num_pages: 272
description: A practical guide to the symbols and rituals of Freemasonry as a path of spiritual development and self-realization Shares the history and meaning of Freemasonry and its symbols Offers thoughtful explorations of different areas of Masonic experience drawing on esoteric doctrines and paralleling them with experiences found in daily life Provides simple exercises and practices to help internalize and personalize the lessons presented including dreamwork journaling meditation and prayerIn this practical guide Mark Stavish details the spiritual lessons and rituals of Freemasonry as a step-by-step path of spiritual development and self-improvement for both Masons and non-Masons men and women alike. He explores the history and meaning of Freemasonry and its symbols--from its origins in the Temple of Solomon to the Medieval craft guilds to the Renaissance--and explains how the Craft promotes personal growth through the symbolic building of self and an inner Temple of Wisdom in much the same way that Masonrys rituals symbolize the building of Solomons Temple in accordance with the mystical architectural instructions of Hiram.Drawing on esoteric doctrines including the Qabala alchemy sacred geometry John Dees angelic magic and the secrets of the Gothic cathedral builders each chapter addresses an area of the Masonic experience paralleling them with experiences each of us finds in our own lives. The author provides simple practices to help internalize and personalize the lessons presented including dreamwork journaling meditation prayer and understanding sacred architecture. The author also examines the crafting and use of the spiritual and symbolic tools of Freemasonry such as the trestle or tracing board and the Chamber of Reflection.Providing the tools to make the Craft an initiatic experience of self-improvement the author shows that ultimately the Masonic experience is the human quest for self-realization and self-expression so that we each may find our place in the Temple of Wisdom.
language: English
title: The Path of Freemasonry: The Craft as a Spiritual Practice
publisher: Inner Traditions