The Palladian Rite - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro James E. Frey 32°

The Palladian Rite, according to conspiracy theorists it is the very top of the Illuminati pyramid. Conspiracy theorists point to the Palladian Rite as being the secret overlord of all Masonic Rites uniting all masonry together in a dark agenda to propitiate three world wars to bring about the New World Order Government led by shape shifting reptiles from outer space. Oh if only it were all that interesting. No my Brethren, this article will not focus on ufos, aliens, or government plots for world domination. This article will focus on the mysterious and perhaps real Palladian rite that has caused such a stir in the Masonic soup to make it the famed “Top of the Satanic Pyramid”.

I have heard various times on a variety of websites how the Palladian Rite is the secret Satanic cult that rules the whole of masonry from the shadows with an iron fist. But to understand the myth of a

Palladian Rite we must understand the connection of Masonry and Satanism. Rumors of Secret Satanic Rites within the Masonic fraternity can be traced to Leo Taxil’s nefarious work “The Devil in the Nineteenth Century”. As we know the “Taxil Hoax” attempted to connect the degrees of Masonry to animal sacrifice, homosexual rites, giant goat statues and all kinds of weird and groovy things. Sadly the population of France at the time did not know how to tell factious reporting from journalism with integrity, so this mythos began to evolve itself into the general consciousness, which is why the book is still often quoted today in anti-masonic resources. 

From this environment the notorious Palladian Rite began to gain its own mythos and develop into the puppet master archetype it is known as today. Taxil was a major influence on Paul Rosen who wrote “The Brethren of the Three Points” in 1885, which was another expose revealing the “dark” nature of Freemasonry. This book focused on Albert Pike as the leader of all American masonry and his establishment of the Palladian Rite with his connection in the Italian underworld to unify masonry with the steams of fascism which would come to power over the next 60 years. The term “satanic” is not used but replaced with “Luciferian”. There is a huge difference between Satanic and Luciferian. Satanic being the adoration of Satan and the acceptance of the left hand path, Luciferianism widely can be generalized as seeing the Old Testament Yahweh as a tyrant God who attempts to keep man ignorant of the knowledge of Good and Evil, so Lucifer, the light bearer, betrays Yahweh bringing the light of Wisdom to man through the eating of the forbidden fruit liberating man from servitude to Yahweh’s ego. This is a reinterpretation of the Greek myth concerning Prometheus who steals the fire of the Gods and delivers it to mortal man. Like Prometheus, Lucifer is cast to the underworld where he is to be punished for all eternity. Whether Taxil or Rosen knew the different between these two philosophical perceptions is limited, but it can be safe to estimate that they were ignorant of the differences labeling them both as “Devil Worship”.

In 1890 eminent Masonic scholar, Arthur Edward Waite attempted a academic approach to the material and rumors of Satanic cults in his work “Devil Worship in France” where he addresses the understanding of the Luciferian Palladian Rite as being a worked up version of a real secret society that once did exist. The Palladian Rite, was a fabricated version of the Reformed Palladium Rite which existed in France for a short increment of time. According to Kenneth Mackenzie in his “Royal Masonic Cyclopedia” the Order of Palladium first appeared in Paris in 1737 being derived from Douai with rituals being written about 1637. This group contained heavily Greek oriented degrees, two for men under the titles of “Adelph” and “Companion of Ulysses” while female members were admitted to the degree of “Sister of Penelope”. With a Greek influence on symbolism we can see the Lucifer aspect as being similar to Albert Pike’s misinterpretation in “Morals and Dogma”, for the Planet Venus. Lucifer is Latin for the Light bearer and is representative for Venus because Venus is the planet that continuously rises each morning just before the break of dawn, so Venus brings the light to the world which is why so many myths of solar deities have mothers who are representative of Venus.

Venus is also the planetary embodiment of love which is representative of the motto of the order “je sais aimer” or “I know how to love”. The seal of the Order of Palladium was a heart crowned with flowers upon an altar ornamented with palm and laurel leaves. This places the Palladium Rite in a much different light dedicated to spiritual enlightenment of the sacred feminine, not Satanism as rumored by Taxil and Rosen. The Palladium Rite was dissolved by police after a short while at the order of the Catholic state at the time and vanished into obscurity until misinterpreted by anti-masons and made the exact opposite of what it represented in the greater human consciousness. Over all it is a shame that Neo-Pagan groups of that era were not allowed to practice their beliefs in peace, their only goal being to advance the spiritual and moral aspirations of their soul. Today all that is left is a dark shadow where light once was.

~JEF

James E Frey 32° classifies himself as a gentleman of the old world, which means he is known to stand in the great forests reciting poetry to fair-haired damsels while wrestling bears for sport. He is a District Education Officer for the Grand Lodge of Illinois, a Past Sovereign Prince of the of Danville AASR, member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, Royal Order of Scotland, Quram Council Allied Masonic Degrees and initiate of the Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He is also a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in masonry for the R.E.B.I.S Research Society.

The Magick of King Solomon

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. James E. Frey 32°

King Solomon before the Djinn by Jacobus de Teramo, 1473

"I pray thee, O king. Listen to what has befallen all that thy child hath. After we are all released from our work on the Temple of God, after sunset, when I lie down to rest, one of the evil demons comes and takes away from me one half of my pay and one half of my food. Then he also takes hold of my right hand and sucks my thumb. And lo, my soul is oppressed, and so my body waxes thinner every day." (Testament of Solomon, v4)

My Brethren, one tenant of the Masonic system is the constant reflection of the self. We must re-evaluate who we are morally as well as psychologically. It is this constant progression of self understanding that makes us face our archetypal shadow and conquer the negative aspects of the self. This is best personified by the Archetype of Wisdom in the Masonic system, King Solomon. King Solomon is interesting because his archetypal characteristics are found throughout Mediterranean cultures. According to the Old Testament King Solomon was charged to build the Temple of Solomon and was known as the wisest of all men. In the Islamic tradition Solomon is regarded as a prophet and representative of Allah. But there is a hidden side of King Solomon, a side that has been repressed from the western mythos, just as we hide the darker aspects of ourselves.

