Masonic Tools - Plumbing the Depths!

Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry offers the following observations on the Plumb, an important tool in Freemasonry:

A line to which a piece of lead is attached so as to make it hang perpendicularly. The plumb-line, sometimes called simply the line, is one of the working-tools of the Past Master. According to Preston, it was one of the instruments of Freemasonry which was presented to the Master of a Lodge at his installation, and he defines its symbolism as follows: "The line teaches the criterion of rectitude, to avoid dissimulation in conversation and action, and to direct our steps in the path which leads to immortality." This idea of the immortal life was always connected in symbology with that of the perpendicular-something that rose directly upward. Thus in the primitive church, the worshiping Christians stood up at prayer on Sunday, as a reference to the Lord's resurrection on that day. This symbolism is not, however, preserved in the verse of the prophet Amos (vii, 7) which is read in the United States as the Scripture passage of the Second Degree, where it seems rather to refer to the strict justice which God will apply to the people of Israel. It there coincides with the first Masonic definition that the line teaches the criterion of moral rectitude.

While most modern Masons will recognize the symbolic significance of the plumb in Speculative terms, and also the practical use in Operative Masonry, few will have considered it's use as a metaphysical tool. Yet, one wonders, given the metaphysical underpinnings of Freemasonry if the Plumb's use as a metaphysical tool was unknown or ignored by many Masons in past times, as it appears too commonly to be the case today.

Plumb bobs have been used in divining in a variety of cultures. They were known to have existed and were used both in operative masonry in Egyptian society, and played a role in Egyptian death passage ceremonies. They have also been used for divination purposes by Native Americans. The National Museum of the American Indian has several examples from the Cherokee culture, designated in their collection as having been used for divination.

When we look back at the language embedded in Masonic descriptions of the Plumb, it is easy to see how it might be construed as a tool for seeking information, that could be used to divine and receive messages from beyond or at the least to access deeper sources of knowledge from within. As noted before, Mackey states that "the line teaches the criterion of rectitude, to avoid dissimulation in conversation and action, and to direct our steps in the path which leads to immortality."  And elsewhere it has been noted that 

"It is a truly magnificient jewel, an indespensible working tool; and when applied to the work with its fellows, the square and the level, it opens the doorway of that middle chamber in those immortal mansions, whence all goodness emanates." This brief passage may be read by those who have an appreciation for esoteric masonry as an assertian that the plumb can be a direct source of access to inner wisdom.

J.V.A. Andreae, a German Mason published a poem in 1623 that may arguably offer an esotericist guidance on the use of the plumb as a divining tool.

The best logician is our God,

Whom the conclusion never fails;

He speaks - it is; He wills -- it stands;

He blows -- it falls; He breathes -- it lives;

His words are true .-- e'en without proof,

His counsel rules without command,

Therefore can none foresee his end -

Unless on God is built his hope.

And if we here below would learn

By Compass, Needles Square and Plumb,

We never must o'erlook the mete

Wherewith our God hath measur'd us.

I will not delve into the particulars on how to use a plumb to divine, but will suggest to those interested in exploring this use of a Masonic Jewel, that using the tracing boards like a chart of symbols may have interesting possibilities. I'd love to hear from you concerning your experiences.

Other Rites: Parfait Maître Irlandais - Leçons

Leçons - Lectures

Q. Are you a Perfect Irish Master?
A. Interrogate me and my answers will make you recognize me.
Q. How have you been announced in lodge?
A. By four knocks.
Q. Whom did you meet at the door of the lodge?
A. The brother Junior-Warden, who awaited me in order to instruct me.
Q. What did he teach you?

