esoteric elements in the blue degrees of masonry. · julius evola in his work "the hermetic...

Esoteric Elements in the

Blue Degrees of Masonry.

The Cabalistic Basis of the Blue Degrees.

Luc Govaert

! 2Esoteric Elements in the Blue Degrees of Masonry

1 INTRODUCTION 3 ................................................................................................................................

2 THE CABALA AND THE BASIC TENETS OF ESOTERICISM. 7 .................................................

2 –1 AS ABOVE, SO BELOW: THE FUNDAMENTAL UNITY OF THE UNIVERSE. 7 .........................................2-2 DUALISM: J AND B. 11 .......................................................................................................................2-3 THE ELEMENTS AND THE SEPHIROTH. 15 ............................................................................................

A- The elements 15 ...............................................................................................................................B- The sephiroth 17 ..............................................................................................................................

2-4 THE SEVENFOLD HUMAN BEING ACCORDING TO BLAVATSKY AND HEINDEL. 18 ..............................2-5 MAN AND THE TREE OF LIFE. 20 ........................................................................................................2-6 ASTROLOGY AND THE TREE. 24 ........................................................................................................2-7 THE FOUR CABALISTIC WORLDS. 27 .................................................................................................2-8 OTHER ASPECTS OF THE TREE OF LIFE. 28 ..........................................................................................2-9 THE ELEMENTS, THE FOUR WORLDS AND THE TREE OF LIFE. 32 .......................................................

3 SYMBOLS 36 ...........................................................................................................................................

3-1 SYMBOLS AND HUMAN PERCEPTION. 36 .............................................................................................3-2 THE OCCULT SIDE OF SYMBOLS. 42 ...................................................................................................3-3 THE TEMPLE BUILT WITHOUT THE SOUND OF A HAMMER. 45 .............................................................

4 THE MASONIC TEMPLE 50 ................................................................................................................

5 THE OPENING AND CLOSING 54 .....................................................................................................

6-THE WARDENS AND THE DEACONS 67 .........................................................................................

6-1 THE WARDENS AND THEIR POSITION ON J OR B. 67 ............................................................................6-2 THE PLACE OF THE JUNIOR WARDEN. 68 ...........................................................................................6-3 THE DEACONS 69 ................................................................................................................................

7 THE SECOND DEGREE 71 ..................................................................................................................

7-1 THE "TRAVELS". 71 ............................................................................................................................7-2 THE FIVE-POINTED STAR 72 ................................................................................................................

8 NOTES ON SOME ESOTERIC ASPECTS 77 ....................................................................................

8-1 THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TEMPLE. 77 ................................................................................................8-2 THE BLUE DEGREES: A COHERENT SYSTEM. 78 ..................................................................................8-3 BACK TO THE CIRCUMAMBULATION. 80 .............................................................................................

9 THE SYMBOLISM OF THE HEART AND THE BLOOD 83 ...........................................................

10 THE ALCHEMY OF THE BLOOD 87 ...............................................................................................

11 THE FRENCH RITE 89 .......................................................................................................................

12 CONCLUSION 94.................................................................................................................................

! 3Luc Govaert

1 Introduction

Masonry has undergone many changes during its sometimes turbulent history. This was inevitable; after all, times do change, and one could expect that some of the outward aspects of Masonry would follow suit. But if the initial purpose of the Craft threatens to be altered to the extent that we lose sight of its original character, then I believe it is time to go back to its source. The situation of a modern Mason trying to make sense of what he is doing can be likened to someone endeavouring to read a text in Old English. A portion of the words will have remained the same, and will be understood without trouble. But to comprehend the complete text he must look up the remaining terms in a special Old English dictionary; guessing won’ t do! In Masonry we have a similar situation. Part of the ritual consists of symbols that are still as obvious and clear as they were three centuries ago. Many symbols borrowed from the building trade are referring to tools that are virtually unchanged in the course of the centuries. Their meaning can rather easily be deduced. The same goes for the symbols with a universal character as e.g. the symbolism of light. But others are completely foreign to modern man, especially the emblems taken over from Alchemy, Cabala, or Astrology. Moreover, because modern mentality looks down on these old wisdom systems and is in general rather hostile towards any form of esotericism, the study of the latter emblems has been systematically neglected in modern Masonry. For the aspirant of the seventeenth century this would not have been much of a disaster since everyone really interested in esotericism in that epoch certainly possessed some basic knowledge of these disciplines. The contemporary Mason however will inevitably miss important allusions that were obvious three hundred years ago. The result of this situation is disastrous. Since only a limited selection of the acts and symbols contained in the rituals is taking into consideration, important components are silently glossed over. They are never mentioned in any Masonic instruction, except maybe in a historical context. From the more accessible symbols is then constructed a new interpretation that inevitably lacks the depth of meaning of an approach that takes all elements without exception into consideration. Add to this the modern aversion towards esotericism, and it is obvious that much of the original content threatens to disappear. But the gravest obstacle for a thorough grasp of the inner meaning of masonry is caused by the chasm between modern mentality and the hermetic atmosphere that prevailed when the Tradition took on the guise of Freemasonry! Julius Evola in his work "The Hermetic Tradition" expresses the problem as follows. ·

"The hermetic-alchemical Tradition forms part of the cycle of premodern "Traditional" civilisation and in order to understand its spirit we need to translate it inwardly from one world to the other. Who undertakes this study without having acquired the ability to rise above the modern mind-set or who has not awakened to a new

• The Hermetic Tradition, Julius Evola. Inner Traditions International, Vermont, ISBN 0-89281-451-9 page 14


sensitivity that can place itself in contact with the general spiritual stream that gave life to the Tradition in the first place, will succeed only in filling his head with words, symbols and fantastic allegories. Moreover, it is not just a question of intellectual understanding. We have to bear in mind that ancient man not only had a different way of thinking and feeling, but also a different way of perceiving and knowing."

The way the rituals were perceived thus slowly changed as the "blanks" were filled with e.g. excessive moralising or other flimsy substitutes for the gaps caused by the disappearance or neglect of the more esoterically oriented components.

Thus the pressure of the modern mentality has caused the initial goal to fade in favour of new aims and priorities. How do we ascertain that we have not lost some basic essentials? To what extent does the spirit of the time infect the Craft with its crass denial of the reality of esotericism? Has the Royal Art been redirected towards something entirely different? One can approach that question in two different ways; one is the road of historical research, the other possibility is to delve for the esoteric roots of Masonry. The first will help us trace the development of the Craft as it appears in its outward appearance. Yet this will never yield the heart of the Craft since historical research is inevitably limited to the profane side of its evolution. One can even wonder if the modern fashion of focusing on historical issues is not a part of the problem since it apparently shifted the attention of the Brethren to basically profane considerations. Therefore we will occupy ourselves in this work exclusively with the esoteric roots. But then, what are these roots! That answer is to be found in the mythological history of Masonry that states that its secrets were engraved into the heart of Adam. For anyone familiar with symbolic language this should be clear enough: the solution is to be found in the soul of man irrespective of what historians may advance as the starting point of the Craft. In other words, there can be only one source at the basis of a real and effective ritual, and that is someone with the very rare capacity to contact the higher realms of the soul where indeed the immutable laws of the Royal Art are written.

Admitting this, we are faced with a very difficult problem: how are we going to verify that what passes off as esotericism is the genuine article? The surest and best way would be to check the information at the same source and contact the realms designated by “the heart of Adam". But one who possesses the psychic capabilities to perform such feat is certainly beyond the need to read this book! The next best thing is to put our trust in intuition, with the help from the esoteric Tradition. To accomplish this we have at our disposal the rituals bequeathed to us by the great minds that managed to look behind the veil of illusion. But they can only be effective if we have the courage to use the symbols in the manner they where intended. Not as subjects of historical study or profane analysis, but as tools to help us find the way in that reality lying behind the illusionary world of matter.