In the Christian tradition there is a separate myth that recounts Solomon not only as a wise King, but a very powerful Ceremonial Magician. This tradition is recounted in the 15th century Grimoire the Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon, and the Testament of Solomon, a Christian text dating to around the 1st and 5th centuries CE. Although the author of these obscure texts is unknown, its legend holds that it was the secret firsthand account of Solomon himself. Solomon’s Testament deals with a variety of astrological and magical themes that even deal with acting as a bridge between Greek Mythology and Christian Theology. The book deals with vast legions of demons, summoning spirits, and magick rings.

The legend begins with a young man who is favored by King Solomon, one day he is attacked by a demon by name of Ornias who used his demonic powers to suck the vitality and life from the Youth’s spirit. Upon hearing this news Solomon summons the archangel Michael through the magickal practice. According to the Lesser Key of Solomon this magickal practice was known as the Almadel, which is how Solomon was said to have received wisdom from the angels. Michael arrives to the troubled King and entrusts him with a magick ring bearing the six pointed star, or seal of Solomon, upon it. With this ring Solomon gained the power to summon demons and sprits using his will to control them and command them to complete tasks.

Solomon then took control over Ornias who then infiltrated the demonic Prince Beelzebul granting Solomon power over the legion of demons. According to the lesser Key of Solmon of the Ars Goetia, there are 72 demons that are paralleled to the fallen angels described in the Book of Enoch who rebelled against God because they lusted after the daughters of man. It is important to note that these fallen angels also first brought sorcery and the magickal arts to the material realm. Beelzebul reveals how he was once a high ranking angel before the fall. It was the four archangels Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel that descended down with their 72 angels of the Almadel and banished the rebellious demons unto the four watchtowers of the universe.

With King Solomon in full command of the 72 demons he commands them to aid in the construction of the Temple of Solomon. This is where the legend of the Goetia and the Masonic system begin to meet. The Goetia’s connections can be found in various places throughout the Masonic system, but often hidden so that the true initiate sees not the Adept’s design. The Angelic names bore on the cross of the older versions of the 29th degree Knight of St. Andrew are a prime example. There is nowhere else in Kabbalistic or Magickal lore are these Angelic names referred to, except the Greater Key of Solomon as the last pentacle of the Sun. But these angels are referred to in Phoenician legend, so it seems to understand the importance of the Testament of Solomon we must look at it from the theological perspective of the time. This book acts as a way to reinterpret Pagan Gods of various cultures and rework them into the roles of demons. I believe King Solomon was chosen by Christians as the Master Magician because of his close association with the worship of Pagan gods to please his many foreign wives. 

Solomon’s Magick Circle, Lesser Key of Solomon

According too Talmudic texts and the Book of Tolbit King Solomon soon was placed face to face with the king of demons Asmodeus. Asmodeus is known for tricking King Solomon into gaining his ring of power that he then cast to the sea where it was swallowed by a fish. This allowed the legions of demons under King Solomon’s power to rise up against the king. Asmodeus then cast the King 400 miles outside Jerusalem. Solomon then lived as a beggar wandering from city to city, working in kitchens and doing hard labor. Ancient Rabbis claim this was a divine punishment by God for Solomon worshiping foreign deities. Years later he was walking in a market and bought a fish for his supper, the same fish that held the Magick ring in his belly. King Solomon then returns to Jerusalem to expel Asmodeus and his demonic rule. Asmodeus is said to be thwarted by the Archangel Raphael who binds him. According to a tale found in the 1001 Arabian Nights King Solomon is known as a master of the Djinn, and captures all the Djinn or demons into a brass vessel and seals it with a magickal symbol and casts the vessel out to the sea trapping the Djinn whom he first summoned to build his temple. This legend is the bassis for the Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon. 

The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Goetia, is a medieval magickal text that claims to give the techniques and materials needed to embark on the mystical path of Solomon. It gives directions for casting magick circles, and invoking demons and dark Djinn into the consciousness of the magician. Here like Solomon the magician must unleash the demon from the brass vessel and symbolically slay the demon with a magical sword. Like the Djinn trapped in the magick lamp, the demon may also grant the wishes and desires of the magician, but it is the test of fortitude for the magician to resist these temptations and expel the demon from his mind.

"The spirits of the Goetia are portions of the human brain. Their seals therefore represent methods of stimulating or regulating those particular spots (though the eye)." (Aleister Crowley, The Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magic in the Goetia.) 

If we as masons want to look at this in a philosophical sense we are all seeking to be the wise King Solomon. We must unlock the brass vessel of our own unconscious mind releasing all the aspects of ourselves we care not to let out. Each demon can be seen as an aspect of our personality that we keep hidden from the world. It is the goal of the magician with the aid of angels and magickal weapons to face the dark aspects of him and symbolically slay and expel those forces from our own spiritual nature, thus purifying him. This medieval system of what some would consider “black magick” is simply a way to reflect upon the aspects of our own psyche. If we as individuals wish to gain the wisdom of the archetypal king, we should face the shadow of ourselves and the demons that well in the void of our own nightmares. 

Before one sincerely attempts to evoke these demons, one should first spend some time invoking the 72 counterpart angels of the Almadel. The Almadel is a very enlightening experience and puts the magician in touch with the aspects of virtue within the psyche of the individual. This should be required for two reasons, one: one should be in touch with their inner strength before they face the demons, and two: the angels of the Almadel have direct control over the demons of the brass vessel. The Almadel is a system of scrying into a crystal ball over a altar made of wax upon which are engraved the Holy names of God. Remember that invocation is to call down a power within your spirit and mind, so you invoke angels to bring them closer. The Magician will evoke demons, to to bring from within ones self into manifestation. 

Almadel Altar

After one has made meaningful contact with his own inner angelic forces, he is now mentally and spiritually prepared to venture into the darkness of his own being. This system of High Magick should only be attempted by those who have magickal training, or are learned practitioners of ceremonial magick. This system to the unprepared is VERY DANGEROUS, and can be disastrous for those who approach the subject manner with a light heart or contempt in the mind. A short exert from the Lesser Key of Solomon will show the level of seriousness this system deserves. 

