Preparation Work:
I. Gather Your Supplies
1. Rose, preferably purple (which symbolizes the element of Spirit and the royalty, leadership, and enlightenment of the Priest-King Melchizedek). If you cannot find a purple rose, you may also use white (which symbolizes purity, holiness, and dedication, and is associated with the element of Water, which is 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 vision of the Merkavah figures predominately in our Order. This bread is baked according to a recipe found in the book of Ezekiel which forms a whole protein out of 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 obviously want to thaw it out first).
II. Attire
For this initiation, white is the color of attire. White linen was the ancient cloth of the priesthoods in all the holy land and Egypt, too. If you have it, a white robe is perfect. You may use the same white garment(s) you used for your Catechumen Initiation if you wish. Please don’t feel like you have to go out and buy something new. You can make do with the bare basics if need be—for men, white underwear. For women, white underwear and/or a white dress, anything that is completely white will work. If you can’t find something else white, use a white towel, or even a sheet wrapped around yourself like a toga. It has been done before!
III. Altar
Cover your altar with a clean white cloth. It is good to have two candles placed in the center, one white or gold and one black or red to represent the God and Goddess, masculine and feminine, solar and lunar energies. You may burn your favorite incense if you like. Rose incense is especially appropriate. Now place in order from the left to the right of the altar the cup with wine or grape juice, the laver with water and the towel, and then the 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 the priest of the most high God.
“And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
“And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”
This scripture describes the first initiation of Abram into the Order of Melchizedek. You will find all of the elements contained in this ancient initiation in your first initiation, as well. The principle of tithing, or the 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. Just as 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 energy to 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 mine house, and prove me now herewith, sayeth the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
In the ancient civilizations of Sumer and Babylon when the Great Goddess was worshipped and Her temples dotted the land, the principle of tithing was widely practiced. Every year at the harvest festival, when the local king 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 harvest to donate to the storehouse of the Goddess. This storehouse would be used to feed the people in times of drought and would provide for the poor so that 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 ancient system of welfare.
When we tithe, we as a community of priests and priestesses pool our temporal assets together to accomplish the common good, or “work of the Lord.” This practice allows us to continue and expand the ministry of our Order. The first duty of the Initiate is not the fulfillment of ritual practice or even the teaching of doctrine (although these are important!). What the universe needs most from Initiates into the mysteries of Melchizedek is service. The combined efforts of service from our Order’s priests and priestesses help heal the injuries of our planet and its inhabitants, a work that satisfies an extremely timely need.
The Order of Melchizedek encourages its priests and priestesses to practice the principle of tithing, where they dedicate 10% of their increase, or a greater 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 to a 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 on a regular basis. Know that when you dedicate your energy to this work you are tithing, since the energy generated and sent out into the world from this work helps in its healing of the planet. You may also tithe by contributing work to the maintenance of the Order by composing a poem or prayer, writing an article, or putting together a ritual. Any charitable cause that furthers the 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 things you can give in the way of your time, talents, and energy. The dedicant should seek out these ways in which they can serve the Divine, and promise some sort of regular service to Them. As they do this they will encounter the innumerable blessings that come from welcoming charity and love into their lives. In your preparation work please come up with a way that you will give this 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 Catechumen lesson. As you do this, visualize a beam of divine white light entering your body through the crown of your head (Ah-tah) and traveling down your spine through your legs and out your feet into the Earth (Mol-Koot). This light branches off and travels down your arms and out your hands (Vih-G’boo’Rah and Vih-G’dew-Lah), forming your body into a glowing equilateral cross, with the 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 from you on the opposite side of your altar. Thank him for appearing for your initiation into the Order.
II. Paying the Tithe
Now, take up the rose. Anita Diamant writes in Living a Jewish Life, “According to the Zohar, a medieval book of mystical Bible interpretation, the … five-petaled rose, [is] an ancient symbol of perfection and of longing for God.” This rose symbol is closely associated with the tradition of Melchizedek, as will be further explained later during this initiation. Now this rose symbolizes the tithe you have dedicated to the God of Melchizedek. Give the High Priest Melchizedek this rose (laying it on the altar before him) and say,
“I offer this rose in representation of the tenth, the tithe to the Order of Melchizedek. May it represent a perfect offering, an offering to quench the Earth’s longing for God.”
