The York rite
Around 926 the earliest form of the York Rite was developed in England, when knowledge of sacred geometry and concepts of Egyptian religion (Thutmoses III's Great White Brotherhood, Akhenaten's Atenism), Judaism, filtered through islam, reached Spain with occultists like Ramon Lull. The York rite is a false light mystery religion connected to jewish mysticism of the kabbalah.
Early speculative freemasonry in the Grand Lodge of London of 1717 had only 2 degrees. The Scottish rite added a 3d. The introductory degree conveys secret signs and handshakes of recognition. The Fellow Craft degree reveals the more esoteric significance of sacred geometry. The Master Mason degree emphasizes the candidate’s connection with the three archetypal masters of antiquity—Solomon, King Hiram of Tyre, and Hiram Abiff, the Widow’s Son.
The three degrees of entered apprentice-fellow craft-master mason represent the 3 stages of birth, life and death- leading to rebirth. The dying god Osiris, Dyonisus, Christ mystery religion is in freemasonry Chiram (according to Manly P Hall the name comes from the Hebrew letters Chet, Resh, Mem, and Chama light, Ruach spirit air, Mem water, the Universal Agent) or Khur-om.
The word Baal is in the name of the 3 murders of Hiram Abiff: Jubelo, Jubela, Jubelam (triad of stars Libra). Christ raised his body from his earthly grave in 3 days. He is symbolicly murdered by state, church and mob, or by ignorance, superstition and fear. The spirit of good is murdered and a false kingdom is established. It is the task of the mason to transmute the base lump of human ignorance into spiritual and philosophic gold. 7 degrees= raising the Kundalini serpent, raising Chiram, the spirit of fire through the 7 chakras (7 seals or churches of Asia).
Craft
1-Entered Apprentice (ruler) made mason when the sun is
at meridian. The first 3 degrees are the blue degrees, the color of
fidelity.
The initiate has to wait in a chamber of reflection, to reflect on his
mortality and earthly mission, the influence of
Saturn (attributes like a skull, salt, word v.i.t.r.i.o.l., 'know
thyself'). The chamber is symbolic of a cave, introducing the candidate
to the alchemical element of earth, taken up in the womb of mother
earth, left alone to write his will, one of the four ordeals
corresponding to 4 elements, searching for the philosophers stone, his own
pure soul, his True Will. The Skull and cross bones, used in the Order
of Skull and Bones, is a reminder that the spiritual nature
obtains liberation only after the philosophical death of man’s sensuous
personality. Every human being is an eternal god or spirit who has
temporarily fallen down into, and is temporarily living in, the material
world. When death comes, the dream will be over, and we will awaken to
this truth. The king's chamber of the great pyramid.
All his metals are taken off (rings,
watch, all ties to material world, leaving all prejudices, opinions,
leaving the old self behind)-cabletow (faith spirit, rope of the hanged
man, cord used to be pulled out of the pit of spiritual darkness), led
by others to the light, admitting there's a lot the initiate has to
learn.
The cabletow is used to draw a circle, left arm of his shirt and
trousers of left leg up, slipper on right foot. He bows down as if he
has to crawl through a narrow gate. Blindfolded, symbolic of passions,
superstition and ignorance, a sword is pointed at his heart (the pain he
would feel if he would betray his brothers).
He goes through an ordeal of air (intellect), is led through the temple,
the symbolic journey of life, overcoming obstacles while the other
masons make loud noises.
ordeal of water (emotion) his arm is plunged 3 times in water.
ordeal of fire (will) led through the temple while a burning candle is
held in front of his face in total silence.
mixing of blood, a cup of red wine is shared. symbolic eternal mark.
He kneels, one knee forming a square. An oath is sworn with hand on
bible, psalm 123 (the Hanged Man
is path 23). His blindfold is taken off, he sees the symbolic dead body
of a brother who has broken his oath, with everybody standing around him
with swords pointed at him. The blindfold is put back on, to continue
his oath. Than the blindfold is taken off for good, reborn into the
light, symbolic “birth”, cheered by his fellow brothers (Judgement
card). He is hit by a sword on his left and right shoulder. A grip is
taught, the first knuckle, and the word Boaz (left pillar). The ceremony
ends at a wet room (bar), the initiate starts a process of learning, has
to remain silent.
