Ritual for a new Masonry

[paul]

Current Masonic craft ritual is a rather limited reflection of the temple in the heavens. For example only the human species is overtly represented.

A more explicit ritual would identify the officers representing elemental, nature spirit, and devic kingdoms with side initiations for those roles. The Song of Creation would be represented.

The previous metaphor was The Lighthouse which was the Great Pyramid in the days of its reflective limestone covering and the brethren were Sons of Light.

The next metaphor may well move past the developer image of architects and buildings towards a Great Steward who oversees the stewardship of the earth.

Here is a perception that I had a few years ago:

The lodge room is probably circular at least in the arrangement of the brethren.

In the East is the officer representing the human race - convening the lodge. The human is the meeting point of many energies hence a lodge in him or herself.

The anchor point is in the West where the officer represents the angelic kingdom. In order to be an effective representative, that officer has to be initiated into the angelic kingdom through a side degree for that purpose.

The choice of officer is not trivial either, being generally filled by a brother/sister with close incarnational connections to the angelic (greater devic) kingdom.

The use of sound especially song is critical in the relationship between the Master and the WSW. (I am not sure if the existing titles remain but the old ones are convenient for this exposition)

In the South is the officer representing the Nature Spirits of Earth and Water. The officer in the North (hidden entry to the higher temple) represents the nature spirits of Air and Fire. Again with their own initiations - have to be real initiations conducted with the Nature Spirits themselves - and again the choice of officers is not trivial. (This is foreshadowed in the Co-Masonic initiation in which the candidate is introduced to the elemental groups and the Wardens of their "gates")

The Senior Deacon is the messenger from the Temple in the Heavens (actually the lodge in the solar system) and has the role of "tuning" the brethren who are to anchor the 7 Spirits before the Throne of God (The 7 Masons who make a lodge perfect). The SD therefore has a more extensive and chanting role - somewhat parallel to the role of the thurifer in the Co-Masonic opening ritual. The choice of the brethren to anchor each of the 7 Masons is likely not to be directly related to formal positions but related to ability to resonate.

This may result in brethren in the columns being chosen early in the ritual for those tasks. This may take the form of particular brethren being censed (with a thurible) with the particular swings and sounds from the SD indicating the particular role for the ceremony. This of course requires that the SD knows who The 7 Masons prefer. (The SD may well consult with senior brethren in advance of the opening and indeed forewarn the relevant brethren)

The Junior Deacon has a similar role with respect to the Lords of Karma (via the Lords of the Planes) and following the SD will designate those brethren to facilitate the entry of the Lords of the Planes. The designation process is likely to be based upon the plane. For example for the Lord of the Physical Plane I expect that a physical contact will be used, while for the astral plane a sound and for the mental plane a sound associated with a distinct connection between the 3rd eye of the JD and the designated brother. For the purposes of human degrees only 5 Lords/planes will be used.

Again, the JD must have a profound connection to the lords of karma to perform this role.

Now the position of IPM is interesting as it is a stellar role and directly represents The Widow and her Lodge as custodians of the education processes of humans and related species. The IPM specifically is expected to obtain the patterns for the unfoldment of the group entity of the lodge and for the candidates in the lodge working in the human degrees.

These patterns are transferred to the candidate as the Master magnetises the candidate with the Master's rod. This parallels the use of a sword in initiation in Co-Masonic workings.

The basic work of the lodge working in the human degrees is to raise the brethren (male and female) to a consciousness of and a competence in a series of five-fold relationships. The first of these is elemental, the second is brotherhood of kingdoms within creation, and the third is the brotherhood within the solar systemic temple. This is unfolds the current use of the Five Points of Fellowship.

This of course prepares the human brother to be a steward of the Earth, balancing kingdoms and stimulating their unfoldment.

There are at least 2 five-fold geometries in the arrangement of officers in the earthly temple. The presence of a sevenfold geometry is concealed until the 3rd degree.The rituals for the installation of specific officers I will leave undescribed at present but they are not carried out in the lodge opened in human form.







While I wrote that some years ago it still seems valid but I doubt we are any closer to manifestation than then.

[LorrB]

I love it. However ... how would you find enough people with the requisite skills to work this lodge? This is very practical work.

[paul]

From what I can see rituals corresponding to the above are actively worked on two other timelines. This timeline seems a particular laggard.

I once was in the beginnings of such a group but the calling diminished and the group dispersed.

As an interim such a ritual can be worked as a guided meditation with only a few participants.

[LorrB]

Why do you think the group dispersed? The calling diminishing ... ?
Were the results of such working too etherial for them? They could not gauge effectiveness?

[paul]

I have been involved in several groups that were called but not chosen.

