The Path of Freemasonry: The Craft as a Spiritual Practice

First I need to place my review in context. I am a 32nd degree Mason and also a person who practices ritual magick. For a long time I have been trying to blend my Masonic teachings into a workable path. My background includes The Golden Dawn, OTO and a few similar orders so I have something to reference. What this book was very good for was giving me lots of ideas to use as I formulate my practice. It is primarily a book about freemasonry and will give anyone interested in our craft lots of wonderful information, both masons and non masons. It is not a grimore, nor was it presented as one however I believe it can be... or at least it can be useful to someone looking for that. Stavish is a practicing magician and if you can read a little between the lines I do believe there is enough there to assist in creating something more than is first presented. Every Mason should own a copy and practice the exercises, but then again I like the author and have most of his writings, opinions vary.

Great book!

For both Masons and Non-Masons, this book is a concise, inclusive, easy to read history of Freemasonry as well as a workbook for those interested in furthering their spiritual development. In addition to its survey of the original metaphysical ideas and sources that gave rise to Scottish and York Rite Masonry, Mark Stavish has put together in one short volume a description of the most important elements necessary for an understanding of the esoteric principles behind the symbolically and mythologically-based rituals extant in both regular and irregular Masonic tradition. To do this, he has added to his original 2007 edition which now includes an outline of key points, assignments, and a list of suggested reading at the end of each chapter as well as Forewords, an Afterword, and three Appendices by different contributors.Chartres CathedralKey to the understanding of the purpose of Freemasonry is its emphasis on The Lost Word, on the Temple of Solomon and the Legend of Hiram Abiff, on Sacred Geometry and the Hermetic Arts, and on the Gothic Cathedrals and The Knights Templar. With Brother Stavish as our guide, we examine such subjects as the connection of the rituals of Masonry to those of occult magic; the practical aspects of alchemy and astrology; the ancient mystery tradition; the myth of Hermes Trismegistus; the differences as well as the correspondences between operative and speculative Masonry; the development of Masonic lodges around the world; Qabala and the Tree of Life’s influence on Masonry; the various degrees; the meanings in the tracing boards, the talismans, and the implements (tools); the profound influences of the works of Euclid, Pythagoras, Johannes Reuchlin, Robert Fludd and the Rosicrucians, the work of Jean Dubuis regarding sound, musical notes, and the relation to chemical elements; the magic of John Dee and Edward Kelley; Albert Pike and his Morals and Dogma; the Elus Cohen lodges, Egyptian Freemasonry, and Martinism; the Illuminati; Emanuel Swedenborg; Elias Ashmole; Cagliostro; Theosophy and Co-Masonic lodges; the OTO; The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn; the enigmatic Fulcanelli; and much more.Above all, our author stresses the point that the “G” in the midst of the square and compass symbol of the Masons represents “Geometry”. He, as well as one of the authors in an Appendix to the book, take the time to show us how structures like the Egyptian and Classical temples and the great Gothic cathedrals utilized basic geometric principles in their design and construction. John Michael Greer, American author, astrologer, and druid, writes in Appendix A about his suggestion that the familiar title of “Widow’s Son” can be represented in geometric form by using the golden proportion and the irrational number ɸ (phi). (I won’t give away Greer’s theory here; you’ll have to read it in the book. But I think he may have solved at least one meaning to the often-pronounced title.)In recent years, I believe Masonry has received undue criticism based on fear of the unknown. Most detractors have little practical knowledge of the Craft and no understanding of its purpose. Some have gone so far as to link it to some sort of a conspiratorial movement. Yes, the organization, if you can call it that, maintains certain secrets that permit its members to recognize each other. But, today, descriptions of a good deal of its rituals and symbols are readily accessible in literature or on the internet. And, while the meaning of “occult” is “secret”, that does not equate it by any means with “subversive.”Second Degree tracing boardWhat Stavish has done here is give us a fast-read tour that’s chock full of “goodies” to entice us to delve deeper into the more subtle and spiritual significance of Freemasonry. (I reluctantly use the word “spiritual” as it’s been much bandied about over the past few years, but I can think of no other way to describe the more hidden but most important aspects of Masonry.) With this volume we can now begin to place the Craft in its proper position on the map of esoteric studies and practices with respect to its history and to its present-day offerings of methods for self-improvement and self-enlightenment. The book stands as a little gem for the interested reader who wants to continue his or her studies and as a possible door to a worthwhile adventure for the curious. In any event, we come away with a realization that Freemasonry is, in actuality, a “metaphor for self-development.”This review first appeared in New Daws magazine, Issue No. 190

This is a book that every newly initiated Mason should read.The only negative thing I've noticed was that the narrator of the audiobook misprounounced "Fama Fraternitatis" every single time the book was mentioned.

für mich eine schön abgerundete vorstellung der spirituellen freimaurerei mit interessanten gedanklichen tiefgängen. schön werden dabei auch punkte hervorgehoben; die punkte und thesen werden sehr häufig von zitaten (zb von mackey, pike, mc clenachan) begleitet, die den bezug zur freimaurerei nachvollziehbar machen bzw. belegen. gut gefallen haben mir auch die leseempfehlungen am ende der kapitel.für mich sehr schön zu lesen und dies eine buch tiefgehender als die vier bücher umfassende serie "The Spiritual Freemasonry series".

Thought it was a new book, but sadly, it’s just the newest edition of Freemasonry: Rituals, Symbols & History of the Secret Society. Title has been changed, but it’s the same book (aside from a foreword to the new edition)

It's a excellent book, especially for the begginers in studies of freemasonry.