Magical Initiation

Magical initiation is often given a lot of attention as some mysterious, secretive process that requires a certain curriculum or special individual who gives a sort of permission or offers specific guidance through a mystical process. To be fair, all of that CAN BE true, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.

There are reasons a person might undergo a detailed ritual, participate in an elaborate ceremony, seek out a specific teacher or guide, and/or participate in a secret process for their magical initiation. Such reasons include cultural or familial traditions (Yes, there are still families today who practice and pass on magic the same way a Catholic or Muslim family partakes of and teaches their youth about their religion and faith.), the requirements of certain organizations, the beliefs of the individual seeking initiation, and even a simple desire to have a mystical experience or make a big deal out of the first step of one’s magical journey.

These are all perfect reasons to pursue special or even complicated initiations. By all means go for it if that is your desire.

However none of these things are actually tied to what a magical initiation truly is. They are all simply interpretations and methods for approaching the initiation..

What IS an Initiation? What does the Word Mean?

The magical context of initiation does not change the meaning of the word, which is simply to begin. That’s what initiate means, to get started, take the first step, and so forth.

Just as initiation into collegiate, fraternal organizations and similar clubs has come to mean going through an ordeal or being proven worthy, so the magical use of the word has taken on mystical and secretive connotations. In reality, however, to initiate into magic just means to start studying and (most importantly) practicing the arcane Art.

There could be some debate as to whether one is actually initiated through the initial study and examination of magic or only once active practice and use of magic begins. There could be, but we won’t worry with that here.

The way for you to become initiated is to get started. That’s all.

You can perform a special ritual or have a unique experience if you want to. There are some ideas below you can check out for this.

You can also just start, right here and right now, to look into magic with the intention of seeing what it’s about and if it’s a thing you care to pursue.

You Don’t Have To

• You don’t need my permission or anybody else’s approval.
• You don’t have to wait until your birthday.
• You don’t need to have a particular astrological chart.
• It doesn’t matter what family you were born into or what culture you come from; magic is available to every human being.
• A full moon is not required, nor is a new moon necessary.
• It is not mandatory that you get a tattoo, drink a potion, or recite anything.

You Can if You Want To…

Again, I can’t stress this enough, you can do any of the formal and fancy stuff you like. It’s just not required of you.

At one point I just got started. Here I am many years later.

However it is also accurate and truthful for me to say at one point I enacted a special ritual. Also at one point I witnessed a total lunar eclipse. Another time I experienced what some might call a haunting or spiritual entity. On yet a different occasion I smoked psychoactive herbs to help me enter the spirit world. Then there was the time a Voodoo High Priest gave me his insight and instructions on how to initiate, which I followed.

To be fair, after the very first time it’s called RE-initiation. That’s obvious, right? Once you begin a thing you can’t take the first steps again, not in this world of linear time at least. You can, however, certainly begin again as often as you want to or feel you need to.

An Ongoing and Unending Cycle

I can all but promise you that you will initiate again at some point after your first time. This is what life and the journey of the soul are all about: beginnings and (endings and) rebeginnings, from birth throughout the life process, through death or passing from this realm to the next and then beyond as we continue to evolve as spiritual creatures.

So don’t sweat it. Just do it, and have fun in the process.

In the columns below, which will be there soon if you aren’t seeing them now, I have listed some options for initiation. Remember the unlisted option is to just get started now and worry about making a thing of it later.

Any one of these will do. You can combine if you want, or do something else, or just starts studying today.