San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite 2019 Feast of the Tishri Speech

On September 17, 2019, I gave the following speech at the San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite Feast of the Tishri, from an Albert Pike perspective. It was a great honor to have been selected to speak at this most sacred and honored event; a Scottish Rite tradition. The room was filled with guests, and Scottish Rite members and their ladies. I have posted this speech for posterity; feel free to use it if you too find it worthy of presenting. Enjoy!!!:

Good evening everyone; good to see you all. Welcome to our Feast of the Tishri, also known as the Feast of the Tabernacle, an annual Scottish Rite celebration.

Before I get into the specific details of this speech, a few words about Albert Pike, who is the primary source for this presentation, is certainly in order. Virtually everyone here is intimately familiar with the man; but few have ever studied this legendary Scottish Rite sage. Perhaps just as many people here know of his historic book, Morals and Dogma, which was published in 1872; yet, few have ever made more than a modest effort to read this literary masterpiece.

Indeed, his book is an allegorical riddle; and if one has not been taught to read and interpret allegory, often aligned with a classical education, the reader may be led astray into a pit of confusion. Despite this truth, those students of the Craft who have spent years and even decades studying Morals and Dogma have often learned many astonishing hidden truths.

As such, I am honored to have been asked to give this, my first, and hopefully not my last, Feast of the Tishri presentation from an Albert Pike perspective.

So what exactly is the Feast of the Tishri, and why is it so important? Well, more on that in a moment. First and foremost, we must understand the importance of Feasts in the ancient world; and why these Feasts were even celebrated.

One of the first celebrations mentioned by Pike was the Feast of Lamps; a annual activity to honor the Goddess Neith, who personified Thought or Spirit (p. 255). Moreover, Pharisaic Jews and Gnostics, or early Christians, used the term “Admission to the Feast of Heavenly Wisdom,” when referencing the “restoration of all things” and a “return to their original pure condition” (p. 259).

The Goths, who were a Germanic people, held three great festivals; the most magnificent one was held during the winter solstice, in honor of Thor, or the Sun, and the “Prince of the Power of the Air.” This was called the Yeol Feast, which eventually became known as Christmas. Interestingly, these Feasts were held in huge caverns; and were often combined with initiations, similar to the Mithraic tradition, which was very popular amongst the soldier and elite class of Rome (p. 369).

The Grand Feast of the Syrian Goddess, Cybele, or Rhea, was held during the Vernal Equinox; and she represented the moon. Furthermore, the Feast of the Passion of Atys, who was the Roman sun god that was slain by the boar’s tusk of winter, was held over a three day period; the first was said to have “passed in mourning and tears” and afterwards it became a joyful event. These ceremonies “were all allegorical” and were held within a “veil of mystery:” like that of Masonry today (p. 423).

There was also a short mention of the Feast of Aesclepius, which honored this god of healing and medicine (p. 434).

To add, we see the “mystic winnowing-fan, encircled by serpents” were used in the feasts of Bacchus (494). Bacchus was the Roman god of agriculture, and wind winnowing is an agricultural method developed by ancient cultures for separating grain from chaff; some techniques included using a winnowing fan, which is a basket shaken to raise the chaff. While the encircled serpent is a sign of Immortality.

Like that of the Romans, the Persians commenced their year with the Feast of Neurouz, which was to remind men of the renovation of nature, and the triumph of Ormuzd, their Light God, over the “powers of Darkness” (p. 466).

Likewise, the ancient Sabaeans established feasts to honor the planets to exalt nature, like that of the sun and the moon. Egypt adopted this feast and called it the Feast of Fire and light, which the Jews and Persians practiced as the Passover. Most of the feasts of the planets were public events; nevertheless, the Romans preferred to celebrate this feast in the privacy of their homes (p. 463).

Consequently, the “risings and settings of the Fixed Stars, and their conjunctions with the Sun, and their first appearance as they emerged from his rays, fixed the epochs for the feasts instituted in their honor; and the Sacred Calendars of the ancients were regulated accordingly” (p. 464).

As such, like all other faiths before it, the Christian Church has since made these feast-days their own, and “appropriated them to the two Saints John,” and “Masonry has done the same” (p. 596).

Hence, within not only our beloved Scottish Rite, but also most Masonic institutions, survives the ancient celestial and astronomical teachings and secrets of past civilizations, which were so often celebrated through the use of Feasts (483).

Now back to our main point. Although there is no direct use of the Feast of Tishri within Albert Pike’s book Morals and Dogma, there is one reference to the Feast of the Tabernacle, which originally lasted seven days (p. 59). Furthermore, and most interestingly, two Scottish Rite degrees, the 23rd degree – Chief of the Tabernacle, and the 24th degree – Prince of the Tabernacle gives us a glimpse of its importance (p. 200).

As many of you may already know, the use of the word Tabernacle is used when referencing the dwelling place or residence of God; which the children of Israel named their tent, or mobile temple, they used after fleeing Egypt. Accordingly, when we use the word Tabernacle, it can be surmised that its meaning remains the same, which is the dwelling place or residence of God.

By extension, therefore, as we meet here today to celebrate our annual Feast of the Tishri, also known as the Feast of the Tabernacle, we also acknowledge God’s presence as he dwells amongst us.

The origin of this feast is described in the book of Leviticus where God spoke to Moses, saying that the fifteenth day of the month of Tishri of the Hebrew civil calendar, “ye shall have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord.” In short, the Feast of Tishri is the Hebrew equivalent of Thanksgiving or a Harvest Festival.

It goes without saying that the Feast of Tishri is indeed a special day of celebration for every Scottish Rite Mason. In fact, it epitomizes and characterizes another important historical dwelling place of God, King Solomon’s Temple, which we celebrate through our legend of the fourteenth degree.

By observing the Feast of Tishri, Scottish Rite Masons everywhere continue the tradition of the Brotherhood’s quest for peace and love for all of God’s creations; thereby pleasing God through the eventual unification of all men and women everywhere under the banner of “Faith in God, Hope in Immortality, and Charity to all mankind” (p. 10).