! 5Luc Govaert

The first step then is to concede that the language of symbols belongs to another kind of knowing. Success is only possible by penetrating into what Evola calls that "different way of perceiving and knowing" and by giving this other kind of knowledge a real chance to act as a guiding force. And this, to be sure, requires a kind of faith that is incompatible with modern mentality. Nevertheless I would like to take you, my patient reader, on such a quest, following the signposts of the symbols, into realms that often will demand that other kind of knowing to discern the landscape. During this quest I will not try not to satisfy the historian or theologian. The audience I have in mind is the contemporary Brother, confronted with a system created centuries ago based on a long forgotten model and an ancient Tradition, yet willing to rediscover its esoteric roots. It is my intention to elucidate these old wisdom systems so as to familiarise the modern Mason with these treasures of intuitive knowledge and the peculiar way of thinking they express. It is my hope that this will allow the more esoterically inclined Brethren to perceive some of the foundations of the esoteric side of the Craft. At the end of this little work I trust the reader will be able to ascertain for himself that the source of the Masonic rituals was indeed a Tradition bequeathed by the greatest minds ever and that the apparently mystifying rituals are based on a solid an rigidly coherent scheme. First however I will clarify the key choices that constitute the basis for my modest attempt to elucidate those dreadfully underestimated intellectual monuments, the Masonic rituals of the blue lodge. The question we are confronted with is where to look for this esoteric wisdom, if we are not so gifted as to reach the same mystical peaks as did the progenitors of the Masonic system, whoever or whatever they may have been. The obvious solution consists in going back to the time of late Middle Ages to investigate what was then the most important form of esotericism that could have served as basic material. If we then glance at our rites it becomes clear that the first candidate for that role is the Cabala. I hope to demonstrate to the reader that the Masonic rituals show in every page, in every symbolic act the traces of that underlying philosophy. It is the backbone around which Masonry has evolved. Not that there weren't any other esoteric disciplines that played an equally important role, and I think here especially of Alchemy. But the study of the spagyric art is closely linked with the Cabala and since it is much more inaccessible it stands to reason to begin with the latter and to reserve the study of Alchemy for another occasion. We will first investigate the Cabala in general and try to focus on those parts of the Cabala that are indispensable for the analysis of the blue degrees. This introduction will of course be far from complete, but there is sufficient literature available for those who want to undertake a more comprehensive study of the Cabala. Before attempting to apply our knowledge of the Cabala to the ceremonies of the different degrees we will also comment on the use of symbolism, since its use and conception have certainly changed over the centuries. Therefore we will approach symbolism from another angle, in an attempt to recreate the original atmosphere in which Masonry was produced.


In my view there are two versions of the Cabala. That of historians and students of comparative religion and academic philosophy on the one hand, and on the other hand the living Cabala, based on reality -be it a reality that often defies and transcends the narrow limits of academic science. The philologist and the historian can never get the feel of the latter if only because their approach simply does not allow them to assume that the Cabala is describing reality, since accepting that would put them outside the scientific community. Yet the Masonic ritual must be based on a living reality, or it is nothing but a farce! Therefore only that second version is of use to us since I cannot imagine that a genuine Mason would go through his ritual with the sole purpose of staging a historically correct performance as if it were some antiquarian curiosity. For the initiate symbolism is a tool to describe the indescribable, and in a next step an aid to actually enter into that indescribable. I will therefore not shun other forms of the Tradition to clarify the subject, and leave all historical considerations aside because they can only be a hindrance to the esoteric quest. My only concern will be to investigate the actual reality that lives beneath the enigmatic symbols of the Cabala and the ritual. An engineer using Euclidean geometry to build a bridge is not interested in the history of mathematics nor does he care who discovered his calculus. His only concern is whether the bridge will hold. Likewise I will leave historical and theological considerations to other authors more competent in that area but concentrate solely on the reality behind the symbols, and take the viewpoint of the initiate. I am only interested in building a bridge into the world of that other kind of knowing. To put it another way, since the true esoteric Tradition is universal my approach will necessarily be syncretic! I will use every bit of information, from the Jewish Cabala, the later Christian form, or even the new age variety, as long as it can foster our purpose!

! 7Luc Govaert

2 The Cabala and the Basic Tenets of Esotericism.

2 –1 As above, so below: the fundamental unity of the universe.

The universe is one. The psychic experiences and investigations of mystics and sages of all times agree on this point. From that foundation all consequent tenets of esotericism are deduced. In this respect one can say that esotericism is a science purely based on experience. Unfortunately, the instrument needed to perform the research, a developed consciousness capable of penetrating the realities that lie beyond the world of matter, is only given to the few. The esoteric schools (are supposed to) initiate the student and help him thus to develop the necessary qualities to see for himself. The most important implication of the unity of the universe is that there is essentially no difference between spirit and matter. Basically the notion of matter is an illusion; matter is spirit as it appears to our senses. Yet it is equally obvious that for practical reasons, we are often compelled to think in dualistic terms, since such is the condition of the human consciousness that it is unable to cogitate in any other way than in terms of contraries. This in turn is the inevitable result of living in material reality. We cannot imagine a world of form that is not conceived in dualistic terms of light and dark, long and short, near and far etc. The consciousness educated by this attitude will therefore necessarily come up with the antithesis of spirit and matter. That doesn't mean that these terms are useless. As long as we keep in mind that there is only one reality with two extreme modes of being, on the one hand formless potentiality and on the other hand matter, this terminology can have its use. But all too often, consciously or unconsciously, we tend to separate what are only the sides of one coin, in two almost independent realities. The Cabala renders the relation between matter and pure potentiality symbolically as a number of concentric circles, (figure 1) the outer circle representing potentiality, the innermost representing the densest world of matter, and the circles in between the intermediate states of being. Since matter and spirit cannot be totally different realities it follows that there must exist a number of intermediate states between the potentiality and the completely crystallised and elaborated state. There can be no clear-cut break between matter and spirit. Notice how the outer circle includes the others; all the following planes are an emanation of the first one, and at all times every level is dependent on the preceding one, of which it is but a version more elaborated in the direction of form. These ten planes are the rungs on the ladder from the level of potentiality to the plane of matter. It is important to realise that the concept of a gradual transition is a necessity, otherwise we would end up with two antithetic realities. The notion of spirit is impossible without some form of matter as a mode of expression, be it that this does not necessarily means dense matter as we know it. Besides, even if pure spirit were conceivable, it would render the spiritual dimension ineffectual, since it could then never impinge on the material dimension.


These intermediate levels descending from the root of being are not only of an augmenting density but also increasingly particularised, until we reach the plane of matter where one might even believe in the illusion of separate entities. But the adepts, by reason of their initiation capable of reaching out with their consciousness into these higher planes brought back a picture of oneness. Every step up the ladder showed them the increasing interdependency of entities and phenomena and revealed to them the basic unity behind the versatility of this uni-verse. The rituals stress this gradual ascending of the diverse planes time and again. There is of course the already mentioned image of Jacob’s ladder but also in other instances it is suggested that there can never be a direct switch from the lowest level to the highest. The path from the east to the west is always gradual as for instance in the opening of the lodge and even more obvious, when a candidate approaches the temple. The east can never be addressed directly. The system of “degrees” points at the same fact. Yet all too often it still happens that those two aspects of the same reality, matter and spirit, are portrayed as two opposites, thus creating an antithesis between different modes of being of the same essential root. This often leads to a depreciation of the

Figure 1

! 9Luc Govaert

world of matter in favour of a more “spiritual” life. That attitude will in the end prove to be self-defeating, since reality is one, and the lowest world is nothing but the expression of the Will of the first world. The laws governing this mundane world are always the reflections of some spiritual law, even in the most prosaic things like the stock exchange! The real adept will never spurn the world of form, even though he knows it to be but fleeting and ephemeral, since he realises that thanks to this corporeal realm he will be able to read and interpret that Will.

