Preparation Work:
I. Gather Your Supplies
1. Rose, preferably purple (which symbolizes the element of Spirit and theroyalty, leadership, and enlightenment of the Priest-King Melchizedek). Ifyou cannot find a purple rose, you may also use white (which symbolizes purity,holiness, and dedication, and is associated with the element of Water, whichis also important in this dedication).
1. Stemless cup or mug, or traditional kiddush cup is preferable
2. Wine or grape juice
3. Two-handled laver or bowl dedicated to ritual use, filled with clean water.
4. White towel
5. Bread. You may use any sort of bread you feel appropriate for the eucharist,as long as it is leavened (or baked with yeast so it rises, not like crackers).Ezekiel bread has a special significance for our Order, since his visionof the Merkavah figures predominately in our Order. This bread is baked accordingto a recipe found in the book of Ezekiel which forms a whole protein outof a combination of grains. You can usually find it in the “health food”isle or in the freezer section of your grocery store (you will obviouslywant to thaw it out first).
II. Attire
For this initiation, white is the color of attire. White linen was the ancientcloth of the priesthoods in all the holy land and Egypt, too. If youhave it, a white robe is perfect. You may use the same white garment(s) youused for your Catechumen Initiation if you wish. Please don’t feel like youhave to go out and buy something new. You can make do with the bare basicsif need be—for men, white underwear. For women, white underwear and/ora white dress, anything that is completely white will work. If you can’tfind something else white, use a white towel, or even a sheet wrapped aroundyourself like a toga. It has been done before!
III. Altar
Cover your altar with a clean white cloth. It is good to have two candlesplaced in the center, one white or gold and one black or red to representthe God and Goddess, masculine and feminine, solar and lunar energies. Youmay burn your favorite incense if you like. Rose incense is especiallyappropriate. Now place in order from the left to the right of the altar thecup with wine or grape juice, the laver with water and the towel, and thenthe bread. Place the rose in front of the laver.
IV. Tithing
In Genesis 14:18-20 (KJV) it reads:
“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was thepriest of the most high God.
“And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessorof heaven and earth:
“And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies intothine hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”
This scripture describes the first initiation of Abram into the Order ofMelchizedek. You will find all of the elements contained in this ancientinitiation in your first initiation, as well. The principle of tithing, orthe practice of dedicating at least 10% of your increase or income to God,is an important part of your initiation into the Order of Melchizedek. Justas Abraham gave his tithing to Melchizedek upon his initiation into the Order,so must every new priest/ess of the Order dedicate a tenth of their energyto the work of God.
Tithe-paying is a principle with a promise. In Malachi 3:10 (KJV) it reads:
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in minehouse, and prove me now herewith, sayeth the Lord of hosts, if I will notopen you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shallnot be room enough to receive it.”
In the ancient civilizations of Sumer and Babylon when the Great Goddesswas worshipped and Her temples dotted the land, the principle of tithingwas widely practiced. Every year at the harvest festival, when the localking would participate in the hieros gamous with the High Priestess of Inanna,the king would lead a procession of the people with a portion of their harvestto donate to the storehouse of the Goddess. This storehouse would be usedto feed the people in times of drought and would provide for the poor sothat there would be no starvation. Considering Abram was the husband of Sarai,a High Priestess of Inanna herself, and Melchizedek was a local priest-king,it is highly likely Abram’s tithe was in some way involved in this ancientsystem of welfare.
When we tithe, we as a community of priests and priestesses pool our temporalassets together to accomplish the common good, or “work of the Lord.” Thispractice allows us to continue and expand the ministry of our Order. Thefirst duty of the Initiate is not the fulfillment of ritual practice or eventhe teaching of doctrine (although these are important!). What the universeneeds most from Initiates into the mysteries of Melchizedek is service. Thecombined efforts of service from our Order’s priests and priestesses helpheal the injuries of our planet and its inhabitants, a work that satisfiesan extremely timely need.
The Order of Melchizedek encourages its priests and priestesses to practicethe principle of tithing, where they dedicate 10% of their increase, or agreater portion of their own conscientious choice, to the cause of God. This”cause” is of the dedicant’s own choosing – it can range from donating toa women’s shelter to contributing to a food bank to performing a ritual.We highly encourage you to also donate your time and energy to the Order.At the end of this initiation you will be given ritual work to practice ona regular basis. Know that when you dedicate your energy to this work youare tithing, since the energy generated and sent out into the world fromthis work helps in its healing of the planet. You may also tithe by contributingwork to the maintenance of the Order by composing a poem or prayer, writingan article, or putting together a ritual. Any charitable cause that furthersthe Spirit of the Divine Presence in the world is more than worthy. Be creative.Even when you don’t have any money to divide up, there are still many thingsyou can give in the way of your time, talents, and energy. The dedicant shouldseek out these ways in which they can serve the Divine, and promise somesort of regular service to Them. As they do this they will encounter theinnumerable blessings that come from welcoming charity and love into theirlives. In your preparation work please come up with a way that you will givethis tithing to the High Priest Melchizedek.
