Starz Original Series
A Starz Original Series - One man fights to set knowledge free. Florence Italy is the setting of this vivid tale to keep art and creativity alive. More »
The Rap Up
People nowadays try to see goat heads, triangles and references to masonic rituals everywhere in pop music, to such a degree that it has become a trend to actually include them. More »
The 10 Best Cloud Storage Review
Reliability and security are the most important factors to help you find the best cloud storage provider. Compare Online Backup Providers. The cost of storing data online has come down drastically over the last few years. More »
Freemasonry References
This page has electronic editions of core texts on Freemasonry in the public domain, presented complete and unaltered. More »
Thought, Ideas and Matters of Interest
Chris Hodapp, author and historian More »
a bit of entertainment
The Master’s Voice, A Wonderfully Bizarre Short Film
A short film from guilherme.tv
always traveling
Follow the Light. Always. Never stopping. Life doesn’t get stale. Because we are always moving, following the Light, staying true to the path the student must tread in order to join those who are really the living powers behind the thrones of modern national and international affairs.
In Freemasonry is concealed the mystery of becoming, the answer to the problem of existence, and the path he follows gives him the duty to build and evolve the sacred teachings in his own being. The product of the evolution is the Masonic becoming. Becoming a purified being to unlock the door to the human libraries of consciousness, allowing responsibilities to increase with his opportunities.
The noblest tool of the Mason is his mind, but its value is measured by the use made of it. Thoughtful in all things, the aspiring candidate to divine wisdom attains reality in sincere desire, in meditation, and in silence. Where is the plan behind it all, and who is the planner? The Great Architect. The Great Architect who dwells in the human soul and designs upon the tracing board. His designs yearn to end the unknown. If we wander the pathways of life unaccompanied we might ask for the answer. Where will the truth be found? Why mind, why soul, why spirit, and in truth, why anything? Is there an answer? If truth exists, we have it. If truth is within our reach, what other goal is worth the journey?
Always traveling, to transform the speculative Mason of today into the operative Mason of tomorrow. To blaze forth from the altar of the living flame with the power that makes all things new.
four-fold
We as Master Masons are very much aware that we wear our aprons in the form of the square. Have you ever wondered how we can take that great Masonic symbol with us wherever we go? That’s not to say that we are to wear our aprons all the time as a piece of clothing. But we can always wear our aprons in the sense of how we live.
We frankly can put divide our lives into four parts. The physical, the mental, the social, and the spiritual. Four squares, if you will, within the large square. The square is the form of a Master Mason’s apron. We perhaps have not learned the entire Masonic lesson of the apron we hold so dear.
We have a learned through our history we have a commitment to our country, our family, our neighbor, and ourselves. How may we actually strive to improve these areas of our lives? We are very fortunate because when we improve one aspect of the four-fold life, we improve the other three.
Our physical aspect of life we devote to our country. Put some muscle into it. Work outside. Take the example from George Washington. He loved to work outside at Mount Vernon. He was always improving the land and the buildings. He went on to build a greenhouse, which still is used as a model today. Now I’m not saying we need a Mount Vernon to get active with the land. Nor do we have to spend a lot of money. Get active where you are at. Improve your home. If you live in an apartment, see if you can volunteer for a city clean-up or another worthwhile project.
The mental aspect is our family. This is an entire family. Think about your family’s well being. Help and guide your immediate family through the tough times and celebrate the good. This will help us clear our heads for a better life and you’ll be the leader your family members need.
The social aspect is our neighbors. The Webster Dictionary defines neighbor as not only one who lives next door, but also a fellow man. Be kind and cheerful to all you see. According to recent surveys, our members in the Fraternity ranked the social experiences of Freemasonry very high.
The final aspect is spiritual and this means us. Always take time to groom spirituality. This could be reading devotions, learning ritual, reflection and mediation. If you need help in these areas explore them for yourself. We are all on a journey and discovery of purpose never ends.