Before we proceed any further there is one important element that needs clarifying, since it often causes of a lot of misconceptions, namely the place of rational thinking in matters of esotericism. All too often rational thinking is portrayed as inimical to the pursuit of initiation and esotericism. Rational thinking is supposed to hinder the free flow of intuition or feeling. This however is not correct, as is indicated in many an alchemical text! Though in esoteric practises it is sometimes needed to dim sensorial perception as well as the every day thinking modus that goes with it, that does not mean we should throw logic overboard in the quest for Light! On the contrary, this steep path demands a strong and logical mind since a weak intellect would soon be overwhelmed by what the alchemists call the poisonous fumes engendered in the beginning of the great work. Indeed, when the aspirant risks his first steps into the regions beyond the familiar plane of our material reality he will be confronted with experiences that might easily unhinge the unprepared, who then will sorely need the guidance of a trained and rational mind. Sometimes it is indeed necessary to let go of the discursive thinking mode to allow the intuitive mode to take over but even then the ratio should be present in the background to help sort out what is really happening. Behind this rejection of the ratio we detect the same disastrous dualistic thinking that spurns “matter” as being “evil”, and concludes hence that the mode of thinking that is the first tool in this realm must be equally suspect. One can indeed point out many misfortunes that are apparently caused by devices that are concocted by the instrument of rational thought. But the valuable contributions of the rational mind by far exceed the disasters created by selfish use of the intellect. We should not forget that because of the basic oneness of the universe this realm of matter is an expression of the first level of spirit! It immediately follows that the iron logic of the laws underlying physics must therefore apply throughout the universe. Since this material universe is constructed rationally, as modern science has amply proven, the whole of the universe is necessarily rational! There is no cause then to despise the mechanism of ordinary logic since it allows us to decipher the message of the highest realm by studying it in its crystallised form. Rationality is only destructive when used by an egoistic personality. We should however make sure that the correct instrument of logic is used. Each plane has its own dimensions. Going from the first sephira to the tenth, there is a slow unfolding from the completely formless to the time-space continuum on this level, the sphere of Malkuth, or "the Kingdom". Each sephira has its own peculiarities so that the same universal laws will appear under a completely different


form on another plane. Therefore the connection between one and the same law applied in different dimensions can easily get lost to the observer! This can be compared with the projection of a three dimensional object on a two dimensional plane! Imagine you move an object over your table and draw the contours of its shadow! Except for those who observed the process, it will seem as if the object and its projection have nothing in common! The kind of logic that belongs to the tenth sphere of Malkuth should therefore never be applied on the level of another sphere. Let us not forget that the whole mode of thinking of our everyday consciousness is educated and determined by the dimensions of this particular realm! The Malkuth logic is a magnificent tool, but just as any other device it must be used only for those jobs it is designed for! If applied for a realm it is not suited for it will inevitably fail. If however we use the correct “tool” to investigate those other planes we will be able to detect the rationality behind them, be it that the rules of the logic of that particular level may appear quite different from the everyday variety. Such an apparatus exists! It is the language of symbolism, with its own brand of rationalism. It is not easy to switch to this symbolic language, not if we want to use it as it is meant, that is, as a means to find our way in these other sephiroth.

! 11Luc Govaert

The symbols should never be reduced to the logic of the tenth sphere! Instead the aspirant should learn to work with them on their own level till the underlying coherence is detected and the specific mode of thinking they represent becomes transparent. Used thus the symbolic Tradition and especially the Masonic rituals will soon divulge a complex but logical and consistent picture of these others spheres of existence. This rationality is also expressed in the words of Anderson who claims that geometry, the paragon of rationality, was engraved in the heart of Adam. We should realise however that in the Cabala the heart of Adam refers to the sixth sephira, indicating that the reference is not to the rationality of everyday consciousness, but in the first place to the rationality of intuition and the sphere of symbolic thinking. But I am running ahead of things. Let us return to the image of the concentric circles and the idea they convey of an emanation from a world of potentiality, condensing gradually. One root of being unfolds step by step, receiving in every sphere the characteristic colouring of that particular sphere. Before going to a more complex representation of the sephiroth I would like to draw the attention of the reader to figure 2 where we see 4 times 10 circles plus 3 additional rings. According to the rule of the golden section, that states that the smaller relates to the greater, as the greater relates to the whole, we can expect that everything in nature that constitutes an organic unit must follow the same pattern of development. Therefore if the universe is divided in four “kingdoms” or "worlds", the logic of which we will discuss later, it follows that each of them must in turn exhibit a tenfold structure yielding us 40 spheres, a number that crops up time and again in works of symbolic nature. The three outer rings that circumscribe the 40 rings in figure 2 are referring to the “Ain”, the “Ain Soph” and the “Ain Soph Aur”, respectively the “Nothing, or Not”, the “Endless”, and the “the Endless Light”. They refer to That which constitutes the Absolute, in its threefold nature. I will however decline to speculate on this metaphysical assertion because any hypothesis about the Unknowable is by definition useless and vain. Moreover it is even unknowable by the advanced adept; hence not within the realms of esotericism which is a science based on experiment and research. Those “negative states of being” constitute the final mystery and are of little concern for the student seeking initiation. The glyph of figure 2 does however stress once more that there is no sharp line that divides “spirit “ from “matter”. That borderline is simply the place where our senses are no longer capable of penetrating. There is no reason why these realities (beyond the sense sphere) shouldn't be equally valid as the material world! In fact, these realities are often causal in relation to the dense reality of matter!

2-2 Dualism: J and B.

Though the universe is basically one in that it is the transformation of one single root, it is equally clear that on the form side nothing can exist but in pairs of opposites. The glyph of “the tree of life” in the classical form as represented in figure 3 is better suited to render symbolically this basic dualism than the model with the concentric


circles of diagram 1 or 2. The ten realms are of course still representing the same stages of development, but this more advanced representation makes it possible to clarify a number of relations between the respective spheres Even more important, this glyph connects different esoteric symbols in a logical and precise way, such as the Tarot, Alchemy, Astrology, Numerology and the Hebrew letter system. This makes a thorough study of this symbol a must for anyone interested in the Western Tradition. We will restrict ourselves here to a discussion of only the bare essentials needed to elucidate the cabalistic design that forms the basis of the blue degrees. I would like to suggest the reader to supplement these chapters on the glyph of the tree with the excellent works on the Cabala from authors like Diane Fortune, Charles Poncé, or Will Parfit.

Existence is unthinkable and impossible without some form of

dualism; everything in existence will explicitly or implicitly manifest this quality. In its original and most abstract form this polarity is inherent in the Divine Thought, since even a thought necessitates a substrate to give it form. But as a result of our viewpoint as denizens of this world, we tend to overestimate this polarity, forgetting that at the same time all is one, like the two sides of a coin. In the first sphere, the Kether (the Crown), this basic duality is present in potential, the opposites being equilibrated in a state of non-being, since nothing that is has yet been provided with the attribute of form. The Kether, (sephira one) encompasses in its womb the potentiality of the whole of existence. It is the first contraction of the Absolute hiding behind the veils of negative existence. It is the seed that awaits awakening, and if it would stay in its state of perfect balance it could never emanate the other spheres. In a flash of pure will this first sphere of Kether must transform in an expansive state, in an energetic condition, so as to break the inertia like a seed sprouting in spring after a long slumber. This energised state is Chokma or Wisdom, the second sephira. To express this difference we put this sphere on the right side below Kether as in figure 4.

Figure 3

! 13Luc Govaert

This expanding energy must be counterbalanced by a contracting phase, to contain the energy and force it into form. Otherwise the result would be chaos. Be it noted that if we speak at this level of “form” or “matter” we mean its noumenon in its most abstract mode since we are still on the level of potentiality. The yin character of sephiroth three, called Binah or Understanding, is expressed by placing it on the opposite side of the tree. Phase number four consists of a further evolution in the “downward “ direction, towards form, multiplicity and denser matter. This sephira will of course be an expansive stage to offset the preceding yin phase of sephira three. Therefore we will place it under number two, (Chokma) on the pillar of mercy where we will arrange all the energised states. It is of a similar nature as Chokma but closer to

the world of form and matter, though we are still far removed from the conditions of material existence. Sphere five is again a form phase; it will mould the will impulse of sephira four according to the exigencies of time and space. These two find their equilibrium in sphere six. The whole procedure is repeated once more on a still lower level till we arrive at stage nine called Yesod or The Foundation. At this phase the yin-yang movement is stilled. Then follows a last crystallisation towards Malkuth, the kingdom, and the final fruit of the tree. On the foundation of the lower astral currents of sphere nine the world of matter is formed. Yesod provides the energy framework that will determine matter, as we know it, just like the structure of a crystal is already determined before it precipitates. As we can see in figure 4 the emanation from the first sephira follows a zigzag pattern on the glyph of the tree, resembling a bolt of lightning. This pattern indicates the normal evolution of any phenomenon from its potential existence till its expression in the lowest sphere. Later on we hope to show that by going around clockwise in the temple the Freemason follows the descent of energy indicated by this pattern, symbolised by “the flash of lightning”. In his ascent through the different degrees and offices the Brethren follow the opposite course, from sphere ten to sphere one. This expression, apart from referring to the similarity of the path travelled by the formative energy to a bolt of lightning, stresses that this process must be seen as

Figure 4


happening instantly, or better said, t imeless. In the preceding paragraphs we have analysed the emanation as a step by step process making the mistake of using too much of our tenth sphere logic. Luckily the symbolic language rectifies this error with one simple image! The advantage of this representation over the glyph with the concentric circles is obvious. The play of opposites between the form phases, collected under the pillar B and the energy phases brought together by pillar J is clearly rendered as well as their balance points, especially if we arrange them as in figure 5. The four sephiroth in the middle represent the pillar of consciousness

since it is through observing the play of the opposites from a position of balance that we become aware of the world of form as for instance the contrast of light and darkness enables us to see.

