Today's Ramblings

[Marvin Haines]

Today’s Ramblings:

 

What we have here is a familiar image – the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. I’ve seen it many times before, and it’s always fascinated me. It’s commonly said that only a fully initiated adult can attempt to understand its meaning, but I firmly disagree.

First, we’ve got to address the question of what qualifies as an adult? I am sixteen years old as of this writing, and I know that in ancient times – i.e., when Masonry and Kabbalism first appeared – I would be considered fully grown-up. I think we all mature differently, and it is a long and rather vague process. Of course, there has to be a legal age at which a person is declared an “adult,” but that’s to keep the law impartial.

Kabbalism, unlike Masonry, is not a rule-bound organization aiding a spiritual journey – rather, it is a spiritual journey in and of itself. It does not require others to deem you worthy of a “higher degree;” instead, you must pursue initiation on your own. We know Sarah Winchester was well aware of that because she designed her House as a self-guided initiatic experience – and indeed, there are many references to Kabbalah built into its architecture.

                Now that I’ve made my claim and proven that I am more or less ready to study Kabbalah, I’ll share some observations of the Tree of Life.

                I’d previously seen an image of the Tree superimposed on a Tracing Board of the First Degree. I noticed some remarkable similarities between the two images.

                For starters, to those of you who don’t know, the Entered Apprentice’s Tracing Board shows three pillars – each in a different basic order of classical architecture. (There are actually five – and, in terms of architecture, 8 – but all that comes later.) The first is in the Doric order, the second is in the Ionic, and the third is in the Corinthian. They are labeled S, W, and B, respectively. You learn throughout the degree that these stand for Strength, Wisdom, and Beauty – three core virtues of Freemasonry, each taught separately in a different Degree. (These virtues are also represented by the three allegorical figures in the Hiramic legend of the Third Degree.) Strength is taught in the First Degree, and the other two are taught in the later ones.

                In classical architecture, the three orders are ranked from simplest to most elaborate – and indeed, on the façade of a three-story building, they are used hierarchically, with Doric on the bottom floor – as it represents and embodies Strength – Ionic in the middle, and Corinthian on the top.

                Ever hear Freemasonry described as the building blocks for a metaphorical/allegorical Temple? I certainly have. The idea is that the Candidate uses the virtue of Strength – taught in the First degree – to lay a foundation to carry the weight of the building above. The second degree’s virtue of Wisdom can be seen as a middle floor, and the final degree – the degree in which the Candidate must come to terms with death – and therefore, his tiny, but noble role in the universe compared to God’s – represents the roof.

                Now, the Tree of Life is really more like a “Temple of Life.” The symbolism is basically the same as in the Tracing Board. Notice that at the top is the Sefriot Keter – the “Crown.” Some take its symbolism literally, seeing it as a representation of God. But I personally see Keter as the ultimate mystery of the universe – the beginning, from which all other Sefriot sprung. At the bottom of the Tree is Malchut – or “Manifestation.” I see this as God’s manifestation of Man – an uncut stone with a lot of potential. He has to complete the three pillars of the Tree to get to his ultimate goal – i.e., Keter.

The Tree can also be seen as a representation of Boaz and Jachin, King Solomon’s two pillars. And in fact, even though the Temple was built long before the classical Orders were refined, the left pillar, Boaz, has a name which literally translates to “He shall Establish” – a foreshadow of the Doric order, or the Entered Apprentice. But what about the central pillar? If you recall, there are only two pillars of the Temple.

                The key is that the initiate must remember there is an invisible central pillar that he must travel to reach his goal of Keter.

 

Thanks for sticking around for my ramblings. I’ll post more later if you guys are interested.

[Eric Roberts]

8 hours ago, Marvin Haines said:

Today’s Ramblings:

 

What we have here is a familiar image – the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. I’ve seen it many times before, and it’s always fascinated me. It’s commonly said that only a fully initiated adult can attempt to understand its meaning, but I firmly disagree.