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Everything Masonic With Jonny Enoch and Hank Kraychir

On July 21, 2019, Jonny Enoch and I held a unique speaking engagement, called Everything Masonic, at the San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite Temple; here is the full audio from that event. Enjoy!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir 

No Record Of Thomas Jefferson Or My Grandfather Being A Freemason; Do We Dismiss Their Membership?

As a Freemason, I have been taught to think a certain way; so when it is stated that Thomas Jefferson was not a Mason, I am shocked at the simplistic answer accepted by most. Somehow I am suppose to turn off my Masonic education and allow revisionist beliefs to continue. Case in point.

We have somehow come to the belief that Grand Lodges and or Lodge’s are without fault. Well, its been my experience this is not true. They are run by well-intentioned men who make mistakes. Here is a personal example, which can be easily applied to the Thomas Jefferson commonly given answer.

Upon my father’s death, I was given access to his papers; and within them, I discovered my Grandfather’s Masonic Bible. I never knew he was a Freemason until that point in time. Over the years, I have done some research into his membership. Not surprisingly, my Grandfather’s name is not found in the roles of the California Grand Lodge. Am I to believe he was never made a Freemason because my Grand Lodge had not recorded his initiation. Nonsense, I have his Masonic Bible, etc. But according to the California Grand Lodge, there is no proof of his membership. Please look at the following pictures as proof of his membership from 1948. I also went and looked for other men who were raised in Perris, California during the same year, same Lodge; yet their names appeared.

Therefore, the commonly given answer to why Thomas Jefferson is often mentioned as not being a Freemason is because no record of his membership exists today. Again, nonsense. If my Grandfather’s record from 1948 was not recorded, why should we expect a record to exist for Thomas Jefferson (circa 1777).

I certainly hope we can move on to other related documentation to prove his membership; like the fact he had a Masonic cipher in his papers after his death; or the fact two Grand Lodges had Masonic funeral memorials upon his death; and it was common to name Masonic Lodges after him after his death; or the fact he was seen countless times wearing a Masonic apron at public events; and that he was made a Freemason in France, Nine Muses Lodge, not the United States; or the fact his name was recorded as visiting Masonic Lodges in the United States and France, etc.

And to make matters worse, there are a few zealots who love to troll the web and attack any Mason, who does not believe the commonly accepted narrative that he was not a Mason because there is no record of his membership. Again, like the example given about my Grandfather, we don’t need to have a record of his membership to prove he was a Freemason. Their argument is certainly without merit, and does not work within all of Freemasonry.

Enjoy the pictures below!!! The first picture is of my Grandfather’s dates of initiation-inside his Masonic Bible; the second picture is the cover of his Masonic Bible; the third picture is of his certificate of Initiation.

I do not blame anyone, but this is a perfect example of why we should not always trust official Masonic records. Mistakes were made because we are all imperfect; yes, even Freemasons.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Manly P. Hall and the Kundalini

As of late, I have been doing extensive research regarding the topic of the Kundalini, or Serpent Fire, and its relationship to the mysteries and Immortality. Any discussion regarding this topic would not be complete without direct referencing from the great Manly P. Hall. We know that the ancients combined philosophy and science into the singular study of the human body. Most contemporary sciences, however, like to separate these ideas; but not so with the ancients. You see, the functions of the body, despite all our medical advances today, remain a mystery. Therefore, the mysteries we study today also involve the human body, or bodily mysteries. So much of our symbols do relate to and correspond to the mysteries of the body and its mind, and its purpose, which is regeneration.  Therefore, what did Manly P Hall have to say on the matter?

First and foremost, Hall related the concept of Kundalini to that of Hiram Abiff (CHiram), the central figure in Blue Lodge Masonry. Furthermore, he also referred to the topic as the Spirit Fire, and the Lost Key of Masonry, or human regeneration. He further related it to 33 degrees of Freemasonry and the human spinal cord. And finally, Hall also discussed the importance of raising the Spirit Fire up the vertebrae to the pineal gland:

Sufficient similarity exists between the Masonic CHiram and the Kundalini of Hindu mysticism to warrant the assumption that CHiram may be considered a symbol also of the Spirit Fire moving through the sixth ventricle of the spinal column. The exact science of human regeneration is the Lost Key of Masonry, for when the Spirit Fire is lifted up through the thirty-three degrees, or segments of the spinal column, and enters into the domed chamber of the human skull, it finally passes into the pituitary body (Isis), where it invokes Ra (the pineal gland) and demands the Sacred Name. Operative Masonry, in the fullest meaning of that term, signifies the process by which the Eye of Horus is opened. E. A. Wallis Budge has noted that in some of the papyri illustrating the entrance of the souls of the dead into the judgment hall of Osiris the deceased person has a pine cone attached to the crown of his head. The Greek mystics also carried a symbolic staff, the upper end being in the form of a pine cone, which was called the thyrsus of Bacchus. In the human brain there is a tiny gland called the pineal body, which is the sacred eye of the ancients, and corresponds to the third eye of the Cyclops. Little is known concerning the function of the pineal body, which Descartes suggested (more wisely than he knew) might be the abode of the spirit of man. As its name signifies, the pineal gland is the sacred pine cone in man–the eye single, which cannot be opened until CHiram (the Spirit Fire) is raised through the sacred seals which are called the Seven Churches in Asia (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 79).

