Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This degree is characterized by its simplicity and focus on the fundamental principles of Masonry. The ritual involves a straightforward lecture on symbols, with an emphasis on personal interpretation rather than elaborate drama. The degree uses classic Masonic symbols such as squares, triangles, and pillars, and highlights the significance of the number nine, which is represented by nine candles forming a right triangle around the altar. This arrangement symbolizes the "47th Problem of Euclid" or the "Pythagorean Theorem."

The degree's purpose is to teach leadership and the virtues of leniency, kindness, and humility, and advocates for restoring Masonry to its original purity and simplicity. It criticizes the dilution of Masonic values through unnecessary innovations and emphasizes the importance of moral centering and fair judgment. The "Symbolic Lodge" is seen as a metaphor for the mind, with the degree teaching a way of thinking through symbols and allegories.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Images and Diagrams:

• Pythagoras of Crotona (by J. Augustus Knapp)

Overview:

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:39 Degree Ritual
• 10:57 Purpose of the Degree
• 12:56 Morals and Dogma
• 13:58 Ignorance and Innovations in Freemasonry
• 14:43 The Meaning of Masonic Titles
• 15:46 Masons Kneel Before God and Honor
• 16:39 The Scottish Rite is a Teacher of Great Truth
• 17:52 Masonry Teaches by Parable and Allegory)
• 19:09 Exercise Humanity to Those Beneath You
• 19:50 Masonry is the Performance of Duty
• 21: 16 Duties of the Masonic Classes
• 22:40 Duties of a Master of a Lodge
• 24:50 The 47th Problem of Euclid
• 27:07 Square Work
• 28:53 Thoth
• 30:56 Conclusions

Links:

• Thoth (Amazon)
• Pythagorean Theorem (Wikipedia)
• Squaring the Circle (Wikipedia)
• Trigonometry (Wikipedia)
• Kabbalah (Wikipedia)
• Numa Pompilius (Wikipedia)
• Hammurabi (Wikipedia)
• Mani (Wikipedia)
• Alfred the Great (Wikipedia)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This degree is the first in the "Council of Kadosh," a series of "Chivalric" degrees, and discuss the mystical and philosophical nature of these degrees, as well as the meaning of the term "Kadosh," a Hebrew word often translated as "holy" but more accurately meaning "separated." David and Gene explore the idea of being "set apart" from others, following a different set of rules or living by a different standard, which is the essence of priesthood. They also touch on the paradoxical nature of the word, which can also mean "unclean" or "defiled," suggesting that defining what is "holy" implicitly defines what is "unholy".

The Ritual of the Degree is founded on apocalyptic mysteries relating to the New Jerusalem that proclaims the “Alpha and the Omega”, the beginning and the end of things. The symbolism of the ritual space, the twelve columns representing the twelve signs of the zodiac and the twelve tribes of Israel, and the ritual's connection to the "Twelve Apostles" in the New Testament are discussed, before delving into the ritual's depiction of the Apocalypse - the complete annihilation of the old world view and values. The purpose of the Degree, is to free a person from the bondage of servile and base behavior, by shattering and destroying the structures of the old and faulty systems of belief.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams

• 19th Degree Jewel (front)
• 19th Degree Jewel (back)
• High Priest's Breastplate
• Column Placement & Traversal in 19th Degree Ritual
• Tree of Life

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:49 The Council of Kadosh
• 05:10 Degree Ritual
• 10:11 Purpose of the Degree
• 11:31 Morals and Dogma
• 12:48 Our Actions Continue After We Die
• 13:41 The Dead Govern, and the Living Obey
• 16:01 Sow, that Others May Reap
• 16:38 We Build Slowly and Destroy Quickly
• 18:42 Lucifer Blinds and Deceives Selfish Souls With His “Light”
• 21:44 The Apocalypse and the Symbolic Attributes of God
• 22:47 The Three Principles of Being
• 24:11 The Four Worlds of Kabbalah
• 26:48 Jewel of the Degree
• 27:19 Melchizedek, Priest of the Most High God
• 28:52 The Breastplate of the High Priest
• 30:28 The New Jerusalem
• 31:42 The Mark of the Beast
• 33:51 King Solomon is The Beast
• 35:29 No Buying or Selling
• 36:43 The New Law

