Why Is Membership Down - Think About It

I just finished reading a post on Facebook where the brother expressed his concern about the dwindling numbers in Freemasonry, a concern that has been around for years (yet we are still here).

It is my belief that Freemasonry mirrors most spiritual traditions and has suffered a great loss of interest and membership, the tide is ebbing, the reason being we are stuck in the “lowest common denominator” level. The more we dummy down the symbols, the more we fall prey to dogmatic fundamentalism in religions and ignorance in Freemasonry, a place I believe we may have found ourselves at this present time.

As a Scottish Rite Mason I have always been saddened by how few actually read the writings of Albert Pike, or even acknowledge the esoteric aspects within the rituals.

My personal feeling, most brothers have not removed their hoodwinks!

That is not necessarily a dire prediction of our future, it’s just a warning. The remedy can be found in many directions but first we have to acknowledge the esoteric side of Freemasonry, the side that speaks of levels above that of the “lowest common denominator”.

Gardening 101 - Rotation of the Elements

Gardening 101 – And You Don't Have To Be A Gardener To Understand

Living in the downtown of a city may have its benefits but to one who loves to dig in the dirt it does have a few drawbacks.

Living in the third oldest house in the downtown the land is very old, compressed, and because the lack of new growth recycling into the old missing are the essential nutrients to bring forth a healthy vibrant garden.

Because of this, and a lot of other factors that has to do with the lot size and angle of the Sun, I have decided to create a raised-bed garden.

As I explain the technique I have used to create my garden much of what I am about to put forth may be a review for some and a revelation for others it all depends upon your level of understanding or expertise.

Although much of what I am to put forth is intended for the serious gardener, the beginner will probably benefit more as they are not already locked in a know it all mindset.

Some of my words may come across as solemn, but that seriousness should in no way hinder the beauty one will find in its execution, serious only in the sense you would be amazed how one little mistake in the soil composition, weed control, or even placement can and will effect the results.

Much of what I'm going to share with you is from a very secret tradition of gardeners, a tradition that dates itself far in the unknown past. In this tradition I am considered a Master, and by the time your done reading what I have to share you also shall share in the secrets afforded only the Master.

Step by step we will walk together building our garden from scratch, examining every aspect of our garden from every direction. Together we shall discover the in's and out's Master gardening, and in the process I will reveal some of the secrets necessary for you to break free and explore a depth of gardening that was actually within you the whole time.

Before we even dig in the ground we have to take in consideration its placement in proximity to the Sun. This may seem the most basic statement made, yet you would be surprised how many beginners do not realize the cardinal points when they chose the placement of their garden.

The morning Sun rises in the East, is at its peak in the South, and sets in the West. The North is usually associated with shade. Each and every plant requires a certain amount of Sun each day, the more Sun required the closer to the South the plant should be placed.

Without confusing the reader it should also be noted that in the midsummer months the Sun is at its brightest and subsequently the hottest when South facing, care should be taken as to not burning tender and new plants, not all plants can handle the heat for long periods without a cooling period, here's where the Master gardener learns to balance the elements of heat and cold, just the right amount of Sun just the right amount of shade.

Here's something very few gardener's take into consideration, the four classical elements. Knowledge of these elements is a key to taking the garden to another level.

The Earth is primarily dry, and secondary cold, Water is primarily cold and secondary wet, the Sun, or what I like to call Fire is primarily hot and secondary dry, and the one element rarely discussed and no less important to Master gardening is Air which is primarily wet and secondarily hot.

Earth and Water are said to be ‘passive’ and ‘heavy’, while Air and Fire are said to be ‘active’ and ‘light’. You may wonder why this is important to gardening, all will become clear as we proceed, Master gardening is the ability to reach levels above and beyond the grasp of the everyday gardener.

Fire is hot and dry and with the addition of coolness becomes Earth.

“When thou hast made the quadrangle round,Then is all the secret found.”...George Ripley (d. 1490)

Suffice to say an understanding can and will take you garden to a new level, for now let us continue with garden placement in proximity to the Sun.

If you look closely at the diagram above understanding the Rotation of the Elements and how the influence of the Sun plays into it will assist you in taken your garden to level beyond the dig a hole put a plant into level. You'll actually begin to see Harmony.

Lets go through a typical summer day, the Sun rises in the East greeting the damp Earth which was cooled down by the night. Every walk outside in the morning and see that the grass is all wet, even though it didn't rain? The water comes from the dew that formed overnight. In the night hours, air temperature usually cools down. Everything in nature cools at a different speed, but usually plants don't need a lot of time to drop in temperature. The cooler air around these things causes condensation, water, to form on their surface. This is the dew, known as the Morning Dew, we see shining on the grass in the early morning hours.

“How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew!”...Ralph Waldo Emerson

As the rises to its meridian height, its highest point in the South the Air has been heated by the Fire of the Sun. The Morning Dew has evaporated as we have approached the noontime heat.

“The sun shines down from meridian height,
And illumines the depths of the sea.
Cry out the fishes, beginning to sweat,
"Oh, dammit, how hot we shall be!" ...John Keats

Not all plants love the noonday Sun, its just the way it is, there is nothing worse than a gardener trying to plant a shade loving plant in direct uninterrupted Sun. It just doesn't work, everything in nature has its place. As we are the creators of our garden we should respect our plants enough as to let prosper where they may.

