Difference between revisions of "The Ceremony"

Revision as of 13:09, 29 April 2007

Introduction

A Change In My Life is the first video in which Bree mentions the ceremony that she has been selected to perform. Her videos prior to this one focus on her life as a homeschooler, her platonic friendship with Daniel and the friction between them and her strict Bree's parents. Following this video, the mysterious ceremony becomes one of the major points of interest of the series and triggers a suspenseful chain of events.

Preparation

Bree explains that she must undergo rigorous preparation for the ceremony. She sticks to a special diet, takes iron supplements, receives injections of an undisclosed substance, learns the rare language of Enochian and practices exercises and walking steps with her new helper Lucy. The reasons for these various aspects of her preparation are unclear. Her injections and pills in particular have sparked curiosity in many viewers.

Details of the ceremony

Judging from Bree's accounts of the ceremony, it is held rarely. She and her parents consider it a great honor that she was selected to participate in it. Her parents themselves were not invited to attend, although they do greatly encourage her participation. Not even Bree knows exactly what the ceremony will be like. She imagines she will have to do the walking steps and use her knowledge of Enochian, but other than that she does not know what to expect.

The Staged Ceremony

On October 12th, 2006 a ceremony was held and Bree posted a video soon thereafter happily stating that it had been a success. Daniel had followed her to the site of the ceremony and filmed what he could (see The Ceremony). It was held outdoors at night in a woodsy area and little could be seen clearly besides some dimly lit hooded figures, among them Bree. A few days later Daniel senses that something is amiss, and eventually Bree confesses that this ceremony was not the real one, and that she had been persuaded to lie to him about it. The Order had taken the opportunity to photograph Daniel spying on them, and Bree is remorseful when she finds out.

Suspicious Aspects

Daniel was the first character to voice concern about the ceremony. He was highly suspicious about the information they were withholding from Bree and her parents. Bree's blind trust in her parents and the Order long prevented her from questioning the darker aspects of the ceremony. For instance, no one explained to Bree the significance of any of her preparations. She did not know the contents of the injections, and her own father wouldn't tell her. Her parents were not allowed to attend despite their daughter's participation and despite their rank in the Order (particularly her mother).

The staged ceremony and the pictures secretly taken of Daniel were the last straw in getting Bree and her parents to question the motives and morals of the Order. Bree's parents asked the Deacons to excuse her from participating, but they were unsuccessful. The Deacons insisted that they would not have sufficient time to prepare another person, as the date of the ceremony was approaching. A few days later, Bree saw her parents get taken away by Lucy and one of the Deacons. She ran away with Daniel and is still on the run months later. It is unclear whether the ceremony has been held yet. The Deacons had led everyone to believe that the ceremony was very soon, so it's possible that the date has passed and they had to engage a replacement. Perhaps the ceremony was not time-sensitive at all and they still need Bree for it. Nothing is known for certain.

Another mysterious aspect of the ceremony is the selection process. Bree is honored from the start that she was chosen for the ceremony, but never explains how this happened. She eventually learns from her father that the Order selects a pool of young girls who show "potential" at birth. These children are placed in what they call "protected homes" with adoptive parents from within the Order. When they reach puberty, they single out one to participate. Their criteria has not been revealed, nor their methods for moving the children to "protected homes". One would like to think they are legally adopted, but given the Order's track record of reprehensible methods, it's not unlikely that these babies were forcibly taken or kidnapped from their biological parents.

Other notable details

• In the video Bree The Cookie Monster, as they are rating cookie recipes, P. Monkey holds up the scores "10," "12," and "06." This fueled speculation that Oct. 12th, 2006 would be the date of the ceremony, as it is also the date of Aleister Crowley's birthday, known as Crowleymas.
• In her video The Ceremony Is Tomorrow :), Bree reveals that it will indeed take place on October 12.
• In the video I Completed The Ceremony Bree tells us a little about the ceremony. She has a bandage on her shoulder again, which in prior videos signaled that she had received an injection. This seemed suspicious to many viewers and to Daniel, since she should no longer need shots if the ceremony has indeed been completed. Their suspicions proved to be on the mark, as Bree eventually confesses in I Lied To Daniel.
• There was some confusion among viewers that this ceremony is equivalent or related to the Fall Equinox ritual that Bree mentions in one of her videos. They are two distinct rituals. The Fall Equinox is one of Bree's favorites, and one in which her parents are allowed to participate.

Influences

Given the religious undertones of the series, it is not unlikely that the idea for the ceremony was in part inspired by real-life religious rituals. Some rituals and beliefs that might have influenced the ideas for the ceremony are

Body of Light

According to Crowley, the Body of Light is not only used for astral travel--but in fact is the storehouse of all experiences. (From Magick Without Tears, Ch. 81):

In Magick, on the contrary, one passes through the veil of the exterior world (which, as in Yoga, but in another sense, becomes "unreal" by comparison as one passes beyond) one creates a subtle body (instrument is a better term) called the body of Light; this one develops and controls; It gains new powers as one progresses, usually by means of what is called "initiation:" finally, one carries on almost one's whole life in this Body of Light, and achieves in its own way the mastery of the Universe.

Gnostic Mass

Aleister Crowley wrote The Gnostic Mass—technically called Liber XV or "Book 15"—in 1913 while travelling in Moscow. In many ways it is similar in structure to the Mass of the Roman Catholic Church. However, the comparison ends there, as the Gnostic Mass is a celebration of the principles of Thelema. The ceremony calls for five officers: a priest, a priestess, a deacon, and two acolytes, called “children”. The end of the ritual culminates in the consummation of the Eucharist, which is a glass of wine and the host, called a Cake of Light, after which the congregate proclaims “There is no part of me that is not of the gods!”

It is the central rite of Ordo Templi Orientis and its ecclesiastical arm, Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica.

External Links

• Wikipedia article on Body of Light
• Wikipedia article on The Gnostic Mass
• Hermetic.com article on The Gnostic Mass