GM Official Visit To Union # 7

(LtoR)Steve, The Most Worshipful Grand Master Of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons Of Delaware 2007-2008; Earl L. Emerson. Picture taken by cell phone.

The MWGM of Masons and his Grand Staff visited Union # 7. The food was (and usually is at masonic events) fantastic. There were oysters (which I had never had before), dumplings, chicken salad, coleslaw, dessert & rolls.

There was a wonderful email read by Most Worshipful Earl L. Emerson, a touching speech on temptation by Most Reverend W. LeRoy Jones and some wonderful thoughts on how we as masons should get out to nursing homes more presented by our JGD Worshipful Martin "Hoagie" D. Furnish (he is a clown, hence the name "Hoagie") - Highfield being the charity of the GM.

I was also paid the highest compliment I believe I could recieve today. We were outside the lodge room and the conversation went something like this:

him: "lets see what's your name? ah, steve"
me: "and you are? (unfortunately I'm horrible with names). I'm pleased to meet you."
him: "are you an officer?"
me: "yes, I'm sitting chaplain"
him: "you look a little young to be chaplain"
me: "that's what I've been told"
him: "well, you look like you're not even 18 (i think that's what he said - it was something about my age) but I know you have to be" [note: DE is 18 to be a mason]
me: "I'm going to be 23 in march; 22 right now"
him: "well you must live a good life"
me: "thank you! I try."

I'm due to attend another official visit from the Grand Master & his Grand Staff a week from tomorrow at Solomon Lodge # 36. I'll recap events there as well.

'of the mysteries of freemasonry'

mys·ter·y1 /ˈmɪstəri, -tri/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mis-tuh-ree, -tree] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ter·ies.

1. anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown: the mysteries of nature.
2. any affair, thing, or person that presents features or qualities so obscure as to arouse curiosity or speculation: The masked guest is an absolute mystery to everyone.
3. a novel, short story, play, or film whose plot involves a crime or other event that remains puzzlingly unsettled until the very end: a mystery by Agatha Christie.
4. obscure, puzzling, or mysterious quality or character: the mystery of Mona Lisa's smile.
5. any truth that is unknowable except by divine revelation.
----------------------------

We've all taken obligations. What exactly are the mysteries? I believe they are not cut and dry; especially when you take a look at definition # 5. What are we keeping secret? Are the modes of recognition enough? I think not.

I've heard of many a brother getting uptight about revealing the 'secrets' of freemasonry (myself included when I was a younger EA). "I think I took an obligation not to say that". "That shouldn't be disclosed here". Cyphers, Grips, Words, Steps, Signs, Due Guards are all physical secrets. They are part and parcel of the 'secrets' and 'mysteries' of Freemasonry. The intangible aspects are more 'part and parcel' of the 'secrets' and 'mysteries' of Freemasonry. What, then, are the mysteries? What are the secrets?

I believe they lie in our mental capabilities of knowing and understanding divinity; our physical reaction with the world around us & keeping our obligations - not only the spoken ones in our degrees to our brethren and self - but of the moral obligations we all try to partake as good men. I believe it lies in The Power Of Now and our common inability to make use of the moment properly. Yet still those are all part and parcel of what the 'mysteries' of Freemasonry are.

We are all still searching, aren't we?

'Light'

When I think of 'light' in masonry I think of divine knowledge - ie. spiritual texts that reveal the presence and all knowing/all being of the higher power. I also think of the grips given after we have told the master we wish to recieve light.

In keeping with my jurisdictions rules on the 'secrets' of freemasonry I will not name the grip in the third degree but you will do well to remember the addendum after the word is given.

If you know anything about alchemy it's not so much about turning base metals into gold but rather improving yourself spiritually. I wonder if there is any connection between the addendum for the pass grip of Master Mason and the spiritual practice of alchemy? Is this a way to relate the spiritual practice of alchemy to the spiritual esotericism of freemasonry?

