Traditional Witchcraft Covens - Still A Good Idea?

 

My path in Witchcraft has been a decidedly crooked one, and it has been one that would seem to paint traditional initiations and traditional covens as a questionable source for one’s engagement and advancement in its practice. I had a four year tenure in the archetypal “Coven from Hell” back in the late 1970's, where I witnessed my High Priestess and High Priest go over the deep end and assume tyrannical powers over their coven members. I saw two large and well attended covens get whittled down to just a small single coven, and from there, a complete collapse. My former HP and HPs left Witchcraft and became fundamentalist Protestant Christians, and my former HP wrote an infamous book titled “Wicca: Satan’s Little White Lie,” which I have fully debunked in previous blog postings. If anything, my first coven experience was a lesson in occult despotism and the fallacy of self-elected leadership in BTW covens. You can find the first in the series of threads about my experiences here.

My negative experiences with hierarchical coven structures continued when I became a High Priest and elder of an Alexandrian coven in Minneapolis. While I had no interest in functioning as a tyrant in any way imaginable, my partner, Thea, had other ideas in mind. She ran the coven in a despotic manner and made my allegiance and deference to her as a means to bind me while she ran roughshod over the members of our coven. Finally, when the coven had enough of this kind of childish and tyrannical behavior, they had the audacity to confront her about it, with my support. That made her resign her position as leader and to break up with me for not supporting her, even though she was completely in the wrong about how she was treating people. She left the home that I had provided her and officially resigned as High Priestess, while heaping scorn and recriminations on us all. Within a week we had replaced both her and myself with new leaders, but even then, having the power to make unequivocal decisions with little or no input from the coven members, made the new order only slightly better than the old one. Within two years, the coven had disbanded and was no longer functioning.

What these experiences have taught me is that there are problems with the type of leadership that a traditional coven employs, and that it takes very mature and accessible leaders to successfully run a coven that is durable and self-sustaining over time. While such a coven structure can work and be maintained, it is too susceptible to abuse and forms of ego-driven despotism. There are no checks and balances in a hierarchical coven structure, and the High Priestess and her partner, the High Priest, are the sole authority figures in the group. The only recourse that a member has is to leave the coven and either practice alone or form another group. I have found that individuals who have had to leave a coven because of a clash with the leadership often form a new coven that has inherited the same problems as the old coven. They just seem to exchange the old tyrants for new ones, and little is actually learned.

Don’t get me wrong, because there are good covens out there in the various communities that have lasted a long time, but these, unfortunately, are the exception rather than the rule. A good and well functioning coven is hard to find, but they do exist, and I have met a number of fortunate individuals who were members of such groups. It would seem that human nature is such that there is a tendency of individuals who lack personal confidence and who have little power over their lives to seek out positions of power within a coven group and then to rule the members in a tyrannical manner. It is, unfortunately, a problem of structure and human social dynamics that make a traditional Witchcraft coven hierarchy into a microcosm study of human despotism. Wherever you have two unelected leaders assuming power and authority over a group of novices mixed in with very few initiates with no checks or balances on their rule, then the temptation to take advantage of this social situation will be great. If the leaders are emotionally mature and know themselves and their limitations, and have humility and compassion as their ruling principals, then the coven will be managed and guided with wisdom and equality, instead of deceit and delusion. That, of course, is the ideal, but considering human nature, it will fall short of the ideal, or completely miss it.

Democracy is the missing ingredient for coven management, at least in my opinion. It is what has made Blue Lodge Masonry build and maintain lodge organizations that have lasted for generations. Leadership is rotated and decisions for the lodge are made through the artifice of voting. There are, therefore, checks and balances built into the organization. Within a small group like a coven, democracy is established by group consensus, and leaders are rotated or even elected to assume temporary roles within the group. However, an elected leader assumes a role that has certain responsibilities, but the group is ruled by consensus. Leadership roles then have all of the responsibility and none of the power associated with traditional coven leadership roles.

While there are many definitions of consensus, I have found that the best approach for any group decision is that it has a majority of the members in favor with none opposed. That means the group will decide to undertake certain directives and employ individuals to help make them realized, whether formally or informally. A major directive requires a formal vote, and simple decisions can be implemented with an informal vote. Any disagreement would need to be resolved before the group could move forward, regardless of whether the decision was determined by a formal vote or just an informal agreement.

