Traditions that require initiations or people who decide to have an initiation usually want it to be a symbolic thing. Something to move on to the next thing, “chapter” if you will. I’ve never really been initiated into Satanism, for example, because I follow it philosophically and, as many say, it’s a system where you can’t be made to join, only born for it (like most of the left-hand path really). But some traditions, like the Draconian path and many forms of Witchcraft, initiation is a rebirth, or a step towards such. Like using a tangible fetish to symbolize a concept such as Wisdom, War or Love, initiation is a quasi-tangible series of actions to symbolize a promise of commitment and renewal through said commitment. At least, that is what I have concluded from studying the topic.
I like initiation. It a way for me to set my mind in a role.
About to join a motorcycle club? Burp ABC after 3 tequila shots.
About to join a Martial Arts club? Scream like Bruce Lee.
Could one initiate onto several different paths?[quote=“charles9, post:2, topic:18255”]
Seems pretty self explanatory, is there something else your referring to?
[/quote]
Not necessarily, but I like the sarcasm at the beginning lol.
I don’t see why not, as long as no path is contradictory to the other paths. Many occultists I’ve read about have been initiated into several interrelated paths.
I did a self- initiation to the LHP and I felt like I expected something “magical” to happen. Its been a week and looking back it just feels really childish of me to think that way. Initiation you are joining a club but its like a nerdy book club full of introverts.Mgical practice has a solitary element to it like reading. You enjoy spending time together talking about what books you are reading but you don’t tell them the whole book because spoilers! you don’t know where everybody is at in the book.
I don’t know what to expect from this initiation. I have had a lot of emotional shit come up particularly involving my self worth and how i see myself.
Lucifer used the terms “active/offensive will and defensive/passive will”. He was trying to explain to me I mostly just exercise the will to defend my self or react instead of proactively using magick. That initiation is a step but its worthless if you only take one step.
Like a person who joins a club and gets a membership card for the discounts and status and is always flashing the card around for show but never attends the club meetings or helps out.
- Self-initiation: a solitary set of magical practice in order to activate a magickal personality of your desire,
- Ceremonial initiation: official recognition of the certain level in your magickal practice by other members of magickal society you want to be a part of.
It depends. If you have enough time and those paths go well together, I guess it’s fine.
But, keep in mind that it’s in our nature that we want to bite more than we can swallow 
Yes you can be an initiate into several paths. Usually you would advance very much in one first before moving on to another.
That way you can get as much benefits from initiation into that path. Like Dion Fortune said, the magician who tries to follow many paths at once will never get the full benefit of putting your focus behind one path and mastering almost all there is to know about it before moving on to another.
Initiation marks the point at which you learn the deeper mysteries of a path. In Wicca there are three initiations.
In various African traditional paths such as Palo Mayombe or vodun or Obeah the initiation serves a two fold purpose. It is usually done to get into a house or the group who you will be working it while it also announces yourself to the spirits who you will be working with so they can be familiar with you and your energy.
So look as initiation as signifying the point at which you go deeper and deeper. You don’t usually need people to initiate you into a path. But that’s a touchy subject and I know many people have different views on this.
There are some initiations that are just between you and the spirits of the path you work with anyways. It all depends on the path
A compromise between Guénon, Evola, Golden Dawn etc., I guess.
Usually, true initiation is found by entering a traditional esoteric “school” or finding a guru. One could pray the favorite God or Goddess in order to meet the guru. In fact, there are prayers also in magic, where they become an expression of Will.
The aforesaid options became so rare that it’s almost more feasible a “self initiation” (which on the other hand is harder).
By following Yoga or Taoism or doing elemental and planetary invocations… the individual detach mind pieces from the body, building the soul and uniting it with the inner god.
Well three things,
- Firstly, a formal rite of entry into a group or order of some sort. As EA has noted many of the most powerful groups in magick are rather secretive. Entry into them could gain you quite a lot.
- Some sort of rite to permanently grant oneself an increased state of power, empowerment or communion in a current.
- A rite that introduces oneself into a current or has one enter into it for the first time.
Do you think self initiation is valid?
@Aiden_Crow Yes. Definitions 2 and 3 can be either self or group. Definition one requires a group.
Yes, because when it comes down to it initiation is between you and the spirits
@Aluriel Well. Not quite. Firstly, people can initiate other people. That much I can say for sure. The transfer of the flame from mater to student is a valid experience. Secondly, yes self initiation is a thing and very much possible.
Yes people can initiate other people and they do but depending on the type of initiation we’re talking about you can do it yourself . Common initiations in various magical cultures usually consists of the person initiated bring presented before the spirits or powers of that tradition for a variety of reasons.
The interaction goes on between the spirits or powers abdvthe initiate, the initiator is like a guide and in most cases you can go to those spirits yourself.
But as you mentioned there are different types of initiations for different purposes and sometimes depending on the type you might need to be initiated by someone to gain the full benefits of whatever it is you’re bring initiated into
So yes we both agree, self imitation is valid as well as initiation done by other practitioners. 
@Aluriel I am talking about initiation in the Eastern sense. You are passing that flame in your soul to another person. Yes, it can be ignited on your own. Without Spirits. Without a Master. I know because I’ve done it. It’s one of the most confusing things on Earth to do though. I can see why someone would take up the offer if someone said they would give them this on a platter. In this case the initiator is the point. It is his power you are receiving. Yes, the initiator can be a Spirit, though in these traditions that is considered “special”. When a Master initiates you in such a way it is their power you are receiving.
Doesn’t all forms of initiation involve some form of spirit, be it yours or another?
Initiations recognise grades. That’s it. Recognise. You’re the one who earns them. Those who know me know my grade, others are still learning.
Alternately, the Church of Satan offers lifetime membership, blank cards which you fill in and carry on your person. Different coloured cardboard membership cards. Just think of it.
Al.
Its origins may lie in the power of witnessing another human perform a seemingly impossible act, to smash mental shackles about what can and can’t be done (insert cute 4-minute mile cliché!) and second to that, the power of ritual, which i covered with some related links below: