CROWN OF ALL VIRTUES

This is third in the series of articles written by the author on Spirituality, Freemasonry, etc.         

The four cardinal virtues taught in the first degree in freemasonry are Fortitude, Temperance, Prudence  and Justice, the reason being most morals depend on the above four virtues. The four virtues are intertwined and cannot be separated from one another. The above four virtues are the forerunners for the evolvement of the Soul which we will appreciate as we read on.

Temperance is generally considered the foremost of the four and hence the crown of all virtues.

The Holy Bible defines the word Temperance as  “moderation, self control and self restraint in what one says or how one acts. In other words it amounts to having control over our emotions and tempers. For example, if we get up from dinner without a second helping, we are practicing temperance. The Bible goes on to add that If we hold our self back from responding with  a sarcastic comment, even though someone may provoke us, we are practicing temperance.”

Temperance in some circles has come to mean complete abstinence from alcoholic drinks, but that is not its original meaning. There are some Masonic bodies who believe in total abstinence from alcohol which is not intended in freemasonry.  Moderation is stressed.

Temperance arises out of reasonable compassion for the fellow beings, something similar to, but not necessarily equal to  the one we have for our close relations. Not that uncontrolled compassion which leads to pampering and which overlooks the wrong of others.  Reasonable compassion and therefore temperance also involves overlooking and forgiving the earlier wrongs of anyone so that our present decisions and acts are not prejudiced by the past. It is only when a situation is handled with prejudice and bias that temperance takes a hit. The underlying assumption when dealing with any brother  is that all are children of God and every SOUL  is pure and innocent. After all no one is above errors. The presupposition of the other person being cruel or bad needs to be curbed.

Compassion and therefore temperance is a quality that cannot be read from books and learnt. It is a feeling that  comes from the heart and by constant practice and awarenes it becomes a habit and a way of living.  It has a beginning at our homes when dealing with our parents, brothers, sisters, children. etc. If at home there is no temperance there will be no temperance in our day to day dealings with our fellow men and brethren in the lodge. As it has a connection with our souls it is therefore sacred.

An example or two at this stage will be in order.  

Sanctions and refusals for Masonic grants or charity, if made after proper verification of details and application of mind can be termed as  tempered decisions.  If we can feel the agony of a brother in distress,  it is very easy to have temperance. That is why we see that at certain Masonic meetings no sooner a deserving case for charity is brought  out, spot collections are made which are sometimes very huge though the Lodge funds may  not be adequate.

Very often an undeserving person can be the  beneficiary of  Masonic charity  due to over compassion or other irrelevant considerations. I have known of a Brother who took yearly aids from a Grand Lodge  for several years, though  he did not need that after a few years.   There was  an abundance of compassion, but temperance was found wanting in the process. Therefore compassion with temperance is important.

Sometimes a charity is sanctioned to a Brother or his family by the Lodge and year after year we expect the beneficiary to present himself with the progress report and explain. Here again a certain level of skepticism creeps in, though sound temperance was exhibited initially. Many of us do not trust the beneficiary to say I have overcome my problems and I do not need the aid any more. This is  conditional temperance and should  be avoided unless the same is  inevitable. After all no mason with dignity and self respect  would  like to be a recipient of  aid  for ever. Rather than calling the beneficiary to present himself before the Board, we can make inquiries and come to a conclusion.  Little do we realise that this sort of a presentation has a devastating effect on the aid receiver’s psyche. The charity receiver, if offended by this approach, would not even speak to other masons or public in general about the charities offered by masonry, leave alone even an appreciation.  

Handling difference of views in the Lodge is also a tricky matter and temperance plays a key role. Our Worshipful Master is supposed to be a paragon of good virtues and excellence with the sense of temperance in abundance. However we find sometimes that the Worshipful Master is not serious and handles differences in an intemperate and controversial manner. Some are even known to brush aside the Grand Lodge Laws which  causes immense  damage to the harmony  in the Lodge. With temperance this issue can also be settled amicably.

Temperance in life and in Lodge matters begin at  home as said earlier  i.e. with an elderly person at Home and which quality follows the Worshipful Master in the Lodge. If they are  seen to be operating in a temperate manner the rest of the members can be expected to follow suit. But if it so  happens that when the head changes, particularly in the Lodge, new rules and lobbyists take charge and there is a change of overall attitude. Temperance is the biggest casuality in such cases.

Patience is another quality which leads to temperance in decision making. Unless we are in a hurry with an ulterior motive, we do not show impatience when taking a decision.

There are times, when we see promptings by brethren  who claim to be Seniors  or Grand Instructors. An element of arrogance is sometimes seen in their promptings and there are  instances where differences of opinion have been openly aired. While some brethren have humbly swallowed the insults, others  have openly protested and argued in the open Lodge leading to animosity.  The arrogance and superiority complex if replaced by temperance and sincerity will lead to a healthy relationship in the Lodge.

Temperance in our thoughts, words and deeds is the sine qua non and the first of the four key virtues which is the cornerstone for brotherly relations to flourish.

In thoughts we should not be biased or have ulterior motives. Groupism and forming teams to achieve ulterior motives should be discouraged by every right thinking Mason. Forgiveness has to be cultivated and promoted as it is a quality which leads to temperance.

Our words should not be insulting to others no matter how truthful they are and how wrong the others are.

When we lack temperance, it adversely affects  fortitude, prudence and justice. 

Our deeds should reflect that the action taken has been a temperate one and on consideration of all that matters and all that mattered. Since temperance is a quality associated with  feelings,  it has a great bearing on our Souls.

The substance of this paper has very nicely been articulated in this blog of the State College Masonic Lodge No. 700 F & AM on the topic “The Three Great Principles and Four Cardinal Virtues of Masonry”. It  makes  a very powerful statement  on the  benefits accruing to the individual and our collective Souls as a result of following temperance in our day to day life and in particular  Masonry.

“Temperance is more peculiarly the virtue of prosperity as it guards the Soul against those insidious allurements by which its nobler feelings are more often corrupted. But her influence is not confined to the hours of prosperity alone. She forms the mind to a general habit of restraint over its appetites, its passions, and even its virtues, any of which if allowed to acquire excessive influence over the Soul would concentrate the faculties in a single point, absorb its feelings, and confine its energies insensibly producing intolerance of sentiment, and degenerating into an excess scarcely less pernicious than vice itself. Temperance may, therefore, be styled the crown of all the virtues. Her influence, like the masters of the ancient lyre, can modulate the varied chords of lively sympathy, or generous feelings, till each acquires its due tone and vibration, and the whole become blended in one sweet accordant harmony.”

The above statement can be analysed and discussed at length and is a topic by itself which I shall leave for a future date. Lust, anger and greediness are qualities associated with sense gratification and are hinderances to spiritual progress. Temperance enables the evolution of the Soul to greater levels.  Suffice it to say that temperance is a noble trait that Freemasonry lays emphasis on and lack of it is no worse than a vice.

Written by : T.S.Sridhar

Light of Freemasonry or Self Realization

This is my second post on the topic of Freemasonry.

This paper was read at The Rustom Cama Study Circle,Mumbai-India on 28th September, 2011 and is written by :  Brother T.S.Sridhar. 

In an interview to TOI (dated 12^th September, 2011), Bro. K.K.Gautam,  Regional Grand Master of The Regional Grand Lodge of  Northern India said:

“Freemasonry is said to be the pursuit of Light (self realisation) of the Absolute, which is the sub-stratum of the Universe, which alone is real. Hence the ultimate aim is to lead us to the Supreme Being, and to bring us out of ourselves into harmony with it. This is done through allegory and symbols. “

The word Light meaning Self Realisation  caught my attention about which  I will make a few statements.  Self Realisation can  ordinarily be understood as :

1.   Knowing one’s self’.

2.    After a bit of probing you can also understand it to mean ‘knowing one’s self by one self’.

It is the latter meaning  which made sense to me. 

Self Realisation has  to do with understanding the subtle life within us which is esoteric or mystic and is beyond words. Therefore self-realisation  means experiencing or feeling  the divine spark that is present

within us. While most of us get lost in ritual workings and festive board functions,  the underlying intention of Freemasonry (which is to ‘feel or experience light’) gradually gets lost and resurfaces again only when there is a first degree working. We can  recall that we heard in the first degree  for the first and only time -

    “God said let there be light and there was light.”

This was before the candidate was freed off the hoodwink that blindfolded him. This is the most important statement  in Freemasonry which is  rarely understood. The statement though very innocent is very subtle and very mystic. It is pregnant with meaning and has a lot to reveal. If we understand closely it says let self-realisation or light dawn on the candidate. Before this day the candidate, whether  educated or not in the material sense, and whether or not monetarily successful in life , was in total darkness about the divine spark  in him.After initiation in the first degree it is left to  the candidate  to work for progress by exploring the divine spark in him.In the first degree the path for the Divine Spark in the candidate is supposed to have been triggered off. He is asked to reach further heights hereafter and be a master of the subjects described in the degree. It needs to be emphasized that earlier I have deliberately used the word ‘feel or experience light’ instead of ‘seeing light’ as we normally associate light with sight. Merely knowing the meaning of self realisation is not enough. This  knowledge  can be obtained by reading or listening to related matters repeatedly. And literatures galore on the topic. The joy comes in experiencing that Divine Light which is what Freemasonry seeks to impress. This can only be done by the self. The meaning of what we read or hear or enact in the Lodge gets enhanced if they are  matched  by self experience or realisation. For this we need to be aware of ourselves and to ponder over what is happening within us. That is the  application aspect which is very crucial and quite often ignored. We have heard many people say that there is nothing like a divine spark in us or a connection to  God. Some disbelieve the rituals and say that they believe only in God. While others believe only the rituals and treat it as the ultimate.Scientific explanations are advanced and discussions happen regularly to prove the non-existence of either the Divine Spark or of God. To them I would say  please accept as a postulate my statement that there is a  divine spark in all of us and which is ultimately and intimately connected to God.  Have we not  advanced in the material world  by accepting zero, or the formula 0+1=1 as a postulate? So what is wrong in accepting the postulate suggested by me? By acceptance alone  can we make progress in our journey of self realisation. After  accepting  the existence of the Divine Spark within us, then  we should involve in self-introspection with an intense  yearning  for the divine thing to show up in us.  In the absence of the above, no matter how many  meetings we attend and  how good we are at rituals, self realisation will be only a distant dream. The rituals are there to impress upon our minds that our experiences through self realisation, if and when  they  happen,  are for real. Every ritual conveys a meaning about the movement of the divine in us  which was explained in my earlier article “ Freemasonry and Spirituality” (or Why I joined Freemasonry ).  Rituals in a way communicate or  strike a chord to the mystic or esoteric experiences of a  self realised  person or to one on way to self realisation. Self realisation  enables him to appreciate better the richness of the hidden meanings in the rituals. Similarly the Holy Bhagavat Geeta are full of  references to God and the existence of God’s divine spark in us. It also has  several diktats  of  dos and don’ts, and rituals. While there are masonic rituals as well as religious texts, there are also Gurus and Babas who impart knowledge about the Divine within us. But the wisdom resides only in us to feel that. If we as human beings have to conclude this life without  experiencing the divine in us , the purpose of our  birth will be defeated. Human beings alone are endowed with the capacity for self realisation. Rituals whether in religions or  in Freemasonry are addressed only for the benefit of human beings and not to  the lower order of life. Rituals therefore aid and make the path of  self realisation easier, smoother, enjoyable and less scary. After all self realisation is the ultimate aim  of all religions.

