If a Lodge was created that was primarily focused on esoteric matters, researching and teaching about esoteric ideas, would you be interested in joining?
We often hear that the newer Masons of today are very interested in esoterica. Given that, would we be well served in creating a Lodge focused on those studies?
Yes, 100%. Where I am, there are a lot of these brothers but they are all scattered. So what you have is say 10-15 lodges, each of which have 5-10 brothers who are interested in these topics. That's plenty of masons for a lodge, but each single lodge fails to reach critical mass on focusing lodge education on those topics. The perception is those 5-10 in your local lodge are a minority and don't speak for the main interests of everybody in the lodge, at most an "every once in a while" side topic.
I think having a club in the local Scottish Rite temple focusing on research and developing presentations for use in local blue lodges makes more sense. A club made up of members from several lodges would achieve the same goal and provide for an efficient way to spread education.
I don't necessarily think a lodge needs to be created just to study those topics. The study can be done anywhere with any of the brothers. What requires a whole separate lodge is the ritual work. Everything else is debatable (literally). If you are planning on conducting your meetings in a manner not acceptable to a more, shall we say, traditional membership, then a new lodge may be necessary. But that's not studying and teaching esoteric matters. As Will mentioned, it can be just a study group or club.
Yes, I would, and i think having a space for focused study and research is very much needed. Most Lodges and Valleys have a few brethren that are passionate on the subject, and I believe they would enjoy and benefit from fellowship that was focused on their interests. I also think a Lodge like this could be the source for presenations and expertise that would be available to our Lodges and valleys. When i was a Deputy, on one of my offcial visits I asked new Brethren what was missing from their Lodge experience, that they had expected, and esoterica was the most common answer. In fact it was pretty much the only answer. I know other jurisdictions are experimenting witgh focused Lodges, based on careers or other interests, and they seem to be working well. I think this is an obvious choice for a focused Lodge.
The lodge I attend is pretty clear to its candidates, there are various lodges to choose from; some are geared towards fellowship, others with charity work, even though we have parts of both, our focus is on education with an emphasis on esoterica. I believe our secretary VW bro Zane has researched, showing the majority of younger candidates are primarily interested in this aspect.
Recently, I have been exploring topics from bro Frank Higgins, who founded the Magian Society (September 29, 1913), which was formed for Masonic antiquarian research. Further exemplifying his aim, he stated his books are issued as a challenge to the dry-as-dusts of the Fraternity, who have too long- been amiably permitted to prate of "the totally unsound and eventually to be exploded myths of Masonry.”
To me, he hit the nail on the head. This past year, I have been digging into our old manuscripts, primarily from the 17th Century and have been truly fascinated. I may be getting a little off topic here, but I think it’s worth sharing, how this era marked the age of enlightenment and rebirth of Masons, expanding it to Free and Accepted fraternity of Speculative Masons, and its esoteric teachings. I have many notes tracing the ‘enlightenment era’ to 1604, from a star gazer by the name of Johannes Kepler. His outline of an even that took place touches on the magic square and Pythagoras Tetractys (ref. Harmonices Mundi, 1619 and De Stella Nova, 1606). To make a long story short, this was when a Supernova was seen on the heel of the constellation of the serpent-bearer, (appearing like a red rose) with its alignment to Cignus, also known as the Northern Cross (hence the name of the society of the Rose Croix). This Society follows a man by the name of Sir Francis Bacon to the Royal Society, to the English Lodge of Freemasons, as well as the Masonic French Lodge, and the formation of the United States. If anyone is interested, I wrote an essay on this and would be happy to email a copy.
My point being to all of this, is I do believe we would be well served in creating and maintain a Lodge as such.
I would be interested, but limited to distance and time for travel. (I don't get around so well anymore!) I study on my own, but would like to be energized by others who have access to and have studied different material
First one must ascertain what esoteric is from the men who expound it. Personally, I find that study group offshoots are better for discussion they can arise collapse, be reborn and cost nothing. Then again, escotericon seems to be the big thing of late I suppose for the swag and as networking events. I've always enjoyed the journey and stayed clear of people who try to tell me how I should interpret symbols, hidden meaning and the like practice my on spirituality that's my and gods business. Many of these affinity lodges only last a decadeand require great effort to get off of the ground. Personally, I think these experiences are best kept private and to a handful of people who really appreciate learning, contribute to the discussion are of like mind, and similar educational background. But that's just me. A lot of the independent bodies fill these voids, primarily because the mainstream lodges didn't as they grew and strove to replicate the club movements of the early 20th century.