The plumb represents upright emotions, inverted square: having conquered the base nature, come off the floor, off duality. The initiate has to balance the 2 sides of the brain to understand abstract concepts and allegories, language of symbolism. The pillars of strength-supporting Oz, wisdom-contriving and beauty-adorning inward essence charity, helping others). knowledge by study, wisdom by experience. The middle pillar of truth and balance is the only way to go from imperfect keystone to perfect ashlar. The mason constructs the spiritual building, sculpting his mind as a stone/rock. 3 pillars, 3 candles=3 pyramids of gizah, male- female-synthesis (child). In Egypt the initiation period took 7 years.(beauty:junior warden)
2- Fellow Craft (square) 7th chapter of Amos, right
arm of his shirt, right leg of his trousers up, slipper on left foot.
The initiate is given the password Shiboleth (ear of corn, horn of
abundance near a fall of water) and grip second knuckle, with word
Joachin (right pillar). He has entered the porch of the temple, ascends
the spiral staircase (going within, golden ratio curl, like Dorothy in
the Wizard of Oz). The top, the end
of journey is not visible so it is a test of faith and will. sacred
feminine. Understanding had to be displayed to be granted access to
higher mysteries. Riddles are offered like 'how does one know one is
suffering?' (through the heart- soul). He learns the haling sign of fidelity (hand
on heart) and perseverance (thumb extended in form of square).
pointing upward: sign of preservation.
pointing away from body: sign of faith. penal sign of having heart
ripped out (when masonic secrets are divulged).
symbolism of square-compass, male-female, fire-water (union left-right,
male-feminine, solar-lunar so there is no contradiction in feeling,
thinking and acting), sexual union like solstice, the generative
principle, the G of god and Gnosis knowledge, Daath the hidden 11th
sphere (contradiction of allowing only men).
The G (7th letter g=god, gnosis, generative principle, geometry,
genius,..) and the blazing star Sirius (with
sacred flame) is a fundamental symbol of the Second Degree. The true
Freemason who, by perfecting himself in the way of truth (knowledge),
becomes like a blazing star (Sirius is associated with the sphere
Da'ath-knowledge-gnosis). When a mason dies, he is 'passed to the
celestial Orient". Raising a degree is called 'raising wages'.
The cube or ashlar stone is one of five “Platonic solids” and the straight lines passing from its center though the centers of each of its opposing six faces and continuing to infinity constitute the Cartesian axes of the commonly-perceived 3-dimensional space. In most esoteric systems, the cosmos/universe is held to be the result of the union between Heaven and Earth. Heaven is traditionally represented in 3-dimensions, by the sphere (in 2-dimensions by the circle) and the Earth is represented by the cube (in 2-dimensions by the square). Here, ‘Heaven’ refers to the universal principle of consciousness (i.e. ‘spirit’, called ‘Purusa’ in the ancient Indian tradition) and ‘Earth’ refers primarily to the 3-dimensional spatial matrix where individual impulses of the spirit are given apparent material forms. In this traditional esoteric conception, the symbols of the Earth and the cube represent the reality we experience as the physical/sensory world’. The mason works through the ashlar stone, pillar of heaven, pillar of earth.
3- Master Mason (trowel, raising Osiris -Hiram abiff)
tracing board with a coffin with sprig of acacia (which contains DMT, the Ark of the Covenant was made of acacia wood).
12th chapter of Ecclesiastes, poem about different stages of life-grip
between 2nd and 3d knuckle. 3 degrees west, south, east illuminated by
sun
drama of Hiram Abiff, mason of King Hiram of the realm of Tyre (33d
parallel, today, in Lebanon), the death and rebirth of the sun in may as
the may son (purple blue and red combined):
After three knocks (door to third degree), a compass is pressed against
left and right breast. five points of fellowship.oath of master mason
(knees bare bent, forming a square; both hands on the Bible, Square and
Compass). 'what do you desire?'-more light.due guard penal sign, sign of
throat being cut or sign cut across the waist: Osiris, the year being
cut in two at Libra. during passgrip the password of the master's
degree: Tubalcain (007, descendant of Cain, of Lucifer, the phallus,
ancestor of chiram). The mason gets a lambskin white apron (fig leave of Adam and Eve), is given a trowel (spread cement of brotherly love and
affection), kneels and prays. 3 precious jewels Humanity, friendship and
brotherly love (gold watch).
As Hiram Abiff he is blindfolded, hoodwinked and murdered in the Temple
he designed, by three ruffians: Jubelo, Jubela (the junior warden),
Jubelum-three inferior signs of winter, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius
(jubé:french for rood-cross or screen, known collectively as 'The Juwes,
symbolism used in theories about a 'conspiracy of the jews' juice).