Another way of looking at t h e s e s e p h i r o t h i s displayed in figure 6 w h e r e t h e s t a g e s o f becoming are arranged as triangles. After all, the sephiroth on the side p i l l a r s a r e o n l y t h e polarised state of the central spheres. Hence there is a dynamic link between the sephiroth belonging to the same triangle because spheres oscillate between the form and energy modes. Very important in this respect is also that inevitably no

sphere is ever fully expanded nor contracted but that each phase carries in itself the seed of its opposite as beautifully indicated in the yin-yang symbol. (Figure 6). Basically then every sephiroth is dual in nature, though one polarity will prevail in the spheres on B or J. This dual nature explains why one sometimes finds a sphere on pillar J described with the name of a female Goddess or vice versa. Besides, one

! 15Luc Govaert

should be careful with the attributes “male” and “female”. The association of weakness with femininity is a modern conception! In this respect the Tradition shows a lot more wisdom and realism than modern mentality by associating the female pillar with strength, since it forces the male energy into the confines of form and is therefore necessarily stronger. The yin-yang symbol is directly comparable to each triangle of figure 6. The middle sephira can be equated to the complete oriental symbol, while the sephiroth on the side pillars are to be compared to the dark and light halves. Malkuth, where all the different forces are culminating, is of course equally subjected to the forces of yin and yang.

2-3 The elements and the sephiroth.

A-Theelements

Once Alchemy was the main vehicle of the Western esoteric Tradition. For anyone familiar with the esoteric meaning of the Spagyric Art and its symbols as well as with the Masonic ritual it is clear that the latter belongs to the same current. That is, if we approach Masonry as an expression of the timeless quest for initiation. Especially with respect to the higher degrees of the AASR it is no exaggeration to state that Alchemy is still the main component of those degrees that are esoterically genuine and meaningful. Unfortunately the Royal Art is no longer esteemed as the summum bonum of esotericism as it was a few centuries ago and even amongst those interested in initiation it has been largely forgotten. Maybe this has to do with the abstruseness of its texts. Or maybe with the disrepute Alchemy fell in as a result of the numerous impostors that enriched themselves at the expense of the greedy fools that that took its recipes literally and thus not only ridiculed themselves but also the art. Whatever the reason, this diminished acquaintance with Alchemy will cause the contemporary Mason to miss a number of basic clues necessary to comprehend his rituals. Indeed, the Royal Art is at least as fundamental to Masonry as the Cabala. Already in the first degree it is a very important theme while the third degree is almost exclusively an alchemical ritual. Therefore we will not discuss the latter in full. That would require a thorough knowledge of Alchemy far beyond the basic concepts we will explain in the next paragraphs. The first thing to do for anyone who wants to study Alchemy is to get rid of the notion of “elements “, as they are known in modern chemistry. The alchemists never intended to make a statement about the material composition of matter when they claimed that everything in existence is composed of one or more of four elements.

As for the visible elements, they are only the manifestation on the lowest plane of the noumena called earth, air, water, and fire. The elements denote different characteristics the "one substance" can exhibit, or the transformations of it throughout the different planes of existence. To elucidate what the spagyric artists really meant we might begin by looking at the basic characteristics of the elements and their place


on the tree of life, without of course claiming that this would completely unveil these enigmatic symbols The combination of the main attributes and their position on the tree immediately reveals a logic comparable to the p r e v i o u s l y e x p o u n d e d arrangement of the sephiroth. Let us first list the properties of the elements:

♦Fire is hot and dry ♦Water is cold and moist ♦Air is hot and moist ♦Earth is cold and dry

Compare this with figure 7 and the order of the elements as we go down from sephira one to sephira ten - of course following the order indicated in figure 4 as the “flash of lightning”. The first sephira is attributed air, the element that combines

one property of fire (hot) and one of its antithesis, water (moist)! The first sphere thus contains the opposites in balance! The second one must necessarily be governed by fire, since the equilibrium needs to be broken and that demands a strong fiery impulse. In the following stages we see once again the familiar play of opposites at work: three and four are water spheres, five, six and seven are fire spheres, and eight and nine are again reigned by water. The cold and dry earth governs sephira ten. Earth is sometimes considered as a mixture of the three other elements, and in other instances the tenth sphere is represented as containing the four elements in equal parts. Notice that the properties of the element earth, cold and dry, are also a combination of the characteristics of the two opposites water (cold) and fire (dry). The symbolic message we perceive here runs parallel with what we observed previously! In Kether the opposites are latently present. Then a fiery impulse starts the play of the opposing components, fire and water, till this drive is finally cooled and petrified in the dense and cold earth. That symbolises the last crystallisation, but also the fruit of the tree because it represents the final balancing out of all the elements in equal parts. The interplay of the elements is nothing but another form of the action of polarity, finding its completion in "the Kingdom" or Malkuth.

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air

firewater

water fire

fire

water fire

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earthFigure 7

! 17Luc Govaert

B-Thesephiroth

Since the aim of this work is to elucidate the rituals of blue Masonry, we will limit ourselves to the basic aspects of the tree of life necessary to discover the cabalistic framework on which they are built. I refer the reader to the works cited earlier for a detailed account of all the symbols connected with this incredibly rich emblem. I can promise that a thorough study of it will be rewarding for the real and honest seeker, provided of course that he does use it correctly and gives that “other way of thinking” a chance. Explaining a symbol is always a tricky business. In fact there is only one way to do it and that is through other symbols, because symbolic language is by definition only used when ordinary speech is insufficient. In the next paragraph we will give a brief overview of the sephiroth, while keeping in mind that we are dealing with realities that necessarily elude description. Later on we will compare the sephiroth with the insights of some modern initiates. Finally we will try to relate all this to man in the hope that, by combining those different angles of approach we will gradually become familiar with the glyph of the tree.

The first sephira, the Kether or "the Crown" is also named “Pure Being”, “the Undivided Unity”, “the Three in One", and “the First Emanation”. It is the first emanation from That what hides behind the veils of negative existence, and of which nothing can be said. It contains everything potentially in a perfect equilibrium. The next sephira, Chokma, or "Wisdom", is the creative fiat or the logos. It is dominated by the virile impulse that sets the creation in motion. Titles like "the Supernal Father" point at the same content. The third sephira, Binah, or "Understanding", is the mother in two aspects: the giver of life but also the giver of death, since it is the form aspect of Kether. Every thing in existence needs some kind of material clothing, no matter how insubstantial and "spiritual" that clothing may look from our viewpoint. Even the Divine Logos needs a matrix to express itself. In this aspect Binah is the giver of all life. Form however, is always transient and thus inevitably implies death. Chokma and Binah are basically two modes of Kether. Those first three spheres - or the first sphere in its three aspects – are not part of creation as described in the Bible since the three supernals are still outside time-space. A line drawn beneath them, symbolising the so-called "abyss" sometimes indicates this. The supernals belong to creation in potential, not yet actualised. If we use terms like “matter” and “form” in relation to Binah we mean of course only the noumenon of form and its most abstract principle since space is only formed in he next sephira! In the fourth sphere, (following the “flash of lightning”) on the other side of the abyss, the first step is set towards the creation of our time-space universe as the creative energy abundantly pours forth in Chesed or "Mercy". It is the first burst of creative energy from the abstract towards the form world. Chesed coincides with the first day of creation of the bible. Here the work of Chokma is continued on a somewhat lower level, as we can infer from its place on the tree of life.


