Every Day Is An Initiation

Every day is an Initiation
​In a traditional ordinary mindset, an initiation is a rite of passage or a ceremonial process that signifies the beginning of a new stage in your spiritual journey. It is often viewed as a transcendent experience of a profound event or state of consciousness in which you seem to go beyond your ordinary sense of self and reality. You might come to a sense of One Life Awareness, or a seemingly higher dimension of existence. Such experiences are typically characterized by intense feelings of awe, peace, and interconnectedness. It is common to believe Initiations that involve a series of rituals, teachings, or challenges can prepare you for a deeper understanding or connection with the All That Is, One Life. And yet an initiation can also simply be the dawn of a new day, a few moments of deep contemplation, or a fleeting profound insight.
Though most formal initiations include ceremonies, chants, prayers, meditation, fasting, or other practices designed to bring the initiate into a state of heightened consciousness, none of these rituals are truly necessary. Sacred knowledge or wisdom, often imparted by a teacher, mentor, or guide, can come to you spontaneously in random encounters that are uncontrived and without preparation. Some traditions believe this kind of esoteric knowledge is meant only for those who have been prepared to receive it. We would suggest that identifying certain behaviors as preparation for something more profound to occur can get you trapped in futurizing and attached to ideas of certain outcomes. The opportunity is to be present right here right now, not to prepare for something other than what is right here and right now.
Every moment is an opportunity to recognize the inherent nature of mind, which is pure awareness. This recognition doesn't have to be limited to formal meditation sessions; it can happen anytime and anywhere. Each moment becomes an initiation into the true nature of reality when you see through the illusion of duality and recognize your inherent nature. Then the experiences and challenges of everyday life are not seen as distractions but as integral parts of the path. Every interaction, sensation, and thought can be used as a means to deepen awareness and understanding.
Changes in your perception, behavior, and understanding of your place in the universe can unfold naturally and without effort. These changes may give the impression that you are achieving milestones in your spiritual journey. However the whole notion of progressing through levels of initiation is just an attempt to provide a conceptual structure that tries to explain what cannot be explained. As the only “goal” is to directly recognize the nature of your mind as primordial purity and spontaneous presence, the notion of levels of this recognition makes no sense. You always are everything you are, no more, no less. Therefore, you cannot be at this level or that level, you are just right here, right where you are.
From our perspective, initiations, transcendent experiences, and the like simply provide you with opportunities for direct experience, and cannot be evaluated or rated using any kind of conceptual framework. Maintaining continuous presence and awareness throughout daily activities is a core practice. A continuous mindfulness can transform ordinary moments into opportunities for spiritual realization, effectively making each moment a form of initiation.
We highlight the importance of spontaneity and naturalness. Approaching life with an open, spontaneous attitude allows you to respond to situations with wisdom and compassion, seeing each event as a manifestation of the primordial nature of mind.
Difficulties and challenges in daily life are seen as valuable teachers. Instead of avoiding or resisting them, embrace them as opportunities to apply your understanding and deepen your practice. Each challenge becomes an initiation into greater resilience and insight. Practicing non-attachment and equanimity in everyday situations helps dissolve the dualistic view and reinforces the understanding of the interconnectedness of all phenomena. Each moment of non-attachment can be seen as an initiation into the deeper realization of non-dual awareness.
Everyday life itself is a continuous initiation into the nature of mind and reality. By maintaining awareness, integrating practice with daily activities, and embracing each moment as a learning opportunity, you will come to know every day as an initiation.