The Initiatic Experience: That Led To Your Initiation Into Freemasonry

by Robert Herd

Freemasonry is an Initiatic Order teaching lessons of philosophy, morality, psychology, and spirituality. It contains elements of perennial wisdom, much of which has been handed down to it by other orders and cultures throughout the history of civilization. Many have searched, and continue to search, for a singular origin to our Fraternity. This book discusses similarities found in the Initiatic Experiences which have been practiced by people of different cultures from time immemorial. You will find that much of what our lessons teach today, was taught to initiates thousands of years before Freemasonry had even been formed, being passed from Master to Candidate. It shows that some of those Initiatic processes, methods, and lessons, which were passed down to us from ancient times, was done so by some of the most famous thinkers, philosophers, and teachers in human history. Sometimes this knowledge was lost by one civilization only to be rediscovered or rejuvenated by the next. The knowledge and lessons changed nearly as little as the methods of conveying them. It shows a lineage or pathway, so to speak, created by the sharing of knowledge and wisdom from Ancient Egypt and Greece, to Renaissance Europe and even the Middle East. It discusses how the process and impact of the Initiatic experience was used then, and is still used today, to promote and protect certain lessons and concepts throughout the ages, sometimes with deadly consequences. This book talks about some of the challenges certain Orders had in maintaining these lessons in times of social or religious turmoil such as the Knights Templar, Rosicrucians, and even the early Alchemists. For the new and old Freemason alike, this book can provide valuable insight into the meaning behind portions of the ritual, the history behind some of the traditions, and the spirit behind some of the lessons of our Fraternity. Those interested in history will find a concise, chronological order of events making study and familiarization of information quick and easy. Those interested in the more esoteric side of Freemasonry will find both old and new concepts behind the superficial aspects of our Craft and the underlying Western Mystery School tradition as a whole.

166 pages, Paperback

First published December 9, 2012

Reviews

[Robert Herd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well..I wrote it, so of course I think it's amazing :)
I certainly hope you enjoy it.

[Hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Read!!! Only thing that could have made it better is if it was longer. I hope the author makes a 2nd edition in which he delves into the history and psychology of initiation rites even further. This is a wide open field that needs to be researched more thoroughly. I think the author, through following his instincts is really on to something much larger than he can fully express or even comprehend. There is an ancient truth here that has been lost and misunderstood for generations thanks to Western Civilizations obsession with Empiricism and Materialism, we have lost one of the greatest treasures of humanity, the ability to connect in a meaningful way to our world on a plane deeper than just the physical.

[Eric Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worthy reading

I've followed Bob Herd's writings for awhile. He was editor of Living Stones magazine. This book is no disappointment. In fact, it's everything i had anticipated it to be. Smart, wise and instructive.

[Josh Blakely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, but short book.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really great introduction to some of the mystery traditions and their initiatic forms and rituals. The author does a fine job by exposing the reader to the links with the Masonic order then, not stopping there, challenging the reader to further their study in these fields.