But the bountiful energy from the "Love of God" or Chesed must be contained and limited. It must subjugated to an ordering principle to avoid chaos, just as mercy that is not tempered would in the end foster evil and the fifth level provides therefore the laws that will govern the time-space universe. It is the sphere of karma named Geburah, "Judgement" or "Power", and sometimes Pachad, the "Fear of God". Yet one should not regard Geburah as malefic but as a necessary counterbalancing force; a healthy metabolism consists of catabolism and anabolism in equilibrium. The point of equilibrium of the two preceding sephiroth is Tiphareth or "Beauty". It is the equivalent of Kether on this side of the abyss, where it has taken on the ideal form of Tiphareth. Notice the central position of this sephira. It is the ideal interposed between the potentiality of the Crown and its completion in the physical sphere. The perfect world of Tiphareth bridges the distance between the extremes of Kether and Malkuth. The seventh sphere, Nezah, represents the blind energies of instinct and the forces of nature. Once again this is a sphere of abundant energy, but now on the level of the natural drives and instincts of nature. Nezah, supporting the pillar J, means "Victory" or "Endurance" while Hod, at the basis of B, means "Majesty" or "Glory". Hod represents of course the more concrete form side of these forces. These two sephiroth can be likened to Chesed / Geburah but one step closer to the world of matter. These two sephiroth are already closer to the time- space universe as we know it, though matter as understood by modern physics appears only in the tenth sephira. The mechanism encountered higher up the tree is once more repeated; the abundance of creative energy clothed in form is balanced in the next level, sphere nine, Yesod, or "the Foundation". Here the patterns along which the material world will crystallise are formed and thus it is indeed the foundation for Malkuth or "the Kingdom", the tenth and last sphere. Malkuth is the seventh day of creation when “God rested” and the result of the interplay between the opposites is coagulated and frozen in the dense earth.

2-4 The sevenfold human being according to Blavatsky and Heindel.

In the preceding chapter we have tried to sketch the tenfold nature of the universe as portrayed by the seers that bequeathed us the Cabala. To make the several planes of existence more tangible we will follow the esoteric maxim “know thyself” and illustrate the different levels by looking at man. What you will find in the next paragraphs can be discovered in the wisdom teachings scattered over different ages and cultures. The fact that all these seers and sages report basically the same, be it in different symbolic images, should endow us with enough modesty to give them at least our honest attention! Even if that is a tall order for those totally unfamiliar with these universal concepts.

But before proceeding with the cabalistic vision of man we will give a short overview of this same subject as we find it in the works of Blavatsky or Heindel. The symbolic representations found there are more readily accessible, while the influence both writers had on esotericism is of such magnitude that we cannot leave them out. By

! 19Luc Govaert

comparing the terminology of both authors with the tree of life I hope to make the latter come to life. For more details I refer the reader to e.g. “The Rosicrucian Cosmoconception” or the writings of Blavatsky. That Max Heindel sometimes goes slightly overboard and that Blavatsky’s work is often a penance for the reader does not alter the fact that both offer a solid introduction to the Tradition in all its aspects.

The vehicle we know best is of course the physical body. It is a crystallisation of an invisible matrix formed by the preceding vehicle on the ladder of Jacob, the etheric or

vital body. The latter follows closely the contours of the physical body. The Tradition considers the etheric region as belonging to the purely physical and therefore the etheric and physical bodies are often treated as one unit. Though the psychic can separate them, they are normally closely knitted together, so that the etheric body is an exact replica of its physical counterpart. The etheric body is also the realm of the energy lines or meridians of acupuncture. Next comes the desire body, or the emotional body, sometimes named kama rupa or astral body. This vehicle envelops the two former bodies and is not as well organised as its two physical counterparts. The desire world is the plane of emotions and as our feelings and moods change constantly, so does the aura. It alters constantly in shape and colour though to the trained psychic it will always show some more or less constant overtones or colours depending on the main traits of character. The lower manas or lower mind forms the next plane. It is the sphere of concrete thought where our thoughts are quite literally given form. This region is populated with the most diverse products of thought. Unfortunately, not all of these are

Max HeindelBlavatskyDivine Spirit

Life Spirit

SevenfoldHumanSpirit

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Desire

body

Atman

Buddhi body

(Lower) astral body

Higher manas

Lower manas

Etheric and physicalbody

Vital body +Physical bodyFigure 8


wholesome! In fact, destructive thinking can poison this level and infect all lower bodies with its unbalanced energies since the lower body is inevitably dependent on the higher one. The higher plane always provides the matrix and the energy for the denser vehicle. It is obvious that what and how we think has a direct influence upon the emotional body, so that the lower mind and emotional body are often seen as a single unit, indicated as the astral body. However, the name "astral body" is in other cases used for every plane below the abyss. This kind of confusion in terminology is deplorably all too common in esoteric literature. The same problems occur with terms like "etheric". This chaos provides us with another good reason to study the glyph of the tree, since it gives us one central key and a point of reference if we like to compare the terminology of different schools as in figure 8. Homeopathy and aura healing can influence the area of concrete thought or the "kama rupa". Next comes the region of abstract thought, what Heindel calls "the region of human spirit" and Blavatsky "the higher manas". It is a level that can be reached in moments of intuition and then only by the advanced psychic. By now we are reaching such high vibratory levels that the dimensions of this field vary considerably from those on the physical level. The happy few that manage to reach this level of thought will often discover that on the level of higher manas time and space are differently conceived. The buddhi-body (Blavatsky) or the level of the life spirit (Heindel) is also named the body of bliss. It is the first vehicle of the highest principle of man, the atman, or spiritual spark that has eternal life. Heindel calls this level the area of divine spirit. For more details I would recommend the “The Rosicrucian Cosmoconception” by Max Heindel. Without for that matter canonising his work as the final word in esotericism it must be conceded that it provides a concise overview of the main points of esoteric metaphysics. Its critical reading can help the student of the wisdom teaching a great deal since its schematic representations clarify many points obscurely hinted at in the works of Westerns esotericism. Nevertheless we should as true Masons always remember the words of Emerson: “It is not instruction, but provocation that I can receive from another soul. What he announces, I must find true in myself, or reject.”

2-5 Man and the tree of life.

In the next section we will bring all the previous symbolic elements together and apply them to man since all adepts, modern and ancient, do agree that true esotericism should be based on that maxim written above the temple of Apollo in Delphi: “Know Thyself”. Man is the only creature that unites within himself all planes of cosmic existence; he alone has a separate vehicle in all sephiroth. Of course, everything on this plane, be it mineral, plant, animal or man, must needs exist on all other planes, as was indicated in the glyph with the ten circles. But only man has an individualised body on every level. Hence the saying of Edgar Cayce that everything in the cosmos has its counterpart in man. The kingdom is truly within! And following this advise we will

! 21Luc Govaert

in the next paragraph review once more the glyph of the tree starting from the premise that it is a representation of man. In the chapters on ritual we will conduct our inquiries from the same angle. The visions of Heindel or Blavatsky-or any other proponent of the Tradition for that matter- must necessarily be comparable to the description of reality found in the Cabala. This for the simple reason that all psychics are reporting the same facts, be it in a different symbolic language. If that weren't the case, why bother at all? Each model will of course stress other aspects (e. g. the tree of life will especially underline polarity) but in final analysis the different representations will complement each other. The résumé of this attempt of unifying the models of different esoteric schools can be

found in fig. 8 and 9.

