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The rite of passage is the brotherhood of the riddle of the association. Secret Society and Brotherhood of Men (Männerbund)

Transformation into a superman is possible only through the growth of magical religious power. This is why among the natives of North America we find so many similarities between the initiations associated with the achievement of puberty and the rites of entry into secret societies or shamanistic brotherhoods. The fact is that the goal of each of them is the mastery of sacred power, which is confirmed by the acquisition of one or more Guardian Spirits, witchcraft or strange behavior Kind of like cannibalism. Each time the initiation plays out the same mystery of death followed by resurrection as a being of a higher order. In North America, the influence of shamanism on the scenarios of other initiations is especially noticeable, because the shaman is, first of all, a person endowed with extraordinary abilities, in in a certain sense- sample religious person. A sorcerer, shaman, mystic is a specialist in the field of the sacred, he is an exemplary example for other people, stimulates their desire to strengthen their magical, religious powers and increase social prestige through new initiations. Perhaps we find here an explanation for the emergence of secret societies and "male unions" not only in North America, but also in the rest of the world.

Morphology of the "Secret Men's Unions" (Männerbunde) extremely complex, and we cannot dwell on their structure and history. As for their origin, the most common hypothesis is Frobenius, accepted by the historical-cultural school. Secret men's societies, or "Societies of masks", arose in the period of matriarchy; their task was to terrify women into believing that the masks were demons and ancestral spirits, and thereby free themselves from the economic, social and religious superiority of women established by the matriarchy. This hypothesis does not seem to us profound. The Mask Society may have played a role in the struggle for male supremacy, but it is hard to believe that the religious phenomenon of the secret society could have serious consequences for the fate of matriarchy. On the contrary, one can state a very clear connection between the rites of growing up and the trials of initiation into the secret societies of men. Throughout Oceania, for example, initiations of boys and initiations that give access to secret male societies still involve the same ritual of symbolic death by being swallowed by a sea monster, followed by resurrection: this is proof that all rites of initiation historically originated from one center. Similar phenomena are found in West Africa - secret societies are derived from growing up rites. And the list of examples could go on.

It seems to us that in the phenomenon of a secret society lies the need to more fully participate in the sacred side of being, the feeling of a specific side of sacredness, accessible to each of both sexes. That is why initiations into secret societies are so similar to the rites of growing up - the same trials, the same symbolism of death and resurrection, the same touch to traditional and secret knowledge. For the scenario of initiation is something without which the most complete experience of the sacred is impossible. However, some new elements can be seen in the secret societies of masks. The most significant of them: the important role of mystery, the cruelty of trials, the predominance of the cult of the Ancestors (personified in masks) and the absence of the Supreme Being in these rites. We have already noted the gradual decline in the importance of the Supreme Being in the Australian rites of passage. This is a phenomenon common to secret societies: the place of the heavenly Supreme Being was taken by the Demiurge God, or the mystical Ancestor, or the Enlightener Hero. But, as we shall see, in some initiations into secret societies the old rites and symbols are still adhered to; it seems to us that this proves the primordial religious significance of the Supreme Celestial Beings, who in time were supplanted by other Deities or demigods.

The socio-religious phenomenon of secret male cults and brotherhoods was especially prevalent in Melanesia and Africa. In our previous work, we have given several examples on African material, especially the initiation into the secret cult of Ngoua among the Kuta tribes, as well as the rites of entry into the secret societies of Manja, Banda and Bakhimba. Let's recall the main ones. In Bakhimba, initiation lasts from two to five years, and the main rite is the death and resurrection of the initiate. The latter is severely scourged, he drinks a narcotic drink, the so-called "drink of death", then one of the old men grabs his arm and circles him around him, and he falls to the ground. Then everyone shouts: “Oh, the name is dead!” - and the initiate is brought into the sacred enclosure, which is called the "yard of the resurrection." There he is undressed, laid naked in a hole dug in the shape of a cross, and left for several days. Having endured various tortures and sworn an oath to keep absolutely everything a secret, the neophyte eventually resurrects.

Only clan chiefs are eligible to join the Ngouan Kuga Society. Applicants are beaten with a whip, rubbed with the leaves of burning plants and smeared on the body and hair with vegetable juice that causes unbearable itching. All these ritual tortures are somewhat reminiscent of the dismemberment during the initiation of shaman's disciples, which we will talk about in the next chapter. Another test "consists in the fact that the adept is forced to climb a tree five or six meters high and drink medicine at the top." When he returns to the village, the women greet him with weeping: they mourn him as if he were dead. Among other Kuta tribes, the neophyte is severely beaten in order to "kill" his old name and be able to give him another, new one.

The neophyte learns about the origin of the secret brotherhoods Manja and Banda, who bear the name of Ngakola, from the myth that is told to him at the time of initiation. Once upon a time there lived a monster named Ngakola in the forest. he had a black body covered with long hair. It could kill a person and immediately resurrect him, but more perfect. The monster addressed the people: "Send me people, I will swallow them, and then I will return them to you renewed." Everyone followed his advice, but since Ngakola returned only half of those he swallowed, the people killed him. This myth served as the basis for the rite, in which the sacred flat stone taken from the stomach of Ngakola plays an important role. The neophyte is led into a hut, which symbolizes the body of the monster. Here he hears the gloomy voice of Ngakola, here he is tortured. He is told that he is in the stomach of a monster, which will now begin to digest him. The rest of the newcomers at this time sing in chorus: "Take our insides, Ngakola, take our liver." After passing the rest of the trials, the neophyte hears the leader of the initiation announce that Ngakola, who has eaten him, is bringing him back.

The myth of Ngakola is reminiscent of the Australian myth of the semi-divine Monster, who was killed by people for returning only a part of those who were swallowed, and after death became the center of a secret cult, which consisted of symbolic death and rebirth. We meet here the symbolism of death when a neophyte is swallowed, falling into the stomach of a monster, 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 19th century in the Lower Congo, in connection with the epidemic, the custom appeared to found societies "ndembo". The death and resurrection of neophytes during the initiation gave reason to think that in the case of incurable diseases, this rite can be effective. In the depths of the forest, a palisade was erected, called "led". Entrance to it was strictly forbidden for the uninitiated. The initiation was preceded by a divine "call". Those wishing to become members of the Ndembo suddenly fell like the dead in crowded places, for example, in the center of the village. They were immediately sent to the forest and taken behind the palisade.

