The Journey as an inner itinerary towards initiatory transformation
and a short analysis of the meaning of Masonic Secret
Index: Introduction - [Ancient Tradition of the Mysteries] - The Three-fold essence of man - The being to transform and transmute - [Illustrious Brother - Human Rights]
Introduction
The Calendar of our planetary Logos (the meaning of Logos is: eternity of the Sound, Verbum of the mystics) moves through a four-cycle rhythm (the four Great seasons of the Planet). Hermeticists call these cycles Ages of Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron. In actual fact these are symbolic names given to rhythmical motions of the planetary energy, which we can resume in «tension, emersion, crisis, immersion». These cycles-rhythms are the same that cadence the life of the Triad-Man, which is the most qualified element of manifestation of the Logos.
When Mankind entered the Vulgar Era many Eminent Brothers kept the "Torch" of the Ancient Tradition of Mysteries* alive, passing it from hand to hand. These Torchbearers have been, in the Mysteriosophic Order, Trismegistus, Orpheus, Pythagoras, Plato, Plotinus, Apollonius, Porphyry, Paracelsus, Trithemius, Ponponavio, Vanini and Giordano Bruno, just to name a few. We don't want to forget, though, the Mystic Order, with Maitreya, Buddha, Moses and Jeshu Ben Panthera (Jesus the Nazarene), disciple of the Rabbi Joachim Ben Perachia.
This Ancient Tradition passes on to the Initiate what was called Sabda (Sound or Word) of the Eternal Wisdom (lia chakama or lia kadama) of Sair anpini, the Anima Mundi linked to the eternal Logos; Kabala III, 241 Book of Gezira.
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* Ancient Tradition of the Mysteries - this is how the hermetic science is called by the Respectable Abbot Louis Constant, also known by scholars as Eliphas Levi. «All religions and sciences go back to a unique Science, always hidden to the eyes of the ordinary masses and passed on from an epoch to another, from an Initiate to another, under the veil of tales and symbols. This is how we preserve the secrets of a past world for a future world».
It was called Royal and Sacerdotal Science, because it raised the initiates to the degree of King (Ars Regia, of He who rules the lower Elements) and Pontiff (Ars Pontificia, of He who creates the Bridge between physicality and metaphysics, renewing the "holy Alliance" between his Spirit and his Matter); in the Bible it was represented by Melchizedek, a mysterious character, a peaceful king and eternal priest, who doesn't have any mother or father or genealogy. He stands by himself like Truth.
This Science is hidden because it is persecuted and its language forms participate in the essence of Occultism. They show and hide the Truth at the same time. What the Initiate says is true, but what profane people understand is a lie suitable to them. The Truth, like Freedom and Virtue, is not given away, but must be sought and conquered.
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We think that this explanation is necessary in order to clarify that what we will expound, within the limits of our relative understanding and ability, is not the result of personal opinions or subjective interpretations, but an attempt to explain the meanings that the initiatory Tradition places into the subject of "Theme".
The Three-fold essence of man
In his three-fold "essence", Man manifests an element and two Principles (a Trinitarian module), defined in the terms of: physical Triad (dense body), animic Triad and monadic Triad (Spirit). It is here obvious the "occult" meaning of the Number 9, which in the harmonious exaltation of the three Triads (referring to their occult Sound) becomes 999, as opposed to 666, which represents only the development of the material Triad which, disconnected from spiritual identification, becomes a "negative Power", "diabolical" for mystics. Here originates the allegory of the antichrist, 666, whose strength is exalted in material power (the Beast) opposed to the Principles of ONE Archetype, the manifested God. But, following the terms of this allegory, we should talk about many antichrists that have been on the "stage" of mankind. Going back to 999, the three Triads sum up in the synthesis of a unique Archetype Principle, expressing the Number 10, the number of Perfection (the Adamokadmon of the 10 Sephiroths of the Tree of Life), whose highest exaltation is the Number 1000 (see Cabbala).
