Lucifer? Part III

Let us now continue where we left off in Lucifer? Part II.

Freemason Albert Pike continued where Eliphas Levi left off; like when he said that the true name of Satan is that of Yahveh reversed, and that Satan is not a black god – rather he is the negation of God. This, of course, aligns with Levi’s words almost verbatim. Furthermore, the Devil is the embodiment of atheism and or idolatry. And here is the kicker, Pike referred to the Devil as not a person, but a force that can be used for both good and evil. It is an instrument of liberty and free will; a force of physical generation, like that of the god Pan or the serpent; the light-bearer or false Lucifer:

The true name of Satan, the Kabalists say, is that of Yahveh reversed; for Satan is not a black god, but the negation of God. The Devil is the personification of Atheism or Idolatry. For the Initiates, this is not a Person, but a Force, created for good, but which may serve for evil. It is the instrument of Liberty or Free Will. They represent this Force, which presides over the physical generation, under the mythologic and horned form of the God PAN; thence came the he-goat of the Sabbat, brother of the Ancient Serpent, and the Light-bearer or Phosphor, of which the poets have made the false Lucifer of the legend (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 76).

Here we see Pike illustrated conflicting perspectives; at first he stressed that in the 19th degree, God is made Divine – reaching the highest level; yet, immediately afterwards, he mentioned that the initiated are taught to despise the works of Lucifer. I took this to mean that this is a common misconception of the degree; for this can be seen immediately afterwards, when it was stated that Lucifer is the Light Bearer – that it was a strange name given to the spirit of darkness; as though he was questioning its meaning. Next we see Pike wrote that Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, bears the Light, but is he blinding feeble and selfish souls? No – he doubted it when he said doubt it not. Pike then came back with the statement that traditions are full of Divine revelations and inspirations; thereby relating it back to Godly traditions, which is the exact opposite of the Church’s view of Lucifer. And finally, he mentioned that inspiration is not defined by any particular time period:

The Apocalypse is, to those who receive the nineteenth Degree, the Apotheosis of that Sublime Faith which aspires to God alone, and despises all the pomps and works of Lucifer. LUCIFER, the Light-bearer! Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of Darkness! Lucifer, the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the Light, and with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble, sensual, or selfish Souls? Doubt it not! for traditions are full of Divine Revelations and Inspirations: and Inspiration is not of one Age nor of one Creed. Plato and Philo, also, were inspired (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 234).

We see Pike now writing about the conviction that God is good led to the belief in an evil principled force – the Devil, which aligned with Lucifer or an adversary. This attempted to explain the existence of evil; too make God’s benevolence consistent with his power and wisdom:

The conviction of all men that God is good led to a belief in a Devil, the fallen Lucifer or Light-bearer, Shaitan the Adversary, Ahriman and Tupho_n, as an attempt to explain the existence of Evil, and make it consistent with the Infinite Power, Wisdom, and Benevolence of God  (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 236).

This point is best exemplified when Pike wrote about how the ancient Persians explained to themselves the two principles – good and evil – and the mastery thereof. Light over darkness – good over evil. Yet, this still left such ideas unexplained. You see, the human mind is always content – it is hard to believe that nothing exists. The human mind will always be content; it cannot believe that the world is based on nothing – including the concept of evil. Faith is always satisfied; it has always been a great source of happiness to the people to believe that a Devil exists – this would relieve God from being the anchor of sin:

To explain to themselves the existence of Evil and Suffering, the Ancient Persians imagined that there were two Principles or Deities in the Universe, the one of Good and the other of Evil, constantly in conflict with each other in struggle for the mastery, and alternately overcoming and overcome. Over both, for the SAGES, was the One Supreme; and for them Light was in the end to prevail over Darkness, the Good over the Evil, and even Ahriman and his Demons to part with their wicked and vicious natures and share the universal Salvation. It did not occur to them that the existence of the Evil Principle, by the consent of the Omnipotent Supreme, presented the same difficulty, and left the existence of Evil as unexplained as before. The human mind is always content, if it can remove a difficulty a step further off. It cannot believe that the world rests on nothing, but is devoutly content when taught that it is borne on the back of an immense elephant, who himself stands on the back of a tortoise. Given the tortoise, Faith is always satisfied; and it has been a great source of happiness to multitudes that they could believe in a Devil who could relieve God of the odium of being the Author of Sin (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 219).

Therefore, evil is personified in an opposing force – not necessarily a single entity, like that of a Devil or Lucifer. This point is clearly displayed when Pike wrote about an adversarial force. The Hebrews held the concept of a good deity and a bad, the Devil, a malicious spirit, Angels of Darkness – ever opposing God. This, of course, was transferred over time into the Christian faith and its general understanding today. Regardless, knowing its origin does not make it correct, as is and will be continually pointed out through his earlier and later writings. Like the plural usage of the word Angles – meaning more than one:

The Hebrews, at least after their return from the Persian captivity, had their good Deity, and the Devil, a bad and malicious Spirit, ever opposing God, and Chief of the Angels of Darkness, as God was of those of Light. The word “Satan” means, in Hebrew, simply, “The Adversary” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 479).

Pike turned his attention to God’s forces are a part of an equilibrium of appetites and senses for good and are not the fruits of a Devil. Notice he said are the fruits of the Devil, rather a Devil – an important distinction – to be detested. This statement aligns with the belief that evil exists, but it is not a single entity, as is so often depicted:

Which possible Equilibrium proves to us that our Appetites and Senses also are Forces given unto us by God, for purposes of good, and not the fruits of the malignancy of a Devil, to be detested, mortified, and, if possible, rendered inert and dead: that they are given us to be the means by which we shall be strengthened and incited to great and good deeds, and are to be wisely used, and not abused; to be controlled and kept within due bounds by the Reason and the Moral Sense; to be made useful instruments and servants, and not permitted to become the managers and masters, using our intellect and reason as base instruments for their gratification (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 624).

This exercise could go on and on; but, I think I have made my point. The point being that Freemasonry has nothing to do with contemporary ideals of Satanism, which are not even close to being factually correct; especially when referencing Lucifer. The word Luciferianism is not the same as Satanism:

Luciferianism is a belief system that venerates the essential characteristics that are affixed to Lucifer. The tradition, influenced by Gnosticism, usually reveres Lucifer not as the devil, but as a liberator, a guardian or guiding spirit… Sometimes mistakenly associated with Satanism due to the Christian interpretation of the fallen angel, Luciferianism is a wholly different belief system and does not revere the devil figure or most characteristics typically affixed to Satan. Rather, Lucifer in this context is seen as one of many morning stars, a symbol of enlightenment, independence, and human progression, and is often used interchangeably with similar figures from a range of ancient beliefs, such as the Greek titan Prometheus or the Jewish Talmudic figure Lilith. Luciferians generally support the protection of the natural world. Both the arts and sciences are crucial to human development and thus both are cherished. Luciferians think that humans should be focused on this life and how to make the most of it every single day. The ability to recognize both good and evil, to accept that all actions have both positive and negative consequences, and to actively influence one’s environment is a key factor.

There you have it; society today has mixed together two different ideals into one. Lucifer has nothing to do with Satan – the Devil; although some have tried to align them together. When you read the above quote, the term Luciferianism sounds a lot like Freemasonry; but because of contemporary misunderstandings, we no longer publicly associate ourselves with that term, which is clearly seen by many Masonic authors today. You see, just like stated above, we (Freemasonry) were influenced by the Gnostics; we are seeking enlightenment – the morning star; we do believe in human progression and the advancement of society, and we also promote both the arts and sciences toward this aim; and finally, as I have mentioned in previous posts on this blog, our literature promotes the ideals of Immortality – the ideals of human longevity; all of which align with Gnostic and Luciferian beliefs. And yet, a great many people make broad statements that are simply not true; like, Freemasonry worships Lucifer. However, it only took a couple of minutes to discover the following quote to dismiss this belief:

Luciferians believe in Lucifer as an actual deity, not to be worshipped as the Judeo-Christian God but to be revered and followed as a teacher and friend, as a rescuer or guiding spirit, or even the one true god as opposed to the traditional creator deity in Judaism.

I know most of you did not see that one coming (*Smile*)! Even Luciferians don’t worship Lucifer; no, rather they consider him to be a teacher, a sage, etc.  Therefore, Luciferianism is actually a belief system that does not require worshipful behavior – like so many pundits claim.

