Ark of the Covenant – By Manly P. Hall

Brain IlluminatedIn the brain of man, between the wings of the kneeling cherubim, is the mercy seat, and there man speaks with his God as the priest of the tabernacle spoke to the spirit of the Lord hovering between the wings of the Angels. Man is again the Ark, and within him are the three principles, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—the tablets of the law, the pot of manna, and the rod that budded. – Initiates of the Flame By Manly P. Hall.-

(By Many P. Hall) – One of the most interesting symbols that has come down to us from the ancients is that of the Ark, or the box that was said to contain the sacred relics. Many people believe that this belongs particularly to the Jewish nation, but this is a great mistake, because it has been the birthright of every country to have the Ark. All have, like the Jewish people, lost much of their power and glory when they lost the sacred Ark. (more…)

Sacred Images By Manly P. Hall

This text of a discussion on Sacred Images by Manly P. Hall has never been in print before now. At my cost, I had the audio transcribed so people could read his words forever. I hope you enjoy.

By Manly P. Hall:  A number of years ago, I was in a little town, Darjeeling, on the northern boundary of India where it met Tibet. There were several visitors from various countries and the hotel MANLEY P HALLmanagement decided it would be appropriate to give a little entertainment in the Tibetan spirit. So they brought in about a half a dozen Tibetan dancers, with their masks and regalia, to entertain. Among them was a little boy, about eight years old, a very cute chubby little rascal that everyone liked immediately.

But when the time for the dance came, he put on one of the most grotesque mask you’d ever want to see. He really looked like a nightmare. Of course, everyone knew it was the little boy.

But during the dance, he started moving over rapidly towards the audience and always getting ready to attack them. You should have seen the audience scatter. They all knew it was the little boy but with the mask, something happened.

The evil spirits of ancient and primary fear moved in on those people. They actually subconsciously were terrified.

On another occasion, I remember in the Japanese Noh drama where the principal actors are masked, many of the themes are highly sacred. In the various performances, the actors are nearly always concealed behind these wood-carved masks that are well-painted and decorated but of course, have no expression except that of the original carving.

But under a careful handling of light, particularly by the postures of the head in relationship to the source of light, these faces seem to change. And in moments of joy, the face really seemed to smile and in sorrow, the face looked very tragic. Yet it was done with a wooden mask but everyone felt it. The skill in which the mask was handled was the principal factor.

In the southwest United States, we have a series of ritualistic dances by the various Indian tribes, the Zuñis, Hopis, Navajos. These dances often included masked figures and everyone knows that these masked figures are members of the local community.

One of the men with the mask, very carefully developed but rather crude mask, actually has two children in the audience. They all know that it’s father but when he dances toward them with the sacred column, they kneel instinctively as though he was a god. Something happens when the masks begin to take a part in religious rituals.

Masks were used in Egypt, we know, in the temple mysteries. Even today, the various carvings and manuscripts of Egyptian origin show human beings with the masks of birds and animals. The Greeks used masks in their theater also. Nearly always a mask becomes a complete change of personality.

If accompanied by adequate religious ritual, the mask becomes the secret of the development of a peculiar theological belief that there was a divine power in the mask. And when it was worn correctly and under ritual supervision, it brought a deity into contact with humanity.

On the course of time, the mask, of course, has gradually faded but in many primitive countries, they still survive. Then came another step forward in the study of human psychology. It is almost impossible for the average person to understand a completely abstract principle. It is very hard to visualize something that has no form or to visualize an energy which is completely unembodied.

From very early times, it became apparently necessary to present nearly all of the important truths of life symbolically. We have wonderful symbolic books, like Aesop’s Fables or Pilgrim’s Progress. We have very wonderful ancient sculpturing and statuary, paintings, carvings of all kinds, retablos and icons which are presumed to have certain sacred value in themselves.

You can go from one end of the world to the other among middle class group of people, the average person, and you ask them if they believe that these statues are actually divine or have spiritual power in themselves. Nearly everyone will answer no.