The Kether is the original spark, the individualised part of divine essence that sends a part of itself on a cosmic voyage. Potentially it contains all it may become. It is the atman of the theosophist and the Vedic literature and the individualised particle of Divine Spirit in the terminology of Heindel. The atman will gather experiences throughout the manvantara, that is till the end of times when this cycle ends, after which it will re-emerge in the next cycle after a period of rest. Chokma represents the first impulse towards life in form. That will-impulse is clothed, or given form, through the body of bliss on the Binah side. Therefore we can equate Chokma - Binah, but especially Binah with the first vehicle of the original spark. It is the buddhi body or the body of life spirit. Binah will provide the necessary material counterpart of that first impulse, even though at this level we can

Figure 9

The abyss

The veil

Thespiritualspark The first

willimpulse

Form side ofthe spiritualspark

The soul, going fromone incarnation to thenext

The mortalsoul, thatdisappearssome timeafter death

The physicaland ethericbody

The eternaldivine spark

The higher mind, (conscious andunconscious)“thinking” insymbols, the abstract mind

The lower mind(conscious andunconscious) ,concrete mind

timeless

Beginningof time

Time aswe

know it


only speak of the most abstract noumenon or principle of matter. That means that there is an enormous chasm between these first three sephiroth and the lower seven since time-space dimensions, as we know them, are not valid in this realm. Therefore it is almost impossible -except for the very advanced adept- to reach that part of oneself while alive! If, by a supreme effort, an adept is capable of contacting this level while among the living, he therefore finds himself unable to explain his experiences when coming back to this mundane level. That kind of event hardly fits into the confines of everyday consciousness let alone every day language. The “abyss”, represented by a line drawn under the first three sephiroth indicates a very real borderline! The world of abstract thought or the higher manas coincides with Geburah-Chesed. The cabalistic view will stress the dual aspect of this level by assigning Chesed to the unconscious intuitive drive and the will principle and Geburah to the analytical form side. It is that part of the soul that survives after death and that will store the karmic load, the rules of which are inscribed in the Geburah side. The region of abstract thought is the level that operates in symbols and that any study of symbolism aims at! It is the storehouse of former life experiences from where, sometimes, symbolic dreams may trickle down into our consciousness. The function and meaning of sephiroth six will become clear if we first treat the remaining sephiroth seven to ten. With sephiroth seven and eight, Nezah and Hod we arrive at the region of concrete thought or the lower manas, a more familiar area. They are more or less comparable to Chesed /Geburah, but on a lower level. That means that Nezah on pillar J coincides with the unconscious impulses and instinctive and intuitive drives while Hod is pretty much that area of your being that is now reading these words, it is the analytical side of your every day consciousness. In Hod we can formulate precise thoughts, often under the impulse of Nezah. In Nezah we will also find repressed thoughts and remnants of the group-soul or the collective unconscious. Most of our dreams belong to the level of Nezah; they depict the occurrences and thoughts we had during the day in our Hod side. Maybe they enact some repressed feelings stored in Nezah or the “lower unconscious”, or maybe some physical stimulus that stirs this sphere. But these dreams will certainly differ markedly from those of our “higher subconscious”, the Geburah-Chesed level. From Geburah-Chesed we can expect important messages containing the experience and wisdom of ages (unless we are dealing with a depraved soul persisting in evil). Unfortunately, this kind of dreams is very rare, and often the message is drowned by interfering dross from the Yesod area. Yesod, sephira nine, is the sum of the Hod and Nezah spheres and constitutes the emotional body or kama rupa. That means that our emotional body is determined as well by our conscious thoughts as by the content of the unconscious sphere of Nezah with all its repressed thoughts and feelings and instinctive reactions. The end result of that is seldom a balanced vehicle! Indeed, the main task of humanity in this stage of development is to forge this unstable and often-murky body into a well-organised balanced vehicle as is the case with the physical and etheric body. If Yesod is in constant turmoil it will inevitably have a destructive influence on the next two bodies that are built on this “foundation “, and cause all kinds of psychosomatic diseases. Malkuth, the tenth sephira represents the physical as well as the etheric body.

! 23Luc Govaert

The only sephira that we have not discussed yet is the sixth one. Its central position and its importance become more evident after we have seen what the rest of the tree stands for. Tiphareth is not only the point of balance between J and B, since it belongs to the middle pillar; it is equally the central point between lower and higher manas. Tiphareth is the ego, connecting the immortal soul with the mortal soul of the lower manas and the physical body. Depending on its focus the ego will be absorbed

in the workings of the lower mind, or aspire to contact the upper half of the tree. Until now we have not paid attention to the so-called “ p a t h s ” c o n n e c t i n g t h e sephiroth. They denote the relations between the different spheres, and are worth a study in their own right but we will at this moment suffice to attend the reader to the fact that Tiphareth is the only sephira that is connected through these "paths" with all the others (figure 10). It is also the point of incarnation, since the mortal bodies are built from halfway Tiphareth downward, and after physical death these vehicles will decay again, though the lower astral body can sometimes survive the physical body for a considerable period of time. The ego, occupying a central posi t ion is theoret ical ly capable of encompassing the whole man. Unfortunately, most people are so absorbed in the sense impressions of Malkuth and the feelings that colour these impressions in Yesod, that, like Narcissus

they become captivated by the reflections of the form world. Yet the ego in Tiphareth is equally connected with its immortal soul, since it is also the point of equilibrium of Geburah and Chesed. It even has a path leading to Kether, the individualised particle of the oversoul. That path crosses the abyss, and to undertake that journey while in the physical body is reserved to the highest adepts.


It remains up to the ego to make the choice as to where it will direct its attention. It can loose itself in its thoughts and hang ups in Hod, its feelings and instincts in Nezah, or in the sense impressions from Malkuth. On the other hand, everyone has the possibility to start listening to the small still voice from within that whispers its wisdom from the depth of the soul. This turning within can be accomplished by a steadfast practice of esoteric techniques designed to alter the focus of consciousness. There are however many possible ways to achieve this goal. One method consists in trying to master the language of the higher manas, so as to understand its workings better. In other words, the study of symbols. The ego can learn, by steadfast effort, to rectify and consciously direct its lower sephiroth. It can thus be initiated in these sephiroth and learn to govern its lower vehicles, instead of being governed by them. In a more advanced stage it can seek contact and initiation in the higher sephiroth and thus pass beyond its mortality.

2-6 Astrology and the tree. To get the most out of the symbol of the tree of life, one must contemplate it on a

regular basis. It is even worthwhile to memorise the most important attributions, even though that kind of effort might not be popular nowadays. Yet I can promise that a patient study will in the end pay off; after a while things will begin to fall in place and new and unexpected insights will present themselves to the persevering student. The effort will in the end prove to be very productive since the tree conjoins a number of disciplines that a Mason can not afford to be ignorant of, if he really wants to acquire an in depth grasp of his rituals. A Freemason that is determined to get everything out

! 25Luc Govaert

of his initiation has no choice but to master the language of the creators of the system. One look at the rituals can already suffice to identify as important constituents of this code the symbols of Alchemy, Astrology, and Rosicrucianism, while this work will, I trust, more than sufficiently prove that the cabalistic influence is tremendous. All these different disciplines are knit together and welded in one glorious system by that magnificent symbol of the tree. It allows us to see the connections between all the components of what constituted esotericism in the late middle ages when our Order began to take its present form. One of these components undoubtedly is Astrology, basic to all forms of Western esotericism. Its abuse in tabloids and the like has made us forget that there is another side to it. It is above all a symbolic representation of the forces working throughout the macrocosm and thus inevitably also in man. It links us also with the wisdom concealed in Greek and Roman mythology. In Masonry it will crop up more than once and especially to understand the precise function and place of the officers a basic knowledge of the connection with Astrology is necessary. Therefore we have rendered in figure 10 the place of the planets on the tree. This is not the only manner of attribution, but it is the most important one! (Figure 11 renders the most important astrological symbols). The Kether is represented as the first setting in motion or the first whirling. It is likened to a liquid that is being stirred, the fluid here being the primordial matter churned to the point where it emanates the whole of creation. Chokma is associated with the zodiac that contains all the cosmic forces and their possible permutations. Binah, the third sephiroth is the sphere of Saturn, who eats his own children. It is the first sphere where the noumenon of form is imparted, and therefore it is also inevitably the last sphere where everything “formed” will have to return to at the end of times. Everything that was ever created will be “swallowed” by Saturn, till the next cycle of existence! Chesed, the first step in the creation of our time-space universe and situated on the pillar of mercy belongs to Jupiter, the benevolent king of the gods who provides the energy for creation. Geburah is the domain of Mars, as is to be expected since, situated on the pillar of severity, it is the sephira that imposes upon the creative energy of Chesed the karmic laws. Everything and everybody who does not adhere to these principles must inevitably clash violently with its immutable decrees. If we keep in mind that on top of this Geburah is a fiery sphere, Mars, the God of conflict is the logical choice. Tiphareth is the sphere of the sun. If we remember what Tiphareth stands for we can see the logic of this connection. The sun is the symbol of the sacrificial Gods, like Bacchus, Mithras, Christ, or Osiris. Like the sun dies in the west and later arises in the east, so do the sacrificial Gods. They are the emissaries of the spiritual spark that die and are buried in the west, the lower world of matter, till they arise again and return to the east. They represent Tiphareth, the ego that partakes of the immortal nature when centred in the higher manas, but is chained to the world of matter when focused on the chimera of the lower planes. It is the point of reincarnation, where the building of the mortal vehicles begins, forming a grave for the ego and hence for the spiritual spark whose emissary it is, until such time as the links are broken and resurrection in the east is accomplished.