Furthermore, will someone please explain to me what is the problem with the following beliefs – Gnosticism; enlightenment; human progression and the advancement of society; promotion of the arts and sciences; and the ideals of human longevity. Nothing sinister here. In fact, everything just mentioned is a part of our culture and widely accepted by most people today.

It is all too easy to make the claim that Freemasonry promotes Satan or Devil worship when taken out of context for a political agenda. Yet, if one is intellectually honest and studies this topic from an historically accurate perspective, no other conclusion can be given – Luciferianism is not Devil or Satan worship. Absolutely not. And although, Freemasonry teaches many elements of the ancient ideals of Luciferianism, it does not in any way worship Lucifer; rather it looks upon the idea of Lucifer as a teacher or sage of enlightenment.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

 

 

 

 

 

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Lucifer? Part II

We will now continue where we left off in Lucifer? Part I.

Levi calls Lucifer/Satan an irreligious phantom that blasphemes the ideals behind religion itself. As such, he is a non-religious phantom. The definition for phantom is, “a figment of the imagination.” Therefore, Satan/Devil, is a figment of our cultural imagination. Furthermore, Levi unequivocally states that we should do away with this idol; that he is a falsehood:

Such is the irreligious phantom which blasphemes religion. Away with this idol which hides our Saviour. Down with the tyrant of falsehood, the black god of Manicheans, the Ahriman of old idolaters. Live God and His Word incarnate, who saw Satan fall from heaven. And live Mary, the Divine Mother, who crushed the head of the infernal serpent (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 15).

We now hear Levi’s background behind the general misunderstanding of religious traditions, like an attack on saints or examples of goodness, and the slander on divinity and encourage revolt. In short, his diatribe attacks the unrighteousness that is coalesced into the ideal of a Devil – a personification of evil itself, but not an individual or specific force:

So cry with one voice the traditions of saints, and so cry faithful hearts. The attribution of any greatness whatsoever to a fallen spirit is a slander on Divinity; the ascription of any royalty whatsoever to the rebel spirit is to encourage revolt and be guilty, at least in thought, of that crime which the horror of the middle ages termed sorcery. For all the offences visited with death on the old sorcerers were real crimes and were indeed the greatest of all. They stole fire from heaven, like Prometheus; they rode winged dragons and the flying serpent, like Medea; they poisoned the breathable air, like the shadow of the manchineel tree; they profaned sacred things and even used the body of the Lord in works of destruction and malevolence (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 16).

This force is in fact a composite agent, which is just the opposite of a single agent. It is an imagination of nature; an Od, or a “hypothetical power once thought to pervade nature and account for various phenomena, such as magnetism:”

How is all this possible. Because there is a composite agent, a natural and divine agent, at once corporeal and spiritual, an universal plastic mediator, a common receptacle for vibrations of movement and images of form, a fluid and a force which may be called, in a sense at least, the imagination of Nature. By the mediation of this force every nervous apparatus is in secret communication together; hence come sympathy and antipathy, hence dreams, hence the phenomena of second sight and extra-natural vision. This universal agent of Nature’s works is the Od of the Jews and of Reichenbach, the Astral Light of the Martinists, which denomination we prefer as the more explicit (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 16).

Levi defined God as purity; however, Satan is not so clearly defined. In fact, the spirit of darkness is not a personality, nor a black god, it is a perversity; in fact, he states that Satan has many forces, not a single one, “My name is legion… for we are many:”

By its clear formulation of concepts respecting the Divine, Christianity leads us to the understanding of God as the most absolute and the most purest love, while it defines, not less clearly, the spirit which is opposed to God, the spirit of revolt and hatred: hereof is Satan. But this spirit is not a personality and is not to be regarded as a kind of black god: it is a perversity which is common to all extralineal intelligences. “My name is legion,” says Satan in the Gospel, “for we are many” (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 187).

Levi discusses the biblical reference to Lucifer, “‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, Son of the Morning?” This particular quote has often been taken out of context by pundits of the Craft to justify their illogical thinking. He asks the question, does this mean the Morning Star of intelligence was changed somehow? – of course not – just misinterpreted or misapplied. In essence, Satan is a personification of evil and sin; in countless forms, Satan personifies the idea of disorder, whereas, God represents order:

The birth of intelligence may be compared to the Star of the Morning and, after it has shone for an instant, if it fall of its own accord into the void of darkness, we may apply to it that apostrophe which was uttered by Isaiah to the king of Babylon: ”How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, Son of the Morning?” But does this mean that the celestial Lucifer, the Morning Star of intelligence, has been changed into a brand of hell? Can the name of Light-bearer be applied justly to the angel of trespass and of darkness? We think not, more especially if it be understood, as we understand, who have the magical tradition behind us, that the hell personified by Satan, and symbolised by the old serpent, is that central fire which encompasses the earth, consuming all that it produces and devouring its own tail, like the serpent of Kronos—in a word, that Astral Light of which the Almighty spoke to Cain when He said: “If thou doest evil, sin shall be straightway at thy gates”—that is to say, disorder will take possession of all thy senses; “yet unto thee I have made subject the lust of death, and it is for thee to rule it” (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 188).

Now we hear that the divine view of Satan is actually a blunder; that Satan was made divine, although it is a passive force. Furthermore, the Church made its stance that devil had become their object or creation:

The royal and almost divine personification of Satan is a blunder which goes back to the false Zoroaster, or otherwise, to the sophisticated doctrine of the later and materialistic Magi of Persia; it was they who represented the two poles of the intellectual world as deities, making a divinity out of passive force in contradistinction to that force which is active. We have indicated that the same grave error was made by Indian mythology. Ahriman or Siva is the father of the demon, as the latter is understood by superstitious makers of legend, and hence it was said by our Saviour: “The devil is a liar like his father.” On this question the Church rests satisfied with the Gospel texts and has published no dogmatic decisions, having the definition of the devil as their object (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 188).

You see, good Christians are taught to avoid the topic of satan, the devil; instead, thinking only of God and his graces. The object of our purpose is not to omit what the church teaches regarding this omission; no, our objective is to correct the error as it relates to the occult sciences:

Good Christians avoid even naming him, while religious moralists recommend the faithful to take no concern regarding him, seeking to resist his arts by thinking only of God. We cannot but admire this wise reserve on the part of priestly teaching. Why indeed should the light of doctrine be reflected on him who is intellectual obscurity and darkest night of the heart. Let the spirit which would distract us from the knowledge of God remain unknown by us. It is assuredly not of our intention to perform what the Church has omitted; we certify on such a subject only as to the secret instruction of initiates in the occult sciences (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 188).

Therefore, according to the occult sciences, not the Christian Church, Lucifer, the “Great Magical Agent,” is a “vehicle of light;” a “mediating force.” It is a force of duality, creation as well as destruction that is within each individual; a choice, a madness, an hallucination and even visions and ecstasies. The word ecstasies can be defined as, “an emotional or religious frenzy or trancelike state, originally one involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence.” As such, Lucifer can also defined as a feeling, often based on ones decisions; and intelligence within man himself:

They have said that the Great Magical Agent—accurately termed Lucifer because it is the vehicle of light and the receptacle of all forms—is a mediating force diffused throughout creation; that it serves for creation and destruction; that the fall of Adam was an erotic intoxication which made his race subject to that fatal light; that all amorous passion which invades the senses is a whirlpool of this light, seeking to draw us down into the gulf of death; that madness, hallucinations, visions, ecstasies constitute an exceedingly dangerous exaltation of this interior phosphorus; finally, that the light in question is of the nature of fire, that it is warming and vivifying in its prudent use, but that it burns, dissolves and destroys in its excess (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 188).

Levi makes a distinction between the light of man, which earns him Immortality, and on the other hand, man’s intoxication with eternal destruction. These battling ideals between good and evil need a face, a figure to blame; God on the one hand and an adversary on the other. Yet, the adversary is an idea, not a single entity. Lucifer, therefore, is a phantom of life that escapes from an individual that results in misery, which we call the devil or satan. Even hell is included in this illusionary image:

Over this light man is called, on the one hand, to assume a sovereign empire, so earning his immortality, but, on the other, he is menaced by the intoxication, absorption and eternal destruction thereof. In its devouring, avenging and fatal aspect, the Astral Light may be called the fire of hell, the serpent of legend, while the tormented sin which abounds therein, the tears and the gnashing of teeth on the part of the abortions that it consumes, the phantom of life which escapes them and seems to insult their misery—all this may be termed the devil or Satan. Among the pomps and works of hell may be included, in fine, those actions, those illusionary images of pleasure, wealth and glory which are misdirected by the vertigo of this light (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 189).

