Words of Wisdom from the World's Most Spiritual Spiritual Leader

The Dalai Lama stated on Wednesday:

"The world belongs to humanity, not this leader, that leader, kings or religious leaders. The world belongs to humanity. Politicians at times forget that, even in democratic countries like the United States. Sometimes they are short-sighted. They are mainly looking for the next vote."

Need we say more?

The Masonic Spectacle of Dom Pedro I & Jacques de Moley

"The Masonic Spectacle of Dom Pedro I" & "Jacques de Molay: The End of the Order of the Temple."

The Brazilian Actor and Freemason, John Vaz, has over the last several years been producing and performing in two stage productions with strong Masonic Themes. He has taken these shows to venues across all of Brazil, with performances in 41 cities. Not only due to his well documented and rewarded personal talent, but also due to the subject matter and professional quality of these plays, it is high time he should be noted by a Masonic audience beyond his native Brazil.

Espetáculo Maçônico D. Pedro I. What went on inside the Masonic Gran Orient Lusitano of Lisbon in 1834? This production, Espetáculo Maçônico D. Pedro I. is a detailed account of the whole trajectory of the life of Pedro IV of Portugal (Emperor Pedro I to Brazilians) from his arrival in Brazil and that of his family in 1808, through the regency of his father, returning to Portugal for his family, the regency of Pedro I, behind the scenes of "Day I" and "independence of Brazil," the abdication of the throne and Brazilian Portuguese, the deposition of his daughter Mary, as Queen of Portugal, and the war he fought against his brother Miguel for the Portuguese throne. Figures such as José Gonçalves Ledo and Boniface are highlighted in the piece.

The production is a detailed history lesson of unprecedented cultural and educational useful and should even be of interest to North Americans.The text for the performance was drafted by the survey of historical sources and the minutes from the Lodges of the Masonic ARTS AND COMMERCE RJ (GOERJ) and also utilized the reports of The Masonic Museum of the Gran Oriente LUSITANO in Portugal.Following on the heels of the success of the production on Pedro I, Vaz created a second play showcasing Masonic history.

Jacques De Molay: O Fim Da Ordem Do Templo (Jacques De Molay: The End of the Order of the Temple) is a dramatic presentation on the history of the Templars, told in the voice of the last Grand Master of the Order. It looks back to the origins of the Order, of the Temple building of Solomon, through the Crusades, the approach of another Order - the Masons, culminating in the standoff with the French King Philip who coveted the power and treasure of the Templar order.

The Brazilian Actor, widely acclaimed as the Thousand Faces of the Brazilian Theatre, John Vaz, is an expert at interpreting historical figures for the theatre and both the large and small screen. Vaz was Coordinator of the Theatre of the Republic Museum, Rio de Janeiro. (1999-2007). He has been the subject of books and articles published by O Globo. Vaz has played a gallery of characters including the French poet and actor Antonin Artaud, the Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser, the rubber tapper Chico Mendes, the bossa nova President Kubitschek for which Vaz was awarded the Medal JK in 2002, ousted President Joao Goulart, the revolutionary Che Guevara and now the emperor Dom Pedro I. On television, he acted in the miniseries "Amazon" where he performed the Bolivian Colonel Rosendo Rojas. He also performed the role of JANGO in "miniseries JK" in 2006, participated in the soap opera "Belo" in 2008, the novel "Pura Beleza".

2012 shows include but are not limited to the following venues:

February - Mariana, Barbacena and BH MG

March: Ponta Grossa, PR Curitiba and Spa Camburiú SC

June: Tangara da Serra MT

September: Alegrete RS

Contact information: Schedule: 021 2225-6175 and 8726-9359 / j.vaz @ hotmail.com

http://www.johnvazdompedro.blogspot.com/

Reflexions over the French Rite and the "Moderns"

The editorial introduction to an ambitious project begun last year by the group of masonic writers and scholars calling themselves "The Study Circle of the French Rite of Roëttiers of Monteleau" indicates that they are aware of the deficiencies and gaps in the knowledge available today concerning the ritual known as the French or Modern Rite, which, they state is nothing more nor less than the foundational Rite of Freemasonry derived from so-called "Moderns". They indicate that given the great importance of this rite,
they decided to do something about it. Their efforts thus far are worthy of a lot more notice than they have received to date.