We hear  it being said repeatedly that  the object of Freemasonry is to make good men better. But how?  The answer is through self realisation or feeling the light within. In degree working after degree working we are told that we shall  never divulge the secrets or mysteries hereafter unfolding before us. Secrets and Mysteries are all about  the unfolding of Light to us which is never said in so many words but which are buried deep within us and can only be felt. Every feeling or experience is a Divine revelation and it is indeed privileged knowledge. Bretheren therefore  should remember this before the start of a meeting as well as when the meetings are in progress. The Light of Freemasonry contained in our ritual should be underlined and thoroughly elaborated to a  first degree candidate. Further if there is no candidate for the first degree for  prolonged periods , mock working of the first degree will do a lot of  good to remind us about the forgotten Light . After all it is on the first degree that  the foundation of freemasonry exists. The search for the Light though can be long and difficult.  It is rightly said :

“Seek and ye shall find; ask and ye shall have; knock and it shall be opened unto you.”

The Light was and is always there in us and it is asking to be sought. 

A couple of days back a Brother told me that he is a follower  of  Dhyana Yoga and he  is terribly confused when people say that Bhakti Yoga is superior to all Yogas. I did not know how to reply though I did make a vain and unsuccessful attempt. Through this paper I will tell him and also others 

“  Bhakti means devotion or dedication with intense passion and a quest for knowledge”. The Holy Bhagavat Geeta says that irrespective of what Yoga you follow, if it is not accompanied by Bhakti, no fruit shall be obtained.

Dated: 28^th September, 2011

Spiritualism

Very early in life I was told by my family elders that my grand father was a Freemason and that he died very young leaving behind the widow and 5 children who were studying in school. The Lodge came to the timely help of the distressed family till the eldest son started earning. I was very impressed by what the Lodge had done. I took a liking for such an organisation and decided to join it when I grew up in order to help the needy.

Beyond this I knew nothing about Freemasonry. When the opporturnity came  I joined Freemasonry.

Contrary to what I thought before joining Masonry,  I saw that collecting and disbursing charity at the meetings were relegated to the bottom of the agenda and occupied no more than 2 minutes time. Discussions rarely took place on the issue. I had the preconceived notion that collections would be made and distributed to needy persons at meetings after meetings. Naturally I was led to believe  that there must be  something more to  Freemasonry and  I decided to find that out.  Brethren made   vague and unsatisfactory statements  like Freemasonry makes good men better, which  in my opinion was  too simple and told  nothing.  There were placed on the Altar the Holy Books of various religions, the Three Lights, the Square, the Compass, etc., and we were told that we should live our lives with the Holy Books as our guide and conduct ourselves within the boundary of the square and the compass. Our meeting places were referred to as  Temples,  Brethren were  said to be involved in a peculiar labor, and the name of the presiding deity varied from degree to degree. Yet we were  told that Freemasonry was not a religion or a religious body. There was something beyond my reasoning  and my curiosity was aroused.

Pranayams and Meditation had formed a part of my daily routine from a very young age and I had started feeling a faint energy on my finger tips whenever I visited a Lord Vishnu temple. Time and again I visited the temple just to experience this. Later on I learnt from elders that this energy is described in the Vedas and Upanishads as the energy generated by the spark of the Divine Life (Divine Agni or Divine Fire) present in every living being.  

Five or six years after I had joined Freemasonry, I  read a book by Bro. Leadbeater titled “The Hidden Side of  Freemasonry”. I was surprised to read Bro. Leadbeater write about the generation and circulation of spiritual energy within a tyled lodge and called the Lodge a temple.  He says that the peculiar labor engaged  by Brethren  in a Masonic Lodge refers to the collective duties performed by every brother in a disciplined and solemn manner to enable the generation and flow of the spiritual energy.  After reading the book I decided to attend Lodge meetings and verify if I could feel such energy. To my disbelief  I felt the energy in a Masonic temple as I would feel in a Lord Vishnu temple.  I was convinced that our Lodge is indeed similar to a holy temple for self and group realisation which  enables us to know about ourselves and our connection with God.  I got the answers  to elementary but important questions like - how  freemasonry makes good people  better, why  our  meeting places are  called temples and what is the peculiar labor that  brethren are  engaged in.