Chapter 3 "ENTERING THE BROTHERHOOD". ELANIA'S STORY" from Rebekah Brown's book "He Came to Set the Weary Free"

Invitation to the "youth camp" of Satanists

in the church youth group I met a new friend. Her name was Sandy. She went to the same school as me. Like me, she was also seventeen. Sandy was a student in a satanic cult, and it was she who was the next link connecting Satan's plans with my life.

Sandy became my only friend. I didn't go to church to hear about God, but simply to get to know the youth. Sandy and I worked on youth programs together, we were also together at school, we did homework together and walked together too.

Sandy was beautiful. She was richer than me, dressed well and, in general, was popular. But in friendship with me, this did not bother her at all. It seemed to me that Sandy was friends with me just out of pity, but I didn’t know then that she was a Satanist from the “brotherhood”. A little later, after the incident with the footballer, Sandy remarked to me that I had a special power that others did not have, and that she knew where I could learn to have such power even more.

“Listen,” she said. - I know you're lonely. But I know what can help you. The church we go to doesn't care about you, and God doesn't need you either. If He didn't care, you wouldn't be born this way.

She suggested that I go to a "youth camp" with a group that she and her family belonged to. She called it "church camp." He was in a small town, not far from their city. All this happened in the summer. School was already over, and since I had nothing to do anyway, I agreed. I told my parents that I was going to a “church camp,” but they didn’t really care what I was doing. I was a little afraid, but still I wanted to go, because I thought that I had finally found a true friend and maybe this was the answer to my loneliness and the solution to the question of a strange power inside me. Sandy told me about the camp four days before we left. She described it as a wonderful place where I would be accepted, where I was needed and expected, where my strength was needed and where it could be improved. I can become great, famous or rich, in general, I can get what I want. When she spoke about this, I felt how this strength rose and strengthened inside me. The only thing Sandy didn't do was mention the word "cult" and tell the truth about it. Here I have to stop and tell a little about this cult.

Satanic "Brotherhood"

This group, which calls itself "the brotherhood", is made up of people who are under the direct control of Satan and worship him. It is a fast growing and dangerous cult. It has two main centers in the USA. One is on the west coast, near Los Angeles and San Francisco, the second is in the central part where I lived. They are divided into local groups or small communities. These communities range from 5-10 people to several thousand. This is the same cult that Hal Linsay writes about in "Satan Lives and Works on Planet Earth" and Mike Warnance's "Satan the Salesman" and is an offshoot of the group operating in England that Doreen Irvine wrote about in "Free from Witchcraft" . This cult is very secret, there are no files on the members of the group. Even the contracts that are signed with Satan in the blood of the members who join the cult are then burned by the high priests and priestesses (lesser representatives of the cult do not know about this). These Satanists fill all walks of life, from the poor to the rich. They have a good education, they work in the police, and in the government, and in business, there are both men and women, some even in the ranks of Christian listeners. Many of them attend local churches and are exemplary citizens, participating in state politics. All this is done as a cover. They live a double life, seducing those around them. “And it is not surprising: because Satan himself takes the form of an Angel of light, and therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also take the form of servants of truth; but their end will be according to their deeds.” 1 Corinthians 11:14,15

At their meetings, they sit by codes and do not use names, therefore, when meeting on the street, they do not know each other's names. Satan and demons often discipline them. Human sacrifices are practiced twice a year and animal sacrifices monthly. Human sacrifices are made mainly by the illegitimate babies of the cult members, who were observed and delivered by doctors from among the "brotherhood", so the mother was never seen in the clinic. The birth of a child is not registered and, of course, death is also not registered. Other victims are either kidnapped, or they are cult members who are punished, or volunteers who want to commit suicide. Many of the cult members are cold-blooded, highly skilled assassins.

Each community is led by a High Priest and Priestess. These people achieve their position by pleasing Satan with various cults and by acquiring great power through witchcraft. Among the members of the group there is a constant struggle for positions. The "brotherhood" has an elite society of sorceresses who call themselves "Sisters of the Light" or "Enlightened Ones". There are several occult groups in the US that call themselves "The Enlightened", but many of them are not part of the "brotherhood".

Satanic group "Enlightened"

There is also one group called the Enlightened Ones, made up of people sent from England. These are very strong and dangerous people, and they are directly related to the "brotherhood". Members of this group participate in human sacrifice quite often. The Sisters of Light first came to the US from Europe in the late 18th century. In Europe, they appeared in a dark past, but, in general, their roots go back quite deeply, starting with Egypt and Babylon. At that time, the sorceresses were strong enough to even perform three of the ten plagues of Egypt in the time of Moses ( Exodus 7 ch.). These witches are very strong even now. They are able to cause disease and kill without touching the victim, even at a distance of a thousand miles. All this is done with the help of demons. They think they control the demons, when in fact the opposite is true - Satan and the demons are using them.

Incredible atrocities are perpetrated within this cult by humans controlled by demons from within. These people lose all manifestations of love, compassion, etc. and turn into scary creatures that almost do not look like a person. Some of this will be covered later in this book. The rapid growth of the "brotherhood" is a sign that we live in Lately and in the direct fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. I entered this cult immediately. I was very happy when Sandy and I arrived at the camp. In this state, you miss a lot of what you see and hear. First, we were taken to the room where we were supposed to live, and we were made to feel that we were welcome here.

Meeting of the "Sisters of the Light"

This camp was large and had many facilities: museums, libraries, houses that housed clairvoyants, hypnotists, palmists, card readers, Budu experts, and so on. Some of these people lived there all year round. It was the place where the cult met the newcomers. We attended several classes where we were taught how to develop and use the power we had.

Sandy took me to the first meeting of the Sisters of the Light. A little later, I learned that they had been watching me very carefully all my childhood, from the very moment Helen sold Grace my blood. Sandy took me with her to one big satanic church. We arrived two hours before the start of the service. The sun was setting, so the whole church was dark, only in the center of the church on a platform were thirteen candles burning in a circle. They cast wavering light on the thirteen figures seated on the floor in front of each candle.

Coming closer, I saw that they were women, all dressed in the same white robes with hoods on their heads. They sat on the well polished floor with their backs straight and their arms folded across their chests. Each of them fully focused their gaze on the candle flame opposite. The candles were about 60 cm high and 10 cm in diameter. They were made of black wax, and each stood on a long, narrow sheet of paper covered in small letters. These women did not have any jewelry, even their clothes did not have any ornaments. They sat absolutely still, non-stop murmuring in low voices prayers to Satan. There was such a force that both captivated and frightened me at the same time. As I sat and watched this two-hour ceremony, I felt this powerful and inexplicable force moving within me.

