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Post by paul on Jun 22, 2014 7:21:04 GMT 9.5
"The most valuable tenets of Freemasonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses..."
What can that mean?
We are told that means "virtue, morality and brotherly love" but that seems illogical.
Why would such qualities be comprehended between the points of the compasses? Why not comprehended in the lodge or in the home or in the heart? Why require the compasses? Why not use a square?
So what is veiled by the allegory of the compasses? How would what is veiled assist in comprehending the most valuable tenets of Masonry?
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Post by sammy on Jun 23, 2014 0:01:19 GMT 9.5
"The most valuable tenets of Freemasonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses..." What can that mean?
That's a curvy one for sure.
To start what does "between the points" mean? The directions other then the one your going? Is it implying in all directional points NSEW, or just NS and EW?
Assuming This means other then the direction your going, I could associate that to aspects of life. If you are too focused in what your doing you miss out on your left, right, and sometimes even behind, making it much harder to find your way back to earlier moments you have crossed.
Like with a family or friends someone might miss out on moments of joy and connection because of their chosen focus, weakening a needed connection to others in themselves.
Another way to see it is like going to a wilderness of great beauty(like the redwoods), and not looking to the left, right, or above the path and simply watching where each step lands after then next along the way. Not much is gained from this effort other then maybe some exercise, but you might as well buy a treadmill and save the gas if your not gonna enjoy the walk.
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Post by LorrB on Jun 23, 2014 8:17:49 GMT 9.5
"The most valuable tenets of Freemasonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses..." What can that mean? We are told that means "virtue, morality and brotherly love" but that seems illogical. Why would such qualities be comprehended between the points of the compasses? Why not comprehended in the lodge or in the home or in the heart? Why require the compasses? Why not use a square? So what is veiled by the allegory of the compasses? How would what is veiled assist in comprehending the most valuable tenets of Masonry? I take 'between the points of the compasses' to be referring to consciousness/s. Comprehension is an interesting word, it can contract and expand according to the mind set of the person involved eg some people cannot understand the importance of a lot of what is reported in the newspapers. If it happens 'over there' it is not important to us, they think.. However someone who understands that everything is connected some way or the other might be much more concerned about what is going on 'over there'. Compass points can be moved (!) and the angle can be expanded or contracted, and I take them to refer to the non physical parts of ourselves. Squares refer to the physical world. So the valuable tenets/principles of Freemasonry refer to the non physical and one must advance in that sphere to be able to understand better the clues to the symbols and allegories of all world religions and mysteries? That is my best shot
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Post by paul on Jun 23, 2014 8:36:33 GMT 9.5
>I take 'between the points of the compasses' to be referring to consciousness/s.
In which case the Point within the Circle might be a better symbol.
Perhaps like all the working tools, the compasses are a case of illustration by symbol.
A symbol needs to have some isomorphic relation to the reality otherwise it is an emblem. (Just as a TV antenna has the right proportions to resonate with the TV signal)
What with reality could the compasses have an isomorphic relationship?
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Post by respicefinem on Jul 4, 2014 18:54:30 GMT 9.5
I'm not a "mason" as you are probably aware, however my understanding would be that as the points between lets say the expanding compass would be a representation of the cognitive expansion of the mind and it's awareness and ability to perceive knowladge and light on an equal par.. so for example the shorter distance between the compass points would show a lesser capacity on the individual maybe ...just my humble assumption/interpretation
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Post by paul on Jul 4, 2014 19:02:47 GMT 9.5
>the expanding compass would be a representation of the cognitive expansion of the mind In my view the compasses are a bit more universal - being a physical structure that resonates with some cosmic flows. Here is a mixed historical and metaphysical image
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Post by respicefinem on Jul 4, 2014 19:18:01 GMT 9.5
that is one of my favorite images, very profound
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2014 19:21:20 GMT 9.5
>In my view the compasses are a bit more universal - being a physical structure that resonates with some cosmic flows. Do you relate this to 'words' spoken?
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Post by paul on Jul 4, 2014 19:26:01 GMT 9.5
The ritual says something like: The most valuable tenets of Masonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses
This has several levels of meaning, the most obvious being that the compasses at that time are extending across the heart of the candidate.
But as Blake's image above indicates, there are more uses and aspects than that.
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Post by LorrB on Jul 7, 2014 14:43:51 GMT 9.5
>I take 'between the points of the compasses' to be referring to consciousness/s. In which case the Point within the Circle might be a better symbol. One leg of the compasses is the point within the circle ...
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Post by paul on Jul 7, 2014 14:45:51 GMT 9.5
>One leg of the compasses is the point within the circle ...
And what of the point within the triangle (2nd principal) and the point within the square?
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Post by paul on Oct 21, 2016 9:59:39 GMT 9.5
"The most valuable tenets of Freemasonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses..."
Part of this becomes clearer if we consider how the square and compasses are arranged on the VSL in a Scottish lodge.
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Post by fjrogers on Nov 12, 2016 15:03:46 GMT 9.5
> "The most valuable tenets of Freemasonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses..."
In broad terms: Building the temple in the heavens Working in service to humanity Working to the glory of God
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Post by paul on Nov 12, 2016 17:11:28 GMT 9.5
>The most valuable tenets of Freemasonry are comprehended between the points of the compasses.
Does this have a meaning for compasses used outside of the ritual?
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Post by fjrogers on Nov 13, 2016 10:36:19 GMT 9.5
> Does this have a meaning for compasses used outside of the ritual?
I'd say it could be applied outside of the ritual.
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Post by paul on Nov 13, 2016 11:28:13 GMT 9.5
So are there any "valuable tenets" that would appear within the points of a pair of compasses in a non-ritual context?
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Post by fjrogers on Nov 13, 2016 13:57:50 GMT 9.5
I suppose one other valuable tenet could be 'faith and trust in the self and humanity'. One can live and practice those "valuable tenets" without being initiated into masonry. www.sacred-texts.com/mas/gar/gar32.htmOne needs to have faith in the divine goodness of humanity, which despite appearances, is at the centre of all people. The ability to see through appearances and solve problems is a very lofty quality.
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Post by paul on Nov 13, 2016 16:59:45 GMT 9.5
I was thinking more in terms of playing with compasses and seeing what could be detected.
For those without compasses, you can make your own by taking 2 all steel knives from your cutlery drawer, and using a rubber band to hold them together about an inch from the end of the handles.
Open the compasses about 30 degrees and rotate them on a flat surface until they feel happiest. Then alter the angle of opening until they feel happiest.
What direction and what angle?
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Post by paul on Nov 13, 2016 19:32:21 GMT 9.5
Bode's Law points out the regular pattern in the orbital radii of the planets in this solar system. The difficulty is that the solar system is constantly perturbed by incoming comets etc. Thus for Bode's Law to hold for any great period it is necessary that someone repeatedly readjusts the solar system. www.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/astro201/bodes_law.htm
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Post by paul on Nov 14, 2016 7:58:06 GMT 9.5
For those without compasses, you can make your own by taking 2 all steel knives from your cutlery drawer, and using a rubber band to hold them together about an inch from the end of the handles. Open the compasses about 30 degrees and rotate them on a flat surface until they feel happiest. Then alter the angle of opening until they feel happiest. What direction and what angle? After you have done this, with the compasses in their happiest position, try moving your finger around the compasses but not touching them. Then move your finger into the angle they make. What happens in your body? Why?
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