“Curse you and deprive you from all your offices and places of joy and place and do bind thee in the depths of the bottomless pit, there to remain until the day of judgment; I say into the lake of fire and brimstone… let all the company of heaven curse thee… let the hosts of heaven curse thee, I curse thee into fire unquenchable, and torments unspeakable as thy name and seal is contained in this box, chained and bound up and shall be choked in sulphurus and stinking substance and burnt in this material fire… which is prepared for thee damned and cursed spirits and there to remain until the day of doom and never more remembered of before the face of God which shall come to judge the dead and the world by fire.” (Lesser Key of Solomon, Book 1: Ars Goetia)

The Goetic demons require quite an elaborate array of magical implements such as a magic robe, wand, sword, circle, ring, brass vessel containing the 72 sigils of demons, black mirror within the magick triangle, and a very good memory. These evocations are quite lengthy and the magickal ritual can last quite awhile, especially when in a hypnotic trance which is required. 

Bro. Carroll Poke Runyon, 

before the Dark Mirror 

of the Goetic Demon

For those of you who simply wish to greet your shadow self and do some soul searching, I recommend you find a mirror and paint it with up to 7 layers of black paint, light some candles in a darkened room as gaze into the mirror without evoking the Goetic demons. This is a form of meditation similar to Trataka yoga techniques and can be very beneficial for self-discovery, or to just scare yourself the way kids have been doing while playing “Bloody Mary” for years. 

For those of you inspired to follow in steps of the archetypal King Solomon, to gain insight of the self or wisdom for above, with a sincere nature this system can be very beneficial and enlightening, even life changing. But for those of you who dabble, or foolishly rush into such things and unleash the spirits of the brass vessel Solomon trapped so long ago… well… like the ancient Djinn say… be careful what you wish for.




~JEF

James E Frey, 32° is a Past Sovereign Prince and current librarian of Valley of Danville AASR. Founder of the R.E.B.I.S Research Society he sits on two Blue Lodge Education committees as well as a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in masonry. He is also a Member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, and Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He also works as a counselor with emotionally and behaviorally challenged children.

The Occult Lodge: Part Six

From the Dawn to Darkness

by Midnight Freemason Contributor 

Bro. James E. Frey 32° KT, ROS

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Aeister Crowley

The Ordo Templi Orientis, or the Oriental Temple of the East or the Order of Oriental Templars, was founded between 1895 and 1906 as an elite invitational group of Masons who established a more esoteric version of the Masonic Rites focusing on sexual energies. The OTO was founded by Theodor Reuss who had a long history of participating in occult and fringe masonic groups. In 1880 Reuss attempted to revive the Bavarian Order of the Illuminati of Adam Weisthaupt and again in 1888, both times failing miserably. Upon this failure he began to formulate the outline of the OTO with Carl Keller in 1895.
Reuss then sought out to legitimize his group by reaching out and becoming active in other streams of esotericism. He soon was introduced to Dr. William Wynn Wescott, leading member of the S.R.I.A and founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. At the time Wescott was the Grand Master of the Swedenborgian Rite of Phremasonry and provided Reuss with a charter to form his own lodge dated July 24, 1901 and a letter of authorization to form an S.I.R.A group in Germany February 24, 1902. Reuss was also designated an inspector with the Martinist Order in Germany by Gerard Encausse (aka Papus) who provided him with a charter June 24, 1901.

OTO Temple

Westcott and Papus assisted Reuss with establishing his order, Papus helped Reuss establish the OTO Gnostic Catholic Church and Wescott assisted Reuss in contacting John Yarker to recive chaters for the Rites of Memphis and Misraim September 24, 1902. By attaining these charters from the leading esoteric and occult leaders he became legitimized to create his own Order. Reuss based the structure of his Order around the Swedish Rite of ten degrees inspired heavily around the Templar mythos and the theoretical aspects of sexual magic.

In 1910 Reuss became acquainted with Aleister Crowley, British Occultist and Former Golden Dawn Member, while living in London. The story goes that Reuss was reading Aleister Crowley’s “Confessions” and discovered that he had published their supreme secret. He then contacted Crowley and admitted him to the first three degrees and then only two years later Crowley was advanced to the tenth degree and placed as Grand Master in charge of Great Britain and Ireland. Crowley then wrote The "Manifesto of the OTO", which described its basic ten-degree system the 7th, 8th, and 9th, degrees being Kellner’s three degree system of the Academia Masonica.

In 1914, Crowley moved to the United States and began to break away from the Masonic influences of the OTO and began integrating the concepts of his own religion of Thelema. He then wrote a religious service for this new version of the OTO called the Gnostic Mass. Reusss' O.T.O system  contained their versions of the degrees Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason. The fourth degree being Holy Royal Arch and the fifth degree was Scotch Mason. Crowley attempted to work this Masonic-based O.T.O. in Detroit, Michigan which resulted in the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite declaring them to be clandestine, centered on the basis that the O.T.O. rituals were too similar to Scottish Rite Masonry's own rituals.

In a 1930 letter to Arnold Krumm-Heller, Crowley Wrote:

“However, when it came to the considerations of the practical details of the rituals to be worked, the general Council of the Scottish Rite could not see its way to tolerate them, on the ground that the symbolism in some places touched too nearly that of the orthodox Masonry of the Lodges.”

In 1914 Crowley then fully integrated Thelema into the OTO by rewriting the initiatory rituals and incorporating his own philosophical understanding of the grade work. By rewriting the degrees Crowley removed most of those symbolic connections to Masonry. He did not rewrite the fourth degree ritual, which remains in its form and structure related to the various Royal Arch rituals of Masonry.

Gnostic Mass

In 1920 Theodore Reuss suffered a stroke and communications between Reuss and Crowley began to deteriorate. Crowley broke ties with Reuss and proclaimed himself Outer Head of the Order. In 1925, during a tumultuous Conference of Grand Masters, Crowley was officially elected as Outer Head of the Order.

The majority of the philosophy of the OTO can be summed up by the quote that began Crowley’s involvement with Reuss in Crowley’s confessions:

“It offers a rational basis for universal brotherhood and for universal religion. It puts forward a scientific statement which is a summary of all that is at present known about the universe by means of a simple, yet sublime symbolism, artistically arranged. It also enables each man to discover for himself his personal destiny, indicates the moral and intellectual qualities which he requires in order to fulfil it freely, and finally puts in his hands an unimaginably powerful weapon which he may use to develop in himself every faculty which he may need in his work.”