This next section is incredibly important if one wants to understand the position of Levi; here he equates evil to that of a manifestation, a disorder, an hallucination or delirium of a diseased mind. That such thinking is repugnant to a sage or even an initiate. Indeed, there are astral disturbances when it comes to demons; but there is a distinction between the diseased mind and even a demon force or forces, and that of a single spirit, which many have referred to as Lucifer or satan the devil.

Father Hiiarion Tissot regards certain nervous diseases which are accompanied by hallucinations and delirium as diabolical possessions and, understood in the sense of the Kabalists, he is right assuredly. Whatsoever delivers our soul to the fatality of vertigo is truly infernal, since heaven is the eternal reign of order, intelligence and liberty. The possessed people of the Gospel fled away from Jesus Christ ; the oracles were silenced in the presence of the Apostles; while those who are prey to the disease of hallucination have ever manifested an invincible repugnance for initiates and sages. The suspension of oracles and obsessions proved the triumph of human liberty over fatality. When astral diseases reappear, it is an ominous sign of spiritual enervation, and manifestations of this kind are followed invariably by fatal disorders. The disturbances here referred to continued till the French Revolution, and the fanatics of Saint-Medard were the prophets of its sanguinary calamities. The famous criminologist Torreblanca, who had gone to the root of Diabolical Magic, describes accurately all the phenomena of astral disturbance, when classifying the works of the demon (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 189).

To better understand what Levi was writing about, I have separated the following for clearer study and absorption. You see, the ancients looked upon the idea of demons as a disorder of the mind; often displayed in imaginary forms, which resulted in frenzied behavior. Not something a sage would seek:

Here are some extracts from the 15th chapter of his work on Operative Magic:

• (1) The demon is endeavouring continually to lead us into error.
• (2) He deludes the senses by disturbing the imagination, though he cannot change its nature.
• (3) When things abnormal are manifested to the eye of man, an imaginary body assumes shape in the mind and so long as that phantom remains therein, the phenomena continue.
• (4) The demon destroys equilibrium in the imagination by a disturbance of the vital functions, whether by irregularity in health or actual disease.
• (5) When some morbid cause has destroyed this equilibrium, and that also of reason, waking dream becomes possible and that which has no existence assumes the semblance of reality.
• (6) The mental perception of images in this manner makes sight unworthy of trust.
• (7) Visions are bodied forth, but they are merely thought-forms.
• (8) The ancients distinguished two orders of disease, one of them being the perception of imaginary forms, which was termed frenzy, and the other corybantism, or the hearing of voices and other sounds which have no existence (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 189).

Levi continues to explain his point that a Demon is in fact a disease:

It follows from these statements, which are curious in several respects, that disease is attributed by Torreblanca to the demon, who indeed is disease itself, with which we should agree entirely—if permitted by dogmatic authority (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 190).

To which, Levi specifically illustrates that disease held instinctively a spirit of perversity and a love of destruction; that it was an astral perversity of hate and death:

The recurring efforts of the Astral Light to disintegrate and absorb entities are part of its nature; its ceaseless currents have a wearing effect like water and it consumes even as fire, for it is the very essence and dissolving force of fire. The spirit of perversity and the love of destruction which characterise those whom it governs are instincts of this force. They are further consequent on the suffering of the soul, which is conscious of incomplete life and feels torn in opposite directions. The soul yearns to make an end of itself, yet fears to die alone, and therefore would include all creation in its destruction. Such astral perversity assumes frequently the form of the hatred of children; an unknown power impels certain subjects to kill them, and imperious voices seem to demand their death. Dr. Brierre de Boismont cites terrible examples of this mania, recalling the crimes of Papavoine and Henriette Cornier (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 190).

Here we see Levi writing about the sufferers of astral perversion as being malevolent or evil; that they are jealous of others happiness. They have no hope. Their life is associated or synonymous with suffering and even death. In fact, this astral perversion hinders the act of regeneration, leading to death itself:

Sufferers from astral perversion are malevolent, and they are jealous at the joy of others; they are especially inimical to hope, and even when offering consolation they choose the most desperate and heartrending figures of speech. That explanation is that their life is synonymous with suffering and that they have been whirled into the dance of death. It is, moreover, astral perversion and the lust of death which abuses the act of generation, leading to its perversion or dishonour by sacrilegious mockeries and shameful pleasantries. Obscenity is a blasphemy against life (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 191).

More specifically, the above vices are attributed to a demon, or a distorted reflection of divinity (God); these are the idols of death, not life. Levi also lists several examples of demon associated entities:

Each of these vices is personified by a black idol or by a demon, which is the negative and distorted reflection of the divinity who communicates life: these are idols of death. Moloch is the fatality which devours infants. Satan and Nisroch are gods of hatred, fatality and despair. Astarte, Lilith, Nehamah, Ashtaroth are idols of debauchery and abortion. Adramelech is the god of murder, while Belial is that of eternal revolt and anarchy. Such are the monstrous conceptions of reason, when it pauses on the verge of extinction and slavishly worships its destroyer, so that it may reach the end of its torment by the destroyer absorbing it (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 191).

Even more confusingly, Levi makes mentioned that the true name of Satan is that of Jehovah – Satan is not a black god – he is the negation or opposite of Deity (God). Satan is the personification of atheism or the none belief in Divinity, and of idolatry or false worship. Furthermore, the devil is not a personality, but a force applied to evil, and is personified through such figures at the horned god Pan – hence the goat like figure – a false lucifer:

According to the Kabalists, the true name of Satan is that of Jehovah reversed, for Satan is not a black god but the negation of Deity. He is the personification of atheism and idolatry. The devil is not a personality for initiates but a force created with a good object, though it can be applied to evil: it is really the instrument of liberty. They represented this force, which presides over physical generation, under the mythological figure of the horned god Pan, and hence comes the goat of the Sabbath, brother of the old serpent, the light-bearer or phosphorus, converted by poets into the false Lucifer of legend (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p. 191).

I hope you enjoyed Lucifer? Part II. Next month, this series will continue with Lucifer? Part III. Until then, enjoy life forever my friends!

So Mote It Be!!!

Hank Kraychir

Lucifer? Part I

OK, it’s now time to deal with one of the last major lingering issues that pundits continually throw about in order to attack Freemasonry; yes, as the title suggests, it is now time to write about the topic of Lucifer.

I am often asked by unknowing individuals about this topic; which means this issue is perhaps one of the most destructive lies told today, as it had been throughout our history. Sadly, as enlightened as our society has become today, it would rather believe a lie then research the topic in order to discover the truth for themselves. We (Freemasonry) have made many valiant efforts to reassure the public that Freemasonry harbors no such views or conducts such activities. Nevertheless, as Pike affirmed, “the masses need a teaching proportioned to their imperfect reason”  (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 104).​ I will, therefore, endeavor to better explain the topic to the satisfaction of the uninitiated public.

Freemason Eliphas Levi wrote that God’s goodness is eternal, not evil; and asked the question, according to the creed of the church, would it not be blasphemy to believe in Lucifer? Yes, of course it would be; that is why we don’t:

“good alone is infinite; evil is not; and hence if God be the eternal object of faith, then the devil belongs to science. In which of the catholic creeds is there any question concerning him? Would it not be blasphemy to say that we believe in him” (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  11)?

Levi went on to debate the definition of Lucifer:

In Holy Scripture he is named but not defined. Genesis makes no allusion to a reputed revolt of angels; it ascribes the fall of Adam to the serpent, as to the most subtle and dangerous of living beings. We are acquainted with Christian tradition on this subject; but if that tradition is explicable by one of the greatest and most diffused allegories of science, what can such solution signify to the faith which aspires only to God, which despises the pomps and works of Lucifer” (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  11).

And here is the first indicator that we (Freemasons) do not worship the spirit of darkness (i.e. Satan):

Lucifer—Light-Bearer—how strange a name, attributed to the spirit of darkness! Is it he who carries the light and yet blinds feeble souls? The answer is yes, unquestionably; for traditions are full of divine disclosures and inspirations. “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light,” says St. Paul. And Christ Himself said: “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” So also the prophet Isaiah: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning” (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  11).

