Enjoy this discussion between the Gabriels and read below for some lecture notes on this topic.

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Raw audio file: https://neoanthroposophy.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/initiation-and-ego-mastery.mp3

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What It Means to Be A Spiritual Initiate in the 21st Century

An historical review of a few of the ancient mystery initiation centers will create the backdrop to frame the nature of personal initiation in the past compared to initiation in the 21^st Century. Ancient mystery centers presented “hidden” knowledge concerning the spiritual nature of the human being and the cosmos. Many of these secrets of initiation are “mentally” understood today but ignored as sources of inspiration and communion with higher beings. Initiation in the past was secret and the aspirant had to go through stages of preparation just to be able to receive the wisdom from the mysteries.

Modern initiation is open and no longer simply a personal matter, it now includes family, community, and the world at large. The modern initiate comes to master the “Art of Life”, and then proceeds to share it with an ever greater community of friends. Vows of secrecy bound the initiate of the past, but the modern initiate is asked to share the wisdom, hope, and love that arises from the three stages of 21^st century initiation. These three stages have been the foundation of many mystery centers in the past, but now the personal development of ancient initiation must become the social development of humanity as a whole – we must become selfless representatives of the spirit.

Self-development has now led us to selfless-development for the good of all beings as humanity is pulled across the threshold between the physical and spiritual worlds by the modern battle for the soul and spirit of each human being. Initiation has become communion with all beings who work together for the advancement of higher values and join in the victory of spirit over matter.

Ego Mastery

The great mystery of the “I Am” (ego) is at the heart of all spiritual teachings and personal mastery. No other topic is more discussed and so little understood. Egotism, egoism, the self, the I Am, the lower self and the higher self, the soul and the spirit are all part of the equation of the human ego.

Where is the home of the ego?

Where did it come from?

Is there more than one ego in the human being?

All of these questions can be answered with a comprehensive cosmology that defines the nature of the ego and places it in a plan of development that includes the past, the present, and the future. Through the efforts of spiritual scientists, who have worked hard to define, understand, and implement the wisdom of the mystery initiation centers concerning the developing ego, we have a clear description of what the human ego will become over vast periods of time. This path reveals the spiritual evolution of the individual ego in relationship to humanity and the many spiritual beings who aid and support “higher-self” evolution.

The component parts of the human being’s body, soul, and spirit need to be understood and worked with separately and as a unified “self” of the individual that can grow into the “higher self.” The human ego goes through radical changes over time and there are sensitive stages of ego development that should be “fed” differently at different times. The path to the “three higher egos” will also be mapped out so that the summit of the higher-self might come into focus.