Hall further relates Hiram Abiff (CHiram) to the three gates of the temple, and the northern gate, in which the sun never shines; like that of a Lodge room’s empty seat in the north. You see, the body is represented by the crystallized water/spirit of the north; and man’s light shines always to the north. For this reason then, the moon can come to represent our physical nature. As such, Hiram is the fiery or airy water that must be raised, which is further symbolized by the ladder (2nd degree of Freemasonry). Furthermore, Hiram also passes up by means of the ladder of the spinal cord, or Tree of Life. Moreover, the sacred number of man is nine, which is symbolized by the sacrum and coccyx; the lower part of the body, often termed the Land of Egypt. And like Moses coming out of Egypt, the human mind is illuminated by raising the brazen serpent (Tau Cross), which is personified by the Spirit Fire of the human spinal cord being raised:

As applied to Masonry, the three sunbursts represent the gates of the temple at which CHiram was struck, there being no gate in the north because the sun never shines from the northern angle of the heavens. The north is the symbol of the physical because of its relation to ice (crystallized water) and to the body (crystallized spirit). In man the light shines toward the north but never from it, because the body has no light of its own but shines with the reflected glory of the divine life-particles concealed within physical substance. For this reason the moon is accepted as the symbol of man’s physical nature. CHiram is the mysterious fiery, airy water which must be raised through the three grand centers symbolized by the ladder with three rungs and the sunburst flowers mentioned in the description of the Hindu painting. It must also pass upward by means of the ladder of seven rungs-the seven plexuses proximate to the spine. The nine segments of the sacrum and coccyx are pierced by ten foramina, through which pass the roots of the Tree of Life. Nine is the sacred number of man, and in the symbolism of the sacrum and coccyx a great mystery is concealed. That part of the body from the kidneys downward was termed by the early Qabbalists the Land of Egypt into which the children of Israel were taken during the captivity. Out of Egypt, Moses (the illuminated mind, as his name implies) led the tribes of Israel (the twelve faculties) by raising the brazen serpent in the wilderness upon the symbol of the Tau cross. Not only CHiram but the god-men of nearly every pagan Mystery ritual are personifications of the Spirit Fire in the human spinal cord (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 79).

Along this same line of thinking, Hall mentioned that man’s lower nature is symbolized by a leviathan, or sea serpent, or dragon. Furthermore, all serpentine forms have come to represent solar energy. As such, the serpent signifies the imprisoned life force, or divine energy, rushing through man’s body; it’s passion, lust and even greed are present until it is transmuted and controlled. And Jesus has also come to represent this concealed divine nature within man himself:

According to many scattered fragments extant, man’s lower nature was symbolized by a tremendous, awkward creature resembling a great sea serpent, or dragon, called leviathan. All symbols having serpentine form or motion signify the solar energy in one of its many forms. This great creature of the sea therefore represents the solar life force imprisoned in water and also the divine energy coursing through the body of man, where, until transmuted, it manifests itself as a writhing, twisting monster–man’s greeds, passions, and lusts. Among the symbols of Christ as the Savior of men are a number relating to the mystery of His divine nature concealed within the personality of the lowly Jesus (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 86).

We now see Hall relating the ancient understanding of Kundalini/Serpent Fire to that of the medical profession through the sign of the Hermes staff. Moreover, the serpent is aligned with the ideas of wisdom and even salvation; regardless of Christendom’s contemporary view of evil. In fact, the serpent tempts man with the knowledge of himself. Like that of the tree of life being compared to the spinal cord, calling it the spinal fire, which is the gift of the great serpent. And perhaps most boldly, Hall relates this Serpent Fire to the redemption of the savior, Jesus the Christ; and he uses the example of Moses raising the serpent in the desert as his example, and the example of Christ telling his disciples to be as wise as the serpents:

In the ancient Mysteries the serpent entwining a staff was the symbol of the physician. The serpent-wound staff of Hermes remains the emblem of the medical profession. Among nearly all  these ancient peoples the serpent was accepted as the symbol of wisdom or salvation. The antipathy which Christendom feels towards the snake is based upon the little-understood allegory of the Garden of Eden. The serpent is true to the principle of wisdom, for it tempts man to the knowledge of himself. Therefore the knowledge of self resulted from man’s disobedience to the Demiurgus, Jehovah. How the serpent came to be in the garden of the Lord after God had declared that all creatures which He had made during the six days of creation were good has not been satisfactorily answered by the interpreters of Scripture. The tree that grows in the midst of the garden is the spinal fire; the knowledge of the use of that spinal fire is the gift of the great serpent. Notwithstanding statements to the contrary, the serpent is the symbol and prototype of the Universal Savior, who redeems the worlds by giving creation the knowledge of itself and the realization of good and evil. If this be not so, why did Moses raise a brazen serpent upon a cross in the wilderness that all who looked upon it might be saved from the sting of the lesser snakes? Was not the brazen serpent a prophecy of the crucified Man to come? If the serpent be only a thing of evil, why did Christ instruct His disciples to be as wise as serpents (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 88)?

Despite the prevailing thought that the serpent is evil, Hall counters such ideas with some esoteric thinking. He claimed the serpent represented Immortality and is a symbol of reincarnation, due to the shedding of its skin, and it being given the luster of a new skinning body. You see, metaphorically, the serpent never dies, except by violence or by injury.  And the serpent is also emblematic of God, because like a serpent swallowing itself (eating its tail), the creator reabsorbs his universe back into himself:

The accepted theory that the serpent is evil cannot be substantiated. It has long been viewed as the emblem of immortality. It is the symbol of reincarnation, or metempsychosis, because it annually sheds its skin, reappearing, as it were, in a new body. There is an ancient superstition to the effect that snakes never die except by violence and that, if uninjured, they would live forever. It was also believed that snakes swallowed themselves, and this resulted in their being considered emblematic of the Supreme Creator, who periodically reabsorbed His universe back into Himself (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 88).

The history that the serpent is a universal belief, like that of the cross, and even predates Christianity, was pointed out by Hall, especially when he mentioned its origin is from that of Atlantis, “Atlantean sun worship has been perpetuated in the ritualism and ceremonialism of both Christianity and pagandom. Both the cross and the serpent were Atlantean emblems of divine wisdom (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 34).