Links

• Tree of Life (Wikipedia)
• Four Worlds of Kabbalah (Wikipedia)
• Number of the Beast (Wikipedia)
• Lucifer (Wikipedia)
• Solomon (Wikipedia)
• Melchizedek (Wikipedia)
• New Jerusalem (Wikipedia)
• The Cube of Space: Container of Creation (Amazon)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This episode delves into the capstone Degree of the "Chapter of Rose Croix", which  reveals the "Secret of the Reconciliation of Opposites". David and Gene discuss the three "apartments" or scenes that the candidate is taken through in the "Ritual of the Degree". The first apartment, "The Dark Chamber", represents a world in chaos under the tyranny of evil, where the "Sacred Word" is lost. The second apartment, referred to as the "Dark Side", is likened to depictions of hell in various religious texts. The final apartment represents the Universe, freed from the tyranny of evil and filled with the true Light that flows from the Supreme Deity.

This degree is described as one of the most philosophical and practical degrees in Freemasonry. It encourages introspection and presents the enigma of the universe: the question of opposites, and reconciliation of sin and wrong, and pain and suffering, with the theory of the unbounded and unwearying beneficence of God. The Degree both reveals and conceals one of the great secrets of Alchemy, and then unfolds the knowledge required preparatory to receiving the Royal Secret.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams

• Knight Rose Croix - Eagle
• Knight Rose Croix - Pelican
• Tree of Life

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:35 Ritual Setting
• 06:01 Purpose of the Degree
• 09:06 Morals and Dogma
• 10:26 The Enigma of Good and Evil
• 13:24 The Supreme Being
• 13:49 The Word or Logos
• 16:27 A Religion of Light
• 17:11 Light and Shadow
• 18:51 The Glory of the Heavens
• 20:44 The Dark Side of Doubt
• 23:05 The Human Instinct
• 27:18 The True Word
• 29:28 Double-Sided Regalia
• 30:00 The Rosy Cross
• 31:06 The Eagle and The Pelican
• 32:23 Crowned Compasses
• 32:55 The Tetractys
• 33:47 Conclusions

Links

• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide (Amazon)
• A Bridge to Light (Amazon)
• Histoire Critique du Gnosticisme (Amazon)
• Jesus (Wikipedia)
• William Blake's illustrations to Dante's Divine Comedy (Tate Museum )
• C. G. Jung and the Alchemical Renewal (Gnosis.org)
• Logos (Wikipedia)
• Gnosticism (Wikipedia)
• The Shape of Light: Hayakal al-Nur (Amazon)
• Tree of Life (Wikipedia)
• Tetractys (Wikipedia)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

The ritual of the degree involves a narrative drawn from the New Testament, featuring a confrontation between King Herod II and John the Baptist, symbolizing the dangers of pride and sin, and emphasizing spiritual aspirations over worldly gains. The purpose of the degree is highlighted as encouraging the construction of “a Temple not made with hands” within oneself, dedicated to the God of Truth, and also prepares initiates for the mysteries to be revealed in the next degree.

The episode also explores the influence of various religious practices and philosophies, and the importance of an allegorical reading of scriptures. The discussion extends to the concepts of the "One True God," the process of emanation, and the personified attributes of deity, as well as the opposing forces to the creative process. The Kabbalah is presented as a key to understanding esoteric writings, and the Tracing Board and Degree Ritual are analyzed for their symbolic significance.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams

• St. John's Vision (by Albrecht Dürer)
• 17th Degree Tracing Board
• 17th Degree Jewel Front
• 17th Degree Jewel Back
• Tree of Life

Chapters

• 01:14 Introduction
• 02:03 Mythological Setting
• 04:34 Purpose of the Degree
• 07:19 Morals and Dogma
• 10:36 A Survey of Ancient Religions
• 12:36 Timeline of Religious Influences
• 15:12 Gnosticism
• 17:11 The One True God
• 17:52 Emanation
• 20:18 Allegorical Reading of Scriptures
• 22:30 Personified Attributes of Deity
• 23:15 Logos - The Creative Word
• 24:34 Contending Forces
• 25:52 The Kabbalah
• 29:30 The Tracing Board
• 31:53 The Degree Ritual
• 35:22 The Jewel of the Degree
• 37:59 Conclusions

Links

• Histoire Critique du Gnosticisme (Amazon)
• Apocalyptic Literature (Wikipedia)
• Gnosticism (Wikipedia)
• Philo (Wikipedia)
• Kabbalah (Wikipedia)
• A Garden of Pomegranates (Amazon)
• The Mystical Qabalah (Amazon)
• Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi (Amazon)
• Aryeh Kaplan (Amazon)
• Gershom Gerhard Scholem (Amazon)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This episode explores the mythological and historical context of the "Prince of Jerusalem" degree, which begins with  the story of Zerubbabel, a direct descendant of David and Solomon, who is entrusted by God to return the "holy fire" to the new temple in Jerusalem, and the challenges that the Israelites faced in rebuilding the templem from those who did not believe in the "One True God".