Venus, the Goddess of love, reins in Nezah, the sphere of the instinctive blind powers of nature. The sphere of Hod however is the domain of Mercury, the god of merchants and of the seven arts, a logical choice since Hod is the sephiroth of the conscious lower mind. It is the plane of human intellect and reasoning. Finally the lunar Goddesses rein over Yesod, the ninth sphere attributed to the moon. As we stated before, this is the sphere of the kama rupa, which is only a weak reflection of the light of manas in Tiphareth. A better symbol for the often-murky emotional side of the human mind is not possible. The tenth sphere is represented by the planet earth and is dedicated to Ceres. To clarify the astrological connections we can return to the cabalistic model consisting of the concentric circles, but now in another form as represented in figure 12. This

representation elucidates the attributions from another viewpoint since we have here simply a representation of the geocentric model of our solar system. Too often the

! 27Luc Govaert

philosophical import of this kind of models has been overlooked. A diagram like figure 12 is not in the first place rendering astronomical facts but rather an emblem indicating the relations between the divers levels of creation.

2-7 The four cabalistic worlds.

It is possible to divide the tree of life in four worlds, in a meaningful manner. We have already referred to this division when we were discussing figure 2. But such partition must be based on actual differences. Of course, every division of the One is to some extent artificial, but whether we like it or not, the human mind incapable of comprehending the One in its entirety needs such artefacts.

The first of these worlds is Aziluth. It is the level of emanation. Since everything is already comprehended by the first sephira, one could restrict the world of Aziluth to Kether. But since this emanation needs the “outgoing” impulse of Chokma, one could consider the first world to consist of Kether plus Chokma. Though both these allotments are arguable, the arrangement of figure 13 is to be preferred. It has the advantage to represent the first triad as the unity that it is, since it is basically one sephira in three different states of being. Further, it uses the very real borderline of the abyss to delineate this first level.

Next comes the level of Briah, the world of archetypes. One can therefore argue that Binah represents this plane. For reasons mentioned earlier, we prefer the arrangement of figure 13. That way we will also be closer to the archetypes as defined by Jung.

Figure 13

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The third level is the formative world or the world of Yetsirah. On this level the abstract archetypes are further worked out in matter and form. The tenuous matter of this level is by no means matter as we know it, since it is (for the time being) still impossible to observe it by any other means than by the introspection of the trained initiate. It is more fluid and malleable than matter on the malkuth plane. Time and space in Yetsirah function still differently from what we experience in the fourth world. The fourth level is that of Assiah and comprises the etheric and material level. At this point I would advise the reader to compare figure 13 with figures 8 or 9 and combine the information contained therein with what has been said about the character of the different sephiroth and levels. As you can observe the main divisions as portrayed in figure 8 and specially figure 9 coincide largely with those four kingdoms. Since all these different terms are describing the same reality this is to be expected. In the following table we will compare once again the terminology of the various schools.

2-8 Other aspects of the tree of life.

To familiarise us with the glyph of the tree we will now consider some further divisions of this inexhaustible symbol. We will not shun occasional comparisons with other esoteric disciplines! After all it is one of the most important advantages of this symbol that it brings together divergent systems in one concise representation. The different arrangements can reveal us complete new angles as to the structure of the ten sephiroth and their interrelation. By thus shifting our viewpoint we avoid the danger that our insights congeal in a rigid mental framework that is more a hindrance than a help.

kingdom Blavatsky Heindel Tree

Aziluth Atman/ buddhi Divine spirit /life spirit

Kether, Chokma, Binah

Eternal divine spark

Briah Higher manas Human spirit Geburah, Chesed, Tiphareth

Immortal soul

Yetsirah Lower manas/kama rupa

Human spirit lower regions/ desire body

Tiphareth, Nezah, Hod, Yesod

Mortal soul, aura

Assiah Etheric/physical body

Vital body / physical body

Malkuth Etheric and physical body

! 29Luc Govaert

We should also keep in mind that the glyph of the tree can be emblematic for any organic unit, whether it be individual man, the complete cosmos or any other entity or subdivision as for instance one of the four worlds. I would like to draw the attention of the reader to the position of the pillars on the four trees representing the four subdivisions (rendered on the left of figure 13). Since the higher plane is always mirrored in the lower it follows that in the lower plane the pillars must be placed on the opposite side, as in a mirror image. This is a symbolic indication of the fact that the higher plane is "positive" to the next "negative" plane for which it delivers the formative impetus. Yet the latter level is itself positive compared to the next world down the chain and so on, till we reach the Assiah level. This alternating polarity is indicated by the alternation of the pillars.

The place of the pillars is a very important feature and caused a lot of confusion. It is especially important for Masonry since it is the clue to the place of the wardens and the differences between e.g. the Scottish and the French Rite as we intend to show later in this work. The position of the pillars provides us with a vital clue as to the plane that is represented. Note also that as indicated in figure 13 we have a total of 4 x 10 sephiroth that, combined with the Ain, Ain Soph and the Ain Soph Aur result in the 40 + 3 rings of figure 2.

Sometimes the tree is divided in a "lower face" and a "higher face" with Tiphareth as the midpoint. But in esoteric matters a threefold division is more appropriate as for instance in figure 14. A twofold division is mostly found in exoteric systems but is seldom illuminating. It tends to represent matter and spirit as irreconcilable opposites, while one of the first aims of esotericism is to convince the student that matter and spirit are mainly terms invented for the convenience of our dualistic thinking mode! Besides, for practical work –the final touchstone of esotericism- the twofold exoteric division is mostly useless.

We have already discussed the abyss for reasons mentioned earlier. If we indicate the eleventh or secret sephira it should be precisely on the abyss. Another line of division is the veil, usually placed between Yesod and Malkuth. All this dividing and schematising must be based on a specific situation. It should somehow be helpful and enlightening otherwise it is an exercise in the void. In figure 14 A and 14 B the tree is partitioned in two different ways, each having its own logic and use. In figure 14 A we see that the veil is located between Malkuth and Yesod, stressing the fact that the etheric body is closely linked with the physical body. In case of physical death it decomposes only a short while after the latter. The lower manas and the emotional body are nevertheless equally mortal though they can remain intact for quite a while after physical death. Yesod, Hod, Nezah, and part of Tiphareth represent this mortal soul. Only the higher manas consisting of the upper part of Tiphareth and the two sephiroth of which it is the point of synthesis survive from incarnation to incarnation. From that viewpoint it is logical to divide the tree as in 14 B.


In other words, 14 A represents the situation shortly after physical death, while 14 B indicates which part will in the long run survive. 14 B is thus a representation of what happens at the “second death” since everything below the veil represents the elements of man that at that moment will perish.

The above exercise is certainly not superfluous. Everyone involved in esoteric literature soon becomes painfully aware of the sloppy way terms peculiar to esoteric matters are handled, thus causing endless confusion. Especially the use of ill defined exoteric terms provokes many misunderstandings, as e.g. concepts like “soul” or “spirit”. In Masonry the situation is equally chaotic. Symbols like the glyph of the tree can act as a frame of reference and help to avoid that kind of predicament.

