Dear all,
I’ll state straight away that I formed as a Mason in the Goi; I joined it
years ago and I am still there. Years ago my Worshipful asked the Lodge to work
on the subject: “Why did I join Freemasonry?” – I turned my
contribution around: “Why after all these years, despite everything and
everyone, am I still here? “.
This is not to show off records of membership (or tolerance?) but to say that
during my wandering through lodges, rites and even so-called (by the GOI) non-recognized
rites, I’ve had many hints and I’ve become richer with experiences
that have changed me.
In these wanderings of mine I have also had the chance to attend to women’s
Lodges and I remember those works are among the most intense which I’ve
participated in.
I feel like expressing some points that are today (don’t know about tomorrow)
quite steady for me.
First of all Freemasonry as we know and practice it today, that is organized
in lodges and communions, I think is a product of the English eighteenth century.
It was effective for the time and “roughly” applicable for that
(or those) social classe(s) that practiced it. Is this same organizational form
valid for the man of the twenty-first century? I don’t have an answer
and I don’t feel like expressing a fideistic positive opinion. Perhaps
Freemasonry as well, or its expression, is linked to the times and therefore
it must evolve and change.
This introduction allows me to consider a women’s masonry possible, even
if our rituals (generally, as far as I know, more or less similar) don’t
seem to me appropriate for the feminine world and they should be “reviewed”.
I’ll explain: it seems to me that some symbols and instruments are more
appropriate for men than for women, but maybe this opinion of mine can be a
prejudice due to thirty years of activity in male masonry.
I am very puzzled, though, about a mixed masonry. I’ll try and explain,
although I find it very difficult to express my feelings. According to my experience
of masons’ works, I think women are more able to work on levels beyond
rational than men or at least it’s easier for women. Man can easily unbalance,
much more than he does in exclusively manly jobs. I think that if the women’s
Lodge can work well, man can join in only if he is “well formed”.
I hope my fellow men won’t bear me a grudge, but I think that the separation
between male and female works is more useful as a defense for “guys”
than as detachment from women. For much less masons have separated, re-separated
and repudiate each other, in the name of ‘my laundry is whiter than white’
(and certainly whiter than yours).
Think about it for a moment! If to the “discussions” between us
men about Great Masters and Commendators, English and American acknowledgements,
sociality of initiation and a secret that is not secret that stays secret, we
add also the relationship between men and women, where will this poor Freemasonry
end up? Let’s try and work well first, then we’ll think of the rest.
Regards to all,
Maurizio
Dear Maurizio,
without going too deep in the conceptuality of the subject, I consider noteworthy some points, “unfailingly skimmed over”.
1) the “right to the access” of the other half of the world, to
the initiatory way.
2) The equal Dignity of human Rights: material, social but most of all spiritual.
3) The necessity of –bi-polar- energy for the Edification of an operating
Chorda Fratres (Eggregore).
4) The utopist vision, I admit it, in which Man and Woman are the first initiators
of the infant, male and female.
5) The Lunar way is linked to the sexual Magic and to the physical substance
of the being (man and woman).
6) The Solar way is linked to the metaphysical essence of the being (androgenous
mind).
7) The old war of the sexes.
I’ll stop here. It would be interesting as well as actual, to study some
subjects, rather than limit to collect “Masonic picture-cards” or
whatever.
I understand that standing at the borders of problems is more reassuring, but
the technique of the ostrich doesn’t make us more conscious.
I must also say that I find aberrant the avalanche of conformism under which
both the mysterial and the mystic ways have been buried (see VITRIOL). And I
wonder 1) why? 2) in favor of whom? 3) and for what?
I’ve been educated as a free man therefore I am used to thinking of and
questioning everything, starting with myself and ending up with those who call
themselves “leaders” and analyzing the meanings of every merry-go-round
which we have ridden on during our lives.
It seems to me that instead of bringing “objective” arguments to
this –fundamental- discussion about the (initiatory) future of humankind,
some people prefer to “quibble” about what is more enjoyable rather
than face the “tiger” (feminine world).
This constant escape of the – masculine – when facing the –
feminine – will have to end sooner or later.
It always comes the time to change because this means “to grow”.
Where to start a –change- if not from those parts of humankind that “should”
be the most advanced and prepared fringes.
Cyclically the conscience of the being advances and this produces “crisis”
also called revolutions. Therefore we must “accept” the change as
a fundamental factor of evolution that is not founded on immobility but on progress,
although some people seem to forget this.
Therefore advance to grow. The cycles of history can’t be stopped. The
man who clings to the past dies inside, and the world is full of dead inside.
The mason, though, should be part of that fringe of “re-awaken”
to the light of wisdom; this means that the mason should be a revolutionary,
always, because he should be a thinker. Revolutions of thought precede concrete
and formal ones.
Then, when intellectual revolutions become too low, they become ideological
mush.
Past history shows this to us constantly, but in the meantime we all make a
step forward and this is called progress. Without progress there isn’t
civilization but only ideological slackness.
Today we’re going through a moment of full ideological slackness (just
look around). The signs of a next “maturation and change” appear.
Are we conscious of this push, us “initiates-children-of-the-light”?
Are we the new Builders of the Temples of Humankind or only the frequent callers
of old superstitions?
We must answer to that and then decide if we “stay with the history”
that advances or if we “stay in the history” that goes, in a sequence
of out of focus images.
They say that everything changes and transforms itself. Will the mason as well
be able to accept the advancing Change or will he think he’s reached a
terminal of perfection?
To all those who “prefer” the second answer all that is left is
to keep “looking like white-washed sepulchers”.
