Urge to look into Freemasonry

[Mason]

I must apologize, as my work browser is not allowing me to use the quote feature...

 

I am still with the Blue Lodge, in which I will stay in until I make my way entirely through the officer chairs (not a requirement at all, just personal choice). When I am finished, I will more than likely join the Scottish Rite. The biggest difference is that the Blue Lodge consists of the first three degrees in Freemasonry, ending with the Master Mason's degree. Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing "higher" than the Master Mason degree.

 

Scottish Rite, York Rite, and the Shrine are appendant bodies of Freemasonry, or groups that expand on the teachings of the first three degrees. Scottish Rite is focused on mysticism and esoteric studies, York Rite is more about divinity and deeper understanding of the Blue Lodge (in some countries, they are combined), and the Shrine is all about charity and being social. Even though these bodies have additional degrees, nothing is higher than the third degree.

 

Think of it as a college, where some people are really into being social so they join fraternities, others are really into music so they join a band, and still others spend all their spare time studying. Just because they are into different things and find different outlets for their passions, they are still just students at the college.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Mason

[manitou]

So it's possible to have Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite framework at the same location / lodge?  Or would you physically have to go to a different location, a different lodge, to participate in the Scottish Rites?

[Mason]

It is more than possible and happens all the time, especially in rural areas, where you might have three Blue Lodges, Scottish Rite, and York Rite in the same building - only on different days.

[manitou]

If you don't mind me asking, how does ego fit into this hierarchy?  Is the division by strata something that is discouraged from the very beginning?  Of course, this is something that would be worked out as much as humanly possible by the higher degrees -  and yet certainly the diminishing of the ego must be something that must be emphasized at some point.  Do the earlier ceremonies try to accomplish this?  Am I remembering one about handing over all your metal and being asked what you have to say - or something like that.  (I think I know the answer to that one...)

[Nungali]

I found a pic of that Royal Arch Temple I went to ;

 

 

 

 

 

What really surprised me (even shocked me) is they thought I was there as I wanted to rent it out ...  they said they rented it out for functions ! 

[Nungali]

I just thought of something.

 

If I recall, in Pike's book on the 32 degrees of Freemasonry, I seem to recall that there was one degree which emphasized being underground - perhaps a particular ceremony which symbolized being under the earth, in death.  I think it was one of the beginning degrees, not sure.

 

'Underground' ?  Hmmmm .   Death ( 3rd degeree)  is certainly part of the set of rites and there is usually a part where the candidate acts dead, he may be on the floor of a temple, his body thrown away (into a significant location), put in an coffin, etc.   Being underground would do it. Some get buried. The earliest evidence of such rites seems to suggest caves were used for this and other parts of the ceremonies. 

 

 

It occurs to me how very similar this is to the entering of a dirt coffin, as in the Castaneda series of books.  I remember way back when Joe and I were first starting on that path, we went into the wilderness and lay down in dirt coffins - a hole under the ground large enough to get into - and preferably it has roots coming down and hitting you in the face, and a few spiders just for effect.  

 

One method we experimented with was a reading (and the candidate visualizing ) a chapter from Normandy Ellis' transliteration of the  Egyptian 'Book of the Dead'.  Its a powerful passage that continues on to the 'resurrection' stage. (I also used it for an 'oration' at a friends funeral, afterwards many asked its origin and expressed how apt and beautiful it was.

 

'Entering truth' I think the chapter is called. 

 

No doubt this is the same dynamic that is alluded to in Christianity, during baptism.  

 

? In a way .... the baptism can be seen as the 'raising' ... or even the new beginning ( the 1st degree or stage ) . However 'lustration' when water is used, is often related to the first stage, the second often uses oil and is an anointing and consecration. Fire is often associated with death ... a purging  and the next raising, resurrection, transformation relates to light.  But its all a cycle, the first stage can start with the revealing of light as well.

 

 

 I think the scariness of being under the earth (or a spooky ceremony) would have everlasting effect.  It was very effective for us, and we both felt somehow changed after doing it.

 

Oh yeah, gotta be 'scary'   ... at least have an 'emotive' content, or maybe I should say a psychological content, if the idea is change .  That is the whole idea of 'dramatic ritual' ; usually the candidate, or initiate plays the part of the God or hero, as in a mystery play *  but often in a rite ( and hence the ideal of secrecy and 'unknown rites' ) the initiate does not know the script.

 

A good rite uses all the keys and triggers to make an impact;  oration, song ,  poetry,  color form shape, regalia and furnishings, all symbolic of the work at hand ,  type of incense even, music, a knowledge lecture, special movements, etc, so all the faculties are stimulated

 

Some take it to a level of virtual assault on the senses - like some of the Tibetan stuff I went to . 

