Introducing "A Path to Providence"

The Laudable Pursuit Press is pleased to announce the release of, A Path to Providence: The Creation of the Middle Chamber Program.

This exciting and informative work is by M.W. P. Shaun Bradshaw, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, AF & AM, and Wor. Benjamin G. Wallace.

About the book:


Providence, Synchronicity, God’s Plan. Whatever you call it, the Universe brings people, ideas, and circumstances together for great purpose. For the authors, this story is a perfect example of Providence working in our lives toward some great purpose.

For years, the leadership in the Grand Lodge of North Carolina has placed significant emphasis on the role of education to improve the administration, finances, and culture (tone) of the meetings in its subordinate lodges. The Wilkerson College Program came first, an intensive set of leadership workshops open to Deacons of the lodges, spanning three weekends with a curriculum covering everything from the history of the fraternity, to preparing budgets for the lodges, to planning a year’s worth of Masonic events. Next came the Davie Leadership Academy. These workshops were open to any Master Mason and covered a variety of topics relevant to our members. The most recent addition to the list of outstanding educational initiatives is the Middle Chamber Program.

Each of these educational programs are wonderful and rightly deserve attention, but this book’s focus is the Middle Chamber Program. Multiple elements make this program unique. It’s an in-person, instructor led course that focuses on the esoteric aspects of the Craft’s rituals and symbols. This program is also fully sanctioned by the leadership of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina and administered through the Committee on Masonic Education.

In preparing this story, it’s worthwhile to understand how this book originated. For those involved in developing the idea, the curriculum, the schedule, and the logistics of the program, the story wrote itself. As roadblocks emerged, Providence provided an alternate route. Seeing the enthusiasm from the brethren who have attended the classes, as well as the excitement of brethren outside the Jurisdiction who have learned about this program, it seemed natural to document, not just what the program is and how other Grand Lodges can implement something similar for themselves, but equally important to convey how it came to be. That’s the purpose of this book: to tell this story because it’s important to share how Providence works in our lives and how we are called to duty to act through our own free will when aligned with the will of Deity.

We hope our brethren will find inspiration in this book to pursue their esoteric journey through the Craft and expand those learnings into similar programs within their lodges and Grand Jurisdictions throughout the United States. As Bro. Shaun is fond of saying, “Each one, teach one.” At some point in the near future, it’s our sincere hope every lodge will have at least one brother who’s on the path to understand the esoteric workings of the degrees so when a new member joins the lodge, one who has an interest and desire to learn that aspect of our Craft, that brother can take him by the hand and lead him on this wonderful journey.

Sincerely & Fraternally,

P. Shaun Bradshaw & Benjamin G. Wallace

Available now through The Laudable Pursuit Book Store, and wherever fine books are sold.

Introducing "Myth, Magick, and Masonry"

The Laudable Pursuit Press is pleased to announce the publication of Jaime Paul Lamb's Myth, Magick, and Masonry

Jaime Paul Lamb was raised in St Johns Lodge no. 6, F.&A.M., Norwalk, CT. He currently resides in Phoenix, AZ and is a member of Ascension Lodge UD, Arizona Lodge no. 2, Phoenix York Rite bodies, AZ College of S.R.I.C.F., Arizona Research Lodge no. 1 and Lapis Lazuli Oasis, O.T.O.. To inquire about speaking engagements, lecture presentations, podcast/radio appearances, article solicitations or other opportunities, please email the author directly at: jaimepaullamb@hotmail.com.

In MYTH, MAGICK & MASONRY, Jaime Paul Lamb develops four thought-provoking interpretations of the symbolism and allegorical content of Freemasonry and some of its appendant bodies. By viewing the craft through the interpretive lenses of ceremonial magick, solar and astrological lore and symbolism, classical mythology and the Roman Mystery cult, Mithraism, Lamb establishes four distinct vantage points from which to survey Freemasonry.  Thereby, Jaime Paul Lamb enables Masons, new and old, to develop a more nuanced appreciation of the Craft and a deeper understanding of the Fraternity’s priceless initiatory heritage.

This is now Available in The Laudable Pursuit Bookstore (and soon on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.)

For orders outside of the U.S., please email Editor@TheLaudablePursuit.com with the desired quantity and we'll send you a Paypal invoice.

 

What People are Saying:

“Bro. Lamb's remarkably readable work should be read by every Mason who is not afraid to discover the Magick in Masonry; and by every Magician who is not afraid to discover the Masonry in Ceremonial Magick.”  

