More Light: Today's Freemasonry for Men and Women
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Freemasonry is often looked upon as an all-male pursuit, a social activity. But since 1893, when French Freemason Georges Martin founded the mixed masonic Order Le Droit Humain, Freemasonry for men and women has flourished and grown from strength to strength, currently boasting more than 30,000 members in over 50 countries. The International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women Le Droit Humain forms part of a larger Masonic family, namely the liberal branch of Freemasonry alongside Orders such as the Grand Orient of France and many others worldwide. The British Federation of Le Droit Humain prides itself on being the home of spiritual and esoteric Freemasonry in the United Kingdom.
This book sets out to show how in this Masonic Order a truly liberal, spiritual, esoteric and philosophical Freemasonry is followed, detailing some of the practices and aims of its members. The authors draw on the various strands that have come together to make Freemasonry what it is today, from the Ancient Mysteries, Mithraism, Eleusinian practices and medieval stonemasons, in addition giving us some fascinating insights into the ritual and ceremonial dimension.
More Light will be a revelation to many, men and women alike, whether already members of a masonic Order or not.
Published by: Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Publication Date: 2023 (Third Edition)
Paperback, 143 pages, colour and black and white illustrations, 148 mm x 210 mm
Contents
Acknowledgements 009
In The Beginning 011
Chapter 1 021
What Actually is Freemasonry, and What does it do?
Symbols and Allegories 022
Freemasonry is a Reflection of Something Ancient 025
More About Symbols 026
Unveiling Mysteries 029
Chapter 2 031
The Masonic Degrees
The First Degree 031
Two Stones 036
The Second Degree 037
Mutuality 039
Intuition 042
Self-knowledge 043
The Third Degree 044
Workings of the Ritual 046
Further Degrees 050
Chapter 3 053
Freemasons And Their Lodge
Rituals 053
The Lodge 053
A Collection of Freemasons 054
The Masonic Quest 055
Freemasonry as Secular Spirituality 058
Chapter 4 061
The Age of Enlightenment
Immanuel Kant 061
The Liberal Arts and Sciences 062
Chapter 5 067
Freemasonry and Religion
The Great Architect of the Universe 067
Organised Religion 068
Anti-Freemasonry 068
Uniting that which is Dispersed 070
Chapter 6 073
Women In Freemasonry
The First Masonic Order to Accept Women 073
Earliest Female Lodge in USA 075
Mozart and The Magic Flute 077
Chapter 7 081
The Origins of Freemasonry
The Ancient Mysteries Theory 082
Mithraism 084
The Mysteries of Eleusis 085
Hermes Trismegistus 087
Medieval Mystery Plays 089
The Operative Theory 090
King Solomon 092
Chapter 8 095
From The Seventeenth Century To The Present Day
Speculative Freemasonry 095
The Seventeenth Century and Elias Ashmole 096
The Eighteenth Century 098
The Question of Regularity 099
The Appeal of Strasbourg ..... 100
Chapter 9 101
The International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women Le Droit Humain
A Short Biography of Maria Deraismes 101
A Short Biography of Georges Martin 104
Annie Besant 108
The British Federation 112
The Spread of Le Droit Humain Worldwide 115
Chapter 10 121
Some Freemasons Tell of their Own Experiences
The First Degree 121
The Second Degree 124
The Third Degree 126
Frequently Asked Questions 129
References 137
Online Resources 139
