There is quite an interesting discussion to be had I feel in terms of indigenous initiatory experiences, which are designed to pass the initiate first through a “liminal” state of consciousness, often terrifying, in order to enable them to reach a greatly expanded state of consciousness and thus world view, and the initiations of both secret and not-so secret groups such as the Freemasons, Skulls and Bones, and army, university and other societies. I guess you could also throw in the initiations of occult magical groups as well, which are maybe a third form of initiation.
I see these initiations as different. In some instances the initiation is more ritual, in order to instil in the initiate a sense of brotherhood, secrecy and elitism. In other instances, especially the indigenous, the experience takes one into such different realms of consciousness and being, that there is simply no point in trying to use language which is such an inadequate form of communication in trying to articulate that which is perhaps luminous, or far beyond words, duality, and time and space.
There are many degrees of Freemasonary, and I am sure, secret groups within it too. Who knows ay?
But yeah, I guess I thought it would be good to point out the many different forms of initiation, from drunken student tomfoolery, to ritual, to the sacred.
I guess therefore some things are secret for different reasons, i) as people would not approve if these secrets were known, ii) because these secrets are “noble” and should not be made known to non-initiates who may not know how to handle the secrets, and iii) because there is no point in a non-initiate “knowing” as they simply can’t know in the same way that the initiate can.