Crowley’s new OTO system was re written into different schools of triads based on the tarot. The entire system is as follows: 0° Minerval, I° Man & Brother,  II° Magician,  III° Master Magician,  IV° Perfect Magician & Companion of the Holy Royal Arch of Enoch, and P.I.—Perfect Initiate, or Prince of Jerusalem. Then came the honorary degree of Knight of the East & West. The next school was The Lovers Triad which focused on active and passive energies of the soul. V° Sovereign Prince Rose-Croix, and Knight of the Pelican & Eagle, Knight of the Red Eagle, and Member of the Senate of Knight Hermetic Philosophers, VI° Illustrious Knight of the Order of Kadosh, and Companion of the Holy Graal Grand Inquisitor Commander, and Member of the Grand Tribunal Prince of the Royal Secret, VII°—Theoreticus, and Very Illustrious Sovereign Grand Inspector General Magus of Light, and Bishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica Grandmaster of Light, and Inspector of Rites & Degrees. The degrees of the Hermit Triad are of sexual nature. In the VIII° of Perfect Pontiff of the Illuminati, the initiate is taught masturbation magical practices, in the IX° of Initiate of the Sactuary of Gnosis the magical techniques related to traditional intercourse, and in the XI° of Initiate of the Eleventh degree a form of sex magic involving non-traditional intercourse is taught. The final Supreme Secret is given in the X° Rex Summus Sanctissimus.

~JEF

James E Frey 32° classifies himself as a gentleman of the old world, which means he is known to stand in the great forests reciting poetry to fair-haired damsels while wrestling bears for sport. He is a District Education Officer for the Grand Lodge of Illinois, a Past Sovereign Prince of the of Danville AASR, member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, Royal Order of Scotland, Quram Council Allied Masonic Degrees and initiate of the Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He is also a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in masonry for the R.E.B.I.S Research Society.

The Occult Lodge: Part Two

 From Operative to Occult

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. James E. Frey 32° KT, ROS 

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

In the recent climate of the literary outbreak of novels based on the speculation of Masonry, modern culture has begun to accept the doubtful notion that Masonry is the descendent of the Medieval Knights Templar, or that it is the barren of some shadowy conspiracy bent toward world domination. But this is only a modem interpretation of a climate of speculation Masons of the 1800s concocted in order to give the Masonic system a romanticized history. But it should be noted that overzealous Masons creating a myth that the craft is traced to ancient origins was a common trend among fraternal groups of the era. It was thought that an elaborate myth of historical connections gave the fraternal group legitimacy.

But in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries there was a common theme among Masonic scholars creating a legacy, connecting the craft to a variety of occult groups such as the Rosicrucians, the Essenes, Ancient Egypt, and a variety of other spiritual systems. This was because many of the first members that transformed the Craft from an operative guild into a speculative craft were intellectuals of the Royal Society. These intellectuals were under the influence of classical philosophy, which often incorporated the mystical teachings of the medieval ages. This gave many who were interested in occultism through the age of 18th and 19th centuries the vessel they needed to explore subjective symbolism and determine their own spiritual truths. 

Because Masonry became an organization accepting many mystical brethren, the occult minded brethren of the time adopted aspects of Masonry into the developing "magical" lodges. Primarily they adopted the lodge structure finding its organization as both a degree based learning system and a democratic formation as ample for developing a harmonious and productive organization. But as speculative masonry sought to define itself in its early decades of development through its progression of High Degrees, so the occult lodges defined itself through these High degrees having discrete and secretive groups in which to practice their spiritual paths.

~JEF

James E Frey 32° classifies himself as a gentleman of the old world, which means he is known to stand in the great forests reciting poetry to fair-haired damsels while wrestling bears for sport. He is a District Education Officer for the Grand Lodge of Illinois, a Past Sovereign Prince of the of Danville AASR, member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, Royal Order of Scotland, Quram Council Allied Masonic Degrees and initiate of the Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He is also a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in masonry for the R.E.B.I.S Research Society.

Labor and Work

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Ken JP Stuczynski

The Square and Compasses are explained in our ritual, but their relationship to each other is not. Why are they so prominent in our identity? They make up two of the three "Great Lights" and yet are explained less than many of our symbols and tools. This combination predates speculative Masonry and are found in other traditions, such as the Order of Free Gardeners, as explained in a recent article by Bro. Cory Missimore.

The ritual tells us the Square relates to our actions and the Compasses to our desires. This pairs the physical or external things we can see with the psychic or internal processes we cannot. Throughout our initiatory journey, values and virtues, along with education of the intellect, are called to our attention. Yet, it is our actions that are ultimately visible and can be measured and judged. Which emanates from which? Our actions are clearly the result of our desires and the ability to subdue our passions. Be it Qabalah or Lao Tze; metaphysics describes physical existence as emanating from spiritual or archetypal forms. As individuated beings, we are simply playing out one of the endless examples of this relationship.

Would operative voices agree? The Square will more often be found in the quarry or workshop than the drafting table, whereas compasses are primarily a drafting instrument and are applied much more to the conceptual model than the physical form or product. Using a compass with a string as a chalk line (skirret) and a pencil -- a distinct set of working tools described in English ritual -- one can create a bisected line and, therefore, the form of a square. From this, the Square can be used in three dimensions to create a level, and so forth. Eventually, you end up with cell phones and Martian rovers, but all physical inventions trace back to machines made by tools that ultimately trace back to these drafting processes. Therefore, the compass is an instrument of the abstract form by which the physical is conceived and laid out in the mind before being measured in the worksite. Once the plan becomes a stone or edifice, it can only then judged by the Square and its cornerstone-dedicating partners, the level and plumb.