A. He let me know the excellence of this degree and the duty which it requires.
Q. Who introduced you?
A. The Senior Warden.
Q. Where did he place you?
A. In the West of the lodge.
Q. What did he do with you?
A. He had me put the right knee on the floor and made me pronounce the word: Givi.
Q. What signifies this word?
A. Bend the knees.
Q. What did the Very Perfect Illustrious answer?
A. Ki.
Q. What does this word signify?
A. Rise.
Q. What did the Senior Warden then do?
A. He placed a drawn sword under my chin and made me perambulate four times around the lodge, which is the emblem of the temple of Solomon.
Q. Why did you have a drawn sword under the chin?
A. To recall my first obligation and to show that I had rather have my tongue cut out than reveal the secrets, which were confided to me.
Q. What do the four perambulations you have to make signify?
A. The four ages of Man: his birth, his adolescence, his old age and his death.
Q. How did you arrive at the base of the throne of the Very Perfect Illustrious?
A. By four measured steps, which brought me to the four parts of the temple.
Q. What does this step signify?
A. The entire inspection we have over all workmen and the works of the temple and the lodge.
Q. What did the Very Perfect Illustrious do with you?
A. Upon the testimony he received about my zeal, he received me Prevost and Judge over all workmen and then gave me possession of the heart of Hiram.
Q. What did he give to you after this?
A. A golden key, the attribute of my degree, a Sign, A Token, and two Words.
Q. What is the purpose of the key?
A. To open the case of ebony in order to take out the designs.
Q. How do the Perfect Irish Masters wear this key?
A. They wear it hanging on a ribbon of a fiery colour.
Q. What does it signify?
A. That only we know the place where the heart of Hiram reposes.
Q. Where does it repose?
A. In a golden urn, closed and placed under the secind step of the middle chanber when mounting.
Q. How do you have yourself made known as a Perfect Irish Master?
A. By my Sign, Words, and Token.
Q. Give them to me!
A. Here they are ... he gives them.
Q. What did you perceive on entering the lodge?
A. The knotted cord placed in the form of a canopy under which hung a case of ebony wood and a triangle surrounding a Gஃ and an Aஃ intertwined,
Q. What does the case contain?
A. All of the plans and designs of the lodge.
Q. What do the two letters Gஃ and Aஃ signify?
A. That God has been the Geometrist and the Architect of His temple bu the designs with which He inspired Solomon.
Q. What more did you see?
A. A key, a balance, and different letters of which the meaning is known to me.
Q. What does the balance signify?
A. The exactitude with which we have to fulfil our functions: being committed to ending the strife which may occur between the workmen.
Q. What do the letters JஃHஃSஃ signify?
A. The first is the initial of the Great Architect of the Universe, the second that of the Architect of the temple and the third that of the Master, who as the first discovered the corpse of Hiram.
Q. Where were you placed?
A. In the middle chamber.
Q. On what did you work?
A. On the tomb of Hiram.
Q. Where was he buried?
A. In the sanctuary of the temple.
Q. What is the purpose of the pouch you wear on your apron?
A. To contain the designs which the Masters have to take the proportions of, on the drawing-boards.
Q. What do the red, blue, and black rosettes signify?
A. The red represents the blood Hiram shed, the blue the fidelity of the Perfect Irish Masters and the black the mourning of the true Masters the death of our Worshipful Master Hiram.
Q. How many lights are there in the lodge of the Perfect Irish Masters?
A. Sixteen.
Q. How are they placed?
A. By fours, on the four cardinal points of the Tracing Board of the lodge.
Q. What is your age?
A. Sixty four years or the square number of four times four.
Q. What is the hour?
A. The night did already proceed.

After this answer the Very Perfect Illustrious gives four knocks as before with his mallet on the altar, which serve as a signal to all of the brethren to rise and to stand to order. After the wardens have repeated them on their own mallets, the Very Perfect Illustrious says to the whole assembly: My brethren, it is time to leave the work, the lodge of the Perfect Irish Masters is closed. Let us do our duty by four times four. The wardens repeat the same thing and all give together the Sign, clap sixteen times, by four times four as before, with their hands. When this is done they embrace each other. Then the alms-box for the poor circulates and after the usual banquet each retires in peace.

~Finis~

Other Rites: Le Parfait Maître Irlandais

Somewhere in the nineteenth century, a creeping  amnesia came across the Americas and it was known by the name of Preston-Webb. I will readily admit my bias in regards to ritual. Before I even began to wrestle with the myriad ethical and procedural disappointments which mainstream Freemasonry represents to me,  I found myself aesthetically disenchanted with its foundational ritual. In all fairness, there is nothing wrong with the Preston-Webb rituals. It is perhaps unfair to call them the "white bread" of Masonic rituals although I read or heard some mainstream mason describe them that way. I understand a bit of the history of the adoption of Preston-Webb rituals in North America and it is completely appropriate that a person sees the beauty in those traditions with which they are accustomed. My critique is simply based upon a personal aesthetic which values variety.

That there are a host of good reasons for people to be exposed to the rich and varied range of rituals which we all as masons can claim as our heritage. It is another reason why I view regularity and its raft of offensive descriptions of the "Masonic other" to be perhaps the most serious flaw in our society. It separates and robs people of their rightful heritage which should comprise all of Freemasonry. The issue of maintaining secrecy and restricting access to your own rituals is understandable and grounded in a variety of esoteric issues, despite some masons' desire to deny that there exists an esoteric component to freemasonry. However, apart from in North America, almost all rituals are readily available to Mason and Non-Mason alike. The important secrets do not lie in the words of the initiation, but rather its legitimate experience, and that, no administrative body or Grand Lodge controls.