What I am describing here is what I have called a “Star Group,” and I feel that it is the only kind of organizational structure that a small group or coven could assume to ensure that everyone is treated equally and fairly, regardless of individual experience or level of achievement. Each member represents the facet of a group star, and that they come together to forge a unified group with a combined purpose and direction. No one is has any greater authority, value or role significance than anyone else in the group, even despite the differences in knowledge, experience, initiatory achievements or community status - all are equal in the eyes of the Gods. Leaders are chosen to manage and direct certain events and activities, but authority is vested in the group. Leadership roles can be designated and rotated annually, or they can be chosen for specific activities. Everyone participates and there are no divisions or barriers placed between individuals within the group. All decisions are determined by consensus, and everyone has a single equal vote.

Star Groups are the optimal group structures for any small organization that seeks to engage in specific activities in a completely fair, equal and democratic manner. They are not prone to despotic rulership or the exploitation of lesser experienced members by more senior members. They typically have a high rate of individual satisfaction, and they guarantee equal engagement privileges amongst the members of the group. Additionally, they have the ability to resolve differences, or if that becomes impossible, then to formulate new smaller groups out of the old group. A Star Group allows for separations and mergers without having to damage the group or make it ungovernable. It allows for the possibilities of a group to have amicable separations and for groups to continue to grow and evolve over time, something that a traditional coven is not likely to experience. I have found that a Star Group is the only kind of organization that I would join and happily participate in, and that I would avoid, at all costs, either joining or running a traditional coven. That is my predilection based on my personal experiences, and it shouldn’t keep anyone from joining a coven if they so wish.

An initiation into a coven or group is little more than an acknowledgment that the individual who undergoes it is able to assume the obligations and responsibilities that the initiation grade entails. Traditional Witchcraft initiations are typically inner court ceremonies that empower and constrain an individual with oaths, allegiances and the assumption of a role and an identity within the group. Internal transformations can also occur simultaneously, but they are not guaranteed. It is only through an individual practice and discipline that a practitioner can achieve personal transformation and spiritual evolution. A coven cannot provide a member with this kind of achievement, but it can help one to develop a personal discipline and practice, and to guide and show by example what can be achieved through magic rituals and ceremonies. Transformative initiation is guided by both suffering and by ecstatic release, which are symbolized by the scourge and the kiss. Both scripted initiations and transformative initiations are an intimate encounter with the Deities and the individual, where the ordeal of psychic death and rebirth are fully enacted.

Since initiations are so profoundly personal and subjective, and they require a level of trust and intimacy that is beyond mere friendship, it must happen in an environment that is free of fear, coercion, and that can allow for the full empowerment and temporary ascendancy of the initiate. A badly run coven will likely be unable to provide this kind of environment to its members who undergo initiation, making the possibility for a true transformation impossible. Initiation ceremonies in such a group are performed not for the benefit of the member, but for the edification of the leaders, to enable them to assume greater power over the candidate. Therefore, real growth and transformation requires an equable social arrangement in the coven for it to occur, and lacking that will certainly make such an achievement much more difficult. If it happens at all it will be through the individual practice and discipline, and if that activity is prohibited by the coven leaders, then there would be little reason to persevere in such a group. 

I discuss scripted and transformative initiation in my book on the subject, and it goes into much greater detail. If you wish to investigate deeper into this subject, then I would recommend my book, "Transformative Initiation for Witches," and you can find it here.

My advice to anyone who wants to form a coven or who is seeking to join one is to always to get to know the individuals in the group before making a commitment to join. If someone wants to start a coven, then I would advise them to ensure that there is some kind of consensus and rotating leadership positions installed in the group instead of assuming the role of authority figures regardless of one’s level of maturity or motivations. I believe that a traditional coven structure is too easily abused, and it readily leads to tyranny, coercion, and the exploitation of its members. Not all traditional covens are so corrupt, but the only way to find out is to cautiously get to know the leaders and engage socially with the members. Beware of coven leaders who seek potential members to quickly decide on whether to join or not, or who have sequestered the members from engaging socially with a prospective entrant. There are no NDA legalities binding members from speaking to outsiders, and if such a rule is in place, then you would be well advised not to join that group.  

