Dedication is a mandatory ceremony for everyone who decided to engage in sorcerence and witchcraft. But from the above, it is easy to understand that dedications for those who have accepted the sacred knowledge of inheritance, and for those who have this gift will differ. At the beginning we will look at the option of initiation for "born Magicians". This example is greatly described by Paul Hazon in the book "The Art of Witchcraft"

"The initiation ritual should mean the ceremonial request for admission and the subsequent reception of the future member in Shabash. This type of ritual is common to all secret societies, and indeed, the rituals of most of them have a lot of common elements. The magical meaning of this ritual is to accept individual consciousness into the collective consciousness of the witches Shabash. Because of the extent to which the individual interests of the candidate enters into a harmonious connection with the goals and ideals inherent in Shabash, in the same degree he himself will be able to draw from the "Joint Energy Reserve" from the Shabash. Most of the initiations in Shabash are performed in one of the eight ritual witchcraft meetings. If possible, it is preferable to one of the great meetings on the May Christmas Eve or the November Christmas Eve, when the whole group is present in full. However, the initiation ceremonies made during informal weekly meetings on Shabash will be the same legal, although less spectacular; Depending on the magical orientation of the Shabash, the ritual of initiation and all other ceremonies differ very significantly. Indeed, how much Sabbath exists, so many varieties of rituals. Some Sabbashs follow the Kabbalistic and hermetic ceremonial rites, while others adhere to more causing the cereal of liberty and love ceremonies. Being supporters of Gardner and his followers who concentrate their attention, focusing on the naked worship of the goddess of the Great Mother, they perform their rituals completely naked. There are Sabbashi, who turn to the medieval type of communication with a horned God with all his attributes, and there are also those returning to Celtic basics, wanted to an ancient druid teaching: Rather, like a shaman or sorcerer than as a priest of a sunshine. There are mainly two types of dedication ceremonies.

The first type is used by the shabras that work "dressed" and focus more at the concentration of knowledge and energies, directing their energy more to the "male" aspect of the Divine. The second type is used by those shabras that work naked, directing their energy to the cult of healing and aspects of love, focusing more on the goddess.

You can use any type by turning on those elements that you feel better consistent with the main essence of your Shabash. The first type of initiation is of greater similarity with the Witchcraft cult, which existed in medieval Europe. It should take place in one of the eight Sabbat or ESBAT, in the ideal case - in one of the great meetings, in the Warfish or the November Christmas Eve. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe rituals of dedication in any case is the idea of \u200b\u200bcleansing and liberating a candidate from worldly connections. It is also necessary as the cleansing of the facility before performing magical actions with it. The first process is in the collection, spanking, which is also a symbol of purification by fire, air, ground and water. The second, executed by nude, is based on the beat, spanking, which is also a symbol of purification. However, I want to add that many witches who adhere to traditions believe that, despite its similarity with the late Roman variants of Greek mysteries, it is more connected with the English traditions of the "Privileged High School" and "Club of Sluckers" than with the art of witchcraft. The beating is symbolic or the present will not raise in anyimate the most senses of inner purity or spiritual attitude, which were directly called from the Nordic warrior, a medieval monk, a boy from an English privileged high school or a naked witches. "

"Since the ceremony is performed during a ritual meeting, it goes without saying that the circle should already be drawn and consecrated by the watchtower. If it is indoors, a small ceramic ceris can be granted on the top of the altar, if it is outside the house, the bonfire should burn in the center of steep. All magic witch tools must be present. Both aspects of power, male and female should be caused. This can be done by formula "EKO, EKO, AZAAGAK ..." and the singing of the call to Hertha. The great master should be dressed in his horned helmet or animal mask with a torch or a candle, flaming in his crown. He and other members of the Shabash stand inside the circle. The candidate must be given by the senior assistant or the performer of the northern part of the perimeter, already dressed in the mantle, with a bandage in the eyes and devoid of all products from the metal / 1 In this place, a ritual is one of the members of the Shabash, in advance chosen, should 1 touch the edge of his ritual knife with black A handle or edge of 1 sword belonging to the Sabbath, the candidate's chest and sip it specifically 1 intended for this words. The cycle is pronounced on behalf of the watch watchtower in the north of the kingdom of the Earth's element. The dialog may be the following content:

Causeing: "Where did you come from?"

Candidate: "From the north, the place of the greatest darkness."

Causeing: "Where are you going?"

Candidate: "I am going east in search of light."