The isolation which is typical of North American Freemasonry often includes a lack of even the most basic familiarity with other forms of ritual apart from the fairly homogenized Anglo-American forms. I hope this short presentation of an important 18th Century Higher Degree ritual translated from the French will serve to whet the appetite of those North Americans who have not included this aspect of masonic study in their own education to date. Apart from the fact that it is a glaring gap in their education, I believe that most who explore this subject will find it not only valuable but quite enjoyable.  Because of the length of this ritual, and its attendant lesson, it will be posted in two entries.

Le Parfait Maître Irlandais or the Perfect Irish Master

In the early years of Freemasonry in France, the higher grades began to develop primarily under the influence of the Jacobite followers of the Stuart Kings in Exile who had been defeated by the Hanoverian pretenders to the throne in the Islands. While these grades eventually came to be identified primarily with the Scottish, before the rise in popularity of Scottish or Ecossais masonry, a number of Irish degrees had circulated in France. This is not surprising when one considers that there were many Irish and Scottish soldiers and aristocrats who had been forced into exile in France, Spain, and Italy. Over time, the Irish component became incorporated into developing systems which subsequently came to be called Scottish or Ecossais. One such degree is that which is called the Perfect Irish Master which follows. The version presented here comes from a translation of the Cayers Maçonniques: Rituals of the Lodge of Perfection by Gerry L. Prinsen. 

This degree was the 7th Degree in a system including the the first three degrees, which in essence is a version of that Rite most commonly known today as Morin's Lodge of the Royal Secret, the immediate predecessor to the Modern Scottish Rite.

Decoration of the lodge

The lodge shall be decorated in blue, as are the altar and the throne, with curtains in which hang cords, all spread with golden stars. Under the canopy must hang a case of ebony wood and a triangle next to it. It encloses the letter Gஃ and Aஃ intertwined. At the other side, the letters JஃHஃSஃ, also intertwined. It is lighted by sixteen lights placed in fours on the four corners of the tracing board, which represents the Temple of Hiram and the unfinished tomb of Hiram. With the title of Very Perfect Illustrious he holds in his right hand the royal baton and is, as are all brethren, decorated with a pair of gloves and an apron of white leather doubled and trimmed with red, the apron decorated in the centre with a small pouch of the same colour, accompanied by three rossettes placed in a triangle with the point raised: one red, one blue, and one black. In the center is the picture of a case of ebony wood. Besides this he and all the brethren are decorated with a large collar of a fiery colour to which hangs a golden key. The golden key of the Master should be enclosed by a triangle of the same metal and accompanied by the letter Gஃ and Aஃ at each side. Regarding his apron, his gloves and his collar, they are all trimmed with golden lace and fringes.

The Senior Warden us at the West and the Junior Warden outside the lodge in order to wait for and instruct the candidate on the excellence of the degree he is going to receive, as well as on the duties he is going to take. Everything thus arranged the lodge is opened as follows.

Opening of the Lodge

The Very Perfect Illustrious, having assured himself of the dorrs being tyled and of all brethren being masons, gives four knocks with his mallet on the altar in this manner: • • ... • •, which ser as a signal to all brethren to rise and to stand to order. The wardens having repeated same with their own mallets, the Very Perfect Illustrious asks some questions from the catechism to the senior warden and ends by saying
Q. What is the hour, my brother?
A. Six or seven o'clock.
Q Why do you so answer thus?
A. Because the truth of the Very Illustrious Prefect Irish Master has to be made known at all hours of the day.

After this answer the Very Perfect Illustrious says to the whole assembly: My brethren, let us set to work, we shall have the visit of our deacons. The lodge of Perfect Irish Masters is opened, let us do our duty. The Senior Warden repeats the same to the two columns, they all give the Sign, the claps each with sixteen knocks, by four times four as before, with their hands. Then each resumes his place and the proceed to the initiation as follow.

Initiation

When the lodge has been opened, the Brother Preparer, on the order of the Very Perfect Illustrious, leaves and goes to see the candidate in the chamber of preperation. There he takes from him his sword and all offensive and defensive weapons. Being disarmed he has him decorate himself with the attributes of the last degree he has acquired and then conducts him with free sight to the dorr of the lodge., where he finds the Junior Warden, who as was said before, instructs him about the excellence of this degree and also about the duties he is going to assume. When the candidate is instructed thus, the Junior Warden gives four knocks as before on the door of the lodge. The Senior Warden having heard them informs the Very Perfect Illustrious, who orders him to see who knocks thus.

This brother goes immediately to the door, where he gives four knocks and then opens the door and says to the Junior Warden:
Q. What do you demand, my brother?
A. It is a Master, who desires to be initiated as a Perfect Irish Master.
Q Is he worthy of this?
A. Yes.