We all need to protect ourselves from exploitation and the social tyranny of bad groups and organizations. The only solution is group consensus and rotating leadership roles. Our path in the art of Witchcraft magic is difficult and arduous enough without having to deal with unelected authority figures and social exploitation within a magical or Witchcraft group. A badly run coven could potentially thwart a true seeker and push them back into a mainstream religious faction, or make them into cynical critic of all things pagan and magical. Those of us who are knowledgeable and are initiates have a responsibility to those who are just starting out to give them whatever aid and assistance we can and to also respect them as human beings with an equal right to be a seeker as anyone else. We should be open, accessible and willing to share with others who might find a great value in following the path of magic and paganism. Starting out on such a socially divergent path is a very difficult decision to make, so we who already know should do what we can to help make that decision both rewarding and fulfilling.

Magical and pagan seekers are rare, especially those who try to make it their life’s path, so the least we can do is to be encouraging, respectful and friendly to them.

Frater Barrabbas

 

 

 

 

Calends Meditations and Insights

The year 2023 is coming to an end, and there is much to be thankful for and to acknowledge successes and also some failures. However, there is a great deal of potential awaiting me in the coming year, and I also suspect that significant outcomes will occur deciding the fate of our nation. I won’t talk about politics in this article, since I have already discussed that topic in a previous article. What I will focus on are the personal struggles that I have waged over the course of the year, and the outcomes that can be realized as specifically magical, spiritual, and metaphysical. I am also aware of the fact that I am getting older and more prone to illness as the years progress, and that I am in the autumn period of my life. I will have good days of brilliant sunshine and amazing clarity, and other times will be dark, gloomy, confusing and sad as I contemplate what I have failed to accomplish or what still evades me after years of effort.

Therefore, let me celebrate and commiserate the highs and lows of my life in the calends of the year 2023, and seek to see clearly into the coming year 2024 and beyond. As I have said, the coming year will be an important mile-stone for me, and one that I can celebrate as an amazing accomplishment by itself. My dream to make much if not all of my magical lore available for anyone who would seek to perform it is becoming fully realized. This was one of my spiritual and magical objectives set upon me by my personal Goddess and the agency of my Higher Self, one that I struggled for years to achieve. I lacked the writing skills to make this happen when first the mandate was delivered to me, and I had to spend more than a decade of writing to finally get to the point where I could actually write up this lore into books that were intelligible to the occult reading public. Few would guess that I was a poor writer, barely able to put my ideas down on paper unless it was a ritual. I couldn’t spell very well and my writing skills were awkward and clumsy. Over time, that changed, but I had a long way to go before I managed to achieve the level of writing that I now possess. It was a hard earned skill, that’s for certain.

So, I have six books coming out in 2024, and I should be thrilled by that fact, but in some ways I am not as excited as I should be. The reason for this blunting of my enthusiasm is simple. I have been sick off and on again since late September. It’s hard to get too excited when your health really is n poor shape. Some of this is because I have become more sedentary than I should be, but writing books and functioning as a data warehouse architect requires me to sit at my desk for long periods of time. However, that is just an excuse I should try to overcome if I expect to live through my 70's without any serious illness because I am doing so little to manage my health. What will ultimately happen is based on genetics, of course, but these potential diseases can be mitigated through exercise and getting out more often into nature, and traveling around this marvelous state where I currently reside. I have made promises to myself that I have not fulfilled, so now I realize all too well what will be my fate if I continue to procrastinate regarding getting more physically active. I caught a lower tract flu in late September, then got a really bad cold in October which mutated into bronchitis, and then pneumonia. Right now, I am recovering from pneumonia, and it is a hard slog to get back to having a reasonable healthy body. That series of illnesses are a warning to me that I better change my basic habits if I want to avoid more of the same, or even worse occurrences.

One thing that saddens me somewhat is that I don’t have a temple to work my magic and to celebrate my connection with the Deities and the mysteries of light and darkness, life and death. All I can do is meditate in a quiet space in my office. This is the first time in decades that I don’t have a temple, and it means that there is a lot of new lore that I could be developing, experimenting with new approaches to working magic, and engaging in new ordeals that have presented themselves to me as I have been writing up my lore. The last set of major workings that I performed was in 2017, prior to the change in my career that had me working and traveling to Richmond, VA, where I now live. The house that we bought in Richmond was new and well-built, but it lacked the space for a real temple, and the extra bedroom became an office for my wife so she could seek to expand her career and become the main contributor to our household.

