MasonicMinute.com
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Posted at: 1:54 pm We as Masons hear the phrase “with every revealment there is a reveilment” all the time. Those us of who study the esoterica of the craft may feel a reverence for the passage in The Emerald Tablet “As above, so below”. We have many symbols that philosophically illustrate the natural duality in man whether it is physical, spiritual or physiological. We learn the importance of balance through the instruction of many degrees that emphasize not only a balance in action, but in thought. This is one of the reasons I enjoy Freemasonry so much. It provides a learning template to examine the world around me as well as myself. I have learned to “see the other side of things” better. I have learned tolerance and understanding, but most importantly I have learned a valuable method of critical thinking. A couple of years ago AEdifico and myself were at one of our lodge’s research meetings when we decided to turn the symbiolism of Freemasonry on it’s head just to see if we could logically debate it’s merit. We continued this exercise with many of our Brethren and it turned out to have a great effect on the motivation to examine our ritual. Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised. Our first major project was writing what we call “The Reverse Staircase Lecture” which I will not get into because it can merit a complete research paper on it’s own, but there are other elements that when looked at “through the looking-glass” if you will, provided excellent tools to learning, understanding, teaching and examining the symbolism of Freemasonry. Here is one: The Mosaic Pavment: We all know the explanation of this one. It’s simplicity is both beautiful and thought provoking. One of the things I though about as I was reading the lecture explanation for this degree was that it is not explicit (in my ritual atleast and I know it varies a little by jurisdiction, but this was my source) which color represents good or evil. Western mentality will intuitively say that black is evil, white is good. This is understandable considering the primordial fear of darkness, etc. While thinking about this I wondered “How do we know that tile is colored black?” If I remember correctly it is because our eyes see every color reflected off the tile except for black, so in essence it is the only color that the tile is not giving off. Anyone who has studied photography may understand this reverse color concept and apply it here. Also, think about the colors of black and white and what they do to light. We know that the color black absorbs light and white reflects it away. So which color show we be emulating? Show we be the receptors of light or reflectors? Which one is evil now? Furthermore, we as men and Masons know that we will always be an apprentice to someone while a master to someone else so it is apparent that both are still necessary (as explained in the lecture) and both are a natural part of life. So the lecture is correct while also leaving it open to other interpretations that illustrate the same concept. Good and evil, white is black, black is white, master and apprentice, as above so below.
There are many more that you can find and experiment with, most notably the ashlars. But I encourage who all to take a piece of symbolism, say the Pillars and find correlating examples of why there are used, by whom, when and why. By doing these types of exercises it will reinforce your Masonic education, introduce you to other systems with similar philosophies and most importantly they are always great discussion pieces with your Brothers. So look at it, find something that’s not explicit and explore the thought, then share it |
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May 6, 2008
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Posted at: 4:08 am The rough and perfect ashlars are important elements in the Masonic philosophy and are sometimes neglected further thought and investigation concerning their purpose. I have so far come across three different views on the purpose and symbolism of the ashlars, two of which are not mentioned in the first degree lecture and one comes from a completely outside discipline. We all know (or at least should know) that many of our symbols, ornaments, furniture and other facets of the fraternity have many meanings, not just the ones revealed to us in the lectures. The constant study of the lectures provides the foundation of further investigation into the many meanings of the inner workings of the craft and it is prudent to continue the search for further light in the fraternity, not just stopping at the explanation given in our lectures. The ashlars were one of the first elemets of the Masonic lodge that I found alternative meanings for and upon learning of these other meanings it did nothing more than strengthen my ability to comprehend these simple stones. The first take on the ashlars is of course the explanation given to EA’s in the 1st degree lecture. Simply put, we are the rough ashlar; crude and imperfect striving to become the perfect ashlar through those qualities that make us honorable men. This is a great teaching tool because it provides both visual and mental illustrations of progress of thought and action with a goal to be obtained. Although beautiful in its explanation it is also horribly simplistic and as we all know nothing in Masonry is ever so blatantly simple. It must be looked into further. The second take on the ashlars comes from chapter one of Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike. In his explanation he uses the ashlars (in relation to the common gavel) as the State of the people. Not the mental state, but in a political/governmental state. The first part of chapter one talks about how tyranny and depotisms arise and how the people are within their own power to prevent it, if they keep their eyes and ears open. Contained in the eloquent yet sometimes cumbersome writing of Albert Pike in chapter one he describes the rough ashlar as the people in a state of a crude mass