The effects of masonic ritual on mind, body and spirit

reply to post by ohsouthlondon


that's great to hear. The caliber of men I have met never ceases to amaze me.
In the coming weeks, the stuff you did will start to make a bit more sense. Just stay active, so you can keep the enjoyment going. It's a fantastic way to spend a bit of your free time.

reply to post by Skyfloating


the opening of the symbolic eye, is one effect,
you begin to see symbols and angles in a whole different way.....
this is one of the reasons why masons are falsy connected to the devil---
to seek meaning where there is none----
that is also false because like in lost (lol) everything happens for a reason,,,

I am not an initiate.
More like the incessant Cowan.
I pride in defending Freemasons and bashing their image for my amusement.
By tradition only am I a Roman Catholic.
I say, however, that spiritually... I am a Freemason.

My mind is not forged well enough. It falters and fails repeatedly.
but my spirit... revives my spirits.
My body is then flattered at the outcome of my wits.
I often muster more than chuckles.

It's amusing.
I've come to a variety of epiphanies and one or two ineffables... but I find that in tradition I am closed.

What I'm saying is... when my mind and body both counteract my idea or an idea I find that my spirit lingers and prevails.

Fellowcraft joke... my body and mind work together to build up a was of spit that they say I should swallow... but spirit (freemason-cowan experiences) prevail. My spirit.

When I think of the effects of Masonic ritual I don't think of just the candidate, but the one conferring. I know I always try to put a lot into a conferral, not just reciting the words, but presenting it in a way that it leaves a lasting impression on the candidate.

The initiations were all memorable, but when I was Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason it struck a certain chord and next to that would be when I was knighted and made a member of the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the Temple (Knights Templar).

Cliff Porter talks about this a bit here: therelevantmason.blogspot.com...

reply to post by Skyfloating

Originally posted by Skyfloating
This thread opens with a question: Do you think masonic rituals have a short-term or long-term effect on mind, body and spirit? And if so, what effect on the conscious or subconscious mind, body or spirit might that be? Ive asked a similar question to many masons in live settings and get a wide variety of answers. The more spiritual among masons speak in terms of effects of "energy", "aura", "inner power", "charge". Others speak of psychological effects. And the less spiritually inclined say there are no effects other than improved ability to memorize or hold lectures. Are masonic rituals similar to rituals of magic or do they more resemble theater plays or none of the above?

I invite masons and non-masons to share their views.

edit on 22-1-2013 by Skyfloating because: (no reason given)

Hello Skyfloating, (BTW, Yud, the symbol of creation and the metaphysical, one and indivisible. By far my favorite.)

What an interesting topic you have brought up and thanks for the invite to non-masons as I am not a Freemason.

I was thinking about Masonry just the other day. I always think about masonry and what it could be. I read the minutes and poems and after while i became to realize that for a group of people that disagree so much with each other you sure do got each others back pretty solid. I mean you guys genuinely will takeoff the shirts off you backs for one another but your at odds with just about everything. Like real brothers.

I can only speculate but to me it seems that there is something about masonry that makes you family. You guys know something that binds you to one another close enough that you guys are yourselves to one another.

The could come the rituals you guys do, I have no idea but, man I'l tell ya, when you have no idea about something the mind can come up with some really cool stuff. Like you mentioned three different types of responses to your questions from Masons, everyone is on a different level, sees life from different angels but somehow you guys know how to be able to all come together on one level, on the level.

I'm reading a book, on 6 steps for writing a good them and the dude in the book tells a story about how he learned to swim. he said everyone gave him their advise told him to swim this way, that way, try this and that and for the life of him he could not learn how to swim. One day at the shallow end of a pool a friend of his noticed he could not swim. He told him to hold his breath, close his eyes if he wanted to, lay face down in the water and try to sink. He found there was no way for him to sink, he could not do it. His friend then told him to just hold out his hand and kick his feet until he reached the end of the pool. He learned how to swim that day but needed much practice after that of course. This story is just one aspect of what I imagine on the level to mean. A root, a core, a base everyone can understand.