Hall further related astral light to that of a depiction of a serpent eating it own tail, and the colors of black and white, “the alternately black and white serpent of astral light“; and further related this topic to cosmic motion, “Vishnu sitting in the blossom of the lotus on a couch formed of the coils of the serpent of cosmic motion (Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of all Ages, 1929, p. 77). Both of which relate to the purpose of Kundalini, which is further consciousness, which can only be sought in the etheric realm.  

There is, of course, much much more to Hall’s writings regarding the Serpent Fire/ Kundalini, but I think I have made my point; this was just a teaser. I highly recommend any ardent student of the esoteric sciences take the time to delve further into his writings. In fact, there are over 154 references to the term serpent in Hall’s book Secret Teachings of all Ages (1929). If one is seeking a better understanding of the esoteric science of Kundalini, especially from a Masonic perspective, I highly recommend this course of study; I know I did.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Blue Lodge Master Mason – Scottish Rite Mason – York Rite Mason – Knight Mason – Allied Mason – York Rite College – Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest – Red Cross of Constantine – Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

 

 

Claustrum Oil: An Immortal Video Lesson by Hank Kraychir

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, I had the privilege to speak at the Cryptic Education Series: Consciousness event at the San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite. The event was open to the public and well received, which included many Masons, married couples, and even some young men who wanted to know more about how the Claustrum Oil works towards a person’s consciousness and Immortality. The following video was broken down to into four 30 minute sections, over two hours long; so you can easily come back and finish the video at a later time. Keep an open mind and enjoy!!!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir 

Blue Lodge Master Mason – Scottish Rite Mason – York Rite Mason – Knight Mason – Allied Mason – York Rite College – Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest – Red Cross of Constantine – Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

The Elements of the Elements Video Lecture By Timothy Hogan

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, we had the privilege listening to the Honorable Timothy Hogan speak about his new book, The Elements of the Elements at the Cryptic Education Series: Consciousness event at the San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite. The event was open to the public and well received, which included many Masons, married couples, and even some young men who wanted to know more about his beliefs and views. The following video is about an hour and a half long. Enjoy!!!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Blue Lodge Master Mason – Scottish Rite Mason – York Rite Mason – Knight Mason – Allied Mason – York Rite College – Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest – Red Cross of Constantine – Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

Bitcoin (Gold-Sun), Litecoin (Silver-Moon) and Etherium (Ether-Ethereal Realm) are Immortal Money!

As a student of the Masonic esoteric sciences, and as an investor in the world’s next money, the cryptocurrency market, I have discovered a unique parallel. And as a believer in God’s plan for humanity, I contend there are no accidents in this universe. You see, most logical minded people could easily dismiss one coincidence, and in some cases even two, but never three. Such is the case with the top three cryptocurrencies today, Bitcoin, Litecoin and Etherium.

Bitcoin is commonly called gold in the investment world, while Litecoin is often referred to as silver; and most interestingly, Etherium is named Ether for short, and is a fuel for other crypto coin transactions. Well, any knowledgeable student of Freemasonry, and the esoteric sciences, will immediate see another connection. Like that of gold, which often refers to the sun (male), while silver correlates to the moon (female), and ether relates to the etheric realm, and other etheric terms, like that of the etheric body, etc. Let me explain further.

Bitcoin: according to Wikipedia,

Bitcoin (₿) is a cryptocurrency, a form of electronic cash. It is a decentralized digital currency without a central bank or single administrator that can be sent from user to user on the peer-to-peer bitcoin network without the need for intermediaries. Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto and released as open-source software in 2009. Bitcoins are created as a reward for a process known as mining. They can be exchanged for other currencies, products, and services. Research produced by the University of Cambridge estimates that in 2017, there were 2.9 to 5.8 million unique users using a cryptocurrency wallet, most of them using bitcoin.

Litecoin: again, according to Wikipedia,

Litecoin (LTC or Ł) is a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency and open-source software project released under the MIT/X11 license. Creation and transfer of coins is based on an open source cryptographic protocol and is not managed by any central authority. Litecoin was an early bitcoin spinoff or altcoin, starting in October 2011. In technical details, litecoin is nearly identical to Bitcoin. Litecoin was released via an open-source client on GitHub on October 7, 2011 by Charlie Lee, a Google employee and former Engineering Director at Coinbase. The Litecoin network went live on October 13, 2011. It was a fork of the Bitcoin Core client, differing primarily by having a decreased block generation time (2.5 minutes), increased maximum number of coins, different hashing algorithm (scrypt, instead of SHA-256), and a slightly modified GUI. During the month of November 2013, the aggregate value of Litecoin experienced massive growth which included a 100% leap within 24 hours. Litecoin reached a $1 billion market capitalization in November 2013. In May 2017, Litecoin became the first of the top 5 (by market cap) cryptocurrencies to adopt Segregated Witness. Later in May of the same year, the first Lightning Network transaction was completed through Litecoin, transferring 0.00000001 LTC from Zürich to San Francisco in under one second.

Etherium: and finally, according to Wikipedia,

Ethereum is an open-source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform and operating system featuring smart contract (scripting) functionality. It supports a modified version of Nakamoto consensus via transaction-based state transitions. Ether is a token whose blockchain is generated by the Ethereum platform. Ether can be transferred between accounts and used to compensate participant mining nodes for computations performed. Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes. The virtual machine’s instruction set, in contrast to others like Bitcoin Script, is thought to be Turing-complete. “Gas”, an internal transaction pricing mechanism, is used to mitigate spam and allocate resources on the network. Ethereum was proposed in late 2013 by Vitalik Buterin, a cryptocurrency researcher and programmer. Development was funded by an online crowdsale that took place between July and August 2014.Ethereum is an open-source, public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform and operating system featuring smart contract (scripting) functionality. It supports a modified version of Nakamoto consensus via transaction-based state transitions. Ether is a token whose blockchain is generated by the Ethereum platform. Ether can be transferred between accounts and used to compensate participant mining nodes for computations performed. Ethereum provides a decentralized virtual machine, the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which can execute scripts using an international network of public nodes.

