Coming from the Latin, initiation implies a beginning. The related term, initiate, means to begin or start a particular action, event, circumstance , or happening. But it is also an ending as existence on one level drops away in an ascension to the next.

An initiation is also a ceremony by which a person is introduced into a society, or other organized body, especially the rite of admission into a secret society or order.

Normally an initiation rite would imply a shepherding process where those who are at a higher level guide the initiate through a process of greater exposure of knowledge. This may include the revelation of secrets, usually reserved for those at the higher level of understanding.

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Initiation is also a term in phonetics for the action by which an airstream is formed in the vocal tract for producing sounds. See Initiation (phonetics).