III. Drinking of the Wine
Spread open your left hand, palm facing up, and with your right hand place the cup of wine or grape juice in the middle of your left hand. While you do this, visualize the High Priest Melchizedek himself placing this cup in your left hand, thus endorsing your initiation as a priest or priestess of the Order and giving you the tools of the trade. Allow the cup to rest there for a moment, and when you are ready to accept your initiation, close your fingers 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. She incorporates 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 that this 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 the palm of the hand with the fingers facing upward and curled around the base to represent a five-petaled rose, an ancient symbol of perfection and of longing for God. Any glass can be used for kiddush, but it is considered preferable to use a special glass or goblet to fulfill the precept of hiddur mitzvah, 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 as a 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 and you have accepted it, visualize him raising his own cup in his right hand and 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 the fruit of the vine. Boray p’ree hagafen.”
This Hebrew phrase means “forming the fruit of the vine.” That phrase is also used in the friday night “mass” or eucharist by Jews all over the world like clockwork. Christians just moved it to Sunday and instead of Mother Earth’s body (bread of life) and the blood of the God (wine) they made it all the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.
Now, together you and HP Melchizedek guide the cups in your left hands up to 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 meet and you are then a priest/ess of the Covenant.
IV. Handwashing
Next comes the handwashing. Ritual handwashing is an ancient Hebrew custom meant to purify the hands of the priest/ess before they handle the sacramental bread. As you wash your hands in this ritual, visualize the water carrying away all the stress and impurities from your hands so that they will be worthy instruments of your magikal work. You may use one of the two-handled lavers sold in Judaica shops for this ritual, or you may use a simple bowl. It is important that whatever you use that it be set aside specifically for ritual work, however. This will be useful especially during your first degree when you are required to celebrate the eucharist frequently; having your ritual tools set aside and dedicated will decrease your preparation time and help you focus your energy.
Now, dip all five fingertips and both hands in the water (you may do this one at a time if your laver is small), and while holding your hands either in the water or dripping above the laver say,
“You El Elyon, Whose Presence Fills Creation, have made us holy by your commandments and called us to wash our hands.”
As you say these words move your hands to the clean white towel and blot them there. This is in the tradition of the Zadokite priests who practiced their purification rites at the temple at Jerusalem, even before the days of 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 of Life from the Earth.”
Now eat the bread, and when finished say,
“You El Elyon, Whose Presence Fills Creation, do bless and sustain us this day.”
VI. Receiving of the Name
Now visualize the High Priest Melchizedek standing on your right hand, and the 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 Degree of the Order of Melchizedek. You should remember this above all else, and although it is permissible to speak the name in conversation, you are never to reveal it as a password of the Order. You will need it to enter into the next Order of Melchizedek Study Chamber. (you will actually have to type in 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 through your 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 explained at the beginning of this Initiation, performing the clergywork of the Order not only qualifies as part of your tithe, but it is also the primary duty of the Initiate to render such service to humanity and the Earth. Melchizedek grants us a great blessing by initiating us into his mysteries, and the work of our Order helps pay back this blessing by using our 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 the 144,000, a sacred invocation given to humanity by St. John the Revelator. This invocation is the song sung by the Elders, the Angels, and the hosts of heaven before the throne of God. As you recite it visualize yourself joining these hosts in the praise of God the Father, El Elyon. Realize you can make any spot where you are the “center of the universe” and thus be at the Throne of the Most High One. Feel the light and love of the Divine surround and fill you. This daily observance will help you prepare for your next initiation. Read the special song out loud now… [NOTE: You should replace the word “Father” with El Elyon or Most High One if such a change resonates best with you. The word Father is too simplistic for some, this author included.]
Song of the 144,000
“We thank you Father that you have revealed to us your protective universal light; that within this light is complete protection from all destructive forces; 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 thoughts and feelings; that the consciousness of Christ is lifted up in us in this love, 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 us Your Will is sent forth on wings of power; that Your Purpose is accomplished on earth as it is in Heaven; that through us Your Light and Love and Power is 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 using the Sending of Solace technique. This should be at least a weekly or monthly observance, although you are highly encouraged to perform it more often. This technique is the mark of the clergy all over the world. Praying, praying praying for humankind’s spiritual evolution occurs in thousands of monasteries and convents across the globe, be they Christian, Hindu or Buddhist. Now that you are initiated clergy 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