My job status has stabilized and I can continue in my current role beyond 2026. I won’t have to deal with getting laid off or terminated anytime in the future, so at least that part of my life is in a good state. Still, I miss my old home where I had a large temple and an outdoor grove. That place is where I performed some of most significant magical workings of my life as a ritual magician, and that is saying a lot. What I realize is that my current home is likely a temporary location, and that in time I will find a new home that can accommodate my need for a temple.

The pandemic made my relocation to Richmond quite complicated, since it forced me to be sequestered for two years. Since I have allergies and I am elderly, I felt that it was prudent not to expose myself too much to the public except where necessary, such as going to stores and buying groceries or other needed items. Due to the demands of my job, I had not started to reach out to the community and get acquainted with the Witches, Pagans and Occultists living in my community when the pandemic occurred. I did attempt to work with a local OTO body, but the body master was a control freak and unable to allow the members of the group to share their knowledge and experiences, and this turned out to be something that I decided not to invest any further time. I did meet a few interesting people, and I have continued to be connected with them, but overall, I have failed to make any important impact on my community.

I am living in the same location as other many other folks, many of whom are beginners, but I am unknown to them, and that is wholly my fault. I was slow to get out from the pandemic sequestration, and I have not yet become a known personality in my community. You would think that with as much knowledge and experience that I have to give to others that I would have, by now, made inroads into my community and made myself available to teach and share with others what I know. That hasn’t happened yet, and it is one of my failures.

What I can at least take consolation from are my book writing projects and the fact that I have a new publisher who treats me like a Rock Star. I am hoping that sentiment continues into the next year, and there is no reason to think that it will change. Blake and Wycke Malliway, and their publishing company, Crossed Crow Books, understand that I am at a point in my writing career where I can produce new books quickly and efficiently, particularly because I have three decades of material to assemble, edit and pull together into publishable books. While Llewellyn trained me for a decade on how to write occult books, the CCB publishers are the one’s that are reaping what I learned during that period of indenture. It seems sad to me that a year ago I was still solidly a Llewellyn author, and although they still have four of my books in print, I cannot rely on them to publish any of my new manuscripts because they are so outside of what they typically publish. So, CCB will acquire the benefits of my mastery of the art of writing occult books and it is my hope that they prosper accordingly. The books that I write in the coming years will contain the magical workings and techniques that I am most excited about, since I have now established a foundation of work for all to use in order to make this newly available lore accessible and useful.

For the coming year, I am planning on making an appearance at Convocation in Ann Arbor, MI, which is happening on February 22, 2024. I am going because my publishers are paying for my travel and accommodation for this event. They have also taken care of my registration and set me up to teach two classes there. I will write another article to give more information about this event as we get closer to the time when it will be held. I am quite amazed that my publishers have afforded me this privilege, and it only shows that they have a great deal of reguard for my work and what I am seeking to share with my reading public. Llewellyn would never have spent that kind of money on me, even though they are a much larger company. In fact, I found that Llewellyn treats their authors rather cheaply, and this has been a factor for decades. Maybe it makes some business sense to be this way, but it is much more a corporatist mind-set that is all too common in our post modern world. So, I am glad that I am considered a valuable author and treated well by my current publishers.

Other travels for the coming year would likely include a return to New Orleans with an emphasis on marketing my books. I would like to travel there sometime in October or November after my book “Liber Nephilim” has been released, and make that a focus of my trip. I was enthralled with NOLA, and it seemed like such a very Witchy friendly place. I have some friends who have occult contacts in that town with Witches, healers and the local chapter of the OTO. I intend on making the most of being there and meeting with as many people as possible. I will seek to do some book signings and maybe even a couple of classes. I have discussed this possibility with my publishers and seems likely that they will also be interested in traveling there at the same time and see if the witchcraft oriented stores would stock more CCB books on their shelves. I think that event would be quite amazing, and I look forward to exploring it for the coming year.

Another amazing event that has occurred to me is that I have met the owner of a local occult bookstore who is interested in working with me and also getting trained and initiated as a Witch. It was something that I had not been looking for and it just dropped into my hands. I won’t name any names or identify the store, but all I can say is that this person is strikingly knowledgeable and mature in her work as a Witch and a Pagan. Being the owner of an occult bookstore has the option of meeting nearly everyone in the community who is following this path, so it would be likely that through this person, I might be able to finally connect with my community. There is a great deal of potential that might happen through this chance meeting, but until my health improves, I cannot spend the time to determine how it will work out, so I must wait until the coming year and the holidays are over. Then, if I have healed up sufficiently from my bout of pneumonia, I should be able to move forward with developing this relationship and helping this person gain whatever I have that can aid the process of self-validation and enrichening the path of Witchcraft with advanced forms of ritual magic.

