Circumambulation - The Lodge Education Series

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor

R.H. Johnson

This is the first in a series that will be posted, likely reprinted in The Lyceum, and that will or have been delivered to my Mother Lodge, Waukegan No. 78, in Waukegan, Illinois. If you missed the back story on these, check out the article titled, "Return to Basics - Masonic Education Begins Anew."

Prepared for Waukegan Masonic Lodge No. 78 - Education for April 17, 2023

For my first Lodge Education at my Mother Lodge since leaving a few years ago, I wanted to do something fun. I wanted to cover something I talked about the very first time I became an LEO way back when Worshipful Brother Michael Ruchti was the Master.

I spoke about the practice of circumambulating the altar, or rather, walking around it. So tonight, many years later, I’d like to read you a little something and then perhaps ask you all some questions.

Circumambulation, the practice of walking around an object or area in a prescribed pattern, is an ancient ritual used for a variety of purposes. It is a physical manifestation of a spiritual act that has been used for centuries in a variety of religious and cultural contexts. This short education piece will take a bird's-eye-view of the history and use of circumambulation as a ritual, and religion, as well as its significance in different contexts.

Circumambulation has been used for centuries as a ritualistic practice in religious and cultural contexts. In Hinduism, it is used as a form of worship to honor a deity, and in Buddhism, it is used to honor the relics of the Buddha. Similarly, circumambulation is used in Islamic tradition to honor the Kaaba, a cuboid-shaped structure located in the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. In these contexts, circumambulation is seen as a way of connecting to a higher power, and it is believed that the act of walking around an object is a way of honoring and paying homage to it.

In addition to its religious use, circumambulation has also been used as a ritualistic practice in secular contexts. For example, in some Native American cultures, circumambulation is used as a way of honoring the four directions, with each direction representing a different element, such as water, fire, earth, and air. This ritual is believed to bring the participants into harmony with their environment, and it is seen as a way of connecting to the spirit world.

In Freemasonry, circumambulation is often used as an initiation or consecration rite. This ritual involves walking around an altar or some other object of reverence in a clockwise direction. The circumambulation is typically conducted three times, with the number three standing for the Masonic triad of faith, hope, and charity. As the initiate circles the altar, they are encouraged to focus on the spiritual significance of the rite and to meditate on the divine.

By participating in circumambulation, Freemasons are able to connect with the divine on a deeper level and gain a greater understanding of the spiritual principles that Freemasonry stands for. 

I invite any commentary, and questions and encourage conversation about your memories of this activity in the Lodge. 

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is an Emeritus Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts his weekly Podcast, Whence Came You?, which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four and works full-time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition,” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

Three Distinct Knocks

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

WB. Martin O’Brien 

Envision if you will a young man, a man who has grown up in relative financial and material comfort but in moral and spiritual ambiguity. Understand, that this man I am describing is not me but I can tell his story. You may even know him or another person like him. This man, at least he believes himself a man, no event in his life apart from the tearing of pages from a calendar has marked his transition from adolescence to manhood, comes from good stock. Salt of the earth people who were faithful to their creed and mindful of harder times, struggles that they have strived to shelter their son from. This young man is popular and has surrounded himself with friends of like mind and opinion. Perhaps this man has had the benefit of formal education beyond high school and so feels that he knows much and because life has been gentle on him he has faced no adversity to inform him otherwise.

He believes that he doesn't need superstitious religion because he has reason. He is comfortable. More passive than purposeful in his decision making, he goes easily where the tides of life take him. He does what his job requires of him, no more, no less, because he invests his time and energy more fully in leisure pursuits marking time through the week to get to the weekend and when he arrives he imbibes too much and makes morally questionable decisions. Perhaps he treats the fairer sex disrespectfully, allowing his passions to hold sway over that reason that he values over religion. Perhaps he has no male role model to show him there is another and better way.

He lives his life in a repetitious cycle, monotonous week to intemperate weekend over and over again. This pattern is reinforced by his circle of friends, all of whom are equally adrift. Until one day he sees something, a sign on an old brick building, an ancient sign that hints at a different way, a different path the wanderer can take. This sign pulls at something in his mind, perhaps the prick of conscience. 

As this feeling comes to the fore a feint spark flickers in his chest and draws him towards that symbol. Walking forward he begins to leave behind the chaos and apathy that have marked his life to this point and he moves Eastwards, towards something better. He gets the sense that he is drawing closer to something important and his excitement grows but still there is a shroud around the place he wishes to be and he is filled with uncertainty and trepidation. Yet that spark, flickering weakly in his chest, draws him onwards and soon the veil parts slightly revealing a gate guarded by stern faced sentinels that bar his way. 

They examine this traveler, their probing eyes, experienced from long years of labor in the quarries beyond, search for any sign of dishonesty or impure motive. Their examination is thorough and they can see that feint lights inside our supplicant and it is this that assures them of his sincerity. They step aside allowing him to advance through the West gate. Once through the portico he is met by gentle hands welcoming him in friendship, guiding his steps lest he should falter. He is reassured and told to fear no evil, for evil cannot take root in this place. He is prepared for what is about to transpire, taking off the trappings of the world he is beginning to leave behind and pass a threshold into a new way of being. He is given some time, a few moments, in which to gather himself and prepare his mind to receive the priceless gift that awaits him.

He is in darkness by design, his vision taken away the better to align his other senses. He is guided forward until his outstretched hands meet with obstruction. A door. He is told to reach for the heavy brass knocker that adorns it and taking it firmly strike the door with it three distinct times. His hand is shaking with nervous anticipation as it reaches for it. His fingers can trace a shape, the same symbol he found on the side of the building. 

The square and compasses. The knocker rises and falls, One! farewell to apathy. Farewell to the chaos of selfish and disordered thinking. He lifts it again. More forcefully this time the knocker hits the strike plate. Two! As the sound of it fades away so too does the man he was, he is already changed. A third time his hand rises, this is perhaps the first purposeful act he has undertaken, the first real movement towards taking responsibility for himself and his place in this world. Three! The door opens. Though blindfolded he is aware that a light is shining on him from within and that spark in his chest that was once so weak flairs brightly.

~MO

WB Martin O'Brien is a Past Master of Cuyahoga Falls Lodge #735, now Star Lodge #187 in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio. He is a member of Cuyahoga Falls Chapter #225 Royal Arch Masons and Cuyahoga Falls Council #144 Royal & Select Masters.