All oaths connected with the occult Hierarchy may be divided into two groups:

1. The Oath of Initiation, in which the initiate binds himself by the most solemn pledges never to reveal, on pain of summary punishment, any occult secret, or to express in words outside the Initiation Hall that which has been committed to his keeping.
2. The Oath of Office, administered when any member of the Lodge takes a specific post in Hierarchical work. This oath deals with his functions and with his relations to

1. The Lord of the World,
2. His immediate superior,
3. His fellow workers in the Lodge,
4. The world of men whom he is to serve.

The Oath of Initiation, with which we are dealing now, is divided into three sections, and is administered by the Hierophant to the initiate, being repeated after the Initiator [147] phrase by phrase; it is punctuated at various points by the chanting, by initiates of the same degree, of words in Sensa equivalent to "So let it be."

The three divisions of the oath may be roughly described as:

It might here be noted that each section of the oath really concerns one of the three aspects of divine manifestation, and as the initiate takes his pledge, one of the three Heads of Departments collaborates with the Initiator in the work of administration. In this way energy of a triple nature becomes available according to the different sections of the oath taken. This energy flows down from the three major rays, through the Hierophant and the corresponding departmental head at the first two initiations, to the initiate, via the group of initiates of the same degree, so that each initiation is a means of stimulation and expansion to all. At the final five initiations the force flows via the three Buddhas of Activity instead of the departmental heads.

It might be of interest to point out here that during this part of the ceremony the group is bathed in color, corresponding to the type of energy and its originating planetary scheme, and it is the work of the Initiator to put the initiate in touch with this energy. This pours down upon the group from the moment that segregation has been effected, and is brought about by the Initiator using certain words and elevating his Rod of Power. The three Buddhas of Activity, who are the great energy centers upon our planet, then touch the tip of the Rod with their staffs of office, a certain mystic Word is jointly uttered by them, and the downpour begins, continuing to the end of the ceremony.