One must also think like an ancient alchemist in order to truly understand this relationship. In ancient alchemy, the goal was to transform lead, or base metals, into gold. This may also have been a metaphor for a personal and physical transformation, which is needed to gain an Immortal state of existence. Several Masonic sources use the word gold when referencing the sun, because of its color, and its relationship to light. And of course, silver is considered a white metal, and relates to the moon, or lessor light. Likewise, the sun (gold) is considered masculine, while the moon is considered feminine; similar to the relationship between the pillars Jachin and Boaz, or even Ging and Gang, as above so below, and so forth and so on.

The ether on the other hand is the space between objects, which cannot be seen; but it exists because of its known power (or fuel). Moreover, each person has an etheric body. Once this body’s frequency is raised, it can communicate with and see forces in the ethereal realm. It is also said that spirits, both good and bad live in this realm.

So, why would anyone, or a group of people, use these three terms, Bitcoin=gold, Litecoin=silver and Etherium=ether, or fuel, to promote this new money. I am certain many people will come up with their own ideas; sadly, some with nefarious connections. But for me, I personally think along the lines of divine intervention. The probability of three different creators, of three different cryptocurrencies, aligning these concepts is almost unmeasurable. As a believer in collective consciousness as a means of promoting God’s will and desires, there is no doubt in my mind that it was God who allowed these esoteric beliefs to unite under the banner of cryptocurrency!

Therefore, with the idea that God had a hand in these three currencies, we must now look at its purpose, and the reasons why this is important  Please remember, God uses both good and evil for his own purposes; of which I can personally attest to this doctrinal belief. As such, the alignment of these three cryptocurrencies was no accident, and was done for a specific purpose, for which we can now speculate.

Think about our current economic system for a while; for decades now, economics have speculated about a cataclysmic economic event that would reset the system. The national debt is fast approaching 23 trillion dollars; as such, how our government has been able to keep this system in check is nothing less than a miracle. No other country has ever been able to reach such debt levels. Indeed, from a historical perspective, this economic accomplishment is nothing less than phenomenal. Nevertheless, the question remains, will it continue? History is clear, such debt levels do not end well. History is littered with nations that dismissed the laws of economics, which is where we are now. We, as a nation, have been living on borrowed time. This brings us to the reset.

Many people have speculated that these three cryptocurrencies will be the savior of the United States, and the world. Let me explain. Virtually every country in the world has what is called a parallel economy. In short, this means the people have a monetary alternative to their home country’s money. Like Mexico, which uses the Mexican Peso; but still uses the United States Dollar alongside the Peso. So when the Peso begins to drop in value, the average investor or individual in Mexico can turn in their Pesos for Dollars. Even the United States use to have a parallel currency; it was Gold and Silver at one time. And many people today, still speculate that the United States will return to a Gold backed dollar in the future. This may be possible; however, most people today don’t hold physical dollars, so why should we expect them to walk around with Gold and Silver coinage in their pocket. I do not think this is a realistic measure anymore. I do, however, believe that a crypto type currency, much like credit cards today, will solve the economic usage problem. And yes, cryptocurrency credit cards are in development, as I write and you read this passage.

Furthermore, in support of the above opinions given by your author, I recommend the following text, which points out that Bitcoin will be the escape hatch for our economic system when it collapses:

Bitcoin may be a way out, or “an escape hatch,” as put by ShapeShift chief executive and crypto entrepreneur Erik Voorhees. Bitcoin may be the best way to provide people with a lucrative way to prepare for imminent global recession and collapse of the debt-based system.

Bitcoin is the sensational decentralized cryptocurrency that could be the answer to central banking – which has caused all of the recessions in the recent past. The economy’s outlook is becoming so horrifying that Ray Dalio, the co-founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, recently drew eerie parallels between today and the Great Depression. In a comment made at Davos, the world-renowned investor explained that from 1929 to 1932, there was a lot of “printing of money, and purchases of financial assets,” much like today.

And he isn’t the only one who thinks we could all live through another depression. Peter Schiff, infamous for his uncanny ability to call the Great Recession before the media’s talking heads did, also believes another Great Depression is coming down the pipes, and this one will be worse than the last.

This entire system the central banks have crafted for us will all come crashing down at some point, and decentralization will be the key to ensuring it never has to happen again. For all intents and purposes, the overall economy seems to be doing better than ever, just ask the mainstream media. But that’s all happening while certain fiscal and economic indicators aren’t looking all too hot.

One of the biggest concerns is the global debt crisis. Debt across the board, especially sovereign debt, is passing all-time highs on a daily basis. In fact, since 2008’s fiscal debacle, the nominal value of all forms of debt has increased by dozens of trillions of dollars, as central banks across the globe bolster their balance sheets, firms borrow more to promote their growth, and consumers spend more than ever, all while lenders are seemingly becoming more lenient with each passing day, wrote NewsBTC.

According to Trace Mayer, a long-time advocate for Bitcoin and an anti-centralization free thinker, society has accumulated $87 trillion more debt as humanity’s relentless lust for growth continues, accentuating that governments and society at large haven’t learned from past mistakes. History repeats itself and few on this planet have learned the lessons of the past.

The Peterson Foundation, an American financial services group that is focused on amending the nation’s economic issues, stated that the fiscal situation is “not only unsustainable but accelerating.” And the Federal Reserve has been put into “checkmate” by the very system they designed. There isn’t anything they will be able to.

Will you use Bitcoin as an “escape hatch?”