The next evening, I noticed that I was irresistibly drawn to see this ceremony again. Through Sandy, I learned that they were the Sisters of Light. All the other members of the cult referred to them as "mothers", and only a few of them knew that these women were an elite group. The "sisters" never revealed who they were, and men were forbidden from being part of this group. However, they were the main driving force this cult. This secret was strictly kept even within the cult itself. They did not tolerate weakness in any of their members, any weak one was immediately destroyed. There were only a few young women among them.

On the second evening after the ceremony, one of these women approached me. She said that they noticed my interest, that they were aware of the power that was in me, and that they would very much like me to join their preparatory program. She was very kind and easy to deal with me and said that their group could teach me not only to increase, but also to expand my strength, and no one but them would do it better. I swallowed the bait along with the hook. In the beginning, I was told about the privileges that I might have. Skillfully using my power, I can have everything and achieve everything I want. They were the first to say that this power is from Satan and not from God, and that only Satan is real god. I was taught to meditate and pray. They said that if I wish for something, I only need to light a candle and place a paper with requests under it. But I shouldn't be selfish. Therefore, the petition should contain not only my name, but also someone else's. Moreover, it doesn’t matter for the rise or fall of this person, I will pray, if only someone else’s name was on the list along with mine.

"Offer" to join the cult

Towards the end of my stay in the camp, I suddenly discovered that all good nature is just a mask, and my participation in all this is no longer a game, and besides, it is not voluntary. When I met with Sandy to talk about leaving, she said that the Sisters of the Light were offering me and some other "specially gifted" special program, but before leaving, the high priest and priestess want to talk to me and are waiting for me in the church. Me and a few other people went there.

As soon as we entered, armed guards immediately stood at the door, and we were ordered to come and stand in front of a small group in the center of the church. The high priest approached us and said that we were chosen to become members of the “brotherhood”. This means that at tomorrow night's meeting we will have to sign contracts with Satan with our blood.

When I asked what the terms of the contract were, I was told that I had to give my body, soul, and spirit to “our great father Satan” in order to receive many “blessings” from him in return. We were also told that if we disagreed, they would make some "efforts" to change our minds. When I replied that I would not sign this contract under any circumstances, the high priestess interrupted me, saying that I had no choice. I looked her straight in the eyes and shouted:

- Go to hell! You are a bitch! You are all idiots! I will never do it!

Immediately behind me, a huge security guard armed with a machine gun appeared, grabbed my hands, twisted them back and pulled me up with such force that it seemed to me as if he had broken them off. He said that I should kneel before the priestess and ask her forgiveness for my rudeness, otherwise he would beat me until I submitted. In rage, I screamed:

- You can start, I will not bow to a woman!

Preparations for the initiation

He punched me with all his might. I didn’t remember anything else until I woke up on a wooden floor in a completely empty room measuring one and a half meters by one and a half meters. A small observation window was made in the door, overlooking the corridor. It was absolutely dark. I stayed in this room for a day, which seemed to me an eternity. Sleep was not allowed. Every now and then the speaker turned on, through which I was constantly told that all honor, glory and worship are only to Satan, that I should ask his forgiveness, that he alone is the god of the universe, that my family is being watched and, if I do not agree with the rules and do not sign a contract, then all my relatives will be tortured and killed. All this time I did not receive any food or water.

The next evening, the guards took me to another room, where two women from the “sisters of the light” helped me take a bath, put on me, right on my naked body, a floor-length white satin robe with a hood and long loose sleeves, girded with a white rope. There were no ornaments on the mantle. Having dressed me, the women told me to humble myself and stop resisting, since I still cannot escape my fate, and by giving myself to “my father Satan”, I will receive wonderful “blessings”.

Cult initiation meeting

So that I would not see where we were going, I was taken to the service in a closed car, since the meeting was not in the camp, but in another place. Getting out of the car, I noticed that the building had no windows and was in the forest. It looked like a warehouse somewhere on a farm. Inside, fresh straw lay on the wooden floor. The building was illuminated by many candles fixed on the walls. There were three candles in a group: black, red and white. There were 200 or 300 people sitting on wooden benches facing the center of the hall, where a wooden platform was installed, around one and a half meter pillars with torches stood. In the middle of the platform rose an altar of gray stone. He stood on a stand with wheels (to make it easier to clean). The altar was covered in dark smudges - these are traces of the blood of victims, both animals and people, constantly brought on it.

On the one hand, fatigue and fear fought within me, and on the other hand, joy, when the movement of force inside me answered the extraordinary strength that I felt in this room. The fragrant smell of incense filled the room. I think there was a drug added to the incense, as I got dizzy very soon.

There was complete silence, only hooded and robed figures staring at the empty stage. As the high priest and priestess silently stepped onto the platform, small bells rang out in the hands of those present at some invisible signal.

The priests were dressed in identical robes of black satin, the same cut as mine, but with a red border around the edge of the robe, sleeves and around the hood, girded with a golden rope. Like everyone else, their feet were bare. Both of them held a meter-long scepter in their hands. The high priestess had a golden scepter. At its upper end was attached an inverted cross, to which a snake crawls along the scepter. The high priest had the same scepter, but of silver. The scepters were carried reverently on bent arms. Their presence brought with it a power that I had never experienced before.

Compulsion to initiation

There were many heavily armed guards inside and outside the building. I suddenly realized that this was the first time I was in a real cult meeting. Before that, everything was a game, a demonstration show.
After opening remarks, two guards led me forward straight to the altar. I and a few others were introduced to those present as new members "hungry" to join the cult. The high priest immediately focused all his attention on me. He said:

— Brothers and sisters of Satan, we present to you this girl, her name is Korej (this is my new name). We introduce her to you because she asked to be one of us. Now we are talking to our Lord and God, the Lord of the whole universe and the destroyer Satan. This child, Sister Korage, we give you to make of her what you wish. We promised her because you gave us that right.

They gave me a knife to cut my finger, but I refused. Then one of the guards hit me on the back with a whip so that I writhed in pain. Despite the pain, I stubbornly refused to obey. With a wave of her hand, the high priestess stopped the guard from hitting me, and in an icy voice said that there were better ways to show me my mistake.