Speculative Freemasonry as we can understand is indeed speculative in nature and therefore it has taken me 25 years to tell or write  - what made me remain a Mason for all these years.  

As I was already convinced that our meeting places generated a spiritual aura which is there in a Lord Vishnu Temple, my quest should have concluded .On the contrary it only intensified. In addition to the Craft Lodge,  I had also joined other  Masonic  bodies like  -  Chapter, RAM, Conclave, etc.,   and as I was  exposed to their workings my interest was further kindled as  advancing in spiritual knowledge was very important to me.

I started taking a close look at the workings in the various bodies in Freemasonry and tried to understand their relation to the advances made by the spiritual energy in our body as described in several non-masonic books. To illustrate  –  By the symbolic  penalties of the 3 degrees in the craft lodge I understood them to represent  paving  the path for the mystic spiritual  energy  in our body  to  advance from the bottom  of the spine to the  top of our head or the crown. This energy is described in the Vedas and Upanishads as the Mystic Kundalini Shakti or The Serpent Power which is dormant in most  of the human beings.¹As the  energy’s movements are snake like it is called the serpent power.

The hook used to keep together the apron that we wear at the meetings has the shape and the head of a serpent which is again representative of the serpent power resident  in our physical body. If we talk about symbols in Freemasonry this is one of the greatest symbols that describes clearly the spirit in our body and its movements.

The Vedas and Upanishads have plenty of materials relating to the dualility of the Soul. The black and white chekered flooring in our lodge  is another very valuable symbol  indicating the duality in physical life as well as in the journey of the Soul as both have to encounter and overcome  good and evil forces. Both forces exist simultaneously and cannot be separated from one another. Nor can the dual aspect be avoided. The duality concept teaches us to have a balanced view in life and accept both good and evil as they come and to realise both as a union of a sort¹

 There are seven chakras or energy centres in our body through which the aforesaid Serpent Power travels and it is no coincidence that there are seven officers in the craft lodge viz. The Tyler, Inner Guard, Junior and Senior Deacons, Junior and Senior Wardens and The Worshipful Master. The seven officers make for a just and a perfect lodge. It also implies that the lodge is our body self or our body itself is a lodge housing the soul. 

The rat race in today's  material world has led humans to forget the spiritual energy and its  centers and  therefore it remains a secret today for majority of  mankind. The task to recover the lost secrets  rightfully occupys our attention in the Chapter. When we come  to the Chapter, the search is said to begin to recover the lost secrets. I understood  the Chapter as detailing and lessoning us about the precautions to be taken while the energy moves from the base of our spine to the crown (the Irish Chapter working nicely describes the duties of the veils)  before one  is allowed to advance  to  the  Council Chamber. The Council Chamber  is representative of  the  Crown Chakra (also called Sahasrara Chakra) in our body.

For the spiritual energy to smoothly move from one center to another,  strict observance of moral  and ethical codes are expected and we should have a strong belief  in God. Any deviation therefrom will lead to disastrous consequences to our well being. In other words if even one of the seven centers or officers are not perfect or present in the lodge  we say that the soul/meeting is not just and perfect. Hence in the Chapter there are Companions symbolically guarding the Veils to prevent undeserving forces from advancing towards the Council Chamber.

I have read  several books which say that an attentive person should be able to feel the sensations as the  energy advances from one center  to another. As pains and pleasures form  an essential and integral part in the path of spirituality,  only  a person who has firm faith in God can keep the Divine Fire or Agni  burning  to ultimately secure Self Realisation, God Realisation and the  Realisation that every living being is a ‘Soul and not a Body’.  No wonder that belief in God or the Supreme Being is a prerequisite before one is admitted into freemasonry.

¹The dividing of the Word at the time of opening the Chapter and at the time of closing the Chapter and moreover the investiture of officers in a Chapter always involve  three  Companions which reminds me of what the Vedas and Upanishads say about the  channels for the Divine energy to rise up in our body. It is stated therein that there are three channels or Nadis named – The Ida Nadi, The Pingala Nadi and The Sushumna Nadi through which the serpent power rises up in our body, not necessarily in that order or together or alone. I realised that the Chapter nicely brings out the essence of the Nadis when asking three members to  divide the word and when investing three officers at a time implying that the Serpent power  rises up through the three nadis¹.