- Lon Milo DuQuette, 32°, author of The Chicken Qabalah and The Key to Solomon’s Key

“Jaime Paul Lamb distills centuries of practice, lore and symbolism bridging magick and masonry—bolstered by a trove of original observations which only someone with a foot firmly in both worlds could make—to demonstrate that myth, magick and masonry are not such strange bedfellows after all.”

-  Richard Kaczynski, author of Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley and Forgotten Templars: The Untold Origins of Ordo Templi Orientis

“[…] being a Raised Master in the Masonic Fraternity as well as a Master Magician in Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), one of the few remaining Orders instructing its members in practical magick, Jaime Paul Lamb has one foot firmly planted in both these camps, Masonic and Magical. He thus speaks with authority on the hidden connections between Freemasonry and Ceremonial Magick. Moreover, he does a fine job of demonstrating those occult connections to his readers.”

 - P.D. Newman, 32°, author of Alchemically Stoned

“Jaime Paul Lamb’s new book provides a good starting point for the study of Freemasonry’s esoteric roots, from the overlap between Masonry and ceremonial magick that flourished in the early part of the twentieth century, to solar and astronomical symbolism in the Fraternity, and finally to elements of classical mythology that can be found to this day among Masonic teachings. All of these subjects offer vast fields for further inquiry, and this book will give you a solid foundation from which to explore them.”

 - Scott Michael Stenwick, author of Arcana and Mastering the Mystical Heptarchy

“Jaime Paul Lamb has captured the essence of the subtle elements of Freemasonry and has condensed them into a highly readable and informative book. This is a welcomed addition to the body of knowledge of the Craft.”

- William S. Burkle, Ph.D., MM, KT, 32°, SRICF IX°

“Jaime Paul Lamb is a tremendous talent. He offers an exciting opportunity for the Speculative Freemason to enrich his understanding of the craft.”

- David Miller, 33°, KCT, IX° and Chief Adept of SRICF Arizona College

Highlighting The Mythological Motifs In Freemasonry

By Guest Contributor Jaime Paul Lamb

hephaest.gif

When one examines Masonic ritual & symbolism through the interpretive lens of Classical Mythology, the correspondences immediately begin to present themselves and become, at times, strikingly obvious. These inferences and allusions are present to such a degree within the Craft – in the Officer’s Jewels, the Furniture of the Lodge Room, the Deacon’s Rods, even in the rituals themselves – that almost everywhere one cares to look can be found some vestige of the great mythological systems of the world. Considering the fact that it would be nearly impossible to exhaustively catalog every instance of possible mythological import within Freemasonry, the following will be limited to a few of the more glaring examples.

The Orders of Architecture, as described in Vitruvius’ On Architecture, are present in the Masonic Fellowcraft Degree lecture. Several allusions to these orders are also found in the Lodge room and furniture therein.

The Doric order is said to denote strength and was held sacred to Ares, the god of war. In ancient building practices, the Doric order was used in the construction of structures which served a martial purpose, such as those devoted to warfare or defense. This style is especially notable for its relative simplicity. It is the least ornamental of the original Greek orders of architecture, thereby evoking a martial atmosphere through its clean, unembellished lines. The Three Principal Supports of the Masonic Lodge are Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. In Freemasonry, the Doric column is associated with Strength – the Senior Warden’s station.

The Ionian order of architecture denotes wisdom and was held sacred to Athena. Being between the Doric and Corinthian in overall complexity, it is moderate and tempered in appearance. This style was most frequently employed in houses of learning, such as academies and libraries. In the Masonic Lodge, the Ionian column is attributed to Principal Support of Wisdom, which is further associated with the Worshipful Master’s station.

The Corinthian order of architecture was employed when a structure was to be designated for an artistic or aesthetic purpose, such as a museum. This order was considered sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty. The Corinthian style was the most ornate of the three original, ancient Greek orders of architecture. In Freemasonry, this Corinthian column is fittingly associated with Beauty and the office of Junior Warden, which is in the South.

The Senior and Junior Stewards’ rods are ornately capped with a cornucopia within a square and compasses. The cornucopia comes to us directly from Classical Mythology, where it is considered to be the horn of Amalthea, the she-goat that suckled Zeus in his infancy. The cornucopia also appears as a symbol of Demeter, the grain mother. The Roman counterpart of Demeter is Ceres, the etymological namesake of our word “cereal”.

