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by Joe Bandel |
 Magister Templi Part VI
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Books |
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1st Degree Magickal Initiation |
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The 1st Degree Initiation is a very serious thing that creates a magickal link between the initiate and the Order that lasts for life. This is a very serious matter not to be lightly taken.
We consider this Initiation entry into the egregore of the Order. When we cross this threshold our entire being crosses and our very essence will be contained and to a degree controlled by this egregore. The egregore is a force stronger than us and we voluntarily submit in the understanding that such submission will mold us in the way we are meant to be molded. In a way the egregore of the Order is a "soul catcher" and we place our "trust" in it.
As this egregore envelopes and contains us it also isolates and protects us from outside influences. The ties we have with other non-Order influences are severed one by one until there is only the Order itself. We are to find everything, even love within the Order. This of course is only my interpretation of what happens. Every group has it's own ways.
During this initial initiation we are brought into contact with a magickal current called "The Light of Life". This is represented by the pentacle we are given at the conclusion of the ceremony. In solving this riddle we consider that "Spiritual Light" is represented by the sun in the lower degrees and in the higher degrees "The Light of Life" is represented by sexual/bio-electrical energy. Thus in this first initiation we are in some manner impressed with the sexual/bio-electrical energy of the Order through a physical initiation.
This energy is transmitted through the initiator who is a channel for this energy. It should be noted the 1st Degree initiation does not involve sexual practices. It merely involves an introduction to sexual/bio-electrical energy generated through ceremony by the men and women within the group. Many Orders require that males initiate females and vice versa. This is true of Gardnerian Wicca.
We get a glimpse of a magickal Order founded on and created out of sexual/bio-electrical "Light of Life" energy and "grounded" through hard physical activity and ritual. This reminds me more of the "shamanistic" path than the mystical path. The Shamanistic path involves the crossing of a lower abyss and the connection to a "power animal".
There is not much "mysticism" to be noted within magickal groups although literature is littered with the concept of "raising" the "Light of Life" or "kundalini" into the "Spiritual Light". All things considered, when you take the sexual/bio-electrical energy teachings and combine them with the mystical Literature describing and leading to the crossing of the Great Abyss, you have the recipe for becoming a God or Goddess and developing the seven sheathes or astral bodies and the "immortal body". This is the true source of magickal power known to the great mystery school of the ages. It is the combining of the Cosmic "Light" energy and the "Dark" Earth energy that brings true magickal empowerment.
In magickal Orders I find the process to be first the magickal path and then the mystical path while OAK first follows the mystical path and then the magickal path. In this manner they are true reciprocals of each other. The interesting thing is that the OAK energy ball work finishes the Spiritual aspect of the Great Work and can be done in a matter of days leaving more time for developing the earthly connection.
The "earth connection" and entry into the "shamanic underworld" is rapidly achieved by the generation of physical activity like martial arts or physical training of some kind. Athletes do have magickal power in their abilities to manifest physical events. If you want to enter the shaman underworld sign up for marine boot camp. In two months your lower astral body will be activated and your "earth" connection will be strong.
It is the "middle" sexual/bio-electrical energy and the development of the astral sheathes and "immortal body" that takes years.
What I'm saying is "magickal orders" follow the magickal path first and then the mystical path while "mystical orders" like the Rosicrucians follow the mystical path first and then the magickal path. This makes OAK a "mystical order".
In this degree the candidate is requested to become familiar with the techniques and accept them as a guide to life. I will comment on these techniques in later posts.
The energy current that passes through the new initiate will increase his or her vitality and magnetism. This means they will both attract and repel things more strongly. Their lives will become more intense and there will be a growing need to gain mastery of these new energies.
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1st Degree Magickal Initiation |
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