Freemasonry

[The Sum of Awe]

If you would like to become a Freemason then all you need do is write to your local lodge and pertition to join.
It is not difficult. You simply must be 18 or above, and not act like a ******** when they meet you so noone offers to sponsor you.

I've been to a number of blue lodge Festive boards, my partner and a number of dear friend are regular freemasons.
I belong to an irregular freemasonic Order that encompasses all rites. I say irregular, however there is not such thing as Regular masonary - just many differnt strands who all don't recognise each other, however one that accepts women such as my own, certainly is considered irregular indeed!

Freemasonary is fascinating, I've been studying it for many years now.

If you are into the spirituality of it, be selective when choosing your lodge - many if not most lodges are more about socialising than philosophising these days

That's fine, I prefer socializing over philosophizing, I philosophize with myself or with people on the internet


Yeah that's the thing, I'm not 18, but I got about two years left to turn 18.

I didn't know there was spirituality in the freemasons.

 

[Breathe]

If you are into the spirituality of it, be selective when choosing your lodge - many if not most lodges are more about socialising than philosophising these days

I'd like a philosophical one; where would I look?

 

[Octavia156]

That's fine, I prefer socializing over philosophizing, I philosophize with myself or with people on the internet


Yeah that's the thing, I'm not 18, but I got about two years left to turn 18.

I didn't know there was spirituality in the freemasons.

I'm sure they'd love some fresh young meat. i think regular traditional freemasonary is on its last legs. most masons are OLD! but there's still the middle ages crew... bit of an inverted pyramid in age terms i'd guess.

Freemasonary is suited to people who like discipline and order. You have to learn A LOT of lines. suits army types and people who like heirachical structure. Its a very good system of self discipline, a time consuming, but rewarding hobby.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I'm sure they'd love some fresh young meat. i think regular traditional freemasonary is on its last legs. most masons are OLD! but there's still the middle ages crew... bit of an inverted pyramid in age terms i'd guess.

Freemasonary is suited to people who like discipline and order. You have to learn A LOT of lines. suits army types and people who like heirachical structure. Its a very good system of self discipline, a time consuming, but rewarding hobby.

It wasn't as good as I expected it to be, in that case as you described. Could I ask what is the rewarding hobby?

 

[Octavia156]

I'd like a philosophical one; where would I look?

The irregular rites worked by people who are really on it.

Depends what you are looking for.
The Grand Orient (mainly France duristictions these days) is secular masonary.
Under the grand Orient you have Co-masonary which teachs Theosophy - this might operate in US, don't know. its in UK but small and a bit old lady

Fascinatingly, The Eastern "Freemasons" the Al Bana, "The builders" worked an identical system to masonary which predates ours. Exactly the same 3 degree system. No Solomon of course

The Egyptian Rites of Memphis and Mizrain are not performed in ritual form these days, but the rites and charters are still worked internationally by a number bodies.

The most philosophical masonic order in existance imo today is the OTO. The Co-masons are cool, but Theosophy is to simplisitc for me. The OTO started off as the Mysteria Maxima Masonic (M.'.M.'.M.'.). It was a masonic academy formed in 1912 as a commendium and contains all the teachings and secrets of all the masonic rites in existance at that time.

They took all the confusion, 33 degrees here, 97 there and turned into 10.
The first 4 of which are equivalent with those the Blue Lodge Craft (Birth I, Life II and Death III ), with the addition of a precedant degree Minveral (Conception 0 ).
The forth degree (IVth and P.'.I.'.) is equivalent to the Royal Arch and Prince of Jerusalem.


After these degree from 0-IV and PI, the system can be equated with the degrees of the Scottish Rite and the Egypation Rits. for Eg the 33rd degree in Scottish rite is equivalent to the VIIth degree OTO.. ad infintum.


The philosophy of freemasonary is simple.
Its the story of Birth, the teaching of Life and the secrets of Death, taught through the medium of initiation. The conttext is irrelevant. The secrets are incommunicable. IThe ultimate secret of freemasonary is doing it. Thats why you can read it all in a book. doesn't mean anything.

The Secret is was happens to your subconscious when you put yourself there and experience it.


