The Magus Of Freemasonry

A comprehensive look at the life of Elias Ashmole, who represents the historic missing link between operative and symbolic Freemasonry • Explores the true role of occult and magical studies in the genesis of modern science • Explains the full meaning of the term magus, which Ashmole exemplified Elias Ashmole (1617-1692) was the first to record a personal account of initiation into Accepted Freemasonry. His writings help solve the debate between operative and “speculative” origins of Accepted Freemasonry, demonstrating that symbolic Freemasonry existed within the Masonic trade bodies. Ashmole was one of the leading intellectual luminaries of his time: a founding member of the Royal Society, a fellowship and later academy of natural philosophers and scientists; alchemist; astrological advisor to the king; and the creator of the world’s first public museum. While Isaac Newton regarded him as an inspiration, Ashmole has been ignored by many conventional historians. Tobias Churton’s compelling portrait of Ashmole offers a perfect illustration of the true Renaissance figure--the magus. As opposed to the alienated position of his post-Cartesian successors, the magus occupied a place at the heart of Renaissance spiritual, intellectual, and scientific life. Churton shows Ashmole to be part of the ferment of the birth of modern science, a missing link between operative and symbolic Freemasonry, and a vital transmitter of esoteric thought when the laws of science were first taking hold. He was a man who moved with facility between the powers of earth and the active symbols of heaven.

At last, an easy-to-read guide to the path of self-knowledge and self-improvement that is Freemasonry. This volume takes the reader through each of the three degrees of Craft Freemasonry, explaining how best to gain insight from the study and application of these teachings. For the newly made Mason, this book provides an explanation of the ceremony and a glossary of Masonic terminology. It also provides a similar guide for future degrees of Masonic progression. For the experienced Freemason, it illustrates interesting and largely unknown aspects of the symbolism of the three degrees. To discover the true Masonic secret, we have to work to bring it forth; this book is the manual for that great work.

An exploration of how modern Freemasonry enabled Isaac Newton and his like-minded contemporaries to flourish • Shows that Freemasonry, as a mystical order, was conceived as something new--an amalgam of alchemy and science that had little to do with operative Freemasonry • Reveals how Newton and his friends crafted this “speculative,” symbolic Freemasonry as a model for the future of England • Connects Rosslyn Chapel, Henry Sinclair, and the Invisible College to Newton and his role in 17th-century Freemasonry Freemasonry, as a fraternal order of scientists and philosophers, emerged in the 17th century and represented something new--an amalgam of alchemy and science that allowed the creative genius of Isaac Newton and his contemporaries to flourish. In Isaac Newton’s Freemasonry, Alain Bauer presents the swirl of historical, sociological, and religious influences that sparked the spiritual ferment and transformation of that time. His research shows that Freemasonry represented a crossroads between science and spirituality and became the vehicle for promoting spiritual and intellectual egalitarianism. Isaac Newton was seminal in the “invention” of this new form of Freemasonry, which allowed Newton and other like-minded associates to free themselves of the church’s monopoly on the intellectual milieu of the time. This form of Freemasonry created an ideological blueprint that sought to move England beyond the civil wars generated by its religious conflicts to a society with scientific progress as its foundation and standard. The “science” of these men was rooted in the Hermetic tradition and included alchemy and even elements of magic. Yet, in contrast to the endless reinterpretations of church doctrine that fueled the conflicts ravaging England, this new society of Accepted Freemasons provided an intellectual haven and creative crucible for scientific and political progress. This book reveals the connections of Rosslyn Chapel, Henry Sinclair, and the Invisible College to Newton’s role in 17th-century Freemasonry and opens unexplored trails into the history of Freemasonry in Europe.

