The Masonic Pinecone?

Originally posted by DrPaulisENKI
The caudecus(two serpents spiraling around a central staff) which has been a symbol of healing since the days of Egypt has Masonic connections. The staff and the serpent represent the spinal cord and central nervous system while the eye or central node represent the pineal gland. The pineal gland is symbolized with a pinecone because of the resemblance. It is of importance to Masons because it is where the connection to God is and you must reach 33 degrees to be fully infused/enlightened etc.. It is no coincidence that we have 33 vertebrae before you reach the Pineal(Pinnacle) gland. Laurence Gardner covers this topic briefly in "The Shadow of Solomon".

That symbolism has crossed my mind more than once, but is lost in this case because the deacon's rods are found in Blue Lodges of the York Rite, which has 12 degrees (not 33).

reply to post by Masonic Light

Originally posted by traderonwallst
Maybe this will help:

"Operative Masonry, in the fullest meaning of that term, signifies the process by which the Eye of Horus is opened. E. A. Wallis Budge has noted that in some of the papyri illustrating the entrance of the souls of the dead into the judgment hall of Osiris the deceased person has a pine cone attached to the crown of his head. The Greek mystics also carried a symbolic staff, the upper end being in the form of a pine cone, which was called the thyrsus of Bacchus. In the human brain there is a tiny gland called the pineal body, which is the sacred eye of the ancients, and corresponds to the third eye of the Cyclops. Little is known concerning the function of the pineal body, which Descartes suggested (more wisely than he knew) might be the abode of the spirit of man. As its name signifies, the pineal gland is the sacred pine cone in man--the eye single, which cannot be opened until CHiram (the Spirit Fire) is raised through the sacred seals which are called the Seven Churches in Asia."

altreligion.about.com...

This quote you offered from the source is very profound. I think it very much answers the original question asked in the title of the thread.

It seems to be the mystery of all mysteries. Many cultures and traditions are alluding to the spinal/chakra transformation culminating in a fire generated by your own biochemistry raising upward and opening the pinecone in your mind allowing some aspect of you inner being to travel by some mysterious fluidal exchange possibly allowing you to commune with beings otherwise unknowable.

Possibly even eternal life. The infamous tree of life. Each of us embodies that very model. Maybe that is why so many say the answers lie within.

Only the inner light offers a way out.

External light can only sustain us.

once again this thread has been extremely insightfull in so many ways,

but if the true nature of masnic tradition of the 33rd degree is that of illumination/creating the philosophers stone/opening the third eye or however you want to refer to it then why is the world in such shambles, if this is the case why arn't those whove reached such a platue haveing more a profound effect on the world and instead letting it all go to hell? i could be completely off on this but i look at my neighbor whos a 32nd degree mason and hes a drunk who has poor scocial skills and even poorer personality twwards people. it just confuses me how someone of such a high degree can be that way. his wife says "hes only a mason because his grandfather was and he just wants to be because of that " if thats the case how can one even rise through the ranks in such a way im really confused

Originally posted by mindash
once again this thread has been extremely insightfull in so many ways,

however you want to refer to it then why is the world in such shambles, if this is the case why arn't those whove reached such a platue haveing more a profound effect on the world and instead letting it all go to hell?

I am going to share how I understand it to be, that is the dilemma you described above. And trust me I can only speak from my own heart. And I will share also that my life long grandfather who was successful in his military endevours as well as a lifetime member of the Masons was a sad excuse for a man. He beat his wife, terrorized his children in a sadistic manner and molested at least all of his children's daughters. But I don't stand in judgement of him, it is what it is. And I also don't blame the Freemason's for what lifestyle their members have led secretly behind their own closed doors.

I have come to believe that something major is holding back the effectiveness of the Masons. It seems that they have upholded half of the teachings while keeping hidden from all the other half possibly for fear of losing the power they now hold. I feel they are dreadfully frightened of the potential power that would be unleashed if the equal yet opposite wisdom was allowed to be actualized in our world today. That of course being the divine Mother, the raw material without which nothing could be manifest. To harness this and blend and balance with the male side of the opposites could possibly create a place of harmony and peace in the hearts of those who lived with that fullness of being within themselves.