Upon this answer he closes the door, returns to his place and gives the answer of the Junior Warden: A Very Perfect Illustrious, who has asked the candidate whether he be assured that he was worthy of it. Having heard that the answer is yes, the Very Perfect Illustrious says to him: let him enter. This brother goes to the door again, where he knocks as before, upon which he opens and receives the candidate from the hands of the Junior Warden. He introduces him into the West of the lodge, where he has him say: 'Givi', upon which he has him kneel on the right knee. In that posture the Very Perfect Illustrious takes the word and prounces: 'Ki'.

Upon that answer the Senior Warden has the candidate rise and then places a drawn sword across his throat and subsequently has him thus make four times the perambulation in the lodge. Upon his return to the West he has him advance by four great steps to the East, the right foot behind the left leg forming the figure 4. In that posture the Very Perfect Illustrious has him place his right hand on the Volume of the Sacred Law and says to him: It is with joy that I recompense your zeal for Freemasonry and your attachment to Masons by constituting you Prevost and Judge over all workmen of this illustrious lodge. Assured as we are of your discretion, we shall not make any difficulty in confiding to you our most interesting secrets. May the peaceful Genius, who presides over our order procure you, by the will of the Supreme Being, source of perfection,  the same fervour for the degree to which we are going to elevate you, that you had for those or have for them. You will partake in the possession of the heart of Hiram, which we preserve in a golden urn since we discovered him assassinated. Try to have sufficient firmness not to divulge what is going to be confided to you about this degree, even if you are forced by the most terrible torments. Please Answer.
A. I assure this on the same oaths I contracted on entering the order and promise to render justice to all my brethren.

After this answer the Very Perfect Illustrious has him rise and pass to his right side, where he gives him a knock with his royal baton on each shoulder, saying to him: By the authority I have received and the unanimous consent of this august assembly I receive you as a Perfect Irish Master. While saying these things he decorates him with gloves, apron, collar and jewel of which the description was given above. Having decorated him thus, he embraces him and gives him the Sign, Words and Token as will follow.

The Sign is given by forming with the thumb and index of the right hand a square and bringing it to the chin as if to support it.  The answer to this Sign is by supporting the nose with the two middle fingers of the right hand in the form of compasses.

The Token is given by knocking once with the end of the little finger on that of the examinator, who will answer by two and so on.

The Sacred Word is Tito and the password is Xinchen, which is spelled as that of an Apprentice.

After the Very Perfect Illustrious has given to the candidate the Sign, Words, and Token, he sends him out to have himself recognized as Perfect Irish Master to the whole lodge, which is done. Upon his return he has him take a seat among the brethren. When the initiation is concluded he proceeds to the lecture as follows.

The Lecture will follow in the next Posting. 

Happy Holidays!

Hermes Renascentis

Periodically, I have an irresistible urge to re-experience one of my sources of youthful inspiration. I viewed myself as a young man inclined to the visionary approach in a world devoid of mystics. Few people I knew shared my enthusiasm for the world of visions, dreams, mythology, and fantasy. Apart from my older brother, who was probably responsible for nurturing this tendency, I had nobody to speak with about it. It was acceptable, if perhaps a little questionable in terms of taste, to enjoy fantasy literature, but it had to be strictly a momentary escape from reality. Reality was an infinitely superior endeavor, and clearly more worthy of one's time. One's value as a human had to be in some form of measurable production, be that auto parts, haut cuisine, or in published words. If that production could not be converted into dollars and cents, it was valueless. Knowledge or experience was of no relevance if it did not find its way into the pages of a ledger book. Fortunately for both me and my brother, although our parents might not have approved of everywhere it led us, they encouraged us to read and to pursue artistic interests.

Now,  as I approach 3 score years, the world has only become more obsessed with materialism. As for myself, now within hitting distance of the aforementioned sixtieth birthday, that materialist view appears even less important than it did at 17. I remained chagrinned but resigned to the fact that I live in a world that values little of that which I see as being of worth.

As a teenager, I explored my own inner world extensively and found it often infinitely better than the external world. That does not mean I was withdrawn, lacking a social life, or otherwise uninvolved in the "real" world,  I just was aware of the alternatives. And then it happened.

There were a lot of other approaches to the inner world that I was exploring at the time, but few had as profound an impact upon me as one did. Ironically, I suspect the author of this particular inspiration thought of it largely as entertainment, albeit entertainment with a message. For the most part, I viewed it the same way. However, the message it held for me was the the visionary explorations I took did not represent something I did in isolation. There were others out there who were familiar with other worlds and were capable of accessing them, too.