Calling: "What kind of pass should you bring?"

Candidate: "Perfect love and perfect faith."

Causeing: "I, guard of the watchtower of the North, I do not allow you to enter. You will not enter this holy place from the north, in addition, you must first be cleaned and consecrated. Who will charge for you? "

Senior Assistant: "I, Conductor of Souls, Reject."

Causeing: "The child of the darkness, close to the Watchtower of the North and get the defense of death and the blessing of the Earth!"

The candidate connects their hands behind the spin of a witch rope, which is raised up and tie around his neck, the free end of the rope hangs ahead, like a leash or a "towing rope". Similarly, a short piece of red rope tie around his right and left ankle is quite free, leaving his legs "neither bound nor free, so that he can move. A few grains of the consecrated salt drops his forehead, and a coin is invested between the lips, symbolizing the earth's pentagram! Then the senior assistant conducts a circle dedicated along the entire external perimeter along the sun and brings to the shelter in the West. There, the coin is removed from its mouth and repeats the same bit from the Western Tower. However, in response to the first question, the candidate should now answer: "From the north, from the gate of death!"

Also in the text causing instead of the word "north" is now used by the West, "and the guardian of the West later presents the" Memory Cup "- a sip of clean water from the Cup and carries out the" purification of water "- a few drops on the forehead. Then the candidate again leads around the perimeter clockwise, and he stops in the south, where he gets again, this time by the representative of the fire, which, putting his sword or a ritual knife on the right shoulder of the candidate and fumuring him three times in Ladan Gemunnoz, gives him a sword and consecrated fire. At the end, the candidate crucified to the east of the circle is dying by a representative of the air, which, three times extending on his head, gives his breath of life and the gift of light. Then he removes an eye bandage.

The first thing that the candidate after the dressing is removed is the kind of a great master in his flaming mask: Lucifer - Sun in midnight. Purified and consecrated by the four elements of wisdom candidate is now really introduced into a circle from the north. His hands are unleashed, the Great Mae-, ther stretches the blade of his sword or a ritual knife to the candidate, who, kneeling in front of him and putting his right hand on the blade, repeats the words of the ceremonial oath:

In this place is used by the workbook of the Shabash: the book of the ceremony (or the book of the shadows, "which we say and how it is called in the Sabbath). The candidate records its witch name in the registration section and puts the date. Some Shabashi, in addition, measure the growth of the candidate and write down next to his name. This is the traditional process "Removing the measurement". Similarly, a candidate's blood drop, taken by a sterilized needle, or a few hair from the head of the candidate, either put in the log next to his name, or suspend separately. This is not only two signs of communication, which now exists now between the candidate and the essence of the Shabash, but also (which is very important) is a direct threat of magical repression in the event of a violation of the oath. The Great Master should now put his hands on the head of the candidate standing on his lap, blessing to this accepting it in Shabash. He then invites (manit) by his "charged" witch jewelry: garter, suspension, bracelet, "necklace or ring and welcomes him as a new member. Some Sabbashi include ritual sanctification and ritual oil for witchcraft meetings Sabbat. New dedicated now Roses with his knees and is represented by its witch name to all other members of the Shabusha in turn. Then the candidate represent the working instruments of the Shabash: the sword, the cup, lamps and others. Then a feast with cakes and wine and ordinary ceremonies. "

Dedication without clothes

"In this type of ritual, general for Sabbath, which practice a diverse witchcraft, focused on the goddess, the ceremony is carried out by the Supreme Priest when the candidate is a woman, the Supreme Priestess, when the candidate is a man. As in the previous ritual, the circle should be created using the watchtower. The candidate blindfolded at the border of the circle is caused by the performer to the edge of the sword or ritual knife and pronounces the password: "Perfect love and perfect faith." The candidate then pulls in the circle backward performer, who puts his left hand around his waist, hugs his right hand for the neck. The password is again given here - in the form of a kiss. Break, created when passing in a circle, is restored by a ritual knife, the candidate is associated with hand and ankle ritual rope, as in the previous case. Then he leads around the circle and represent the eastern, southern, western and northern watchdogs, as an intended candidate for joining Shabash. In this place of the ritual, the work of the goddess about the candidate takes upon himself the Supreme Priestess. I (Paul Heyon. -Frees. Aut.) Quote completely words that are pronounced by tradition:

