joining the masons
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To be one, ask one.
You must be free and of good report and at least of the age of majority for your country. Simply meet with one and ask them to be your sponsor. If you do not know any Freemasons, visit a nearby lodge and meet with whomever is there. Many lodges have live in caretakers but of course no one can be present all the time, so look to see when the lights are on and just knock or ring the bell.
Many lodges have social engagements that are open to the public. My lodge has a monthly pancake feed specifically for people of the community to enter and ask any thing they like. The secretary of the lodge stays in its housing area or is often in the library of the Shrine across the street.
It's pretty simple really.
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The Lodge I went to (A.F.&A.M., Corpus Christi, Tx) gave me a petition for membership, with questions, references, etc. One month after petition they'll question people about you, and investigate your standing, etc. I did not join, just naming the process that was laid out at that Lodge. Eighteen is generally the age of majority for America.
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I've been invited to join the Grand Lodge of England. Considering limitations on time and the fact that I'm already a member of a Thelemic fraternity (OTO), is it advisable to join? I'm just not sure that spending hours memorizing texts and going out for drinks on a Friday night is time well spent in terms a return on investment. I'd rather spend the time on magickal training...or am I underestimating the "magick" in Masonry?
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@modernPrimitive said
"I've been invited to join the Grand Lodge of England. Considering limitations on time and the fact that I'm already a member of a Thelemic fraternity (OTO), is it advisable to join? I'm just not sure that spending hours memorizing texts and going out for drinks on a Friday night is time well spent in terms a return on investment. I'd rather spend the time on magical training...or am I underestimating the "magick" in Masonry?"
I don't believe you are underestimating anything. But then again, you never know. It is a dying god tradition, so take that into consideration depending on how you feel about that. You can learn a lot of history from Masonic libraries and a lot of valuable esoteric tradition if you are looking for it. But depending on who you meet, the organization itself may be of little value to you. My experience here in the States is that it is mostly a social organization and the astrological, qabalistic mythology is little more than entertaining curiosity for most of its members.
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just as well as in magick i would be most interested in moving up in grades when it comes to the masons, in a sense i could agree with you it being mostly a social call, but i bet when you move up in grades, things will probly get more interesting
modernprimative: i would say if you were invited to join the grand lodge of enlgand, it might be interesting, and probly in time one could assemble some good resources. ("adding things or people to your personal arsenal is not always a bad thing").
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93, Any order is merely a social call, including OTO, unless meaning is sought out in it's emblems. That's one the problems with fraternities, in my opinion. There's alot of meaning in Mason symbols, and their lessons can teach quite a bit. Of course I speak as an outsider.
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@FiliusBestia said
"93, Any order is merely a social call, including OTO, unless meaning is sought out in it's emblems. That's one the problems with fraternities, in my opinion. There's alot of meaning in Mason symbols, and their lessons can teach quite a bit. Of course I speak as an outsider."
You make an excellent point. And the beauty of a well structured, magickal or mystical order is that you learn that the "meanings" change as you do and as you learn to adopt new frames.
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93, Basically. Beauty in a blooming Rose...
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93,
Alias, if you don't mind me asking, what is your intention for becoming a Freemason? I ask because it sounds like you're seeking something practical, which is awesome, however, I highly doubt you may find what you are looking for in Freemasonry IMHO.I became Mason because I was under the impression that they knew SOMETHING. I was also under the impression that I was going to receive some real, hardcore esoteric training and have all sorts of mysteries bestowed upon me. My experience in the lodge I joined (Oriental-Faxton Lodge #224) was the complete opposite.
The lodge consisted of A LOT of old guys who pretty much met up so they can catch up with one another over dinner and beer. There was little interest in the actual rituals being conducted. There were no lectures discussing the material. They weren't even strict about memorizing the material needed to pass from one degree to the next. To top it off, there were no occultists there to connect with. Frankly, I thought it was kinda lame.
That's MY experience though. Not all lodges operate like that lodge I was a member of. Some lodges have a pretty good "occult flavor" to them and others don't. It really depends on the lodge you ultimately decide to join at the end of the day.
I WILL say that the virtue of becoming a Mason is that you get a taste of the workings of a mystery order. You pass through some degrees, you get some "homework" to tide you over in between degrees, you're exposed to ritual work on a regular basis and you get to participate in the various rites and rituals when it's your time to do so.
That's my experience of being a Freemason in a nutshell. I hope it helps.
I have one more recommendation: If you're looking for a working order, you'll be doing yourself the greatest service by seeking one out and submitting a petition for admission. Since you're on a TOT related forum, starting there may be a good idea. And if you're REALLY feeling ballsy, then seek out admission into the A.'.A.'.
93 93/93
Shariyf -
I am sure there are a few Freemasons at the Temple of Thelema Forum who are also Thelemis fellow-travellers. This question is for ye.
If a candidate who is **joining the masons **(that's the title!!) requests *The Book of the Law *as his VSL, which edition would you use if you had a choice and where would you open the Book at for the ceremony?
Also, would you inform your provincial Secretary or take an executive decision? -
@Zafero Berr said
"If a candidate who is **joining the masons **(that's the title!!) requests *The Book of the Law *as his VSL, which edition would you use if you had a choice and where would you open the Book at for the ceremony?"
Personally, I'd pick the hard cover Holy Books of Thelema.
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93,
I am a Freemason and Thelemite. And we believe in the exists of god, the resurection of the body and the immortality of the soul. Those are the Corner Stones of everything. our purpose is to make a good man better. So I think anyone who wants to join us, is a good man already. I wish you the best of luck my brother.Chris
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I know I can tend to scandalize people just by posting my random thoughts, and I don't intend to do that with this subject. But... I literally never know. At all... Please remember that with me.
I was talking to a guy the other day about joining. He was saying stuff about a believe in a... how do they say it... a divine being? It basically sounds like working meant to include both personal and impersonal conceptions of God - but without that basic concept (God, Diving Being, etc.), there's simply not enough common ground in language itself to communicate consistently.
He was continuing, and he said something like, "[divine being]... that one can neither equal nor surpass...," and that stopped me cold - or at least my analytical mind.
I just... I know that they are protecting against inflation, which is a very VERY real danger... but... it's very interesting language. My mind was racing about at the time, and all I could think to say was the very vague, "I understand the purpose of that," and my thoughts turned inward.
". . . can neither equal nor surpass. . . ."
A: Is that the correct wording, or have I screwed it up?
B: What do you do with that, not knowing some of the experiences that may come later? It almost seems to me like an outward-minded restriction that could diminish and inward truth.
Or am I simply once again being to pedantic grammatically? -
It's a valuable practical tactic (if nothing else) to continually postulate something greater and vaster than you can ever equate with those ideas you call yourself.
I really do think that we set ourselves up for great trouble if there is not something - whatever we call it - before which we personally feel immeasurably small.
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@Jim Eshelman said
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@Zafero Berr said
"If a candidate who is **joining the masons **(that's the title!!) requests *The Book of the Law *as his VSL, which edition would you use if you had a choice and where would you open the Book at for the ceremony?"Personally, I'd pick the hard cover Holy Books of Thelema."
seconded!