Therefore in the physical, animic and monadic Triads, we have the representation in a microcosmic key (the Microprosopus of Kabala) of the Trinitarian system (trine) that rules the macrocosmic system (The Macroprosopus of Kabbala) and in this three-fold key the scholar will read each of their manifestations and activities. The physical Triad manifests the Personality of this triple energetic manifestation in the material vehicle (body). Personality affirms itself with its own will for activity and action directed to its own benefit, therefore egocentric, instinctive and emotional. The Principle of the animic Triad is focused on the high side of Psyche, so called "super-conscious". This is expressed through Intellect and Pure Reason (not to be confused with the reason of the lower mind, "ratio" or reasoning), with the strength of a will not interested in Itself, therefore called Will for Good (Love); finally the monadic Triad is the affirmation of the Will of the Spiritual Self. From a purely "technical" point of view, the animic Triad is the reflection of the monadic Principle (also called spiritual or divine) and Personality is the element manifested in the matter, the animic Triad. This is how the trine can go back to be One even in the microcosm. Personality, through the higher plane of the mind called Psyche or Higher Ego, is again comparable to the Triad and this, on its turn, is re-absorbed by the Monad that emanated it.
Although we have omitted any intermediate stage, this is the line along which the personal Work of the initiate moves its steps; only in the stage of transfer of his own point of conscience in the "segment" between Soul and Monad (expansion of Self, recognizing that: I am this and not that any more), the Initiate makes contact, for the first time, with something really external and "extraneous" to Himself, with what is called the Great Work.
The Great Work is understood by the Initiate, in his progression (in his own personal relativity) as a succession of planes or levels, where the closest (to him) will be the "life" of the Kingdoms of Nature (the life of the Planet, allegorically called the Great Book of Nature); followed by an intermediate level where he apprehends (and comprehends) the "life" of the planetary Logos placed in a whole of greater "life", called Solar System where the center is the Solar Logos. Finally the Initiate understands how the "life" of this "great center" called Solar System is an integrating part of an even bigger "life", which moves and works through 3 Zodiacs and so on, up to the boundaries of its own perceptive abilities, even as a "universal Man", but still having reached, in the growing concatenation of the Greater Mysteries, the exact perception (of Motion and Work) of the Great Universal Mind, the Great Architect of the Universe.
The being to transform and transmute
In the inner journey between personal ego (Profane), animic Ego (Initiate) and Spiritual Ego (Greater Initiate) we find in the various intermediate stages the appearance and re-appearance of the subject of our argument, the Transmutation of the lesser or undesired elements.
Changeable, mercurial, emotional and variable Personality (never connected to a permanent Principle, therefore called illusory or illusion, whilst the "great delusion" is called the World of Matter), expands and transforms identifying itself from one model to another, in those that impress its "imagination" the most (dreaming, oneiric stage of conscience), building around them its "roles", just as fictitious because changeable (one, no one and a hundred thousand by Pirandello). This doesn't happen with the (animic) Triad, because it expresses a fixed and unchangeable Archetypical Principle that, from the bottom, is conceived as Light .
For the Initiate Truth, Light, the color White and Initiation are synonymous symbol-words that tend to express the same Principle, the Activity of the Great Architect.
Personality, the lower mind transforms expanding on the « 
» horizontal plane of the hermetic Cross and only in its identification with the higher planes of the Psyche (the Temple of Salomon), we will also have the appearance of the vertical arm of the Cross « 
».
The central point of the hermetic Cross « 
» (symbol of the Initiate immersed in the physical plane) is the junction point between the two axes, and this is Psyche, represented by the Rosicrucian mystics with a rose.
After the multiple transformation on the horizontal plane of the exterior form (the profane delusion), if the adept wants to proceed in his Journey, he can recognize the need for thetransmutation of the criteria of self (personal) in the principles that are emanated from the animic Triad (Universal).