It may be that to ensure proper project management early, middle and late teams are called together - at least two of each - to allow flexible timing. Thus, even assuming the project goes ahead which it may not, circumstances having changed, there is a good chance that your team will not be chosen.

I have however observed a case when a member of one team was later transferred to the chosen team. In that case the project was deprioritised still later and the best team members moved on but seemed to me to be rather lost.

For example, in Letters on Occult Meditation, AAB/DK refer to junior schools of initiation, and even provide a site plan. Oh dear! As it happened the training of junior initiates was significantly taken up by large business organisations commencing with Edwards Deming and later Tom Peters largely making junior schools outmoded.

[stepnwolf]

I have to confess that at base I am a stodgy traditionalist, in spite of my radical, wild-eyed exterior. In my mind “new” and “Masonry” don't go together and just the thought makes me just a tad doubtful about the whole endeavor.

One of my favorite sayings sums it up, “If it works, don't fix it!” Of course, there is some debate as to how well it works now. L. membership has been dwindling for years now and my question is how to maintain such an esoteric L. with a limited appeal. Personally I wouldn't be interested in that kind of Masonic work.

Could we call it Masonry? For most BB, the L. is an outer school with links to a more profound understanding of the Craft. Its egalitarian appeal makes room for a broad spectrum of members. Any interior work is generally unconscious and puts no demand on the credulity of the BB.

Masonry has been described as a “peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” In such a L, the veil would be dropped and the symbols would become real. It does sound as if the labor of such a group would be more overtly occult and several of these Orders already exist.

I guess what I'm saying is I prefer my Masonry to be as I received it with the Mysteries intact but not exposed.

[paul]

It rather depends on whether Masonry is a training school for brethren able to work in the temple that stretches from E to W and N to S and from the centre of the Earth to the heavens.

If so, what would be the work of the brethren in such a temple?

[stepnwolf]

The same as it's been since time immemorial: to make good men (women, too) better.

[stewartedwards]

It seems to me that the human race has largely overtaken Masonry in this regard.

Feb 13, 2013 8:26:04 GMT 9.5 paul said:

This of course prepares the human brother to be a steward of the Earth,

There are plenty of signs of this beginning to happen, even if the cynic in me still thinks that the profit motive is driving a good part of it.

balancing kingdoms

Come on Paul this is one of the most difficult (yet also in a funny sort of way one of the easiest) things that a human could do. It might be that this is better placed in the hands of those individuals who are sufficiently evolved to handle it and not in the hands of people who are most interested in the time the bar opens or who got what grand honour when compared to their own.

and stimulating their unfoldment.

And now the real meat of the issue. This is the easy bit, for you simply need to inspire and touch hearts and connect with all. Well easy enough if you have walked the right path. The big issue here is that you have to look beyond human time frames of "now now now" and think in terms of decades plus.

It might just be that Masonry is no long sufficiently energized to lead in this field having been neutered by darkness (egos, greed, rank, honour, using a lodge to interview people for shipbuilding jobs, etc), and that current masons may for the most part have zero interest in such fanciful stuff. Through by retaining it they have transmitted the signposts and keys down the generations which is very good, enabling and assisting the awakening of people like me).

The question really is, and this is one that the masonic world needs to answer for itself, though sadly it already seemingly has chosen the easy path in several grand lodges, is, "do we want to be a social club or aiders of human evolution."

The masonic world could reenergise itself very easily if it had the will to do so. But the will seems to be more focused on keeping the money flowing (understandably in itself). But just because the masonic world is choosing not to rise to the challenge does not mean that a new form of masonry is required.

Why?

Because when all is said and done, the real work takes place in peoples hearts, and those who are ready will find their way and do it.

Masonry is failing to keep pace with human evolution so perhaps it is right that freemasonry leaves the masonry to those who are properly prepared and ready? Hopefully one day it will choose to lead once again and not lag, but that is the choice of the Masonic world.

I will admit to having been fascinated watching the masonic world make these decisions over the past 15 years. The decisions may not be what I would have liked but such is, it is its, that is, your, choice.

I can assure you without any doubt whatsoever that anyone who is true of heart can access the mysteries if they so choose and if they are ready for them. It would be better if the support of lodges was there, but without it isn't a problem that it would once have been due to the speed of human evolution.

That all said I do before my time comes again sincerely hope that the masonic world does find the inner courage and the will to lead once again, but I am not holding my breath.

[paul]

Feb 13, 2013 21:05:22 GMT 9.5 stepnwolf said:

The same as it's been since time immemorial: to make good men (women, too) better.

In that case why use such a large temple?

In my view making good humans better is only one of the preconditions for their undergoing real initiation and that in turn is one of the preconditions for their taking up planetary work.

[LorrB]

Good thread and great posts.

