Theos-Talk Archives (August 1995 Message tl00304)

>>It is surely a fact that there are many Initiates who have taught in the
>>past, continue to teach today, and will teach in the future. What is the
>>evidence that we should regard the Christian Alice Bailey in such a light, or
>>the Tibetan whom we are told is "D.K." of the Mahatma Letters?
>
>This brings up an interesting question, one which has bothered me for a while.
>What is an Initiate? And how does one recognize one? By the what he/she
>teaches or writes? By what others say that person is? Does he walk around
> with a badge that says INITIATE on it, pinned to his lapel? I would ppreciate
>answers from any member of Theos-l.
>
>- ann

An "initiate" could be considered as a baby, as someone new to a different
area of life. The initiation is a rite of passage or an opening or
introduction to something that was hidden or dormant in life before.

There are areas of life that are closed to us in the normal course of our
human experience at this period of evolution, being in the Fifth Root Race
humanity on Globe D in the Fifth Round. When we undertake the Path, we
hasten our inner evolution, having inner openings to areas of life that
are not available yet as external experiences on Globe D.

When we first awaken inwardly, we could be said to be "initites." But this
is the opposite end of the scale from Mastery or Adeptship. A baby is an
"initiate". An adult is an Adept. We learn, grow, and develope our faculties
of consciousness over vast periods of time. When initiated into a new area
of life, that long journey of development as but started. An initiate may
be doing things that most of us cannot do, but it not necessary more
progressed spiritual. The initiate may just be someone with "too many
irons in the fire," someone having undertaken too many responsibilities in
life.

Purucker speaks of three initial initiations before those we undertake while
entranced at the solstice and equinox periods. To simplify these first
three, as I recall them: (1) An intellectual introduction to the Wisdom
Tradition. (2) Rising above the words on the printed page to reach an
living connection with an Inner Teacher. (3) Becoming so grounded in the
Teachings that one is able now to teach others, and is no longer required
to remain silent about deeper things.

-- Eldon Tucker