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For other uses, see Initiation (disambiguation).

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

Initiation is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense it can also signify a transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role. Examples of initiation ceremonies might include Christian baptism or confirmation, Jewish bar or bat mitzvah, acceptance into a fraternal organization, secret society or religious order, or graduation from school or recruit training. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Initiation may refer to one of the following. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1016x1488, 130 KB) Summary This photo was taken by Franz Luthi along the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea in 1975. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1016x1488, 130 KB) Summary This photo was taken by Franz Luthi along the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea in 1975. ... For other uses, see Rite of passage (disambiguation). ... Part of the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard in Whitehall, London. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ... See Reform Judaism article about its Confirmation ceremony. ... Celebration of Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. ... A fraternal organization, sometimes also known as a fraternity, is an organization that represents the relationship between its members as akin to brotherhood. ... For the Europe album, see Secret Society (Europe album). ... A Taoist monk playing an instrument. ... Academic procession during the University of Canterbury graduation ceremony. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

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

Etymology

The English word derives from the Latin or no, initium: "entrance" or "beginning," literally "a going in." The related English verb, initiate, means to begin or start a particular action, event, circumstance, or happening. For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... Action, as a concept in philosophy, is what an agent can do, as for instance humans as agents can do. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A happening is a performance, event or situation meant to be considered as art. ...

Religious and other spiritual initiations

A spiritual initiation rite normally implies 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, hence the term secret society for such organizations, usually reserved for those at the higher level of understanding. One famous historical example is the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece, thought to go back to at least the Mycenaean period or "bronze age". Initiation rites are formalized, ceremonial rites of passage as an individual moves from stage to stage within a social career or formally acquires such status. ... The Eleusinian Mysteries (Greek: Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια) were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. ... A clay tablet with writing in Linear B from Mycenae. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...

Freemasonry initiation. 18th century

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.) Image File history File links Download high resolution version (945x594, 472 KB) Initiation eines Suchenden in die Freimaurerei Stich von Ende des 18. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (945x594, 472 KB) Initiation eines Suchenden in die Freimaurerei Stich von Ende des 18. ... “Freemasons” redirects here. ... Ritual magic is the performance of a ritual for magical purposes. ... Look up Esotericism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In Christianity, the doctrine of Apostolic Succession (or the belief that the Church is apostolic) maintains that the Christian Church today is the spiritual successor to the original body of believers in Christ, composed of the Apostles. ... Sant Mat translates from Hindi into English as The Religion of the Saints. ... Surat Shabd Yoga or Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of spiritual practice that is followed in the Sant Mat and many other related spiritual traditions. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Guru (disambiguation). ... Look up chela in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Profane social organization initiations

In unionised organizations, the "initiation" is typically no more than a brief familiarization 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 trade union or labor union is an organization of workers. ... An organisation (or organization — see spelling differences) is a social arrangement which pursues collective goals, which controls its own performance, and which has a boundary separating it from its environment. ... A Collective agreement is a labor contract between an employer and one or more unions. ... A contract is a legally binding exchange of promises or agreement between parties that the law will enforce. ... For other uses, see Person (disambiguation). ...

Naval and military initiations

Some communities on board a military vessel and also of military soldiers tend to form a closed 'family' which absorbs in members, who are often formally accepted, generally after a form of trial or hazing. Hazing is an often ritualistic test, which may constitute harassment, abuse or humiliation with requirements to perform random, often meaningless tasks, sometimes as a way of initiation into a social group. ...

In addition, there can be similar rites of passages associated with parts of naval and military life, which do not constitute true initiations as the participants are already and remain members of the same community. One such rite is associated with crossing the equator on board a naval ship, but it can even be taken by passengers on board a cruise liner, who aren't and don't become members of anything but the so-called 'equator crossing club'. Another form, “Kissing the Royal Belly” or “Royal Baby”, calls for initiates to kneel before a senior member of the crew, who wears a mock diaper. This “Baby” usually has a huge stomach covered with greasy materials ranging from cooking oil to mustard, shaving cream, eggs, and oysters. Junior sailors must lick the Baby’s navel area, while the "baby" grabs and shakes their head to better smear the goo onto their faces.^[1] Baptism on the line, also called equatorial baptism, is an initiation ritual sometimes performed as a ship crosses the equator, involving water baptism of passengers or crew who have never crossed the equator before. ... Legend of the Seas moored at San Diego, California A cruise ship, or less commonly cruise liner, is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the amenities of the ship are considered an essential part of the experience. ...

Tribal initiations

Tribes often have initiations. The initiation done in the Bapedi tribe of South Africa is normally regarded as a stage where a boy is to be taught manhood and a girl to be taught 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 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. A man will not be allowed to marry or have any special relationship with a woman who didn't go to an initiation, because she is not considered as a woman. Northern Sotho, Sepedi, or Sesotho sa Leboa, is one of the official languages of South Africa, and is spoken by 4,208,980 people (2001 Census Data), mostly in the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga. ... This article is about male circumcision. ... This article is about male circumcision. ... Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the prepuce (foreskin). ...

Initiation may be thought of as an event which may help teens prepare themselves to be good husbands and wives. Where modernization is occurring, initiation is not taken so seriously as before, although there are still certain areas which still perform initiations.

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

Australian Aboriginal tribes usually had long periods of time to help prepare 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 practiced subincision. Australian Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Australia. ... Scarification is a permanent body modification that uses scar tissue produced by the body to form designs, pictures, or words in the skin. ... Central Australia is a term used to describe the area of land surrounding and including Alice Springs in Australia. ... Subincision is a form of body modification consisting of a urethrotomy, in which the underside of the penis is incised and the urethra slit open lengthwise, from the urethral opening (meatus) toward the base. ...

Resting after initiations, Korogo Village, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, 1975. Franz Luthi

ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1943x1368, 180 KB) Summary Franz Luthi took this photo in Papua New Guinea in 1975 and has given me (John Hill) written permission to use it in the Wikipedia free of copyright. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1943x1368, 180 KB) Summary Franz Luthi took this photo in Papua New Guinea in 1975 and has given me (John Hill) written permission to use it in the Wikipedia free of copyright. ...

See also

• Rite of passage
• Diksha
• Hazing
• Baptism

For other uses, see Rite of passage (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, diksha is the ritual of initiation into the worship of some deity by a guru (diksha guru) who bestows mantra(s) and takes the karma of the initiate - at least in case of Vaishnava diksha, as per Hari Bhakti Vilasa 1. ... Hazing is an often ritualistic test, which may constitute harassment, abuse or humiliation with requirements to perform random, often meaningless tasks, sometimes as a way of initiation into a social group. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ...

References