As the Sun and the Heat of the day begins to decline to the West, the soil of our garden is now approaching its Dry time. The Sun sets in the West to close the day, the night will now cool down the Earth.

The more one refers to the diagram of the Rotation of Elements the more wisdom one will attain.

The more you expose yourself to the secret tradition and its symbols the more nature will reveal its secrets to you. Slowly I will reveal just what I'm allowed too. I have complete confidence that I will introduce you to enough of my tradition that you will actually be able to take it to a level equal to mine and maybe beyond.

Welcome To The Mandala of Freemasonry Part One

Time to think outside the bun, my favorite place to be. I am about to answer a question many have asked of me over the years, what's the deal with the symbol of the pyramid and the eye?

First, before I answer, I apologize to the many conspiracy theorists and their incredible imaginations, its amazing the depths one can project upon a truly insightful symbol, it may be time for a little medication.

In order to explain the symbolism I need you to picture in your mind the view of a four-sided pyramid from above, that's right above.

What you should be picturing is a square in your mind. Now allow me to share a little symbolism 101, the square is symbolic of Matter or form. I guess since you have form you are Matter. That could mean you are the square, and everything else your senses encounter.

Next I want you to imagine yourself standing upright, if you look outward while turning 360 degrees you have created an imaginary circle, boundless, only limited by your perception. If you try this at night you'll understand why the circle was the perfect symbol for the boundless heavens, wholeness, and the cosmos.

If the square is symbolic of Matter, and the circle is symbolic of infinite Spirit, we can easily imagine now the square symbolized within the circle. By the way, the square consists of four angles of 90 degrees, 4 X 90 equals 360, and the circumference of the circle.

As you can see to this point, the pyramid is slowly taken on a totally different perspective when you begin to think symbolically and spatially from above, something very few conspiracy theorists would be able to grasp.

In fact once we place the symbolic “Eye of Providence” at the center of the square, the divine spark, we have now symbolized Spirit within Matter.

For those interested in Buddhism I'm sure you can see the making of a mandala, for Christians you should now be able to understand the symbolism of Luke “The Kingdom of.” 17:21, which should be made into a mandala and all that see the interconnection of Spirit and Matter. And for all my Masonic brothers; the square can be divided into four parts, corner to corner, four triangles, the forth part of a circle, get it?

The Tie That Binds - The Seal of Solomon

In my last two blogs I have introduced you to two distinct triads, or triangles, the one with the apex up symbolic of the highest three levels of consciousness, and a second inferior triad, or triangle, with its apex point down representing the three lowest levels of consciousness.

What we are seeking here is Unity, the highest level of consciousness available, yet we have two distinct and separate triangles. If we think of the triad of Sun, Moon, and Mercury as the triad of Spirit, and the triad of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn as the triad of Matter, the only way Matter can rise to union with Spirit is Venus, love.

Venus, love, is the tie that binds. The attraction of Spirit to love draws Spirit to Matter, and the attraction of Matter to love pulls Matter to love, thus the two Spirit and Matter are harmonized by Venus, love. Only through love can our level of consciousness rise above the world of Matter. It doesn't matter what you think you know, it doesn't matter what you preach, without love you just ain't getting it.

Now I know many within the esoteric traditions are familiar with the interlaced triangles with the Sun in the center, where as in mine I placed Venus, and with due cause.

In the hexagram we have created by the higher triad descending and the lower triad ascending can only make sense when we are discussing the raising of ones consciousness, symbolized in the raising of the Master Mason and all those who seek Enlightenment, Self Realization, Samadhi, etc.

Because of love the triangle of Spirit descends to Matter, and because of love Matter ascends to Spirit, forming the union that allows one continue the process of expansion of consciousness.

The question we should be asking is what type of love has the ability to bind Spirit and Matter? Clearly we're not talking the simplified version so commonly labeled love, our love of spaghetti, or love of Spot, or even our love of spouse, each and every one of those loves has the ability to discontinue. We're talking of a love that has no limit, no time frame, no boundaries, no conditions. This is I would give my life type of love that has the possibilities to override your survival instincts, without thought. I'm pretty sure if you let your intuition kick in you'll know where I'm going.

I remember hearing this wonderful little tale of the Buddha and his deep compassion. One day the Buddha, in one of the many life's, was making his way through the forest when he came upon a cliff. As he looked down over the edge he saw a mother tiger and her cubs. The mother tiger was frail, skinny, and visibly unable to hunt. It came to the Buddha that because of the mother's woeful and hungry condition without food the mother and her cubs would surely die. Without hesitation the Buddha threw himself off the cliff, spiritual love.

“You have heard that it was said, 'Love (agape) your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love (agape) your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” — Matthew 5:43-46

The Female or Venus symbol ♀, is made up of two symbols, the circle joined to the cross. The circle symbol meaning is universal, sacred and divine. It represents the infinite nature of energy, and the inclusivity of the universe, an appropriate symbol to represent our apex pointing up triad. The cross in its simplest form, as +, is the glyph for the quaternary or square, representing the four lower planes of consciousness, or more simply, Matter.

