Titles and changes
This is maybe more a personal observation and everyone can certainly think of the topic as they like. Recently, I have read coincidently about amazing titles which are still in use in many secret societies. Besides the normal titles like master, apprentice, etc. there is a diversity of big titles like imperator, monarch, supreme something, noble knight of whatever, etc. These are obviously titles which have the only function to sound impressive to the audience and adulate the bearer of the title. In reality there is no basis for such titles as the whole aristocracy is in main a matter of history and even for those who are still alive the titles have lost their sense.
If you call someone master or apprentice or novice, then you can understand that he is a master in something or a beginner in an art or science. So these titles can still make sense. But even they are parts of history.
When we approach this topic from the other point of view, the idea of brotherhood and all the glorious ideals, than this is the opposite of a separating hierarchy where egos are caressed instead of emphasizing equality among brethren. So indeed these titles are a contradiction to the ideals the societies follow.
A lot of things have changed today and from my point of view a lot of titles have lost their sense and function. Even the normal titles of master, apprentice, novice, etc. have lost their original quality. This happened simply to the fact that all arts and sciences are available in public. Even the so-called occult teachings and secret rituals are available for everyone. And this means that already an “aspirant” or “novice” can know a lot, maybe everything or maybe more than an apprentice or even master. So indeed the former differences do not exist any longer in the original way and the system has to be questioned or better said, it should be adapted to our time.
As a last point regarding titles – Bardon has shown what is all possible and most of the so-called masters or leaders do not even fit into the lower degrees of universal initiation. In fact, Bardon has put the whole idea of being a master to question. How do you want to define a master according to the universal teachings which Bardon presents? However, we are forced to connect the idea of being a master to what has been mastered. So you can be a master of vital energy, of the four elements, of imagination, etc. And besides mastery, you can be an enlightened being, a god-human, a perfect mystic, etc.
In conclusion, from my personal point of view the giving of titles to people today is questionable and outdated as the substance is missing. Titles bring an artificial hierarchy and differentiation in a spiritual community while the core of spirituality is the idea of brotherhood based on divine love. Brothers are equal among each other and there is only the natural hierarchy of spiritual maturity. So we can speak of younger brothers and older brothers. Older brothers can guide younger ones because of their knowledge and experiences. So titles may satisfy the ego or may help to organize functions in a society but a title does not offer something of real or higher value. All progress on the path is a matter of your own effort and maturity and not of the title you have.
Maybe my thoughts can be an inspiration to rethink old structures which might have been useful in former times but do not work any longer today. And certainly it was not my intention to attack or bother those with titles. Everyone should be happy with what he does. I neglect titles and I prefer to be just a brother on the path.
