En: Mysticism in Freemasonry

India

Mysticism in Freemasonry

Original author: Sreedharan Srikanth

An enquiry into the Mystic Symbolism in the Craft Ritual in General and the Ceremony of Passing in Particular

About the original author

W. Bro. Sreedharan Srikanth.

The author has brought out the mystical meaning of the Craft ritual as practiced in India and draws parallels from ancient Hindu philosophy.

Introduction

It is well known that Freemasonry is replete with symbolism and that each object or movement employed in our rituals has a symbolic reference. It is more important to note is that this symbolism can be understood, interpreted and appreciated at different levels or layers.

As speculative masons we are instructed to apply these symbols to our morals in general and to our conduct through life in particular. The symbolism of Freemasonry enables us by constant contemplation and careful application to transcend the limitations of our mortal existence and to lead a life of righteousness and rectitude that “we may live respected and die regretted.”

A speculative mason, therefore, should go beyond the words and movements of the ritual and attempt an allegorical understanding. Allegory is a visible symbol representing an abstract idea. Freemasonry uses numerous symbols to illustrate ideas. These allegorical references are meant to show a direct link between the object used as a symbol and the concept it is meant to represent.

The three degrees in Craft Masonry are, taken together, a grand allegory of this our mortal existence. But, this is not so obvious, because this grand design is covered or veiled in a system of movements, enquiries and responses and charges. Thus, the candidate has to truly concentrate on what is happening and then contemplate on what happened and was told to him and finally he must confirm in his own heart the truth of his new understanding. At this point he has pierced the veil and has understood the true meaning of our ritual.

This is akin to peeling an onion, layer by layer. There are several layers of meaning in Masonic symbolism. The outermost layer is the object itself, like the Square or Pencil or Rough Ashler or a movement in the ritual like discharging a penal sign or advancing to the altar. The object or the movement, by itself, has no implication for the candidate unless its inner meaning is explained. This takes us to the second layer where the ritual portions slowly explain the significance of the object or movement and its symbolic meaning. The Masonic ritual stops here and leaves it to the individual mason to peel off one more layer to reach the spiritual significance behind the Masonic symbol.

In this paper a humble attempt is being made to peel the onion a little more to reveal the Mystical aspects of Masonic symbolism. The symbolism of Freemasonry can be viewed from a mystical perspective and thus link it to the “occult Science”.

The Occult Science or Mystic Knowledge

Most Masons smile with derision when the term "Occult Science" is used in connection with the Mysteries of Freemasonry, but, despite this, if it had not been for the Occult Fraternities, Masonry could not have existed. The Secret Doctrine was the universally diffused religion of the Ancients. Proof of its diffusion, authentic records of history, a complete chain of documents, showing its character and presence in every land, together with the teachings of all its great Adepts, exist to this day in the secret crypts of libraries belonging to the Occult Fraternities, among which, the true Rosicrucian Fraternity, more than any other, is to be thanked for keeping the Secret and Sacred writings intact. Although individual members of this Fraternity have been persecuted in many lands during all the centuries, the Order as such, has continued without interruption. It is relevant to note that According to historian David Stevenson Rosicrucianism was influential to Freemasonry as it was emerging in Scotland.

The Hidden Mysteries

In the second degree in Freemasonry, the Candidate is informed that he is “now permitted to explore the hidden mysteries of nature and science.” The word “mysteries” should make us pause. What is mysterious about nature that science has not discovered or is not capable of discovering? Yet the Masonic ritual talks about mysteries and also uses the words “permitted”. Why is the candidate now being “permitted?” Is it because in the second degree ritual he has been prepared in some way to better appreciate the inner meaning of life? Is there some layer of symbolism in the second degree that indicates a practice which could ultimately enable the candidate to unravel the mysteries of Nature and Science?

We do not acquire Mystic knowledge because we are told so. Let the gods shout the truth of all ages into the ears of a fool forever, and still forever the fool would be joined to his folly. Herein lies the conception and the principle of all hidden mysteries. A seasoned Mason would easily discern that in all the secrets of Masonry, nothing is hidden from the contemplative mind. Our secrets are not hidden because they are secrets; they are secrets because they are hidden. Our secrets are incomprehensible to the uninitiated and popular world because they are veiled in allegory. A speculative masons applies these tools to his morals and may choose to stop there. But I invite you as Masonic scholars to go beyond this veil too and enter the mystic dimensions of Masonry.

