Last week at a local Lodge meeting, our District Deputy Grand Lecturer made a visit. At the end of the meeting, he lectured on the charge at closing. He pointed out that the charge at closing speaks of Unity in the Lodge, with our Brethren and with humanity in general. I was inspired to write the following article..
A New "Quantum" Paradigm In Our Perception of Deity?
FROM NEO-PLATONISM TO MAX PLANCK,
AN EVOLUTION IN CONSCIOUSNESS
TOWARD THE NEXT AGE
(The Entered Apprentice's, 2nd Lesson)
"None
Of The Things Which Are Comprehended By The Senses Or
Comprehended By The Mind Really Subsist; Nothing Except The Transcendent
Essence And Cause Of All"
St. Gregory Of Nyssa
We are becoming more and more aware
that,"We Are Each Of Us,
Both Reflection and Cause,
that,"We Are Each Of Us,
Both Reflection and Cause,
Of The Whole Of The Universe".
It Is All Too Obvious And Understated To Say, Secular and Cleric or Religious Fascism Is The Cause Of Many A Death In Spirit.
Woodcut from Harmann Schedel Liber chronicarum Nuremberg, 1493.
AN EVOLUTION IN CONSCIOUSNESS,HUMANITY'S PERCEPTION OF DEITY
How exactly do we explain an evolution
of consciousness through a history of humanity? One way would be to
show how the Hierophant, or Holy Logos inspiring humanity, has evolved
through an awareness of its "Self" as humanity perceives the
inspired teaching and evolves in a sacred or Holy relationship living in
the universe through time. An example would be to compare the
cosmology of early Greek philosophic / scientific thought with
contemporary philosophic / scientific thought, showing relationships of
Masonic Pythagorean and Quantum perceptions of the universe.
"Our
perception of our "Self" individually, is directly connected with the
collective "Self" of the universe in total. There is a "Common
Consciousness" that connects all living things in the universe".
THE FREEMASON AND THE MYSTIC TEACHINGS,
UNITY IN DUALITY, HOW OUR CONSCIOUS PERCEPTION OF DEITY EVOLVES THROUGH TIME
The Mystic is an observer seeking wisdom σοφία (sophia) and truth, αλήθεια (alethia), In the beginning it is through faith (pistis) the
Contemplative Freemason begins his studies. The only secrets are
secrets the mystic doesn't see through his own blindness. This
can be most easily recognized when viewing the art of academic
Medieval/Renaissance illustrations before the 1700s and
Masonic Tracing Boards through to today. For example. To the
mystic, contrary to popular belief or teaching, the classic experience
of a Vision, is not recognized as something understood through our
senses or experienced in the physical, rather through our consciousness
coming through an awareness that is non-physical or transcendental.
As mentioned in my previous article for the "Entered Apprentice, Lesson One",
physical phenomena are not defined as Visions by the Mystic.
Also, the student of the mystics must
be extremely careful to interpret transmitted knowledge
from writings and lectures that may in fact be wrong. There are
sources that should not be considered credible and should not be made
part of reading especially in the beginning of one's study.
Particularly in the beginning, the student need not be concerned
with dates, events or interpretation of visions, rather the student
should focus on his own purity, clear conscience and release of
past and present entropy or anxieties through subjective experiences
accumulated as a result of daily living. Details will be included
in future installments containing specifics. It is necessary for the
student of the mystics, particularly the contemplative Freemason, to
seek a trusted and qualified adept who can lead the student toward
success. For example,Taro Card reading, Palm reading, reading tea
leaves, Ouija Boards and forms of magic used as tools for visions
are abominable to the spirit and can only doom the student
toward failure. Stay clear! Adepts are few in number but for the
Contemplative Freemason, there is greater opportunity for success as the
adept should also be a Freemason so that both student and adept may
have common tracing boards from which to share and transmit their
knowledge and experiences. A study of the great parables of The
Christ is important. Through the Christ teaching there is redemption
through the grace of forgiveness. It is through The Christ, that
one gains an awareness of the transcendental or spiritual (quantum) Self through the "Second Birth",
it's ritualistic symbolism being through the sacrament of Baptism.
Through the Christ teaching, whether one professes salvation by the
blood of the lamb, through the resurrection of the spirit, skeptical of
holy doctrine or Papal See, the Christ teaching is most important
because through The Christ, we are taught the holy redemption through
forgiveness and grace.
A Vision is not something
experienced with sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, or through dreams.
A Vision is experienced as an intovertive thought not experienced
with the senses rather through one's consciousness most often during or
after meditation or contemplation.
