Zelator Initiation Ceremony Notes

This is a trial experiment on a method for Self Initiation. In lieu of a full rite by professionals Self-Initiates compensate with daily working, full rite by themselves, and studying. This is my way of studying, which probably what I'd be doing in the Portal for the Adept Minor thesis. Anyways for the real part:

These are notes and comments on the Zelator initiation ceremony. Basically consists of comments on the major speeches and movements. This is not intended for reference on how to perform it.

Zelator Opening

Rite of Advancement

Assertion
Officer	Line	Comment
Hie	Brothers and Sisters et el. Give Earth Gesture.	General opening speech giving the purpose of the rite and asserting that everyone present has done this before.
Heg	Let me enter the Portal of Wisdom.	Symbolic of the Higher helping the Lower become Higher.
Hie	Except Adonai build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. Except Adonai keep the City, the Watchman waketh in vain.	This is Psalm 127(128). The physical imagery is ideal for the Zelator Grade. Also the total separation from personal abilities to Deum reinforces the way one advances.
Hie	Frater Neophyte, by what aid dost thou seek admission to the one equals ten grade of Zelator of (Temple Name?)	It's very important to know WTF you are doing and why. Be sure to always remember that.
Heg	By the guidance of Adonai;	I.e. the dependency and Hope of Deum.
	by the possession of necessary knowledge, by the dispensation of the Greatly Honoured Chiefs of the Second Order;	Practical requirements.
	by the signs and tokens of the one equals ten Grade.	Basically by what is about to take place in this part of the rite.
	By this symbol of the Hermetic Cross.	Since this is the very first step of actual refinement the means to go on is the same as the creation of the Universe. First from Kether, whirling cross, to Chokmah, the zodiac, finalized in the Malkuth, the four element, by the process of the (alchemic) Secret Fire, five by five matrix for Geburah.
Hie	Give the step and sign of the Neophyte. Et al.	A simple assertion that the candidate is a Neophyte. Also should be reminder of what has gone by to the candidate.

The Oath
Officer	Line	Comment
Hie	Lead the Neophyte to the West and set him between the Mystic Pillars, with his face towards the East.	The Neophyte starts out from whence he came last time on initiation, i.e. between the pillars. He is positioned such that he turns always form the Darkness and towards the Light, but yet is still in the area of the Darkness.
	Frater N will you pledge yourself et al.	Basically an assertion to keep the Neophyte Oath. Again this is a reminder for the candidate. The real oath taking was already accomplished in the previous initiation rite.
	Then you will kneel on both knees, lay your right hand on the ground, and say:	The candidate is right in the location of the Cross within the Triangle identifying himself with the material for the alchemic refinement. Kneeling is a basic sign of prostration.
	"I swear by the Earth whereon I kneel." Take the salt with your left hand and cast it to the North; say "Let the Powers of the Earth witness my pledge."	Salt and north are symbols of Earth. The left hand is the closest to the side, but also is the negative of the two. Casting salt, rice, oats, etc. it is an ancient form of wishing for prosperity (and fertility), which is basically what the candidate is wants.
Dad & Sto	Purification by Water and Fire.	Since the metier part of the rite is next the candidate is prepared in the usual fashion.