Then comes the degrees and from what I understand from each degree a ritual. just like actually perfecting a stroke or a dive in swimming after learning you "can't sink so just kick your feet". And just like and swimmer in a pool Freemasons know that you can still drowned so when a Mason needs help he will find it.

When you think about it life, this life is a swim. we are swimming through the universe and this universe is as deep as our minds will allow though the sciences and our spirit, mind and the Holy. It all talks to us on different levels from "night time bed time, day time wake up" to "quantum physics". The sun and moon tell us when to plant crops and when to harvest and shelter. Every answer to everything is out there in one shape or form right in front of our noses but it has to pass through our mind and we filter and sift through everything with our not to sharp minds.

knowledge is magic, it is power and responsibility. It is guarded by the natural order of things and it can only be accessed by those who are able. Answers are with in as they are with out, mind, spirit and the holy, I believe this is what "you get out what you put in" means.

Do you think masonic rituals have a short-term or long-term effect on mind, body and spirit?

Both, yes.

And if so, what effect on the conscious or subconscious mind, body or spirit might that be?

You guys deal in things that are immeasurable. The rituals are the passing of knowledge, of tools, you learn things that have no describable words. You learn a craft, and build not only outside but within because why drown when you can't even sink.

Thanks for the chat, I love talking about this stuff and it's as close as I'll get to being at lodge so it appreciated.

The Rat.

Well, seeing an email in my inbox from the blog of the nut who thinks me and Augustus are the same guy (somehow evades my spam filters each time) tweaked my nostalgia bone so I decided to take a peak here.
And since this is the only thread that made me want to post something, here's me opening my mouth and roving me a fool.

I've done many rituals in my life, from various Christian celebrations, to Buddhist ones, a couple of Wiccan ones, when it comes to religious rituals. In the martial arts classes we had numerous rituals that we did, for all of the styles I took part in.
At work there are small little rituals either I've invented myself, or I picked up from co-workers at the various jobs I've had.
And of course when traveling I've been ritually sodomized by the TSA.

Barring the TSA experience, I've always enjoyed the ceremonies or rituals.
Even as an atheist I still enjoy taking part in the occasional religious ceremony or ritual, especially if it involves singing.
The sense of community and wellbeing brought about by taking part in a ceremony is a kind that I don't think the non-religious community have quite filled in yet. (I say non-religious because there are forms of Buddhism and spiritual/new agey stuff that include rituals and such but aren't adopted as part of the regular atheist community.)
I look forward to seeing if the "atheist church" will find a way to fill this role.
I recently got to hang out with a number of people, fellow atheists, where we closed the event we were at by hanging out in the bar and singing along with one of the speakers who's a professional musician.
There's a reason why music and dance has been part of the human condition as far back as we can go.

When it comes to the martial art rituals, all of them were intended to instill knowledge of the style to the person working through the rituals. They were intended to teach, and while some of it may have been silly, you could be comforted by the knowledge that you were surrounded by your fellows who were going through the same ritual, and looking equally silly, while you were being led by someone who at some point also was part of the ritual and looked silly.
For all that now he could probably remove your arm with to enthusiastic of a handshake...

Rituals at work are a way of teaching as well, to make sure the fittings are tight, safety is kept, tools are properly placed. Lets you step back mentally from what you are doing and think of other things.


I would guess, that Masonic rituals impart knowledge to the person going through the ritual of what Masonry (and it's appendant organizations) is about. It gives the new member a common point of reference with older members to build a relationship with. It gives a sense of continuation and history, since all Masons have performed the same rituals. And successfully performing the ritual would probably release feel good chemicals in the brain, like dopamine.

reply to post by RuneSpider

It's good to see you on again. You should drop in more often.

Originally posted by RuneSpider

I would guess, that Masonic rituals impart knowledge to the person going through the ritual of what Masonry (and it's appendant organizations) is about. It gives the new member a common point of reference with older members to build a relationship with. It gives a sense of continuation and history, since all Masons have performed the same rituals. And successfully performing the ritual would probably release feel good chemicals in the brain, like dopamine.

