Initiation

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For other uses, see Initiation (disambiguation).

Initiation ceremony, Korogo Village, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, 1975. Franz Luthi

Coming from the Latin, initiation implies a beginning. The related verb, initiate, means to begin or start a particular action, event, circumstance, or happening.

An initiation is also a ceremony by which a person is introduced into a society, or other organised body, especially the rite of admission into a secret society or order.

In unionised organisations, the "initiation" is typically no more than a brief familiarisation with basic procedures and the provision of a copy of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement that governs the work performed by members of the union. Some unions also charge a one-time initiation fee, after which the joining person is officially deemed to be a member in good standing.

A person taking the initiation ceremony in primitive rites, such as those depicted in these pictures, is said to be an initiate.

Normally an initiation rite would imply a shepherding process where those who are at a higher level guide the initiate through a process of greater exposure of knowledge. This may include the revelation of secrets, usually reserved for those at the higher level of understanding.

In the context of ritual magic and esotericism, an initiation is considered to cause a fundamental process of change to begin within the person being initiated. The person conducting the initiation (the initiator), being in possession of a certain power or state of being, transfers this power or state to the person being initiated. Thus the concept of initiation is similar to that of apostolic succession. The initiation process is often likened to a simultaneous death and rebirth, because as well as being a beginning it also implies an ending as existence on one level drops away in an ascension to the next.

Initiation is a key component of Sant Mat, Surat Shabd Yoga and similar religious gnosis traditions. It denotes acceptance by the Guru and also implies that the Chela (student or disciple) agrees to the requirements (such as living an ethical lifestyle, meditating, etc.)

Initiation is performed almost in all cultural groups, but differently. In the Bapedi tribe of South Africa initiation is normally regarded as stage where a boy is to be taught manhood and a girl womanhood. In many African tribes initiation involves circumcision of males and sometimes circumcision/genital mutilation of females as well. Initiation is considered necessary for the individual in order to be regarded as a full member of the tribe. Otherwise the individual may not be allowed to participate in ceremonies or even in social ritual such as marriage.

Initiation may be thought to help build respect in teenagers and prepare them to be good husbands and wives. Where modernisation is occurring initiation is not taken as seriously as before, though there are still certain areas which still consider initiation seriously. A man will not be allowed to marry or have any special relationship with a girl who didn't go to initiation, because she is not considered as a woman.

In some African tribes boys take about 3 to 4 months participating in initiation rites and girls 1 to 2 months.

Australian Aboriginal tribes usually had long periods of preparing adolescent boys, teaching them the Law before they were ready to attend large elaborate ceremonies at the time of initiation when they were finally recognized as fully-fledged men in their society. Most tribes had circumcision and scarification as part of the male initiation rituals, while many Central Australian tribes also practised subincision.