Any Freemason should be able to see the results of our most notable and easily recognizable symbolic tools in the sign of Venus, the circle is drawn by the Compass, the cross by use of the Square, also symbolic of Spirit and Matter.

Enlighten Your Path Part #2 Harmonizing Spirit & Matter

This is a continuation of the previous blog.

There is another triad to discuss, the one with its apex pointing down.

Now that I've made the case for the triad of Sun, Moon, and Mercury actually representing levels of consciousness, the Sun our highest aspiration, the next triangle also represents levels of consciousness, also symbolized by planets, yet these are the levels we must rise above in order to make our way towards the symbolic Sun.

The apex of our downward triangle is symbolic of Saturn. Saturn in the Cosmos corresponds to the outer realm of the physical and is called the "first born" because farthest in expression from the centre. Also he is called the guardian of the outer gate, the ruler of the world of Matter, standing with scythe and hour glass at that mystical point where cause and effect meet. He is seldom loved or welcomed because he is the law, the Reaper. Old, fixed, slow of movement, because first born, he is, in the individual, Destiny. He releases through the outer gate that initiate only who is strong enough to be at one with him and know his majesty.

In Freemasonry we can see him symbolized by the Tyler, who protects the outer door. The level of consciousness symbolized by Saturn is Materialism, at this level the individual is totally egocentric, his or her own little island, hence the reason the Tyler sits outside the door of the Lodge Room. Everything taken in by their senses is out there, separate, they are the subject, everything else is the object. Here we have the deepest of Buddhist samsara, ignorance, greed, and hatred, the three assassins.

Here's a rubber meets the road moment, if Saturn consciousness is not working for you, inside a switch is thrown. Sadly not all will hear the call, the world of the senses is very strong, and fortunate is the one who senses that which you seek is causing you to seek.

Allow me to make a very important point again before we continue, Freemasonry is a spiritual path, not religious, spiritual. If it was solely a moral tradition it would never discourage atheists from petitioning, it’s absurd to think atheists can't be moral, but because of its spiritual make-up it would be disrespectful to allow one to begin a path that is not in the person's interest. Freemasonry does not “save” souls; neither does the dummy downed religious dogma being promoted by ignorant literalistic thought.

One level up from the apex of Saturn is the angle representative of Jupiter, the planet of expansion, growth and cooperation.

The planets of conscience are Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter relates to the consciousness expanding principle; while Saturn relates to the consciousness limiting principle.

The Jupiter principle relates to the centrifugal or externalizing force of integration. Jupiter, by broadening the horizons, forces that self, now integrated, to acknowledge that there is still more, that there can be more awareness by reaching out from the center towards the universe. Together Jupiter and Saturn act as rival agents that affect a continued and steady growth process of consciousness, not too fast, but then not too slow either, by providing for the balancing awareness of a conscience. These two together represent the balancing agent of the self vs. others... the ability to balance the needs of the self with the needs of the other.

If find it interesting the Jupiter was also known as the God of lightening and the thunderbolt, the lightening bolt is symbolized on the electrician's apron in Freemasonry. Coincidence?

Our next position on the downward pointing triangle opposite of Jupiter is Mars.

This level of consciousness, symbolized by the planet Mars, is influential in illuminating our vision as to what is no longer serving us. This makes Mars symbolism relevant to cycles, and the natural rhythms of life and death, something understood by the warrior planet. On the one hand we have the driving force of new beginnings followed by a period of thoughtful retreat and a symbolic death to the things which no longer serve.

Working with the Mars symbol and Mars symbolism means being honest with ourselves. Mars energy forces us to confront our deepest, darkest secrets and drive a spike of active understanding in the heart of our shadows.

I have introduced you to two distinct triads, of triangles, the one with the apex up symbolic of the highest three levels of consciousness, and a second inferior triad, or triangle, with its apex point down representing the three lowest levels of consciousness.

What we are seeking here is Unity, the highest level of consciousness available, yet we have two distinct and separate triangles. If we think of the triad of Sun, Moon, and Mercury as the triad of Spirit, and the triad of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn as the triad of Matter, the only way Matter can raise to union with Spirit is Venus, love.

Venus, love, is the tie that binds. The attraction of Spirit to love draws Spirit to Matter, and the attraction of Matter to love pulls Matter to love, thus the two Spirit and Matter are harmonized by Venus, love. Only through love can our level of consciousness rise above the world of Matter. It doesn't matter what you think you know it doesn’t matter what you preach, without love you just ain’t getting it.

Now I know many within the esoteric traditions are familiar with the interlaced triangles with the Sun in the center, where as in mine I placed Venus, and with due cause.

In the hexagram we have created by the higher triad descending and the lower triad ascending can only make sense when we are discussing the raising of ones consciousness, symbolized in the raising of the Master Mason and all those who seek Enlightenment, Self Realization, Samadhi, etc.

Because of love the triangle of Spirit descends to Matter, and because of love Matter ascends to Spirit, forming the union that allows one continue the process of expansion of consciousness.