From the study of the tree of life we learn that, driven by different forms of polarity, the potential inherent in Kether further unfolds until the process culminates in the kingdom of the material universe. The downward movement comes to a halt in Malkuth, but also the interplay between J and B and even the alternation of the elements. Interesting in this respect is the representation of the tenth sephira as a mixture of the 4 elements. (See figure 11 with the list of standard symbols. You will notice that the planet earth or the level of Malkuth it symbolises is represented as a circle divided in 4 parts. These 4 segments represent the four elements.) The kingdom is the direct and complete mirror image of Kether, with the 4 elements as well as the basic polarities in final balance. It is this relation between Kether and Malkuth that allows us to learn the spiritual laws according to the dictum “As above, so below”. Or as the maxim goes “Kether is in Malkuth and Malkuth is in Kether, but after another manner". The tenth sphere is nothing less than the training ground,

! 31Luc Govaert

where the laws of the first sphere are worked out in time and space. That level can of course only be visited in an adapted vehicle, in other words, in the body. Therefore the real initiate will never spurn the material universe nor the physical body since the corporeal world is a necessary stage in human development. It also follows that no ritual can be complete unless it manages to br ing the Creative Energy down to the level of this physical world. By connecting the first sphere with the tenth sphere every well-executed ritual repeats the creative act!

The Major Arcana: legend to figure 15

We occasionally find on the tree an eleventh sephira, the sphere of Daat or knowledge. It bridges the abyss between the supernals and the rest of the tree. Sometimes it is also named the secret sephira. It is closely linked with some rather

0 The Fool VIII Strength XVI The Tower

I The Magician IX The Hermit XVII The star

II The High Priestess X The Wheel of Fortune XIII The Moon

III The Empress XI Justice XIX The Sun

IV The Emperor XII The Hanged Man XX Judgement

V The Hierophant XIII Death XXI The World

VI The Lovers XIV Temperance

VII The Chariot XV The Devil


occult matters of which traces are found scattered throughout the esoteric literature. It has to do with the mystery of the five fold incarnation of the Dalai Lama, indicated in the Cabala by the contention that in Daat four other trees are said to be connected perpendicular to the original one. This is not the place to dwell on this enigma. As we indicated before, on the Daat level time is quite different from what we experience on this plane, and that causes situations that are perceived as a five-fold incarnation. Some new age therapists have been perplexed by similar problems. This mystery is largely caused by our time perception. For the Mason it is important to remember that human nature is basically fivefold in nature as expressed in the five-pointed star. (The five-pointed star has of course also another function and meaning, especially in the second degree).

Until now we have said very little about the so-called paths that connect the different sephiroth. (See fig 15). There are 22 of these connections but sometimes the sephiroth are also counted as paths. If we add the connecting paths and the ten sephiroth plus Daat we have 22 + 10 + 1 = 33, or 32 + 1, numbers that certainly will ring a bell for the Brethren involved in the Scottish Rite. These paths are especially interesting when studying the human psyche. To each of the paths can be attributed one of the cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. In a similar way the paths can be connected with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. On top of that one can also put the astrological symbols on the paths, plus the elements (7 “planets”, 12 signs of the zodiac plus 4 elements equals 22!) This makes the glyph absolutely invaluable as a tool that links the different branches of the western Tradition. I can promise that a thorough study of these aspects will be most interesting but since we aim at elucidating the cabalistic aspects of the Masonic ritual I once again refer the reader to the previously mentioned works on the Cabala. The attributions are unfortunately not always given in the correct manner. This has to do with the fact that all too often the authors of works on esotericism are much more historian than initiate! Yet if one shifts e.g. the attributions of the Tarot with one card it is obvious that the whole system becomes pretty much meaningless. In figure 15 we have shown the accurate attributions.

Whether or not these are the correct attributions for the Tarot can of course be verified in the only way possible for esoteric matters: by experience, meditation, and intuition. An esoterically legitimate symbolic system will always prove to be enlightening and logical to the serious seeker. But it will also baffle the superficial or profane student. If the investigator sets out from the wrong data however, he will inevitably get lost in the maze of symbols. Many a seeker has turned away from esotericism in disgust because of books written with great scholarship but little or no first hand knowledge or experience of this tricky subject.

2-9 The elements, the four worlds and the tree of life.

I would like to come back to the elements and more specifically to their sequence in the first degree. This is one of the many instances where we can learn the why of a

! 33Luc Govaert

very specific occurrence in a ritual by tracing its origin back to the tree of life. In fact, in the remainder of this work we will give more and more examples of this, since I will assume that by now the reader is sufficiently familiar with that symbol to discern the patterns behind most of our rituals. That most certainly does not mean of course that the subject of the tree of life is exhausted by this small introduction. I just hope that I have given the reader enough food for thought so as to incite him to carry his study of this symbol far beyond this elementary introduction. Previously we have explained the logic behind the order of the elements from Kether to Malkuth. We demonstrated how the distribution of the elements could be seen as illustrating the evolution of becoming. Beginning from a point of equilibrium, a fiery impulse initiated the play between the opposites fire and water, till the whole process found its culmination in the element earth in the tenth sphere. I would like to draw your attention to the middle pillar! As you can see, (figure 7) the order of the elements there, from bottom to top is earth (Malkuth, tenth sphere), water (Yesod, ninth sephira), fire (Tiphareth, sixth sephira) and air (Kether, first sephira). As indicated before, these sephiroth are by far the most important since those on the side pillars are nothing but the yin or yang state of the corresponding sphere on the middle pillar. The middle pillar, as we stated earlier, is the pillar of consciousness, indicating the main levels of awareness. The symbols of Saturn (the skull), and the "V.I.T.R.I.O.L." (Visita Interiora Terrae, Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem!) are an obvious reference to the earth element. Granted this, we see that in the first degree of the A.A.S.R. the initiation ritual is indeed following the order of the elements as they are distributed on the middle pillar! And if we remember what they stand for, we understand perfectly the logic of the first degree. The candidates’ consciousness is initially captivated by the heavy darkness of the element earth, in the "Interiora Terrae". The skull and the bone structure in general are attributed to Saturn who is responsible for the generation of form and hence for crystallisation in matter. (The bones provide the human being with its form aspect). On the tree of life we will find Saturn twice: once in Binah, since here the noumenon of all form is generated for the first time and once on the path from Yesod to Malkuth. This last change from the malleable astral matter of Yesod to its encrusted form in Malkuth must be brought about by the hardening influence of Saturn. The water element belongs to Yesod, the culminating point for the influences of the lower emotional body and the lower mind. Travelling through that area means a rocky trip indeed! Next follows Tiphareth, fire! It is the sphere of the ego where things are a bit smoother because we are above the level of the crude emotions, but still the ego is not completely balanced on the mental level, since if it were, there would be no need for incarnation. There are still questions and problems to be solved by the ego. Finally the element air brings the candidate into an atmosphere of peace, since here the two opposites are balanced. Here he has reached Kether, the area of the spiritual spark that was never really estranged from its original state; it is rather the consciousness send down as an emissary along the bolt of lightning that somehow lost contact.


The inner logic of the order of the elements is clear. From top to bottom we first encounter air, equilibrating the opposites, then the fire sphere of Tiphareth to break the balance followed of course by a water sphere in Yesod and then the final cooling and encrusting of the earth element. In this case the tree with the elements we are referring to is not the tree representing the whole of man, or the whole cosmos, but only the world of Assiah, that is, the lowest of the four worlds (see figure 13). Indeed, if this were the tree emblematic of the whole (i.e. the four worlds), the candidate would be initiated in the highest sphere! Then our Masonic career would be completed in the first degree. The initiation here refers to the world of Assiah that is a prefiguration of things to come! Moreover, if we place the first degree in its context, we can show -as we hope to do in

the following chapters- that the apprentice is initiated only in the first three lower sephirothic levels of his being. In Assiah however the whole is reflected. We should see the different worlds more or less as copies of each other, but on different levels. The second world, Briah, is a direct reflection of the first, while the third is again a more dense double of the second and so forth. In the first degree then is foreshadowed

the whole of the Masonic investiture by performing the complete initiation in Assiah. Remember also the importance of Malkuth constituting the fourth world! It equals Kether "in a certain manner". In some rites the initiation in the elements is given in another sequence, that is (after of course the element of earth indicated by the V.I.T.R.I.O.L.), air, water and fire. This is the representation of an initiation in the 4 lower sephiroth. Air is here referring to Yesod (on the tree representing the four worlds). Indeed, Yesod can also be attributed air, as can the whole middle pillar, since these sephiroth (Malkuth excepted) are always the result of a fire sephira and a water sephira. So if the three pillars are considered in their entirety, the middle pillar will be reigned by air, J by fire (because it counts two fiery seph

esoteric elements in the blue degrees of masonry. · julius evola in his work "the hermetic...

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