The title of the thread is "Ritual for a New Masonry" ... perhaps this New Masonry could be an addition to the choices which abound in the the masonic world at present.

Horses for courses.

The church can be full of fervent parishioners, but not many are called to the priesthood.

[paul]

Even when called we have still to be chosen.

[LorrB]

... which does not mean that the priest gets to heaven first. Each have their part to play in the game of life and we need to play our part the best we can. If it isn't a lead part, doesn't matter.

Remember Ingrid Bergman received an Academy Award for a very minor part in Murder on the Orient Express.

[LorrB]

Feb 14, 2013 7:17:18 GMT 9.5 paul said:

Even when called we have still to be chosen.

Just like any company or club ... those that excel in the work are promoted?

(well that is the way it works down here, internal politics aside)

[paul]

Feb 13, 2013 8:26:04 GMT 9.5 paul said:

In the East is the officer representing the human race - convening the lodge. The human is the meeting point of many energies hence a lodge in him or herself.

If the human is a lodge then it is not clear that all the officers follow the direction of the Master. The human often suffers from disobedience of the body, emotions and mind. Bringing those under positive control are major tasks for the junior initiate.

And as below so above: the new ritual structure outlined above might indicate that the human initiate has a significant role in facilitating and guiding the interaction of several kingdoms within Creation.

This facilitation role is enabled by the Adam Kadmon body of humans that resonates with a wide range of energies as demonstrated by the neat fit of the Tree of Life on to the human form.

[LorrB]

The lodge room is probably circular at least in the arrangement of the brethren.

What would be the advantage in this arrangement? Just emphasizing the relationship with the circular movements in the heavens?

Is there an energetic advantage?

[paul]

Energy tends to move as a spiral - even if it looks like a straight flow. Hence the circle is an easy anchor for several types of flow, even for zodiacal flows.

The spiral is stretched out when the energy is passing through and compressed when the energy is being anchored.

[stepnwolf]

Paul's initial post has me thinking about the possibility of new Masonic rituals and whether they would serve the purpose for which the movement was created.

Fanciful histories aside, it does seem that the original purpose of a L. was strictly operative in scope: to protect the livelihood of those engaged in the building crafts, to insure superlative work by the members of the L. and to instruct the BB in the secrets of the building trade.

Eventually speculatives appropriated the symbols of the operative craft to represent ideas of a more profound kind. By doing this, I suspect, they hoped to prevent the possible disappearance of esoteric secrets over the course of time.

With the introduction of speculatives the Craft was transformed into a repository of the Ancient Wisdom in addition to fulfilling the original social functions of Freemasonry. It hopes to make good men (and women) better by example. The importance of the L's charities instilled a compassion and emotional sensitivity that might otherwise be absent. The focus was on the world but still remaining a conduit to a more meaningful interior life.

A new system of initiation will appeal to a few, but for myself give me that old-time Masonry, as it were. The rank-and-file have little commerce with angels or elementals and probably wouldn't be interested in starting one. The Craft has a unique position in human society which would be destroyed by adding more occultism. To stretch the meaning of the words, Freemasonry is esoteric, but not occult.

Co-Masonry, primarily in the English speaking world, attempted to stretch the definition of Freemasonry to include occult matters, which it has done with moderate success. Rather than “new” Masonry I would prefer “another” Masonry.

[paul]

Feb 14, 2013 13:22:40 GMT 9.5 stepnwolf said:

... The rank-and-file have little commerce with angels or elementals ....

Every human operates through the elementals and nature spirits that constitute and manage their body, organs and psyche. Knowledge of those entities is part of the ancient mysteries and indeed the lost secrets.

[LorrB]

Oooh, lots of good topics within topics here. Thanks stepnwolf (and paul )

Religions around the world teach us about the invisible (to us) realm but I wonder how many of the faithful actually believe in angels and demons. Are religions considered occult? That word gets such bad press... it really only means hidden, as in the hidden secrets?

Priests use censors to cleanse the atmosphere of

Religions teach about the power of prayer. Faith can move mountains. Remember the trumpets blowing before the fall of the walls in Jericho. (I think they have found a scientific explanation for that one... involving the effects of sound when produced using the arc - there are pictures around of Tibetan Monks using that method for something or t'other).

Placebo effect?

Cayce says Mind is the Builder. Popular or mainstream Freemasonry can be said to be training the mind - all that ritual to learn etc. But what do these enhanced minds do at the end of the training that is different to what they did before they were initiated? Lions International and Rotary were founded by Freemasons for the benefit of the uninitiated. Why bother with initiation then?

I do agree that there is room for all these different streams of free-masonry. Different strokes for different folks.

First aiders, nurses, doctors, specialists are all there to help heal people. They are all health professionals.