"Listen to the Words of the Great Mother, which is called among the people of Artemis, Astarfe, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite U by many other names. My altar, Lachedemon's youth brings a sacrifice. Once a month, and better if it is with the full moon, meet in a secret place and worship the Queen of all the magic. Going there, and those who wish to learn witchcraft, I will teach things so far unknown. And you will be free and as a sign that it will really be so, let's stand in your rituals, dance, sing, pour, do music and love. Praise me for the fact that I am a good goddess that gives joy on earth during life, not "faith; and during death, an inexpressible world, peace and ecstasy of the goddess will be detained. I do not demand any victims from you, I am a mother of living And my love spills on the ground! "

The candidate is still kept for the waist, then lead around the circle with jumps and south of the altar. After the eleven strikes of a small bell ran out, the artist awards him or her fivefold kiss, uttering ritual words.

Foot kissing: "Let your feet be blessed, which led you on this path."

Knee king: "Let your knees be blessed for being bowed to the Holy Altar."

The purpose of the sexual organ: "Let the blessing be blessed by the offspring body, without which we would not be."

Breast kissing: "Let your chest, perfect on beauty and strength be blessed."

Lip kissing: "Let your lips be blessed for what sacred names will be pronounced."

Then the candidate becomes kneels from the altar and tie him to a short leash close to the ring installed there, forcing it or her to take a bent pose. Feet are also tied together to this point, and he is asked if he always "faithful to the art of witchcraft." If he responds to the affirmative, there is a ringing of three, seven, nine and twenty-one blow, sometimes a candidate "purify", whipping the whip of the whip made from the rope after that, he gives the most sincere promise to always help and protect their brothers and sisters on the craft. Then the candidate is shifted; This oath is not significantly different from the oath, discussed in the first ritual. Then the candidate is unleashing eyes and legs; Perform triangular consecration (the lubrication of the penis or vagina, the right chest, the left breast and again the genital organ first with ritual oil, then consecrated wine and finally lips), calling the candidate with priest or priestess. In conclusion, the hands of a new dedicated to be unleashed, it is a working tool. Dedicated to kiss when presenting each instrument. Then dedicated to the four parts of the world, welcoming every name of the gods and presenting a dedicated as a new priest or priestess and as a witch. In order to raise the witch in the hierarchy of the Shabash and give her the opportunity to form his own shabby, sometimes she is assigned the second degree or rank. The difference between this ritual from the first only is that the candidate is associated, but remains with not blindfolded, does not pronounce passwords. He is present from the very beginning of the ceremony and sings together with everyone. After the oath on the "wise of her mother" (or his mother) candidate consecrates a pentacle instead of a triangle. This includes anointing with oil, wine and body lips, right chest, left hips, right thigh, left breast and sexual organs again. In this order, an inverted pentagram is really obtained. After granting the authority to the new candidate, the arms of the hands dedicated to him are instructed, how to use magical adaptations, and is dedicated to the sacraments of the Witchcraft law used for good or harm, blessing or curse. After that, the ceremony ends with a scursery. Dedicated to the beat of his dedication to the triple number of shocks towards how much he received, namely - one hundred and twenty. Then it is the forces of the four sides of the world as a properly consecrated supreme priest and a sorcerer or the Supreme Priestess and the Queen of the Sabbat ritual meeting, depending on who is dedicated. In the second ritual under the movement of the candidate through four elements, the myth of the goddess, where the witch goddess, Andred, Aradia, Habondia (or under any other name, under which you can know it), descends into the world of the dead like Persephone in Hadez or Ishtar in the kingdom Ereshkigal, gets a bog and the fivefold kiss of the horned God of death (Bafeomed) and the subsequent assignment of power. Sometimes this myth itself is played during the sacrament style ritual, but this is an additional ceremony, the myth itself is meant in the complete dedication ceremony. "

As you can see, both ritual have a lot in common, as well as significant differences, all or any of which can be included in the dedication ceremony of resourceful practices. It also has the right to include any additional symbol in the ritual. As always, this is a matter of individual selection and intuition: what to enable and what to remove, what will be the bias of the ritual - knowledge and energy with his hermetic overtone or love and joy with a worship of Dionia. Develop first the emblem of the Shabash, and the rest will follow naturally. The central idea to follow is the idea of \u200b\u200bcleansing and rebirthing a candidate, which is symbolized by putting on the eyes of the bandage and the subsequent removal of the dressing, binding the rope for the design of movements and release from these ways, a reception of the Shabash members with the leader of the Shabash and all sachets.