Thus, there is a lot of potential on my horizon for the coming year. A lot of good change is coming my way, and I am looking forward to meeting it with all of the positive energy that I can muster. I am an optimist by nature, so feeling down or depressed is always a temporary state for me. There is much to be thankful for in the closing of this year, but also very much to look forward to in the coming year. Thinking about it all energizes me and makes me feel a lot more happy, just in time for this festive season.

Bright Blessings to One and All this Winter Solstice Season 2023.

Frater Barrabbas

Astral Initiations, Self Initiations and the Need for Exterior Challenges

On the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn blog, there has been some recent articles about astral-only initiations, particularly those espoused by Robert Zink, titular head of the EOGD (Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn), a branch of the Golden Dawn. It appears that Robert Zink, referred to by David Griffin as “Sideshow Bob,” has been promoting a kind of astral-only initiation, which takes place on the inner planes and allows individuals from remote geographic locations to receive an initiation in the Golden Dawn while not having to travel to any branch temple or the mother temple. Mr. Zink has gone so far as to say that an astral initiation is just as valid as a real one that takes place in a temple, conferred by real and physical representatives of the Order. Robert Zink in fact says that if long distance healing is possible, then why wouldn’t long distance initiations be possible? You can see the HOGD article here.

Of course, that would mean that healing and initiation are somehow conflated and identical processes. Anyone who has performed psychic healing will tell you that performing it physically on the person and in their presence is much more powerful than performing it long-distance. Healing in-person is optimal, long distance healing is done when no other possible recourse is available. I would also state that long distance healing can be deflected or interfered with to a greater degree than an in-person healing, and there is a stark difference in the rate of success.

Also, it’s much too easy to tell someone that you are going to do something for them magickally at a distance, and then do nothing. If anything good happens, it’s easy to take credit for it, and if nothing happens or the matter gets worse, you can say that at least you tried. If there was an exchange of money for such a transaction, I would find it difficult not to consider it a scam. Anyway, all of this is rather silly, since an initiation isn’t at all like a healing. What we really need to discuss, as far as the possibility of an astral-only initiation is concerned, is the definition of the term “initiation.”

As an aside, in all of the years that I have been a witch, no one I know of has ever claimed to have received an astral-only initiation into witchcraft. If someone did make that claim, even if it was backed up by their High Priestess and High Priest, I would have to reject it. As it is, self initiation is looked upon dubiously for obvious reasons. An astral-only initiation would be considered very peculiar and would be rejected on the grounds that it did not bodily involve the candidate in any obvious manner. To understand initiation, we will need to look at that term and how it’s used, as well as examine another corollary term, which is transformation. I will quote some raw passages from my book “Disciple’s Guide to Ritual Magick” to aid in building these definitions. 

“Our day to day lives are filled with changes, and our challenge is to meet and integrate those changes into our lives. A failure to adjust to those changes is nothing short of a failure to adapt to life itself, which allows for the occurrence of even greater misfortune. Most changes are part of the flux and flow of life; seemingly granting individuals good fortune, luck, as well as trials, misfortune and tragedies. However, some changes are strategic and more significant, meaning that they represent an opportunity for individuals to better themselves, to grow and expand rapidly, making themselves more self-aware and sensitive to the greater world around them.

These changes are perilous and take us outside of ourselves, subjecting us to strange forces, mythic archetypes and processes that seem to have little to do with our daily lives. These strategic changes are called transformations, and they are usually triggered by life events that are more powerful, meaningful and significant than what is normally experienced. It is said that a wise man heeds the warning signs of his own impending transformations, and a fool ignores them.

When we choose an earth based religious tradition, like Wicca, Witchcraft, Neopaganism, or even a Magickal Lodge, often there is an associated rite (initiation) that is performed after we have gained a foothold in that tradition. That rite represents a passage from one state to another; from a state of lacking knowledge (about that tradition), to a state where we have become knowledgeable. Rites of passage like these exist at various strategic moments of our lives, and mark the times where we become knowledgeable about a new aspect of life - such as naming rites for the newly born, rites of puberty and adulthood (getting a driver’s license, getting laid, becoming eligible to vote, etc), marriage, parenthood, retirement or rites of eldership, and rites associated with death, such as wakes or funerals, to mark our passing from this world to the next.

