Training and Initiatory Path
The Minoan Brotherhood is an initiatory mystery tradition of witchcraft for men who love men. Within Temenos Eromenos in the Netherlands, students are guided through a gradual path of study, ritual practice, mentorship, and spiritual development, preparing them for initiation into the living current of the tradition.
How does training look like?
The Minoan Brotherhood is an initiatory mystery tradition of witchcraft. Its deeper teachings are traditionally transmitted from teacher (Minos) to student, through personal guidance, ritual experience, and lived practice.
Training takes place through mentorship, study, ritual work, and participation in a spiritual brotherhood. The goal of the training is not simply to learn information, but to gradually enter into the living current of the tradition.
The path is structured around several core elements:
Study
Students explore the mythology, symbolism, and philosophy of the Minoan Brotherhood, including Mediterranean myth, magical symbolism and dynamics, and the initiatory worldview of the tradition. Study helps build the intellectual and symbolic foundation needed to understand the Mysteries.
Practice
Spiritual growth within the tradition is rooted in experience. Training therefore includes meditation, visualization, ritual practice, magical techniques, and devotional work. These practices help students develop inner awareness, spiritual sensitivity, and magical discipline.
Initiation
The tradition recognises three degrees of initiation, each marking a deeper relationship between the initiate, the Gods, and the Mysteries of the tradition. Initiation is not automatic; it arises naturally when a student has grown into readiness through study, practice, and participation.
The Three Phases of Training
Training within Temenos Eromenos unfolds in three progressive phases, each designed to introduce students gradually to the spiritual current of the tradition.
Phase One – Orientation and Introduction
The first phase focuses on exploring the basic principles of the Minoan Brotherhood. Students learn foundational meditation and magical practices, and begin to understand the spiritual worldview of the tradition. This phase allows both student and teacher (Minos) to determine whether the path is a good fit.
Phase Two – The Mysteries of the Male Divine
In the second phase, students begin to explore the mysteries of the Divine Son and the sacred nature of male love within the tradition. The symbolism, mythology, and spiritual meaning of male Eros are explored more deeply, together with the spiritual anatomy of the masculine in its archetypal, mythological, and embodied dimensions. At this stage, students also begin participating more actively in ritual work and group gatherings (depending on distance).
Phase Three – The Mysteries of the Goddess
The third phase introduces students to the mysteries of the Great Mother, whose presence forms the living centre of the Minoan spiritual current. Here the balance between masculine and feminine divine forces becomes clearer, and students deepen their understanding of the sacred relationship between the Gods, nature, and the human soul.
Throughout these phases, students gradually become more attuned to the living current of the tradition. The training touches on many aspects of the path, including myth, magic, devotion, divination, ritual, and the spiritual role of the Witch-Priest. Running through our teachings is a clear undercurrent of the Hermetic esoteric tradition.
The Wheel of the Year and the cycles of the Moon form an important part of this training. Seasonal festivals and lunar observances help students align their practice with the rhythms of nature and the sacred calendar of the tradition.
When a student progresses well through these phases, the training may eventually lead to initiation and formal entry into the Minoan Brotherhood. After initiation, the deeper Mysteries of the tradition are gradually revealed within the initiatory lineage.
Duration, Locations, Mentorship, and Costs
Training within Temenos Eromenos is offered in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and can also take place in Halle (Saale), Germany. Students are personally guided by Minos Alexias, who provides mentorship, guidance, and instruction throughout the training process.
One of the principles of the tradition is that spiritual training is not a commercial activity. For this reason, there is no tuition fee or “lesson fee” for the training itself. The role of the Minos is to guide and support students on the path, and he remains available to them for questions, guidance, and spiritual support throughout their development.
Students are, however, responsible for their own personal expenses, which may include:
• acquiring personal ritual tools or study materials
• travel costs for gatherings or meetings
• possible accommodation costs when visiting the Grove
The training itself follows the rhythm of an initiatory path, rather than a fixed course schedule. Traditionally, the preparatory training lasts at least a year and a day, which is a common timeframe in many initiatory traditions of witchcraft. In practice, however, the process often takes longer, as students need time to absorb, practice, and integrate the different aspects of the tradition.
The emphasis is therefore not on speed, but on depth of understanding and genuine personal transformation. Each student progresses at their own pace, guided by experience, practice, and the unfolding relationship with the Mysteries.
In-Person and Long-Distance Training
We offer both in-person training and long-distance mentorship. For students who live further away, online guidance and study are possible, combined with regular in-person meetings and gatherings (depending on distance). While the training can be adapted to individual circumstances, personal contact and shared ritual experience remain an essential part of the path. Initiations are always given in person.
A Path of Transformation
The training of the Minoan Brotherhood is not a quick course or a spiritual hobby. It is a path of transformation, one that unfolds gradually through dedication, experience, and the guidance of the tradition. Those who walk this path do so not only to learn about the Mysteries, but to live them.