The Sun descends in the west, and it is at the west door that Hiram is slain. A conspiracy of 15, nr of the devil. They attempt to force him to divulge the Master Masons' secret passwords (stressing the importance of fidelity, and the certainty of death). The candidate is taken up by his murderers in a blanket, on which he fell, and carried to the west end of the lodge, and covered up under a pile of rubble and left, to be buried later. The murderers return at night to move the body outside the city, where they bury it in a shallow grave marked with a sprig of acacia. As the Master is missed the next day, Solomon at 6am sends out a group of 12 fellow craft masons (12 signs of the zodiac) to search for him, 3 west, 3 north, 3 south, 3 east. The body has a G on his heart. The loose acacia is accidentally discovered, and the body exhumed (protecting their nose) after 14 days (Osiris cut in 14 pieces) to be given a decent burial. A funeral is staged. The hiding place of the three ruffians is also discovered, and they are brought to justice.
After these three degrees, the initiate is told by king Solomon the word
of the master is lost (word for god YHVH, 4 kabbalistic worlds, gospel
of st John: in the beginning there was the word Logos, substitute word:'mac benac'-the architect is dead. Christ as incarnate logos, word made
flesh). The other mason try to raise the candidate with masters grip or lion paw (sign of
leo), raise him through five points of fellowship , whisper the word
Mahhahbone (marrow in the bone). After a lecture, the body is buried
under Holy of Holies in Solomon's temple, symbolic of the masonic lodge.
It stands for the brain, the pineal where they falsely believe the light
of consciousness resides. The temple is the
tree of life with its 3 pillars strength-beauty-wisdom.
This tragic loss is represented by the image of a virgin -Virgo Isis
weeping over a broken column, (unfinished temple, place where sun enters
underworld lower arch) with a book open before her, in her right hand a
sprig of cassia, in her left an urn. Saturn father Time stands behind
her, with his hands infolded in the ringlets of her hair, demanding
patience and perseverance.
After the search for the assassins, the first one is decapitated,
symbolism that goes back to John the Baptist and earlier skull and head
cults. Solomon finally appoints a builder by the name of Adoniram as the
sole successor to Hiram Abiff (earthly body vessel, substitute for the
divine king).
Emblems of the 3d degree are: the pot of
incense (pure heart), the bee-hive, the book of constitutions, guarded
by the Tyler's sword, the sword pointing to a naked heart, the
all-seeing eye, the anchor and ark, the forty-seventh problem of Euclid,
the hour-glass, the scythe, and the three steps usually delineated on
the Master's carpet.
2nd class emblems: the spade, coffin, death-head, marrow-bones, and
sprig of acacia (os luz bone).
The mystery of the dead body of Osiris/Hiram, is the same mystery as Persephone abducted to the underworld (tarot path 32, the World rabbit hole of isis), burning of Jacques de Molay, divine essence sacred feminine has to be found,(Isis Sophia) and resurrected.
The first 3 degrees were described by Albert Pike as the outer court,
a distraction to make the mason think he understands the mystery, while
in fact he is misled. (Alms - At the end of each meeting or session, the
Brothers deposit their mite/donation in the Widow’s Trunk/ Alms-Box) Fleur de Lis - a white flower. It represents innocence, virginity. Its
perfume is said to be aphrodisiac. Fleur-de-Lis could therefore mean,
because of its duality, the controlled sexuality, stripped of any
defect, the natural creation, fertility and token of immortality.
Sometimes it is also related to symbolizing justice.
Royal Arch degrees expands on the first 3 degrees, developed around 1750.
The Archons rule through mon-archy, hier-archy, as arch-angel, through their arch-bishops and architects.
4 Mark Master (mark of Cain after killing his brother,
letter Vav mark of the beast-betrayal as way to break the heart. life
betrayal death rebirth) based on the habit of the builders who left
marks on monuments, each builder developing own mark. It is a ceremony
of registering a craftsman's mark, a degree to detect imposters. It is
seen as an extension of the Fellow Craft degree. The royal arch is the
arch of the sun, spring and summer with cancer 69, when the sun is at it
highest peak of power (st John the Baptist) at its keystone. The arch is
of course also the ark of Noah and the Ark of the Covenant. The keystone is analogous to coagulation
in the alchemical process, an emblem of completion. Astrologically the
keystone represents the summer solstice- the sun entering the sign of
Cancer at its highest point in the northern sky.
1st sign heave over sign, the rejection of the keystone (keystone:sun
tiferet)
2nd sign finger ear penalty of the obligation, to have the ear smitten
off.
sign cutting of right hand, sign of
receiving wages.