In a spirit of fraternity that many would be commended for emulating, they have made the fruit of their initial efforts available online for free. Currently, the Primier edition of their Journal, entitled REvista del Círculo de Estudios del Rito Francés "Roëttiers de Montaleau" No. 0, Primer Semestre del 2011, may be downloaded free of cost at a number of sites. At the end of this post, you will find a link to directly download the entire issue.

Currently, the magazine, and it is sufficiently ample and professional, in content, layout, and illustration to easily deserve that term, is available only in Spanish, which may seem odd to some, but as already noted in other postings at the Hedge Mason and on the site of the Roosevelt Center, the masonic communities in Spain are especially active, perhaps deserving the description of the most energized in Europe. So, we find a group of pr

ofessionals and masons, writers and researchers who have congregated around, among other obediences, the Gran Logia Simbolica Española, who are deeply committed to work related to the French Rite. This magazine is one product of their efforts. Work is underway to translate this small tome into English to provide more light on the subject, especially in the US. We will post more information on that as that work progresses.

Some of the content of this magazine include a report of the International Assembly of the V° Order, "The French Rite in America, Development, Awakening, and Survival" by Rodrigo Alvarez Reynal; and "The French Rite in Brazil" by Joaquim Villarta. All in all, these strong contributions share space with no less than 16 other articles, many of which are colorfully illustrated. And, in case I haven't stimulated your curiosity sufficiently, did I mention that the product is available as a free, full color PDF download?

Fair enough, no more delay, here is the link. If you are fluent in Spanish, don't delay. If not, while you are waiting for the English edition, remember that Spanish is going to be heard more and more frequently in Lodges in the coming years, so exercize that intellectual muscle between your ears a little and try it.

http://www.ritofrances.es/revista/revista0.pdf

Return of the Chapter of Wisdom

Formed by brothers who took time to select a name, define the invocation for the opening of the work, the conditions for the provision of oath or promise to give impact to the ritual; this is what makes the lodge demonstrate the will of its founders.

This was the case even in half of the lodges which sought a patent after demonstrating their ability to manage and promote a initiation. Obedience, which has no call initiation, could not lead to a lodge. Only the will and the union of brothers and their appeal to the Grand Architect grounded on the fraternity and report on their work, could make a just and perfect lodge.

The General Grand Chapter of France was formed by seven sovereign chapters in 1784, and these acted to create the Degree of Wisdom of the French Rite, outside the limits of any one obedience. This they did while taking into account the guidelines of GOF but it was founded on an need that emerged naturally in the whole territory and in the heart of the chapters and brothers who composed it.

The rules of the obedience gradually led to the loss of the deeper meaning of the rites. Successive amendments have hidden symbols and secrets have been misunderstood, and this of course has limited the space for expression of feelings. Where nothing can be explained, the square is open to brute authority, personal ambition and single-mindedness, and of course the power struggles that are distinguished more by reference to what is not allowed than that to which has no circumscribed limits. A return to tradition cannot occur without the participation of all those who have discerned a need.

Having accepted that we have lost everything except the faith in Freemasonry, everything must be rebuilt with different materials, especially by those who chose the strategy over stagnation reflection rather than diatribe, combining their personal views with a confidence in providence, who seek perfect harmony and have hope.

The appearance in the contemporary French Masonic landscape Masonic of a moral authority was a totally unexpected event but one that fed the power of hope that is emerging in Europe. The only country in the world which has uninterruptedly practiced all the Degrees of Wisdom of the Modern French Rite, Brazil, invited all who wished to meet the criteria regardless of sex and obedience, to end the artificial barriers and to revive the tradition of the Modern Rite in its openness and its initiatory vocation full of freedom, humility and spirituality.

That is the appeal of the Charter of Barcelona, which was launched the day of Pentecost by the Modern Rite Supreme Council for Brazil and through the creation of the Union of Modern Rite Masonic Universal.