Even in the midst of a vast array of this imagery, nearly everyone accepts the fact that it is symbolical and that it represents something that cannot be directly seen. It represents a power in nature which is in itself invisible.

The idea of this type of symbolism apparently arose from man’s study of his own environment.

It gradually dawned upon him that pure life, in its own essence, is invisible. We know it is present because of what it does but we do not know what it is. Therefore, when we begin to study life, we have to do it by examining living things. We are not able to understand the substance of energy or vitality or force but we are able to estimate its consequences.

Therefore, as we look around these in nature, we see an infinite diversity of living things, all of these living things supported by one essential, basic life principle.

Under such conditions, it must become obvious that this life principle has many appearances. It has as many forms and appearances as forms and appearances exist in nature. It is not only represented by picture, it is represented by sound or color.

It is represented by mathematical formulas and astronomical observations and it is represented by now a very complex group of chemical and electronic symbols. And yet underneath all of this vast array of symbolism, it is obvious that there is one invisible life principle.

This principle separated from all living things is almost impossible to define. The only way we can define it is to reveal it through its own works.

Our ancient forebears were certain that all creation was a revelation of one principle. Therefore, in order to make a diagram or a picture of this principle, something had to be found that could be equated with everything that exists.

This symbol had to be inclusive enough to reveal the utter diversity of the divine power and yet at the same time sufficiently integrate it to realize or to represent the fact that this divine power was in the ultimate one, an indivisible principle manifesting constantly through utter diversity.

It therefore seemed quite proper to select various symbols to represent this one indivisible but invisible unity at the source of existence. The Greeks have their pantheons of gods, so did the Egyptians and the Latins, the Hindus and the vast mass.

Manly P. Hall Quote: Only wisdom can take the world out of the man

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” We can only escape from the world by outgrowing the world. Death may take man out of the world but only wisdom can take the world out of the man. As long as the human being is obsessed by worldliness, he will suffer from the Karmic consequences of false allegiances. When however, worldliness is transmuted into Spiritual Integrity he is free, even though he still dwells physically among worldly things. ” – Manly Palmer Hall

 

Masonic Apron

In the triangle we see spirit descending into the square of matter. Let us so purify matter that spirit may shine through it and make of us lights to guide the footsteps of humanity. – Manly P. Hall

For thousands of years, the color white was symbolized as a sign of innocence, perfection and purity of the heart. The ancient priesthoods had most often used some type of white garment represented by either a white robe or apron that they would issue to initiates of their secret mysteries.

freemason apron

The Masonic Apron is designed to represent the human body separated into two distinct parts just like the image below of the upright and inverted pentagram symbols.

PentagramThe upper portion of the Apron represents our higher, noble and spiritual selves. This would be our hearts and heads that are the seats of reason, intellect, spirituality, gnosticism and pure love. The pentagram man to the above left would also represent this spiritual quality, as does the image below.

Higher-Self

The second separate area of our bodies is represented by the bottom portion of the Apron which would symbolize our lower selves that deal more with our natural animal natures and our passions. The upside down pentagram on the above right would also represent the lack of nobility, purity and spiritual quality.

The Masonic Apron is made of Lamb or Satin to signify innocence, purity and integrity. It is a symbol of the Masons newly attained spiritual purity and primary symbol of the ceremony of the First Degree. This Apron will accompany the Mason at every step of their progress through the remaining degrees and it serves as a continual memento as he walks his path to perfect and purify himself in order to best serve his family, brothers, lodge and all his fellow man.

masonic_apron

Henceforth, the goal of the Freemason with his Masonic Apron is to subdue their passions in order to take a higher road than the rest of humanity in so that he can perfect and purify himself as he walks his path with the white emblem of light, truth, and love. A true human living representative of the philosophers stone as he tirelessly builds Solomon’s Temple which now expands the globe.

founding fathers freemasons

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