I know, I know, you are more than likely scratching your head at this point. Well, this double sided viewpoint will start to make more sense in a moment. Levi continued with a specific explanation about Lucifer by asking the question is Lucifer a person or a force, etc?:

Lucifer is then a fallen star—a meteor which is on fire always, which burns when it enlightens no longer. But is this Lucifer a person or a force, an angel or a strayed thunder bolt? Tradition supposes that it is an angel, but the Psalmist says: “Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire.” The word angel is applied in the Bible to all messengers of God—emissaries or new creations, revealers or scourges, radiant spirits or brilliant objects. The shafts of fire which the Most High darts through the clouds are angels of His wrath, and such figurative language is familiar to all readers of eastern poetry (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  12).

So Levi raised several additional questions about Lucifer. Yet, I am confused; I thought we already knew that Lucifer was Satan, the Devil. I thought the issue had already been resolved; I guess not. He (Levi) now asks the question, is Lucifer nothing more than a diseased imagination?:

Having been the world’s terror through the period of the middle ages, the devil has become its mockery. Heir to the monstrous forms of all false gods cast down successively from their thrones, the grotesque scarecrow has turned into a mere bugbear through very deformity and hideousness. Yet observe as to this that those only dare to laugh at the devil who know not the fear of God. Can it be that for many diseased imaginations he is God’s own shadow, or is he not often the idol of degenerate souls who only understand supernatural power as the exercise of cruelty with impunity (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  12)?

Levi, in the next paragraph, better states his point, which is, does the Devil even exist, that it may be nothing more than a superstition, a ridiculous invention:

But it is important to ascertain whether the notion of this evil power can be reconciled with that of God—in a word, whether the devil exists, and in such case what he is. There is no longer any question of superstition or of ridiculous invention; it is a question of religion alone and hence of the whole future, with all the interests, of humanity (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  12).

Next he debates the reasoning powers, especially as it relates to spiritual powers vs materiel desires. Be patent, Levi is simply laying the groundwork for another point:

Strange reasoners indeed are we: we call ourselves strong-minded when we are indifferent to everything except material advantages, as, for example, money; and we leave to their own devices the ideas which are mothers of opinions and may, or at least can, by their sudden veering, upset all fortunes. A conquest of science is much more important than the discovery of a gold mine. Given science, gold is utilized in the service of life; given ignorance, wealth furnishes only destroying weapons (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  12).

Levi now discusses the influence the Church has had on the understanding of Lucifer; that we have deferred our reasoning to that of the Church.

For the rest, it is to be understood absolutely that our scientific revelations pause in the presence of faith, that—as Christian and Catholic—our work is submitted entirely to the supreme judgment of the Church. This said, to those who question the existence of a devil, we would point out that whatsoever has a name exists; speech may be uttered in vain, but in itself it cannot be vain, and it has a meaning invariably. The Word is never void, and if it be written that it is in God, as also that it is God, this is because it is the expression and the proof of being and of truth. The devil is named and personified in the Gospel, which is the Word of truth; he exists therefore and can be considered as a person. But here it is the Christian who defers: let science or reason speak; these two are one (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  13).

Levi confirms the fact that evil does exist; however, does this evil emanate from one source, like that of a Devil?:

Evil exists; it is impossible to doubt it; we can work good or evil. There are beings who work evil knowingly and willingly. The spirit which animates these beings and prompts them to do ill is bewrayed, turned aside from the right road, and thrown across the path of good as an obstacle; this is the precise meaning of the Greek word diabolos, which we render as devil (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  13).

Further research into the word diabolos came up with the following definition:

The Devil (from Greek: διάβολος diábolos “slanderer, accuser”) is the personification and archetype of evil in various cultures. Historically, the Devil can be defined as the personification of whatever is perceived in society as evil and the depiction consist of its cultural traditions.

Even more specific, the word personification can be defined as: “an imaginary person or creature conceived or figured to represent a thing or abstraction.” Therefore, at least according to Levi, by way of the use of the word diabolos, the Devil is nothing more than an imaginary creature.

Levi further defines evil as being, “a devil” or diabolos, an imaginary creature; he did not say the devil, no, he wrote “a devil,” as though it was not a single entity, rather it was a combination of entities, a personification; and even more importantly, he leave the open ended question, who is the father of the devil?:

The spirits who love and perform evil are accidentally bad. There is therefore a devil who is the spirit of error, wilful ignorance, vertigo; there are beings under his obedience who are his envoys, emissaries, angels; and it is for this reason that the Gospel speaks of an eternal fire which is prepared, and in a sense predestined, for the devil and his angels. These words are themselves a revelation, so let us search their meaning, giving, in the first place, a concise definition of evil. Evil is the absence of rectitude in being. Moral evil is falsehood in action, as the lie is a crime in speech. Injustice is of the essence of lying, and every lie is In injustice. When that which we utter is just, there is no falsity. When that which we do is equitable and true in mode, there is no sin. Injustice is the death of moral being, as lying is the poison of intelligence. The false spirit is therefore a spirit of death. Those who hearken to him become his dupes and are by him poisoned. But if we had to take his absolute personification seriously, he would be himself absolutely dead and absolutely deceived, which means that the affirmation of his existence must imply a patent contradiction. Jesus said that the devil is a liar like his father. Who then is the father of the devil (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  14)?

In short, the answer to the question of who is the father of the devil is, whoever gives the idea of the devil, the diabolos, the personification, his power is the father:

Whosoever gives him a personal existence by living in accordance with his inspirations; the man who diabolises himself is the father of the incarnate spirit of evil (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  14).

Yet, despite this historical fact, pundits of the Craft, like the Pharisee who hated Jesus and his teachings, continue to throw about the false idea of Lucifer, which is nothing but a hybrid creation or a pretended hero of the black eternities:

But there is a rash, impious and monstrous conception, traditional like the pride of the Pharisees, and in fine there is a hybrid creation which armed the paltry philosophy of the eighteenth century with an apparent defence. It is the false Lucifer of the heterodox legend—that angel proud enough to think that he was God, brave enough to buy independence at the price of eternal torment, beautiful enough to worship himself in the plenary Divine Light; strong enough to reign still in darkness and in dole and to make a throne of his inextinguishable fire. It is the Satan of the heretical and republican Milton, the pretended hero of black eternities, calumniated by deformity, bedecked with horns and talons which would better become his implacable tormentor (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  14).

Believers in the devil have made him king of evil, as if evil were a kingdom; that intelligent men would succumb to this false fear; that eternal lie; that somehow, God tolerates this contradiction or that he is the devil of God:

It is the devil who is king of evil, as if evil were a kingdom, who is more intelligent than the men of genius that fear his wiles. It is {a) that black light, that darkness with eyes, that power which God has not willed but which no fallen creature could create; that prince of anarchy served by a hierarchy of pure spirits; that exile of God who on earth seems, like Him, everywhere, but is more tangible, is more for the majority in evidence, and is served better than God himself; that conquered one, to whom the victor gives his children that he may devour them; that artificer of sins of the flesh, to whom flesh is nothing, and who therefore can be nothing to flesh, unless indeed he be its creator and master, like God; that immense, realised, personified and eternal lie; that death which cannot die; that blasphemy which the Word of God will never silence; that poisoner of souls whom God tolerates by a contradiction of His omnipotence or preserves as the Roman emperors guarded Locusta among the trophies of their reign; that executed criminal, living still to curse his Judge and still have a cause against him, since he will never repent; that monster accepted as executioner by the Sovereign Power, and who, according to the forcible expression of an old catholic writer, may term God the God of the devil by describing himself as a devil of God (Eliphas Levi, The History of Magic, 1860, p.  14).

This topic will be discussed further next month in part II. Nevertheless, until the next article is finalized, please remember and reflect upon a very important quote from Albert Pike, who wrote, “The symbols of the wise are the idols of the vulgar” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 819). This point is significant, because, although we may utilize ancient symbols in our teachings, we do not worship them; they are simply used to teach greater meanings and for instruction. And unfortunately, due to a lack of knowledge and understanding, the profane (vulgar) use such symbols as idols, like that of baphomet (See picture above) to represent the devil or lucifer. Yet, that was not its intent, as will be discussed next month.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Jesus Influenced Freemasonry or was it the Other Way Around?

I am often perplexed by the Masonic cognoscenti (pundit) that claims Christian beliefs do not belong or have anything to do with Freemasonry. Sadly, this belief is often perpetuated in many Masonic Blue Lodges. It is true that no one belief is taught within the Craft; in fact, it is well understood that Masonic lessons and ideas predate most contemporary religions. Nevertheless, even this fact is often lost within the Craft due to the belief in not harming another Brothers feelings; that we need to be more inclusive. In no way am I claiming the Craft is a Christian order; no, my writing will make the point that the ideas that Jesus promoted most certainly influenced the Craft – as have other religious ideas from various religions.