Witch and sorcerers

Clothing is a song song Soul and its external display. The manner is dressed beautiful and conveniently (this is perhaps the main thing!) Inherent in almost all people. The exception is only a small part of the community, which is not very good to dress, is not very good and necessary. For sorcerers, and especially for witches, clothes are more - this is part of the daily ritual acting into the glory of the gods. We can not under any circumstances, leading (and reading) "the book of shadows", not pay attention to this important aspect of the Witchcraft practitioner. And more widespread it to disclose it will help Paul Heison with his delicious book "The Art of Witchcraft":

"Clothing ... This is what is a controversial issue in the Wizard world. Many practitioners argue that the best way to create magic to the traditional method is completely naked. Others equally adhere to traditions, argue that it is not necessary and what you need to wear ritual clothes or capes. The arguments for nudity are that the clothing impedes the manifestation of your witchcraft power. I never believed that it was completely deprived of meaning. Witchcraft energy is not delayed with simple clothing. It passes through the walls and crosses the extensive distances free enough, so why can a few light clothes be such a barrier for her? No, the main reason for nudity is psychological. Nudah gives a state of liberation from the voltage of worldly worries, sexual braking is the goal that this is achieved. Consequently, if you feel that it is the lack of clothing that can set you to work in such a point of mind when your magic will work better, then you must necessarily do the following: Close the door. Caution - first of all! Remember the "peeing mother-in-law".

However, for those who live in a cool climate or who does not impose the idea of \u200b\u200bnaked pranks, an alternative may be a cape. In the simplest case, this is a long piece of fabulous heavy black material, folded halveled with a hole for the head cut upstairs. The sides are stitched within nine inches from the top, leaving the hand hole.

The cape must hide almost to the ground. It is tested by a slouching cord. However, many witches and sorcerer prefer more complicated or more beautiful capes of various colors. Cape can be blue, purple, red, gray or white, often with the addition of a hood or mantle with a hood, thrown on the head for greater infeucity during the ritual. You can wear special sandals or leave legs barefoot. However, let me give you advice: "When you form a shabby, preferably a certain monotony of clothes." Often, the diligent witches have two sets of clothing for the following reason: one clothing is monotonous for the ritual holidays Sabbat and Esbat, the other, more individual - for personal use. Your witch name and the corresponding signs of differences can be embroidered on the tab or chest capes, if you wish, but it is optional. Indeed, the cape itself is not so necessary. It serves only psychological support in order to bring your subconscious mind to the corresponding state.

All rituals and witchcrafts can be freely carried out in ordinary casual wear. The lack of ordinary clothing is that it cannot be falling and "fight" on Earth. " One way or another, you decide: to engage in witchcraft naked (nagim) or dressed in the style of cyber-punk. As you are more convenient, so do it. Just remember that the color of clothing is perhaps more important than its cut.

Secret societies. Rites of initiation and dedication by Eliade Mircha

Secret Society and Male Brotherhood (Männerbund)

Secret Society and Male Brotherhood (M? NNERBUND)

The transformation into superholesale is possible only due to the increase in magic religious force. That is why North America's Aborigines we find so much similarities between initiations related to the achievement of puberty and rites of entry into secret societies or shamanic fraternities. The fact is that the purpose of each of them is the mastering of sacred power, which is confirmed by the acquisition of one or more patrounds, witchcraft or strange behavior - like cannibalism. Every time, when initiated, the same death mystery is played with the subsequent resurrection as a creature of the highest order. In North America, the influence of shamanism on the scenarios of other initiations is especially noticeable, because the shaman is primarily a man gifted by extreme opportunities in a certain sense - a sample of a religious person. Soldun, Shaman, Mystic - Sacred Specialist, He is an exemplary example for other people, stimulates their desire to strengthen their magical, religious forces and an increase in social prestige through new initiations. Perhaps we find here an explanation of the emergence of secret societies and "male unions" not only in North America, but also in the rest of the world.