I love freemasonary - its awesome. The simple idea we are all rough stones that need to be squared and polished is just lovely. Becoming a freemason is a bit like kicking yourself up the backside : shut up and get on with it. spit spot!

 

[Octavia156]

It wasn't as good as I expected it to be, in that case as you described. Could I ask what is the rewarding hobby?

Well you get to dress up and re-enact rituals.

In Blue Lodge/Craft Lodges You are required to take turns in performing officer roles within the lodge, usualy for the office of 1 year which means learning lines and instructions or doing specific duties. You attend functions, installations, initiations, boards, charity events etc.

Irregular lodges do much the same thing, but in in less austeer or purpose built establishments

The reward is greater self discipline and the resulting fraternity i guess

The spirituality of regular freemasonary is hidden under piles of christian symbolism. its true nature is more qabalistic, and this isn't taught and is barely understood or even acknowledged by the great majority of freemasons today.

 

[AwesomeNobita]

My dad was a Mason, but rarely talked much about it. He never encouraged me to join or to learn much about it, but I know he went to meetings a lot.

Of course, Rev. Richard, a Mason wouldn't encourage you to join the Masonic fraternity. There's no such thing as 'recruitment' in Freemasonry. 2B1ASK1 is their rule.

NOTE: I'm too young for Freemasonry but I'll be petitioning to the Order of DeMolay January next year. A chapter of DeMolay is sponsored by a Masonic body like the symbolic/blue lodges and commanderies of the Knights Templar.

 

[Octavia156]

That's so awesome!

The Order of DeMolay sounds excellent - would love to hear how it goes for you
(as much as you can share of course!)

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Well I called them once, it was about a couple months ago, probably like 3, but anyways, the guy wasn't home (it was his house phone, can't call the lodge at the time it wasn't open then), and I asked her if she could give him my number to give me a call back and I doubt I'm getting a call back, unless he decided to walk to California or something...

I'm still interested in joining; I know a little bit about what it's about, recalling I did a lot of research back when I found the lodge. I'd like to have social meetings with people in real life about issues of interest. I'd love to be a member of some type of service that seems at least to the tad bit philosophical or religious (even though it's not really either of those)

 

[Octavia156]

Well I called them once, it was about a couple months ago, probably like 3, but anyways, the guy wasn't home (it was his house phone, can't call the lodge at the time it wasn't open then), and I asked her if she could give him my number to give me a call back and I doubt I'm getting a call back, unless he decided to walk to California or something...

I'm still interested in joining; I know a little bit about what it's about, recalling I did a lot of research back when I found the lodge. I'd like to have social meetings with people in real life about issues of interest. I'd love to be a member of some type of service that seems at least to the tad bit philosophical or religious (even though it's not really either of those)

Have you considered joining OTO?

Quite a few in California..... US Grand Lodge, OTO: US Local Bodies

 

[Quintessence]

Just so you know, Sum, Freemasons recently ruled to ban Paganism (among some other ideologies) from their organization. I don't know if this just applies to Florida or the entire organization everywhere. There are many folks speaking out against this, so it's possible the ruling will get changed, but it's hard to say.

 

[Sylvan]

Interesting comment:

Kirk White • 7 days ago
A lot of Pagan (especially Wiccan) men have flocked to Freemasonry for a number of reasons:

1) it provides a "men's spirituality group" corresponding to women's groups. It is in essence "sun worship".
2) it is a huge (mostly unmined) repository of esoteric and occult knowledge
3) being the source of large parts of the Wiccan praxis (4 quarters, 3 degrees, phrases such as "so mote it be" or "merry meet, merry part" being the most obvious), it is familiar

In many cases, the influx of Pagan men have saved lodges that were about to die out. And in these cases, these younger, active Pagan men are threatening the status quo. Most of the old guys don't want spirituality - much less esotericism - in their Freemasonry. For them, it is just a social and charitable organization. This rebirth of esotericism scares them and they blame it on the Pagans (although most esoteric Masons I know are not Pagan).

The Grand Master of Florida is the final say in Florida through his term (which is 1-3 years depending on jurisdiction). His successor may keep it, repeal it, or usually they just forget about such decrees and never enforce them.