Sri Aurobindo has said in his writings  that after  the spiritual energy in our body rises from the base of the Spine to  the top of our head and meets the Universal energy, the same  Spiritual Energy reverses and comes down into our body through the top of the head.  Sri Aurobindo calls  it the Descending Divine Grace  as distinguished  from the rising Kundalini.  He  names  this  Integral  Yoga and says that the Integral Yoga  begins  only after the end of  other Yogas i.e. after the ascending energy has completed its course from the bottom of the spine to the head as symbolised in the craft and chapter working.

Attending other Masonic bodies also made me  realise that their workings/rituals alluded to  movements of the spiritual energy in our body. This time about how it feels when the Divine Energy travels from top of the head to the lower regions of the body. This wonderful feeling  of the Divine Energy or Blessing is very nicely  depicted  in the Anthem of  Secret  Monitors in the Brotherhood of David and Jonathan in the following words  :

“ Behold how good and joyful a thing it is : brethren, to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious ointment  upon the head , that ran down unto the beard: even unto Aaron’s beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing. Like the dew of Hermon : which fell upon the hill of  Zion. For there the Lord promised his blessing : and life for  evermore.”

One of the bretheren who is of Christian faith told me that the above are quoted in the Holy Bible. I acknowledge his contribution.

Sri Aurobindo has also in his inimitable manner described how  it feels  when the Divine Grace or Blessing descends in the Integral  Yoga.  When the Divine Grace descends it  feels as  though snow flakes flow  from the top of the head to the face, then  the neck, then the throat till it has traversed   the whole body.

In Chaitanya Charitamritha , the author describes the ecstatic and joyful moments that Sri Krishna Chaitanya experienced when there was an  outpouring of the Divine Grace or Blessing at the time of his dancing in praise  of Lord Krishna. Sri Krishna Chaitanya is claimed to be an Avatar of Lord Krishna who appeared in Bengal about 500 years back and he  re-discovered the lost secrets of the Vedas as contained in  Bhakti Yoga. 

Though there is scope for citing similar examples from other Masonic bodies, suffice it to say that apart from  the quest for knowledge, brotherhood at Lodge meetings is the  key to  spiritual progress. If Brotherhood was  wanting at a particular Masonic meeting the spiritual energy was either not felt or absent as the thought processes and  negative attitudes tended to disturb the free flowing  spiritual aura. Hence the spiritual progress of brethren are negated. That explains why two brethren  not on amicable terms are firmly asked to resolve their differences before they enter the temple.  Such is the importance attached to brotherhood for our collective spiritual progress.

It is my opinion that if  we make the Spiritual side of Freemasonry known loudly and widely, we can expect  Brethren to take a more serious  interest at the meetings and perhaps more people  will  join Freemasonry.  The Spiritual side  is indeed the  Hidden Side of Freemasonry which is also the most important goal of all religions. There are any number of people visiting temples, churches, mosques and synagogues, atleast 25% of whom are  in search of spiritual elevation. If only we had those numbers waiting at our doorsteps:-)

My interest  in Spirituality  brings me  to the  Lodge as  I  see in the Lodge Temple a place where we meet in a group to  collectively elevate our  souls to higher levels and in the process evolve a new quality of life on earth. Sri Aurobindo and The Mother toiled all their life for the descent of the Divine Grace in themselves and the Pondicherry Ashram inmates  as they felt that the descent of the Divine Grace will ultimately culminate in  the descent of Super Consciousness in the human body . My years in Freemasonry has given me  rich  knowledge. 

I hope you enjoyed listening/reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

May the blessings of Heaven pour and rest  upon  us. All Glories to the Most High.

Amen.

¹Inserted on 24^th December 2011

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This paper was read at the  Rustom Cama Masonic Study Circle meeting held in 

April 2011 under the title of “Why am I a Freemason”.