with no direction or even worse, direction without question or concern. The perfect ashlar is the people in an efficient, constitutional government with checks and balances and power given to those with the consent of the governed. He describes the gavel as the force of the people to shape the state (the ashlar) into a legitimate government. Simply put, in Pike’s mind the ashlars represent two types of government, and with the use of the gavel (the force of the people) prosperous societies can be built as long as the people utilize their capabilities. The third take on the ashlars I actually came across accidentally. While studying the writings of the early Taoists I came across a very important part of Taoist philosophy. This part of Taoist philosophy deals with “the two stones” and (you guessed it) one is rough and one is perfectly hewn. As I was reading about this I began to smirk as I anticipated the same old rough/perfect ashlar speech, but was taken by surprise when their explanation was completely opposite of the Masonic one. The Taoist philosophy regarding the ashlars is as follows: the two stones represent a dichotimy of the state of man. Part of the goal or work of the Toaist is to “become the unhewn stone”. In their eyes, the perfect ashlar is not a product of a good life but rather the product of outside, unnecessary, materialistic, evil, unhealthy and damaging elements that have corrupted the goodness of man’s natural state. We (Masons) say that the rough ashlar is man in its rude and natural state. To the Taoist the unhewn stone is perfect because God shaped it the way he shaped it and put it where he put it and because God is perfect, it is perfect just the way it is, as God created it. The Taoist believe that it is the manipulation by the hands of the imperfect man who cuts and shapes the stone into something unnatural, therefore, not perfect at all. They say that the vices and superfluities of life shape us into unnatural beings, and we have to “become the unhewn stone” and go back to a state of natural being free from materialism, envy, vice and all the other things that corrupt our existence. The message is the same regarding the Taoist/Masonic take on the ashlars, it just depends on which one you start from. Hopefully there are more interpretations of the ashlars to be found and I encourage you all to look carefully at our ritual and you will find many interesting things there that are not what they seem or at least were presented to you during your degree. I enjoy disecting the rituals and lectures of the Scottish Rite and York Rite degrees and they too have much to offer in personal enlightenment, but you may be surprised how much is contained within the writings of the first three degrees. Like the Toaist interpretation of the ashlars, sometimes being on the other side of the looking glass shows you a completely different perspective of the same picture, but is no less true. |
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Posted at: 10:55 pm Welcome. MasonicMinute.com will develop over time, and I am certain you are not interested in the normal platitudes of newness, so we shall dispense with any further blathering and jump right in to the heart of it. The first tool presented to the Initiate is the 24” gauge. (By the way…if you are ever planning on becoming a Mason…don’t read any further. We are not giving-away any secrets, but we are also aware that some of you are just investigating the Craft. If you are, and you don’t want the full-effect of the learning process that our degrees have to offer, then keep reading. But if you want to experience Freemasonry as it was intended, stop here. I will not apologize later for exposing you to something you are not yet ready to receive.) The gauge is the most important tool in the Craft. It teaches us to divide our time. This lesson of paying attention to the way we spend that most important currency (time) is one that certainly did not escape Brother Ben Franklin. It was this first American diplomat who created a planning book where he took the most important virtues and dedicated a week to each one. He would strive to perfect in himself this virtue this week, and the next during the next week. Once he got to the end of the virtues, he would start over again! This dedication of time is a Masonic lesson that we must always keep in the fore. Time is the only currency we cannot get more of (for who knows how much we have to spend?), and once we’re done…we’re done. Time well-spent is time not wasted. The first building tool gives us a guide as to how we must divide that time. Those three portions – worship (service), refreshment and work – are exactly the three general categories of live that we should live. There is no shame in working hard, and even stressing-out a bit about our work. We should always find the gift of giving to be a form of worship, for it is through giving that we receive those blessings that each of our individual faiths promote. And last, there is no shame in taking an evening with the guys and having a beer or two. Refreshing the spirit in the company of your friends and brothers is as good for the soul as prayer…laughter and friendship are sometimes exactly what the Supreme Architect would want for us! So think hard about how we apply this first tool that our Craft has to offer. Work at your job, and your Masonic learning. Worship and provide service to others in the Spirit of the SAOTU and as your faith decrees, and relax enough that you might be able to do it all again with equal vigor and strength tomorrow. This balancing instrument – that which we are taught to use for measuring our time – should accompany us in all our planning. For without proper planning, we will not perform the tasks of Masonry well. [As an aside…you will see many changes to this site as the next few weeks pass. I am learning more and more each day, and I intend to present a great tool for you to use. So don’t be afraid to email me (and even criticize) whenever you like…it’s all part of the fun.]
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