Is Masonry universal?

[paul]

We are told that Masonry is universally spread across the Earth but that is not obvious.

Firstly 70% of the Earth surface is water and perhaps half of the land mass is scarcely inhabited being too inhospitable.

So perhaps "universally spread" does not refer to geography.

What about universally spread throughout humanity?

That is a bit tricky too. English-speaking Masonry generally excludes women, and may exclude those who do not have a holy book e.g. Deists and those from oral religious traditions - unless of course they are willing to swear on the holy book of another.

Also, applicants that do not relate to the word "God" or to the idea of revelation may well not be accepted. They may consciously experience the flow of Existence but if they are not willing to use the concept of a Divine Being, they may well be excluded.

So what do we mean when we say Masonry is universally spread over the surface of the Earth?

[LorrB]

Synchronicity... I just started a thread on the Causal Body - The Temple of the Soul

Everybody has a soul ? .. so temple building is universal.

Our personality is a stone in the Temple of the Soul ?

[paul]

So the term "universal" is not a reference either to geography or humanity?

But it is tricky to assert that every (human) body has a soul. If the soul enters the system sometime before birth, perhaps it can exit some time before death.

[LorrB]

My dying friend appeared to me exactly 24 hours before she died, but I don't know if that was her soul or not.

I do believe that sometimes the personality leaves the body before death and mischievous spirits take over the weakened vehicle. ie The nice little old lady nearing death and who suddenly swears like a trooper and rants and raves, demonstrating a personality never shown during a long life.

[paul]

>nice little old lady nearing death and who suddenly swears like a trooper

We had one such. Very polite and well-behaved until quite elderly when she reverted to behaviour learned during her WW2 service. I understand that process to be that the higher parts have departed leaving the nature spirits of the lower chakras to their own devices.

[mgc]

universal law is equally spread.
does masonry follow universal law?

[paul]

The "universal law" has yet to be observed at a physical level, indeed quantum mechanics allow the laws of physics to be broken at the macro level.

On the other hand the aetheric flow has been observed and that may well be universal.

Is there still yet a higher universality? There might be, and perhaps that can be observed in the context of the Great Architect of the Universe.