Representing France were brothers and sisters belonging to the symbolic lodges of the GLNF, GLTSO, GOTM, GLMF, Masonic Universal Alliance and the Alliance of Free and Sovereign Lodges of the French Rite and the Lodges of Free and Sovereign San Juan. Representation of these chapters has issued the Modern Rite Sublime Council for France , co-founder of the Universal Masonic Union of the Modern Rite, now recognized as legitimate authority to bind the Sovereign Chapters of the French or Modern Rite.

This federal Sublime Council includes a female Grand Chapter, a Joint Chapter Large Chapters and two Great Men who have chosen different rules on the functioning of the Chapters that are members, but all Sovereign Chapters are open to inter-visit and the spirit of the Charter of Barcelona.

(Gracias a Victor Guerra)

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

International Academy of the Order of Wisdom V°

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ORDER OF WISDOM V ° (UMURM)

While this news may be a bit late, the Hedge Mason may be excused for reporting on this event nearly a year later, as this blog did not exist at the time. Besides, it may be noted that other reports on this event in English have not to this writer's knowledge seen the light of day. So, forth with, the Hedge Mason wishes to share a report on a significant event which occurred in Barcelona last year. No doubt it with have an impact, even here in the US in the years to follow.

TheUniversal Union of the Modern Masonic Rite.

The motives which gave birth to it are not new. They had been circulating for quite a few years. Brother Jean-Geoges Plumet (GCGRF-GODF) long ago noted that the main issue among other mandatory topics which needed to be resolved was whether the GCGRF-GODF was or was not a mixed rite.

Subsequently all that has been reviewed from other perspectives, with new forms and by brothers reflecting a more diverse set of backgrounds. As a result of these discussions and debates, the Universal Union of the Modern Masonic Rite was born in Barcelona on June 23, 2011, whose policy statement has been published on several blogs and web pages.


Assembly of V °

Within the Universal Union of the Modern Masonic Rite, the members of the Vth Order of Wisdom from its plurality, approved the constitution of the UMURM but also the creation of:

The V° International Academy of the Order of the Modern Rite, and this simultaneous broad approval underscored the two primary missions which it has been charged with performing:

• To be a laboratory of thought to reflect on the meaning, philosophy, values, and ethics that correspond to the Modern Rite.

• To be an Academy Rite capable of finding and disseminating that can assume the role of a true conservatory Modern Rite, and finally, to advise any Supreme Council, Grand Chapter General Body or other philosophical demands.
• This Academy will work beyond boundaries and obediences without normative will, respecting the absolute independence of each of its members.

• This Academy will be open to any Power Sovereign, Independent Chapter, but also, personally and individually to any holder of the V° Ord. Modern Rite, expressing his desire to be part of it and attesting documentation of the possession of their titles.

The leaders charged with carrying out these mandates are:

Victor Guerra V° Order , Grade 9, as Director of the Academy of the V° Order of Modern Rite

Hervé Vigier, V° Order, Grade 9, Coordinator of the Department of History and Legend of the International Academy of the V° Order of Modern Rite.

Jean van Win , V° Order, Grade 9, Coordinator of the Research Department of the Masonic Academy, V° International Order of Modern Rite.

Victor Guerra, Jean Hervé van Win and Hervé Vigier during their appointment.

13th Havana Film Festival in NYC

Soy Tata Nganga: A documentary about Central African Religious Traditions in Cuba and the life of Enrique Hernández Armenteros.

Soy Tata Nganga (I Am a Tata Nganga) will be shown at Quad Cinema on Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 at 3:00pm as part of the 13th Havana Film Festival New York.

It is highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates Afro-Cuban culture, especially Las Reglas del Congo (The Congo Rite), known colloquially as Palo. The 22 minute documentary is based on the life of Enrique Hernández Armenteros also known as "Enriquito de la Hata," or simply "La Hata", a 93 year old man who has dedicated close to six decades of his life to las Reglas del Congo, has over 2000 godchildren, and founder of the procession of San Lazaro el Milagroso. The film is not only one of the few positive depictions of this religion currently available that is tastefully and professionally done but also a treasure for those who value the insight of a generation that is sadly disappearing.

For more information on the details of the event please follow this link: http://www.hffny.com/2012/film_details.php?id=75