These my Brothers are the four squares within the square. Where them always as the apron in and out of Lodge. This is how we can wear the great Masonic symbol wherever we go. Helping ourselves will always help others.
time
There will be a time when everything that was so important to us will be insignificant in the grand scheme of creation.
There will come a time when all that was loved will be lost and all that was lost will be found.
There will be a time when our ego will need to be shattered in order for us to truly evolve. Remember pride comes before the fall.
There will be a time when we realize that money is really just paper and truly has no value.
There will be a time when all will seem hopeless, and at that point we will find renewed faith in the will of men.
There will be a time regardless of our “differences” we will realize that a human being is a human being.
There will be a time when all the money in the world will not be able to buy us happiness.
There will be a time when we finally see that infinite potential is the basis for all there is, and that everything else is just an illusion.
There will be a time we think we can’t give any more, and suddenly we will find that little more to give.
There will come a time that we finally come to terms with our likes and dislikes and realize that they are for the most part petty.
There will be a time when we get a grip and see that no matter how much we might think so the world actually does not revolve around us, and our emotions.
There will be a time that we found out that consumerism is really slavery, and that our freedom only comes through expression of uniqueness.
There will be a time when we will see that all the “things” we have worked so hard for mean nothing without the people we love to share them with.
There will be a time when we realize the people we love are more important than the “things” we worked so hard for.
There will be a time when we are at liberty to be ourselves without fear of ridicule or condemnation.
There will be a time that we realize wisdom is applied knowledge, and that knowledge is useless if it is not applied.
There will be a time when we come to terms with the fact that we must be the change we want to see in the world.
There will be a time when we break through our preconceived notions of “karma”, and we will learn full well that we truly get what we give.
There will be a time when we find out that “time” is merely an illusion used to place limits on the human psyche.
There will be a time that we see that everything is not what it seems.
There will be a time we accept that our five senses deceive us, and that we really don’t see what is right in front of us figuratively, and literally.
There will be a time when we will break through the bondage of manipulation, and find out that “God” exists within us not outside of us.
There will be a time when all will become clear, and the veil of confusion which has blinded us for so long will be lifted.
There will be a point at which we break and we will feel overwhelmed, and then we will ground ourselves and our emotions so we can start anew.
There will be a time when all mankind will see we are all of the same essence, or one and the same, and all our frivolous disagreements will fall by the way side.
There will be a time when our personal spiritual evolution will be far more important to us than love, money, or even life itself. Because if we do not evolve from the inside out we do not evolve at all
There will be a time when irrelevant contradiction suddenly becomes relevant.
There will be a time when the days become nights and the nights become days.
There will be a time when we lose all sense of time and space. At that point we have freed our mind and soul from physical limitations of our body.
There will be a time for all these things, but we must be proactive in our own evolution.
Remember knowledge is power, but it only becomes wisdom when it is applied. So live, love, and learn and apply what we have learned so the true essence of our being can ascend.
the brightest deed, the sunlit seed
One known as Phantom, wrote this poem inspired by the Art of War.
From Phantom:
This poem is dedicated to our friends and allies,
To every seeker, knower and illuminator
That brings to this world a shining beacon
To guide every soul and show them
That they are the brightest stars!
The poem is called The Brightest Deed, The Sunlit Seed
In the Hearts of Men,
A Fire dwindles,
In the Night’s black fen,
our Spirit kindles
The soul, the spirit of man,
Our goal, to unleash it again.
Into this world we plunge,
Upon the face of uncertainty
and Lunge
A bright Spear, a flaming Arrow
Seizing victory from defeat’s jaws
So Narrow.
The clock strikes in this final hour,
As we rise against the tyrant’s power
And cast down the yokes of shame,
Taking up our swords & cloaks of flame
And shine so brightly into the night,
freeing our brethern of their darkest plight.