The Initiation:
I. Beginning Your Initiation
First, form the Sign of the Cross that you learned during the first Catechumenlesson. As you do this, visualize a beam of divine white light entering yourbody through the crown of your head (Ah-tah) and traveling down your spinethrough your legs and out your feet into the Earth (Mol-Koot). This lightbranches off and travels down your arms and out your hands (Vih-G’boo’Rahand Vih-G’dew-Lah), forming your body into a glowing equilateral cross, withthe light traveling off eternally in all four directions.
Now, begin using the YHVH breathing chant also taught in the Catechumen lessons.As you do this, visualize the High Priest Melchizedek appear across fromyou on the opposite side of your altar. Thank him for appearing for yourinitiation into the Order.
II. Paying the Tithe
Now, take up the rose. Anita Diamant writes in Living a Jewish Life, “Accordingto the Zohar, a medieval book of mystical Bible interpretation, the …five-petaled rose, [is] an ancient symbol of perfection and of longing forGod.” This rose symbol is closely associated with the tradition of Melchizedek,as will be further explained later during this initiation. Now this rosesymbolizes the tithe you have dedicated to the God of Melchizedek. Give theHigh Priest Melchizedek this rose (laying it on the altar before him) andsay,
“I offer this rose in representation of the tenth, the tithe to the Orderof Melchizedek. May it represent a perfect offering, an offering to quenchthe Earth’s longing for God.”
III. Drinking of the Wine
Spread open your left hand, palm facing up, and with your right hand placethe cup of wine or grape juice in the middle of your left hand. While youdo this, visualize the High Priest Melchizedek himself placing this cup inyour left hand, thus endorsing your initiation as a priest or priestess ofthe Order and giving you the tools of the trade. Allow the cup to rest therefor a moment, and when you are ready to accept your initiation, close yourfingers around the base of the cup. This may feel like an awkward gesture,but it represents an ancient Talmudic and Zoharic mystery that Anita Diamant,author of The Red Tent, explains in her book Living a Jewish Life. Sheincorporates this sacred hand gesture into the Friday night Shabbat ritual(but there they hold it in the right hand, whereas we do the left). She comments:
“It is also very traditional to hold the cup in a way that demonstrates thatthis wine is not simply for drinking or even toasting. According to the Zohar,a medieval book of mystical Bible interpretation, the glass is held in thepalm of the hand with the fingers facing upward and curled around the baseto represent a five-petaled rose, an ancient symbol of perfection and oflonging for God. Any glass can be used for kiddush, but it is consideredpreferable to use a special glass or goblet to fulfill the precept of hiddurmitzvah, or beautifying the commandment.”
Here Diamant points out that even stemmed cups may be used for Shabbat rituals,but in this initiation it is preferable to use an unstemmed vessel such asa traditional kiddush cup found in most Judaica stores or a teacup or mug.
Now that the High Priest Melchizedek has placed the cup in your hand andyou have accepted it, visualize him raising his own cup in his right handand placing it in his left hand in the gesture of the five-petaled rose.Now both of you say together,
“Holy El Elyon, Your Presence Fills Creation, with the Mother forming thefruit of the vine. Boray p’ree hagafen.”
This Hebrew phrase means “forming the fruit of the vine.” That phrase isalso used in the friday night “mass” or eucharist by Jews all over the worldlike clockwork. Christians just moved it to Sunday and instead of MotherEarth’s body (bread of life) and the blood of the God (wine) they made itall the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.
Now, together you and HP Melchizedek guide the cups in your left hands upto your mouths with your right hands and drink the kiddush or eucharist wine(or grape juice) together. At the moment you drink together your eyes meetand you are then a priest/ess of the Covenant.
IV. Handwashing
Next comes the handwashing. Ritual handwashing is an ancient Hebrew custommeant to purify the hands of the priest/ess before they handle the sacramentalbread. As you wash your hands in this ritual, visualize the water carryingaway all the stress and impurities from your hands so that they will be worthyinstruments of your magikal work. You may use one of the two-handled laverssold in Judaica shops for this ritual, or you may use a simple bowl. It isimportant that whatever you use that it be set aside specifically for ritualwork, however. This will be useful especially during your first degree whenyou are required to celebrate the eucharist frequently; having your ritualtools set aside and dedicated will decrease your preparation time and helpyou focus your energy.