David and Gene also discuss the moral and spiritual implications of the story, emphasizing the importance of justice, equity, and labor. They highlight the idea that all Masonry is work and that labor, when rightly understood, is both noble and ennobling, intended to develop man's moral and spiritual nature. They also discuss the concept of seeing the whole world as a Temple of God and the importance of being honest and just in all relationships.

The episode concludes with the idea that there is a secret in the simplest things, and that a world of spiritual objects, influences, and relations lies around us all... though most remain unaware of this spiritual world.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams:

• Hebrew Letters

Chapters:

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:32 Mythological Setting
• 06:04 Morals and Dogma
• 07:47 Justice and Equity
• 10:13 Labor is Noble and Ennobles the Spiri
• 16:02 There is a Secret in the Simplest Things
• 19:54 Mankind is Endowed with Noble Virtues
• 22:11 The Degree Apron
• 24:40 Cordon of the Degree
• 26:10 Jewel of the Degree
• 27:57 Conclusions

Links:

• Discourses on Human Life (Amazon)
• Second Temple (Wikipedia)
• Kings of Judah (Wikipedia)
• Kingdom of Israel (Wikipedia)
• Kingdom of Judah (Wikipedia)
• Cyrus The Great (Wikipedia)
• Zerubbabel (Wikipedia)
• Darius The Great (Wikipedia)
• Nehemiah (KingJamesBibleOnline)
• Maat (Wikipedia)
• Lady Justice (Wikipedia)
• Work as a Spiritual Practice (Amazon)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com. 

This is the first degree of the "Chapter of Rose Croix," which is composed of the 15th through the 18th degrees. The goal of these degrees is to reveal the solution of one of the great enigmas of Nature and the manifested world - the "Secret of the Reconciliation of Opposites".

The mythological setting of this degree is the destruction of the Temple and the Israelites' captivity in Babylon. A "Perfect Elu" named Zerubbabel travels to Babylon to plead with the Persian King Cyrus to free the Israelites and allow them to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem. Zerubbabel's journey and his interactions with King Cyrus, including his refusal to reveal the secrets of the Order of the "Perfect Elu" and his interpretation of King Cyrus's dream, form the core of the mythological narrative.

The degree teaches us how to "make advantage out of adversity". The sword and the trowel, which are key symbols in this degree, represent the need to protect oneself against external threats and the ability to cut through obstacles. The rebuilding of the Temple symbolizes the restitution of the "Primitive Truth" to man. The teachings of the degree are encapsulated in the quote, "The only true happiness is to learn, to advance, and to improve; which could not happen unless we had commenced with error, ignorance, and imperfection. We must pass through the darkness, to reach the light".

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams:

• Zerubbabel, Bound in Triangular Chains, Appears Before King Cyrus (engraving)

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:28 The Chapter of Rose Croix
• 03:08 Mythological Setting
• 07:14 Morals and Dogma
• 11:30 What Does Duty Require?
• 13:43 What Masonry Teaches About God
• 15:43 God's Works Are Good
• 16:42 Symbols of the Degree
• 19:48 Liberty of Passage
• 23:03 From Mars to Jupiter
• 25:15 Reconciliation of Opposites
• 27:34 Trying Gold
• 28:43 The Triple Triangle
• 29:40 Conclusions

Links:

• Babylonian Captivity (Wikipedia)
• Unity of Opposites (Wikipedia)
• Hegel’s Dialectics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
• Alchemy (Wikipedia)
• Thought Police (Wikipedia)
• Zeus (Wikipedia)
• Jupiter (Wikipedia)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This episode explores the 14th Degree of the "Lodge of Perfection" - "Perfect Elu." The episode begins with a brief recap of the Royal Arch of Solomon Degree, highlighting Enoch's efforts to preserve the "True Name of God" amidst a forewarned calamity. This narrative sets the stage for the discussion on King Solomon's "Secret Vault," distinct from Enoch's vault, which served as a private meeting space for Solomon, King Hiram, and Hiram Abiff. Following Hiram Abiff's death, the vault remained sealed until a suitable replacement was found. The episode connects this story to the previous degree, where the discovery of Enoch's vault by three architects leads to their initiation into Solomon's Vault and the revelation of the "Sacred Word," thus establishing the "Degree of Perfection."