Interested, but would that work virtually?
Yes, 100%. Where I am, there are a lot of these brothers but they are all scattered. So what you have is say 10-15 lodges, each of which have 5-10 brothers who are interested in these topics. That's plenty of masons for a lodge, but each single lodge fails to reach critical mass on focusing lodge education on those topics. The perception is those 5-10 in your local lodge are a minority and don't speak for the main interests of everybody in the lodge, at most an "every once in a while" side topic.
I think having a club in the local Scottish Rite temple focusing on research and developing presentations for use in local blue lodges makes more sense. A club made up of members from several lodges would achieve the same goal and provide for an efficient way to spread education.
I don't necessarily think a lodge needs to be created just to study those topics. The study can be done anywhere with any of the brothers. What requires a whole separate lodge is the ritual work. Everything else is debatable (literally). If you are planning on conducting your meetings in a manner not acceptable to a more, shall we say, traditional membership, then a new lodge may be necessary. But that's not studying and teaching esoteric matters. As Will mentioned, it can be just a study group or club.
Why not start with defining what that means first?
Yes, I would, and i think having a space for focused study and research is very much needed. Most Lodges and Valleys have a few brethren that are passionate on the subject, and I believe they would enjoy and benefit from fellowship that was focused on their interests. I also think a Lodge like this could be the source for presenations and expertise that would be available to our Lodges and valleys. When i was a Deputy, on one of my offcial visits I asked new Brethren what was missing from their Lodge experience, that they had expected, and esoterica was the most common answer. In fact it was pretty much the only answer. I know other jurisdictions are experimenting witgh focused Lodges, based on careers or other interests, and they seem to be working well. I think this is an obvious choice for a focused Lodge.
The lodge I attend is pretty clear to its candidates, there are various lodges to choose from; some are geared towards fellowship, others with charity work, even though we have parts of both, our focus is on education with an emphasis on esoterica. I believe our secretary VW bro Zane has researched, showing the majority of younger candidates are primarily interested in this aspect.
Recently, I have been exploring topics from bro Frank Higgins, who founded the Magian Society (September 29, 1913), which was formed for Masonic antiquarian research. Further exemplifying his aim, he stated his books are issued as a challenge to the dry-as-dusts of the Fraternity, who have too long- been amiably permitted to prate of "the totally unsound and eventually to be exploded myths of Masonry.”
To me, he hit the nail on the head. This past year, I have been digging into our old manuscripts, primarily from the 17th Century and have been truly fascinated. I may be getting a little off topic here, but I think it’s worth sharing, how this era marked the age of enlightenment and rebirth of Masons, expanding it to Free and Accepted fraternity of Speculative Masons, and its esoteric teachings. I have many notes tracing the ‘enlightenment era’ to 1604, from a star gazer by the name of Johannes Kepler. His outline of an even that took place touches on the magic square and Pythagoras Tetractys (ref. Harmonices Mundi, 1619 and De Stella Nova, 1606). To make a long story short, this was when a Supernova was seen on the heel of the constellation of the serpent-bearer, (appearing like a red rose) with its alignment to Cignus, also known as the Northern Cross (hence the name of the society of the Rose Croix). This Society follows a man by the name of Sir Francis Bacon to the Royal Society, to the English Lodge of Freemasons, as well as the Masonic French Lodge, and the formation of the United States. If anyone is interested, I wrote an essay on this and would be happy to email a copy.
My point being to all of this, is I do believe we would be well served in creating and maintain a Lodge as such.
I would be interested, but limited to distance and time for travel. (I don't get around so well anymore!) I study on my own, but would like to be energized by others who have access to and have studied different material
First one must ascertain what esoteric is from the men who expound it. Personally, I find that study group offshoots are better for discussion they can arise collapse, be reborn and cost nothing. Then again, escotericon seems to be the big thing of late I suppose for the swag and as networking events. I've always enjoyed the journey and stayed clear of people who try to tell me how I should interpret symbols, hidden meaning and the like practice my on spirituality that's my and gods business. Many of these affinity lodges only last a decadeand require great effort to get off of the ground. Personally, I think these experiences are best kept private and to a handful of people who really appreciate learning, contribute to the discussion are of like mind, and similar educational background. But that's just me. A lot of the independent bodies fill these voids, primarily because the mainstream lodges didn't as they grew and strove to replicate the club movements of the early 20th century.