In the meanwhile, many more liberal jurisdictions (including Vermont) are discussing how to handle this. We'll see how it turns out.

In the end, though, time is on our side. The old guard pass away and the new, more spiritually open guys take their place. There are big changes coming in Masonry in the next 10 years. It is pretty exciting.

Kirk White
Lecturer and author on and to Freemasons
32* AASR-NMJ (Scottish Rite)
Past Grand High Priest Royal Arch Masons of VT
Grand Conductor of Council Royal and Select Masons of VT
Past Worshipful Master
And about a dozen other offices in various branches of Masonry both locally and statewide.

They're just waiting for those dudes to die.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Have you considered joining OTO?

Quite a few in California..... US Grand Lodge, OTO: US Local Bodies

doesn't seem to be any nearby me

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Just so you know, Sum, Freemasons recently ruled to ban Paganism (among some other ideologies) from their organization. I don't know if this just applies to Florida or the entire organization everywhere. There are many folks speaking out against this, so it's possible the ruling will get changed, but it's hard to say.

From the way it sounds when I read thiat, it's just Florida's state, could be wrong.

 

[Sylvan]

Only in Florida for now. Its set the Masonic blog-o-sphere on fire.

 

[Quintessence]

I imagine it did. I don't know that much about Masonry, but I know enough to know it was among the forerunner movements that had a significant influence on Wicca and therefore contemporary Paganism.

 

[Octavia156]

Just so you know, Sum, Freemasons recently ruled to ban Paganism (among some other ideologies) from their organization. I don't know if this just applies to Florida or the entire organization everywhere. There are many folks speaking out against this, so it's possible the ruling will get changed, but it's hard to say.

The OTO is the natural step for any Pagans wishing to work Freemasonary.
The founder of Wicca was a VIIth degree member of OTO (equv. 33rd Scottish rite). If Wicca is geocentric magick, Thelemic Freemasonary (OTO) work heliocentric magick. For example, students of of OTO will move from pentagram rituals to hexagram rituals before they reach the Rose Croix (the combining of the two).

This all happens alongside the standard solar-phallic teachings of Freemasonary - Birth-Life-Death-------Resurrection, but with the Christianity nonsense stripped away, leaving the bare truely qabalaistic philosophy of freemasonary sitting there naked in front of you..

Its the perfect path for an Athiest, Gnostic or Pagan... anyone who belives the Grand Architect of the Universe is in fact YOU



Shame Sum you don't have a local body nearby. I've only met one regular freemason under 50.... my local OTO body ranges from 22 to 47.. if you're young and less into charity fundraising and more into ceremonial magick, its worth looking into :rainbow1:

 

[Octavia156]

I imagine it did. I don't know that much about Masonry, but I know enough to know it was among the forerunner movements that had a significant influence on Wicca and therefore contemporary Paganism.

Hi Quintessence

I get told off when I talk about this :sorry1: my tone comes off bad.
The truth is Wicca was formed by an OTO member so you are right freemasonary did have its part to play as a forerunner movement to Wicca.
But OTO was a Freemasonic breakthrough in iteslf. It was a paradigm shift if you will that set it apart from all other freemasonic groups in existance at the time (1912) - and that paradigm shift is essential to why Wicca and OTO are same same movement veiwed through different lenses (one is blurred and has blind spots :sorry1

Take the wiccan Rede - An it harm none, do what ye will.

The Thelemic mantra is - Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law, Love is the law, love under will. Thou has no right but to do thy will, do that and no other shall say nay.

If OTO was the army, Wicca would be the Girl Guides. I dont mean this rudely I was a GG once!!!! but when I was 13. There;s noting wrong with being a Brown Owl either... I just think its important to know what you are a foundation member of - and what is out there.

I regret that Gardner did not make the link apparent to his followers (and that is the seat of my personal issue - but perhaps I should let that go) Wicca was supposed to be a precurser to OTO... I just think Mr G got caught up in his own magnificance and forgot to tell everyone who actually wrote the Wiccan rituals :: Aleister Crowley.