Now, dip all five fingertips and both hands in the water (you may do thisone at a time if your laver is small), and while holding your hands eitherin the water or dripping above the laver say,
“You El Elyon, Whose Presence Fills Creation, have made us holy by yourcommandments and called us to wash our hands.”
As you say these words move your hands to the clean white towel and blotthem there. This is in the tradition of the Zadokite priests who practicedtheir purification rites at the temple at Jerusalem, even before the daysof Solomon and the Law of Moses.
V. Blessing of the Bread
Now pick up the leavened bread with both hands and hold it chest high. Say,
“Holy El Elyon, Your Presence Fills Creation, bringing forth the Bread ofLife from the Earth.”
Now eat the bread, and when finished say,
“You El Elyon, Whose Presence Fills Creation, do bless and sustain us thisday.”
VI. Receiving of the Name
Now visualize the High Priest Melchizedek standing on your right hand, andthe High Priestess of Melchizedek standing on your left hand.
“Who is our God?”, asks the High Priest Melchizedek.
“Who is our King?”, asks the High Priestess of Melchizedek.
You answer, “El Elyon, the Most High.”
This divine name, El Elyon, is the password into the First Degreeof the Order of Melchizedek. You should remember this above all else, andalthough it is permissible to speak the name in conversation, you are neverto reveal it as a password of the Order. You will need it to enter into thenext Order of Melchizedek Study Chamber. (you will actually have to typein elelyon because the password system takes only lower case and no spaces)
VII. Closing the Ritual
Thank Melchizedek again for initiating you into his mysteries.
Now visualize the light from the Sign of the Cross flowing finally down throughyour body and into the Earth. Finish with the YHVH breathing chant
VIII. The Charge. Ritual Work, Clergywork
Now we will discuss the clergy work of the Order of Melchizedek. As was explainedat the beginning of this Initiation, performing the clergywork of the Ordernot only qualifies as part of your tithe, but it is also the primaryduty of the Initiate to render such service to humanity and theEarth. Melchizedek grants us a great blessing by initiating us into hismysteries, and the work of our Order helps pay back this blessing by usingour spiritual power to bless the rest of the Earth and humanity.
As a daily observance when you first wake up, please recite the Song of the144,000, a sacred invocation given to humanity by St. John the Revelator.This invocation is the song sung by the Elders, the Angels, and the hostsof heaven before the throne of God. As you recite it visualize yourself joiningthese hosts in the praise of God the Father, El Elyon. Realize you can makeany spot where you are the “center of the universe” and thus be at the Throneof the Most High One. Feel the light and love of the Divine surroundand fill you. This daily observance will help you prepare for your nextinitiation. Read the special song out loud now… [NOTE: Youshould replace the word “Father” with El Elyon or Most High One if such achange resonates best with you. The word Father is too simplisticfor some, this author included.]
Song of the 144,000
“We thank you Father that you have revealed to us your protective universallight; that within this light is complete protection from all destructiveforces; that the Holy Spirit of Your Presence permeates us in this light,and wherever we will the light to descend.
“We thank you Father that you fill us with your protective fires of Love;that within this love is complete protection from all destructive thoughtsand feelings; that the consciousness of Christ is lifted up in us in thislove, and wherever we will the love to be enflamed.
“We thank you Father that you are in us and we are in you; that through usYour Will is sent forth on wings of power; that Your Purpose is accomplishedon earth as it is in Heaven; that through us Your Light and Love and Poweris manifest to all the Sons and Daughters of Mankind.”
Eucharist
In this initiation you learned the Celebration of the Eucharist, an important rite for the priesthood of Melchizedek. Now that you know it, it is important that you practice it! Most Christian churches hold the eucharist once a month, some (such as Catholic and Orthodox) hold it every week like the Jewish Shabbat. This Order encourages its clergy to hold the eucharist every week. If this proves too difficult, a monthly celebration will have to do. The ancient people of Ur and Salem kept lunar Calendars, so you might try to perform the Eucharist on the New Moon. Our Order has two versions, a short one and a long one, as described in the Rituals Manual.
Sending of Solace clergywork
You should also now participate in the clergy work of our Order by usingthe Sending of Solace technique. Thisshould be at least a weekly or monthly observance, although you are highlyencouraged to perform it more often. This technique is the mark ofthe clergy all over the world. Praying, praying praying for humankind’sspiritual evolution occurs in thousands of monasteries and convents acrossthe globe, be they Christian, Hindu or Buddhist. Now that you are initiatedclergy you know that what we do is more than mere “prayer,” these are techniques,workings, the actual programming of the ether like a computer.
Make your Initiation Report:
Please remember to send in an initiation report to the Mystery School and let us know how your Initiation went. Many of the members of the Order will be joining you astrally for this Initiation and look forward to hearing about your experiences. Once we get your report, we can get your user name entered into the system for the 1st Degree Study Hall