The episode concludes with a reminder of the significance of personal reflection in uncovering Masonry's secrets and the overarching goal of promoting human happiness through the dissemination of truth.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams:

• "Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Mason" (engraving)

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 02:24 Mythological Setting
• 04:28 Morals and Dogma
• 05:12 The Practical Object of Masonry
• 06:41 Laborare est Orare: Labor is Worship
• 07:36 Pure Religion is to Help Others and Keep Oneself Unspotted from the World
• 11:49 Nothing Can be Imagined More Excellent than God
• 13:34 God Concerns Himself With Human Affairs
• 14:14 Hiram: A Symbol of Humanity in its Highest Phase
• 17:33 God Has a Plan for His Creations
• 18:23 God’s Existence is Self-Evident
• 20:26 God is Our Father, and We Are His Children
• 21: 14 God’s Laws are Designed for Our Happiness
• 22:54 No Good Work is in Vain
• 24:29 The Mason and This and The Future of Life
• 25:34 Masonry Imposes No Sectarian Doctrines
• 26:15 Symbolic Numbers
• 29:03 Jacob’s Ladder Revisited
• 30:20 Solomon’s Seal
• 31:11 The Perfect Elu Ceremony
• 31:59 The Cordon
• 32:40 The Apron
• 33:05 The 14th Degree Ring
• 34:36 The Fall of Solomon’s Temple

Links:

• The Creed of Christendom (Amazon)
• Scottish Rite for Children (ScottishRiteForChildren.org)
• Shriner’s Children (ShrinersChildren.org)
• Ronald McDonald House (RHMC.org)
• Emerald Tablet (Wikipedia)
• Be Here Now (Amazon)
• Real Alchemy (Amazon)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

In this episode, Gene and David, delve into the myth of the Royal Arch of Solomon degree, focusing on the Biblical Patriarch Enoch. In Enoch's dream, God reveals his "True Name" and shows him a vault of nine arched chambers, with the last one containing a triangular plate of gold bearing God's name. Enoch interprets this as a divine sign and constructs a similar vault to protect this treasure for future generations. The vault is later discovered during the construction of Solomon's Temple, leading to the revelation of the "True Name of God" to King Solomon and his conferral of the title of Masons of the Ninth Royal Arch to three individuals.

The episode discusses the ineffable name of God, the symbolism associated with it, and its interpretation across different cultures. It explores the concept of esoteric knowledge, which is defined as - personal, ineffable knowledge that can only be communicated indirectly. The conversation also touches on the symbolism of numbers in Solomon's Temple, particularly the Holy of Holies, and how the "True Name of the Deity," as revealed in Enoch's dream and inscribed on the cube in Solomon's Temple, is the Master Mason's Word.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams:

• "A Brother, Lowered Into a Subterranean Vault" (Engraving)

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:49 Mythological Setting
• 06:05 Morals and Dogma
• 06:46 The Ineffable Name of God
• 10:44 Symbolism and the Name of God
• 13:26 Hebrew Monotheism
• 15:17 Masonry Includes the Communication of Esoteric Knowledge
• 17:40 Solomon’s Temple Represented the Universe
• 20:42 The Lodge Represents the Universe
• 22:50 Preserving Liberty
• 24:45 The Religion of Toil, Life and Society
• 26:35 On the Religious Nature of Masonry
• 27:47 On the Law of Retribution
• 29:49 Symbols of the Degree
• 31:05 The Philosopher's Stone
• 32:17 Finding the Stone
• 34:25 Childhood & The Flood
• 35:28 The Perfect Ashlar

Links:

• The Secrets of Enoch in the Masonic Tradition (Arturo De Hoyos)
• Tao (Wikipedia)
• Om (aka Aum - Wikipedia)
• Isaac Ben Solomon Luria (Encyclopedia.com)
• Primary texts of Kabbalah (Wikipedia.com)
• The Eight Gates of the Arizal (Safed.co.il)
• Jewish meditation (Wikipedia)
• Madonna - Isaac (YouTube)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This episode discusses the 12th Degree of the Scottish Rite, exploring themes of leadership, morality, and the philosophical underpinnings of Masonic teachings. The degree ritual centers around the promotion of Adoniram to Chief Architect, symbolizing the elevation of the wise and able to leadership positions. The degree represents a shift in focus from earthly tools to heavenly ones, emphasizing the importance of virtue, the contemplation of human nature, and the quest for moral improvement. Symbols examined include the Seal of Solomon, astronomical symbols, and the Jewel of the Degree.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams:

• Jewel of 12th Degree
• Ancient Samaritan Letters

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:45 Mythological Setting
• 03:08 Morals & Dogma
• 05:37 The Plight of Humanity
• 07:19 The Arch of Mystery
• 08:33 A Greater Life Beyond
• 10:30 Life is What We Make It
• 12:08 The Lures of Temptation
• 15:21 God Exists, and Cares for Us
• 21:30 Religious Faith is Indispensable to Masonry
• 23:02 Necessity of Society
• 24:08 Virtue Garners an Incomparable Treasure
• 24:56 Sensitivity of the Soul
• 26:35 Cognition Unlocks the Treasures of the Universe
• 28:21 Seal of Solomon
• 29:21 Five Columns and Orders of Architecture
• 30:11 Rule of Benedict
• 31:21 Astronomical Symbolism
• 33:07 Tools of the Master Architect
• 33:58 The Jewel of the Degree

Links:

• Hebrew4Christians.com
• Core Values: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3)
• The Rule of Saint Benedict and the Origin of Masonic Ritual (Amazon)
• Rule of Saint Benedict (Wikipedia)
• Compass (Wikipedia)
• Sector (Wikipedia)
• Slide Rule (Wikipedia)
• Scale Ruler (Wikipedia)
• Parallel Rulers (Wikipedia)
• Polaris (Wikipedia)
• Ursa Major (Wikipedia)

Transcripts, Chapter Markers and Show Notes for all episodes are available from our website - WayOfTheHermit.com.

This episode delves into the 11th Degree of the Scottish Rite, "Elu of the Twelve." It explores the symbolism of the trial and judgment of the Ruffians, highlighting the themes of truth, fidelity, and moral virtues as outlined in Freemasonic teachings. The discussion also covers the importance of overcoming the so-called, “Seven Deadly Sins” and emphasizes Masonry's role as a champion for morality, virtue, and the betterment of humanity. The episode concludes with reflections on life's lessons, the significance of suffering and virtue, and the continuous journey toward enlightenment and moral improvement within the Masonic tradition.

This series on the Scottish Rite uses the following primary sources (which you are encouraged to read as well):

• Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma: Annotated Edition 
• Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide  
• A Bridge to Light

Diagrams:

• Tree of Sin (WayOfTheHermit)

Overview

• 01:14 Introduction
• 01:42 Mythological Setting
• 03:26 Morals & Dogma
• 04:38 Sympathy for Suffering Humanity
• 06:11 The Subjugation of Avarice, Ambition and Sensuality
• 08:12 Disparity of the Social Classes
• 09:27 Masonry, A Champion of the People
• 11:33 Life is a School
• 15:33 Death is the Great Teacher
• 18:23 What Remains to be Done in Masonry
• 21:29 Masonry has Yet Much to Accomplish
• 24:42 Conclusions
• 26:16 The Golem
• 28:28 Vicere Aut Mori

Links:

• Discourses On Human Nature, Human Life, And The Nature Of Religion (Amazon)
• Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (PoetryFoundation.org)
• Perfect Blue Buildings - Lyrics (CountingCrows.com)
• Egyptian Book of the Dead - 42 Negative Confessions (HouseOfTruth.education)
• The Path of Freemasonry with Mark Stavish (RightWhereYouAreSittingNow podcast)
• Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
• The Path of Freemasonry: The Craft as a Spiritual Practice (Amazon)
• Golem (Wikipedia)
• The Hebrew Alphabet - Aleph (MysticalBreath.com)
• Spiritually Dead (Bible.Knowing-Jesus.com)