Initiation rites can be social rites of passage, but they can also include a certain amount of personal transformation. Yet rites of passage (initiations) and personal transformations are actually two different things altogether, even though we often use them interchangeably. They should always be used distinctly since they denote different things. It is possible and even likely to experience both an initiation and a transformation, but it is not the rule, and certainly they are two different events and two different experiences. One can receive initiations into various social organizations (such as the Freemasons, Odd Fellows, Eagles, Elks, Lions, Liar’s Club, Greek Fraternities and Sororities, etc.), and not be in any kind of spiritually transformed state. That is especially true for exoteric organizations and quasi-religious social cliques.

One can also undergo a powerful spiritual transformation and not be a zealous member of any particular creed. However, for esoteric organizations and true spiritual paths, an initiation and a transformation should occur nearly simultaneously. Our potential conscious growth is far greater than we have been led to believe, so we may grow far beyond the boundaries of normal adult ego-consciousness. In fact, that is the expectation in earth-base spiritual traditions, whether it is stated as such in the lore or just implicit in its practices. 

Magick is the method and the means through which an initiation and a transformation occur simultaneously. Those esoteric organizations who support the practice of some form of magick, are the very same organizations that have developed the means of continual personal transformation, which is also the obvious path to personal enlightenment and self-illumination.

Those esoteric organizations who eschew the practice of any form of magick or mysticism are very likely fraudulent and should be avoided by one and all. Without magick or mysticism there can be no growth, no spiritual evolution, and no hope of self-realization. The definition of magick is included in the broadest of practices and beliefs. Yet the focus of magick is always upon the transformation of the individual, so he or she may directly and periodically experience the Deity in all its mystery and manifested glory. Magick is the mirror that reflects the macrocosm into the microcosm, and back again, thus developing the greater depth of the individual soul. Magickal rituals are the sacred practices of individuals who seek to experience the world of Spirit, for magick is defined as the use of sacred symbols and rites for private instead of public purposes, and the goal is always a form of gnosis, which is the knowledge that one is a true being of Spirit.”

I would also like to include a few other quotes from that same book as well, to further define the terms of initiation and transformation. The definitions that are used were pulled from the Meriam Webster online dictionary.

“When we examine the definition for initiation we find the following entries.

‘INITIATION: the rites, ceremonies, ordeals or instructions with which one is made a member of a sect or society or is invested with a particular function or status.’

This seems to fit what we have said in previous paragraphs.

‘Initiate: to induct, facilitate the beginning of - to induct into membership by, or as if by special rites. Synonym: to begin. The condition of being initiated into some experience or sphere of activity - knowledgeableness.’

Aha! The word knowledgeableness is used in the definition above, a point that we stressed previously. The knowledge that is spoken of can be exoteric, as that found in a fraternal order, or it can be esoteric, as that found in a mystical or magickal order. Esoteric knowledge is synonymous with gnosis,  so initiatory knowledge within an occult organization represents intuitive knowledge of the Deity.
 
As we can see in the above lines from the dictionary, an initiation represents a rite of passage, a gateway or lintel-crossing from one station in life to the next. One who is initiated possesses a kind of special knowledge, granted as a privilege and responsibility by an organization or hierarchy. When this rite is performed in an esoteric organization, then the conferees of initiation are part of a spiritual hierarchy. However, in most cases, initiation is used to bring a candidate for membership formally into that organization.

The purpose of such an initiation, in an exoteric organization, is to grant membership and not to profoundly alter one’s consciousness. Anthropologists have traced the antecedent to these social organizations in the tribal Moiety, representing the precursor to all later secret societies. The Moiety, which is a social phenomenon where a tribe is divided into two parts, and where each group practices their rites in secrecy from the other half of the tribe, represents a basic human organizational behavior, and might even be traced backed to some precursor hominid instinctive behavior.

A social organization, or lodge, which conducts secret rites, with signs, passwords, and grips, can be conducted in a fashion that is no more spiritual or magickal than any other semi public activity. Thus it is not unusual to find individuals who are high initiates in various social orders, but who have not experienced any kind of psychological transformation. We must examine the nature and definition of transformation in order to realize the true source of spiritual evolution; for obviously it is not through initiation alone that we are changed.