I watched in amazement as she and the priest sat on opposite sides of the pentagram (five-pointed star) painted on the floor in the middle of the stage. In the center of the circle in which the pentagram was placed, black candles stood in each of the five corners. With one wave of her hand, the priestess lit all the candles at once, without touching them, and began to cast spells, the priest joined her, and at the signal of the bell, all those sitting in the hall. Suddenly, the pentagram began to fill with hissing, smoke, and flickering light. The room smelled strongly of burning sulfur. In the center of the circle, surrounded by flames, a huge demon appeared in physical form, about three meters high. Baring and swaying from side to side, he looked straight at me. The high priestess (Grace) turned to me and said that if I disobeyed and did not sign the contract, I would be handed over to the demon and he would torture me until he killed me. That was enough!

Contract signing

And although I experienced such fear as I had never experienced before, at the same time, I unbearably wanted to have the same power that Grace had. I decided to become as strong as she was in order to take revenge on these people who tormented me. When I signaled that I agreed to sign the contract, two women came up to me and put on me a black one over a white robe. It was exactly the same cut and design as the white one, but it was made of cotton and meant that I was no longer a beginner. Taking the knife that was offered to me and cutting my finger deeply, I dipped my pen in my blood and signed a contract saying that I gave my flesh, soul and spirit to Satan.

As soon as I signed the contract, at the same moment my body, like an electric shock, was shaken from head to toe. It was so powerful that I could not resist and fell to the floor. Barely coming to my senses, I struggled to get to my feet, seeing that Grace, casting spells, was summoning another demon. He came up to me and said that he would live inside of me. Before I could say anything, he reached out and grabbed my shoulders. At the same moment, an incredible heat pierced my entire body. The smell of sulfur was again felt, and I, having lost consciousness, was unconscious until the moment when they roughly stuffed me into the car to go to the camp. I was exhausted to the limit. Due to lack of sleep, beatings, lack of food and water, I was very dizzy, so I did not quite clearly realize the importance of everything that happened to me.

In order for the beatings and abrasions to heal, I had to stay in the camp for another week. Returning home and feeling like the most strong man on earth, I knew that I had a power that surpassed the power of many, many people. It seemed to me that no one and nothing would destroy me. But how wrong I was!

Initiation is a mandatory ceremony for all who decide to engage in sorcery and sorcery. But from what has been written above, one can easily understand that initiations for those who have received sacred knowledge by inheritance, and for those who do not have this gift, will be different. In the beginning, we will consider the option of initiation for "born of magicians." This example is well described by Paul Hayson in The Art of Witchcraft.

“The initiation ritual should mean the ceremonial request for admission and the subsequent admission of the future member to the coven. This type of ritual is common to all secret societies, and indeed the rituals of most of them have many elements in common. The magical meaning of this ritual lies in the reception of individual consciousness into the collective consciousness of the coven of witches. To the extent that the candidate's individual interests harmonize with the goals and ideals of the coven, to the same degree will he himself be able to draw from the coven's "combined energy reserve." Most of the coven initiations are performed at one of the eight ritual witch meetings. If possible, preferably one of the great gatherings on May Christmas Eve or November Christmas Eve, when the entire group is present. However, initiation ceremonies performed during informal weekly meetings at the Sabbat will be just as legitimate, though less spectacular; depending on the magical orientation of the coven, the initiation ritual and all other ceremonies differ quite significantly. Indeed, as many covens exist, so many varieties of rituals. Some covens follow kabbalistic and hermetic ceremonial rites, while others adhere to the more provocative, overflowing "cult of freedom and love" ceremonies. As supporters of G. 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 covens that turn to the medieval type of communication with the Horned God with all its attributes, and there are those that return to the Celtic foundations, interested in ancient druidic teachings: more like a shaman or sorcerer than like a priest of a solar cult. There are basically two types of initiation ceremonies.

The first type is used by those covens who work "clothed" and focus more on the concentration of knowledge and energies, directing their energy more towards the "male" aspect of the deity. The second type is used by those covens that work naked, directing their energies towards the healing cult and aspects of love, focusing more on the goddess.

You can use any type, as long as you include the elements that you feel best align with the main essence of your coven. The first type of initiation is more similar to the witchcraft cult that existed in medieval Europe. It should take place on one of the eight Sabbats or Esbats, ideally on one of the great gatherings, May Christmas Eve or November Christmas Eve. The idea of initiation rituals in any case is the idea of purification and release of the candidate from worldly ties. This is as necessary as cleaning an object before performing magical actions on it. The first process consists in beating, flogging, which is also a symbol of purification by fire, air, earth and water. The second, performed naked, is based on scourging, flogging, which is also a symbol of purification. However, I want to add that many traditional witches believe that, despite its similarity to late Roman versions of the Greek mysteries, it is more related to the English "private high school" and "spanker's club" traditions than to the art of witchcraft. A beating, symbolic or real, will in no way raise those same feelings of inner purity or spirituality that were directly evoked in a Nordic warrior, a medieval monk, a boy from an English privileged high school, or a naked witch.

“Since the ceremony is performed during the ritual meeting, it goes without saying that the circle must already be drawn and consecrated by the watchtower. If it is indoors, a small ceramic censer should be burning on top of the altar; if it is outdoors, a fire should be burning in the center of the circle. All magical witchcraft tools must be present. Both aspects of strength, male and female, must be invoked. This can be done through the formula "Eko, Eko, Azagak ..." and singing the call to Hertha. Great master should be wearing his horned helmet or animal mask with a torch or candle burning in his crown. He and the rest of the coven stand inside the circle. The candidate must be led by the senior assistant or executor of the northern part of the perimeter, already dressed in a robe, blindfolded and stripped of all metal products / 1 At this point in the ritual, one of the members of the coven, pre-selected, must with the handle or point of 1 sword belonging to the coven, on the chest of the candidate and call him 1 words specially intended for this. The call is pronounced on behalf of the sentinel watchtower in the north of the realm of the elements of the earth. The dialogue might look like this:

Caller: "Where did you come from?"

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

Caller: "Where are you going?"

Candidate: "I'm going east in search of light."

Caller: "Which pass should you bring?"

Candidate: "Perfect love and perfect faith."

Caller: "I, the watchtower of the north, do not allow you to enter. You will not enter this holy place from the north, moreover, you must first be cleansed and sanctified. Who will vouch for you?"

Chief Officer: "I, the Guide of Souls, will vouch."

Caller: "Child of Darkness, approach the watchtower of the north and receive from me the guarantees of death and the blessing of the earth!"

