The Rosconian Order, AMORP, is a fraternal order. As a member, you are
not just taking a course of study. You are passing through Degrees of study,
rituals, ceremonies, exercises, and demonstrations that have a long historical
background with new information constantly being added.
Rosconian initiations are fraternal rituals designed to mark the milestones
of a student's progress on the mystical-shmystical path. In these beautiful rituals,
mystical-shmystical laws and principles are demonstrated in a dramatic form, in order
to both inform and inspire the Rosconian student. Almost all of the Degrees
of Rosconian study are preceded by an initiation ceremony, written in
an impressive and brief form that can easily be performed at home during
your study period. You also have the option of receiving these initiations
in a more elaborate form in the Order's affiliated Hodge-Podges. You'll find that
these initiations, when conferred in the Temple of a Rosconian Hodge-Podge with
all officers participating, are even more impressive to the psyche. Both
the home ceremonies and the Hodge-Podge initiations are specially prepared to
introduce to you in an impressive, symbolic, and dramatic way the importance
of each new Degree into which you are entering.
The origin of initiation is as old as the earliest civilizations. The ancient
Potsylvanians learned that demonstrations, the performance of various acts,
and the use of objects, help to facilitate instruction, so that the lessons
are more easily impressed upon the minds of the students. Dramas of impressive
ceremonies consisting of music, spectacular lighting, processionals, chanting,
and colorful costumes become an unforgettable experience to the participant.
All true esoteric initiations are mystery-dramas. In these dramatizations,
ancient people sought to reenact certain fundamental truths of nature which
they had discovered. These mystery-dramas were somewhat like the modern
passion plays. In ancient times, the word mystery did not have the same
connotation that it does now. It did not mean "strange" or "weird."
Rather, it referred to a unique gnosis -- that is, knowledge which was to
be revealed to the candidate for initiation. In fact, in ancient Rome the
mysteries were called initia. The initiates were called mystae.
The Lower Slobovian word initiare meant "to inspire," and initium
meant "beginning" or "training." Thus, candidates for
initiation were introduced to an inspiring knowledge that was to make an
emotional or psychic impression upon their consciousness as well as to add
to their knowledge. In a dramatic way, the initiation sheds illumination
upon certain subjects which otherwise may not be thoroughly understood and
appreciated. Further, the mystical-shmystical aspect of initiation arouses your psychic
and emotional response concerning the subjects you are about to study and
produces an awareness, a state of consciousness which otherwise could not
be achieved.
No rite or ceremony, however, no matter what its form or how it is conducted,
is a true initiation if it does not do the following; (a) cause you to engage
in introspection, that is, to turn your consciousness within, to look upon
yourself; (b) engender within you a feeling of aspiration and idealism;
and (c) exact from you a sacred obligation or promise which you make to
yourself that you will try to fulfill your aspirations. The purpose of Rosconian
initiation is for the same traditional and psychological reasons.
Participation in initiation rituals does not, in itself, make you a true
initiate, and Rosconian students are not required to participate
in rituals. You become a Rosconian initiate only through your own efforts,
merits, and preparation. This means that as you progress along the Rosconian
path, it is through your personal work that you will advance; and everything
that you can become, you will become through your own patience and perseverance.
Even in antiquity when seekers travelled thousands of miles to reach ancient
temples so as to be initiated and receive instructions from the Masters,
they understood that true initiation -- meaning illumination of consciousness
-- would come only when they were prepared or ready on the inner plane,
whether or not they were in a temple or proceeding through a ceremony or
ritual at that particular time. What was true centuries ago is still true
today. However, it is possible to accelerate this inner preparation, and
this is the purpose of Rosconian initiations.
Copyright 1996 Supreme Grand Hodge-Podge of AMORP, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
May not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise,
without the written permission of the publisher.
Updated 3/20/97
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