So let us look at the definition for the word transformation and see how it is defined.   

‘TRANSFORMATION: act or process or instance of transforming or being transformed. To change in composition or structure, to change the outward form or appearance of - to change in character or condition. Convert, change, to make radically different.’

The part of the definition of Transformation that seems to be most relevant is the expression, to make radically different. And also - to change in character or condition. Transformation is defined as a radical or profound change, but such a change could be either progressive and evolving or regressive and debilitating. However, within the context of the occult, we refer to transformation as the means to achieving positive spiritual change within one’s self.

To round out the definition of transformation, we have to include two other terms - Transcendence and Teleology. We include them because progressive transformation seems to cause one to sense  the deeper structures of reality and beingness, and to perceive that there is a final end or purpose to life.

‘TRANSCENDENCE: exceeding usual limits, surpassing - extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience - in Kantian philosophy: being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge. Being beyond comprehension - Exceed. Transcend: to rise above or go beyond the limits of, to triumph over the negative or restrictive aspects of, overcome, to outstrip or outdo in some attribute, quality, or power.’

Those who choose the purely scientific view (of reality) have sided with Emanuel Kant in accepting that the transcendental quality of consciousness is beyond all possible rational knowledge, beyond comprehension, and therefore must be irrelevant to the acquisition of real objective knowledge. Of course, those who have been trained as occultists know this to be a fallacy, for we who are seekers often experience higher states of consciousness while immersed in the domain of Spirit. We are also able to explain it and even teach the practice of obtaining these states of consciousness to others, thus also making them quite objective in a subjective manner.

The transcendental realm of Spirit is inexplicable, so it is represented as a kind of meta-logic or metaphysics that defies quantitative or qualitative analysis. It is also a domain of human experience that is universal in its potential, experienced by all, but seldom realized except by a small minority of people. The word transcendence is used together with transformation to denote the kind of personal change that triumphs over all adversity and suppression, releasing the self to the greater and higher states of being.

‘TELEOLOGY: Telos (end) + logia (purpose). The study of evidence of design in nature,  a doctrine that states that ends are immanent in nature, a doctrine explaining phenomena by final causes. The fact or character attributed to nature or natural processes of being directed toward an end or shaped by a purpose. The use of design or purpose as an explanation of natural phenomena.’

Teleology could mean that through a spiritual perspective, everything in the world has a purpose, a vocation and a destiny. However, teleology has also digressed into such formulations as Intelligent Design, which is a stealthy re-packaging of Creationism. I think that by purpose or ultimate design, we must conclude that the subjective human process of creating meaning is taking place, and that it is not to be confused with objective physical reality. The meaning of life is not something that makes much sense when examined with the ruthless empirical eye of science.

The terms transcendence and teleology seem to refer directly to that domain of human activity called the Sacred. It seems obvious, then,  that to experience transcendence is to experience the world of Spirit, for it is Spirit that transcends all that we might mentally conceive, and it is also the beginning and the end of all manifestation - the true source and destiny of all spiritual seekers. Thus we also choose to examine the word sacred, since it seems to be at the core of the terms that we have examined so far. 

‘SACRED: the power, being, or realm understood by religious persons to be at the core of existence and to have a transformative effect on their lives and destinies. Other terms, such as holy, divine, transcendent, ultimate being (or reality), mystery, and perfection (or purity) have been used for this domain. Sacred is also an important technical term in the scholarly study and interpretation of religions.’

The word sacred represents the ground or basis for the domain of transcendental transformation, and as such, it requires that all actions within that space be godlike and archetypal. All of the above words, initiation, transformation, transcendence, teleology, and sacred symbolize the process and the path of individual ascension, but throughout them runs the theme of the experience of Spirit. The world that is without time and space, that is trans-logical, trans-personal, non-dual, and myriad dimensional is the true Multi-verse of the Unity of All Being.

It is this place of Spirit from which all manifestation came forth, imprinted with the synergistic potential to become conscious; and it is that which all conscious individuals seek. They seek their ultimate union with the being-ness of Spirit, who is called a God, for lack of a better name. Thus through the magickal artifice of emanation, involution, evolution, and union, the material universe, filled with dead inchoate matter, becomes imbued with life, consciousness, and then, ultimately, Spirit.