But we know that they are leaving history to become a memory of old assessments.
Fraternally
Athos A. Altomonte
From a message sent to the ml Freemasonry and Initiation
…. Personally I find that a solar (initiatory) tradition should be strictly
reserved to men.
Before “certifying” the meaning of –solar- and attributing
it to exclusive copyright of a unique humankind, therefore reducing it to a
simple affirmation of faith (we’ve suffered enough stakes), we should
consider from which side we’re looking at its meaning. Then decide the
sense to give to the concept, if it is the one originated by the exoterical
view or the one coherent with the initiatory principles.
In a symbolic, and therefore virtual, form the “solar” aspect is
only the lighting of some 100 Watts lamp during a symbolic representation. This
is the only “Light” coming from the exoterical East of Freemasonry.
If you’re happy with it, that’s ok.
If by solar you mean inner “illumination” that follows a precipitation
of psychic energy rising from the superior Ego, or the soul or spirit, or eggregore,
this doesn’t depend on any sexual attribute because man and woman are
physical-animal peculiarities of no importance in an initiatory aspect.
The Lunar way, according to the universal initiatory principles of East and
West, is all that belongs to or rises from the physical-animal sphere of the
being, included “virile” emotions and passions.
The best known Lunar way is that of the sexual Magic, interpreted both by men
and women.
The Solar way, on the other hand, is the path of those who come to the illumination
(Gnosis, or knowledge by contact) “rising” from the metaphysical
or spiritual sphere of the being. Therefore it doesn’t originate thanks
to any physical specifics.
The Lunar way, then, is not the way of passion as sex and pos-session. It includes
any kind of emotion, even the highest ones, such as the earthly ideals of god,
the mother country and the family, which too often are a source of conflicts
among similes.
The solar way, on the other hand, is a path that separates from any kind of
profane or material sensation, transforming the personal self into a wonderful
“instrument” at the service of the wellbeing of humankind, Men and
Women.
The Solar way is the way of the metamorphosis that transmutates the physical
mind up to extend it to the –pure Reason- starting from the development
of the inborn sense of justice so well described by Kant.
I don’t think there’s much to add for a short introduction. We know
that for those who don’t want to listen, all the common sense of the world
won’t be enough to destroy the “old prejudices” of the war
of sexes.
How many “clever esotericists” know the old reasons for this obvious
competition to overwhelm that is still occurring?
Fraternally
Athos A. Altomonte
________________________________________
From: Merlin [mailto:Merlin_Wizard@libero.it]
Sent: Monday 25th February 2002 22.41
To: Massoneria_it@yahoogroups.com
Dear Paolo, I was born a guy! Therefore I am part of that portion of Humankind
“privileged by God”.
If I believed in this fantasy I would be jolly and happy for this “divine
luck” and I’d move on. But I don’t believe it.
Therefore, if the Master Web allows me to do so, I’ll make some things
clear.
I grant that everybody is free to make the mistakes he wants to, although I
regret this a bit.
The large way (of ignorance) is big and spacious and many superstitions still
dim the light of civilization.
Therefore I haven’t got anything else to add on the subject. It is necessary
to make some small but dutiful corrections.
1) I don’t have experience of mixed Workshops……
Dear Brother, there are “mixed salads” but not Masonic Lodges of
Communions among Men and Women, which are the two parts of Humankind. It’s
not your fault, I know, but I know the subtle tricks used to express depreciation
through the reduction of the terms.
The reason to state such a dignified presence is for me quite simple and I’ll
say it in two words: if Men and Women, through the Initiation will recognize
each other as two parts of the same medal they will be better Mothers and Fathers
to educate sons and daughters on the way of perfection. They will avoid them
to suffer all the imprinting of the profane culture.
Therefore the Initiation of Men and Women could turn into an immunization system
against the corruption of the material world, that will be able to be lived
in a less obsessive and more balanced way.
This is my wish for this initiatory Union (marriage).
2) …and the currents of the Force flow in a new and unusual
way…
I’d like to highlight, if it is still necessary, that energy, even more
if it’s Ritual, is made up by plus (positive-masculine) and minus (negative-feminine).
The true ritualist knows that if he’s not able to activate both of them
nothing will happen, the eggregore won’t answer. The only result will
be a pale form of thought that doesn’t have anything to do with a ritual
Eggregore. In fact, where only one of the energetic components of the Chorda
Fratres is activated, the ritual calm that follows is a distention of inertia,
because nothing happens but in the popular imagination.
There are two possibilities, then. Either the Initiate is so advanced that he
has developed in himself both his masculine and his feminine (+ and –
energy) or there is a Chain where + and – are alternate.
Let someone who is an expert in the construction of Eggregore say it.
As you can see, dear Brother, my few reasons haven’t got anything to do
with passion or sexuality of the being, that is a completely profane vision.
A true initiate, neither symbolic nor virtual, places himself on the highest
levels of the mind and in contact with the higher levels of the conscience.
There, no manifestation of physical or sexual attributes can reach. This part
is the non-sexual or impersonal part, both for men and women.
If you understand this you will understand the alchemic meaning of Androgenous.
At the same time you’ll discover how useless and stupid is to instigate
the old war of sexes.
Ask yourself, though. Who needs this war? Who are its manoeuvrers? If you understand
this you will immediately abandon the arms to the great puppeteers of humankind
who divide to rule.
This is the missing joggle in this argument.
I hope I’ve supplied three reasons to reflect and decide who to “get
passionate about” in a free and most of all anti-conformist way.
Fraternally
Esonet’s Editorial Staff
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