Furthermore, adoption is already underway; here is a limited list from the article, 10 Signs Cryptocurrency Adoption is Happening Right Now; they are:

• Several US States are moving towards accepting Bitcoin for tax payments
• Argentina begins accepting Bitcoin for public transit fees
• Germany’s largest food delivery app now accepts Bitcoin payments
• You can now use the lightning network to buy Dominos pizza with Bitcoin
• Australian property owners are accepting Bitcoin for real estate sales
• National governments are using Bitcoin to pay for trade deals
• Philippines Central Bank helps launch a two-way Bitcoin ATM
• Wyoming becomes the first US state to enact comprehensive blockchain-friendly legislation
• Latin American countries are adopting cryptocurrency at record rates
• Japan’s largest online retailer is pro-cryptocurrency

Therefore, when our currency starts to falter sometime in the future, we now have an adaptable alternative, a parallel money if you will, which will allow the citizenry of the world to quickly adapt to. At this point in time, I do not see any other realistic alternative money that will serve humanity like that of Bitcoin, Litecoin and Etherium. As such, please prepare accordingly, and may God bless us all during this scary transition.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Blue Lodge Master Mason – Scottish Rite Mason – York Rite Mason – Knight Mason – Allied Mason – York Rite College – Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest – Red Cross of Constantine – Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

Inscription Found On The Central Pillar Of Notre Dame Cathedral, Just After The Last Fire, And Other Pictures

The plague’s writing in French, “Cette flêche a été faite en l’an 1859 M. Viollet-le-Duc étant architecte de la cathédrale, par Bellu, entrepre – (neur en) charpente, Georges étant gacheur des Compagnons Charpentiers du Devoir de Liberté,” in English means, “This arrow was made in the year 1859 Mr. Viollet-le-Duc being architect of the cathedral, by Bellu, entrepreneur – (neur en) framework, Georges being gacheur Companions Carpenters of the Duty of Liberty.”

A close up view:

Here is another photo referencing the craft:

And a pentagram:

A serpent eating its own tail:

More to learn on this site, click here.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

The Nine Great Truths in Masonry and the Sacred Mysteries

In Albert Pike’s book Morals and Dogma (1872), starting on page 533, he discussed the nine great truths in Freemasonry and the sacred mysteries; this article will discuss each of them in detail for the betterment of the ardent student of the Craft.

The first great truth of Freemasonry is, no man has ever seen God. In truth, God is “One, Eternal, All-Powerful, All-Wise, Infinitely Just, Merciful, Benevolent, and Compassionate, Creator and Preserver of all things, the Source of Light and Life, coextensive with Time and Space.” It was His thought that “created the universe, and all living things,” including the soul or body of man, which can be permanent, “while every thing beside is a perpetual genesis.” It should be stressed that this time that the ancients called the human body the soul; sadly, the topic of the soul of often confused with the spirit of man. Moreover, the reference to genesis, which is defined as, “the origin or coming into being of something,” may refer to perpetual life and rebirth of his creation? Here is the original paragraph regarding man’s inability to see God:

No man hath seen God at any time. He is One, Eternal, All-Powerful, All- Wise, Infinitely Just, Merciful, Benevolent, and Compassionate, Creator and Preserver of all things, the Source of Light and Life, coextensive with Time and Space; Who thought, and with the Thought created the universe and all living things, and the souls of men: That Is :—the Permanent; while every thing beside is a perpetual genesis (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 533).

The second great truth is the soul (human body) of man is Immortal. Indeed, Pike uses conflicting language to hide this true meaning; in fact, most people will immediately select that portion of his writing most familiar to themself. Yet, is there a deeper or more hidden meaning? In fact there is, let me explain. First, throw out the veiled language of “to be separated therefrom at death, and return to God who gave it,” and focus on the obvious links to Immortality. Like, the meaning of Immortal, meaning, “exempt from death“, or Immortality, which means, “Immortality is eternal life, being exempt from death, unending existence.” This means, no death stage. Moreover, since the human body is a Temple of God, God lives in man through his spirit; and since man is made in God’s image, he too is a spirit. Man does not have to die to be a spirit, or have the spirit of God in him. Thus, man and God are, “one and identical, a living spirit.” If God does not find a man worthy of Immortality, death is the result, thus, the spirit will leave the body, but this is not the soul, as I have written about in several of my previous postings, including, “Claustrum Oil: An Immortal Lesson,” and “Mortal Obstacles to Immortality and the Seven Deadly Sins.” No one is doubting the separation of the spirit upon death, but again, the spirit is not the soul, “a spark of the Great Central Light, that hath entered into and dwells in the body; to be separated therefrom at death, and return to God who gave it,” and spirit, “still exists and possesses activity and intelligence, even as it existed in God, before it was enveloped in the body.” You see, by dissecting the assumed paragraph below, its true meaning can be revealed, but such knowledge is only given to the worthy student of allegorical thinking and knowledge:

“The Soul of Man is Immortal; not the result of organization, nor an aggregate of modes of action of matter, nor a succession of phenomena and perceptions; but an Existence, one and identical, a living spirit, a spark of the Great Central Light, that hath entered into and dwells in the body; to be separated therefrom at death, and return to God who gave it: that doth not disperse or vanish at death, like breath or a smoke, nor can be annihilated ; but still exists and possesses activity and intelligence, even as it existed in God, before it was enveloped in the body (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 533).

The third great Truth in Masonry is there is an impulse within man to do right, which is a deterrent to crime; this desire is a old has God himself, who is the ruler of heaven and earth. like the King of Rome, Tarquin, such behavior cannot be written into law; for it is guilt that balances our nature. It is not a written law that deters men; no, its man’s relationship with Divine Intelligence. This natural and deeper behavior motivates all men worthy of God presence:

The impulse which directs to right conduct, and deters from crime, is not only older than the ages of nations and cities, but coeval (same age) with that Divine Being who sees and rules both heaven and earth. Nor did Tarquin (Roman King) less violate that Eternal Law, though in his reign there might have been no written law at Rome against such violence; for the principle that impels us to right conduct, and warns us against guilt, springs out of the nature of things. It did not begin to be law when it was first written, nor was it originated; but it is coeval (same age) with the Divine Intelligence itself.  The consequence of virtue is not to be made the end thereof; and laudable performances must have deeper roots, motives, and instigations, to give them the stamp of virtues (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 533).

