the "Three Dots": .'.
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I believe it started in Freemasony for the three great lights of masonry. Perhaps has roots in the three supernals of Kabbalah. Not sure if this is correct but I have heard this from various sources.
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I do know that the 10 sephiroth are represented by a dot pyramid consisting of 4 layers: 1 dot on top, 2 on the second below the first, 3 on the 3rd and 4 on the bottom. I think this dates pretty far back, like 3rd century or something?
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i like the idea of the dots representing the supernals.
does anyone know if there a name for this "symbol"?
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I used it in math and logic to mean "therefore", but I don't recall that the symbol had a specific name. And, of course, this has no relation to the masonic use of it.
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The formal name in Freemasonry and collateral traditions is: Honor dots.
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All:
Thou hast no right but to do thy Will.
I've seen much speculation about the meaning of the Three Points, much of it clearly romantic balderdash; one hears, among other things, that they represent the Supernals, or the Mysteries of Osiris, Isis, and Serapis which Masonry is supposed to encapsulate, or as a lost symbol of the Tetragrammaton (derived from the writing thereof in triangular "disappearing" form). (Of course, any individual or organization using the Points may well have had them in mind in doing so (eg, AC may have thought of the Supernals in using tnem in "A.·.A.·." which (rumor says) refers to the Supernals in one sense (tho' David Allen Hulse claims otherwise); I'm just saying that such connections are unlikely to explain the origins of the convention).
Sources with some claim to credibility as histirians say that it is a relatively late convention originating with the Grand Orient de France and later adopted by the Scottish Rite and (for a time) by some American Lodges, tho' it's largely fallen out of fashion; if this is so, then the speculation/information that the points represent the three principal initiating officers in French Lodges, or "Liberté - Egalité - Fraternité," may be correct.
"The three dots (or three points) were formerly fashionable in Masonic writing instead of the usual periods after initials. The practice was apparently started in France by the non-recognized Grand Orient of France in 1774 and Masons were sometimes called 'Three Point Brothers'. The usage became popular in the US and is seen today in some Scottish Rite documents. Any significance they had two hundred years ago is now long lost.
[www.masonicinfo.com/explain.htm:2jv5i41e]](http://www.masonicinfo.com/explain.htm:2jv5i41e) ""Three points in a triangular form (.·.) are placed after letters in a Masonic document to indicate that such letters are the initials of a Masonic title or of a technical word in Freemasonry, as G.·.M.·. for Grand Master, or G.·. L.·. for Grand Lodge. It is not a symbol, but simply a mark of abbreviation. The attempt, therefore, to trace it to the Hebrew three yods, a Cabalistic sign of the Tetragrammaton, or any other ancient symbol, is futile ... [It] is probable that the idea was suggested by the sacred character of the number three as a Masonic number, and these tree dots might refer to the position of the three officers in a French Lodge. Ragon says (Orthodoxie Maçonnique, page 71) that the mark was first used by the Grand Orient of France in a circular issued August 12, 1774, in which we read "G.·.L.·. de France." A common expression of anti-Masonic writers in France when referring to the Brethren of the Craft is Fréres Trois Points, Three Point Brothers, a term cultivated in their mischief survives in honor because reminding the brotherhood of cherished association and symbols. The abbreviation is now constantly used in Freneh documents, and, although not accepted by the English Freemasons, has been very generally adopted in other countries. In the United States, the use of this abbreviation is gradually extending.
-Mackey's Encyclopedia of Masonry"" The three dots (.·.) ... were originally intended to represent "Masonic Honor Points". In Masonry, a freemason who has received the first three craft degrees of initiation may put these three dots after his name. Organizations made up of Craft initiated Masons traditionally place these same three dots after the letters of abbreviation of their organization names, e.g. Golden Dawn: G.·.D.·. instead of G.D. The practice is not strictly observed anymore in mystical organizations, but is still used in the original way by regular Masons. Now days, the three dots are often used indiscriminately to represent "mystical", "once connected to masonry", "the Christian divine trinity" and almost anything else. Some organizations, like O.T.O., do not use the three dot triangle in abbreviations of their names even though they are derived from Masonry. [Also note the usage, "Salutation on all points of the Triangle," apparently going back to John Yarker, is found in various OTO documents -F93]. The practice is often not followed when an abbreviation consists of exactly three letters, since three dots or periods are already in place."
-[www.billheidrick.com/tlc1993/tlc0693.htm:2jv5i41e]](http://www.billheidrick.com/tlc1993/tlc0693.htm:2jv5i41e) "Love is the law, love under will.
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So, what about the 10 dot pyramid that dates back to ancient Greece / Egypt? It's impossible that it refers to the top 3?
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Well... It looks like the top 3 dots.
Both are particular to the "Western" Ancient Wisdom tradition.Those French brothers weren't just abbreviating any old thing with three dots instead of one, were they?
It seems like the kind of thing that would be a signal for direction coming/received/glimpsed from above the Abyss.
I've certainly seen similar relationships tenuously created with various symbols, numerology juggling and whatnot. Then, there are books like The Rosicrucian Emblems of Daniel Cramer that rely on the inner voice to decode symbolism more than anything that can be traced historically or put into words. But, I guess that's taking this debate to the extreme. The 3 dots never much mattered to me, anyway, and even less so now.
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@Jim Eshelman said
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That's a very exalted view of Freemasonry that you have, there, my friend!
Considering that (Craft) Freemasonry itself doesn't get outside of Malkuth..."More like ignorance.
I don't know... a lot of people discuss the Trinity a lot who never even get outside of their home town. The Trinity relates to the Supernals, no? I figured it was the same sort of thing, a deference to the higher orders. -
I have seen the Trinity listed as the Supernals, but I also have seen French Christian Kabbalists do it this way:
Father: Kether, Binah, Chokmah combined (The Macroprosopus)
Son: Geburah, Chesed, Tophareth, Hod, Netzach, and Yesod combined (The Microprosopus)
Holy Spirit: Malkuth (Spouse of Microprosopus)This however is probably pretty rare and is just included as an interesting difference. I don't know how valid it is.
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Yet another variation I remember seeing is Kether (Father) - Tiphareth (Son), Yesod (holy spirit).
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what about if someone who i know have been born with the three tringle dots in his hand .. as a bruse or burned ......
reolay me on my email <!-- e --><a href="mailto:wooodyz@live.com">wooodyz@live.com</a><!-- e --> if its serious
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Nothing special.