This particular inspiration came in the guise of the adventures of a profoundly, and at times frustratingly "normal" hero of a tale told in an intentionally anachronistic style. That man was one Jack Flanders, and he had visited another man with the unique name of Meatball Fulton, to share his story. Meatball Fulton, produced and began broadcasting the amazing adventures of Jack Flanders, as old style Radio Dramas, in 1972. The first of these was "The Fourth Tower of Inverness," in which Jack entered an otherwise invisible piece of architecture - the fourth Tower of Inverness Manor, a mansion which in normal reality appeared to have only three towers. In this fourth Tower, he ultimately encounters the Lotus Jukebox, but not in the first story. He does however, need to find the Whirlitzer of Wisdom, the Great Green Jade Jukebox, and the Bodhisattva Jukebox before he can reach the Lotus Jukebox.

His adventures continue later include a trio to North Africa in the Drama entitled "Moon over Morrocco." There have been a number of other Jack Flanders adventures over the years, and several spin-offs for characters such as Mojo Sam, who played a character inspired by a Bogart Movie. However, I did not become aware of these later stories until decades later. For most of my adult life, "Moon over Morrocco" and "The Fourth Tower of Inverness," the first of the Jack Flanders adventure series, which combined elements of Americana and Old-time radio drama with metaphysical concepts such as past life regression, Sufi wisdom, Tibetan Buddhism and shamanistic communication with the natural world, represented the most dramatic parallel to my own inward exploration.

Recently, I noted there was a new Jack Flanders adventure. I admit, I now receive mail order catalogs from ZBS Audio Adventures, the distribution arm of Meatball Fulton's creative nexus. This latest adventure is entitled "Do Angels Really Have WIngs?" It also occurred to me, although I don't recall it in any of the stories I listened to over the years, that there is an uncanny connection between Jack Flanders and Freemasonry. After all, two of his most significant and earliest adventures take place in Scotland and in the Sufi filled world of the North African desert. I wonder when he will meet up with Count Cagliostro.

For the rest of this post, there is not a lot more to comment on. My main thought is to suggest that we can indeed find Hermetic principles in places we hardly expect to, such as in revivalist 1970s Radio Dramas, and perhaps these will inspire us to take some guided flights of fancy, to discover more of our inner world, and what lies beyond the middle chamber.

Sincerely, whether you are interested in a serious study of Hermeticism or not, and even if you believe that Freemasonry is only a social club for men, as the UGLE would have us believe, do yourself a favor and visit Meatball Fulton's site http://www.zbs.org . Go a step further and buy a story. Maybe try one of the shorter ones, although the two big classics of his that I mention here are in my opinion the best place to start. Now, the usual disclaimer applies: I have never received anything free from ZBS productions, unless you count the free downloads they have from time to time offered to everyone who visits their website, nor do I know Meatball Fulton personally or anyone associated with him. You should not assume that because I have claimed to see reflections of Freemasonry in these works, that it was ever the intention of the creator of these stories to draw such a parallel. I won't promise you enlightenment, nor even a serious exposure to hardcore metaphysics. However, if you don't find these stories good, rollicking and brain tweaking fun, you need them more than you know!

Masonic Vision: Glimpses of Glimpsing Beyond

Crystal Ball at University of Pennsylvania Museum

SCRYING: Crystals and Magic Mirrors in the history of Freemasonry

Freemasonry as an institution has always been greater than the sum of its parts. So, while some masons today seek, rather amusingly I think, to deny that Freemasonry has anything to do with Hermeticism, alchemy, theurgy, and such spiritual sciences such as divination, the fact remains that these matters have always been found attached to the Craft.

Dr. John Dee's Divination Equipment

For those who may find the subject of interest whether as an operative activity or a purely speculative examination, in this post the Hedge will take a brief glance at the art of scrying, which is the use of crystals or other reflective surfaces to inspire various types of spiritual vision.  The range of surfaces may include rock crystal, either natural or quite often as a polished sphere, natural transparent or translucent stones, glass, mirrors, polished metal surfaces, or water.

Of course, divination by means of inspiring visions (visual hallucinations if you are a neurologist) is one of the most ancient forms of seeking inspiration from the realm of the spirits. It is recorded in ancient Babylonia and Egypt, although most often those cultures used a speculum, or vessel containing some reflective liquid.

Those who would practice this art or science, are advised to use a relaxed gaze rather than a fixed stare, maintaining a steady gaze for no more than five minutes at a time. Depending on the source, the gazer may find their vision clouding over, or the interior of the crystal or scrying surface clouding over, and they may see images or symbols, or even scenes within the object. Alternately as they gaze, they may see their visions upon an internal screen. I will leave the practical comments to these few words and move on to a brief survey of some notable individuals who were Freemasons or by the common imagination may be associated with the masons, who studied or wrote on the subject. 