The fourth great Truth in Masonry is moral truths are just as absolute as metaphysical truths. Actually, God himself does not change the law of effect without cause, or a “phenomena without substance.” Like that of differing between sin and evil, or love and truth, and to moderate one’s passion. Yet there is more, Pike further wrote that the principles of morality are accepted truths, like that of the principles of geometry; and man’s moral laws are necessary like that of nature, for they have existed since the beginning. That these eternal laws continue to exist and are no longer dependant on his will. His essence is, in fact, truth and justice; not because of his unlimited power or our feebleness, but it is our natural duty to observe them, for it is the right thing to do.  God is the arbiter of morality, not by force, but by the sheer will of mankind’s desire to please the creator. It is by his intelligence that man aspires to fulfil his destiny:

The moral truths are as absolute as the metaphysical truths. Even the Deity cannot make it that there should be effects without a cause, or phenomena without substance. As little could He make it to be sinful and evil to respect our pledged word, to love truth, to moderate our passions. The principles of Morality are axioms, like the principles of Geometry. The moral laws are the necessary relations that flow from the nature of things, and they are not created by, but have existed eternally in God. Their continued existence does not depend upon the exercise of His will. Truth and Justice are of His essence. Not because we are feeble and God omnipotent, is it our duty to obey his law. We may be forced, but are not under obligation, to obey the stronger. God is the principle of Morality, but not by His mere will, which, abstracted from all other of His attributes, would be neither just nor unjust. Good is the expression of His will, in so far as that will is itself the expression of eternal, absolute, uncreated justice, which is in God, which His will did not create ; but which it executes and promulgates, as our will proclaims and promulgates and executes the idea of the good which is in us. He has given us the law of Truth and Justice ; but He has not arbitrarily instituted that law. Justice is inherent in His will, because it is contained in His intelligence and wisdom, in His very nature and most intimate essence (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 534).

The fifth great truth in Masonry teaches that there is a distinction between Good and Evil. It further instructs us that Man is a free and intelligent being, because he is conscious of his duty and his power to do so. Moreover, it instructs initiates to naturally adhere to his obligations, to act independent of any contract, and to be aware that the laws of attraction are indeed powerful. That temptations can be resisted; and “that man is not governed by a resistless Fate or inexorable Destiny,” he is free to choose. And finally, that we may attempt to deny our free will and agency, but nature continually pulls us to an Omnipotence of God:

There is an essential distinction between Good and Evil, what is just and what is unjust; and to this distinction is attached, for every intelligent and free creature, the absolute obligation of conforming to what is good and just. Man is an intelligent and free being,—free, because he is conscious that it is his duty, and because it is made his duty, to obey the dictates of truth and justice, and therefore he must necessarily have the power of doing so, which involves the power of not doing so ;—capable of comprehending the distinction between good and evil, justice and injustice, and the obligation which accompanies it, and of naturally adhering to that obligation, independently of any contract or positive law; capable also of resisting the temptations which, urge him toward evil and injustice, and of complying with the sacred law of eternal justice. That man is not governed by a resistless Fate or inexorable Destiny; but is free to choose between the evil and the good: that Justice and Right, the Good and Beautiful, are of the essence of the Divinity, like His Infinitude; and therefore they are laws to man: that we are conscious of our freedom to act, as we are conscious of our identity, and the continuance and connectedness of our existence ; and have the same evidence of one as of the other; and if we can put one in doubt, we have no certainty of either, and everything is unreal : that we can deny our free will and free agency, only upon the ground that they are in the nature of things impossible ; which would be to deny the Omnipotence of God (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 534).

The sixth great truth of Masonry is, moral truths are an obligation. These obligatory truths are the eye of reason and necessary for will; these being the principles of morality. And every act that contradicts these truths deserve to be repressed by punishment and force if necessary, i.e. the rule of law. But ultimately, God is the decider of that punishment, and that such punishments should not be dealt with by the whims of man:

The necessity of practising the moral truths, is obligation. The moral truths, necessary in the eye of reason, are obligatory on the will. The moral obligation, like the moral truth that is its foundation, is absolute. As the necessary truths are not more or less necessary, so the obligation is not more or less obligatory. There are degrees of importance among different obligations ; but none in the obligation itself. We are not nearly obliged, almost obliged. We are wholly so, or not at all. If there be any place of refuge to which we can escape from the obligation, it ceases to exist. If the obligation is absolute, it is immutable and universal. For if that of to-day may not be that of to-morrow, if what is obligatory on me may not be obligatory on you, the obligation would differ from itself, and be variable and contingent. This fact is the principle of all morality. That every act contrary to right and justice, deserves to be repressed by force, and punished when committed, equally in the absence of any law or contract: that man naturally recognizes the distinction between the merit and demerit of actions, as he does that between justice and injustice, honesty and dishonesty; and feels, without being taught, and in the absence of law or contract, that it is wrong for vice to be rewarded or go unpunished, and for virtue to be punished or left unrewarded: and that, the Deity being infinitely just and good, it must follow as a necessary and inflexible law that punishment shall be the result of Sin, its inevitable and natural effect and corollary, and not a mere arbitrary vengeance (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 535).

The seventh great truth of Masonry is respecting the rights of others, and we should do good, and be charitable of a man worthy of an Etheric body. Therefore, charity is the law and an obligation to us, because we will not be satisfied until all suffering and distress are no more. We are distributors of all of God’s goodness; there are no limits to our charity, which goes beyond our mere obligation to the Craft. We do not return evil for evil, or rejoice in the misfortune of others. Our aim is to live peaceably with all of God’s dominion. Since the beginning of time, this has been the aim of Masonry:

The immutable law of God requires, that besides respecting the absolute rights of others, and being merely just, we should do good, be charitable, and obey the dictates of the generous and noble sentiments of the soul (Etheric Body). Charity is a law, because our conscience is not satisfied nor at ease if we have not relieved the suffering, the distressed, and the destitute. It is to give that which he to whom you give has no right to take or demand. To be charitable is obligatory on us. We are the Almoners of God’s bounties. But the obligation is not so precise and inflexible at the obligation to be just. Charity knows neither rule nor limit. It goes beyond all obligation. Its beauty consists in its liberty. “He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” To be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; to relieve the necessities of the needy, and be generous, liberal, and hospitable; to return to no man evil for evil; to rejoice at the good fortune of others, and sympathize with them in their sorrows and reverses; to live peaceably with all men, and repay injuries with benefits and kindness; these are the sublime dictates of the Moral Law, taught from the infancy of the world, by Masonry (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 536).

