Brethren, the Masonic Lodge is not merely arranged for ceremony; it is also intended for instruction. During the EA degree, we are introduced to many Masonic symbols & esoteric concepts. Without realizing it, we are also introduced to the Qabalistic & Hermetic symbolism of the Lesser Lights: the Sun, Moon, and Worshipful Master.
In this degree, we’re given a ritual explanation of the Lesser Lights, but the symbolism never appears again in the Blue Lodge degrees. The next time a Mason will come across the Lesser Lights in ritual form is if he joins the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite and witnesses the 6th degree, where the jewel of the degree depicts the Master under the symbol of Mercury. This choice of symbolism conveys a powerful lesson, which, if we pay close attention to the context surrounding the Master, we can appreciate the symbolic East in a new light.
The Sun has, in all ages, represented generative Light and the Divine source of illumination. It shines by its own radiance and serves as the emblem of spiritual vitality, clarity, and unconditioned truth. The Moon, on the other hand, does not generate Light; it is a reflector of Light. It governs rhythm, emotion, balance, and order. It teaches that Wisdom must be a result of Temperance, discipline, & suitable context. In the aforementioned jewel of the 6th degree of the Scottish Rite, the Worshipful Master is depicted as Mercury, between the principles of the Sun & Moon, as the Third Principle that’s not always seen, but always implied.
In alchemical philosophy, Mercury is the transformative agent. It is also the reconciler of opposites. It moves between the physical & spiritual realms as it carries messages from above to below. The Master, in his mercurial capacity, is NOT the Sun, nor is he the origin of Light. He does not create Light, he does not improve upon it, and he does not compete with it. He receives Light, refines himself by it, and disperses it in the form of “good and wholesome instruction.” This is the process of divinely-guided self-mastery. This responsibility, if left unchecked, can be corrupted, but this is where another symbol of the Master comes into play: the hat.
To the casual observer, the Master’s hat resembles a crown. It appears to elevate him above his brethren, but symbolically, it does the exact opposite. A crown exposes the head & proclaims personal sovereignty. Instead, the hat of the Master COVERS the head. In esoteric symbolism, the crown of the head represents the highest faculty, the seat of illumination, the gateway of Divine inspiration. To cover it is to make a declaration that Wisdom does not originate with the Worshipful Master. It’s not a badge of supremacy; rather, it’s an instrument of humility. It teaches the Master that he must not rely on his own intellect, personality, or Masonic experiences. His authority is derivative; it flows from alignment with the Divine Principle, as represented by the Volume of Sacred Law. Where a crown is a declaration of one’s right to rule, the Master’s hat declares his submission to the Power by which he governs.
This action (covering the head) by the Master conveys the lesson of instruction from the Master every meeting, a lesson of inner alchemy: the Sun represents disciplined aspiration, the Moon represents balanced reflection, and the Master, as Mercury, MUST stand as a purified mode of communication. Without humility, ambition becomes cunning. Without submission to Divine Law, communication becomes manipulation. Without self-mastery, authority becomes ego amplified. So, when you see the Master in the East, head covered, ego restrained, and consciously dependent on the Light from the Volume of Sacred Law, he becomes (symbolically) transparent: Light descends from the Supreme Architect, good & wholesome instruction flows, and harmony ultimately prevails.
This is where we all can take a lesson to apply in our daily lives: not every Mason will sit in the East, but every Mason is called to be a Worshipful Master somewhere in his own life. Whether it be in his home, in his profession, in his private moral struggles, or even in his unseen decisions. The question is not whether he will preside over a Lodge. The question is:
- Do we govern ourselves well?
- Do we temper our own passions & ambitions?
- Do we reflect on our flaws and mistakes effectively?
- Is our communication pure of all ulterior motives or ego?
- Do we cover the crown of our ego & submit our will to Divine Law before we speak, judge, advise, or act?
A man who can rule others, but not himself, is NOT a Master. A man who channels Light into his family, his community, and his conduct, though he may never wear the hat of the Master in the Lodge room, is more of a Worshipful Master than anyone who has ever held the office. Let us not aspire to office, but to alignment. We all, as Masons, are called to be humble, disciplined, and divinely-guided conductors of Light, so that no matter where we stand in our several stations of life, the Light we disperse is not our own, but His who is the origin of all things.
So mote it be.
Fraternally,
The Kabbalistic Craftsman
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