Anyway - this is off topic. apologies

 

[Sylvan]

That is not exactly correct. But this is neither here nor there. The influence of many things sits upon Gardner's Wicca, including Theosophy, Crowley, Nudism, an obsession with Indonesian knife folklore, old grimoires like the Key of Solomon, and maybe just maybe a smidge of old East Anglian cunning craft.

That being said if you look at said Masonic blog-o-sphere or people I know 'irl' there are many people of non-Thelemic Pagan or magical traditions involved in contemporary Masonry and they like it just fine. Many of these people are more than familiar with the inner workings of an OTO lodge.

OTO lodges in my experience, much like Masonic ones or really any Church or similar organisation, widely vary in their quality. If I lived in Philadephia I would likely be an active member of many years standing at this point. I, however, live in Portland and am friends, acquaintances, and in some cases brother in a different Craft to people who have for instance been kicked out, put on 'bad report', and left in disgust our local lodge after their initiator turned up ****-faced to administer their Minerval. The point here is not to trash talk on the OTO but rather point out that they are two very different organisations. Both traditional Masonry and Thelemic Masonry have access to a vast storehouse of esoteric knowledge, in the latter case however this knowledge as worked by the groups (OTO and A.:.A ) is largely distilled and edited by one man. Was it Albertus Pike in the former case? I don't think any rituals are changed to use his personal magical name as central to the symbolic framework for the new Aeon.

 

[Octavia156]

That is not exactly correct. But this is neither here nor there. The influence of many things sits upon Gardner's Wicca, including Theosophy, Crowley, Nudism, an obsession with Indonesian knife folklore, old grimoires like the Key of Solomon, and maybe just maybe a smidge of old East Anglian cunning craft.

That being said if you look at said Masonic blog-o-sphere or people I know 'irl' there are many people of non-Thelemic Pagan or magical traditions involved in contemporary Masonry and they like it just fine. Many of these people are more than familiar with the inner workings of an OTO lodge.

OTO lodges in my experience, much like Masonic ones or really any Church or similar organisation, widely vary in their quality. If I lived in Philadephia I would likely be an active member of many years standing at this point. I, however, live in Portland and am friends, acquaintances, and in some cases brother in a different Craft to people who have for instance been kicked out, put on 'bad report', and left in disgust our local lodge after their initiator turned up ****-faced to administer their Minerval. The point here is not to trash talk on the OTO but rather point out that they are two very different organisations. Both traditional Masonry and Thelemic Masonry have access to a vast storehouse of esoteric knowledge, in the latter case however this knowledge as worked by the groups (OTO and A.:.A ) is largely distilled and edited by one man. Was it Albertus Pike in the former case? I don't think any rituals are changed to use his personal magical name as central to the symbolic framework for the new Aeon.

It may not have ended up exactly in this way - but it was the orinigal intention - we have the letter between GArdner and Crowley to demonstrate this. it was only after Crowley died that Gardners plan changed...


but you say "influence of many things sits upon Gardner's Wicca, including Theosophy, Crowley, Nudism, an obsession with Indonesian knife folklore, old grimoires like the Key of Solomon, and maybe just maybe a smidge of old East Anglian cunning craft"

but please show me one example of something that is not alluded to or directly included in Crowley's Thelemic Freemasonic or magickal traditions.


YOU ARE SO RIGHT - your experince of ANY order will depend ENTIRELY upon the people with whom you interact with during your initiation experience. If you choose well - and your initatior isn't drunk (I heard of this happening in the 60s.... but not so much since - should be reported to an SGIG immediately).

One problem OTO faces is its libertarian philosophy which sometimes attracts individuals who do not undertsand the necessary conecpt of discipline and order that is required to be a freemanson. These individuals tend to leave jaded and diappointed.
For all our discipline - those who work hard play hard... our holy book states "to worhsip me take wine and strange drugs, and be drunk thereof - let no man deny thee for this".
Not suprising then, many of us draw energy from the inevitable party that often naturally occurrs after the official business of the day is over :drunk:

It is so important to find a local body of like minded people - only then can you find true fraternity and that truely is like stricking GOLD.