Changes in the points of the compass in relation to the Square may give us more to consider. As beginning laborers, we only perceive the physical in its measurable aspect, Beauty. The conceptualizations on which it is based are hidden from us. Later we are exposed to the language-- Geometry -- by which the Divine promulgates that order throughout creation. This gives us the ability to move beyond superficial aesthetics to consider the physical strength of a construction. The object of our work no longer evokes merely subjective opinions, but measurable dimensions. Wisdom is sight by which the fullness of this emanation from thought-form to creation is revealed, transcending the duality of subject and object. Only then can we realize the perfect forms which all physical things must reflect. It is in that final configuration upon our Altar where the Square cannot be employed without first taking the compasses in hand.

This is all esoterically stimulating if you are into that sort of thing, but what does this all mean in everyday life? History offers us an answer in a roundabout way. There has always been one debate or another over the comparative value of intellectual work and skill versus psychical labor. A lot of class animosity surrounds this. While some see physical labor as less desirable or having less worth, we also see a backlash of anti-intellectualism, making fun of people with Liberal Arts degrees who can't fix their own sink or are able to personally give their wife what all women desire--shelving. One's lack of knowledge of literature and art, and the other's practical helplessness, are unhelpful (and often untrue) stereotypes. But what of these endeavors themselves? Our most basic survival and quality of life depend on the trades; our culture and progress as a civilization depend on numerous intellectual fields of study. Without the former, we cannot exist; without the latter, we cannot live. The parable about the different parts of the same body comes to mind.

Masonry isn't about the politics of class and economy, so why bring any of this up? Because there is a certain dualism between physical and intellectual efforts in our Craft, guiding all of us rather than dividing us. We don't go from concrete-mixing to accounting, milking cows to curing cancer, but we can attempt a comparable inner transformation.

One of my favorite philosophers from the 20th Century, Hannah Arendt, makes the distinction between labor and work as dealing with immediate physical need versus "build and maintain a world fit for human use." It's not quite the same as trades versus intellectual and artistic pursuits, but a bit closer to what we're going for. If you ask two stonemasons at a worksite what they are doing, one may respond, "I am laying stones." Another may say, "I'm helping build a Cathedral." Likewise, a hospital janitor may see themselves as a mop-pusher or as a vital part of the environmental hygiene necessary for bettering people's health. Is it really the same activity, or is one labor while the other is work? Perhaps it is this shift in perspective that is the real transformation between our degrees and the unbreakable pairing of the Square and Compasses.

Hermeticism calls such spiritual progress "The Great Work." It is not merely production, but creation. Sure, stones are laid hour after hour, day after day, but it all follows a conceived purpose and design. It is not the transcendence above physical efforts but an element imbued into it from above. Perhaps this is why I have always felt a nobility in all work (or labors by Arendt's thinking. Some of the exoteric and profane activities we do, like pancake breakfasts and maintaining temporal edifices, do not need to be a distraction inflated by our desire for the esoteric and spiritual. Likewise, our ritual need not be labor, done as a required necessity, but a work that "humbly reflect[s] that order and beauty which reign forever before Thy throne."

I would suggest the Square and Compasses connects us not merely to each other as a common symbol, but as a whole person, physical and spiritual. It shows us how to live in the world yet not belong to it. We can choose higher paths above, yet keep our feet humbly on the ground until that time such tools shall fall from our hands. In the meantime, we need each other, workmen and laborers, and be willing to best work and best agree with both instruments at our command.

~JP

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and currently serves at Master of Ken-Ton Lodge No.1186. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org, he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Royal Arch Mason, 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, and coordinates a Downtown Square Club monthly lunch in Buffalo, NY. He recently served with his wife as Matron and patron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star. You can find more about Ken by clicking HERE.

I Hope We Never Go Back to Normal

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Spencer Hamann

Humans are social creatures, and members of Fraternities tend to be especially so. One of the passive side effects of meeting in person is that it continually hones our social skills and our senses of morality and mores. We see this in family and co-worker development as well. If a person continuously meets and works with an intimate group of people who they will rely on and who will rely on them, they observe certain rules of the group to continue to be a positive inclusion within it. Journalist Sebastian Junger explores this theme in wonderful detail in his book Tribe, which I cannot recommend highly enough for anyone who is a member of, well, anything. If a person does something against the “code” of his group, he knows he is going to have to face the others, and the consequences (punishment, shame, ostracization, etc.) are often reason enough to cause him to consider his actions deeply.

What happens then, when the group is separated or not meeting together? In theory, an individual finds belonging through his support of the greater aims and functions of his group. Even when the group is not physically together, its aims, morals, and mores are still HIS aims, morals, and mores, and will govern his actions accordingly. This is core not only to tribes, families, and military units, but Freemasonry as well. We are not only Freemasons when we strap on an apron and sit in a lodge hall; we are Freemasons everywhere. However, it can become all too easy for the aims of our “tribe” to dilute when we are separated and feel less accountable. There is certainly something to be said for “strength in numbers.”

Similarly, Freemasonry is not the “user agreement” that we ought just scroll through, just to click “I agree” so we can get on with installing rings on our fingers and pins on our lapels. When we advance through our Degrees, the beautiful and timeless lessons of morality and philosophy that we find in our Craft IS that “user agreement.” One should not deign to advance in his Degrees unless he has actually read and understood (or more accurately, begun to work and understand) the lessons and principles contained within, which permeate our lives and actions.

Recently, our social needs and professed values had been challenged more than they ever have in living memory. We find ourselves separated physically, our routines disrupted, our finances uncertain, and many of us now have lots of extra time to ponder these things. When it feels like the world has gone mad, it is natural to ask questions and seek some stability and control through understanding. Daily there are new reports presenting statistics and speculations about the COVID-19 pandemic, which come at us from all directions and all kinds of sources and lead us to different conclusions. All of this news brings into sharp relief the old maxim: extraordinary circumstances bring out the best in some and the worst in others.

Nowhere perhaps has this been more apparent recently than on social media platforms. The great thing about social media is that it allows a person to instantly connect with thousands of other people and share ideas, thoughts, and information. The terrible thing about social media is also that it allows a person to instantly connect with thousands of other people and share ideas, thoughts, and information. As people the world over struggle to understand and make sense of what is happening, fear and ignorance are pitted continuously against understanding and truth. When we take to the keyboard, how do we choose what we are going to say?

