A note for Students (on the nature and methods of this lineage)

 

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

 

The student phase, three months from the time of first contact, is something of a time of winnowing, where the student gets time to think and read, and we have a chance to get to know the applicant. Not all proceed after this stage, but that is the point, since to proceed beyond this point and then voluntarily withdraw is a bar to re-entry into the Order.

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One important aspect of the student grade is that passing gives the right to be proven. This is not a matter of pass or fail, but is  to gauge the students current understanding and their willingness to work. Nobody is expected to know it all before they even start, but a good grounding in the language of the Order is necessary and expected.

 

Those students who complete the examination, demonstrate a certain amount of sincerity and may be invited to take the oath of a Probationer. It is here that the challenges really begin. At this point we really get to know the student, and they their supervisor. At this stage any points of potential friction may emerge, it is best to consider these as rough spots requiring work if the individual intends to work under a supervisor, so they should be considered points of potential growth rather than flaws or irreconcilable differences. When polishing steel it is the rough spots that first stand out to the polisher. 

 

The student has only one task: to study the reading list. Probationers must keep a journal but may do any practices they see fit in addition to their formal tasks, and no more than this will be asked of them. Neophytes are held to higher standards still and their work is both more complex and demanding, as is fitting for those who may be asked to take on Probationers and carry the Order to the next generation. Leniency in matters of quality are to the detriment of the whole Order, not least the candidate him or herself.

 

Aspirants of whatever grade are expected to know their tasks and be self-directed from the start, although each can confer with a supervisor should the need for clarity arise.

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Should this seem overly strict, know that while the bars for advancement are firm, the way these are approached is entirely down to the student. Whilst the fundamentals must be known in order to assist those who follow after, how you approach your own path is between you and the nameless One who is your real teacher.

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