The Future of Initiation with Andy Hilton

Andy Hilton is author of Anthropology and Mysticism in the Making of Initiation. He is also coeditor of the anthology, Perspectives on Commoning.

Here he shares his optimistic vision of a world in which universal education is understood to be an initiatory process. He suggests that young people are being drawn into a new vision of spirituality through such media as superhero comics and movies, as well as the Harry Potter series and much science fiction. He emphasizes that initiation is a long-term process of which rituals are only a small part.

New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980).

(Recorded on January 27, 2020)

LINKS TO OTHER BOOKS & VIDEOS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO INTERVIEW:

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[randycummings]

Thinking Allowed is the smartest most wisdom filled podcast on the web. There should be a 100, 000 likes!

[borsu]

I am grateful for your work Jeffrey, it's a dopamine packed experience for me when I relate.

[peacerespect]

Agree with Andy. We are optimistic about the world is moving into different level of existence. Peace.

[Meontrema]

Greetings from Turkey, let me add my opinion at 34:40 I agree with Andy Hilton then it becomes corrupted . However when it comes to ''esoteric'' not in a sense of ''knowledge or tradition'' sufism is just a little ingredient in the pot. There are also exist many unformed ideas which waiting to be formed, it's puzzled in a way down the culture . We have a saying : something coming alone to the tongue. I know translation is rough but anyways. Much appreciation for the videos.

[andytuesday]

Thank you Jeffrey. I appreciate you for all the information god bless ❤️🙏

[RodCornholio]

One of the "lack of initiation" issues I saw (in my WASPish, Western culture) is the initiation of an adolescent male into manhood. "When am I a man?" I would ask. No one answered. I didn't feel any different on my 18th or 21st birthdays than the previous day. What was missing was twofold 1.)knowledge of a process of initiation (probably largely influenced by culture) 2.) a ritual telling me when the initiation began or ended.

Most females are lucky to at least have a biological initiation (menses) into womanhood and, arguably, another biological marker indicating "full" womanhood - childbirth.

Males don't get anything dramatic other than society's morbid expectation to kill other humans ( and possibly die ) in some stupid war. No wonder why the "man-boy" dichotomy exists; playing video wargames in their middle age, living a bachelor life, buying expensive toys, etc. No one but Jordan Petersen and a Stephen King movie ever told them when boyhood ended and manhood began.

[oldpondfrog]

I rave about it often but I really recommend the Penguin book of Chuang Tzu. Its an amazing initiatory experience. Page one breaks down your certainty then the fun begins.

[FoxieGrandma]

Check out CYRUS A. PARSA of The A.I. Organization!! This man has done amazing work in exposing the Dark Side in ways most of us would not even understand!! He deserves our support!!!

[dragoraan]

Transtheist, that's a good one. Very interesting guest.

[DC-wgcr]

The division of labor has led to an extremely contradictory society where the initiation is ritualistic alienation.

[qooguy]

I agree with Andy we want to focus on the light... but ritual initiation is very much "owned" by dark forces in this age, criminal organizations, secret societies, college fraternities... in some ways, initiation has been given a bad name by this. Thank you Andy for helping to rehabilitate a very powerful process that anyone can "own" through self-initiation. And that is what this channel is for some people, a process (watching, thinking), a ritual (waiting for the upload....), and an initiation into the DEEP WORLD. BTW, the real term for US deep state is "interagency consensus."

[Dolphn-Productions]

I don't see how you can talk about initiation, and ritual without talking about superstition?
I also prefer the word chrysalis as a transitional state.
Thank you Dr Mishlove I so enjoy these interviews.

[waxmysophic]

~5:00 - Jeffrey & Andy agree that there's no well defined initiation into adulthood within our western industrialized civilization. I emphatically DISagree. Examples of initiation into adulthood: Attaining the age of 18 &/or 21 years old (depending on precise location), individuals undergo a legal rite of passage, becoming recognized as adults - whereupon, they enter into possession of the privileges & obligations of adulthood - voting, drinking alcohol, being legal for engaging in sex, etc. I'd argue that the process of attaining legal adulthood is a form of initiation into the ranks of adult society as a peer. In fact, this ritual of initiation is so strictly controlled, that it's been formalized into written legal codes, and carries penalties for violating the limitations imposed on the uninitiated, and penalties for failing to meet the obligations imposed on the initiated; i.e., age-related strictures in the laws.

~34:30 - Re. the apparent small involvement with Sufism & its practices, throughout the Turkish population, despite Sufism having been present for such a long time: It could be argued that as a mystical collections of arts, the practice of Sufism requires an aptitude for the mystical arts it involves; perhaps even, an above average aptitude as vs. ordinary members of the general population. If that was true, then it would make sense for those who lack an aptitude for the Sufi mystical arts, to not become enamored of practicing them - which would reinforce it not being adopted by the general population.

~37:30 - Re. homo sapiens gradually transforming into a new species: That's possible, but not likely. It's much more likely, that homo sapiens will generate an offshoot species having distinct characteristics homo sapiens lacks &/or lacking characteristics homo sapiens possesses. That second possibility of spawning an offshoot species would fit within the model of "punctuated equilibrium", wherein a species remains fairly static for a long time, then undergoes a mutation which punctuates the time of the parent species as being separate from that of the child (offshoot) species. The mutation is usually instigated by a change of conditions, requiring an adaptation response for continued survival. In the case of punctuated equilibrium, the parent species may or may not survive. It depends in large part whether the parent & child occupy the same ecological niche, placing them in direct competition with each other for scarce resources.

[DC-wgcr]

Maat, mother, matriculate. Could all be related or random but all have to do with social balance.

[aHostileHyperborean]

Sorry brothers but with the current “CV” situation, not only will business models change to accommodate peoples fears, so will the lodges. And here is the future of initiation... from your computer desk vaccinated of course..

[walkingSherpa]

I tell it in latin Words which both of you seem to lack painfully : sic tacuisses .. .