Dr. Dee at the Court of Queen Elizabeth I

Dr. John Dee (1572-1608)  The first Renaissance figure we might associate with both Freemasonry and Scrying is the legendary Dr. John Dee. Of course, there is no record of his having been a Freemason, but he is an indisputably significant figure in European Hermeticism, and all of the Noble Arts associated with Freemasonry. Some may wish to disassociate the craft from his name, but both Dame Frances Yates and David Stephenson place him firmly within the stream of ideas that contributed strongly to the development of speculative Freemasonry. Dee, born in London of Welsh parentage (his surname was originally Dû pronounced Dee, meaning black) was known for his work in using crystal gazers to communicate with angels.

Eliphas Levi (1810-1875) Alphonse Louis Constant made a living from his writing and by giving lessons in the occult. He renamed himself Magus Eliphas Levi, the hebrew equivalents of his first and middle names. In 1854 he took a trip to London, where he performed a ritual to conjure the spirit of Appolonius Tyana, a renowned magician of ancient times. Levi;s preparation included a week of fasting. Levi dressed in white robes and entered his magic chamber equipped with mirrors on the walls. His incantations went on for 12 hours after which the floor beneath him began to shake, and he saw an apparition in one of the mirrors. While Levi was not a Freemason, he had a great impact upon at least two very famous Freemasons, Albert Pike and A.E. Waite.

Count Cagliostro

Count Cagliostro (1743 - 1795). Moving into the category of individuals who are unquestionably identified as Masons, we come to one of my favorites, The flamboyant Alessandro Cagliostro who utilized scrying within Masonic rituals, as well as in other non-masonic spiritual practices. While a number of authors have discussed Cagliostro's divination practices, Theodore Besterman, devoted a lengthy essay to the subject. 

Frederick Hockley (1808 - 1885), an accountant by profession, was well known in circles which cultivated 'Rejected Knowledge'.Apart from his scrying experiments with crystals and so-called 'Magic Mirrors', which were used to induce trance states, he was a diligent copyist of old magical manuscripts. He became a significant figure in Esoteric Freemasonry in the 19th Century, although not well known by those who are not themselves committed esotericists.

Francis George Irwin (1828 -1892). Irwin was Chief Adept of the Bristol Soc. Ros. College. Irwin joined in succession several lodges and, according to Gould, so great was his desire to obtain more light, that there was scarcely a degree in existence, if within his range, that he did not join. In scrying seances during the years 1872-3, he communicated with none other than Cagliostro, who told him that 'the Crystal you have will be of little use. It is charged with an antagonistic principle.' Cagliostro came again on 29 October 1873 when he delivered the message that 'I am afraid that at present I cannot give (you) anything to be continuous.' Thereafter, between 31 October and 9 November Cagliostro communicated on four separate occasions and, according to Irwin's 'Spiritual Journal', dictated almost word for word the substance of the 'historical introduction' to the Fratres Lucis ritual.

John Yarker

John Yarker (1833 - 1913). John Yarker, was a prolific Masonic writer who dealt with many historic topics but was especially interested in esoteric topics. Not much admired, it would appear, by Albert Pike. Although that speaks highly of his character, among his other positive credentials was that he wrote a brief work, which was never published in full on the topic entitled "The History and Mystery of the Magic Crystal."  These final words of advice, should anyone care to try for themselves comes from Yarker's aforementioned work.  

"After carefully investigating the visions in their subjective and objective phases for nearly 20 years I imported an Indian or Bhattah Mirror in May 1886 and produced for a few friends a model that answered in every particular quite equal to the expensive original at a tenth of the cost Many investigators from some perhaps congenial cause getting no satisfactory results after repeated trials with the Ball or Egg shaped Crystals may try flat polished pieces of Rock Crystal quartz Cannel Coal Bloodstone or Obsidian or Mirrors their shape suiting them best but they must not forget that no matter whatever may be the cause of individual failure the power to see is in themselves aud not in anything they may..."  (quoted in Rosicrucian Brotherhood, vol. 1-3 (in one volume) p. 145.) S.C. Gould. 1907.

I hope that this brief post does not make any of my masonic brothers or sisters uncomfortable. If by some chance it does however, I admonish them to take a long hard look in the mirror. Any mirror will do. Take a break after five minutes, and try again.