Morphology of "Mystery Men's Unions" (M? NNERB? NDE) It is extremely difficult, and we cannot stop on their structure and history 29. As for their origin, the most common hypothesis of Froenius, adopted by the historical and cultural school 30. Mystery men's societies, or "Mask Society", arose in the period of the matriarchate; Their task was to bring horror on women, forcing them to believe that masks are demons and spirits of ancestors, and thereby free from the economic, social and religious superiority of women established by the matriarchy. This hypothesis does not seem deep to us. Perhaps "Mask Societies" and played a role in the struggle for male superiority, but it is difficult to believe that the religious phenomenon of secret society could have serious consequences for the fate of the matriarchate. On the contrary, it is possible to state a completely clear connection between the rites of cultivation and testing of dedication to the secret societies of men. In the whole of Oceania, for example, the dedications of boys and dedication, giving access to secret men's societies, include all the same ritual of symbolic death when swallowing the sea monster, followed by Sunday: This is proof that all dedication rites have historically occurred from one center 31. Similar phenomena meet in West Africa - secret societies are derivatives of rites of growing up 32. And the list of examples can be continued 33.

It seems to us that in the phenomenon of secret society lies the need to more fully participate in the sacred side of being, the feeling of the specific side of the sacrality, accessible to each of both sexes. That is why initiations in secret societies are so similar to rites of growing up - the same tests, the same symbolism of death and resurrection, the same touch towards traditional and secret knowledge. For the scenario of the initiation is, without which the most complete sacred experience is impossible. However, in the secret societies of masks you can see some new items. The most essential of them: an important role of secrecy, cruelty tests, the predominance of the cult of ancestors (personalized in masks) and the absence in these rites of the highest being. We have already noted a gradual decrease in the value of the highest creature in the Australian rites of growing up. This is a phenomenon, common to secret societies: the place of Heavenly Higher Beings occupied God-Demiurg, or a mystical ancestor, or a hero of the enlightener. But, as we will see, in some initiations in secret societies, old rites and symbols still adhere to; It seems to us that this proves the primordial religious importance of the highest celestial beings, which other deities or demigods overpowned over time.

The socio-religious phenomenon of secret male cults and fraternities was especially common in Melanesia and Africa 34. In its previous work, we led several examples on African material, especially the dedication to the secret cult of NGOA at the Kuta tribes, as well as rites of joining the secret societies of Manja, Gang and Bakhimba 35. Recall the main. Bakhimba has a dedication continues from two to five years, and the chief rite is the death and resurrection of the dedication. The latter will be bile, it drinks a narcotic drink, the so-called "drink of death", then one of the old people grabs his hand and drives around him, and he falls to the ground. Then everyone shouts: "Oh, the name is dead!" - And the dedicated to the sacred tranquil, which is called the "courtyard of the Resurrection." There it is stripped, barely put in a hole, dug in the form of the cross, and leave for several days. Puttered various torture and allowing an oath to preserve everything in secret, Neophyte eventually resurrect 36.

Only leaders of clans have the right to enter the Ngoan Society of Clans. The applicants are beaten by beach, rubbing the leaves of plants and lubricate the body and hair with vegetable juice causing the unbearable itch. All these ritual torture to some extent remind of dismemberment in the dedication of Shaman's disciples, which we will talk about in the next chapter. Another test "is that the adept is forced to climb five to six meters high and at the top of drinking medicine." When he returns to the village, women meet him: they mourn it as dead. Other tribes Kuta Neophyte beat up to "kill" his old name and get the opportunity to give him another, new 37.

The origin of the mane brotherhoods of Manja and a gang, who wear the name of Ngacol, Neophyte will find out from the myth, which he is told during the initiation. The monster named Ngacol lived in the forest. He had a black body covered with long wool. It could kill a person and immediately resurrected him, but more perfect. The monster appeared to the people: "Send me people, I swallow them, and then return them to you updated." Everyone followed his advice, but since Ngacol returned only half of those who swallowed, people killed him. This myth served as the basis of the rite, in which the sacred flat stone was plays an important role, taken out of the abdomen of Ngacol. Neophyte is introduced into a hut that symbolizes the body of the monster. Here he hears the gloomy voice of Ngacol, here it is subjected to torture. He is told that he is in the stomach of the monster, which will now begin to digest him. The rest of the newcomers at this time are choking: "Take our insides, Ngacol, take our liver." Passing the rest of the tests, Neophyte hears how the leader of the initiation announces that Ngacol, eating it, returns it back 38.

The myth about Ngacolae recalls the Australian myth of the Half-Cellity monster, which was killed by people for returning only a part of those who swallowed, and after the death of a secret cult, concluded in symbolic death and revival. We encounter the symbolism of death in the swallowing of a neophyte in the stomach of the monsters, a symbolism that occupies such a large place in the rites of growing up.