Moreover, it can also be argued that the ideas within Freemasonry more than likely influenced Jesus. This can be clearly seen in the York Rite bodies, which are filled with pre-Christian and post-Christian doctrine. Always remember, the story of Hiram and the Building of King Solomon’s Temple did not originate with Christianity; although, there are similarities, through allegory, to the death of Jesus. No, the story’s premise actually predates the Jesus era. It has been written, the teachings of Christ can actually be traced to the mystery schools and teachings that dominated the Mediterranean area and time period before and after Jesus; like the mystery schools from Greece, Rome and Alexandria, etc.  Therefore, in order to make my point, I will now break down Jesus’s word from his now famous Sermon on the Mount, which may include comments from your author.

Taken and adapted from Matthew Chapters 5-7, New International Version (NIV).

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount:

• Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
• His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes (Blessings): (These Blessing are used in several Masonic bodies).

•        He said:
• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
• Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
• Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
• Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are a Shinning Light:

• You are the salt of the earth. (Salt is an important component of Alchemy, which is taught within Freemasonry).
• But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? (Same as previously mentioned).
• It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Same as previously mentioned).
• You are the light of the world. (Light is taught in every level of Freemasonry).
• A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. (The truth is often hidden from the uninitiated, but not from the educated and informed Mason). 
• Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. (an allegory about the uninformed vs. the informed; a lesson within the Craft). 
• Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (A light on a lamp is used within several levels of Freemasonry; including Blue Lodge). 
• In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (The changes a Mason makes in his character, if properly learned and applied, will become visible to the world). 

How to Treat Others (Law and Reward):

• Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. (A Mason has not come to change Masonic traditions; no, he has come to fulfill his responsibilities by following its laws). 
• For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (This confirms the previous statement).
• Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Freemasonry has levels; those who are worthy rise within the ranks and those who do not, remain in lower ranks; much of it based on behavior and commitment to the Craft and its laws and traditions).
• For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Those men found unworthy will never be allowed to join the Craft). 

Anger and Murder – Punishment (Alternative Path):

• You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ (The story of Hiram Abiff is an allegorical story about the ills of such behavior). 
• But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. (Masonry teaches us Brotherly love).
• Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Masonry teaches to have only friendly conversations; and the dangers of talking about such things as politics, religion and sexuality, etc).
• Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Masonry instructs men to be perfect, like God; one would be a hypocrite if he went to God and ask for something, if he had not made things right with his brother).
• Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. (Masonry teaches men to humble themselves, to admit their faults and to become better men; that life is full of lessons, including those of evil). 
• Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. (Masonry instructs a man that his word is his bond; if your agree to it verbally or agree to something in writing, you are required to do your best to fulfil those obligations). 
• Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Masonry instructs men that their are sanctions for bad behavior; as well as rewards to good behavior).  

Adultery and Lust:

• You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ (Freemasonry instructs a man to love and be faithful to his wife).
• But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Freemasonry also instruct a man to have a pure heart).
• If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. (This lesson is used as a sign in a York Rite Body).
• It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (This lesson is used as a sign in a York Rite Body).
• And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. (This lesson is used as a sign in a York Rite Body).
• It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (This lesson is used as a sign in a York Rite Body).

Divorce:

• It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ (Freemason are taught to follow civil law).
• But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Freemasonry instruct a man to have a pure heart).

Oaths:

• Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ (Freemasonry instructs a man to fulfill his obligations).
• But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. (Freemasons often take oaths, but they are only binding to each other; God is only our witness. Masons are taught not swear an oath to God; such activity is personal).
• And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. (As mentioned previously).
• All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (As mentioned previously).

Do Not Resist Evil, But Instead Help Others:

• You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. (York Rite in particular teaches this lesson).
• And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (A lesson within York Rite).

Love Your Enemy; Be Perfect:

• You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Freemasonry instructs men about God’s love and power).
• If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity; despite what others do).
• And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others. (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity).
• Do not even pagans do that? (Freemasonry teaches love for all of humanity; despite what others do).
• Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Freemasonry is about make men better than their natural state; in God’s image).

Boasting (Secrecy and Reward):

• Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. (Freemasonry instructs men to be silent; not to boast).
• If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Freemasonry instructs men that rewards come from God; not other men).
• So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. (Freemasonry instructs men to be silent; not to boast).
• Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (Freemasonry teaches that God loves all of his creations).
• But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. (Freemasonry instructs men to be silent; not to boast).
• Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Freemasonry instructs men that rewards come from God; not other men).

Prayer and Forgiveness(Secrecy and Reward):

• And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. (Masonic prayers are most often conducted in secret; hidden from public view).
• Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (Freemasonry instructs men that rewards come from God; not other men).
• But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. (Masonic prayers are most often conducted in secret; hidden from public view).
• Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Knowledgeable Masons know that if righteous behavior is done in secret, God may reward him; that boasting is done in bad taste).
• And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. (Freemasonry instructs its priests and prelates to keep prayers short and on topic).
• Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Freemasons are taught that God is all Powerful and all knowing; i.e. the Eye of God).
• This, then, is how you should pray: (The Lords Prayer is specifically conducted in a York Rite Body; but maybe used elsewhere in Freemasonry).
  • Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
  • Give us today our daily bread.
  • And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
  • And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
  • For yours is the kingdom and power forever.
  • Amen.
• For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Freemasonry teaches forgiveness).
• But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Same as listed previously).

Fasting (Secrecy and Reward):

• When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. (Fasting is a healthy activity conducted by many knowledgeable Masons; but is something done in private).
• Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (Freemasonry teaches that God loves all of humanity, despite its failures).
• But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Knowledgeable Masons know that if righteous behavior is done in secret, God may reward him; that boasting is done in bad taste).

Treasures (Do Right):

• Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (Freemasonry teaches to feed the poor, etc; that their rewards come from God, often rewarded in the future).
• But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Same as previously mentioned).
• For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Freemasonry instructs that rewards come from God, often rewarded in the future).

Eye (Outlook):

• The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. (Freemasonry teaches love).
• But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. (Freemasonry also instructs its initiates the lessons of failure).
• If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Freemasonry teaches that each man is given a choice).

Masters:

• No one can serve two masters. (Blue Lodge Masons are taught that the Master rules his Lodge; just like a Commander rules his Commandery. The lesson of one ruler permeate all Masonic orders).
• Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. (Same as listed previously).
• You cannot serve both God and money. (Just like one God is one ruler, Freemasonry instructs such a rule).

Life:

• Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. (Freemasonry instructs men not to fear life, but to love and enjoy it).
• Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (Same as previously mentioned).
• Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (Freemasonry teaches that God has a plan).
• Are you not much more valuable than they? (Based on Biblical and Masonic teaches, all God’s creations are important; however, man, being made in God’s image, is more important than his other creations).
• Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (It is well understood within the Craft, especially Scottish Rite’s esoteric teachings, that negative behavior shortens ones life span).

Do Not Worry About Materiel Things:

• And why do you worry about clothes? (Freemasonry instructs its initiates that God is firmly in control of your status in life).
• See how the flowers of the field grow. (Same as previously mentioned).
• They do not labor or spin. (Same as previously mentioned).
• Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (Freemasonry uses King Solomon as a metaphor for various instructions).
• If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Freemasonry teaches men to have faith in God).
• So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (Freemasonry teaches men to have faith in God and his plan for each man).
• For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Freemasons are taught that when useful knowledge is given, not all will listen).
• But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Freemasonry teaches men to have faith in God and his plan for each man).
• Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Freemasonry teaches men to have faith in God and his plan for each man).

Judging Others:

• Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (A clearly taught lesson within the Craft).
• For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (A clearly taught lesson within the Craft).
• Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (A metaphor for the previous lesson).
• How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? (A metaphor for the previous lesson).
• You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (A metaphor for the previous lesson).

Sacred Knowledge:

• Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Freemasonry instructs its followers not to reveal the mysteries to the profane).

Ask, Seek and Knock:

• Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Knocking is apart of Masonic tradition when asking for entrance into an activity).
• For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (A lesson within the Blue Lodge).

How to Treat Others:

• Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (A Masonic lesson: seek God’s blessing, not man’s favor).
• Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? (A Masonic lesson: seek God’s blessing, not man’s favor).
• If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (A Masonic lesson: seek God’s blessing, not man’s favor).
• So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (A Masonic lesson: seek God’s blessing, not man’s favor).