The crossed keys of the Treasurer’s jewel is also a notable mythological motif, as they have been associated with the Greek goddess Hecate, and also with the Leontocephaline, a lesser figure present in the iconography of Roman Mithraism. Hecate, a lunar crone-goddess, was associated with crossroads, silver and currency – which is pertinent to the office of Treasurer. The Leontocephaline, or “lion-headed”, is sometimes depicted with crossed keys held over the chest and a set of hammer and tongs, the working tools of Hephaestus, at his feet. This gains significance, Masonically, when we consider that Tubal-cain inhabits the same archetypal role in the Abrahamic canon (i.e. metallurgical artificer) as Hephaestus does in the Hellenic.

The jewel of the Lodge Organist is the lyre and, therefore, has some of the most developed mythological significance. The lyre is most commonly associated with Orpheus, to whom it was given by Phoebus-Apollo (Apollo in his most solar aspect). Orpheus is said to have charmed man and beast with the instrument and to have used it to gain access to Hades in order to fetch Eurydice, his ill-fated bride. This he accomplished by enchanting both Charon, the Stygian boatman, and Cerberus, the three-headed dog, with his music. The myth of his chthonic descent/ascent is conjectured to have formed the basis of the Orphic Mysteries. One may readily find depictions of the lyre in statuary and/or bas-relief adorning the many Orpheums and Lyric Halls across the Western World – these are, of course, in reference to Orpheus and his lyre, respectively.

The Blazing Star, a five-pointed star within a circle, is often depicted in the center of the Checkered Pavement. This symbol is alternately said to represent the Sun, Sirius (A & B combined, as seen by the naked eye) and Venus. The Solar interpretation is obvious, in terms of the Sun’s Masonic significance as being the “glory and beauty of the day”, etcetera, but the theory of the Blazing Star as a representation of Sirius provides us with much more symbolic substance for our contemplation.

Sirius, which is actually a binary system composed of the stars Sirius A and Sirius B, is the brightest star in the sky, apart from the Sun. This star resides in the constellation of Canis Major, hence the name “the Dog Star” (a name from whence we get the phrase, “the dog days of summer”, or the Latin dies caniculares, denoting the heliacal rising and setting of Sirius during the summer months in that region). Sirius was later personified as the Egyptian Iachen, the Minoan I Wa Ko and thereby the Greek Iakchos, the torch-bearing son of Persephone.

The Blazing Star’s relationship to Venus (also anciently known as the Morning and/or Evening Star) may best be illustrated by the fact that it is represented in the form of a pentagram. This significance comes primarily from the fact that Venus traces a five-petalled rosette at the completion of its synodic period, which is 583.9211 days – the amount of time it takes for the planet to return its originally observed position, relative to that of the Sun, as seen from the perspective of Earth – thus itself alluding to the pentagram. The pentagram is commonly found in Freemasonry, likely due to its prevalence in Pythagoreanism.

The Weeping Virgin of the Third Degree is a statue made reference to in the Master Mason Lecture in Blue Lodge Freemasonry. The work consists of the figure of a virgin, her hands folded as in prayer, leaning over a broken column as an old man, holding a scythe, undoes the braids in her hair. The old, male figure bears a likeness to Cronus, the Titanic father of Zeus, present here in his popular personification as Father Time. The weeping virgin, in this context, could be construed as a representation of Persephone, the Kore.

In this interpretation, we are reminded of an incident in Greek Mythology known as the Rape of Persephone. There are both astrological and agricultural keys to the allegory of this event and these, when used in conjunction, provide us with an interesting narrative. If we consider the figure of Father Time as representing Saturn then, through common and established astrological correspondences, we arrive at the Winter Solstice via the zodiacal house of Capricornus, which is ruled by Cronus. In the myth, Persephone was abducted by Hades while she was collecting wild flowers – an obvious sign of Spring or the Vernal Equinox. He then carried her to his kingdom in the Underworld, which is also symbolic of the Winter Solstice – a place almost universally regarded as the abode of death. The whole scene can easily be read as a wonderful symbolic depiction of certain known aspects of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

In Classical Mythology, we find yet another lens through which to view and interpret the symbolism of Freemasonry. Though, it seems that no matter which lens we apply, Freemasonry stands up to the most intense scrutiny as being more than just, “a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.”

- Bro. Jaime Paul Lamb is a Master Mason in Phoenix AZ, who has published articles in the Connecticut Freemason and Indiana Freemason magazines. Bro. Lamb is currently finishing a new book titled, "Myth, Magick, and Masonry", which should be released in Summer 2018.

________________________________________

THANK YOU FOR READING THE LAUDABLE PURSUIT!

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS PIECE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND WITH YOUR LODGE.

Also, visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLaudablePursuit

________________________________________

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
If you enjoyed this content, you can show your support by visiting the our Bookstore, or by donating below: