What is initiation?

The English word “initiation” comes from the English root “initial” defined in the dictionary as meaning the beginning of something, “occurring at the beginning; first: the initial step in a process.” It is not that at initiation, a spiritual name is given, one has a guru, has passed an examination of sorts, is formally admitted into ISKCON, and that’s the end. No, rather it is, as Webster intimates, a first step in the usually lengthy journey Back to Godhead.