The candidate's hands are tied behind his back with a witch's rope, which is lifted up and tied around his neck, the free end of the rope hanging in front, like a leash or "tow rope". Similarly, a short piece of red rope is tied around his right and left ankles loosely enough, leaving his legs "neither tied nor loose" so that he can move about. A few grains of consecrated salt are sprinkled on his forehead, and a coin is inserted between his lips, symbolizing the earthly pentagram! Then the senior assistant leads the initiate along the entire outer perimeter of the circle in the course of the sun and leads to the shelter in the west. There the coin is removed from his mouth and a similar call is repeated from the western tower. However, in answer to the first question, the candidate must now answer: “From the north, from the gates of death!”

Also, in the text of the caller, instead of the word “north”, the west is now used, ”and the guardian of the west later presents the“ cup of memory ”- a sip of clean water from the cup and performs“ cleansing with water ”- a few drops on the forehead. Then the candidate is again led around the perimeter in a clockwise direction, and he stops in the south, where he is called again, this time by the representative of fire, who, laying flat his sword or ritual knife on the right shoulder of the candidate and fumigating him thrice with Gemunnoz incense, bestows on him strength with the sword and sanctification by fire. At the end, the candidate, brought round to the east of the circle, is hailed by a representative of the air, who, exhaling three times on his head, endows him with the breath of life and the gift of light. Then he removes the blindfold.

The first thing that the candidate should see after removing the bandage is the view of the Grand Master in his flaming mask: Lucifer - the Sun at Midnight. Purified and sanctified by the four elements of wisdom, the candidate is now actually brought into the circle from the north. His hands are untied, the Great Mae-ter extends the blade of his sword or ritual knife to the candidate, who, kneeling before him and placing his right hand on the blade, repeats the words of the ceremonial oath:

This passage uses the workbook of the coven: the Book of Ceremonies (or the Book of Shadows, which we are talking about and as it is called in the covens). The candidate writes their witch name in the registration section and dates it. Some covens also measure the candidate's height and write it next to his name. This is the traditional "measuring" process. Similarly, a drop of the candidate's blood taken with a sterilized needle, or a few hairs from the candidate's head, are either placed in the journal next to their name or hung separately. These are not only two signs of the connection now existing between the candidate and the essence of the coven, but also (and very importantly) it is a direct threat of magical reprisals in case of breaking the oath. The Grand Master must now place his hands on the head of the kneeling candidate, thus blessing his acceptance into the coven. He then invites (beckons) him with a "charged" witchcraft jewel: garter, pendant, bracelet, necklace or ring and welcomes him as a new member. rises from his knees and introduces himself with his witch name to all the other members of the coven in turn. Then the candidate is presented with the working tools of the coven: a sword, a goblet, lamps, etc. Then a feast with pies and wine and the usual ceremonies.

Initiation without clothes

“In this type of ritual, common to covens that practice a variety of goddess-oriented sorcery, the ceremony is performed by the high priest when the candidate is female, by the high priestess when the candidate is male. As in the previous ritual, the circle must be created with the watchtower. A blindfolded candidate at the border of the circle is called by the performer to the edge of the sword or ritual knife and pronounces the password: "Perfect love and perfect faith." The candidate is then pulled into the circle backwards by the performer, who places her left hand around his waist, with his right hand around his neck. Here again the password is given - in the form of a kiss. The gap created by passing into the circle is repaired with a ritual knife, the candidate's hand and ankles are tied with a ritual rope, as in the previous case. He is then led around the circle and presented to the east, south, west, and north watchtowers as a prospective candidate for joining the coven. At this point in the ritual, the work of the goddess about the candidate is taken over by the high priestess. I (Paul Hason. -Note of the author) quote in full the words that are pronounced according to tradition:

“Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who since ancient times has been called among people Artemis, Astarfe, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite and many other names. At my altar, the youth of Lacedaemon make a sacrifice. Once a month, and better if it's under a full moon, meet in a secret place and worship me, the queen of all magic. Assemble there, and those who would like to learn witchcraft, I will teach things hitherto unknown. And you will be free, and as a sign that this will indeed be the case, get naked in your rituals, dance, sing, feast, make music and love. Praise me for the fact that I am a good goddess who gives joy on earth during life, and not "faith; and at the time of death, an inexpressible peace, peace and ecstasy of the goddess will descend upon you. I do not require any sacrifice from you, I am the mother of the living and my love spills over the earth!”

The candidate is still held by the waist, then led around the circle in leaps and south of the altar. After eleven strokes of the small bell have been rung, the performer rewards him or her with a fivefold kiss while reciting the ritual words.

Foot Kissing: "Blessed be your foot that led you on this path."

Kissing the knees: "Blessed be your knees for bowing before the holy altar."

Kissing the penis: "May the organ of offspring be blessed, without which we would not exist."

Kissing the breast: "May your breasts be blessed, perfect in beauty and strength."

Kissing lips: "May your lips be blessed for pronouncing the sacred names."

The candidate then kneels at the altar and is tied with a short leash close to the ring set there, forcing him or her into a bent posture. The legs are also tied together to this point, and he is asked if he will always be "faithful to the art of sorcery". If he answers in the affirmative, a ringing of three, seven, nine, and twenty-one blows is heard, sometimes the candidate is "cleansed" by forty blows of a whip made of rope. After that, he makes the most sincere promise to always help and protect his brothers and sisters in the craft. The candidate is then sworn in; this oath does not differ essentially from the oath considered in the first ritual. The candidate's eyes and legs are then untied; perform a triangular consecration (anointing the penis or vagina, right breast, left breast and again the genital organ, first with ritual oil, then with consecrated wine and finally with lips), calling the candidate a priest or priestess. In conclusion, the hands of the new initiate are untied, he is presented with a working tool. The initiate is kissed at the presentation of each instrument. The initiate is then introduced to the four parts of the world, saluting each by the name of the gods, and introducing the initiate as the new priest or priestess and as the witch. In order to promote a witch in the coven hierarchy and enable her to form her own coven, she is sometimes given a second grade or rank. The only difference between this ritual and the first one is that the candidate contacts, but remains blindfolded, does not pronounce passwords. He is present from the very beginning of the ceremony and sings along with everyone. After taking an oath on "the womb of her mother" (or his mother), the candidate is consecrated with a pentacle instead of a triangle. This includes anointing oil, wine and lips on the penis, right breast, left thigh, right thigh, left breast and penis again. In this order, indeed, an inverted pentagram is obtained. After the new candidate is empowered by the laying on of the hands of the initiate, he is instructed in the use of magical devices and initiated into the mysteries of the sorcery law, used for good or harm, blessing or cursing. After this, the ceremony ends with scourging. The initiate scourges his initiator with three times the number of blows in relation to how many he received, namely one hundred and twenty. He is then presented to the powers of the four cardinal directions as a duly consecrated high priest and sorcerer, or high priestess and queen of the Sabbat ritual meeting, depending on who is initiated. In the second ritual, the movement of the candidate through the four elements refers to the myth of the goddess, where the witch goddess, Andred, Aradia, Habondia (or whatever name you may know her by), descends into world of the dead like Persephone in Hadez or Ishtar in the realm of Ereshkigal, receives the scourging and fivefold kiss of the Horned God of Death (Baphomed) and the subsequent appropriation of power. Sometimes this myth itself is enacted during a sacrament-style initiation ritual, but this is an additional ceremony, the myth itself is implicit in the full initiation ceremony.