Good to see you again, Rune!

Personally, I get more from doing the rituals for others than I got when I went through the rituals myself. I guess the reason for this is because when you're doing it for others, you really have to study the message of the piece that you're doing, and put your heart and soul into conveying that message to the candidate.

reply to post by KSigMason


Eh, I get plenty of crazy without dipping in here regularly. It'd be off topic to detail, but I still make it a point to check in an see how everyone's doing.

reply to post by RuneSpider


Good to see you again Brother. Hope all has bee good. Things here tend to stay somewhat the same.

Originally posted by RuneSpider
Well, seeing an email in my inbox from the blog of the nut who thinks me and Augustus are the same guy...

Are you super handsome and funny too?

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


How much spit have you swallowed since becoming a risen master Mason???
Or not...

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus

Originally posted by RuneSpider
Well, seeing an email in my inbox from the blog of the nut who thinks me and Augustus are the same guy...

Are you super handsome and funny too?

Well, I don't attract people by my looks, I can say that.

Originally posted by RuneSpider
Well, I don't attract people by my looks, I can say that.

Have you met my pal Network?

I'd like to comment on this topic, if I may. Having gone through all 3 of the Blue Lodge degrees, and several of the Scottish Rite degrees, I will say that the degrees have an increasingly heightened effect on oneself as one goes through more advanced degree work.

The Scottish Rite degrees were particularly powerful on my psyche. Sitting in pitch black darkness for hours on end watching ritual work has quite an effect, believe me.

There were times sitting in Lodge during meetings and/or ritual work where it was not too difficult too fall into a trance of sorts. Trance might too strong of a word - perhaps heightened focus or attention? This mental state can last through the ritual, but slowly leaves you in the hours after leaving the Lodge.

Being in a Lodge room doing ritual work is a closed environment brings you into close interpersonal contact with other Lodge brothers. This creates a sort of fraternal bond that is quite unusual, and certainly has a mental effect of a true "brotherhood" so to speak. You end up developing friendships with many other brothers over time, and this is one of the positive aspects of the fraternity.

The discussions on emotions is interesting. I noticed that some of the older Masons had utter control over their emotional state of mind. Almost robotic. Friendly, but robotic. This was especially noticeable during degree work.

Lastly, one of the more - for lack of better words - disconcerting parts of the degree work occurs during some of the repeated hand signals used in the ritual work. I won't divulge much more, other than to say that repeated use of these signals seemed to me at odds with enlightenment, and over a course of years, seems quite odd and even detrimental to one's outlook or "self-image".

The Scottish Rite degrees I witnessed did not have affect me nearly as much as the three degrees in blue lodge. I believe it is because in the bl degrees I was much more interactive. The SR degrees are much less about personal involvement, and because of that, the experience felt less personal to me. I have yet to experience the York Rite, not sure if I am going to as I don't consider myself a Christian.

reply to post by FreeMason0508


If you have an active SR chapter, you may want to see about getting on a degree team. You get to be on stage acting out the degrees for others to watch. It's very fun and you get to really understand the degree you are doing. Plus you are back at the reunions and you can watch a few other degrees and see things you missed the first time. Ours has a great bunch of guys and they are a blast to hang out with twice a year.

Originally posted by network dude
reply to post by FreeMason0508

 

If you have an active SR chapter, you may want to see about getting on a degree team. You get to be on stage acting out the degrees for others to watch. It's very fun and you get to really understand the degree you are doing. Plus you are back at the reunions and you can watch a few other degrees and see things you missed the first time. Ours has a great bunch of guys and they are a blast to hang out with twice a year.

Something Ive thought about for a while. The SR here called me recently and asked if I would be interested in doing that, I told them I would....so we will see what happens.

reply to post by FreeMason0508

I think that's why I'm more prone to the York Rite as they were a bit more personal, particularly the Order of the Temple.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus

Originally posted by RuneSpider
Well, I don't attract people by my looks, I can say that.

Have you met my pal Network?

I dunno, I have scared children by accident before. Also get confused with bigfoot, as whenever photographed I always turn up blurry.