First, we’ve got to address the question of what qualifies as an adult? I am sixteen years old as of this writing, and I know that in ancient times – i.e., when Masonry and Kabbalism first appeared – I would be considered fully grown-up. I think we all mature differently, and it is a long and rather vague process. Of course, there has to be a legal age at which a person is declared an “adult,” but that’s to keep the law impartial.

Kabbalism, unlike Masonry, is not a rule-bound organization aiding a spiritual journey – rather, it is a spiritual journey in and of itself. It does not require others to deem you worthy of a “higher degree;” instead, you must pursue initiation on your own. We know Sarah Winchester was well aware of that because she designed her House as a self-guided initiatic experience – and indeed, there are many references to Kabbalah built into its architecture.

                Now that I’ve made my claim and proven that I am more or less ready to study Kabbalah, I’ll share some observations of the Tree of Life.

                I’d previously seen an image of the Tree superimposed on a Tracing Board of the First Degree. I noticed some remarkable similarities between the two images.

                For starters, to those of you who don’t know, the Entered Apprentice’s Tracing Board shows three pillars – each in a different basic order of classical architecture. (There are actually five – and, in terms of architecture, 8 – but all that comes later.) The first is in the Doric order, the second is in the Ionic, and the third is in the Corinthian. They are labeled S, W, and B, respectively. You learn throughout the degree that these stand for Strength, Wisdom, and Beauty – three core virtues of Freemasonry, each taught separately in a different Degree. (These virtues are also represented by the three allegorical figures in the Hiramic legend of the Third Degree.) Strength is taught in the First Degree, and the other two are taught in the later ones.

                In classical architecture, the three orders are ranked from simplest to most elaborate – and indeed, on the façade of a three-story building, they are used hierarchically, with Doric on the bottom floor – as it represents and embodies Strength – Ionic in the middle, and Corinthian on the top.

                Ever hear Freemasonry described as the building blocks for a metaphorical/allegorical Temple? I certainly have. The idea is that the Candidate uses the virtue of Strength – taught in the First degree – to lay a foundation to carry the weight of the building above. The second degree’s virtue of Wisdom can be seen as a middle floor, and the final degree – the degree in which the Candidate must come to terms with death – and therefore, his tiny, but noble role in the universe compared to God’s – represents the roof.

                Now, the Tree of Life is really more like a “Temple of Life.” The symbolism is basically the same as in the Tracing Board. Notice that at the top is the Sefriot Keter – the “Crown.” Some take its symbolism literally, seeing it as a representation of God. But I personally see Keter as the ultimate mystery of the universe – the beginning, from which all other Sefriot sprung. At the bottom of the Tree is Malchut – or “Manifestation.” I see this as God’s manifestation of Man – an uncut stone with a lot of potential. He has to complete the three pillars of the Tree to get to his ultimate goal – i.e., Keter.

The Tree can also be seen as a representation of Boaz and Jachin, King Solomon’s two pillars. And in fact, even though the Temple was built long before the classical Orders were refined, the left pillar, Boaz, has a name which literally translates to “He shall Establish” – a foreshadow of the Doric order, or the Entered Apprentice. But what about the central pillar? If you recall, there are only two pillars of the Temple.

                The key is that the initiate must remember there is an invisible central pillar that he must travel to reach his goal of Keter.

 

Thanks for sticking around for my ramblings. I’ll post more later if you guys are interested.

Hi Marvin. You continue to astonish me. In terms of Francis Bacon and the Cabala, Peter Dawkins has this to say:

https://www.fbrt.org.uk/bacon/secret-bacon/

Cabala

Besides being a master of classical philosophy and mythology, and a high initiate of the mysteries, Bacon was also a master of Cabala (Christian Cabala based on Jewish Kabbalah), which can be seen not only in his understanding of biblical writings but also in the construction of his Great Instauration. The Shakespeare plays, or at least the majority of them, are likewise based on and structured according to Cabalistic knowledge. Such knowledge is related to Hermetic knowledge, the practical aspect of which is known as Alchemy.