This dawned on me when I thought what the addendum to the pass grip of master mason is while writing a post on what members of a masonic forum thought about when they heard the term 'light' in masonry. On second thought I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before.

Have any of you thought about this before? Leave something in the comments.

S&F In Light,
Steve

Esotericism Abound

I posted on a masonic forum (www.masonicdiscussion.com) that I was looking for ebooks. There were two qualifications 1)Subject Matter - It had to be esoteric/occult 2) It had to be free. In the spirit of spreading light I would like to forward you the following:

http://www.the-book-of-thoth.com/content.html
http://www.fatumoperandi.org/index.php?esoteric
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit1/INTRO.html
http://www.gnosticteachings.org/content/section/10/10125/
http://www.librarything.com/groups/initiationintohermet
http://www.hermeticinstitute.org/html/abstracts.html
http://www.ritmanlibrary.nl/site_map.html
ftp://ftp.dragon.org/pub/pfcase/PFC&Bryant-Philosophers_Stone.pdf
http://www.esoteric.msu.edu/
http://canada.lvx.org/library/
http://www.abardoncompanion.com/PDF-Links.html
http://www.hermetic.com/
http://www.hermetics.org/
http://www.mastermason.com/luxocculta/
http://www.theosophical.ca/OnLineDocs.htm
http://www.crcsite.org/library.htm
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/titles.html
http://www.thothweb.com/sections.html
http://www.esotericarchives.com/
http://www.bradford.ac.uk/webofhiram/?section=walter_leslie_wilmshurst
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/index.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/mas/index.htm
---

As they say in Masonic Circles "Ask and you shall receive...".

I have more links hiding somewhere. There may be some topics up there that can't be linked to Freemasonry but I believe most can be in one way, shape or form.

S&F In Light,
Steve

The power of now

The power of now - Eckhart Tolle

I randomly picked this up from our local library browsing through the spiritual texts. This is some of what is on the inside flap:

To make the journey into the power of now we will need to leave our analytical mind and it's false created self, the ego, behind

On an aside I found a card inside with some writing on it which I believe sums the goal of the book up nicely:



Some of the text reads: 'I believe when we commit to healing ourselves - we heal the planet and assist others in their healing!'.

Another part of masonry that I strive to live by is the 'taking good men and making them better'. I've heard a quote (and want to attribute it to Br. Dafoe but someone correct me if I'm wrong) that says "We don't need more men in masonry we need more masonry in men". To me this book helps us live in the now; making our lives richer, fuller and our situations easier to manage thus making ourselves better men.

There's a quote from the book I want to share that I think ties this in with Freemasonry nicely:

"The pollution of the planet is only an outward reflection of an inner psychic pollution: millions of unconscious people not taking responsibility for their inner space' (pg. 65)

We are given specific 'tools of the trade' and those are designed in multiple ways to help us make our reality (the now) a better place for that 'spiritual building not made with hands' - our mind & body & for those changes we make for ourselves to help the world at large. To do this we must take responsibility for our actions and thoughts now (as now is all we have). There is no past or future - anything you have ever done or ever will do will be 'in the now'. If we let our minds run us (by constantly thinking about this or that) then we are being used and abused by one of the most valuable parts of our experience: our mind. If we take control of our mind there's no limit to what we can achieve: as individuals, a group, brethren or a species.

I'm only 65 pages into a 191 page book and I believe this will be another book that has changed my way of thinking about life. It's really quite interesting and my little blurb about it here doesn't give this book the credit its due. I suppose one could call this another 'self help' book but if we don't help ourselves how are we going to help anyone else?

In Light,
Steve

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish everyone viewing this blog who celebrates the holiday a Happy Thanksgiving. If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving happy thursday.

In Light,
Steve

Ordained

I previously ordained myself with themonastery.org but found out from http://ulchq.com that they are no longer in agreement with one another. I have filled out the appropriate forms on ULCHQ.COM and wait my response.