This Mystic Knowledge is not a mere sum in addition; something added to something that already exists; but rather is such a progressive change or transformation of the original structure as to make it, at every step, a New Being. Real knowledge, or the accumulation of wisdom through experience in man, is an Eternal Becoming; a progressive transformation into the likeness of the eternal Goodness and the supreme power.

Let us echo the words of Hamlet, the tragic Prince of Denmark when he states that, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” In fact some Shakespearean scholars opine that the term “your” should be “our” referring to various schools of philosophy that Hamlet and Horatio studied during their sojourn as students at Wittenberg.

Philosophy applies logic and reasoning to draw conclusions about the world and existence. But Mysticism is intuitive. It is the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by mystics. Mystics believe that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight). Philosophy can explain but it cannot enable an experience. Mysticism on the other hand attempts a direct experiential path.

While there are many paths to Self-Realization, the Mystical Path of direct experience is an established way to realize one’s own infinitely powerful and divine nature.

The Ultimate Goal

What is the ultimate Goal of our human life? Is it earning money, enjoying material pleasures, living virtuously, contributing to charity and so on? Or is there something more?

R W Bro AP Chitra, P Dy GM, Right Worhsipful the Regional Grand Master of The Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India in his research paper titled “The Need to be a Freemason” says, “Thus, the joining of Freemasonry to me is a manifestation of meeting a higher need after the lower needs have been met.” In this paper he discusses the Hierarchy of Needs propounded by Abraham Maslow, a famous psychologist in the context of Freemasonry and concludes that Freemasonry is eminently suited for satisfying these Needs at every level. More importantly Freemasonry is the only institution which can satisfy the ultimate goal of human existence, “that most interesting of all human studies, the knowledge of yourself.”

Self-Actualization is the tendency of a sentient organism to realize its fullest potential; it is the only real motive of life. Self-actualization can also be viewed as a process of self-exploration, self-discovery or self-realization. Abraham Maslow places self-actualization at the top of his hierarchy of needs while explaining human motivation. He also notes that the basic needs of humans such as food, shelter, clothing, security and a sense of belongingness must be met before a person can achieve self-actualization.

We find that the PW leading to the Second Degree is “Sh-------th” which denotes Plenty! What is the significance of this word? A Mason does not conquer desires by renunciation but by experience! Yayathi a great emperor who had already lived a thousand years desired to live another thousand years! So he borrowed the youth of his son Puru and went on to enjoy life. Finally he returns his youth back to Puru and states “vayam eva jeerna; thrishna na jeerna” (It is we who become aged; our desires are eternally young!) Thus realizing the futility of continuously satisfying the fire of the desires, he decided to retire to the forest to contemplate the Truth and realize his true self.

Similarly King Dasaratha and Janaka were yogis who pursued the path of self-realization whilst continuing to rule their kingdoms! This is The Way of Freemasonry. Freemasons extract every bit of experience from life in their search for eternal truth. The popular and uninstructed world does not understand this and jumps into conclusions merely by our accoutrements and the pomp and glory of our assemblies which are but the external manifestations of the inner search in the secret world of the soul.

Freemasonry enables the brother to gradually experience the three stages of the process of self-realization which are:

1. Desire-prompted activity (This is not wrong…simply futile.)

2. Selfless dedicated activity (This is Masonic Charity at its height)

3. Quiet Meditation

When the mind is swept clean of desire-waves, it must necessarily become more and more quiet and peaceful. When once the intellect is purified—rendered immune to desire-disturbances—the mind cannot have any disturbances. The sentimental and emotional life of one who has controlled the floodgates of desires automatically becomes tame and equanimous. “The heart thus purified from every baneful and malignant passion is now fitted only for the reception of truth (!) and wisdom…”

The Temple Within

In the Second Degree in the Craft Ritual we are told about the building of the Temple by King Solomon. The Tracing Board gives elaborate descriptions and dimensions. We hear about the Two Pillars at the Porch way or entrance, the winding staircase leading to the middle chamber and finally the middle chamber and the sacred symbol in the Centre of the building and to whom it alludes. Now, I suggest that we can take these references out of their biblical context and look at them as symbols pure and simple. In this sense we can have a different perspective as to the nature of the mystical experience indicated by the second degree ritual.

The temple is not outside but rather it is inside the human body! Yes! The body is the Temple wherein the world’s Great Architect lives and reigns forever! The Tamil seer and Mystic Thirumoolar who transliterated Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra has this to say about the body – the meaning of this Tamil verse is as follows:

“During my days of ignorance, I thought very ill of this fleshy body in which my soul exists. But later when I realized that in the body there are great things like a whole universe and so forth, along with BEING with the deities making the body veritably a temple, I began to cherish the body as I do the temple itself.”