There are two cycles identified in this pattern, and they are the cycles of Transformation and Emanation - the intersecting paths of Light and Darkness, the realms of the Macrocosm and the Microcosm intertwined. The primary mystery that a magician faces, then, is the mystery of his own being, and its revelation as the god-as-self within the World of Spirit. A wise magician must ever work magick that promotes and transforms himself, so that the realization of the divinity within himself becomes an objective reality.  And the name for this kind of magick is the Great Work, the Magnum Opus of magicians and alchemists, the obtainment of perfect spiritual illumination.     

The process of spiritual growth is principally aided by a synthesis of transformation, transcendence and teleology to cause strategic changes at important moments of our lives, so the progression of spiritual awakening and growth is personally significant and meaningful. Transformative initiations are a means whereby certain levels of transformation are objectified, but they can also facilitate the transformation process itself.”

So, hopefully, the above quotations from the Disciple’s Guide to Ritual Magick have adequately defined the nature of initiation and transformation. However, I think that we need to make a few additional points in order to fully explain the necessity of receiving a transformative initiation at the hands of another and more experienced initiate, and through the acceptance and agreement of a peer group. I believe that the importance of both of these criteria would show that an astral-only initiation or a self-initiation, however legitimate they may be attested to by an individual or a group, can never replace a physical teacher, elder and a peer group. The key to this whole idea is the need for one to be challenged, tested and then affirmed by a superior and one’s peers.

Without this key concept, anyone could claim to be an initiate, adept or even a master, stating that such a high honor was conferred through some astral process or by one’s own hand. Declaring such a status without the backing of a peer group, a qualified mentor or without some kind of exterior and measurable achievement would make it wholly unsubstantiated and therefore, unearned. It would be like claiming to be a Master Mason without having undergone any of the initiations or the massive amount of required memorization. Such a claim would be unbelievable if the one making it didn’t know the passwords, signs and grips that act, in a small measure, as proof of such status. Making claims about one’s spiritual level of development and achievement without any proof is just as ridiculous as making it about being a member of a fraternal order that hasn’t any spiritual or magickal pretensions.

Additionally, there are some other considerations about receiving an initiation from a teacher, elder or peer group. A powerful soul changing transformative initiation requires a high degree of objectification in order for the transformation to be properly resolved. Additionally, there is a transmission of knowledge, both subtle and essential, that passes between initiator and candidate, which can’t be either faked or simulated. Finally, receiving an initiation from a teacher or elder places one into a line of initiates, past, present and future, and this line is called a lineage. 

 

Some linages are not particularly important or even necessary, yet some may represent a powerful continuity that goes beyond space and time. Receiving such an initiation may literally open doors, make inner plane contacts possible, powerfully influence people and events, and even determine one’s ultimate destiny. The important components of such an initiation are the teacher, the organization of peers and the challenging difficulty of the initiation ordeal rite. 

 

None of this can be simulated through a self-initiation or some kind of astral-only initiation rite. It must be physical, tangible and fully realized. One must be thoroughly challenged by some ordeal external to the self, and correspondingly, one must achieve a resolution to this challenge that is satisfactory to the individual and the group who is sponsoring the teaching. This can only be accomplished through a traditional initiation ceremony, particularly one that triggers or accompanies a personal transformation.

An astral-only initiation or a self-initiation can’t replace a traditional initiation, and in some cases, they can even be counter productive. There is only so much that one person can do by themselves, even with a lifetime of personal study and experience. At certain times everyone needs to have a teacher or elder to assist and guide them, and at all times, everyone needs a peer group to help them objectify their experiences. There are no substitutes or alternatives, regardless of what anyone may say. If someone ever tells you that you can acquire a high initiation or a personal transformation without any outside challenge, group or teacher, then you should avoid that person who so advises you as a fraud and a cheat, especially if they offer to do it for a fee.

That’s my opinion on this controversial subject. I know that some will not agree with me, but I believe that most will see the reason and the importance in what I am communicating. If someone ever came up to me and told me that they had paid someone to give them an astral-only initiation into witchcraft, I think that I would try very hard not to laugh at them. As a matter of fact, I would probably feel really sorry for them, and I would say so. To me, it just doesn’t make any sense and it can’t in any way replace what I have received directly from my various human teachers and guides.

Frater Barrabbas