Conference on Second Sight and Prophecy in Aberdeen

Call for Papers - with apologies for cross posting

'Second Sight and Prophecy'

University of Aberdeen on 14-16 June 2013

Conference organised by the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy, and the Elphinstone Institute at the University of Aberdeen; sponsored by the Folklore Society

This interdisciplinary conference welcomes participants from a range of academic disciplines including History, Folklore, Anthropology, Divinity and Sociology whose research interests cover a wide range of topics exploring varying methods used by different cultures (both now and in the past) to look into the future and the rationale for so doing. The future has always held a fascination for humankind especially in times of tribulation and this is worthy of academic discussion in light of the changes affecting so many of us in our current global context. The role in culture of seers and prophets, by whatever name they are known, and the use of rituals, drugs and sacred sites, etc. will be examined.

Abstracts of 300 words are invited on any of the following or related topics. These should be submitted by 15 November 2012 to the conference convenor, Dr Alex Sutherland, History Department, University of Aberdeen; a.m.sutherland@abdn.ac.uk               

Papers might address:

Astrology and its rationale(s) for predicting the future.

Biblical prophecy as depicted in the arts.

Divination in any form.

English attitudes to second sight.

Healing wells.

How modern scientists have appropriated the persona of the prophet or visionary seer.

Landscape and prophecy in art.

Old Norse and later Scandinavian sources on prophecy.

Popular Catholic belief in prophecy before and after the Reformation.

Prophecy in Native American tribes.

Prophetic utterances by the courts, commoners, and the church.

Reading the future in the landscape of settlements.

Renaissance science and astrology.

Sami shamanism.

Second sight and prophecy in Scottish Gaeldom.

Second sight and prophecy in the Viking world.

Second sight in Gaelic traditions as they survived and evolved in Nova Scotian communities.

Seers and seeresses in medieval Icelandic saga literature.

The early Islamic world & its connections with astrology.

The role of prophecies, visions and dreams in poetry and allegorical tales.

The role of prophecy in the origins of Islam, in the pre-Islamic Arabian environment

The use of sites, dreams and ancestors for prophecies by indigenous peoples.

Visual and verbal imagery of natural objects as coded language for the use of entheogens to attain divine / prophetic knowledge.

Welsh prophetic poetry.

When prophecy fails.

Dr Alex Sutherland

School of Divinity, History and Philosophy

History Department

Crombie Annexe

Meston Walk

Aberdeen AB24 3FX

Tel: 01224 273051

Email: a.m.sutherland@abdn.ac.uk

The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683.

2012 Esoteric Book Conference

The 2012 Esoteric Book Conference in Seattle, Washington.

The Esoteric Book Conference will take place at the Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Center is conveniently located in the core of the city of Seattle, within easy walking distance of hotels, restaurants and other amenities. With the highest number of book stores per capita in the United States, Seattle is an ideal place to exhibit, promote and discuss esoteric books and related publishing concerns.

Tickets are required to attend the presentations. The Book Fair, and Art Show are Free and open to the public.

Deluxe Tickets ($120) include Saturday and Sunday presentations at the Seattle Center and an exclusive invitation to the Saturday night performances, where you can sociale with conference attendees and share libations with many of the presenters, book vendors and artists featured at the Esoteric Book Conference. You must be 21 or over to attend the event. Deluxe Admission holders will also receive a special gift, to be announced at a later date.

Standard Admission ($80) includes Saturday and Sunday presentations at the Seattle center.

A Day Pass ($50) entitles you to attend either Saturday OR Sunday presentations.

Deluxe Upgrades ($40) are intended for vendors or conference volunteers, who wish to upgrade their Standard ticket to a Deluxe. They include the Saturday night performance portion of our event and are available on a first come, first-served basis due to limited availability. Day pass admissions may also purchase the upgrade. They DO NOT qualify as standalone tickets, they only serve to upgrade an existing Standard Admission.

http://esotericbookconference.com/

Studia Occulta Islamica

A new journal of interest to all fascinated by the roots of Hermeticism and Masonic Esotericism.

A few months ago I first became aware of the Societas Occulta Islamica thanks to a friend and brother mason in South Africa, who maintains a wonderful blog known as Hermesphilus (http://hermesphilus.wordpress.com/).

Well, time rests for nobody, and it appears that the Societas Occulta Islamica is hard at work. They have announced the launching of a peer-reviewed electronic journal entitled Studia Occulta Islamica (http://www.occultaislamica.com/journal/)

The inaugural issue of Studia Occulta Islamica will be devoted to the premier Occult Sage of Islamicate Civilization, Abū-l-‘Abbas Aḥmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Yūsuf al-Qurashī al-Būnī (d. 622 H / 1225 CE at Cairo) and his formidable oeuvre, which has been aptly termed the ‘Corpus Būnīanum’ by Jan Just Witkam. Without doubt the most distinguished work of the Corpus Būnīanum is the celebrated Shams al-Ma‘ārif al-Kubrā (The Great Sun of Knowledge) which will be the principal work of focus in the first issue of Studia Occulta Islamica.