This concept of divinity within is indicated by other ancient Indian mystics too. The Shaivite seer and the 58th Nayanmar Pusalar Nayanar was able to build an entire Temple to Lord Shiva in his heart. He did this brick by brick through extreme concentration of the mind. So much so that the Lord preferred to reside within this Temple in the Heart and become Hrdayaleeswaran than manifest himself in the physical temple built by the Pallava king Kadavarkon.

The great Vaishnavite Seer and mystic Periazhwar suggests that we should, “build a temple in our breast; establish the deity Madhavan therein and lay the flower of our dedication and desire for salvation at His feet to evade the terrors of hell.”

In this context one may recollect the Second Degree Signs. The First part of the threefold sign indicates the Breast where the Temple is to be built and the Second part indicates the Supreme Deity who is to be established therein!

To be spiritual is to know everything! It is, of course impossible to know everything so a spiritual seeker comes to the conclusion that true knowledge is not outside; it is inside. It is hidden within his own body. Thus speculative masons are constantly in search of this ‘genuine secret’ which is hidden or lost.

Whence come you? Whither directing your course? The SW confirms to the WM that our course is directed to the West. The inducement to leave the East and go to the West is to seek for that which was lost! Thus, every speculative mason is on a spiritual path from the east to the west. He is directing his course towards the West. This is the wrong direction! He is travelling away from the “genuine secrets’. That is why, later on in the III Degree closing ceremony, the SW confesses to the WM that they have not found the genuine secrets, but instead bring with them certain “substituted secrets” which the WM condescends to receive. The Genuine secrets are in the East6. Figuratively this where we started! So the search should not be directed outside but it should be directed inside. This is the Mystical Path of realizing the self through contemplation of the Deity within.

Ascending the Winding Staircase

The route to the inner Deity is indicated in the Ceremony of Passing so beautifully. Each milestone is marked and the challenges the sadhaka would face at each stage is also indicated.

The body is supported by the two legs just as the Temple is supported by the two great pillars. The Left leg is B--z which denotes “In Strength” and the Right Leg is J---in which denotes “to establish” and when conjoined “Stability” “for God said I will establish this Mine house to stand firm forever”! The two pillars are merely two practices that prepare the sadhaka on his journey into the mystical experience namely: Strength to overcome the delusion of the material world and perseverance to be established in the Path and never to deviate.

We seek the Temple outside and are disappointed. Once the All Seeing Eye is opened and directed inside we realize the true location of the House of God. The All Seeing Eye is also a constant reminder of the omnipresence of God.

The Legs end at the hip i.e. the base of the Spinal column. In Ancient Indian Mysticism the seven main chakras are described as being present in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the head! Our spinal cord is protected by the vertebral or spinal column. The human spinal column is made up of 33 bones - 7 vertebrae in the cervical region, 12 in the thoracic region, 5 in the lumbar region, 5 in the sacral region and 4 in the coccygeal region!

The Winding staircase in Freemasonry has 33 steps! If in doubt one can climb the winding staircase inside Freemasons’ Hall, Chennai, and count the steps! This is said to be in allusion to the so called thirty-three degrees in Freemasonry. Be that as it may, the seven chakras that lead to Self-Realization are present at various points around the Spinal Column

Kundalini which literally means "coiled one”, is a primal energy, or shakti, located at the base of the spine. Different spiritual traditions teach methods of "awakening" kundalini for the purpose of reaching spiritual enlightenment. Kundalini is described as lying "coiled" at the base of the spine.

Kundalini awakening is said to result in deep meditation, enlightenment and bliss. This awakening involves the Kundalini physically moving up the central channel to reach within the Sahasrara Chakra at the top of the head. Many systems of yoga focus on the awakening of Kundalini through meditation, pranayama breathing, the practice of asana and chanting of mantras. In physical terms, one commonly reports the Kundalini experience to be a feeling of electric current running along the spine.

For the sake of information the Seven Chakras are briefly presented here:

The following seven primary chakras are commonly described:

1. Muladhara Base or Root Chakra (Ovaries/Prostrate)

2. Swadhisthana Sacral Chakra (last bone in spinal cord, the coccyx)

3. Manipura Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area)

4. Anahata Heart Chakra (heart area)

5. Vishuddha Throat Chakra (throat and neck area)

6. Ajna Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye)

7. Sahasrara or Crown Chakra (top of the head; 'soft spot' of a newborn)

Another interpretation suggested is that the two pillars are respectively the Ida (Chandra) and the Pingala (Surya) Nadis which carry the Prana or life force throughout the body. Shiva Samhita explains that the three most important nadis are the Ida, the Pingala and the Sushumna, each facilitating the flow of praṇā vāyu throughout the body.