The Narrow Path:

• Enter through the narrow gate. (A Masonic lesson: follow God’s way; not man’s).
• For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (A Masonic lesson: follow God’s way; not man’s).
• But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (A Masonic lesson: follow God’s way; not man’s).

False Prophets (Teachers):

• Watch out for false prophets. (Masonic lesson: based on the teaching Faith, Hope and Charity; Faith in God, Hope in Immorality and Charity towards all; and the Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• By their fruit you will recognize them. (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).
• Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Masonic lesson: eye to see and ears to hear).

True and False Followers:

• Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Masonic lesson: based on the teaching Faith, Hope and Charity; Faith in God, Hope in Immorality and Charity towards all; in particular Faith in God).
• Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ (A Masonic lesson: Faith in God).
• Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (A Masonic lesson: Faith in God).

The Rock (Stone):

• Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (The Masonic lessons based on the Rock or Stone; a rough ashlar turned into a smooth ashlar).
• The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (The Masonic lessons based on the Rock or Stone; a rough ashlar turned into a smooth ashlar).
• But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (The Masonic lessons based on the Rock or Stone; a rough ashlar turned into a smooth ashlar).
• The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (The Masonic lessons based on the Rock or Stone; a rough ashlar turned into a smooth ashlar).

Conclusion:

• When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Therefore, I certainly hope this exercise helped put the issue of Christian influence on the Craft into a better perspective. Thanks for reading!

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Rhetorical Debate is Unbecoming of a Freemason

I am often confronted with the Masonic pundit who enjoys demonstrating his endowed intelligence through the use of Rhetorical Debate. To be honest, I am still puzzled with this contemporary phenomenon. They perhaps learn it through television shows and news broadcasts, which love to use intelligent pundits to throw trash back and forth for the entertainment and enjoyment of its viewers. This may be akin to the Roman gladiators fighting to the death for the joy of the spectators in the Coliseum; sadly, little have we changed as a people. I think in some little way, many people enjoy watching others have their character destroyed; perhaps it makes them feel better about themselves and the lack of standing in society? Who knows for sure?

Yet still, many Freemasons reading this writing may be thinking to themselves that such behavior is OK. Well, I hope to persuade some of them at least that such behavior is unbecoming of a Freemason; and especially the Mason who desires the attainment of Immortality.

So what does Rhetorical mean? Here are but just a few definitions:

• language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable.
• a type or mode of language or speech; also : insincere or grandiloquent language.

Definition of grandiloquence:

• a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language.

Definition of pompous:

• having or showing an attitude of someone who thinks he or she is better than other people.

Definition of bombastic:

• marked by or given to speech or writing that is given exaggerated importance by artificial or empty means.

Furthermore, the word debate can be defined as:

• to argue about.
• the subject was hotly debated.

As such, we can see that the two words “rhetorical” and “debate,” especially when put together, can have a negative effect, particularly when one refers to spiritual influences.  It has been said that we are the sum total of our experiences, and that they are often demonstrated through our expressions.

Indeed, God has endowed man with the skills to debate issues of importance. However, ask yourself, is such an instance a fight or flight circumstance? You see, we have been built with the abilities to defend ourselves both physically, as well as intellectually. Honestly, if one’s personal safety, either physically and or morally were at stake, I could see a person using his rhetorical skills in defense; but other than such an instance, I sense such an exercise is a futile effort.

Pike confirmed the inflammatory nature of rhetoric, when he wrote:

Speech, also, is grossly abused in Republics; and if the use of speech be glorious, its abuse is the most villainous of vices. Rhetoric, Plato says, is the art of ruling the minds of men. But in democracies it is too common to hide thought in words, to overlay it, to babble nonsense. The gleams and glitter of intellectual soap-and-water bubbles are mistaken for the rainbow-glories of genius. The worthless pyrites is continually mistaken for gold. Even intellect condescends to intellectual jugglery, balancing thoughts as a juggler balances pipes on his chin. In all Congresses we have the inexhaustible flow of babble, and Faction’s clamorous knavery in discussion, until the divine power of speech, that privilege of man and great gift of God, is no better than the screech of parrots or the mimicry of monkeys. The mere talker, however fluent, is barren of deeds in the day of trial (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 35).

And with regard to how we should act,

Your debates should be but friendly conversations. You need concord, union, and peace. Why then do you retain among you men who excite rivalries and jealousies; why permit great and violent controversy and ambitious pretensions? How do your own words and acts agree? If your Masonry is a nullity, how can you exercise any influence on others (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, 1872, p. 137).

Stephen Dafoe wrote,

Every Fellowcraft Mason learns of the importance of the liberal arts and sciences, of which he is instructed they are seven; namely, Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy. Unfortunately few Freemasons today take this instruction with any degree of seriousness and make no further effort to examine the nature of these arts.

Like much of Freemasonry, the liberal arts and sciences come to us from the Medieval period, when they were believed to be the sum total of all knowledge that was worth while to a complete education. They were known as “artes liberales” from the Latin “liber” meaning Free. In this sense they were the subjects available to free men and were a contrast from the “artes illiberales”, which were taught for purely economic reasons that a man may earn a living. These arts were the operative arts of the workmen and were considered less desirable educational pursuits. While we have adopted the seven liberal arts and sciences from the Medieval era, they were known in the Pythagorean and Platonic eras.

The seven liberal arts and sciences were broken into two groups. One concerning language and the other concerning mathematics.

The first was the “Trivium” or road of three paths and included grammar, rhetoric and logic. Grammar is that portion of language that allows us to fine tune our speech like the ashlars and remove all barbarous expressions. Rhetoric is the art, which allows us to persuade and have an effect upon the listener. The last and perhaps most important art of the Trivium is logic, which permits us the gift of reasoning. In a purely Masonic sense it allows us to understand our duties to God and towards each other.

The second was the “Quadrivium” or path of four roads and included arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. Arithmetic is the process by which we are able to calculate all weights and measures, but in a speculative and philosophical sense can be best summed up by the following quotation:

“For the Freemason, the application of this science is that he is continually to add to his knowledge, never to subtract anything from the character of his neighbor, to multiply his benevolence to his fellow-creatures, and to divide his means with those in need.” From Mackey’s Masonic Encyclopedia.

Yes my friends, if you are seeking a higher spiritual realm, my recommendation is to run from such activity whenever it presents itself; for “the mere talker, however fluent, is barren of deeds in the day of trial.”

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

 

 

Be Careful What You Ask For!

I have read it repeatedly, when dealing with spiritual forces, be careful what you ask for. Not only have I seen it, but I have also experienced this incredible phenomena. I know, some pundits will dismiss any idea that spiritual forces, or even God, exist. One only needs to read the Holy Bible to understand that spiritual forces, other than God, do in fact exist. Therefore, this writing is not intended for non-believers.

As a rule, I only ask God and his son Jesus for aid in my prayers. Nevertheless, I also understand that prayer is nothing but Magic; and that there are two forms of Magic, white and black. White being good and Black being evil. God being good and any spirit or god that is not good would be evil. Yet, with that said, it is also understood that other spirits, with powers, do intercede from time to time; and making a distinction between good and evil gets murky sometimes. Even Jesus himself warned us, when he said,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!.’ Matthew 7:21-28 New International Version (NIV).

The above quote illustrates my point – that even if we think we are doing the work of Jesus, or God, we may in fact not be doing so. It is a well-known fact, within the ancient mysteries, that spirit forces imitate the forces of good in order to deceive mankind. One might actually be bringing into one’s life an evil force and not know it.

Case in point, I now believe that the Catholic Church knew this, and as a result went to great lengths to keep its followers from being lured by these forces of deception. Think about it, why did it maintain rules that forced their followers to go to a priest in order to communicate with God. I am certain that there were several reasons for conducting such a practice; the most important being people being lured by evil spirits.

Yet, notwithstanding these other significant points, the issue of eliciting forces and powers that influence people cannot be dismissed. Nevertheless, the Church did not stop with this practice; no, it went even to the point of inquisitions, which resulted in the burning of those people who were suspected of aligning with forces other than God. The reason for burning being obvious, as fire is the most assured way of purifying a soul of evil demons.

Moreover, there is also the power of suggestion, positive thinking and affirmations. These points can be brought under the umbrella of your own power. It is well understood that your own words and thoughts are powerful creators. Therefore, when you think of something, it affects you and your outlook; and when you say something, it affects your environment, including people, objects and spirits.

