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.

What Is It?

As of late I have been to busy writing on the subject of “Spirit and Matter”, and the Harmony of. A subject I’m sure would interest about three people. Nevertheless I came upon this little gem while researching Spiritualized Matter and thought I would share it with you.

It was written by a very insightful George Washington Carey, a gentleman who’s ideas of human chemistry are still being studied and verified today, almost a hundred years after he wrote “Man’s body is a chemical formula in operation and there can be but one law of chemical operation in vegetable or animal organisms.”

A CHILD brought to its mother a piece of ice and asked: "What is this?"

The mother answered, "It is ice."

Again the child asked, "What is there in ice?" The mother answered: "There is water in the ice."

The child desired to find the water in the ice, and it procured a hammer, pounded the piece of ice into little bits and the warm air soon changed all the ice to water. The child was grievously disappointed, for the ice that the child supposed contained water had disappeared.

And the child said, "Where is the ice that contained this water?"

And so it came to pass that the mother was compelled, by the child's persistent questions, to say, "ice is all water; there is no such thing as ice; that which we call ice is crystallized or frozen water."

The child understood.

A student brought to his teacher some water and asked, "What is water? What does it contain?"

The teacher answered, "Water contains oxygen and hydrogen," and then explained how the two gases might be separated and set free by heat.

The student boiled the water until all of the molecules of oxygen and hydrogen had been set free, but he was surprised to find that all of the water had disappeared.

Then the student asked of the teacher, "Where is the water that held the gases that have escaped?"

Then was the teacher compelled by the student's persistent questions to answer, "Water itself is the product of oxygen and hydrogen. Water does not contain anything other than these gases. In reality, there are no such substances or fluid as water; that which we name water is a rate of motion set in operation by the union of two parts of hydrogen with one part of oxygen and, of course, the phenomenon disappears when the union of the gases is broken."

The student understood.

A devout scientist presented himself before God and said, "Lord, what are these gases men call oxygen and hydrogen?"

The good Lord answered and said, "They are molecules in the blood and body of the universe."

Then spoke the scientist, "Lord, wilt thou tell me of the kind of molecules that compose Thy blood and body?"

The Lord replied, "These same molecules, gases or principles, compose my blood and body; for I and the universe are one and the same."

Once again the scientist said, "My Lord, may I ask, then, what is Spirit and what is Matter?"

And thus answered the Lord:

"As ice and water are one, and the gases and water are one, so is Spirit and Matter one. The different phases and manifestations cognized by man in the molecules of my body—that is, the universe—are caused by the Word; thus, they are my thoughts clothed with form."

Now the scientist felt bold, being redeemed from fear, and asked "is my blood, then, identical with Thy blood in composition and Divine Essence?"

And the Lord said, "Yea, thou art one with the Father."

The scientist now understood and said:

"Now mine eyes are opened and I perceive that, when I eat, I partake of Thy body; when I drink, I drink of Thy blood; and when I breathe, I breathe Thy spirit."

So-called matter is Pure Intelligence and nothing else— because there is not anything else.

Pure intelligence cannot progress or become better. There is nothing but Intelligence. Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Omniscience must mean Intelligence; therefore these terms are all included in the word.....nice.....