As you can see, both rituals have much in common, as well as significant differences, all or any of which can be incorporated into an initiation ceremony by a resourceful practitioner. He also has the right to include any additional symbol in the ritual. As always, it is a matter of individual choice and intuition: what to include and what to remove, what will be the bias of the ritual - knowledge and energy with its hermetic overtones or love and joy with the worship of Dionysius. Design the coven emblems first, and the rest will follow naturally. The central idea to be followed is that of purification and rebirth of the candidate, which is symbolized by putting on a bandage over the eyes and then removing the bandage, binding with a rope to fetter movement and freeing from these fetters, admission into membership of the coven by the leader of the coven and the whole coven.

Witches and Wizards' Clothing

Clothing is the song of the songs of the soul and its external display. The manner of dressing beautifully and comfortably (this is perhaps the main thing!) Is inherent in almost all people. The exception is only a small part of the community, which is not only nice to dress, it is not really necessary to wash. For sorcerers, and especially for witches, clothing is something more - it is part of a daily ritual performed to the glory of the gods. You and I cannot, under any circumstances, while leading (and reading) the Book of Shadows, ignore this important aspect of witchcraft practices. And Paul Hason will help us to open it more widely with his delightful book "The Art of Witchcraft":

“Clothing... This is something that is a contentious issue in the witching world. Many practitioners claim that the most The best way work magic in the traditional way: completely naked. Others are equally traditional, arguing that it is optional and that ritual clothing or capes must be worn. The argument for nudity is that clothing prevents the manifestation of your witchcraft power. I never thought it was completely meaningless. Witchcraft energy is not retained by simple clothing. She walks through walls and traverses vast distances quite freely, so why would a few light robes be such a barrier to her? No, the main reason for nudity is psychological. Nudity bestows a state of liberation from the tension of worldly concerns, sexual inhibition - this is the goal that is achieved by this. Therefore, if you feel that it is the absence of clothes that can set you up to work in a state of mind where your magical will will work better, then you must definitely do the following: close the door. Caution first and foremost! Remember the "peeping mother-in-law."

However, for those who live in cooler climates or who are not attracted to the idea of nude pranks, a cape may be an alternative. At its simplest, it is a long piece of fabulously heavy black material folded in half, with a head hole cut out at the top. The sides are sewn within nine inches of the top, leaving an opening for the arms.

The cape should hang almost to the ground. It is tied with a tie cord. However, many witches and sorcerers prefer more elaborate or more beautiful cloaks of various colors. The cape may be blue, purple, red, gray, or white, often with the addition of a hood or hooded robe draped over the head for greater facelessness during the ritual. You can wear special sandals or leave your feet bare. However, let me give you advice: "When you form a coven, a certain uniformity of dress is desirable." Often, diligent witches have two sets of clothes for the following reason: one dress is uniform for the ritual holidays of Sabbat and Esbat, the other, more individual, for personal use. Your witch name and appropriate insignia may be embroidered on the hem or breast of the cape if you wish, but this is not required. Indeed, the cape itself is not so necessary. It serves only as a psychological support in order to bring your subconscious into an appropriate state.

All rituals and witchcraft activities can be freely performed in ordinary everyday clothes. The disadvantage of ordinary clothes is that you can’t fall and “beat” on the ground in it. One way or another, it's up to you to decide whether to practice witchcraft naked (naked) or dressed in cyber-punk style. As you feel more comfortable, do so. Just remember that the color of clothing is perhaps more important than its cut.

Secret societies. Rites of initiation and dedication to Eliade Mircea

Secret Society and Brotherhood of Men (Männerbund)

Secret society and male brotherhood (M?nnerbund)

Transformation into a superman is possible only through the growth of magical religious power. This is why among the natives of North America we find so many similarities between the initiations associated with the achievement of puberty and the rites of entry into secret societies or shamanistic brotherhoods. The fact is that the goal of each of them is the mastery of sacred power, which is confirmed by the acquisition of one or more Guardian Spirits, witchcraft or strange behavior - like cannibalism. Each time the initiation plays out the same mystery of death followed by resurrection as a being of a higher order. In North America, the influence of shamanism on the scenarios of other initiations is especially noticeable, because the shaman is, first of all, a person endowed with extraordinary abilities, in a certain sense, an example of a religious person. A sorcerer, shaman, mystic is a specialist in the field of the sacred, he is an exemplary example for other people, stimulates their desire to strengthen their magical, religious powers and increase social prestige through new initiations. Perhaps we find here an explanation for the emergence of secret societies and "male unions" not only in North America, but also in the rest of the world.

Morphology of the "Secret Men's Unions" (M?nnerb?nde) is extremely complex, and we cannot dwell on their structure and history 29 . As regards their origin, the most widespread hypothesis is Frobenius, accepted by the historical-cultural school 30 . Secret men's societies, or "Societies of masks", arose in the period of matriarchy; their task was to terrify women into believing that the masks were demons and ancestral spirits, and thereby free themselves from the economic, social and religious superiority of women established by the matriarchy. This hypothesis does not seem to us profound. The Mask Society may have played a role in the struggle for male supremacy, but it is hard to believe that the religious phenomenon of the secret society could have serious consequences for the fate of matriarchy. On the contrary, one can state a very clear connection between the rites of growing up and the trials of initiation into the secret societies of men. Throughout Oceania, for example, initiations of boys and initiations that give access to secret male societies still involve the same ritual of symbolic death by being swallowed by a sea monster, followed by resurrection: this is evidence that all initiation rites historically originated from one center 31 . Similar phenomena are found in West Africa - secret societies are derived from the rites of growing up 32 . And the list of examples could go on 33 .

