Darren Lorente-Bull

" "The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself." Thales So what is Freemasonry? Freemasonry is, essentially, a philosophical proposal. Philosophy from the Greek word meaning “Love of Wisdom”, is the all encompassing field of human study that seeks to study and understand through the use of reason the following disciplines:   Epistemology: is the study of knowledge. How much knowledge can we acquire? What methods can we use? Freemasonry bridges secular spirituality, classical philosophy, science and Humanities in its enquiry.   Ontology: this is the study of the Self, of consciousness and the meaning of Being. Freemasonry has the study of the Self as one of its main objectives. “Know Thyself” as the Ancient Greeks put it. Metaphysics: is the study of reality and existence. Freemasonry looks at the hidden meaning of symbols and asks the big questions that accompany the human condition. Some Freemasons believe in an afterlife...

The French Revolution is possibly one of the most important and defining moments in recent European history, and alongside the industrial revolution and the advancement in science, it is not far fetched to state that it gave birth to the modern age.  But, how influential was Freemasonry in the French Revolution? Many of the leaders and notable figures of the Revolution were Freemasons. The Marquiss de Lafayette, who had helped the Americans in their Revolution against the British, was a Freemason to put but one example. And the American Revolution was in great measure a Masonic Revolution. Many of the signatories of the new American Constitution were Freemasons, and the Masonic spirit of the American Constitution cannot be denied. But in France, things were different.  The truth is that between 1793 and 1796, which  were the more turbulent years of the French Revolution,  the Grand Orient de France suspended all Masonic activities. Although there are som...

You must accept the truth from whatever source it comes. Maimonides Slowly but surely, the religious beliefs that we had been dragging with us in the West since the Middle Ages, were eroded with the advent of modernity and positivism. Postmodernity and its relativism put the final nails in the coffin. Suddenly, the paradigm of absolute religious truth was replaced by the acceptance of multiple religious and spiritual truths that were truths when considered in their particular contexts. Even the Roman Catholic Church had to admit that "portions of truth exist outside the Church". Clinging to an absolute religious truth is simply untenable in a globalised world. Science relies on absolute truths: a virus is a virus in every country and language regardless of any other cultural considerations. But perceived metaphysical certainties are far more complex and impossible to pin down and universalise. When it comes to religious beliefs, these are almost by definition mutu...

" Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."   Aristotle The Chamber of Reflection is a fundamental component of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and other Masonic Rites              (although it is not part of the United Grand Lodge of England workings and Rite) and is a significant and symbolic space within the context of European Continental Freemasonry, used during the initiation process of new members. This chamber serves as a place for introspection, self-examination, and preparation for the journey ahead in Freemasonry. Its design and purpose vary across different Masonic jurisdictions, but several key elements remain consistent throughout different Masonic Rites: The Chamber of Reflection is typically a small, dark and sombre looking room that is often adorned with symbols and objects that provoke thought and contemplation. The atmosphere is intentionally somber, designed to encourage the initia...

Freemasonry started off as the domain of skilled working men, the operative builders of cathedrals, churches and castles in the Middle Ages. These were men - rarely but on a few odd occasions women too- who without being members of the royal household or the nobility, enjoyed certain privileges and mobility in a time when most people lived and died in the same village or hamlet where they had been born and rarely would ever set foot outside of it. These Master Builders were the forerunners of the Freemasons and celebrated the new apprentices and members of the guild in ritual ceremonies such as the ones described in the Halliwell Manuscript, where references to Sacred Geometry, Euclid and Ancient Egypt are made in relation to the building trade. Eventually, with the advent of the Renaissance, these operative lodges opened up and started to accept non operative masons such as Elias Ashmole for example, who was initiated in 1646 attracted by the discreet atmosphere and fr...

Dedicated to Bro. William The Stoics saw death as a natural part of existence, not something to dread. Accepting the inevitability of death motivated them to live virtuous, purposeful lives. They contemplated death daily, appreciating life's simple beauties. The Epicureans saw death as irrelevant, for when one "is" death is not and when death occurs, one is no longer there.  With the advent of Christianity, the concept of the art of dying was further developed through books consoling or attempted to console people who feared death in a time when life could be short and brutal: Ars Moriendi was also among the first books printed with movable type and was widely circulated in nearly 100 editions before 1500, in particular in Germany. The long version survives in about 300 manuscript versions, only one illustrated. Ars moriendi consists of six chapters: The first chapter explains that dying has a good side, and serves to console the dying man that dea...