The first thing that comes to mind are the two pillars represented by the Steles of Enoch, and the Steles of Seth mentioned in the Free-Mason Constitution. There are very specific reasons they are mentioned in Masonry, as well as Gnosticism.
I agree with Robert, the central pillar can represents the person who goes between the other two. On the Cabbalistic Tree of Life, the center represent the balanced person (or path) between the pillar of (B) Severity (Strength) and (J) Mercy (Beauty); the yin and yang. The central path leads to the veil, which in the holy of holies, is this Triad: Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding. The same meaning can be interpreted from Bro Arthur Waite’s tarot card; The High Priestess.
The Hebrew letter that represents the Triad is Shin. When Shin is represented as a crown, from Kesser on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, it’s evocative beyond the intellect as the superrational consciousness, as Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge. The numeric value of Shin is 300. In academia 100 is a perfect score, the same concept holds true in Judaism. If a person constitutes three unwavering lines of thought, speech and action, then he is perfect. This person is then represented by Shin; all three columns are 100 percent. In Freemasonry, this would be the first three liberal sciences; the first is Grammer that teaches a man to speak and write truly; the second is Rhetoric that teaches a man to speak well, in subtle terms; the third is Dialectic, or Logic, that teaches a man to discern truth from falsehood.
These pillars are also referred to as tree’s in ancient manuscripts. It can be interpreted that King Solomon’s Temple was the second dedication to the one at the Garden of Eden. The two trees that stand out the most were called the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. As Bro Manly P. Hall, states, they illustrate two great systems of man, tree of life; the heart, and tree of knowledge; the mind. The fruit of the tree has been somehow referred to being an apple. The translation of apple seeded in Latin is Pomegranate, which fits in with many other ancient writtings. The Pomegranate is very important to some early mystical orders, such as the Eleusinian Mysteries.
In Masonry we are told there are five different column styles (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite). In the Garden of Eden there are said to be Five Trees, from Kabbalah, these trees are also called the five worlds: Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriah, Atzilut and Adam Kadmon. These are descriptions of dimensional levels related to the soul’s ascension or return. From the Coptic Gospel Book of Thomas, “Jesus said: Blessed is he who was before he came into being. If you become disciples to me and listen to my word, these stones will minister to you. For you have five trees in Paradise which do not change, either in summer or in winter, and their leaves do not fall. He who knows them shall not taste death.”
I read this earlier, but did not comment because I honestly do not know. What I do know is that Pythagoras made the discovery of triangles, "When a triangle has a right angle (90*) squares are made on each of the three sides. Tesla embraced the 3, 6, 9 ratio and I believe that the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence are woven into all aspects of our Masonic Architecture, Ceremonies, Rites and more...I am guessing with Brother Robert that a Divine Light (Brother) is the middle pillar...Great question please enlighten me!
I believe the third pillar of our craft are all the lodges. The lodges are the pillars of the community in which they reside, helping with charity when needed, being on school board, city and counties boards ,even state and federal elected position. We are one of the strongest pillars of our society.
I think you become the middle pillar.
The pillar of wisdom is in the East.
The first thing that comes to mind are the two pillars represented by the Steles of Enoch, and the Steles of Seth mentioned in the Free-Mason Constitution. There are very specific reasons they are mentioned in Masonry, as well as Gnosticism.
I agree with Robert, the central pillar can represents the person who goes between the other two. On the Cabbalistic Tree of Life, the center represent the balanced person (or path) between the pillar of (B) Severity (Strength) and (J) Mercy (Beauty); the yin and yang. The central path leads to the veil, which in the holy of holies, is this Triad: Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding. The same meaning can be interpreted from Bro Arthur Waite’s tarot card; The High Priestess.
The Hebrew letter that represents the Triad is Shin. When Shin is represented as a crown, from Kesser on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, it’s evocative beyond the intellect as the superrational consciousness, as Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge. The numeric value of Shin is 300. In academia 100 is a perfect score, the same concept holds true in Judaism. If a person constitutes three unwavering lines of thought, speech and action, then he is perfect. This person is then represented by Shin; all three columns are 100 percent. In Freemasonry, this would be the first three liberal sciences; the first is Grammer that teaches a man to speak and write truly; the second is Rhetoric that teaches a man to speak well, in subtle terms; the third is Dialectic, or Logic, that teaches a man to discern truth from falsehood.
These pillars are also referred to as tree’s in ancient manuscripts. It can be interpreted that King Solomon’s Temple was the second dedication to the one at the Garden of Eden. The two trees that stand out the most were called the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. As Bro Manly P. Hall, states, they illustrate two great systems of man, tree of life; the heart, and tree of knowledge; the mind. The fruit of the tree has been somehow referred to being an apple. The translation of apple seeded in Latin is Pomegranate, which fits in with many other ancient writtings. The Pomegranate is very important to some early mystical orders, such as the Eleusinian Mysteries.
In Masonry we are told there are five different column styles (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite). In the Garden of Eden there are said to be Five Trees, from Kabbalah, these trees are also called the five worlds: Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriah, Atzilut and Adam Kadmon. These are descriptions of dimensional levels related to the soul’s ascension or return. From the Coptic Gospel Book of Thomas, “Jesus said: Blessed is he who was before he came into being. If you become disciples to me and listen to my word, these stones will minister to you. For you have five trees in Paradise which do not change, either in summer or in winter, and their leaves do not fall. He who knows them shall not taste death.”
I read this earlier, but did not comment because I honestly do not know. What I do know is that Pythagoras made the discovery of triangles, "When a triangle has a right angle (90*) squares are made on each of the three sides. Tesla embraced the 3, 6, 9 ratio and I believe that the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence are woven into all aspects of our Masonic Architecture, Ceremonies, Rites and more...I am guessing with Brother Robert that a Divine Light (Brother) is the middle pillar...Great question please enlighten me!
For me, it makes perfect sense that there are only 2 pillars in the FC degree. You are introduced to 1 in the EA, a second in the FC.
Ours being a progressive science, it follows that part of the path to enlightenment should be "discovering" that there are 3.
I believe the third pillar of our craft are all the lodges. The lodges are the pillars of the community in which they reside, helping with charity when needed, being on school board, city and counties boards ,even state and federal elected position. We are one of the strongest pillars of our society.
Brother Warren Baxter has said it all! Superb commentary! Thank you!