Let me elaborate a bit. When I was initiated I had the COR and it was great to set the mood and give me time to reflect. I believe without it, the ritual could be seen as just something to get through so you can become a brother, which would be missing the point of the ritual entirely. I know a lot of brothers who feel it's not needed and that's not the way they did it. And I think for that point in time maybe it wasn't needed, but recent generations are looking for deeper meaning. Not that previous generations were not, but the COR I believe jump starts their search and give them more reason and opportunity to think deeply about what they are going through and what it means.
Well said. A lot of people's misconceptions about such imagery stems right out of hollywood. In addition, symbols have been co-opted by other groups for their own purposes. The most famous example is the swastika, stolen by the Nazis for their own use. WW2 vets bought motorcycles and adopted the Iron Cross as a biker symbol, mainly for it's shock value. I could point to the OES inverted pentagram and note it's occult usage. The Church of Satan borrowed Baphomet as their symbol.
But all of that doesn't mean that a person's interpretation of a symbol is the correct one in it's context. The swastika isn't evil. The Iron Cross doesn't equal Nazism (the iron cross has been an award since 1865) anymore than the OES pentagram means devil worship.
In our country homes were built with parlors that not only were sitting rooms, but also where the recently deceased were displayed for three days before burial. Death was a normal part of life. But at some point, death became a taboo subject. Not only that, but confronting the fact that you will die triggers emotional defenses of denial. But it's something we all need to face. Thinking that life will go on forever also allows people to waste their life they have been given.
The brothers that have experienced the COR with one exception felt it was a transformative experience that placed them in the proper frame of mind for the degree they were about to go through. But, of course, ignorance and fear wins in the end.
What follows is just my opinion, I am not attempting to speak for anyone else. The Chamber of Reflection is, in my opinion, one of our most important elements and it is right and proper that we re-institute it, universally. The last century, or so, has seen a slow divorce of society from the spiritual, note I did not say religion. By spiritual, I mean a personal experience or relationship with the numinous. Prior to the modern world it seems human beings had a close relationship with the spiritual world that was at times very personal. Death, being in a sense our final initiation, was a portal to eternity, and as we passed that portal the sum total of our life’s actions crossed over with us, for some type of judgement, whether divine judgement or karmic balance. The COR is the Masonic recognition of that fact, and it brings into our consciousness this fact as a concrete reality. Any man who approaches the COR with zeal and discernment could expect to be affected.
We are initiates, and part of initiation is to gain access to symbols and rites that require preparation to integrate into our consciousness, in short to understand. Our symbols are NOT meant for non-initiates. Allowing non-initiates to affect our rites, symbols, and structures is to in effect to undo our initiation. We can’t be Initiates/Masons and limit ourselves to what the cowan world finds comfortable. What is called for is a Tyled Lodge. A locked door, only accessible to initiates.
Yes, this has been my experience as well.
Let me elaborate a bit. When I was initiated I had the COR and it was great to set the mood and give me time to reflect. I believe without it, the ritual could be seen as just something to get through so you can become a brother, which would be missing the point of the ritual entirely. I know a lot of brothers who feel it's not needed and that's not the way they did it. And I think for that point in time maybe it wasn't needed, but recent generations are looking for deeper meaning. Not that previous generations were not, but the COR I believe jump starts their search and give them more reason and opportunity to think deeply about what they are going through and what it means.
Well said. A lot of people's misconceptions about such imagery stems right out of hollywood. In addition, symbols have been co-opted by other groups for their own purposes. The most famous example is the swastika, stolen by the Nazis for their own use. WW2 vets bought motorcycles and adopted the Iron Cross as a biker symbol, mainly for it's shock value. I could point to the OES inverted pentagram and note it's occult usage. The Church of Satan borrowed Baphomet as their symbol.
But all of that doesn't mean that a person's interpretation of a symbol is the correct one in it's context. The swastika isn't evil. The Iron Cross doesn't equal Nazism (the iron cross has been an award since 1865) anymore than the OES pentagram means devil worship.
In our country homes were built with parlors that not only were sitting rooms, but also where the recently deceased were displayed for three days before burial. Death was a normal part of life. But at some point, death became a taboo subject. Not only that, but confronting the fact that you will die triggers emotional defenses of denial. But it's something we all need to face. Thinking that life will go on forever also allows people to waste their life they have been given.
The brothers that have experienced the COR with one exception felt it was a transformative experience that placed them in the proper frame of mind for the degree they were about to go through. But, of course, ignorance and fear wins in the end.
Interesting read: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychology-yesterday/201306/death-american-style
What follows is just my opinion, I am not attempting to speak for anyone else. The Chamber of Reflection is, in my opinion, one of our most important elements and it is right and proper that we re-institute it, universally. The last century, or so, has seen a slow divorce of society from the spiritual, note I did not say religion. By spiritual, I mean a personal experience or relationship with the numinous. Prior to the modern world it seems human beings had a close relationship with the spiritual world that was at times very personal. Death, being in a sense our final initiation, was a portal to eternity, and as we passed that portal the sum total of our life’s actions crossed over with us, for some type of judgement, whether divine judgement or karmic balance. The COR is the Masonic recognition of that fact, and it brings into our consciousness this fact as a concrete reality. Any man who approaches the COR with zeal and discernment could expect to be affected.
We are initiates, and part of initiation is to gain access to symbols and rites that require preparation to integrate into our consciousness, in short to understand. Our symbols are NOT meant for non-initiates. Allowing non-initiates to affect our rites, symbols, and structures is to in effect to undo our initiation. We can’t be Initiates/Masons and limit ourselves to what the cowan world finds comfortable. What is called for is a Tyled Lodge. A locked door, only accessible to initiates.
Again, this is just my opinion.