The socio-religious phenomenon of secret male cults and brotherhoods was especially widespread in Melanesia and Africa 34 . In our previous work, we have given several examples on African material, especially initiation into the secret cult of Ngoua among the Kuta tribes, as well as rites of entry into the secret societies of Manja, Banda and Bakhimba 35 . Let's recall the main ones. In Bakhimba, initiation lasts from two to five years, and the main rite is the death and resurrection of the initiate. The latter is severely scourged, he drinks a narcotic drink, the so-called "drink of death", then one of the old men grabs his arm and circles him around him, and he falls to the ground. Then everyone shouts: “Oh, the name is dead!” - and the initiate is brought into the sacred enclosure, which is called the "yard of the resurrection." There he is undressed, laid naked in a hole dug in the shape of a cross, and left for several days. Having endured various tortures and sworn absolutely everything to secrecy, the neophyte is finally resurrected 36 .

Only clan chiefs are eligible to join the Ngouan Kuga Society. Applicants are beaten with a whip, rubbed with the leaves of burning plants and smeared on the body and hair with vegetable juice that causes unbearable itching. All these ritual tortures are somewhat reminiscent of the dismemberment during the initiation of shaman's disciples, which we will talk about in the next chapter. Another test "consists in the fact that the adept is forced to climb a tree five or six meters high and drink medicine at the top." When he returns to the village, the women greet him with weeping: they mourn him as if he were dead. Among other Kuta tribes, the neophyte is severely beaten in order to “kill” his old name and be able to give him another, new one 37 .

The neophyte learns about the origin of the secret brotherhoods Manja and Banda, who bear the name of Ngakola, from the myth that is told to him at the time of initiation. Once upon a time there lived a monster named Ngakola in the forest. he had a black body covered with long hair. It could kill a person and immediately resurrect him, but more perfect. The monster addressed the people: "Send me people, I will swallow them, and then I will return them to you renewed." Everyone followed his advice, but since Ngakola returned only half of those he swallowed, the people killed him. This myth served as the basis for the rite, in which the sacred flat stone taken from the stomach of Ngakola plays an important role. The neophyte is led into a hut, which symbolizes the body of the monster. Here he hears the gloomy voice of Ngakola, here he is tortured. He is told that he is in the stomach of a monster, which will now begin to digest him. The rest of the newcomers at this time sing in chorus: "Take our insides, Ngakola, take our liver." Having passed the rest of the trials, the neophyte hears the leader of the initiation announce that Ngakola, who has eaten him, is bringing him back 38 .

Similar scenarios exist in West Africa. At the end of the 19th century in the Lower Congo, in connection with the epidemic, the custom appeared to found societies "ndembo" 39 . The death and resurrection of neophytes during the initiation gave reason to think that in the case of incurable diseases, this rite can be effective. In the depths of the forest, a palisade was erected, called "led". Entrance to it was strictly forbidden for the uninitiated. The initiation was preceded by a divine "call". Those wishing to become members of the Ndembo suddenly fell like the dead in crowded places, for example, in the center of the village. They were immediately sent to the forest and taken behind the palisade.

Sometimes in one day up to fifty or a hundred people fell. They were said to have died for "ndembo". The neophytes who settled in the huts behind the palisade were considered dead and began to decompose, so that only one bone remained from each body. Initiates called nganga(those who know) took special care of these bones. The period of isolation could last from three months to three years, during which time the neophyte families brought daily food for the ngang. The neophytes walked naked, as it was believed that in the "vela", that is, in the other world, sin does not exist. (The symbolism of ritual nudity is actually much more complex. On the one hand, there is an idea of paradise, a state of primordial bliss that preceded the emergence of social forms. In addition, funeral symbolism joins here, as well as the idea that the newly born neophyte must share nudity of small children.) Since representatives of both sexes took part in the sacrament, orgies often took place in the "vela", but from the point of view of the neophytes, there was nothing immoral in their behavior. Orgies were part of being in the "other world", where human laws do not apply.

When the neophytes, revered as "resurrected", returned to the village in a whole cortege, they pretended to have forgotten their past. They did not recognize their parents or friends, they could not remember their language, they did not know how to use household items. They allowed themselves to be taught like small children, and imitated childish irresponsibility: they attacked those they met and stole everything that came to hand. "Right to steal" - common feature African secret societies 40 and is part of the socio-religious ideology of "male unions".

According to Bastian, the ritual scenario of such secret brotherhoods is based on the original myth. “In the depths of the forest lived the Great Idol, where no one could see him. When he died, the idolater priests carefully collected his bones to give them new life. They fed these bones until they became flesh and blood.”41 In the rite, the neophytes had to repeat the fate of the Great Idol, the patron of the brotherhood. But the main role in the rite belongs to the idolater priests, that is, the stewards of initiation: it is they who carefully “feed” the bones of neophytes, as they once “fed” the bones of the Great Idol. At the end of the ceremony, it is they who proclaim the return of the neophytes to life - the example of the Great Idol made this possible.

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

So, we see that the rites of entry into secret societies correspond in all respects to tribal initiations: isolation, ritual torture and trials, death and resurrection, obtaining a new name, discovering secret knowledge, learning a special language, etc. Noticeable, however, significant complication of tests. Ritual torture - salient feature Melanesian secret societies and some North American brotherhoods. Thus, the tests that the neophytes of Mandan 42 must pass are famous for their cruelty. In order to understand the meaning of ritual torture, it should be taken into account that suffering has a ritual value: it is assumed that torture is carried out by Superhuman Beings, and its goal is the spiritual awakening of the object of initiation. In addition, the highest suffering is an expression of ritual death. Some severe illness, especially the psychic ones, were seen as a sign that the Superhuman Beings had chosen the patient for initiation: he must be tortured, dismembered and "killed" in order to be resurrected to a higher existence. As we will see later; "ritual illnesses" constitute one of the most important signs of a shamanic vocation. The torture of candidates for secret societies is 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 are undoubtedly an extremely complex social and religious phenomenon. We cannot investigate it in its entirety, for our interest is limited to the analysis of the facts connected with initiation. However, it should be pointed out that the functions of secret societies are not limited to religious tasks. They are at the same time mutual aid societies and function effectively in the social and political life communities. In many religions, secret societies are the last resort to which justice is sought 43 . In some countries, this legal aspect of the activities of secret societies has turned them into an instrument of terror and is sometimes accompanied by extreme cruelty. For example, members of numerous African brotherhoods called "Leopards" or "Lions" ritually identify themselves with these animals and are guilty of many murders and cannibalism 44 .