Hermes, the legendary founder-teacher of the Hermetic tradition, was an alternative Greek name for the Egyptian god-man Thoth, who in turn was associated with the Atlantean Enoch (‘the Initiate’), known in Hebraic tradition as the first human being to reach the highest heaven in full consciousness and become one with Metatron, the Spirit of the Messiah. Moses, whom the Bible says was learnèd in all the Egyptian wisdom 11 as well as reaching full illumination on Mount Sinai where he was taught directly by Metatron/Enoch, handed on the kabbalistic knowledge that underlies the Torah to the “elect” of Israel.12

That Bacon was a master of Cabala and Hermeticism we can grasp from his Great Instauration and the Shakespeare plays, but there was a time when Bacon considered publishing all of his Great Instauration philosophical works under the pseudonyms of “Valerius Terminus” and “Hermes Stella”, which, if he had carried this out, would have meant that he would have been an almost completely secret man in terms of his philosophy and poetry.

 

 

 

[RoyalCraftiness]

Freemasonry, being informed by "The Reception" or "Kabbalah" has things within it that are most certainly traceable to that influence.  It is not that the two are alike because they speak of a same truth/reality, but that one is an offshoot of the other which was brought into the world to serve non Jewish ends in a European society that had no tolerance for Jews and had not had any for almost 400 years. The Christianization of the Kabbalah happened exactly when the Reformation happened. Before that Christians and Jews did not often see eye to eye, mainly because Christ is not recognized as a messiah by the Jews. The Church of England needed standing, though.

The great rub here is that all that we can say about Speculative Freemasonry is also something we can say about the Kabbalah. It is informed by other things and other cultures which we quite happily never bother to look into. Good luck trying to discover the origins of these two. Speculative Freemasonry has no idea of its origins from within it. It decorates itself with legends and cosplay in such a way that an outsider may make inferences about its origins. 

Both the Kabbalah and Freemasonry are anchored in the unconditional acceptance of a fundamental suggestion. The suggestion is what has ultimately allowed for Zionism to grow in the world we know today (I am not implying anything good or bad about this). The system is powerful because it is anchored in belief which is further conditioned for. It must have its consequences. All belief does.

When you study the Kabbalah you will encounter the very old idea that very strict transmission and guidance is necessary (you'll never guide yourself with it). The reason why this is said is because it is claimed that the system has the power to be used for great evils and that one should be weary of it being used for ill pursuits. Again, this is on account of the strength of systems with start off with belief and that condition for more belief. There are many offshoots of Freemasonry that took off with this and were used to promote many things. Freemasonry fractured many times along the way. In some offshoots there was open hostility towards Jews. 

Freemasonry doesn't teach anything to an outsider, except that there is power in shared belief.  Ideas can be made to resonate in society to such a degree that it can make the belief become very widespread. The great historical benefit of that was that the Church of England was able to benefit from the Christianization of the Kabbalah. It did not serve the Catholics as well. A first intense effort to align the Church of England with the history of the Jews happened with Henry VIII who promoted the idea that the English were one of the lost ten tribes.

This is not to say the entire thing isn't based in very real observations, because ultimately it is. Men can be shaped by belief in very beneficial ways. We can be groomed to be "good", whatever that means.  It is a system that makes parallels between things we know little about too. That soothes our anxieties. Those things are suggestions based in old ideas that everything was being informed by the same sort of pattern creator.

If you are 16 I encourage you to delve into epistemology which is a discipline that deals in the philosophy of knowledge. In our lives we need to appreciate why there are some ideas and then others. It is not enough to come down on one side of a duality. You will be well served by staying in the middle and observing the behaviors of all those who come down on sides of dualities. We often hear today that the world is polarizing. It is still a choice to stand in the middle.

