> First what is initiation about? It's death and rebirth, destroying the
> dependent child-like personality and replacing it with an adult
> outlook.
That's what they'd have you believe !!!
It's about destroying the overly independent child-like personality and replacing it with an obedient adult-like outlook, where you do what you're told.
Sorry.
In most cases, initiation is simply about death : you sacrifice your own personality for the collective good of the tribe.
The higher initiation either sets you up as the beneficiary of that collective sacrifice, or isolates you as a willful pariah.
In Glorantha, Heroic action will anyway let you transcend these situations.
> It's a revealing of the most sacred symbols and meanings of a
> clan in such a way that they become central to the new personhood. Its
> about forging a bond with the powers of the Other Side and
> establishing a conduit of supernatural power that will shape an
> initiand's adult life.
Yes, the transcendental levels of initiation teach you the nature and object and subject of love.
This is the form of initiation that can save us, not oppress us.
> Most Orlanthi initiation follows a broad pattern of
>
> 1. Child Status, seclusion and preparation.
>
> 2. Liminality. Death of child status. Neither child nor adult.
>
> 3. Journey to Other Side
>
> 4. Loss of child-like outlook and understandings through encounters
> with testers and 'demons':
>
> 5. Period of total loss, bewilderment, futile search.
>
> 6 Meeting Deity or Ancestor (Usually Second Son)
>
> 7. Teaching of sacred gnosis, reliving of key myths (creation,
> formation of Storm tribe, Greater Darkness, LBQ)
>
> 8. Testing of new knowledge (IFoughtWeWon)
>
> 9. Return to Middle World.
>
> 10.Acknowledgment and celebration of Adulthood.
Absolutely !!!
Julian Lord
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