I recall an elderly brother telling me that one time when the Junior Warden handed her the working tools, the energy they held almost knocked her backwards.
I wonder whether brethren have similarly unusual experiences in the ritual
Post by vajranagini on Oct 22, 2010 13:23:31 GMT 9.5
I remember being the deacon at a Gnostic Mass being performed by a priest of the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, and being so RIVETED that I almost forgot to RING THE BELL at the moment when he "elevated" the cake of light! He told me later that he had a habit of holding his breath at that moment until the bell rang, and when I forgot the bell he almost suffocated!
"Truth is the best spiritual practice in this the Black Aeon" Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa
I was once the most recent candidate in Rose Croix and the following few candidates did not show so I finished being the candidate or substitute for 4 ceremonies most of which were pretty ordinary.
The 3rd however was quite different and as I perambulated around the chapter, the centre of the floor opened up like a vortex and I felt quite elevated. Later one of the brethren said I was surrounded by light.
Post by vajranagini on Oct 24, 2010 12:11:39 GMT 9.5
I don't know if this counts as a 'ritual experience", but i had a very ODD Masonic dream back in around 2001.
It started with me 'waking up" in what was clearly a cellar or basement of a building; it had concrete walls and support posts and a few small windows up high on the walls. There was nothing in this chamber except me, and I was lying on the floor in a sleeping bag. I knew I was in the cellar of a Masonic temple, and I was waiting for everyone to leave so I could sneak upstairs and meditate in the temple proper. There was light coming in the window so I knew I had some time to wait yet...so i lay back down and fell asleep...
...when I awoke again, I was in the temple, lying on the checkered floor, again in my sleeping bag, half in and half out of it. I had the impression that I had dome my meditation and had fallen asleep there. I knew I had to get out of there before I was caught, so I was just throwing off the bag when a group of Masons entered in and stopped dead at the sight of me in their temple. One of them pointed and shouted "Hey! What are you doing here!"
I opened my mouth to say something when I felt a TREMENDOUS rush of energy up from the base of my spine and I transformed into a great white serpent from the waist down; I spiraled up towards the ceiling like a rocket! I thought I was going to go THROUGH it! But I was only pressed up against it; it was white stucco, I recall, and I even remember the scratchy rough feeling of it against my skin! Then the power decreased, and I spiraled back down to the floor ans resumed my normal shape.
The brethren were not at all impressed by any of this; I was dragged in front of a sort of hastily convened "Masonic court" and sentenced to DEATH for "profaning the temple". I was not at all dismayed by this; when the "judge" said" you are sentenced to DEATH! I merely nodded agreeably and said "Yes, I understand, it's OK." He looked surprised, and said loudly "Don't you realize you are being sentenced to DEATH!" I again said "Yes, it's all right. No problem; I understand"
They all sat there looking surprised and the dream dissolved at that point. I went back later to try to see if I could get more out of it with 'active meditation" I recalled the dream in as much detail as I could up to the point where it ended...and then the judge actually stood up and leaned over the table, trying to hit me on the head with the gavel he was holding, as if angered by my calm acceptance of his judgement. I dodged the blow, grabbed the gavel out of his hand and bonked HIM on the head with it! That was all I got!
It was not until afterwards that I remembered that being hit on the head with a hammer is part of Masonic ritual! Maybe I should have just let him hit me! I will also remark that I have NEVER been in a Masonic temple, not then, and not to this day!
"Truth is the best spiritual practice in this the Black Aeon" Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa
