As a part of the York Rite, Blue Lodge Masonry in this country (USA)predominately draws from and expounds upon allegories and symbolic interpretations taken from the spiritual and religious traditions of the Christian and Jewish faiths. The Scottish Rite, however, seeks to include wisdom from a more universal foundation for its teachings, and so reaches out and draws from a much wider base of spiritual beliefs and traditions. There is one sacred tradition which has existed throughout recorded time and which is largely ignored by Masonic writers, primarily due I believe to the residual effects of the fierce persecution from the Catholic and other Christian churches which used this spiritual path as a target of direct opposition. That ancient spiritual path is Paganism.
Paganism differs from “established” religions in one key position; that being the lack of a specific individual prophet who received a “revealed” and “unalterable” set of rules from God.
I am not sure the word "pagan" is particularly useful in that text - a pagan merely being a peasant.
Masonry is already based upon the movement of the Sun and stars. For example, at the opening the 3 principal officers are linked to the Sun positions during the day. (Why the emphasis upon the Sun?)
And of course LDH commonly celebrates the Sts John in summer and winter solstices. (Why the two Johns?)
And how did the position in the North come to be vacant?
And what of all these stars in the lodge? They are clearly not zodiacal (except in some higher degrees). Why not?
I am not sure the word "pagan" is particularly useful in that text - a pagan merely being a peasant.
Ooh this is a goody... love these sorts of thought provoking questions. Okay brain wake up, lets give these questions some thought.
Masonry is already based upon the movement of the Sun and stars. For example, at the opening the 3 principal officers are linked to the Sun positions during the day. (Why the emphasis upon the Sun?)
I guess at surface level that might be because it is the brightest light in the sky from our perspective. Light being emblematical for God/Spirit/All. Light also being an emblem for intelligence... bright spark etc.
And of course LDH commonly celebrates the Sts John in summer and winter solstices. (Why the two Johns?)
I don't know where I read it but the author supposed that one John was the Baptist who represented Mosaic Law and the other John was the Divine who represented the new Law of Love.
I read also that the parallel lines bordering the circle refer to the two Johns. This is interesting and made me think of two of the three pillars one finds on the Tree of Life (Kabbalah). One pillar is referred to as the pillar of Severity and the other is the pillar of Mercy. Law and Love?
And how did the position in the North come to be vacant?
I'm not sure it is vacant. The North, on the Tree of Life, would represent that which has not manifested at our level. I view the North as the point where we first 'appear' on Earth and also the point through which we depart after death. Interesting that in our lodges the secretary, who summons us all to attend, sits in the North East. (I guess we could have a whole new thread on why we are summoned and not invited to attend lodge.
And what of all these stars in the lodge? They are clearly not zodiacal (except in some higher degrees). Why not?
I think there are seven of them on the TB's I have seen. My candidates for them would be the seven chakras, the seven sacred planets and the Plaiedes. Can't think of any other obvious 'sevens'.
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting…trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home -Wordsworth
>because it is the brightest light in the sky from our perspective.
I hope that our ancient brethren knew more than what their eyes could see.
Also, does that mean that the Sun is the Blazing Star?
>John was the Baptist who represented Mosaic Law and the other John was the Divine who represented the new Law of Love.
That is pretty good.
Also it seems that John the Baptist was followed by the Templars. Recall that John baptised Jesus - thereby initiating him into his group.
And John the Beloved is perhaps the same as "the one whom Jesus loved" who is of course the one Jesus raised (Lazarus) and therefore the first raising of the new dispensation.
(The Lord of Life raised Asar and Jesus raised Lazarus. John baptised and Jesus did not.)
> the point through which we depart after death.
And after a true raising (mostly).
But there is potentially a literal usage of the North that is no longer possible - as preserved by the account of the HOATF sitting there.
>sits in the North East.
I suggest that the corners of the temple have energies quite separate from the mid points of the walls. Perhaps some dowsing is in order
>there are seven of them on the TB's I have seen
It rather depends on which TB you use and upon one's identification of the Blazing Star.
The key is to identify the geometric structure used to depict the stars placed around the Moon.
I was reading about something called The Wheel of Truth ... which very neatly overlays Stonehenge. This Wheel looked like if could be referred to as the Wheel of the Years... there being 12 sections with 2160 years in each section. I will see if I can find where I discovered this info and post the link here.
There are some 12's to be found in Freemasonry.. so it will be worth looking at.
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting…trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home -Wordsworth
The Orkneys (Orkadians = Arcadians?) have the earliest residential subdivision found so far: Stone dwellings to a standardised plan. And the bones left from their food are not from complete carcasses possibly suggesting that the food was imported for this planned settlement
I was reading about something called The Wheel of Truth ... which very neatly overlays Stonehenge. This Wheel looked like if could be referred to as the Wheel of the Years... there being 12 sections with 2160 years in each section. I will see if I can find where I discovered this info and post the link here.
There are some 12's to be found in Freemasonry.. so it will be worth looking at.
The Orkneys (Orkadians = Arcadians?) have the earliest residential subdivision found so far: Stone dwellings to a standardised plan. And the bones left from their food are not from complete carcasses possibly suggesting that the food was imported for this planned settlement
Your link ties in very well with my link. Very thought provoking, and a tad scary, more so given the more numerous earth change events of the past few years. Two earthquakes in SA and WA in a few days? The most stable continent on the planet?!
The Piri Re'is was bought to the public's attention in the late 60's but I have never considered the possibility of Atlantis possibly being beneath the Antartic Ice. mondovista.com/changingnorthx.html
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting…trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home -Wordsworth