It seems that many brothers are hiding the other half of the mysteries and the ones (if any) who practice both streams are most likely misusing the female power based on their ancestorial memories that convince them it must be controlled and minimized for fear of their own masculine side being crushed, leaving them powerless.

Then again, maybe not

Originally posted by mindash
i could be completely off on this but i look at my neighbor whos a 32nd degree mason and hes a drunk who has poor scocial skills and even poorer personality twwards people. it just confuses me how someone of such a high degree can be that way. his wife says "hes only a mason because his grandfather was and he just wants to be because of that " if thats the case how can one even rise through the ranks in such a way im really confused

He didn't rise through the ranks. Practically anybody can get the 32nd in the Scottish Rite, all you have to do is apply for it, pay the initiation fees, and show up. Holding that degree does not make a Mason a high ranking one.

You've pointed to a very real problem. Many Lodges are no longer very particular about whom they accept. The Scottish Rite and the York Rite will accept practically anyone who is already a Blue Lodge Mason under the pretense that he must be a good guy because the Blue Lodge let him in. But if the Blue Lodge didn't do their job, the same problem enters the Rites as well.

In the USA, about half of all Masons are also 32nd degree Scottish Rite Masons. The other half could become so if they wanted. "Rank" in Masonry comes from being elected as an officer, and partaking in the fraternity's government, not from receiving the various degrees.

reply to post by Masonic Light



So what do you believe ML? That we were colonized 17,000 years ago from another star system?

LOL! It would be funny as all get out if the Freemasonry belief system was a misinterpretation because of this.

"Operative Masonry, in the fullest meaning of that term, signifies the process by which the Eye of Horus is opened. E. A. Wallis Budge has noted that in some of the papyri illustrating the entrance of the souls of the dead into the judgment hall of Osiris the deceased person has a pine cone attached to the crown of his head. The Greek mystics also carried a symbolic staff, the upper end being in the form of a pine cone, which was called the thyrsus of Bacchus. In the human brain there is a tiny gland called the pineal body, which is the sacred eye of the ancients, and corresponds to the third eye of the Cyclops. Little is known concerning the function of the pineal body, which Descartes suggested (more wisely than he knew) might be the abode of the spirit of man. As its name signifies, the pineal gland is the sacred pine cone in man--the eye single, which cannot be opened until CHiram (the Spirit Fire) is raised through the sacred seals which are called the Seven Churches in Asia"

Yeah fair enough.

True.

Originally posted by spirit7



So what do you believe ML? That we were colonized 17,000 years ago from another star system?

No, I don't. I believe the probability of life existing elsewhere in the universe is generally pretty good, judging from the size of it. It seems likely that somewhere out there, life could have evolved in a similar way as it did here, where conditions are right.

But Einstein's work suggests that long travels through space are not possible, and I don't think we've ever been visited by aliens. It is possible that an alien race has figured out to do such traveling, and Einstein himself thought the rules for space travel could possibly be bent by using wormholes, but that's all just speculation, and has nothing to do with Masonry anyway.

ive also just learned that pine cone that can only be opened by fire is that of the giant sequioa if that adds anything to this mystery

This thread has really been insightful and I have spent much time on the subject both through research and meditation is the last few days.

It is a big deal.

I read that the Thalmus, pitituary, and pineal are the origination of the Trinity and that symbolically snakes rattle in the area to activate the neccesary vibrational resonances to allow the three to do what they do. Also that the cross is a symbol representing the transformation of the heart chakra that allows the next step of the process.

reply to post by interestedalways


thats funny you should mention that my friend, about 3 years ago i had a strange experience that ill go deeper into another time if youd like but it left me with a trinity symbol and i was flipping through a book one day and on the one page it had a cross cut view of the brain and those 3 glands highlighted and i realized the trinity connection there as well. it's 6:09am tho and ive been up doing research into the allegorical side of alchemy for the past 4 hours and need to sleep. once agian this has been an intensely insightful thread and i appreciate all the positive feedback thrown insofar

I do find this thread to be one of those that you can really get lost (or found) in and then just have to back up for a few days to gain perspective.

There is much that can be shared in language and through conversation and then much has to be experienced. Within of course. You have to spend the time in the dark to get the light.

As Mindash said, it is very intense and taxing, yet invigorating at the same time.