Many cite their freedom of speech when it comes to what they post online. Indeed, within the rules of whatever platform you are using, you can pretty much say whatever it is you want. But consider for a minute what you actually want to say, and how you are saying it. Venting your frustration by flailing around attempting to attack political parties, studies you don’t agree with, people who are simply doing their best to get through a difficult situation, and generally creating emotional dissonance does not make you a hero, a revolutionary, or somehow “enlightened”. Those with the most Light to share are, traditionally, the most quiet about it. Similarly, making jokes about being sick or dying from COVID-19 is a hard sell for levity considering chances are someone in your audience personally knows someone affected by the virus. It doesn’t matter how “sarcastic,” you say you are, or that everyone needs to “lighten up”; these do not excuse inappropriate behavior. You are entitled to your opinions, but so is everyone else. Using fear and panic as a way to spread opinions or aims is deplorable, and unfortunately, for many it is a practice being harbored and becoming “normal”.

All of these issues stem from how we choose to appropriate and discover the truth. The deafening roar of information coming at us from all sides and all sources is a truly terrifying torrent. So often, we reach out for something familiar to grab onto to keep our heads above water. When we choose to cling to these splinters instead of swim towards rescue or land, our perceived life preservers only become anchors and pull us toward a watery grave. A particular media outlet, personality, or source may be telling us what we want to hear based on our existing beliefs or biases, but we owe it to ourselves (and everyone we interact with) to seek the truth even if it is not easy, or has no immediate personal gain. The desire to be “liked” and accepted is universal, but we cannot allow it to cloud our judgment.

Some of the problems with discovering truth stem from our societal views and mores themselves. The consequence of putting a taboo on discussing religion and politics is that before long, no one actually knows how to discuss religion and politics anymore. When the arts of logic and rhetoric are cast aside, and the impetus to craft a reasoned, researched, and evolving opinion gives way to the temptation of merely yelling one’s opinion more loudly, zealously, and repeatedly. How do you have discourse on anything with someone like this? Sharing reasoning and “whispering good council” (as we are Masonically charged) has little effect on someone who’s heart is so hardened and is staunchly determined not to have their mind changed.

Masonically we endeavor “to learn, to subdue our passions, and improve ourselves.” This is an ideal method for making sense of information and separating truth from fiction. To learn, we gather and compare information from multiple sources. This includes considering sources we may not agree with or who may give information contrary to what we expect or feel we already know. In doing comparative research, we gain a broader perspective on the topic, which will help us better extract the truth. Masonically, we are chipping away at superfluities; alchemically, we are distilling the Prima Materia.

To subdue our passions, we look at our information objectively; that is, seeing things for what they are without attaching our emotions to them. Objective reasoning is much easier said than done. Ask yourself: What is being said? Who is saying it, and are they credible and knowledgeable on the subject? What kinds of biases may be present? Is the information coming from someplace designed to create “shock value” and get people excited? Do I like some information just because it squares with what I already believe, or do facts and reason back it? Could I not only present this information but logically and reasonably defend it? If you find your only defense for a point is an emotional “because I like it/don’t like it” or “because that’s what my tribe says” or “because I said so,” then your passion is overshadowing your desire for truth.

This also holds true if someone asking a question about your position, asking where you got your information from, or disagreeing with you causes you to go on the offensive. As soon as you start name-calling and generalizing (for example: “all of you [expletive of choice] [political alignment of choice] are the same, and a bunch of [insult of choice]”), you’ve tipped your hand as to your motivation: ignorance and fear. Name-calling and verbal bullying have never been Masonic, and Godwin’s Law applies: when someone compares another person to Hitler or the Nazis, they’ve lost any high ground their argument may have had.

Additionally, subduing our passions requires the separation of facts from opinions. Not all articles (this one included) include a bibliography, footnotes, and cited works to help guide the reader. Neither does there exist in the punctuation arsenal an “opinion mark”: a glyph that, when placed at the end of a sentence, designates it as the author’s opinion rather than a statement of fact. Maybe there should be (insert opinion mark here). In any case, careful review with questions like those above, cross reference verification, and looking for biases can help determine what statements are unbiased, and which ones are opinions with particular agendas.

To improve ourselves, we choose the truth that comes out of reasoned and thoughtful research and examination rather than that which comes out of emotion alone. But choosing this truth is not enough: we must apply it to our lives and actions as well. The truth is not always convenient, but it is far better to admit an error in the present than to continue to reinforce it and ultimately suffer for it more in the future.

Speaking from personal experience, I can unequivocally say that one of the most liberating experiences is being proved wrong. To have the realization that you have been building upon an unstable foundation or with flawed materials and to make the choice to do better is indescribably freeing. No one wants to put their time and effort into making something flawed; we are all seeking to do good work and build towards perfection. It is when we can take a step back, acknowledge a mistake, and then most importantly, work to correct it that our most meaningful progress is made. It may feel like it’s embarrassing to admit a wrong, but the freedom that comes from shedding unhealthy habits and viewpoints more than eclipses it. Furthermore, if you are surrounded by people who truly care for you, they will never make you feel small or incompetent for learning and growing.

As we move forward and progress through our current unusual circumstances, some things will stay with us, and some will fall away. It is my earnest hope that we will emerge with a greater appreciation of little things we took for granted: the power of a warm handshake, having a meal with a friend, exchanging smiles. What I hope we leave behind, and what we need to leave behind, is derisiveness. No matter how Freemasonry moves in the future, it is imperative that we move together.

In these current days of separation, where we rely on virtual platforms to stay connected, we cannot consider it the same as a face-to-face conversation. What is posted is posted for all to read, and lingers on a long time after we post it. It is imperative for us as Freemasons to be especially conscious of what we choose to share, whether that is fair or not: many look to us to be an example of truth and a beacon, and Brothers look to each other for good council and Light.

So consider what you build and how your work takes shape. Build thoughtfully and carefully, understanding that your edifice is visible to many by your actions, but especially during times of separation, it is visible by the physical marks you leave with the words you choose. Choose wisely what you sow, as those seeds will grow up around you, and eventually you will be held accountable for your crop, on either this plane or the next.

“Getting back to normal” is chorused by many seeking relief from our current situation. But if we wish to survive and thrive, we can’t let normal become acceptable. Let’s never go back to normal; normal has never suited us, and we have more potential than that. Let us, instead, plant a foot firmly on the path to Light, and press forward to better.