I have heard it said, when one says something, it will look for a home, and if it cannot be found, it will return to you. Think about that for just a second, if you said something bad and it could not find a home, that evil will return and affect you. Yet still, if you said something negative, it may also find a home within someone else, thereby aiding that person in feeding their negative lifestyle. And the same can be said of positive thoughts and words.

As such, I am reminded of Jesus when he said, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:39, New International Version).

There are, of course, differing views on the meaning of this verse; but for me, I relate it to the view of purity of heart and intention. Evil can never defeat goodness, or godliness. In fact, look closely at the words “good” and “god.” The difference between these two words is one “o,” which to me meant nothing or zero. It is no accident that the word good has a similar connotation with god, or God. As such, be good in your intentions, like God; this alone will guide what you ask for and will help keep you faithful, and out of harm’s way.

Yet, what about Immortality?

Again, be careful what you ask for. The process of Immortality is not an easy one; you must be willing to give up or adjust your lifestyle and many of the things you have been accustomed to, including food, spiritual ideas, sleep, relationships and even luxuries.

There are many reasons why the ancients went to great lengths to hide the truth. This knowledge must be earned in order to be appreciated and accepted for it to work. One must be willing to give up certain accepted norms to be granted this incredible gift from God.

I have seen the changes in my body and my spirit force, which I do not want to reveal in length. Let me just say, once one decides to take on this path, it will not be as easy as it first seems. You will have to allow your body and spirit to guide you away from generally accepted practices; and when you ask for a result, do not be surprised when these results appear; literally and or figuratively. Sometimes they come like a roar of thunder and other times like a soft rain. And even on a few occasions, it maybe painful and scary, but more on that in another writing.

My final words again, be careful what you ask for, you just might get it!

So Mote It Be!

 

Does Freemasonry Endorse the Ideals Behind Immortality?

This topic is often brought up in many of my private conversations. The simple answer is No and YES. On the surface, the simple answer is NO. You see, the ideals that support the teachings of Immortality are clearly not immediately visible. In fact, finding Immortal teachings requires a key. The general teachings or understandings that most people have regarding this topic often misguide even the most diligent researchers. I can comfortably say this, because even my own research was misguided, that was until I understood the key.

You see, I went into studying the ancient mysteries from a pure Christian perspective regarding Immortality; that being, the soul separated from the body upon death led to Immortality of the soul. This singular perspective perverted my research for years. In truth, it was not until my third reading of Albert Pike’s Morals and Dogma (1872) did I even understand that he was writing about different types of Immortality. Yes, you read that correctly, there is more than one type of Immortality. There is, of course, the commonly taught type of Immortality; that being, upon death the soul separates into an Immortal state. Nevertheless, there is also the idea of an eternal physical state, as well as other varying degrees of Immortality.

The former being that the body can live much longer than originally thought. The human body is designed to regenerate. However, most people are taught the principles of death, which guides their subconscious conditioning; leading to an inevitable early death.

Nevertheless, there is a YES equation to the question as well. Freemasonry does in fact teach many Immortal principles. Case in point: when Pike writes about Immortality of the soul, he may in fact be writing about the division of the soul upon death; however, there is also the ancient belief that the soul is only of effective use while the body is alive. Therefore, there is a dual meaning to the Immortality of the soul. Moreover, when he writes about Immortality as a stand-alone topic, he may be writing about three different meanings; and perhaps even more levels.

The first being what I like to call Life Extension; i.e. Immortality. A little history lesson is in order for this idea to make sense. In our historical past, say the Middle Ages, the average life span was about 30 and 40 years old. Therefore, when one generation witnessed someone much older living multiple generations, they simply referred to him as an Immortal. As such, an Immortal was a person who simply lived two to three times longer than the average person did. As well, we have accounts of others living hundreds and even thousands of years.

The second type of Immortality, as mentioned previously, is the nurturing the soul of a living human. The soul is to be nurtured while the person is alive in order to reach a higher level of enlightenment. The purer the soul, the higher that person reaches in his understanding of, not only God, but also his position in this world. This purity enables him to live a longer and more fulfilled life than say a person who lives a negative life.

Interestingly, my Scottish Rite Valley (Chapter) reads a list of brothers who passed away at the end of each year. While reading, I pay close attention to the ages of these departed brothers. Inevitably, most of the ages range between 90 and 105. I find this this most fascinating. These men simply lived good Masonic lives and as a result lived much longer than the average man does. How is this possible?  Simply stated, one lives longer when he is good, does good deeds and spreads love upon this earth. Yet, if they only studied the mysteries deeper, they may have in fact lived even longer.

Moreover, the third type of Immortality is what I was taught when I was a young man. In essence, the soul is to be purified before death in order to have an afterlife. Otherwise, your soul will not ascend to heaven.

Now, I am not dismissing any of these. The first two are very similar. The idea that one must purify his soul in order to extend his life (Life Extension) aligns well with simply living a good life. As well, I have no problem with the idea that if Life Extension is not attained, the alternative is an everlasting life in Heaven. I really do not think it is an all or nothing equation.

In support of my argument, we will now turn to Manley P. Hall, who probably said it best when he wrote, “But as the way for the redemption of the soul is concealed by the mysteries, so the secrets for the redemption of metals are also concealed, that they may not fall into the hands of the profane and thereby be perverted” (Hall, Manley, P. Secret Teachings of All Ages, 1928, p. 154). In short, the concepts surrounding the soul are not fully understood by most people; that there are most certainly mysteries yet to unfold; and that they are hidden for a reason, which is to keep them from the profane.

It should also be understood, there is the theory that one must also purify his body in order to attain an Immortal state. This is where the principles of Alchemy comes in; but that subject will be discussed at a later time period.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

The Amazing Human Body

It can be said that for most of human history, we have remained asleep; at least in the sense we are only recently starting to fully understand Divine Potential. We have become distracted by either the necessities of life, or the over indulgence of wealth, gluttony and sexual desires. This has led to an uneasiness of sorts. Nevertheless, humanity is starting to wake itself up; that being, the human body is perhaps one of the most incredible structures ever created.

It is well understood that our blood is the foundation of the human body; that is that it is continually rebuilding and repairing the body. It is the life force and thought of man’s existence. Some scholars believe the Holy writings of the Bible are symbolic for the building the human body. The word alchemy actually means flesh, as does the word Egypt (anatomy-flesh). Nevertheless, many ancient Alchemist did very little in terms of manipulation of the elements and compounds. They simply searched nature’s processes in order to understand its incredible operations.

The human body is comprised of minerals, molecules and atoms; these are the basic principles that comprise the building of flesh and bone. The mechanism we call the human body is in all actuality a miracle of Divine creation. People endlessly search deep into the earth, the waters of the seas and even the outer limits of space in search of new discoveries, when in fact, we still do not fully understand how the human body is created and operates. We do, however, have suppositions, many of which continue to change and evolve as our knowledge grows. In short, we do however have the elixir of life within the confines of the human body; of which others have laid a pathway for us to follow.

Adult bodies have about 165 bones; many of which cannot be fully imitated by science. Along this line of thinking, there are over 500 muscles, which, when laid out, stretch some 32’ in length. 1/5th of the average human body, or about 30 pounds, is blood. This being pumped by the heart that is about 6” in length and 4” in diameter, which pumps about 4200 times per hour or 36,720 times per year. Each heart beat pump 2.5 ounces of blood, or 8 tons per day; and all of the blood in the body passes through the heart about every three minutes.

The lungs contain about a gallon of air with each inflation of the chest; this accounts for an average of 1200 breaths an hour or 24,000 gallons per day.  The average brain weighs about 3-pounds, 8 ounces; and all the nerves of the body are connected directly to the brain or spinal marrow. Nevertheless, the nerves receive their nourishment from the blood.

Moreover, the average human body consumes about five pounds of food and drink daily, which accounts to over a ton yearly. As for its mechanics, man has tried in vain to duplicate the knee, elbow, fingers and toes; yes in part, but not in whole. Even more amazing, under normal conditions, the body self regulates itself at 98 degrees. In short, the human body is the embodiment of Gods incredible creation.

Finally, modern science has now caught up to the ancient ideas surrounding regeneration of the human body. The latest research has proven that the human heart regenerates about every 20 years; while the human skeleton regenerates every 10 years. Hair regenerates about every 3-6 years. It is generally believed that the brain does not regenerate; however, the latest research has proven that the olfactory bulb that governs smell and the hippocampus, which controls learning, does in fact regenerate. Moreover, your nails are 6 to 10 months old, red blood cells are about 4 months old, lungs are 2 to 3 weeks old, skin 2 to 4 weeks old, taste buds are 10 days old, and the intestinal lining is 2 to 3 days old.

