DeConick A.D

42
THE MATRIX OF ANCIENT SPIRITUALITY
So it is that we discover the rise in the popularity of initiatory rites
across the ancient religious landscape, shamanic mysteries of induction
ordained by priests for laypeople. This is most pronounced in the creation
of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mystery religions that provided amateurs
with guided journeys to the otherworld. The purpose of such journeys
was twofold: first, to discover the path to the otherworld and to learn its
secrets; and second, to meet the god face-to-face in order to procure the
god’s friendship, affection, and favor for a better life both in the here and
now and in the hereafter.
To prepare for the otherworld journey, the initiate must be educated
about the otherworld and the kinds of dangers invasion poses. Usually, the
Other beings are not happy to see the invader. The human does not belong
there, so violence and threats against the invader are commonplace.
To prepare initiates for this harsh reception and to teach them how to
contend with the guardians of the otherworld who will block their way
to the god, long periods of study and concentrated oral instruction are
required. Memorization of required facts about the inhabitants of the
otherworld and the locations within it are standard fare. Thwarting spells,
prayers for assistance, and the names of the gods and their guardians are
learned by rote.
Devotion to the god is taught and rehearsed through repetitive prayers,
hymns, mythic performances, praises, and offerings. Fidelity to the god
includes vows of secrecy. There could be no disclosure to the uninitiated
about how to get to the god. That was considered top secret, meant only
for the god’s favorites, for those who managed to survive the harsh journey
and traumatic face-to-face meeting.
The body is always the central focus as it is prepared for the journey. To
destroy the body, the ancient people required that the initiate either abstain
from normal physical activities or transgress them in some way. Sex
was usually set aside, but not because the ancient people thought it was
sinful or impure. Rather, celibacy was demanded, often for long periods in
advance of initiation, to break down the normal functions of the human
body. To deny the human body its normal functions was to destroy it. The
same was true of food. Strict fasting procedures were set up for initiates,
so that their bodies would be denied what they normally would need to
survive as a human being.
Initiates would be forced to participate in physical exercise far more
strenuous than they might normally engage in, such as carrying a strug-