~SAH

RWB Spencer Hamann is a luthier and musicologist working in northern Illinois. He is an avid woodworker and artificer, and enjoys antique restorations and custom commissions.Curatorship and adding value are core to his personal philosophies. Spencer was Raised in 2013, and served Libertyville Lodge No. 492 as Worshipful Master from 2017-2018. He is the Senior Warden of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183, and serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois as their Grand Representative to Wisconsin, District Education officer for the 1st NE District, and is a Certified Lodge Instructor (CLI). He can be contacted at spencer@sahamann.com

Words To Ponder

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR 

In addition to a lot of the research I do for the things I write, I'm also responsible for contributing to my Lodge of Research Twitter and Facebook accounts. All that has left me with a rather extensive collection of quotes, quips and words of wisdom from a variety of Freemasons. Every day I discover more amazing facts about our Craft and the Brothers who have made it what it is. The more Masonic research I do, the more I realize what a stunning and positive impact Freemasonry has had on our country and the world. With that in mind, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite quotes from our Brothers:

"I don't suppose any organization has done so much for so many with so little selfishness as the Masonic Fraternity." ~Thomas E. Dewey

"The more I come in contact with the Masonic fraternity, the more impressed I am with our great charitable work." ~Franklin Roosevelt

"A pessimist makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist makes opportunities of his difficulties." ~Harry S. Truman

"I always advise people never to give advice." ~P.G. Wodehouse

"A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education." ~Theodore Roosevelt

"My Lodge had at least 4 creeds. I was entered by a Hindu, passed by a Mohammedan and raised by an Englishman." ~Rudyard Kipling

"Don't let yesterday use up too much of today." ~Will Rogers

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." ~George Washington

 "Let us not paralyze our capacity for good by brooding of man's capacity for evil." ~David Sarnoff

"Anti-Semitism is a noxious weed that should be cut out. It has no place in America." William Howard Taft

"Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared." ~Eddie Rickenbacker

"Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one." ~Sam Rayburn

"I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money." ~Arthur Godfrey

"Knowledge is ecstatic in enjoyment, perennial in frame, unlimited in space and indefinite in duration." ~DeWitt Clinton

"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them." ~Mark Twain

"If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes." ~Charles Lindbergh

"I am a Mason because care for those who cannot care for themselves." ~Danny Thomas

"We were put here for a purpose—to build not to destroy. If I can make people smile, I've served my purpose for God." ~Red Skelton

"A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle." ~Benjamin Franklin

"The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected." ~William O. Douglas

"Our world has nuclear giants & ethical infants. We know more about war than peace, more about killing than living." ~Omar Bradley

"The measure of life is not its duration, but its donation." ~Peter Marshall

"Fear... is something you learn how to deal with and set aside. You want to be alert as you possibly can." ~Buzz Aldrin

"There's no education in the second kick of a mule." ~Fritz Hollings

"Be sincere; be brief; be seated. " ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Life is tough. It's tougher when you're stupid." ~John Wayne

Perhaps fitting for the final quote, and one of my favorites, are the last words, as reported from his wife, of the founder of the Order of DeMolay:

"It is the beginning." ~Frank S. Land

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33° , is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is also a Fellow and Past Master of the Missouri Lodge of Research. Among his other Masonic memberships are the St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite bodies, and Moila Shrine. He is also a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. Brother Steve was Editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine for a decade and is a regular contributor to the Whence Came You podcast. Born in Indiana, he has a Master's Degree from Indiana University and is retired from a 35 year career in information technology. Steve and his wife Carolyn reside in northwest Missouri. He is the author of dozens of magazine articles and three books: Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, Freemasons — Tales From the Craft and Freemasons at Oak Island.

The 33 Degrees of Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. James A. Simpson

Edited and transcribed for the Midnight Freemasons by Bro. Michael Arce

There are 33 degrees in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Is 33 a mystical number with some inherent numerical meaning?

Author's note: This is the research work of Bro. James A. Simpson and Ven. John F. McLaughlin. It was the first in a series of Masonic research papers submitted by Bro. Simpson. I have his expressed permission to share this work. "I know you will enjoy the history." Signed, Bro. Jim Simpson. The great Shakespearean actor and Mason, Edwin Booth (1833093) reportedly once said of the Masonic Ritual: "In all my research and study, in all my close analysis of the masterpieces of Shakespeare; in my earnest determination to make those plays a appear real on the mimic stage, I have never, and nowhere met the tragedy so real, so sublime, so magnificent as the Legend of Hiram. It is substance without shadow --- the manifest destiny of life which requires no picture and scarcely a word to make a lasting impression upon all who can understand.

Degree Origination

Our degrees began in France in the year 1725. The new class of scholarly men (Speculative Masons) had discovered written legends from the old Operative Masons. They were also aware of the early history of the Jews given in the Bible. It is from these histories the Hiramic Legend evolved. The early high degrees were a continuation of the Hiramic Legend. This occurred during the Age of Enlightenment when there was a growing interest in the in all mystical and occult doctrines. The mystical parts of many of the high degrees were influenced by the knowledge of Rosicrucianism and even the mystical parts of the Book of Revelation.

Important practical lessons are being taught through the observance of rituals. Participation in rituals in unifying and gives a greater sense of belonging. A mutual belief in a Supreme Power should bind all initiates together in Brotherhood. We must learn to work for work's sake without desire of praise or reward. There are philosophical ideas shown allegorically through the master architect's tools. They teach us to be faithful to our family and country. They teach universal Brotherhood; honesty in business relations; the forgiveness of past injustices; and perseverance in overcoming the difficulties encountered in our progress toward perfection. These degrees are rich in benefits

Scottish Rite Degrees and Chakras

Several years before I was raised, I purchased a book entitled "Hands of Light" by Barbara Brennan. She is a practicing healer, psychotherapist, and scientist. She was a research scientist in atmospheric physics from NASA. She was trained in bioenergetic therapy and is currently teaching courses concerning the human energy field.

