My desires and expectations... is there any secret society or mystery school I should look in to?
Or is this a path I must travel alone?
Yes
That is to say there are such groups, but you will still have to travel for the most part alone. Freemasonry is certainly an excellent choice for your
first steps, then again I may be biased. It's not a bad idea to study everything you can before hand, or don't..... really I can't say which is
better. Find an active Lodge and ask for a petition.
I will only give this advice. That I would give any candidate.
1.) Do not make the mistake of over estimating the knowledge of the well regarded members....there are many excellent members in such groups that are
fine men, but have spent little time reading studying or contemplating the symbolism, beyond the very short and often confusing experiences within
degrees. Someone may be excellent at helping you with degree work, but that does not mean they can provide you with the answers, only the framework
for finding them, they may or may not still be trying to find them themselves.
2.) Have faith in yourself, you are the only mind you will ever fully know, yours is the only mind that can answer the questions and understand them,
never lose faith that you have been given the ability to find what you seek, given you have God's guidence, and a diligent heart.
3.) If you read every book and every word ever written it will not answer the greater questions, only perhaps frame better questions, True answers in
the ancient mysteries are experienced, not learned, secret because they can not be told or given.
4.) Don't underestimate brothers either! In my own journey there have been men I at first thought were just going through the motions who upon deeper
conversation offered the greatest insight....they have been among the most humble and quiet members...perhaps because they understand "Vide Audi
Tace"
5.) If you DO beleive in God, and have the background you stated, then you know that In the Judaic/Christian, and Islamic faiths, every record has
stated that God favors the virtuous, the honest, the steadfast, and maybe the stubborn. In other words the Righteous....perhaps this is something that
can be faked for the Church, Family, friends, and with the right amount of delusion yourself. However you can not fake things before your creator. If
you really wish to make such a journey you MUST become that righteous man regardless of the path you choose. You must remove your passions, vices, and
walk that narrow path, that eye of the needle. You must humble yourself, while beleiving in yourself.
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it."
I make no claim to having found the answer you seekmyself yet, but I am honestly working to get there, and I beleive my religious faith, and masonry
have both given me vital tools for that end. That's what the degrees are for.....to give you the plans, and tools to get answers, not to hand feed
them to you.
edit on 22/12/2010 by ForkandSpoon because: punctuation