to follow the path, our real self must be brought to activity and into manifestation.

There is also that other strong and powerful beast; more stubborn even than pride. This is laziness or inertia - the apathy that prevents man from doing the things he knows he should do and must do if he would serve himself best. This beast, which has mankind almost universally in its vise-like grip and which holds men enslaved to a few egomaniacs, is that human tendency to temporize and procrastinate, to put off until tomorrow that which should be done today.

It is a Lorelei that constantly whispers into man's ears soothing words to lull him to sleep. It causes man to believe there is no hurry to start the effort to climb life's path; that the time to start is tomorrow and another tomorrow: the somehow, some way, he will advance without putting forth effort or making the change in himself. It is a strong beast, hard to kill, and most subtle in its arguments.

Ease and indulgence are seemingly so much more to be desired than work and effort. False logic and misinterpretation of Divine Law both play their part in convincing man that climbing the steps of "Jacob's Ladder" is not really necessary; that nature, and blind faith with asks no questions, will achieve all that effort could.

Of all man's enemies, mental laziness is probably the greatest. This is always encouraged by self-seeking politicians and the enemies of mankind. "Follow me. Let me do your thinking and planning and I will work for your welfare. I will obtain ease and benefits you would not be able to secure for yourself." The masses believe and allow false leaders to do their thinking and planning.

The politicians, we may assume, do obtain certain temporary benefits for them, but soon, very soon, due to non-use of the thinking-reasoning faculties, the recipients of such benefits become unable to think, plan and act for themselves, and to that degree have become servile slaves, the serfs to those self- selected leaders under whose command they have placed themselves. Once this happens, liberty and freedom of action are lost.

Through his slothfulness and love of ease, man allows himself to become enslaved. Instead of listening to every silvery tongue that promises much for little in return, man must realize that growth and progress - becoming strong and self-reliant - a man - can come about only as a result of effort, hard work and systematic training.

A man's muscle is made strong by regular exercise; a beautiful voice is the result of tireless and never-ending training. Spiritual consciousness - the kingdom of heaven - is possible only to those who follow the path by faith, in true spirit and ceaseless effort.

Were faith alone sufficient for man's development and spiritual unfoldment, then truly every member of the human race, just by believing, would long since have attained to God's likeness. Wars would long since have ceased and the brotherhood of man would be firmly established.

If nature, through evolution, provided entirely for man's well being, then all men, through the course of fifty million years, would have become God-like in stature. The cold fact remains that, after fifty millions of years, no two individuals have developed alike; all are on different planes of evolvement.

This is directly due to the effort - or non-effort - put forth by these individuals. Sufficient faith to induce us to make the effort, practice according to spiritual or Arcane precepts - these are the keynote to growth and progress. To succeed in spiritual unfoldment it is necessary to make every possible effort; to work wisely, systematically and without cessation.

The wisdom which combines both power and clear-sightedness is to be gained only through experience. This is achieved through untiring effort and by overcoming all obstacles along the way. Greater understanding of the Divine Law is gained through the application or direction of what we already know, and not be waiting to first attain to all knowledge.

We proceed or progress step by step; by climbing "Jacob's Ladder" rung by rung, and skipping none. Philosophic Initiation, the second or spiritual birth, is possible only by the conservation of our physical and mental forces and by concentration and directing them in the building of character, manhood, responsibility and bring into manifestation the Christos, which is the birthright of every man. This is a "talent" that dare not be hidden. We must use it or it will be taken from us and given to one who is wiser and who will make good use of it.

The aim and end of Philosophic Initiation is perfection of the three-fold man. Man must begin this effort by the purification of the physical self; the body being the foundation upon which the spiritual structure must rest. The body is the temple wherein the Illuminated Soul will dwell and worship. To a large extent, it is upon the body that the health of the nervous system must depend. The mind, in turn, depends on the health of the nervous system. The Soul must rely upon the normalcy of the outlook of the mind for its awakening and development.

"Ye must be born again, in the spirit as in the body." This saying indicates the possibility, through systematic training of the body, mind and Soul, of accomplishing in one life - his life - what would, without such training and living, require many lives and thousands of years.

If it is our desire, we may, by concentration our efforts toward an ideal, hasten our development, transmuting our unregenerate mortal self into Sonship with god. This is the promised "mortality taking on Immortality," or "the sons of men having become the Sons of God." This was the goal of all those who in times past become Masters, Prophets, Messiahs, Christs and Philosophic Initiates.

Philosophic Initiation, the second or spiritual birth, is the result of being born of the spirit; of an inner growth and the unfoldment of spiritual faculties ending in Illumination of the Soul and Immortalization. It is the fulfillment of St. John's vision in Revelation; the separation of one's self from the "chaff" and becoming a part of the "wheat," a staff, or part of the Tree of Life.
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