The workmen of the quarry (the symbolic working in Yesod the sphere of
the genitals, sexual energy) re-enact the manufacture, the loss, and
re-finding of the keystone. An imposter is discovered during receiving
of wages and brought to the right worshipful master. The cabletow is
wrapped four times, four knocks. password JOPPA , the port city Jaffa,
used by king Solomon to ship cedars from mount Lebanon=mount Hermon, so
nearly perpendicular it was difficult for workmen to ascend without the
assistance from above.
symbols of the chisel and mallet to hew, cut, carve, and indent the
mind. After searching among the rubbish, the rejected stone (neither a
regular oblong nor a square) becomes the cornerstone (repeated 4 times
in the bible). The mason swears an oath of secrecy, pass grip mark well.
A white keystone is given, with a circle and the initials H. T. W. S. S.
T. K. S. engraved upon it in a circle 'HIRAM, TYRIAN, WIDOW'S SON,
SENDETH TO KING SOLOMON'. The widow's son Horus, Parsifal who has to
resurrect his father. Within the circle the initiate has to put his own
private mark that will be recorded in book of marks. A mallet (hammer)
and chisel as symbols of enlightened reason and discipline/education.
The mark of Cain as sign of initiation, cut eye .tav=mark.
5 Past Master (virtual, hammer ceremony to test a
candidate to preside over a master mason lodge) symbolic purple color. A
letter is read about Alice, excuse of her mother has become sick. penal
sign of thumb on chin, penalty of having the tongue split. word Giblem
(inhabitants of the city and district of Gebal, in Phoenicia, near Mount
Lebanon, under the dominion of the King of Tyre, masons or stone
squarers). The masons receives a hat, sits in oriental chair of king
Solomon. It is a sort of prank, a test in maintaining authority. As Past Master he has the authority of opening, instructing and closing Lodges,
of initiating, crafting, and raising Masons, presiding at consecrations,
at the laying of corner stones of public edifices,..
6 Most Excellent Master ceremony with right worshipful
master as king Solomon (Hiram Abiff or Adoniram as template of
excellence) word RABBONI (master). sign of chest being torn open, and
heart ripped out- grip third finger. placing of the cope or capstone,
building of king Solomon is completed -the Ark of the Covenant. sign of
admiration like queen Sheba viewing the temple of Solomon. Psalm 23 ('my
cup runneth over', ace of cups)
7 Royal Arch (symbolised by triple tau's, chapter of
Royal Arch Masons contains 9 officers) based on book of Haggai (minor
prophets), which prophecized the glorious future of the messianic age:
after destruction of the temple of Solomon, priest with breastplate, king
wearing scarlet robe and apron. At the destruction of Jerusalem by
Nebuchadnezzar, three Most Excellent Masters were carried captives to
Babylon, where they remained seventy years, and were liberated by Cyrus,
King of Persia. They returned to Jerusalem to assist in rebuilding the
Temple, after traveling over rugged roads on foot. They arrived at the
outer veil of the Tabernacle, which was erected near the ruins of the
Temple. This Tabernacle was an oblong square, enclosed by four veils, or
curtains, and divided into separate apartments by four cross veils,
including the west end veil or entrance. The veils were parted in the
center, and guarded by four guards, with drawn swords.
The veil of Paroketh, hebrew for 'veil or the veil of the tabernacle (sometimes connected to 4 elements, 4 fixed signs) signifies a mystical line of demarcation between the profane and the holy, the personal and the spiritual. It is guarded by 'the dweller on the treshold', the fear of letting go.
words Jah (iao)-Bul (baal)-On (Egyptian
for sun), Jehova, God or rabboni. Candidates form a living arch, making
it hard to pass through. Exodus i am that i am, walking 'the rugged
road' (the narrow path of Da'ath, children of Israel through the
wilderness).
-the 1st veil, bandages are removed from their eyes.
words Shem, Ham, and Japhet (3 sons of Noah, 3 parts of the self), sign
of holding out a cane like god to Moses.
-the 2nd veil, sign of hidden hand, words Shem, Japhet,
and Adoniram. It is not an 'Illuminati' sign but sign of the hidden hand
of freemasonry,
already used by for instance the conquistadore Pizzaro.
sign of 2nd veil (hidden hand)
-the 3d veil, sign of pouring cup (tumbler God gave to
Moses to pour on dry land), words Haggai, Joshua, and Zerubbabel
(another important figure in the history of the jewish temple),
emblematic of the complete Man, consisting of Body, Soul and Spirit.
(triangular signet of truth with name Zerubbabel)
passing 4 veils in search for truth, also the four tribes of the
children of Israel, who bore the banners through the wilderness, 4 fixed
signs:
- Blue (friendship fidelity master mason) Tribe of Dan, the swiftness of
the Eagle (Scorpio), element water.