It is obvious, then, that if the adept wants to reach point "C", viz. «the Greater Initiate», from "A" point, viz. «the blind Profane», through "B", viz. «the Initiation», he must at least "theoretically" know the initiatory principles with which he wants to identify. In doing so he will be able, at the same time, to disown with an «Act of Discrimination» all the previous identifications, the profane ones learnt in the world of Chaos. Therefore it is implicit that to give support to the Brother in each stage of one's own «Work» of initiatory progress is the main purpose assigned by the Tradition to the initiatory Teaching and to esoteric education.
On this subject an Illustrious Brother * has recently formulated a document ( published in 1988 ) addressed to "all the Scottish Brothers", where he highlighted some goals shared by every adept; exoteric ones to "masonically" touch the external and profane world and esoteric ones to be achieved with one's own inner "Work". We mention their most significant points and put in inverted commas the terms that we think should be developed not in the literal and profane form but in their deepest initiatory meaning, turning them into objects for thorough reflection.
Point 1:
Continuously remember that the purpose of Freemasonry is to turn its Members into more illuminated, stronger men more willing to «work»individually and together for the benefit of the human Society and to draw everybody's attention on the serious problems related to the «Universal Order» and the «Destiny of Man»;
Point 2:
Eternally look for the «Royal Secret»;
Point 3:
Eternally aim at the «Truth», without limits to the free analysis in the track of old principles of tolerance and universality;
Point 4:
«Continuously refine oneself», during the steep ascent towards the Top of the Pyramid;
Point 10:
«Condition the Matter with the Spirit», trying to fill the furrow that divides them;
Point 11:
«Restore the balance»in the indissoluble binomial of «Rights and Duties», in the conviction that the two terms must be reciprocally integrated;
Point 12:
«To advocate Universal Peace», helping the reciprocal cohabitation between People, «obliterating their social differences».
Point 15:
«Train (instruct) our Brothers» - and, through them, expand this in the profane life - to be always Enlightened, Calm and Unbiased Judges and not to become easy prey of devious propagandas exposed through various channels of communication in a suggestive as well as deceitful form;
omission......
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* Illustrious Brother - The initiatory Teaching as well has its conventions, since it has the need for a ‘language'. There are three titles, in the Hermetic science, that are attributed to a Brother/Sister. Respectable for the respect due to every Brother/Sister that puts tension, effort and good will in his/her own «Work» to manifest the Principles of Initiation through him/herself. Illustrious (from lustrum, luminous) for those who managed to exteriorize the Principles of the Order through concrete achievements; finally Eminent, for those who distinguish themselves in the Hierarchy, for having successfully completed the whole initiatory procedure up to the Greater Initiation (royal).
The name of this Brother is Giovanni Ghinazzi ; the title of Illustrious is not accompanied by any other not to confuse him with the memory of many other men who, even though they reached the same titles as he did in the conventional Hierarchy, haven't actually lavished the slightest initiatory Light into them. Therefore we want to give him our respect with the only Title which has a true initiatory value.
This Illustrious Brother has been able to insert into a Masonic vision, that we can definitely call counter-initiatory and expression of the gloom principles of the Vulgar Era, the correct interpretation of Human Rights which, manifesting the Principles of ancient Precepts, has become the Bridge towards the Third Millennium Masonry, where those Principles will be completely restored.
Human Rights - This concept is far too important for the purpose of our argument and for the quality that characterizes our masonry, therefore we can't avoid giving at least a simple illustration of it.
Each Truth-Principle has always two faces and two uses, one exoteric (social) and one esoteric (initiatory). Those belonging to the Human Rights expressed in the symbol-words of Freedom-Brotherhood-Equality have always been the Moral Pillar of every Initiate, even when expressed in other terms. This Principle as well is expressed in two aspects: the first is exoteric; it reached us through the Greek sophists as natural law of Man, developed by Aristotle and the stoics, for which "the natural Law is based on the eternal Law of the Universe and this is a manifestation of the Universal Reason".