Rite of the Two Paths
Officer	Line	Comment
Hiero	The zero equals zero Grade of Neophyte is a preparation et al.	This summarizes the purpose of the Neophyte ceremony in effect duplicating it really fast.
	Prepare to enter the Immeasurable region	The region is the fork of the road of a candidate's spiritual life. Being Lowly still it cannot comprehend it.
	And YHVH Elohim planted a Garden Eastward in Eden,	Binah, the finalizing and formative, creates paradise, and so is of the same Kind as the Supernals. Eastward refers to the Light etc.
	and out of the ground made YHVH Elohim to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food;	More creative imagery of Binah. The reference to Sight implies that this is for Man instead of just Beasts who rely on other senses.
	the Tree of Life also, in the midst of the Garden, and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.	So far this has just be quoting Gen 2:8-9.(There is more stuff that you can say about these than shake a stick at with these.)
	This is the Tree that has two Paths.	This is referring to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Paths refer to Good and Evil respectively. Also it alludes to the Right and Left Hand Paths styles of magic, i.e. total union or separation from Deum.
	and it is the Tenth Sephirah of Malkuth,	The current condition of (Man's perception of) the Universe (and the candidate himself) was brought by the consumption of from this Tree. Also note that the virtue of Malkuth is Discernment.
	it has about it seven Column,	This is a reference to the seven planets of the Celestial Sphere being the basis of the Malkuth the Terrestrial Sphere.
	and the Four Splendours whirl around it as in the Vision of the Mercabah of Ezekiel;	This refers to the Kerubim, the personification of the YHVH.
	and from Gedulah it derives an influx of Mercy, and from Geburah and influx of Severity	Gedulah is another name for Chesed. This line is restating the fact that Malkuth is still connected with the rest of the Tree.
	and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and of Evil shall it be until it is united with the Supernals in Daath.	Malkuth, the candidate, shall be separated from Deum until it unites itself, by total submission, to Divine Knowledge.
	But the Good which is under it is called the Archangel Metatron,	Refers to the path up only the Pillar of Mercy.
	and the Evil is called the Archangel Samael,	Up the only the Pillar of Severity.
	and between them lies the strait and narrow way where the Archangel Sandalphon keeps watch.	Refers to the middle pillar. It follows the traditional style that the correct path is more "difficult" than the common one.
	The Souls and Angels are above its branches, and the Qlippoth or Demons dwell under its roots.	Simple description of the cosmos.
	Let the Neophyte enter the Pathway of Evil.	The first trial and remember experience in spiritual development often is the temptation of the Dark.
Hie	Whence thou comest?	Simple question of for qualifications.
Kerux	I come from between the two Pillars and I seek the light of the Hidden Knowledge in the Name of Adonai.	Simple answer.
Hie	And the Great Angel Samael answered, and said:	Samael translates to Poison of God. It is one of the few examples of an entity still having with both light and dark qualities that people seem to fail to recognize.
	I am the Prince of Darkness and of Night.	Dark side.
	The foolish and rebellious gaze upon the face of the created World, and find therein nothing buy terror and obscurity.	Seems to refer to the Materialist's world view that perceive only the physical and so usually curse reality when trouble appears.
	It is to them the Terror of Darkness and they are as drunken men stumbling in the Darkness.	Stereotypically Materialism leads to Hedonism and various of substance abuse. It makes some sense that with such practices only their crutch is real to them instead of just part of the picture.
	Return, for thou canst not pass.	Simple refusal, but how do these ideas related to Severity? Everything has to fit into nice discrete forms.
Hiero	Let the Neophyte enter the Pathway of Good.	After the Dark people resort totally to the Light.
Heg	Whence comest thou?	Simple question.
Kerux	I come from between the Pillars, and I seek the Light of the Hidden Knowledge in the Name of Adonai	Simple answer.

Heg	The Great Angel Metatron answered, and said: I am the Angel of the Presence of the Divine.	Refers to the Pillar of Mercy. However this is odd in that Metatron is associated with Kether that is on the Middle Pillar. But it does fit in the concept of pure Light i.e. jumping strait to the top without time for mistakes or other "flaws."
	The Wise gaze upon the created world and behold there the dazzling image of the Creator.	Wise refers to Chokmah which is associated with the creative force and matches nicely with Creator. Also Chokmah the spiritual vision of Chokmah is God "Face to Face."
	Not yet can thine eyes bear that dazzling image.	Refers to the old situation that humans cannot fully experience the Divine. (Kind of puts a hole in that everyone has God within.) Also this may refer to that the most intense spiritual practices and relationships cannot be for the masses.
	Return, for thou canst not pass by.	Simple refusal.
Hiero	Let the Neophyte enter the strait and narrow Pathway which turns neither to the right hand nor to the left hand.	The path is difficult but manageable, accepting both humanity's natural goodness and potential weaknesses.
Hei & Hege	Whence comest thou?	Simple question but from both the Light and Darkness reinforcing the Middle. Also there is the practical aspect that the answer comes from the guy that usually asks this question.
Kerux	I come from between the Pillars, and I seek the Light of the Hidden Knowledge in the Name of Adonai	Third time's the charm.
Hiero	But the Great Angel Sandalphon said: I am the reconciler for Earth, and the Celestial Soul therin.	The angel here is part of the Middle Path, but also the only of the Sephira for this Grade, and the closest to the Natural world. in some traditions the Archangel of Malkuth is Shekinah which is the feminine principal of Deum and often described as the Soul of the World.
	Form is invisible alike in Darkness and in blinding Light.	Form can refer to Binah and therefore Understanding, so comprehension is hard to find in the extremes. Form can also refer to the human Form i.e. person which has a little bit of both sides.
	I am the left hand Kerub of the Ark and the Feminine Power, as Metatron is the right hand Kerub and the Masculine Power, and I prepare the way to the Celestial Light.	Although left and right can refer to the various pillars here it is vertical and not lateral, since it leads to the Celestial Light. Left refers to Human and Right to Divine, and the Light is Tipharet.
	And Tetragrammaton placed Kerubim at the East of the Garden of Eden and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the Path of the Tree of Life,	Although this sounds like it, the line is not in Genesis. In any case that which separates Man from Life is the strait mode of Creation.
	for He has created Nature that Man being cast out of Eden may not fall into the Void.	Even thou we are not in Paradise we know it since it is kept from us.
	He has bound Man with the Stars as with a chain.	Man is on Earth the terrestrial Sphere and is bound by the Celestial Sphere which separates them from the Primium Mobile.
	He allures him with Scattered Fragments of the Divine body in bird and beast and flowers,	All creations reflect the nature of the Creator. (That is not to say they are the Creator.) Also Man is naturally drawn to the Divine.
	and He laments over him in the Wind and in the Seas and in the birds.	Alludes to inspiration via the Holy Spirit as wind, water, and the dove. So Man is not entirely alone in his suffering and exile.
	When times are ended, He will call the Kerubim from the East of the Garden, and all shall be consumed and become Infinite and Holy.	All the end when everything is finished the system is removed.
Various	Receive now the secrets of this Grade...	Stuff here is pretty self explanatory. ;)