I hope I can stay focused and not forget the relevance gleamed here.

ive just learned also that the pinecone wich can only be opened by means of fire is actually the giant sequoia pinecone and this makes sense upon further examination of the golden ones dotting the temple cieling since they are huge, i figured it was just an exageration due to its symbolic representation but i guess they are scaled to the right size lol. also ive recently read that not all but many people experience calcifying of the pineal gland and really cant find any concrete descriptions of why this occurs or what effects it has on a person pysiologically and psychologically speaking. anyone have any info or able to find anything signifigant regarding this transformation? also in ancient alchemy of the spiritual nature the first step is called calcination and summed up is the scorching of ones ego into a pile of white ash thats become purified to a degree followed the next step (in total i believe there are 7) wich if i properly recall is dissolusion. if youd like to learn more about this process i highly reccomend the book

The Emerald Tablet
Alchemy for Personal Transformation
by Dennis William Hauck

it may be found in the general metaphysics area of your local book store but its heavly rooted in jungian psychology,shamanism, and metaphorical and archetypical understandings of symbolism and how they apply to every day life. this is if i had to say it, the ONE book id reccomend to anyone suffering any sort of mental dillema. 433 pages long and very addictive read, altho youll notice is does tend to repeat himself in the book he does so in such a way that each time he explains the same idea its a slightly different variation of the last explination and rides along side the entire process mentioned in the book so as ones understanding grows so do the ways one can learn to read into many different things and find a single truth.

if anyone would like to further converse in real time over the topics as well as ideas mentioned in this thread dont be affraid to contact me via aol instant messenger at MindAsh2012 im usually online 24/7 and always enjoy a good shareing of ideas as well i try to keep my own biases to a minnimum and im not offended ever so you can be as open as you wish with me. thanks again to everyone who has contributed to this topic and i hope to see it grow continuously, constantly in flux, inspireing perpetual inspiration.

MindAsh

The calcification by scorching the ego in the mind, part of an alchemical process that must be attained to move to the next phase.............


Sounds like ashes in the mind.

The Pheonix

Thanx for the insight.

made to scale, eh? That is awesome if someone actually took the time to leave a mathmatical formula to further indicate it's symbolic relationship to something else.

Originally posted by DrPaulisENKI
The caudecus(two serpents spiraling around a central staff) which has been a symbol of healing since the days of Egypt has Masonic connections. The staff and the serpent represent the spinal cord and central nervous system while the eye or central node represent the pineal gland. The pineal gland is symbolized with a pinecone because of the resemblance. It is of importance to Masons because it is where the connection to God is and you must reach 33 degrees to be fully infused/enlightened etc.. It is no coincidence that we have 33 vertebrae before you reach the Pineal(Pinnacle) gland. Laurence Gardner covers this topic briefly in "The Shadow of Solomon".

Your talking about Kundalini. You do not have to be a 33 degree Mason to experience this.

Kundalini




[edit on 29-8-2007 by cloakndagger]

im familiar with the 7 step phsychological alchemical process (currently rereading an indepth book on the subject titled "the emerald tblet, Alchemy for personal transformation) but what im wondering is about the actual pysiological process in wich the pineal gland itself becomes coated in a layer of calcium, ive written to a well renowned endocrynologist and he comfirmed it as an actual physiological process but also stated that there was no psychological difference to his knowledge in those whom have the calcification of the pineal as opposed to those whom do not and that theres no real explination as to why some experience this and others not, most will never even know if this physiological occurance even happens it seems. id like see some actual psychological tests done on people both with and without said physical calcification of the pineal and see if there really is any major differences. if anyone has any info on the subject or finds anything please do tell

Thank you for the charming insight on what has been a reoccuring symbol for me recently.

By this is mean, every so often, I come across a pinecone on my daily walk, and become absolutely entranced by it's humble beauty. I am quite literaly, stopped in my tracks whenever one appears on the ground before me.

Still, in all my meditations on these delightful gifts of nature, it never occured to that the pinecone itself was a wonderful metaphor for the third eye opening.

I'm absolutely charmed beyond words!

Nice to see there are several other traditions out there who have meditated on the beauty and wisdom of the natural world - and given the pine cone a place of symbolic honor within their traditions.

Thanks a million, everyone!

Yay Pinecones!

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This figure is named as Tammuz


Patience, just learning to post pics


[edit on 1-9-2007 by interestedalways]