- purple, Reuben, intelligence of the Man (Aquarius), element air.
- scarlet red (royal arch mason) tribe of Ephraim, the patience of the Ox
(Taurus), element earth.
- white, tribe of Judah, strength of the Lion (Leo), purity of those who
seek admission to holy of holies-secret of Daath, element fire.
The candidates enter amid a dazzling light, and behold the High Priest,
King, and Scribe sitting in Grand Council. The light is usually made by
igniting gum camphor in an urn upon the altar. They are given a crow
(bar), shovel and pick-axe.
They discover the keystone of an arch of Hiram Abiff, a hidden crypt.
They descend the vault by ladder, find a sacred treasure, the Ark of the Covenant, with
book of the law, a pot of manna (receive a small lump of sugar), Aaron's
rod and four papers with 4 symbols, the key to the ineffable characters,
or Royal Arch Cipher (hashtag, magic square of saturn) 26 signs for 26
letters of English alphabet.
Inscription 'For the good of Masonry, generally, but the Jewish nation
in particular'- the long-lost Master Mason's word Jah-buh-lun, Jehovah, Baal,
G-o-d,(triple tau, 3x3=9, apollyon revelation 9) in India name was Aum,
which, in its triliteral form, the creative, preservative, and
destroying power of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva (Ohm, way home). sign of
protecting his head from the rays of the meridian sun. A candidate is
said to be EXALTED when he receives the Degree of Holy Royal Arch,
Jupiter exalts in cancer.
Council of Cryptic masons
8 Royal Master -honorary degree
Returns to the days before Solomon’s Temple was completed.(legend of Enoch, grandfather of Noah, excavated 9 crypts or vaults one below the
other beneath mt Moriah. the ninth vault, name of god i Am or i will
be. The triangle rests a cube; the divine on matter. V.I.T.R.I.O.L. ,
which means Visita Interiora Terrae, Rectificandoque, Invenies Occultum
Lapidem – Visit the interior of Earth and, rectify and you will find the
philosophical Stone = the law received by Moses on mt Sinai.
9 Select Master the deposit of the secrets of the Temple into their hidden location in the crypt.
9a Super Excellent scenes of the Jewish court of Zedekiah and the Chaldean court of Nebuchadnezzar (the period after the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and the Exodus of the Hebrews).
Knights Templar (based on military oder the Catholic
Church, the Knights Templar)
10 Order of the Red Cross (solar symbol) candidate
represents Zerubbabel who presents himself as a Royal Arch mason with
intention to rebuild the second temple, convincing king Darius. green
banner with 7 pointed star (controversial pagan and jewish rite).
11 Order of the Knights of Malta (Order
of Malta, inheritors of Knights Hospitalier) The ritual begins by
making the candidate a Knight of St. Paul or the Mediterranean Pass.
12 Knights Templar (reunited with father
Osiris--Baphomet, the high ram) blood-red Passion Cross, combined with
crossed swords. The cross and crown symbol is often accompanied by a
brazen serpent or surrounded by the phrase 'In Hoc Signo Vinces', Latin
for 'By this sign thou shalt conquer'. This is a reference to the 13th
sign of the Snakeholder Ophiuchus (13th tribe of Dan) and the story of
Constantine, who reportedly had a vision of a Chi Rho symbol (px,
xristos), and a voice saying 'By this sign thou shalt conquer'(not
original banner of Templars).
Cross symbol: Tau- The TAU cross was inscribed on the forehead of every
person admitted into the Mysteries of Mithras. When a king was initiated
into the Egyptian Mysteries, the TAU was placed against his lips.
The cross is related to the Egyptian Ankh, crux ansata, later
symbol of Venus, key to life/heaven).
In the Mysteries of Egypt, the
candidate passed through all forms of actual and imaginary dangers,
holding above his head the Crux Ansata , before which the powers of
darkness fell back abashed. The student is reminded of the words In hoc
signo vinces.
The tau cross became the Roman and Christian cross, symbol of life and a
symbol of death-sacrifice. Persians, Greeks, and Hindus looked upon the cross as a
symbol of the equinoxes and the solstices, in the belief that at certain
seasons of the year the sun was symbolically crucified upon these
imaginary celestial angles.
There are fifty-one autonomous Grand Chapters of Royal Arch Mason, most of which belong to the General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons International, which functions as a loose confederation. The fifty-one Grand Councils of Cryptic Masons are organized similarly, while the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar has ultimate control over Templarism. The Great Architect of the Universe, GAOTU, in their interpretation is the goat of Capricorn the Devil-Lucifer.