Rite of Malkuth

Rite of Malkuth
Officer	Line	Comment
Heiro	Frater N, as in the Grade of Neophyte, you came out of the World to the Gateway of Hidden Knowledge, so in this Grade you pass through the Gate-way and come into the Holy Place.	After Knowledge and self realization (of personal flaws) comes correction and refinement i.e. penance.
	You are now in the Court of the Tabernacle,	See Exodus 35-40 for a complete description of the artifacts here and their purposes.
	where stood the Altar of Burnt Offering, whereon was offered the Sacrifices of animals,	Sacrifice is to "make holy." However in (especially in the West) this always requires a bargain where blood, the essence of life, is the only object on par with Holiness.
	which symbolized the Qlippoth or Evil Demon who inhabit the plane continuous to and below the material Universe.	Here symbolically the life of Materialism is given up for Idealism.
	Between the Altar and the entrance into the Holy Place stood the Lavar of Brass herein the priests washed before entering the Tabernacle.	Water cleans all and is comparable to blood in the (desert) wilderness.
	It was a symbol of the Waters of Creation.	Follows nicely as part of development where after purging the Evil the Good is created.
	Having made offering at the Altar of Burnt Sacrifice, and having been cleansed at the Lavar of Brass, the Priest then entered the Holy Place.	Everything is correct so now one is able to be refined.
Heiro	Thou casnt not pass the Gateway which is between the Pillars, unless thou canst give the Signs and Words of a Neophyte.	One cannot enter the premises without Hidden Knowledge.
Heg	Thou canst not enter the holy Place, unless thou canst give the Sign and Grip of a Zelator.	One can only be Holy only in following the narrow path between the Dark and Light.
	To the Northern side .... to the Southern side ....	Everything else is self explanatory till the Closing with just a few points. First the Candlestick, Table of Shewbread, and Alter of Insense show to the sum of Creation which is appropriate to be before Deum in the Place of the Holy.
	Malkuth is called Shaar, the Gate ....	It's called the Gate, since Malkuth is the entrance to the rest of the Tree of Life. I'd like to note a somewhat parallel biblical wisdom and imagery in John 10: 1-21. In order to get into the sheep pen properly and not be taken as a thief, one has to enter in by the Gate, such like for one to walk the Tree of Life one has to enter by Malkuth the Gate first.
	Gate of Death ... of Tears ...	The Death here is the metaphorical one, yet real spiritually, that one has to receive in order to advance. Tears are present since it is painful to make this passage, due to its heavy price, i.e. Death, and dramatic shift, i.e. (potential) pure material to some spiritual.
	of Justice ...	Justice is the only social virtue of the Cardinals. It is to even things out, to "give out what is due to everyone." The manifestation of the physical world is a process of Justice, where all the forms of the previous spheres are summed and met out to where they should and must be.
	of Prayer ...	Prayer is the first, easiest, most common, and best step to spiritual transformation, which is perfect for Malkuth. Note that a flash of intuition, gnosis, being born again etc. are not the first steps. They are just signs of the directions one is to go to. It is only by action i.e. prayer, work, suffering, etc. that steps and progress are made.
	of the Daughter of the Mighty Ones ...	That is the title of the Tarot trump the Empress in the Golden Dawn scheme, and refers to the Malkuth the Bride as the most feminine, receptive, etc. Sephira.
	of the Garden of Eden ...	This may just be a literal interpretation, but Malkuth is the entrance to the Tree of Life, and well the Tree of Life is in the Garden of Eden.
	in Christian symbolism, it is connected with the Three Holy Women at the foot of the Cross ....	If you where to impose and image of the Crucified Jesus, as in the diagrams of the Lid of the Pastos, and the Great Seal of the R.R. A.C., Example 1, Example 2, at the base would be the Holy Women of Jerusalem, Mary, and the Beloved Disciple.

Prayer to the Gnomes

Zelator Closing

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Last updated on 14-Sep-2006 10:42 AM