Truly, the human body is an amazing regenerating entity. Once it is understood that the body does in fact regenerate itself and wants to live on, the only thing left to do is to change one’s attitude about the prospect of human longevity; something most people simply dismiss. Very sad. The reality is, the ancient mysteries knew and taught that man could live much longer than thought, if he only desired and studied it.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Many Paths, One Goal (The Basics)

As previously mentioned, there are countless paths to the attainment of Immortality. As this is an individual journey, it is up to each individual to find his own path, which may in fact not work for another person.  That is why we say that Freemasonry is an individual journey. It is, of course, always helpful to have help along the way, a spiritual adviser or mentor if you will. Nevertheless, despite some guidance, no two paths are the same, just as no two bodies are alike.

All the same, though there are many paths to take, there are, in fact, some general guidelines one should consider when undertaking Immortality. Here are but a few:

1) Avoid death: do not talk about it, do not mention it and never attend a funeral – especially yours. This is especially important if one is susceptible to negative spirit forces. In no way do you want to endorse the ideology of death. In fact, do not even joke about it. In no way is it a part of your vernacular, behavior or verbiage. Avoid it at all cost.

2) Love for life: with every part of your being, tell yourself that God’s creation, including you, is fantastic and wonderful. Love for life is an instrumental part of your mental programming. Do not let anyone tell you differently; in fact, immediately tell yourself about God’s love for creation when someone does or says something negative to you. You must counter every negative electrical wave with a positive electrical counter wave.

3) Low calorie diet and moderate exercise: I know it is hard to do, but do your best to lower your calorie intake over time. If you were like me, I loved to gorge my food; something I learned in my youth. Yet, as I look back over the past several years, my intake is now about 1/3 of what it once way. I know I still have a long way to go; but time is my friend now that I think like an Immortal. I am constantly reminding myself to stop eating. I have not broken this habit yet. I do indulge myself from time to time when I feel the need; and when I do over indulge my appetite, I feel guilty because of it. I am desperately doing my best to recondition my mind and body. Although, as my spiritual mentor told me, “it will take time to change your eating habits, but if the desire for Immortality is strong enough, you will adapt; but do not rush it; time is now your best friend.” This simple lesson may be the hardest thing to accomplish for many people. Start now, and over time, work towards eating less and less. In time, your diet will consist of very moderate portions of food; some might even call them snacks, rather than meals. Moreover, moderate exercise is a must. No, you don’t have to push the limits of physical endurance; rather, limited physical activity helps keep the body healthy and youthful, as opposed to a stagnant lifestyle, which only brings on the quickening of death.

4) Become a student of the mysteries and a student of history: in order to attain an Immortal state, each student must become knowledgeable about esoteric teachings. No, you do not have to master every aspect of Alchemy to receive the benefits of Immortality. Yet, it is only through hard work and study will the benefits of the mysteries be earned. With greater understanding, comes acceptance. When one first reads these esoteric tales and lessons, he begins to wonder what they might mean and what the author was really trying to convey. Over time and with a great deal of study and patience, these allegorical lessons slowly begin to make sense and take shape; and then and only then will you begin to implement the hidden lessons into your quest. One of the biggest fears of a true Immortal is ignorance, not only his own, but also the ignorance of others, who will do everything in their power to destroy what they do not, or could even, understand. Our history is replete with examples of Immortals who either disappeared, or faked their death, in order to escape the actions of evil people. Yet, I have been told that this is the time for Immortal teachings to return; our civilization has reached a point in time of acceptance. We are now accepting of people with different views, religions and even sexuality. It is now time for the acceptance of Immortal training, which will lead to more and more Immortals revealing themselves. Yes my friends, Immortals do exist, but they will not reveal themselves publicly until they know it is safe. Only through the study of the mysteries and history will a true Immortal know how to attain and maintain his existence.

5) Have a relationship with God. It must always be remembered, Immortality cannot be attained separate from God. God (Nature) is the force, or energy, which aligns and allows all the elements to work toward the goal of life extension (Immortality). The ancient philosophers and alchemists knew that Immortality could not be attained without God’s help and guidance. I say guidance because it is He who guides each individual journey. It is His Will that allows all the knowledge to culminate within each person; and just as quickly as it is given, it can be stricken.

6) Pray: daily, and even hourly, prayer should be a part of your Immortal formula. Give constant thanks to God for your life, and for the love for his creation. It is through appreciation that one gains the needed connection to His creation. Immortality cannot be gained without God’s love for you and you for Him and His creation.

7) Discernment: I am constantly asking for the power of Divine discernment. You see, there is a difference between manly and Divine discernment. We, as worldly humans have been trained to think a specific way, which hinders our judgments. It is these worldly judgments that disconnect us from God. Case in point, I am often asked questions from a contemporary Christian view, which forces me to remind the student not to look upon the ancient mysteries from our current perspective. In fact, many of the lessons that came from the ancient mysteries predate Christianity, as well as many other religions today. Therefore, it may in fact be your current worldly judgments that are holding you back from seeing the prospect of Immortality. It is only through Divine insights, and a retooling of one’s mind, that Immortal lesson’s can be discerned.

There are perhaps many more lessons to ponder; but for now, if you can follow these seven basic Immortal lessons, you too will begin to find your way; with more guidelines to follow. I do not want to overwhelm anyone just yet.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir

Energy is Forever

Energy cannot be destroyed; it can, however, be transformed or transmuted, thereby multiplying its frequency and sustainability. Everything in existence is information, like the ideals and teachings of death. This type of informational existence dominates one’s internal energy, which is damaging the prospect of longevity. It has been said that collective intelligence is itself an energy force; this structure also guides mortal thinking. Yet, this energy can also be redirected into an Immortal consciousness? Think about the possibilities.

In order to restructure ones potential for Immortality, it is necessary to live a happy, honest and creative life. We are simply a computer that has been programmed by the mind. The human body will do exactly what the conscious mind instructs. Therefore, optimism will enhance the prospect of Immortality, while pessimism will end in death. In short, if one believes in death, it is a guarantee that you will certainly die. If that is the case, why cannot it also be true, that being, if one believes in everlasting life, i.e. Immortality, one can live forever. It is, in fact, a reprogramming of one’s mind and body. Yet, with that said, if there is any doubt in one’s Immortality, it cannot be attained.

An Immortal state is not as simple as just believing it; no, one must also live a quality life and follow countless rules of governance. With this understanding, we know that many people have tried and failed, and continue to achieve this goal. This was an objective of the ancient and alchemical sages.

Nothing has changed, in fact, the basis for contemporary medicine (chemistry) can be found in ancient beliefs and alchemical literature of old. Immortality has been the collective dream since the beginning of time; and medical advancements and new technologies continue to strive toward that aim. The biggest difference though is the fact that modern medicine has separated itself from the spiritual side of the equation. Please remember, water is just water until it is preyed upon. Therefore, the power of prayer, spiritualism, is a necessary component of Immortality.

There is nothing wrong with using modern medicine; it is similar to the goal of the ancient alchemist. Nevertheless, the everlasting energy of spiritualism is a key component of attaining Immortality. Yet, for the most part, one does not have to use modern medicine if he had achieved and implemented the use of the Golden Elixir; sometimes called the philosophical stone.  There are, in fact, several alchemical formulas available even today. These formulas can be found in both the Holy Bible and Albert Pike’s book Morals and Dogma, 1871; as well as other Masonic writings.

You see, the basis of Freemasonry is Immortality. Think about it for a few minutes before immediately dismissing such thinking. Why be a good man? Why be a good citizen? Why be a good husband and father? Why believe in God? etc., etc., etc. What is the aim of all the foundational rules we have sworn to follow as a Mason? Many will say, “To attain Immortality of the soul, or an afterlife.” There is no doubt if you desire such a thing you will attain it. However, just as equally, if you desire Immortality of the flesh, you will also attain that goal. We are what we think; you are what you desire and beieve.

Just ask yourself this question, “How are you directing your spiritual energy; and to what aim? If you are directing your spiritual energy toward death, you will certainly attain it. If you are directing your spiritual energy toward Immortality (life), you will also attain it. Just do not have any negative thoughts on the topic; and you will discover the rules for Immortality, especially when asked for from God.

Next month, I will discuss many of the rules for attaining Immortality. There are, in fact, countless in number, and not exact in specificity. In short, there are many paths towards Immortality.

So Mote It Be!

Hank Kraychir