"First Degree of Freemasonry"

Not to quite sure why I’m going down this road, for sure. I’m sure it’s because of events around me that’s a given. But the main reason still eludes me. Turns out many of my friend fathers were Freemasons. And just Friday I found out that one of the jobs I’m managing, the foreman’s grandfather was a 32 Degree Freemason. And he was telling me the story of his grandfather’s death and how the some Freemasons showed up and gave certain items too his grandmother, such as a mason’s trowel covered in a cloth. Even funnier is the fact that the job I’m managing the electrical renovations on. Is a historical home on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix. The name of the historical house is Ellis-Shackelford House, which is owned by the City of Phoenix. Now I never even heard of the General Contractor on the house until one day he called me out of the blue. Being an Electrical Estimator one of the first thing you always ask, ‘just how did you find me’? There are thousands of electrical contractors in the Metro Phoenix area. Dave of Norton Construction told me the City of Phoenix had recommended me (Sunbelt Electric). When I went to meet Dave at the job site. Here was this beautiful 3 story home, facing east on Central Ave. I knew right then and there, I had been chosen for this project. And the City of Phoenix didn’t want some ‘Joe Blow’ ripping into the beautiful old historical home. As I’ve written before, the City of Phoenix was founded by the Freemasons and sets on the 33 parallel. And the Freemason are very powerful in Phoenix and most other major cities of America if not the World. In my blog called “33” you will see many more connections with the City of Phoenix and me. Over the years I’ve done lots of work on computer room control systems for many major corporations and even the CIA/FBI. Then just recently one our suppliers gave me the book on Freemasonry history. So today I’d like to write about the First Degree of Freemasonry, for those who know little about the Freemasons including myself.

First of all I’d like to say according to the Freemasonry book I’m referring to (Freemasonry, Symbols, Secrets, Significance) One is not asked to become a Freemason and joins on there own Free Will. One of the first things the new member (?) is introduced too is what is called a Tracing Boards http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/TBs/1emulationUGLE.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/TBs.html&h=454&w=283&sz=73&tbnid=OGlnewF9KBV3eM:&tbnh=99&tbnw=62&zoom=1&usg=__cv5YKSwiOQxzbAl9S1K59QRSFGg=&docid=IuIEEMmek_J9nM&sa=X&ei=ICgDUJTLA6u_2QXkxcD1CA&ved=0CGUQ9QEwBA&dur=116 This illustrates the basic metaphysical principles of the Renaissance. “God” created the Universe and mankind in his own image. The picture is a macrocosm of the entire Universe. The three columns represent, ‘Wisdom’, ‘Strength’, and ‘Beauty’.
Communicate the idea of paired opposites, the Beauty of the Corinthian Column, Strength of the Doric Column, and held in Balance by Wisdom, the Iconic Column. The Ladder and the diagram on the pavement represent the Microcosm or Man. Ther Ladder stands between the Two Parallel Lines on the Pavement. The Lines originally represented the Saint John whose days are midsummer and midwinter, paired opposites. The Ladder of consciousness between them holds them in balance. This is a Kabbalistic interpretation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah
In both the Macrocosm and the Microcosm there are four levels. The lowest of these is the Physical World, symbolized in the Macrocosm by the Chequered Pavement and in the Microcosm by the theological virtue Faith.The second level up is that of the psyche which is represented in Macrocosm by the central area of the board with the most of the symbols and in the Microcosm by the theological virtue Hope. The third level up is the Spirit, represented by the Heavens and by the theological virtue Charity. The fourth level is Divinity. It is represented in the Heavens by the Star that contains the ‘All-Seeing-Eye’ of the Deity, and it the Source of all living things, is the fourth level and the Source of both the Macrocosm and the Microcosm. I’d like to add as I write is for the first “Time”, with my knowledge of the Hopi Secret ways. I see great parallels on both the Hopi and Freemasonry.

The working tools of the Apprentice are the Gavel, Chisel and Guage. They are tools of action. The Gavel represents passion and to introduce energy to every situation. The Chisel represents education, the capacity for classification and analysis with balance. The Guage is 24 inches long represents intellectual capacity to determine how much of each other tool to be used. Once the apprentice is initiated into the fraternity, the Entered Apprentice is presented with a certificate. So now you get some idea how being a Freemason goes about move up the degrees of Freemasonry. There are 33 levels of Freemasonry and some say the 33 stands for the number of vertebrae in your spine. As I move through this book maybe I’ll stumble upon that answer. I thought that the ‘G’ in the Freemasonry stood for “God”, it doesn’t. Some say that the ‘G’ stands for Geometry. Which is the fifth of Seven Liberal Arts.
Here is a little history about the Freemasons and the Knights Templar connection. The Knights Templar were a Christian Order that was established in 1118 AD. They were created to protect pilgrims traveling from the Holy Land. Over “Time” they built many churches and many of the churches were built round. This was to emulate the round Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The Templars acquired great wealth and I’ve read where they were the first bankers. As they would give notes of deposit for travelers. So that when the traveler got too their destination. They could turn the note back into the gold or silver. This way if the travelers were robbed along the way. They wouldn’t be holding there wealth with them. This wealth and influence by the Knights Templar led to jealousy and to there eventual downfall. Jacques de Molay was the last great Grand Master of the Templar Order. He was accused of heresy and was executed in 1314 AD. This was the end of the Knights Templar, but I’m not buying into that assumption personally. (read, read, read)

The Knights Templar were thought to be the forerunners of Freemasonry. It was thought that many of the Knights Templar left France to avoid the death penalty and went too Scotland. Where they would later become the Freemasons. There is no evidence that this happened but the connection between the two can clearly been seen. It could be said that the Knights Templar knowledge of mystical orientation, perhaps paving the way for interest in the mystical traditions of the Renaissance.

Tibetan Book of the Dead

SYNONYMS FOR MIND

As for this apparent and distinct (phenomenon) which is called 'mind':

In terms of existence, it has no (inherent) existence whatsoever.

In terms of origination, it is the source of the diverse joys and sorrows of cyclic existence and nirvana,

In terms of (philosophical) opinion, it is the subject to opinions in accordance with the eleven vehicles.

In terms of designation, it has an inconceivable number of distinct names:

Some call it the 'nature of mind', the 'nature of mind itself',

Some eternalists give it the name 'self',

Pious attendants call it 'selflessness of the individual',

Cittamatrins call it 'mind',

Some call it the 'Perfection of Discrimination Awareness',

Some call it the 'Nucleus of the Sugata',

Some call it the ;Great Seal',

Some call it the 'Unique Seminal Point',

Some call it the  'Expanse of Reality',

Some call it the 'Ground of-all',

And some call it 'ordinary (unfabricated Consciousness)'.

"God" bless on this Sunday evening, may you have sweet dreams with soft landings.

bye

PS

"Aliens"