My Application!!

Sharkman,

I wish to offer you my heartfelt and sincere congratulations. I don't think that you'll ever regret it. The best one piece of advice I can give to you (and any other soon to be initiate), is don't let your angst get to you. It's natural for your nerves to start getting the best of you as your initiation day approaches, just remember that EVERYONE in that room (and the Craft for that matter) has went through what you are going to go through. Just enjoy yourself and the ceremony.

Again congratulations and I look forward to being able to call you Brother

Originally posted by Hangover
This is slightly off topic but are there any secret societies located in europe and active?

I don't know, because they are secret! Freemasons, while we are not a secret society, exist in all free countries of the world.

Thanks Golfie,
I'm a little nervous and I'm curious as to whether or not there is anything I'm supposed to prepare for, or am I just supposed to show up on time and do whatever I'm instructed to do. I have called the secretary of the lodge, but he has not returned my call. I also called a friend of mine who is a mason and asked him if I needed to prepare in any way and he said to just show up on time and relax. So apparently I just have to chill out and wait for monday to find out.

Sharkman,
You must remember that you are going into this "in the dark" so to speak. In other words you don't know what you're going go through. So how could you prepare? Just take your friends advice. Relax, show up on time, relax and most importantly enjoy. One last piece of advice, ask your friend as to what level to dress. Some Lodges have a more formal attire where some are more laxed.

This is something you'll remember for the rest of your life so make the most of it.

Originally posted by Golfie
Sharkman,
You must remember that you are going into this "in the dark" so to speak. In other words you don't know what you're going go through. So how could you prepare?

Just take your friends advice. Relax, show up on time, relax and most importantly enjoy. One last piece of advice, ask your friend as to what level to dress. Some Lodges have a more formal attire where some are more laxed.

This is something you'll remember for the rest of your life so make the most of it.

EXACTLY what Golfie said. Also, try to take in and remember AS MUCH as you can. Absorb what is being said and asked you, and visualize it in your head. Remember as much of the ceremony as you can, so you can go over it later with your coach.

Keep in mind that EVERYTHING you will do that lodge room is the same thing that was done by millions of brothers for hundreds of years before you. Every step is a time honored tradition, with much symbolism and meaning behind it. Every step has been carefully calculated to cause a particular effect within the candidate, and impress certain lessons upon the mind.

Golfie and sebatwerk, thanks for the advise. I'm pretty excited and intrigued about the whole thing. I have no doubt that this is going to be an awesome and enlightening experience. I can also say that I'm looking forward to sharing an experience that many fine and honorable men before me have experienced and grown and benefitted by.

What's really interesting to me is that this is so much like the story of the initiate who is standing on the edge of the cliff and the master tells him to step off. That leap of faith, so to speak. Very Intriguing!

[edit on 13-5-2005 by sharkman]

Originally posted by sharkman
Golfie and sebatwerk, thanks for the advise. I'm pretty excited and intrigued about the whole thing. I have no doubt that this is going to be an awesome and enlightening experience. I can also say that I'm looking forward to sharing an experience that many fine and honorable men before me have experienced and grown and benefitted by.

That's what I liked most of all about the whole thing. While some of the practices may seem silly at first, just keep in mind ALL of the INCREDIBLE men that have travelled through those very same steps.

What's really interesting to me is that this is so much like the story of the initiate who is standing on the edge of the cliff and the master tells him to step off. That leap of faith, so to speak. Very Intriguing!

Yup!

By the way, Sharkman. Do me a favor and let us know when you are going to be raised as a Master Mason. If you are in San Diego, I will take the trip down there to watch you be raised (if you'd like to have me there, of course).

Thank You sebatwerk, I will definatly tell you. Two more days to go!

I just got a letter in the mail from the Scottish Rite... I'm going to receive the 4th through 32nd degrees on June 11th!!! I'm finally going to be a "high-ranking" mason!

So does this mean that I suddenly have more authority than the majority of masons? Absolutely not. I will still be a 3rd degree Master Mason, and equal to any other member of the Craft. The only difference will be that I will also be a member of an appendnt body, and will have gone through a few additional degrees. But my purpose in the fraternity does not change.

I will still be Senior Deacon next year and go through the officer's chairs. The master of my lodge is a 3rd degree Master Mason, and has more masonic "authority" than any other person in the lodge, regardless of their degree.

Originally posted by sebatwerk
I just got a letter in the mail from the Scottish Rite... I'm going to receive the 4th through 32nd degrees on June 11th!!!

Congrats, Seb!

Originally posted by The Axeman

Originally posted by sebatwerk
I just got a letter in the mail from the Scottish Rite... I'm going to receive the 4th through 32nd degrees on June 11th!!!