Ida nadi relates to the right side of the brain, and the left side of the body, terminating at the left nostril. Pingala nadi relates to the left side of the brain and the right side of the body, terminating at the right nostril. All the nadis are subordinate to sushumna, even ida and pingala. Sushumna nadi runs within the spinal cord, from mooladhara chakra at the bottom to ajna chakra at the top. It is silvery in colour. Emanating from the left side of mooladhara and passing through each chakra in turn in a curving path, finally ending on the left side of ajna chakra. The awakening of the Kundalini is from the muladhara chakra through the central sushumna nadi, inside or alongside the spine and reaching the top of the head. The progress of Kundalini through the different chakras leads to different levels of awakening and mystical experience, until Kundalini finally reaches the top of the head, Sahasrara or crown chakra, (The Middle Chamber!) producing an extremely profound transformation of consciousness.

The following verse best describes the process as well as the experience of Ascending the Kula-Path or the Winding staircase to consciousness-Knowledge-Bliss:

The earth placed in the Muladhara, water in the Manipura,

Fire in the Svadhisthana, air in the heart, with space above,

And amid eyebrows placing the mind, and breaking through the whole Kula-path

You do sport with your lord secretly in the thousand-petaled lotus.

Finally when consciousness is attained our “ancient brethren” entered the “middle chamber”. There, “in that position” they discovered the thousand-petal lotus which alludes to the Grand Geometrician of the Universe to whom we must all submit and whom we ought humbly to adore.

Their progress is checked only at two places: At the Muladhara or the base of the winding staircase and again at the door of the middle chamber or at Ajna. In both these places the Passwords and tokens enable them to proceed onward. . So the ritual of ascending the winding staircase has a mystical connection with the awakening of the Kundalini.

The Alchemy of the Soul

Since time immemorial ancient seers have constantly attempted to convert base metal into Gold. This is known as Alchemy. In India this is called Rasavadham. It is humbly submitted that while ancient rishis might have indeed perfected the art of changing the molecular structure of metals, that was not their true goal. Their goal was to bring about an alchemy of the soul. Just as a Mason strives to work on the rough ashler which is the rough and unformed mind into the polished perfect ashler, so too does Free Masonry seek to refine the Mason to a degree where he ceases to be base metal and shines and glows like silver or gold! This is how a freemason is slowly converted from the base metal that he is, to a piece of highly refined and purified silver that is fit for God to see his own image in it!

Conclusion

Some Masons seem to be becoming uncomfortable with our heritage. Perhaps this is because we have encountered so many religious extremists who obviously confuse self-realization with religion and try to insist that Masonry is a cult. Or perhaps this uncertainty is caused by the cynicism and materialism of our age as these forces have begun to affect the Fraternity. Also, perhaps some brethren feel that self- realization is hard to discuss or that man’s spiritual nature is somehow less than manly to contemplate. Whatever the reason, many Freemasons seem uncomfortable when confronted with the spiritual aspects of the Craft.

But self- realization and spiritual growth are essential parts of our Masonic heritage and of our purpose as a Fraternity. To deny them would be like a doctor asserting that his task is only to cure disease and denying the value of preventive medicine.

Freemasonry should not become a mere fraternal organization that has lost a real understanding of our founding. The symbolism that continues to exist in masonry tells a much deeper tale than a majority of our modern brethren apparently recognize. To avoid the discussion of self- realization on the grounds that it may lead to a discussion on religion neutralizes the power of our symbolism as all of it is deeply religious, spiritual, and philosophical.

Freemasonry makes a promise to every brother. A promise that, assisted by the secrets of our Masonic Arts (the real secrets of symbolic meaning and not the passwords and signs that are merely meant to keep away intruders and cowans), he could set out on a path of understanding, or science of self- realization and attain the divine. Not some abstract objectified divinity but the True and Living God already residing within the heart. Thus connected to the centre, a point from which he cannot err, bounded by the equidistant parts of the circle a True Freemason stands at the pinnacle of evolution as homo spiritualis or the Spiritual Man who has found himself at last.

Please note

THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU WITH COURTESY OF

• THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR AND
• THE ASSOCIATION OF MASONIC ARTS / GRAND AMBASSADOR TO ASIA Bro. S RAJAGOPAL.