There are seven endocrine glands. Each gland has a chakra, which is a cone-shaped energy field that absorbs energy from the universal energy field. As a practitioner, Ms. Brennan will locate unhealthy chakra. The result of her healing will be physical, emotional, and spiritual. Although this healing is not a religion, the charkas are a western interpretation of Hinduism. Western practices have associated chakras with various concepts.

I.E., metaphysical counterparts to the endocrine glands; chakras reside in the psyche; chakras have a physical manifestation. These various beliefs have been speculative. The book "Dark Light Consciousness" has taken the speculative out of the chakras and brought them into the operative world of science.

The following points are from Ms. Brennan's book.

•Chakra #1: The coccygeal center is related to the quantity of physical energy and will live in the physical reality.

•Chakra #2: The gonads is related to the quality of love for your mate.

•Chakra #3: The solar plexus relates to spiritual wisdom and consciousness of universality of life.

•Chakra #4: The thymus is the center through which we love ourselves, our families, pets, friends, neighbors, and our countrymen.

•Chakra #5: The thyroid is associated with taking responsibility for one's personal needs.

•Chakra #6: The pituitary is associated with the capacity to visualize and understand mental concepts.

•Chakra #7: The pineal, the "Crown Chakra." The pineal gland is related to the person's connection to his spirituality and integration of his whole being, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

Spritual energy and Freemasonry

The Knights Templar were in the Holy Land beginning in the year 1118. Hughes de Payens, the Master of the Order, although a Christian, was a descendant of Muhammed. It was through this connection that the Templars allied themselves with Islam. The Templars' principal teachers of alchemy were the enlightened Sufis. The Sufis had gathered the rarest and most valuable alchemical texts of the Egyptians, Persians, and Indians. The Sufi's also acquired texts from India regarding the mystical form of spiritual enlightenment.

The human spine contains 33 vertebrae. Spirit regeneration would take place by degrees trough the 33 vertebrae of the spinal column until reaching the pituitary gland which invokes the pineal body. The science of this regeneration is one of the lost keys of Freemasonry, and it is this reason why ancient Freemasonry was founded upon thirty-three degrees. Manley P. Hall, a 33 Degree Mason and Masonry's greatest philosopher, states, "The 33rd Degree represents the human head atop the 33 vertebrae of the back."

From the base of the spine there is the serpent which will wind its way up the spine to the crown chakra. The Sufis knew this as the Baraka; the Jews called it the Shekinah; the Chinese Taoist called it Jing; in India, it was the Kundalini. To awaken the power of the Kundalini, it would take spiritual discipline, including alchemy and yoga. As the Kundalini rises through the physical, emotional, and mental bodies, it performs the task of destroying all the impurities that prevent him from knowing his innate divinity.

With the conquest of Spain by Islam (711-1492), Spain became the seat of Sufi learning in Europe. Beginning with Compostela, Span, there are five cathedrals, one church, and one chapel. The sequence of the sites corresponds to that of the planets in our solar system. Each site also corresponds to a chakra. Just as subliminal energies stream up and down through the chakras within the human body, so similar forces surge northwards and southwards along the great alignment of the cathedrals.

When the novice had progressed thus far along his chosen spiritual path, he was open to receive the messenger of the mystery cults. The novice would make a pilgrimage to St. James of Compostela. The first-degree initiation was the result that flowed spiritually from the awakening of the base chakra that connects us with the earth and physical reality. Its ruling planet --- the Moon.

The initiate would then make a pilgrimage to the church in Toulouse. He would be introduced to the mysteries of the second degree with the opening of the abdominal chakra. Her he would discover his inner space and could retire into the isolation of his spirit. Its ruling planet --- Mercury.

The novice was the symbol of the third or solar plexus chakra. The fulfillment of this degree led to the awakening of the universal life force. This degree was achieved by the entry into the mysteries of the Venus oracle at the Cathedral of Orleans.

The novice is now ready to awaken the heart chakra which is linked to the region of the thymus gland above the heart. This is the spiritual center controlling the sublime gifts of love. This initiation was held in the Crypt of Chargers Cathedral, the ancient site of the sun oracle.

Induction into the fifth degree was performed in the chamber under Notre-Dame de Paris, the site of the druidic oracle of Mars. The fifth center is the throat chakra and is the first of the higher ones. It is the center of both speech and inner hearing and is connected with the power of sound.

The brow chakra, known to many as the third eye, is connected with the pituitary gland. Clairvoyance is connected with this centre, which relates to the spiritual faculties of insight and intuition. This took place in the cathedral of Amiens, and the aspirant would be instructed in the mysteries of the Jupiter oracle.

The seventh degree was attained with the culmination of the spiritual journey a the opening of the crown chakra, which is mystically united with the pineal gland; also known as the Seat of the Soul. This was awarded at the seventh site, Rosslyn Chapel, the ancient and revered site of the Saturn oracle. The initiation ceremony for this degree took place in the hidden chamber under the chapel, which was deliberately created by Earl William St. Clair. The Sinclairs were experts in sacred geometry and geomancy, sciences that teach how to design physical structures so that they harmonize, capture, and amplify the natural currents of energy that flow under and upon the surface of the earth. William Sinclair based the chapel's dimensions on the Golden Mean, the proportion that determines the geometric spiral, which is synonymous with the path of serpentine life force.

Rosslyn Chapel was situated upon the confluence of important ley lines that united it with sacred landmarks throughout Britain. One of its intersecting leys comes from the direction of the bore stane hill where five powerful ley-lines radiate. In 1994, Niven Sinclair invited Professor Lin Yun, a master of Feng Shui, to measure the flow of the "earth energy" within Rosslyn Chapel. Professor Yun was impressed with this energy and maintained that the chapel was destined to be a center of world peace.
The seven spiritual centers along with their respective planets were in total alignment on July 28, 2019. The authors did not make any predictions for alignment.

~JAS

Bro. Jim Simpson Schenectady Lodge #1174, Schenectady, New York Sigman Bodies Ancient Accept Scottish Rite, Scotia, New York St. George's Chapter #157, Schenectady, New York St. George's Council #74, Schenectady, New York St. George's Commandry #37, Schenectady, New York Charles H. Copestake #69 AMD, Schenectady, New York