(For an exploration on the subject of visions and mysticism begin with, "The Teachings Of The Mystics" by Walter T Stace, Professor of philosophy, Trinity College, Dublin University and Prinston University.)
(Also, refer to "Phenomenalism." and the works of David Hume and Emmanuel Kant)
Physical phenomena, or extrovertive experiences in material form, are experienced and recorded at times by the Mystic but are not to be considered until adept in practice. To the student of the Mystics, there is a rather long period of purification of the soul and training how to discern the experience of the vision. To the Mystic, a vision is as a great thought or epiphany emerging as wisdom or enlightenment. The mystic may also have a theophany experience, initially however, visions may not be what one expects. The mystic experience may be good, bad, indifferent or unrecognized as a vision, requiring much discipline and continuity in practice and study. A course on meditation and contemplation on the Masonic Trestle Boards is necessary for the Freemason who is a student of esoteric mystic teaching. It is through the Trestle Boards and degree lectures that Freemasons are taught the ritual for Lodge and the esoteric teachings for inner vision. This article is preparatory for a course of instruction. First I will basically explain meditation and contemplation.
(For an exploration on the subject of visions and mysticism begin with, "The Teachings Of The Mystics" by Walter T Stace, Professor of philosophy, Trinity College, Dublin University and Prinston University.)
(Also, refer to "Phenomenalism." and the works of David Hume and Emmanuel Kant)
Physical phenomena, or extrovertive experiences in material form, are experienced and recorded at times by the Mystic but are not to be considered until adept in practice. To the student of the Mystics, there is a rather long period of purification of the soul and training how to discern the experience of the vision. To the Mystic, a vision is as a great thought or epiphany emerging as wisdom or enlightenment. The mystic may also have a theophany experience, initially however, visions may not be what one expects. The mystic experience may be good, bad, indifferent or unrecognized as a vision, requiring much discipline and continuity in practice and study. A course on meditation and contemplation on the Masonic Trestle Boards is necessary for the Freemason who is a student of esoteric mystic teaching. It is through the Trestle Boards and degree lectures that Freemasons are taught the ritual for Lodge and the esoteric teachings for inner vision. This article is preparatory for a course of instruction. First I will basically explain meditation and contemplation.
What is meditation? What is contemplation?
Meditation:Meditation is an inward outward
movement between our outer surface levels of consciousness and our inner
deeper levels of consciousness. As there is a most outward physical
reality of life there is also a most inward or absolute reality of life.
The relationships between the material and non-material realities in
life was most recently discovered by physisists Louis de Broglie and Max
Planck. Now known as Planck's Constant, Max Planck,
divided the constant in the "energy frequency wave-form relationship" that
makes up all of physical matter, and together with Louis de Broglie,
founded Quantum physics. The material (manifest) and non-material
(unmanifest) realities of life exist simultaneously and are present in
all life everywhere. We experience the levels of consciousness through
our thoughts. A “knowing” or "Gnosis" that these two realities in
life exist simultaneously while understanding how they complement each
other brings about a greater awareness that liberates us from the
confines of experiencing only the finite, physical manifest reality of
life. As a result of this liberation one experiences more balance,
harmony, and wholeness in life.
When
meditating alert and in a waking state of consciousness, the conscious
mind expands to embrace deeper levels of thinking. During meditation,
thoughts are realized and released to make way for new thoughts that
occur randomly as a result of entropy in the form of memories or
impressions collected in the mind associated with only a material
reality of life. Releasing thoughts that surface randomly without
concentrating or analyzing them during mediation eventually quiets the
mind and it becomes calm. As the mind becomes more calm there are
moments when it realizes there are periods of no thoughts. As more
thoughts are released the mind becomes more aware of its inward
(unmanifest) reality of life and realizes its True Infinite Self.
Contemplation:Contemplation is that which is
experienced consciously and then reflected upon with both the absolute
and finite conscious mind. When we contemplate we analyze certain states
of mind by concentrating upon an object. The object creates an
impression causing certain feelings or emotions. We contemplate by
reason and the experience draws forth understanding using intuitive
infinite and finite conscious thought as a reference.
As pictured in the above illustration, the now archaic Pythagorean explaination of the structure, "Woodcut from Harmann Schedel Liber chronicarum Nuremberg, 1493",
Pythagoras divided all things into their proper balance through
harmony. "The Harmony Of The Spheres". The Neo-Platonic Christian
authorities adopted the Pythagorean definition of
the universe casting-out the metaphysical sciences until it
became impossible for them to refute the research
of Nicolaus Copernicus that earth is not the center of our
planetary system rather the sun, through the science of Issac Newton who
understood that gravity is constant and through the science
of Galileo Galilei, known as the "father of
modern science".