The electronic publication of the Buni number is projected to occur on 1 September 2012 14:33 GMT (16:23 Cairo). Print copies may be made available on demand after this time as well.

Future issues of the journal will investigate the Divine Names, ‘Ilm al-Jafr, Astrology, Alchemy, ‘Magic Squares’, et cetera…

Papers from researchers in Islamic studies as well as those with interdisciplinary interests are most welcome. Please see the links below for further information. All submissions are subject to blind peer-review.

Call for Papers

Journal Article Guidelines

Mystères Vaudou: Divinities Loas

Mystères Vaudou: Divinities Loas
A Photographic Exhibition

For the tenth anniversary of its opening, La Cantada II is placing itself under the sign of Vodou. The start of the festivities will be marked by an exceptional group show entitled "Vodou Mysteries," which brings together the work of twenty photographers. They will present the core interpretation of the Loas(spirits, angels, entities) of the Voodou pantheon or Haitian Creole religion and you will discover the many facets of the beautiful and sometimes dangerous Erzulie, spirit of love, the disturbing Dantor Ti Jean, fierce spirit, Gran Bwa, the spirit of the forest or Labalenn, Nibo Guede, the Marassa Twins, Baron Samedi ... With photographers: Isaure Anska, Nico Arach, Phylida Dolohov, Elizabeth, Roman Fournier, Christophe Guerin, Soizic Hess, Severine Jambot, Klomoh, Olivier Lelong, Chloe Lynn Dah, Caz In The Machine, Sandrine Mercier, Nicolas Meunier, may Rohrer, Stephane Roy, Lizzie St. in September, Julie Salvain, THN Thierry, Lily Von Venus, and Dorianne Wotton The exhibition (which will last two months) will begin with an opening designed as a Vodou service, with a special Vodou playlist of performances throughout the evening. You can enjoy the vévés (symbolic drawings) of each Spirit represented, painted on the floor of the Cantada. A booklet showing the different deities photographed will also be published and distributed. Opening January 13 at 7:30 pm.

Cantada II
13 Rue Moret , 75011 Paris, France

Kerubim Press Goes Live...Soon!

Back in September, Dean Wilson announced the opening of Kerubim Press, Ireland's newest esoteric book publisher. The first titles to be released are due to hit the streets in February, a few weeks away now. It seemed a good time to make note of this and encourage those informed Freemasons who possess an esoteric bent to give them a look.

As Dean Wilson noted, "Kerubim Press authors deliver thoroughly researched topics presented in an accessible, yet scholarly format and/or easy to follow guidelines for practical magical work. Books are published in both a limited hardcover edition of 100 signed and numbered copies, standard paperbacks for a more affordable budget, and multiple ebook formats for the revolutionary digital book age, which Kerubim Press plans to be major mover in."

http://kerubimpress.com

http://mishkan-ha-echad.blogspot.com/2011/09/announcing-kerubim-press.html

Arte Maçónica .'. Masonic Art

Carmen-Lara is a Portuguese visual artist with a rich palate and an equally diverse subject matter. One of her stated interests is in devoting canvases to Masonic themes.

VITRIOL or V.I.T.R.I.O.L. is the abbreviation of the Latin expression "Visita Interiorem Terrae, Rectificandoque, Invenies Occultum Lapidem," which means: Visit the Center of the Earth, grind it up, find the hidden stone (or Philosophy). Philosophically it means: Visit the Interior, purify, find the Hidden Self, or "the essence of your human soul." It is the universal symbol of man's quest to constantly improve himself and society in general.

Of her art, Carmen-Lara remarks, "Art adds beauty, excellence, nobility, dignity, and balance to a space. Let the feeling of well-being, of harmony, of emotions, invade your being!

ART IS A LANGUAGE!

Arte Maçónica .'. Masonic Art
http://artemaconicadacarmen.blogspot.com/

Hermesphilus: An Eclectic Hermetic Blog

The author of this blog has done very well at hiding his identity, or I have been blinded by the subject matter and simply missed the obvious. Either way, I recommend everyone I know read this newly discovered jewel. well, it was new to me. The author says of himself

"I was first introduced to Hermetics as a teenager, through Regardies Golden Dawn teachings, in my early twenties I was actively seeking out Hermetic schools. The first contact with a group claiming roots in European schools, was in 1990. In 2001 I was accepted into an international esoteric Freemasonry group with several lodges in South Africa.

This is the place I like to share ideas and discoveries, subject matter includes Hermetics and any other related topic of interest to me."

Visit this blog; it has something for everyone. It is diverse, fascinating, intelligently presented and gorgeous!

http://hermesphilus.wordpress.com