 

* The series of mystery plays we did was fantastic, and there were extra benefits from doing the same one's each year as they were a cycle of planetary plays - one could play the God or the hero or also another of the actors. They were all based on astrological or mythological themes, so you could play out the aspects of your own or other astrology, also the astrology changes during each rite, so you can follow the thread by acting those roles in each rite and see the development of the energy.

 

Like the rituals, you can read them and get some experience, but nothing is like the actual experience of partaking .... if you want to know what a mango really tastes like ....

Edited September 5, 2015 by Nungali

[Nungali]

I must apologize, as my work browser is not allowing me to use the quote feature...

 

I am still with the Blue Lodge, in which I will stay in until I make my way entirely through the officer chairs (not a requirement at all, just personal choice). When I am finished, I will more than likely join the Scottish Rite. The biggest difference is that the Blue Lodge consists of the first three degrees in Freemasonry, ending with the Master Mason's degree. Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing "higher" than the Master Mason degree.

 

So, is the Master of the highest Blue Lodges still a 3rd degree ?  

[Mason]

So, is the Master of the highest Blue Lodges still a 3rd degree ?

Each Blue lodge is on the same level, and in most jurisdictions the Master of a Blue Lodge is required to be a 3rd degree Mason. The same goes with the Grand Lodge. In the U.S., each state is its own jurisdiction, which is governed by its Grand Lodge. There is no higher authority than a Grand Lodge in Freemasonry.

 

FYI: Nothing I have told you all is a secret and can be found online (for example - http://dcgrandlodge.org and http://scottishrite.org).

[Mason]

I would also suggest that you guys use the Freemasonry subreddit, which is full of guys with much more knowledge than I have.

 

http://reddit.com/r/freemasonry

[manitou]

'

 

 

 

 

One method we experimented with was a reading (and the candidate visualizing ) a chapter from Normandy Ellis' transliteration of the  Egyptian 'Book of the Dead'.  Its a powerful passage that continues on to the 'resurrection' stage. (I also used it for an 'oration' at a friends funeral, afterwards many asked its origin and expressed how apt and beautiful it was.

 

 

It doesn't get much better than the Egyptian Book of the Dead

 

 

'

ll.

 

 

 

Oh yeah, gotta be 'scary'   ... at least have an 'emotive' content, or maybe I should say a psychological content, if the idea is change .  That is the whole idea of 'dramatic ritual' ; usually the candidate, or initiate plays the part of the God or hero, as in a mystery play *  but often in a rite ( and hence the ideal of secrecy and 'unknown rites' ) the initiate does not know the script.

 

A good rite uses all the keys and triggers to make an impact;  oration, song ,  poetry,  color form shape, regalia and furnishings, all symbolic of the work at hand ,  type of incense even, music, a knowledge lecture, special movements, etc, so all the faculties are stimulated

 

 

My husband and I have been known to do shamanic ceremony.  It seems that there is something magical about bringing the metaphysical into the physical.  I often equate it to when the Nazarene said to return to the mind of a child.  There is so little different than play-acting as kids.  I use anything that will symbolize the problem, and then the actions that symbolize the solution.  Very powerful.

 

Once we had a lady burn the clothes of her deceased sister in ceremony.  She was laying on the ground at a campground, face down on the earth, when about 60 crows showed up and started screaming.  Things like this happen when you're working with intent.  The problem is in telling anybody about it.  It never makes any sense at all to anyone other than those intimately involved in the ceremony.  Like Castaneda's don Juan said, "Don't indulge in the results".  Just know that it happened, and then life goes on, lol.

 

Reading the Pike book with very long eyes enables one to see the dynamics of the death and the further intentional stripping of undesirable personality traits, resulting in the emerging One.  What a fabulous work.

[noonespecial]

I just thought of something.

 

If I recall, in Pike's book on the 32 degrees of Freemasonry, I seem to recall that there was one degree which emphasized being underground - perhaps a particular ceremony which symbolized being under the earth, in death.  I think it was one of the beginning degrees, not sure.

 

It occurs to me how very similar this is to the entering of a dirt coffin, as in the Castaneda series of books.  I remember way back when Joe and I were first starting on that path, we went into the wilderness and lay down in dirt coffins - a hole under the ground large enough to get into - and preferably it has roots coming down and hitting you in the face, and a few spiders just for effect.  

 

No doubt this is the same dynamic that is alluded to in Christianity, during baptism.    I think the scariness of being under the earth (or a spooky ceremony) would have everlasting effect.  It was very effective for us, and we both felt somehow changed after doing it.

 

Mason - are you Blue Lodge, or are you within the Scottish Rites?  What is the difference between the two?

 

Agreed, its ultimately about facing the dear of death. I doubt Freemasonry accomplishes this, obviously these guys are not going to kill you, on the other hand, going to Peru for an Ayahuasca trip.