"Secret societies have fascinated those on the outside since the beginning of time, and here, in this extraordinary 1921 work, the mysteries and riddles of one of the most famous the Freemasons are exhaustively detailed by a preeminent 19th-century expert in esoterica. Complete with all the original illustrations, this two-volume work is an essential reference for anyone enthralled by the secret and the arcane, and will particularly captivate students of our modern conspiracy-theory culture. Volume I covers everything Masonic from A Acacia: a tree connected to a memorable event in Masonic history to K Karl C. F. Krause: a 19th-century German Masonic philosopher and includes intriguing entries on: Casanova the Druids Egyptian initiation the Fugitive Mark the Holy Grail the Illuminati the Kabablistic tradition of Masonry the Knight of the Brazen Serpent and much more American-born British author ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE (1857 1942) was cocreator of the famous 1910 Rider-Waite Tarot deck. Among his numerous books are Devil Worship in France, The Holy Kabbalah, and The Book of Ceremonial Magic."

An experienced Freemason and award-winning psychologist provides a precise and engaging exploration of the core meaning and practices of Freemasonry for the new generation of people interested in joining the order, and those who are simply curious in the wake of recent media coverage. Entertaining books and movies often depict Freemasonry as a shadowy, mysterious, and possibly sinister organization, and the TV and magazine specials on Freemasonry that inevitably follow often leave us with more questions than answers. Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, a practicing thirty-second-degree Mason, has created a simple, authoritative, and easy-to-understand introduction to the history, rites, and meaning of Freemasonry. It may be the single most reliable short guide to Masonry, written by a widely recognized psychologist and scholar of esoteric history. Koltko-Rivera's trustworthy handbook explores all the basic issues around Masonry, like: *What is Freemasonry, and what is its history? *How does one become a Freemason? *What are some of the most important Masonic symbols? *What do Masons get from their involvement in Freemasonry? What changes does it make in their inner and outer lives? *What is it like to participate in the initiatory rituals of Freemasonry? *What are some of the great historical controversies and myths surrounding Freemasonry? *How is Masonry relevant today?

• Shares the history and meaning of Freemasonry and its symbols • Offers thoughtful explorations of different areas of Masonic experience, drawing on esoteric doctrines and paralleling them with experiences found in daily life • Provides simple exercises and practices to help internalize and personalize the lessons presented, including dreamwork, journaling, meditation, and prayer In this practical guide, Mark Stavish details the spiritual lessons and rituals of Freemasonry as a step-by-step path of spiritual development and self-improvement for both Masons and non-Masons, men and women, alike. He explores the history and meaning of Freemasonry and its symbols--from its origins in the Temple of Solomon to the Medieval craft guilds to the Renaissance--and explains how the Craft promotes personal growth through the symbolic building of self and an inner Temple of Wisdom in much the same way that Masonry’s rituals symbolize the building of Solomon’s Temple in accordance with the mystical architectural instructions of Hiram. Drawing on esoteric doctrines, including the Qabala, alchemy, sacred geometry, John Dee’s angelic magic, and the secrets of the Gothic cathedral builders, each chapter addresses an area of the Masonic experience, paralleling them with experiences each of us finds in our own lives. The author provides simple practices to help internalize and personalize the lessons presented, including dreamwork, journaling, meditation, prayer, and understanding sacred architecture. The author also examines the crafting and use of the spiritual and symbolic tools of Freemasonry, such as the trestle or tracing board and the Chamber of Reflection. Providing the tools to make the Craft an initiatic experience of self-improvement, the author shows that, ultimately, the Masonic experience is the human quest for self-realization and self-expression, so that we each may find our place in the Temple of Wisdom.

Interpreting Masonic Ritual endeavors to addresses the depth of the ritualistic experience through a discussion of what ritual means to man as well as what man means to ritual. Ritual teaches us about reality but we will not come to a full understanding of it if we disparage what others do and view their actions from a position of pseudo-intellectual or cultural superiority. Ritual is the core of Freemasonry and is that thing which sets it apart from so many organizations. It is the key to the Freemason’s “secrets” and the manner through which they transmit our “beautiful system of morality.” It is something to be treasured, maintained, taught, elevated, evaluated, and, above, reinforced through proper performance, decorum, and setting.