Warm, Fraternal Greetings and Welcome to
TheSpeculativeMason.info
Freemasonry is a brotherhood that quietly extends the hand of fellowship, charity, good will and moral improvement throughout the world and beyond. Our ancient Masonic predecessors bequeathed to us the most sublime system of moral instruction which I can personally attest has the most beneficial effect on the lives, family and connections of those who follow its tenants and open their hearts to its benign influence. This site is dedicated, in gratitude, to those ancient predecessors and to the brethren who have carried their system down through the ages, to celebrate the beautiful system they have given us and to further the recognition and understanding of its true moral value.
Freemasonry has always cast a somewhat sinister shadow in the public mind. The veil of secrecy that surrounds our ritual creates a dark void in the public imagination, and people have ever tended to project their own daemons onto that void. We Masons do at times find it difficult to understand the slanders that ensue when the cynical set out to exploit that fear for their own gain. However, in truth the shadow the veil of secrecy casts is crucial to the initiatory process itself for a candidate needs to confront a certain degree of doubt and fear when knocking at the door of the mysteries if they are to enter in the right spirit.
You will, therefore, find no attempt on this site to lift the veil of secrecy, and I caution any of you who may want to successfully pass through the door of the mysteries that you should not seek to discover what lies on the other side of the lodge door save by entering as a candidate, duly prepared and regularly proposed and approved in a regular lodge. Yet, in this day and age many a suitable candidate passes by the lodge door in the mistaken belief that Masonry has long since lost the true light of initiation and is now no more than a charitable social club. Many, possessed of a genuine interest in the mysteries, assiduously study the mass of published speculation that has grown up around the masonic mysteries without ever considering that the only way to truly penetrate our mysteries is to join our Order and to rebuild yourself in accordance with the instruction provided in our ritual.
It is sad but perhaps not surprising that many genuine seekers pass Freemasonry by. There are, truth be told, many lodges in which it is more less taboo to speak of Freemasonry as a mystery school even though this is explicitly affirmed within our ritual. There are even contemporary Masonic authors who claim that the United Grand Lodge of England is actively seeking to quash the spiritual or mystical tradition in Freemasonry.
This has not been my experience of Freemasonry. Although is true that few Masons talk loudly or carelessly about Masonry as a font of occult instruction, the fact is that it runs through our ritual and practices, expressed in the most beautiful, clear and concise forms. This is why so many of us labour to learn, deliver and, in due turn, transmit those rituals and practices to the next generation of Masons. Moreover, far from quashing the true initiatory tradition in Masonry, by preserving and transmitting those rituals and practices, by ensuring that lodges in its jurisdiction conform to the regular landmarks of Masonry and, above all, by allowing the ritual to speak for itself, UGLE is protecting that mystical tradition.
I therefore have three aims in mind in creating this site:
- To encourage those who genuinely seek initiation and moral improvement in the broadest sense to ask to become Masons, and to encourage them not to be put off by doubts that Masonry still holds the keys to the mysteries.
- To encourage, assist and create a forum for those brethren who are actively seeking to understand Freemasonry as a true mystery school, especially where they are in the unfortunate position of belonging to a lodge in which the dominant view of Masonry is antagonistic to their aspirations.
- To help in my own daily advance in Masonic knowledge through the discipline of writing these pages and, hopefully, through conversation in the forums.
If you are kind enough to read these pages, or join in the forums, please note that they are the sincere but provisional speculations of an individual, private, Freemason. I do not pretend to speak for Masonry in general nor for any specific masonic lodge or organization. Neither do I pretend to the knowledge of a true master, I am simply seeking to compare stories and discoveries with fellow travelers who have left the East and set off into the West in search of a master to provide instruction.
Site Map
Before The Craft is a section with content particularly designed for those interested in Masonry, who may or may not be thinking about becoming one. Hopefully some of the content may also be of interest to Freemasons, but none of the discussion presupposes any experience in masonry.
First degree, Second degree, Third degree and Royal Arch are sections relating to the relevant masonic degrees. You are strongly advised not to look at these sections if you have not taken the relevant degree. This not because there are any masonic secrets revealed on the site, no true mason would ever write them down, it is because reading about a degree before you take it can really ruin it for you. I should also add that the discussion will assume that you have taken the degree and will make to attempt to clarify itself to those who have not.
Outside the Craft is a section that is intended for the discussion of issues, particularly religion, which can not be discussed within lodge. As such, the material in this section should not be seen as discussing what Freemasonry gives to us, so much as what we bring to Freemasonry. This important distinction will be made clearer in the section.
The Forums are for masons and non-masons alike, although some of the forums are specific to the degrees as are some of the other sections.
Links provides links to a small number of exceptionally highly recommended sites.
The Dedicated Masonic Search Engine is a Google Custom Search engine searching sites selected for their masonic interest. If you try searching for "square" on our engine, as compared to a standard search engine, you will see the difference!
Please Note: TheSpeculativeMason.info is a privately created and maintained site. It has no official status within Freemasonry what so ever. The views expressed herein are the personal speculations of Mike Gowland and of other individual masons, reflecting on their own experience and understanding of our exquisitely beautiful and honourable craft.