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Triglav: a principle, but not a male or female deity In a treatise of the 17th century. about the gods of the Lusatian Sorbs A. Frenzel dedicated one of the chapters to a certain Trigla "De Trigla, Dea Poli, Soli Salique" (Commentarius). Perhaps it should be translated not as "Goddess of the fields and earth", but "Goddess of heaven, earth and prosperity." "Fields"

Student communities (fraternities, fraternity) of Americans I've been around for 300 years! The name "brotherhood" reflects the essence of these associations more than just the faceless word "community".

Brotherhoods (and sisterhoods) are an absolutely incredible, special atmosphere of relationships, a real family or even a clan, belonging to which can affect - and does! - on future life college or university graduate.

Becoming a member of a sisterhood or brotherhood means confirming your position in society, declaring to the whole world that you are the best of the best, the color of the nation and, in general, you need to look closely.

The article tells about the history of the creation of student communities in the United States, their traditions, whether cinema stereotypes correspond to the real morals that reign in the fraternities of America.

The history of the emergence of college fraternities in America

The tradition of creating student communities appeared in the United States along with the first universities. They were called "Latin societies", because the abbreviations from Latin letters. The first such organization was the Flat Hat Club (F.H.C.), whose most famous member was the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, although in one of his letters published in November 2010 by The New-York Times, he called membership in the society meaningless.

The other oldest Latin fraternity was the Please Don't Ask (P.D.A.) intellectual elite, several times unsuccessfully tried to break through the future American politician John Hiff.

On December 5, 1776, at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, he created the first "Greek" student society, Phi Betta Kappa, of which he assumed the presidency.

Since then, the use of a combination of two or three Greek letters as the name of communities has been a tradition. In this regard, the phrases "student fraternity" and "Greek society" have become synonymous. Often the abbreviation hides the secret motto of the brotherhood.

The first "sisterhood", called the Adelphic Society (today Alpha Delta Pi), appeared only in mid-nineteenth century, in 1851, at Georgia Wesleyan College. And from the beginning of the twentieth century, many men's societies began to accept women into their ranks. And if initially "sisterhoods" were created as opposed to "brotherhoods", today they sometimes unite, so now the term "brotherhood" is freely used both in relation to organizations of boys and girls.

Rite of passage in student fraternities

To be inducted into a community, one must first be approved by the members of that community. Talented athletes, excellent students, future leaders are those to whom interest is shown. But all these qualities instantly fade if there are no wealthy parents behind the candidate. Who you are and who your family are are the most important criteria for joining the student elite. An important role is played by the ability of a potential candidate to pay membership fees, which range from $ 2,000 per semester and beyond, the amount includes accommodation in a special, “Greek”, hostel and meals.

Becoming a "sister" is somewhat more difficult. In addition to all of the above, a successful candidate must have an attractive appearance.

But back to the rite of passage itself. Each community holds a so-called "hell week" - a hellish week, during which candidates for membership undergo a series of tests. Some of them are quite acceptable: an interview, a demonstration of knowledge of the history of the community, its traditions and values, checking that the candidate meets all the requirements. But among others, there are extremely wild tasks that are more like torture: walk naked around the campus, pour sour milk on yourself, spend the night on the cold floor in the basement in your underwear.

There is a legend that during the initiation into the members of the Yale Skull and Bones community, candidates had to drink blood and tell the audience about their sexual preferences. Cruel rites are considered the most dangerous and frightening part of the "Greek" life, being the cause of terrible incidents, which sometimes even end in death.

So, in 2008, during an initiation into the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, an 18-year-old freshman from California Polytechnic University Carson Starkey died. Carson was forced to drink several bottles of strong alcohol, among which was 95-degree Everclear.

The young man fainted, and the members of the club decided not to take him to the hospital, so as not to incur problems. After the incident, the "brotherhood" was closed. But such stories continue to appear in the American press.

Their Morals: Life in America's Student Fraternities

Over the past few years, the hype around student communities has not subsided in the American media: homophobic, misogynistic and racist antics, cases of hooliganism, alcohol poisoning, beatings, drug trafficking, rape - this, according to Complex correspondent Ian Cervantes, is far from full list what the members of the "Greek houses" repair. Bloomberg News journalists David Glovin and John Hechinger note that since 2005 more than sixty people, mostly students, have died in incidents involving fraternities.

Such incidents have become a constant practice, and the parents of the affected students prefer not to sue the university, but with the society itself. In the early 90s, an association of three student fraternities created the Franternity Risk Management Trust, an insurance fund designed to cover the costs of incoming lawsuits. Today, 33 fraternities work with the foundation.

To control the situation, the communities themselves create certain rules for themselves. For example, on the campuses of most "sisterhoods" it is forbidden to drink alcohol. However, this law is easy to get around by going to a party with the "brothers" in the neighborhood. Also, in 44 states, hazing (in our opinion, hazing) is prohibited at the legislative level in student communities. But ritual humiliations and wild customs still exist, only secretly.

Today, journalists and analysts predict the death of student communities due to a decrease in trust, and many universities are making futile attempts to close them on their territory - usually Greek houses exist independently from universities, being independent organizations, or in the event of another scandal they enlist the support of their influential graduates.

Why is it so important to be in a "brotherhood"

According to The Atlantic journalist Maria Konnikova, 18 of the 44 presidents of the United States were in fraternities. William Howard Taft, Secretary of Defense under Truman Robert Lovett, media tycoon Henry Luce, both Bushes, current Secretary of State John Kerry - all were members of the already mentioned Yale University Skull and Bones Society, and even Jen Psaki, known in Russia for her pearls, studied in that Yale University, was a member of the Chi Omega sorority.

The statistics relating to this issue are, in principle, very tempting - 42% of all US senators and the heads of 85% of large companies in the states were in "brotherhoods".

Professor Alan DeSantis, in his book Inside the Greek W: Brotherhoods, Sisterhoods, and the Pursuit of Pleasure, notes that only 8.5% of US students are in fraternities, and they are the first contenders to rise to the top of power. So who would turn down the opportunity to be among the future political and economic elite?

In the modern view, a member of the community is the ideal student. He is successful in his studies, he attends the loudest parties, participates in organizing the best events at the university, knows interesting people. An image that fits perfectly into the notorious "American dream". Membership in the student community is even indicated in the resume when looking for a job, and the company will be more favorable to such a candidate.

A member of the "Greek house" will never disappear. After all, one of the basic rules of any student society is to “pull up” your own. There are no "former brothers".

Previously on this page was a selection of photos "Where to Sleep for a Poor American Student", published on August 7, 2011. To quote these cool pictures about American and other students once again.