As W
Kirk MacNulty 32' published in "Seeking More Light", A Philosophical
Background For Masonic Symbolism, Published in Vol 5, Year 1996:
"Medieval scholars
had been interested in classical philosophy from the point of view
of reconciling it to Christian doctrine... Three
fundamental ideas seem to characterize
this philosophical view. First, the Deity was considered
to be limitless. This resulted in a view of all existence as a single,
tightly integrated unity centered on the Deity. A particularly
clear statement of this comes from the Hermetica: " ...for God contains
all things, and there is nothing that is not in God, and nothing which
God is not. Nay, I would rather say, not that God contains all
things, but that, to speak the full truth, God is all things.:
Second, earthly experiences reflected events in the heavenly
realms; the succinct statement of this is, "As above; so below."
THis epigram is a conscequence of the integrated view of the world. In a
universe regarded as a single, consistent, and Divine Entity, there
must be a correspondence between that which occurs in the higher
(heavenly, causal) levels and that which occurs at the lower (earthly)
ones. Third, knowledge of the "higher", or more subtle, aspects of the
Universe was available only by personal experience. (i.e. by one's own
revelation); certainly not by logical argument, or, ultimately, by faith
in the authority of another's revelation. I suggest that Masonic
Symbolism, as represented on the tracing boards, reflects these
principles of the world view of the Renaissance."
It was
through the sacrifices and efforts of the great
scientists, philosophic and biblical scholars of
the Renaissance through the Enlightenment periods up to the mid
1900s, that the "New Scientist" today, views
life etymologically with a "Quantum View" of reality. That is
to say a Quantum or Transcendent view of the universe reflects more
a continuum that has no beginning or end rather evolves from moment to
moment. Reality and the consciousness of reality evolves in a continuum
that is not linear in nature and trans-mutates from one photon
to other photons or species virtually through a medium of "Free Space"
also known as "Aether". There is speculation that Dark Matter will
replace the term Aether in the future.
It was the famous physicist James
Clerk Maxwell, who discovered that electric
and magnetic fields travel through space in the form of waves
and at a constant speed of light. Using this discovery, defining that
wave form and energy have a constant velocity relative to
frequency, it has become known as Planck's Constant. Max Planck, divided
this constant in the "energy frequency wave-form relationship"
that makes up all of physical matter, and together with Louis de
Broglie, founded Quantum physics.
These Metaphysical physics principles however were
taught in the mystery schools for millennia through the escoteric
teachings of Pythagoras, the Hermetic Science of Hermes Trismegistus and
even earlier teachings of Patanjali in India. The Christ teachings from
his sermons and parables teach the salvation of the soul through
redeeming Grace.
Entered Apprentice Tracing Board,
based on the 1845 J. Harris designs
for the Emulation Lodge of Improvement (London),
donated by J. Wylie Donaldson. 20.833" x 34.139".
based on the 1845 J. Harris designs
for the Emulation Lodge of Improvement (London),
donated by J. Wylie Donaldson. 20.833" x 34.139".
A NEW PERCEPTION OF DEITY
The Pythagorean perception of Freemasonry and its symbols taught to initiates for centuries through the Tracing Boards, is becoming more
and more misunderstood because the adepts are not alive to teach us, or
we didn't listen well enough when they were with us.
Also, as humanity evolves and shifts into a "New Paradigm Of
Consciousness" toward the next Age, it is the Adepts of the past with
their evolved consciousness through the Hierophant or Holy Logos
that brought us to this point in time and place. And even today
their knowledge and awareness continues to enlighten us.
In
the future, a new Freemason's, Quantum Perception of the Tracing Board
will be quite different when compared to his Pythagorean ancestor.
The challenge for the student of the Mystic Masonic teaching
is to understand the harmony found when realizing the inner and outer
realities of life and understanding the Vision as a form of
consciousness or thought rather than physical phenomenon.
Understanding the Vision this way will bring the Mystic Freemason a
foundation of understanding to begin the escoteric and metaphysical
teachings of Hermes Trismegistis and Patanjali and the science of
Maxwell, Planck, de Broglie and Einstein. Hence, we will begin a
study in the esoteric mysteries through meditation and contemplation on
the Masonic Tracing Boards, as understood through the Mystic
teachings.
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JOIN ST JOSEPH LODGE No78
