Question
What is Dīkṣā (दीक्षा)?
Answer
So can I initiate myself, if possible how?
NO.
See what Lord Shiva says on this:
VinA dikshAm na mokshah syAttaduktam shivashasane |
SA cha na syAdvinAchArjya mityAchArjyaparamparA ||
Without initiation (VinA dikshAm) there is no liberation- this has been laid down by the Lord. And, initiation can not be there without a Teacher (VinA AchAryajya). Hence it comes down the line of Teachers- Parampara.
TasmAt siddhantam samprApya sampradAyAdihetubhih |
AntarenopodeshtAram mantrAh syur nishphalA yatah ||
Without a Teacher, all philosophy, traditional knowledge, Mantras are fruitless.
KulArnava Tantram Chapter 14, Verses 3,4.
So, obviously the Guru is very much needed in DikshA.
UPDATE:
In chapter 17 of KulArnava Tantram Lord Shiva gives Nirukti-like (etymological) definitions of several Tantrik terminologies. For DikshA the Nirukti given is as follows:
DivyabhAba pradAnAccha kshAlanAt kalmashasya cha |
Diksheti kathitA sadvirbhava bandha vimochani ||Because it gives the godly state of being (DivyabhAva), washes away (KshAlanAt) the sin and releases from the bonds of worldly existence, it is called DikshA.
KulArnava Tantram 17.51
Also, there are several types of DikshAs. If i am to include all those details here, it would make the answer very long.
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