This Principle was highlighted by Cicero, who identifies it with the «straight reason». He opposed it to the written law, which he considered to be «often unfair and even tyrannical». This Principle passed on in medieval philosophy in the form of an «eternal Law»; with St. Augustine and Thomas of Aquinas it reached the Renaissance as «philosophy of law». In the 17th century it appeared in the form of natural law with Hugo Grotius, Thomas Hobbes, Benedict Spinoza, John Locke, Samuel Von Pufendorf. Grotius and Jean Bodin passed on its scholastic tradition. Emmanuel Kant tried to overcome the (metaphysical) Principle of «natural Law» with the Criterion of «Law of reason» that could absorb, a priori, any other positive (materialistic) interpretation, through the putting in place of the «whole of conditions for which the will of every person can co-exist with the will of any other person, in agreement with a general rule of freedom». This Criterion also reached Hegel, which, with his panlogism, moved towards the same direction, blending the natural law doctrine with the influence of gnoseological positivism in a unique balance. Especially in Germany it was reduced to one «general theory of law». With French Illuminism, Human Law with equal rights and opportunities, produced a great impact on the conscience of intellectuals, managing to seduce the emotions of the most popular parts of society, up to extending its influence to the whole western world, with the social Renovation that we know well.
In the Initiatory field specifically, Human Law can be synthesized in these terms: «the Right of equal opportunities that must be acknowledged to every man and woman at the moment of initiation, therefore equal dignity in front of the Great Architect of the Universe».
The Principle of equal rights and dignity for men and women, both in the social and initiatory fields, shows an extremely interesting concept, veiled in the first vision and more clearly in the second. The enjoyment of this Right is independent of the physical Form where the beneficiary is "immersed", be it male or female; furthermore, it is not dependent on language, skin color and the criteria that move his reason and create his personal convictions.
Both versions of Human Law disown the predominance of the animal physical Form.
Penises or vaginas don't constitute arguments for supremacy or demerit.
Therefore the Ancient Precept reappears: for the human conscience the Form where it is immersed in is only the first "path", humid and passive, whilst the Triad is the "illuminating" Principle and its link is solar. Therefore the dry or solar Path will be recognizable only in the Bridge (Ars Pontificia) that links the conscience of Personality to its animic Triad and not to the physically male or female being.
This important Principle, strongly opposed by large groups of Masons and expression of the Vulgar Era, was manifested for the first time in France by an Eminent Sister and two Illustrious Brothers. Later it spread throughout Europe and reached the United States through two other Eminent representatives (with the Pax et Cultura Pact - usually known as the Roerich Pact [see] whose first subscriber was Bro. D. Roosevelt, president of the United States of America).
The torch-bearer that started «this important initiatory process», in Italy was indeed the Illustrious Brother Giovanni Ghinazzi.
But note that the application of this «Right-Duty» of equal opportunity is useful only to dissolve the criterion of discrimination and separatism which then leads to the mistake of elitism. Once overcome the first Threshold which, for clarity, we will call in this instance of Acceptance in the Masonic Order, the Principle of Diorism will immediately spring in front of the adept. This ancient platonic term means distinction, division and in the case of an adept, expresses the criterion of meritocracy that we can call principle of natural selection applied to the initiatory sphere. Of course in this instance the selection will only have an intellectual basis.
In the Ancient Precepts we read that nobody can really initiate another man but himself, through the overcoming of all the "Trials" required in the progress of the Path or Journey. The "Trials" is a symbolic term that expresses the subsequent expansions of conscience and the (painful) inner Transmutations.
This is the Principle of self-initiation occurring between the power of the Triad and the will of Personality. It is also called descending Initiation , for the animic Light that illuminates from the top the physical forma mentis and initiates it. In conclusion, the Right to Initiation stops at the opportunity and privilege to be introduced on the initiatory Path and the Principle of Diorism will appear in the results of effectiveness, consistency, intelligence and, most of all, the will of the adept, who tends to ascend to the «Apex of the Pyramid», seen as the Mountain of Initiation.
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