 

[Marvin Haines]

Hi, all -

I will take a lot of time tonight to write more thoughtful responses, but for now, I just wanted to acknowledge your incredible insights and encouragement. I will fully dissect these responses later today when I have time. (I'm performing with the Oregon Repertory Singers' Youth Choir today, so, as you can imagine, I'm quite busy!)

Thanks again - and good luck with everything!!

M.

[Light-of-Truth]

Good luck at the performance! I am sure Angels will be supporting you, if not performing through you!!

You have a unique and brilliant mind. You will make a big difference one day. I hope Love will be your motivation. 😉

 

[Marvin Haines]

Thank you so much, Mr. Fowler!!

The performance was amazing! I don't think we made a single noticeable mistake - a huge accomplishment, given that our last two rehearsals were canceled due to weather complications.

I try to make love my motivation in life, but, like Bacon, I often fail. I admit that I have a temper and a low tolerance for disrespect. I have been quite hostile at times toward my teachers, parents, and medical providers - of this I'm not proud. But I always attempt to do better in the future.

One of my goals in life is to help abolish the death penalty in our country - somewhat ironic, given that Bacon himself seemed to be in support of it. I firmly believe that we have to start caring for one another and offering forgiveness, even when it's hard to forgive. I hope that Bacon eventually learned to forgive his political enemies and himself. Quote: "An Eye for an Eye only makes the whole world go blind."

Thanks again! Have a fantastic weekend!

[Marvin Haines]

Light-of-Truth -

I've gotten through the bulk of your website, and I want to personally congratulate you on these amazing discoveries. You really shine a new light on a topic that has been mostly exhausted. I thought almost everything worthwhile about Bacon/Shakespeare had already been discovered and analyzed, but clearly I was wrong! The man was a genius, and I am now firmly convinced that there will always be room for new interpretations.

One bit of constructive critique: You know and I know that we're dealing with Truth, but the word - especially when it's capitalized - can come across as preachy and degrading. You may know the truth, but others have no idea that you do, and the way you introduce it can come across as if you were promoting a conspiracy theory - and believe me, that's the last thing we want! The word "Conspiracy Theory" has become a sort of slur among Stratfordians, and by using potentially preachy language, you may in fact be giving them fuel. Just my opinion, though, and overall, excellent content!!

[Marvin Haines]

On 3/1/2023 at 2:09 AM, Eric Roberts said:

Hi Marvin. You continue to astonish me. In terms of Francis Bacon and the Cabala, Peter Dawkins has this to say:

https://www.fbrt.org.uk/bacon/secret-bacon/

Cabala

Besides being a master of classical philosophy and mythology, and a high initiate of the mysteries, Bacon was also a master of Cabala (Christian Cabala based on Jewish Kabbalah), which can be seen not only in his understanding of biblical writings but also in the construction of his Great Instauration. The Shakespeare plays, or at least the majority of them, are likewise based on and structured according to Cabalistic knowledge. Such knowledge is related to Hermetic knowledge, the practical aspect of which is known as Alchemy.

Hermes, the legendary founder-teacher of the Hermetic tradition, was an alternative Greek name for the Egyptian god-man Thoth, who in turn was associated with the Atlantean Enoch (‘the Initiate’), known in Hebraic tradition as the first human being to reach the highest heaven in full consciousness and become one with Metatron, the Spirit of the Messiah. Moses, whom the Bible says was learnèd in all the Egyptian wisdom 11 as well as reaching full illumination on Mount Sinai where he was taught directly by Metatron/Enoch, handed on the kabbalistic knowledge that underlies the Torah to the “elect” of Israel.12

That Bacon was a master of Cabala and Hermeticism we can grasp from his Great Instauration and the Shakespeare plays, but there was a time when Bacon considered publishing all of his Great Instauration philosophical works under the pseudonyms of “Valerius Terminus” and “Hermes Stella”, which, if he had carried this out, would have meant that he would have been an almost completely secret man in terms of his philosophy and poetry.

 

 

 

This is really interesting!! Thanks for the compliment, and thanks for sharing!