To look upon a new world rising,
Like the bright Morning star shining,
heralding the end of night and
the new day surmising,
A bright new future, crying
Alight! Alight! The night she falls,
The Sun gleams, into the sky striding!
the offspring of soul
So You will be what you will be;
Let failure find its false content
In that poor word, ‘environment,’
But spirit scorns it, and is free.
It masters time, it conquers space;
It cowes that boastful trickster, Chance,
And bids the tyrant Circumstance
Uncrown, and fill a servant’s place.
The human Will, that force unseen,
The offspring of a deathless Soul,
Can hew a way to any goal,
Though walls of granite intervene.
Be not impatient in delays
But wait as one who understands;
When spirit rises and commands
The gods are ready to obey.
a higher expression
The world’s vast distances have been spanned by humankind’s inventive genius. The world is smaller because we are bound in one continuous bundle of life. What happens in any country on Earth may affect the happiness and peace of the entire world.
What is merely local and provincial in our thinking must yield to a global understanding and a world view. The world is lighted from within and our common task should be pledged to keep it aflame with humankind’s larger measure of liberty, faith, and peace.
With technological advances to explore, we need to get more acquainted with the old so we may be able to better understand the new. Focus on the growing technological, cultural and societal changes and the hope that with more understanding there can be a better sense of how we can improve the world and our lives in general. May we feel the need to explore, learn and assemble new ideas, dreams, goals and thoughts for a better life.
A recent study by Harvard University suggests why we use social media sites and networks. It is to connect. A very quick conclusion is we lack self-esteem. We like to talk about ourselves and social networks allow us to do that.
But we do lack face to face communication. This could translate into lack of overall communication. Has social networks and media filled this gap? Global organizations have systems that never relied on face to face communication. Should we concentrate more on global organizations? Let’s get acquainted more with the old before you venture to the new.
In doing so, will we make ourselves feel better? According to the study, most likely yes. Can we concentrate on social bonds and social alliances? Will developing a social network add value to the organization? If the organization is not communicating that well face to face, will overall communication improve? These are core questions.
Don’t be insensitive to the local needs while assessing the global understanding. The social network is a higher vehicle for human expression. Consider the content that is posted. As Master Masons, keep with our greater knowledge and wisdom.
led zeppelin
There are very few words, or many, to describe the music given to us by Led Zeppelin, a rock band that has given us timeless music. Two songs come to mind when I hear their name: Stairway to Heaven and Kashmir.
These two songs have their own spiritual meaning that have to be discovered by the listener. No song is the same because we are not the same person twice. We change. Our cells are always changing. Cells die off and others are manufactured in their place by mitosis, cell division. The music of Led Zeppelin and other artists have uplifted entire peoples all over the world. Some have said they have given us a variety of spiritual awakenings.
But what kind of awakenings? Ministers of Christian Fundamentalist denominations have labeled Led Zeppelin Satanic. I respectfully disagree. This label has garnered attention through the years and seems so simple to me. My feeling is it doesn’t take much imagination to give a mysterious group a Satanic label. It is almost an attempt to give the impression of not to be bothered with a possible philosophic discussion on Zep’s music.
My Gnostic thinking doesn’t take the Satanic approach toward Led Zeppelin. There are too many messages that come from their music. Ideas flow through their music and Fundamentalist Christians don’t wish to attract new ideas, especially the ministers, as to lose control of the flock. One item I choose to examine is the song Stairway to Heaven. Certainly one of the greatest songs of rock music.
I feel the song is loosely based on the book The Haunted Woman. This book was written by British writer David Lindsay (1878-1945) who was looked at to be recruited by the Illuminati. Ultimately he was not recruited. His books have opened his readers to a higher reality like Led Zeppelin’s music. Lindsay lived at the same time Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was alive and I suspect that Lindsay was influenced by him. It has long been noted that Crowley influenced Led Zeppelin. This influence is for us to study and make our own conclusions.