[noonespecial]

I found a pic of that Royal Arch Temple I went to ;

 

 

 

The irony of a bunch of old white guys playing pretend Egpytian lol.

[rex]

I've been on a public tour of the Masonic Grand Temple in London and it was really informative. So if anyone's visiting London and is interested:

http://www.freemasonry.london.museum/tours/

[Nungali]

The irony of a bunch of old white guys playing pretend Egpytian lol.

 

The 'irony' of this beautiful Lodge just sitting there empty !   I think they had less than a dozen members and  had no one interested in years ! 

 

They seemed confused by my interest , sparked up a bit as they thought I was a Freemason inquiring about joining them. I just happened to turn up when 3 of them were there,filing or cleaning or doing something with the records,  They all seemed very elderly  and a bit shaky . 

 

However, as far as 'playing pretend Egypt' goes .... its a fav pastime of mine      [ seeings as ,  who knows what the ancient Egyptians really did or thought  ( I mean ancient , like in the Old Kingdom , and to an extent , in later times ) ]  both, being involved myself and the fascination I have with  the 'Victorian gentleman's' emulation of 'Egyptian Mysteries' and its influx into western occultism. .  

Edited September 5, 2015 by Nungali

[Basil]

One of my employees is the master of his lodge.  I have had lots of discussions about Freemasonry and the different lodges.  It seems to me from what he has said that a lot of what will determine one's experience is 1) which lodge they join and 2) what they put into it.  If you're looking for a social club, that's what you'll get.  If you're looking for more, you might just find something meaningful.  I am not a Mason so this is all just my impression from conversations.

[idiot_stimpy]

Received my information pack in the mail. Is very interesting. 

[manitou]

Anything further in there that we can pretend that we know what we're talking about?

[MooNiNite]

I've been on a public tour of the Masonic Grand Temple in London and it was really informative. So if anyone's visiting London and is interested:

http://www.freemasonry.london.museum/tours/

 

I also did this. It was a lot of fun! Really impressive building!

 

At one point, I pretended to be a journalist and asked a few of the masons questions about their rituals. They basically told me that they were "role-playing" and it was like an act. I think they clearly just didn't want to tell me that they believe in magic haha.

[rex]

I also did this. It was a lot of fun! Really impressive building!

 

At one point, I pretended to be a journalist and asked a few of the masons questions about their rituals. They basically told me that they were "role-playing" and it was like an act. I think they clearly just didn't want to tell me that they believe in magic haha.

 

It's certainly an amazing place! Now when watching films or dramas I occasionally recognise the location.

 

I liked the vibe of the masons hanging around - experienced capable men of the world who were courteous and dedicated to something beyond themselves.

[Mason]

I also did this. It was a lot of fun! Really impressive building!

 

At one point, I pretended to be a journalist and asked a few of the masons questions about their rituals. They basically told me that they were "role-playing" and it was like an act. I think they clearly just didn't want to tell me that they believe in magic haha.

They didn't say anything about the goat, did they?

[Mason]

One of my employees is the master of his lodge. I have had lots of discussions about Freemasonry and the different lodges. It seems to me from what he has said that a lot of what will determine one's experience is 1) which lodge they join and 2) what they put into it. If you're looking for a social club, that's what you'll get. If you're looking for more, you might just find something meaningful. I am not a Mason so this is all just my impression from conversations.

That is extremely true. Each lodge is very unique, representing the values of the members.

[Mason]

By the way.. You don't have to pretend to be a journalist or a would-be tenant. Most Masons are more than happy to talk about their lodge, lodge building, and personal experiences.

[Nungali]

yes, the Guide at the Sydney Lodge (the one that looks like a huge concrete UFO ! )  was  more  than happy ... overjoyed actually .... at the end  ( a one person tour ... he said he had done two last week! )  he gave me a large pic of all the members posed in regalia and pointed himself out "That's me "  he told me ... then he got a red pen and drew a large red circle around his head in the picture and said "That one ... there, so you will remember which one I am ." 

 

Ummmmmmmm   thanks  

 

 

By the way .... that goat joke is soooooo lame ... even we dont make it  

 

We know what you get up to ....

 

 

Edited September 8, 2015 by Nungali

[Nungali]

hang on ....

 

< tilts camera up a bit >

 

 

 

[gendao]

Agreed, its ultimately about facing the dear of death. I doubt Freemasonry accomplishes this, obviously these guys are not going to kill you, on the other hand, going to Peru for an Ayahuasca trip.

Right, it sounds like they may ritually simulate the Campbellian Journey, like going underground (crossing the first threshold into the subconscious) and the death experience, etc.  Nothing new here. 

Except, this process normally happens spontaneously in real life, not in a contrived fashion.  And I don't know that you can convincingly replicate an organic, authentic experience.