Congrats, Seb!

Thanks Axeman! I can't wait to post my experience, and make all these antis (who think that degrees = rank) each their words. :bnghd:


[edit on 14-5-2005 by sebatwerk]

Cool! Great job. Enjoy your journey in Freemasnry! Excellent! Superb!

Congrats from me too!! sebatwerk!!!

Originally posted by sharkman
Congrats from me too!! sebatwerk!!!

Thanks soon-to-be-brother. I didn't plan on joining the Scottish Rite at first, but the more Scottish Rite masons I talk to, and the more I learn about the organization, the more I like it. I also petitioned a York Rite Chapter, but haven't heard back from them. Seems to me that it will take a bit longer for me to get the Royal Arch degrees.

Originally posted by sebatwerk

Originally posted by The Axeman

Originally posted by sebatwerk
I just got a letter in the mail from the Scottish Rite... I'm going to receive the 4th through 32nd degrees on June 11th!!!

Congrats, Seb!

Thanks Axeman! I can't wait to post my experience, and make all these antis (who think that degrees = rank) each their words. :bnghd:


[edit on 14-5-2005 by sebatwerk]

Don't hold your breath for it to make a difference, my friend. You know they'll just call you a liar, miserable bunch that they are.

But congrats all the same. I'm behind you, but who knows when I'll get there. Everything happens the way it's supposed to though. No worries.

Originally posted by sebatwerk

Originally posted by sharkman
Congrats from me too!! sebatwerk!!!

Thanks soon-to-be-brother. I didn't plan on joining the Scottish Rite at first, but the more Scottish Rite masons I talk to, and the more I learn about the organization, the more I like it. I also petitioned a York Rite Chapter, but haven't heard back from them. Seems to me that it will take a bit longer for me to get the Royal Arch degrees.

Congrats....I too have yet to join any appendent organizations. I look to when I have more time to devote to it. Right now with my work schedule, house hold responsiblities and family (2 yr old twins and the wife..err WE are wanting another ) I just don't have the time.

Awesome Folks,
I just did the first part of my 1st Degree tonight. Very awesome and I can't even begin to describe to process. Partly because I can't, and partly because you have to experience it for yourself to understand. I believe each man will take something different from it. There is alot going on and it's hard to absorb all at once. The symbology and rites are very steeped in layered meanings. But it's nothing sinister or even remotely repulsive. Actually it 's quite the opposite. It's really very impressive and humbling and the information imparted to me was about fidelity, honor and fraternity. GO FIGURE!!! LOL
The Trolls are going to go nuts over this.

Wish me luck on the next part of the process. Now the studying begins.

Originally posted by sharkman
I just did the first part of my 1st Degree tonight. Very awesome and I can't even begin to describe to process. Partly because I can't, and partly because you have to experience it for yourself to understand. I believe each man will take something different from it. There is alot going on and it's hard to absorb all at once. The symbology and rites are very steeped in layered meanings. But it's nothing sinister or even remotely repulsive. Actually it 's quite the opposite. It's really very impressive and humbling and the information imparted to me was about fidelity, honor and fraternity. GO FIGURE!!! LOL

BROTHER Sharkman,

I'm honored to be the first one outside of your lodge (?) to congratulate you, and welcome you to the fraternity. If your experience is anything like mine, your life is changed from this moment on. It is truly an honor to walk in the same footsteps as so many great men who have gone this way before

Everybody does get something different out of this, and don't be frustrated by how much there is to learn. It's been compared to trying to drink out of a firehose, but as time goes by it will all sink in. If you get a chance, watch another first degree if possible. You will see the ritual from a different perspective, and see many things which you may have missed.

Many congratulations, brother! Don't be surprised if you have trouble sleeping tonight! My mind was just RACING with thoughts after each of my degrees. Especially the first and third.

Thank You, sebatwerk, I really appreciate your congratulations. If it's ok to call you brother, then I will.
My mind is still trying to assimulate the whole process. It is quite alot of activity and information all at once. I'm trying to wind down alittle now. I had some interesting revelations while I went through the 1st degree. Some of it was almost as if I was finally where I belonged, almost a Deja Vu thing. I was not in the least way scared or anxious, quite the opposite. I'll admit that I was nervous, but not profoundly so and I never hesitated in my answers. Almost as if I had done this before. Very interesting.

Originally posted by sharkman
Thank You, sebatwerk, I really appreciate your congratulations. If it's ok to call you brother, then I will.

Don't be silly, of course you can call me Brother. That is what we are You have earned it.

By the way, read this when you get a chance:

www.freemason.org...


[edit on 17-5-2005 by sebatwerk]