Post by giovanni on Jul 16, 2005 17:38:01 GMT
SOME THOUGHTS ON ESOTERICISM
Bro. Erminio Di Pisa
Esotericism regards “all that is occult”. In broad sense man points out the spiritual tendencies to seek for superhuman knowledge and superior powers, that are quite free from the laws of physics, to be dominated through proper practice, thus deeply modifying one’s psychic activity.
In strict sense, occultism is bound to the concept of magic, the art of dominating and using the primary forces of the nature.
Occultist schools are divided into two main streams: those of “magic” type, that address their pupils to gain particular powers, by using any means whatsoever, including rites of sorcery and Satanism; and those of religious and philosophical orientation, oriented to the knowledge of the highest truths with the aim to take mankind to the divinity. These latter are of interest of Freemasonry.
Esotericism is the search for the transcendent truth that is concealed by symbols, allegories and rites. The esoteric teachings should be delivered only orally – “from mouth to ear” – to those who have given evidence to be worth to receive, to custody and to treasure them. Their feature is, therefore, the privacy.
All the teachings which have been delivered through an initiation, like the Masonic ones, are esoteric. This word was founded by Pythagoras. Cabala, the theory of the plurality of worlds, of the visible and of the invisible, the Knights Templar Ordo and even Freemasonry are esoteric sciences or schools, because they refer themselves to the occult and, if we push to the extremes, esotericism is contained also in Christianity, Islamism, Buddhism and Vedic religion, since it actually deals with the universal “Whole”, either physical or psychical or spiritual. With regard to this concept let me quote this deep and beautiful thought of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman philosopher emperor: “Think steadily to the universe as an unique living creature, that cloaks one sole substance and one sole soul; think that everything is absorbed in a sole sensation of this creature; that everything is done through an unique impetus and that all things are the common cause of everything which is born, and which is their intimate connection”.
There is, therefore, no esoteric doctrine, but rather a method to approach everything which is concealed, mysterious. Or even “intimate”, if you so wish. Esotericism is “the heart and the spirit” of any and all religions, since it demonstrates that they are daughters of a unique Tradition.
The Masonic esotericism, in particular, aims to free man from the limits of the materiality, returning him back to the Eden’s condition by means of the meditation on the symbols and of the serious and exact performance of the rituals. Freemasons can gain even higher degrees of knowledge and self consciousness, in order to realize within themselves the corresponding universal condition. For these reasons the esoteric path cannot be followed by anybody, but only by those men who are duly “qualified”.
Bro. Erminio Di Pisa
Esotericism regards “all that is occult”. In broad sense man points out the spiritual tendencies to seek for superhuman knowledge and superior powers, that are quite free from the laws of physics, to be dominated through proper practice, thus deeply modifying one’s psychic activity.
In strict sense, occultism is bound to the concept of magic, the art of dominating and using the primary forces of the nature.
Occultist schools are divided into two main streams: those of “magic” type, that address their pupils to gain particular powers, by using any means whatsoever, including rites of sorcery and Satanism; and those of religious and philosophical orientation, oriented to the knowledge of the highest truths with the aim to take mankind to the divinity. These latter are of interest of Freemasonry.
Esotericism is the search for the transcendent truth that is concealed by symbols, allegories and rites. The esoteric teachings should be delivered only orally – “from mouth to ear” – to those who have given evidence to be worth to receive, to custody and to treasure them. Their feature is, therefore, the privacy.
All the teachings which have been delivered through an initiation, like the Masonic ones, are esoteric. This word was founded by Pythagoras. Cabala, the theory of the plurality of worlds, of the visible and of the invisible, the Knights Templar Ordo and even Freemasonry are esoteric sciences or schools, because they refer themselves to the occult and, if we push to the extremes, esotericism is contained also in Christianity, Islamism, Buddhism and Vedic religion, since it actually deals with the universal “Whole”, either physical or psychical or spiritual. With regard to this concept let me quote this deep and beautiful thought of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman philosopher emperor: “Think steadily to the universe as an unique living creature, that cloaks one sole substance and one sole soul; think that everything is absorbed in a sole sensation of this creature; that everything is done through an unique impetus and that all things are the common cause of everything which is born, and which is their intimate connection”.
There is, therefore, no esoteric doctrine, but rather a method to approach everything which is concealed, mysterious. Or even “intimate”, if you so wish. Esotericism is “the heart and the spirit” of any and all religions, since it demonstrates that they are daughters of a unique Tradition.
The Masonic esotericism, in particular, aims to free man from the limits of the materiality, returning him back to the Eden’s condition by means of the meditation on the symbols and of the serious and exact performance of the rituals. Freemasons can gain even higher degrees of knowledge and self consciousness, in order to realize within themselves the corresponding universal condition. For these reasons the esoteric path cannot be followed by anybody, but only by those men who are duly “qualified”.