Similar scenarios exist in West Africa. At the end of the XIX century, the custom appeared in the lower Congo in connection with the epidemic. "NDEMBO" 39. The death and resurrection of neophytes during the initiation gave rise to think that in the case of incurable diseases this rite can be effective. In the depths of the forest, frequencies were erected, called "Vel". The entrance to it was strictly prohibited for the uninitiated. Dedication was preceded by the Divine "Call". Those who wish to become members of Ndels unexpectedly fell like dead, in crowded places, for example, in the center of the village. They were immediately sent to the forest and carried out for Paloccol.

Sometimes one day fell up to fifty-hundred people. They said they were that they died for "NDEMBO." Neophytes settled in the huts per palico, were considered dead and began to decompose, so that only one bone remained from each body. Dedicated, called nGGA (Those who know) specifically cared for these bones. The insulation period could last from three months to three years, and during all this time, the Neophyte family brought food for Nanka daily. Neophytes went naked, as it was believed that in the "led", that is, in another world, sin does not exist. (The symbolism of ritual nudity is actually much more complex. On the one hand, there is an idea of \u200b\u200bthe paradise, about the state of pristine bliss, which preceded the emergence of social forms. In addition, the funeral symbolism joins here, as well as the thought that a newly born neophyte should be divided The nudity of small children.) Since the representatives of both sexes took part in the sacrament, orgies often took place in the "Vel", but from the point of view of neophytes, there was nothing immoral in their behavior. The orgies constituted part of being in the "other world", where human laws do not apply.

When neophytes, revered by "resurrected", returned to the village with a whole tuple, they did the idea that they had forgotten their past. They did not recognize nor parents nor friends, could not remember their language, did not know how to use household things. They allowed to teach themselves as small children, and imitated childhood irresponsibility: they attacked on the oncoming and stole everything that came under hand. "The right to theft" is the overall feature of African secret societies 40 and is part of the socio-religious ideology of "Men's Unions".

As Bastian tells, the ritual scenario of such secret brotherhood is based on the original myth. "A great idol lived in the depths of the forest, no one could see him there. When he died, the priests-idolaters carefully gathered his bones to give them a new life. They fed these bones until they found flesh and blood "41. In the rite, neophytes had to repeat the fate of the Great Idol, the patron saint of Brotherhood. But the main role in the rite belongs to the priests-idolaters, that is, the leaders of the initiation: they are carefully "feeding" the bones of neophytes, as the bones of the Great Idol once "fed". At the end of the ceremony, they precisely proclaim the return of neophytes to life - the example of the Great Idol made it possible.

The transformation of the body into the skeleton, accompanied by the birth of new flesh and blood, is such a specific dedication to the hunting culture - we find it in the dedication of Siberian shamans. As for African fraternities, this ancient element here enters a more developed religious magic system containing many later inclusions.

So, we see that rites of entry into secret societies for all items correspond to breeding dedication: isolation, ritual torture and testing, death and resurrection, obtaining a new name, opening of secret knowledge, training special language, etc. noticeable, however, Complication of tests. The ritual torture is a characteristic feature of the Melanesian secret societies and some North American fraternities. So, the tests that neophytes Mandan 42 are famous for particular cruelty. To understand the value of the ritual torture, it should be borne in mind that suffering has a ritual value: it is assumed that the torture is carried out by superhuman beings, and its goal is the spiritual awakening of the initiation object. In addition, the highest suffering is an expression of ritual death. Some severe diseases, especially mental, were considered as a sign that superhuman creatures chose the patient to dedication: it should be subjected to torture, dissected on the part and "killed" to resurrect to higher existence. As we will see in the future; The "ritual diseases" is one of the most important signs of the shamanist calling. Tortie candidates for secret societies are identical to the terrible suffering, symbolizing the mystical death of the future Shaman. In this and other cases, we are talking about the process of spiritual transformation.

Secret societies undoubtedly represent an extremely complex social and religious phenomenon. We cannot explore it in the whole completeness, for our interest is limited by an analysis of dedication facts. However, it should be noted that the functions of secret societies are not exhausted only by religious tasks. They are at the same time mutual assistance societies and effectively function in the public and political life of the community. In many religions, secret societies are the last authority to which 43 fairness are referred to. In some countries, this legal side of the activities of the secret societies turned them into a terror tool and sometimes accompanied by extreme cruelty. For example, members of numerous African fraternities, called "leopards" or "lions", ritually identify themselves with these animals and are guilty of a multitude of murders and cannibalism 44.