The eighth great truth in Masonry are the laws that regulate and control God’s Universe are those of harmony and motion. That we only have a limited capacity to see this connection; yet, we can see the end results of such results, like that of evil compared to perfection and goodness; and patience vs. suffering, etc. Only because, without them, man would simply give way to idleness and indolence; there must be light to have shadows:

That the laws which control and regulate the Universe of God, are those of motion and harmony. We see only the isolated incidents of things, and with our feeble and limited capacity and vision cannot discern their connection, nor the mighty chords that make the apparent discord perfect harmony. Evil is merely apparent, and all is in reality good and perfect. For pain and sorrow, persecution and hardships, affliction and destitution, sickness and death are but the means, by which alone the noblest virtues could be developed. Without them, and without sin and error, and wrong and outrage, as there can be no effect without an adequate cause, there could be neither patience under suffering and distress ; nor prudence in difficulty; nor temperance to avoid excess; nor courage to meet danger; nor truth, when to speak the truth is hazardous; aor love, when it is met with ingratitude; nor charity for the needy and destitute; nor forbearance and forgiveness of injuries: nor toleration of erroneous opinions; nor charitable judgment and construction of men’s motives and actions; nor patriotism, nor heroism, nor honor, nor self-denial nor generosity. These and most other virtues and excellencies would have no existence, and even their names be unknown; and the poor virtues that still existed, would scarce deserve the name; for life would be one flat, dead, low level, above which none of the lofty elements of human nature would emerge; and man would lie lapped in contented indolence and idleness, a mere worthless negative, instead of the brave, strong soldier against the grim legions of Evil and rude Difficulty (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 536).

The ninth great truth in Masonry is that justice, wisdom and the mercy of God are perfect and form the trinity of attributes. Moreover, that the law of merit and demerit are also truth, in that goodness deserves to be awarded, while badness should be punished. And that God is representative of all greatness; yet, evil and oppression still exist to give man options. Yet, man still retains the ability to repent and change, despite his previous past. And most importantly, “That all the powers of man’s soul (body) tend to infinity (Ethereal Realm),” which, as many of the followers of this blog already know, the soul is the physical body, not the spirit. This, of course, is further confirmation that man is intended to live forever. Furthermore, the statement, “the universal hope of another life,” refers to an etheric body, which is a necessary connection to the ethereal realm. This belief is further confirmed by the statement, “for man is not an orphan; but hath a Father near at hand,” or simply stated such beliefs are within the reach of each man who desires such a lofty goal; for we know that the “universe is one great Harmony.” Indeed, the souls of each man (body) originally came from God and his domain, were once pure and can return to this original state of perfect bliss and harmony with His creation:

The great leading doctrine of this Degree;—that the Justice, the Wisdom, and the Mercy of God are alike infinite, alike perfect, and yet do not in the least jar or conflict one with the other; but form a Great Perfect Trinity of Attributes, three and yet one: that, the principle of merit and demerit being absolute, and every good action deserving to be rewarded, and every bad one to be punished, and God being as just as He is good; and yet the cases constantly recurring in this world, in which crime and cruelty, oppression, tyranny, and injustice are prosperous, happy, fortunate, and self-contented, and rule and reign, and enjoy all the blessings of God’s beneficence, while the virtuous and good are unfortunate, miserable, destitute, pining away in dungeons, perishing with cold, and famishing with hunger, slaves of oppression, and instruments and victims of the miscreants that govern; so that this world, if there were no existence beyond it, would be one great theatre of wrong and injustice, proving God wholly disregardful of His own necessary law of merit and demerit;—it follows that there must be another life in which these apparent wrongs shall be repaired: That all the powers of man’s soul tend to infinity; and his indomitable instinct of immortality, and the universal hope of another life, testified by all creeds, all poetry, all traditions, establish its certainty; for man is not an orphan; but hath a Father near at hand: and the day must come when Light and Truth, and the Just and Good shall be victorious, and Darkness, Error, Wrong, and Evil be annihilated, and known no more forever: That the universe is one great Harmony, in which, according to the faith of all nations, deep-rooted in all hearts in the primitive ages, Light will ultimately prevail over Darkness, and the Good Principle over the Evil: and the myriad souls that have emanated from the Divinity, purified and ennobled by the struggle here below, will again return to perfect bliss in the bosom of God, to offend against whose laws will then be no longer possible (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 537).

In conclusion, I certainly hope you enjoyed this particular exercise; the parsing of words from ancient text and ideas are certainly not for everyone. No, only the student who seeks higher light will truly come to understand the above related lessons and their relationship to Immortality. The first step is perhaps the hardest, give up your strict mortal thinking and modern training, and learn to accept the ancient ways, and you will find many incredible mysteries. As Above, So Below!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Cryptic Education Series: Consciousness Lecture by Timothy Hogan and Hank Kraychir, on May 4, 2019, at the San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite – See You There!!!

I am humbled to be on the same stage with the honorable Timothy Hogan.

Here is your opportunity to attend a first of its kind, open to the public, Masonic lecture on the ancient belief in physical Immortality. As such, mark you calendar, May 4th, 2019.

Also, feel free to call the phone number on the flyer to get a significant discount for signing up early. In any event, I look forward to meeting everyone at the San Bernardino Valley Scottish Rite.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Blue Lodge Master Mason – Scottish Rite Mason – York Rite Mason – Knight Mason – Allied Mason – York Rite College – Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priest – Red Cross of Constantine – Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.