The Lindsay book is about a magical stairway to a higher reality. A woman and her fiance’ are interested in buying a house from an elder gentleman. The woman finds herself strangely drawn to this older man. In the house, the woman undergoes a mystical experience. A phantom staircase suddenly appears to an upper floor of the house that seems to exist in another dimension. The woman takes the stairway and finds herself more aware of her total self. She visits the house again and has a similar experience. She encounters the owner of the house, only younger and more handsome. They fall in love and when they return to the lower portion of the house, they struggle to remember what happened. They try to hang on to the passion they feel for each other downstairs but are unable to do so.
Allegorically, the upper floor represents the sublime world of the inner self. The lower floor represents the distortion we really are. Our true self is revealed in the higher world. Our tragedy is that we find it difficult to communicate with our higher self. The Old World Order, which Christian Fundamentalists are a part of, seek to keep us locked in the lower world. They don’t wish for anyone to ascend the Stairway to Heaven where we can come into communication with our higher selves.
Lindsay’s vision is that of classical Gnosticism. Only through self-discovery can we acquire the special knowledge – Gnosis – to escape from Satan’s world. Led Zeppelin’s vision is the same as Lindsay’s.
Led Zeppelin is not Satanic, but the opposite. Their music has inspired serious listeners to aspire to the higher self. To seek out fresh ideas, find new symbols and hear new messages. I invite you to listen to Zep music again and allow it to aid you to chart the path of your own journey. Ask yourself if you have been inspired by those who are fast to negatively label potential Gnosis. Do label Led Zeppelin a band for the New World Order.
de laude novae militae
In 1192 A.D., 5192 A.L. St. Bernard wrote a spiritual direction of what was a new order of knights. The Knight Templars were pristine in their commitment to Christ, and they were willing to protect all that was sacred for Christianity in the Holy Land.
They were an organized force of agreeable persons who decided to defend the Church of God from attacks. This Knighthood still exists and the spirit of victory inspires them today. This Order may not be against a foe whom goes after the Church, but this foe is out to conquer people who have no way to defend themselves. This enemy uses sheer terror to dominate and destroy those who stand in their way.
This Knighthood may not be members of the Knights Templar proper, but the mission of the Knights Templar is alive in these modern-day warriors.
From De Laude Novae Militae:
“Go forth confidently then, you knights, and repel the foes of the cross of Christ with a stalwart heart. Know that neither death nor life can separate you from the love of God which is Jesus Christ; And in every peril repeat, “Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
“I do not mean to say that the pagans are to be slaughtered when there is another way to prevent them from harassing and persecuting the faithful, …”
If the modern knight serves under the flag of a secular nation, it does not matter. If such a knight serves privately, it does not matter. What does matter is service up to the standards set by St. Bernard and what is in mind and heart of every such knightly person.
Such a knighthood cannot flourish in an unjust society. The new knighthood must look to our own society as to instilling justice and morality.
two modes of instruction
We are interested in two modes of instruction, legends and symbols. Legends differ from the historical narrative in only one way – that it is without documentary evidence of authenticity. It is the offspring solely of tradition. The object of the masonic legend is not to establish historical facts, but to convey philosophical doctrines. Freemasonry legends are the expression of a philosophical idea.
Legendary narratives have a distinct meaning of internal significance and we learn the illustration of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. We are content with that interpretation. Philosophic doctrines are a method by which esoteric instruction is communicated. The student accepts them with reference to nothing else except their positive use and meaning as developing masonic dogmas.
No science is more ancient than that of symbolism. Nearly all learning of the world, at one time, was conveyed in symbols. Freemsonry still cleaves to the ancient method and has preserved it in its primitive importance as a means of communicating knowledge. A symbol is the expression of an idea that has been derived from the comparison or contrast of some object with a moral conception or attribute.
There are not radical differences between the legendary and symbolic modes of instruction in Freemasonry. The symbol is visible and the legend audible.
mikebertelsen
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