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Originally posted by LazarusTheLong
Just to set the facts straight or any others that have been watching the fun...
Mr Levi was a Magi (sorcerer)... this is fact... he wrote many books on the subject.
that wasn't a picture of him...
he was only briefly a mason... they didn't like him, and he didn't like them...
he was also a member of (and kicked out of) many other religious groups, including the catholic preisthood... (don't go there eudomonia)
this follows suit of many self titled "mystics" that were experimenting with the occult...
remember folks... occult was like coc aine for awhile during the late 1800's and early 1900's... all the rich hip people tried it...
and Mr Levi was like the coolist drug dealer.
That's the rub. Occult has different meanings. Some of them literally define what Freemasonry is about. Others don't. To whit:
Originally posted by OmegaPoint
Could you define "occult" and describe in what way Freemasonry is NOT involved in occult practices? Thanks.
Freemasonry definitely falls under A1a. Truthfully, that's about it. While we may discuss alchemy as an allegory, we don't actually practice it. Heck, the candles in my lodge are electric bulbs... not terribly practical if you were doing actual conjuring. Or at least, not a viable substitute for elemental fire. (Possibly good for something else, I suppose, if you were invoking General Electric, for instance.)
A. adj.
1. a. Not disclosed or divulged, secret; kept secret; communicated only to the initiated. Now rare.
b. Of or relating to magic, alchemy, astrology, theosophy, or other practical arts held to involve agencies of a secret or mysterious nature; of the nature of such an art; dealing with or versed in such matters; magical.
2. a. Not apprehended, or not apprehensible, by the mind; beyond ordinary understanding or knowledge; abstruse, mysterious; inexplicable.
b. Of a thing or phenomenon: not affecting, or detectable by, the senses; imperceptible. Obs.
c. Science (now hist.). Of a property or matter: not manifest to direct observation; discoverable only by experiment; unexplained; latent. Also: dealing with such qualities, experimental (obs.).
3. a. Hidden from sight; concealed (by something interposed); not exposed to view.
b. Of a line, etc.: drawn as an aid in the construction of a figure, but intended to be erased or covered; (also) dotted. Obs.
c. Med. Of a disease: hidden, concealed, difficult to detect; unaccompanied by readily discernible signs or symptoms; spec. designating a primary neoplasm that is initially detected only indirectly, esp. by its metastases. Formerly (also): inexplicable, obscure (obs.).
B. n.
1. A hidden or secret thing. Obs. rare.
2. With the. The realm of the unknown; the supernatural world or its influences, manifestations, etc.; (collectively) magic, alchemy, astrology, and other practical arts of a secret or mysterious nature (see A. 1b). Cf. OCCULTISM n.
Originally posted by Fitzgibbon
Is it just me or does the character remind anyone else of this fella?
Speak for yourself. Freemasonry as an institution is not interested in magic. Individual Freemasons may or may not be. I'm perfectly comfortable admitting that I've spent a fair amount of time singing Latin masses (Handel, Bach and others...) and also spent time dancing naked around fires or reading tarot cards or dowsing for ley lines. That's one of the great things about Masonry—there's no proscribed religious dogma so "Pagans" can be just as welcome as Jews, Muslims or Christians.
Originally posted by Donkey_Dean
Nonsense, Freemasons are not interested in magic.
Originally posted by Donkey_Dean
Nonsense, Freemasons are not interested in magic.
Originally posted by Saurus
I am a Freemason, and I am interested in magic, but it has absolutely nothing to do with Freemasonry.
Originally posted by JoshNorton
Speak for yourself. Freemasonry as an institution is not interested in magic. Individual Freemasons may or may not be. I'm perfectly comfortable admitting that I've spent a fair amount of time singing Latin masses (Handel, Bach and others...) and also spent time dancing naked around fires or reading tarot cards or dowsing for ley lines. That's one of the great things about Masonry—there's no proscribed religious dogma so "Pagans" can be just as welcome as Jews, Muslims or Christians.
Originally posted by JoshNorton
Speak for yourself. Freemasonry as an institution is not interested in magic. Individual Freemasons may or may not be. I'm perfectly comfortable admitting that I've spent a fair amount of time singing Latin masses (Handel, Bach and others...) and also spent time dancing naked around fires or reading tarot cards or dowsing for ley lines. That's one of the great things about Masonry—there's no proscribed religious dogma so "Pagans" can be just as welcome as Jews, Muslims or Christians.
Originally posted by Donkey_Dean
Nonsense, Freemasons are not interested in magic.
Originally posted by Masonic Light
...it's just that Masons have forgotten it over the centuries.
Originally posted by Osmoses
I thought that Freemasons had to accept the idea of one god, which would preclude some Pagans and, I would think, all Buddhists.
Originally posted by trustnobody
The only conjuration that I know of from Eliphas is The conjuration of the four elements. Which is very close to Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. It is more of a protection and balancing ritual, not really a conjuration. Eliphas if nothing else he is fun read, and was a free thinker. My favorite quote from him is "Pleasure is a foe to be mastered, or you become its slave" Great stuff.
Levi's "Transcendental Magic" is one of my all time favorite books. Part 2, dealing with ritual instruction, is not in my opinion as valuable as Regardie's Golden Dawn encyclopedia or Crowley's variations, but the occult philosophy presented in Part 1 is nothing short of excellent.
Originally posted by Saurus
Buddhists would be excluded from Freemasonry.