Motto: "Poor and without means, not naked and not clothed, not with shoes and not barefoot the Seeker appears on the threshold of the Temple!" (The Seeker must therefore undress — lay aside all clothing! - Any jewelry that he has may for the present be retained. - He gets a white shirt to put on - the left breast and the left arm are exposed! just the same as the lft. knee and the right foot (as the worn off shoe) - with bound eyes - a cord around his neck! - In his left hand he holds a circle opened 45 degrees - with one point on the heart. While the candidate is in the tomb chamber, the chamber of silence, he lies this circle aside but takes it up again as soon as his eyes are bound right before entering the Temple!) - Trial of Earth: (So prepared, the Neophyte will be brought into the chamber of reflection - the chamber of lost steps. A small candle will be brought along, which gives just enough light - the two candles are not yet burning! On the wall stand the words: Visita Interiora terrae rectificando invenies occultum lapidem veram medicinam + + +. - There the Neophyte makes his testament. 1. Do you believe in a divinity? 2. What is the determination of Man? 3. What do you expect of us? 4. What do we have to expect of you? The Master of Ceremony brings the written answers to the Master of the Chair. Then he turns back to C. and calls upon him to give up all money, all precious and metal objects and to lay them at the base of the altar - To make the reception effective the Neophyte should not wear any crafted metal objects on himself - as well as no buckles or pins etc. - Now the MC goes to the Neophyte: MC: Beloved Neophyte, Be greeted on all three points of our sacred triangle. As master of your lodge I greet you and offer you my hand to lead you today through the various stations of the ordination. I ask you for your serious attention, your devotion and trust, so that your introduction into the sacred Order of Oriental Templars is consumated in peace and inner illumination. Go now to your altar and light the candle that you find to your left, and then stand before the mirror and speak the following words with a soft voice: NN: Prosperous light, thou symbol of illumination, let thy rays shine in the darkness and illume my path. - MC: Now light the candle to your right and speak the following words: NN: Light come to Light, so that in the crossing of the rays the fixed outlines and shadows melt and die within each other. A symbol of the passing of pain and sorrow, a symbol of illumination. MC: Seat yourself comfortably in the seat before "YOUR" altar verily as near as possible so that the shine of the candles, the symbol of illumination, illuminates your countenance and you can see your image in the mirror. I leave you now to yourself and convey to you the protection of the A.C.A.W.! (Explanation: When now the MC has distanced himself and has locked the portal from the outside, the Neophyte speaks the following words:) NN: Before I may cross over the threshold, I must look the terrors of my life in the eye. The fear of the threshold lies in wait for me; to counter it I need the strength of the divine within me. (Look a minute long on the mirror.) (Explanation: Raise yourself now and remain standing close before the altar. With your index finger of your right hand draw a cross upon the surface of the mirror. This is done by you by placing your finger inthe middle of the mirror about eye height and drawing a line straight down about 10 cm long. The sweat of your finger will leave behind a faint trace on the glass. Then finish the Cross by drawing a line from left to right. --- Now step back a bit, look at the cross that you have made, and speak the following words with a soft voice:) NN: Hail unto thee, thou revered symbol of live, of love and of resurrection! In the centre point of this sacred sign appears the rose as the symbol of the soul of man. Thou shalt henceforth be my sign! Hail unto thee, O Rosycross! (Explanation: Remain standing and concentrate on the nearly invisible cross that you have made until it becomes clearer and clearer to you then faded, it becomes afain clearer and then again fades. Observe exactly what you see and experience with this. Concentrate yourself this way about 3 minutes and then read further --- Now still standing press the point of the left index finger to the middle of your brow and say:) NN: Peace. (Explanation: Now sit down again and read momentarily only one of the following questions before you in a whisper. As you do look your mirror image in the eye and answer the question quietly. The answer is either "Yes" or "No" - Look at your mirror image whenever you answer!) NN: 1. Have you the desire to discover the mystery of your existence? 2. Will you learn the terror of the threshold? 3. Do you know your inner-self? 4. Will you listen to the voice that answers there? 5. Have you already heard your inner voice? 6. Do you know that the voice of your inner self does speak to you, if only you give it a chance? 7. Do you know that your inner voice is your guardian and the protector of your sanctuary? 8. Will you allow your inner voice to speak to you? 9. Do you know that this sacred guardian will always be there in this SANCTUM to guide and protect you? (Explanation: You have now pondered the questions that you have asked your mirror-image and which you yourself have answered. You must now be fully clear about it, the fact THIS room is therefore YOUR Lodge, YOUR SANCTUM, YOUR Shrine. You are the Neophyte on the threshold of initiation. And with you is the most reliable Guide and Protector that a person can ever have: the true inner self, the conscience of man, the divine awarenes within him. Remember from now on, that, - whenever you enter this SANCTUM - Your protector enters with you and everything is witnessed, what you think, say or do. He pays attention to your thoughts, your action adn inaction every hour of your life, with every trial, with every victory of Right over Wrong, with every victory of the Righteous over those who are in error! --- You are now prepared as far as you can liberate yourself from false thoughts so that nothing any longer stands in the way of your introduction to the Order. Ever, when your brother of the order crosses the threshold of a Temple, he must first purify his spirit and liberate himself from false thoughts. Now slowly read aloud the following seven sentences in a whisper, as if you were speaking to your outer self, your body. While thinking over each question look your mirror image in the eye.) NN: 1. Before I enter into the spiritual brotherhood of the master, the brothers and sisters of the Order, I must tell thee, thou mortal frame, that thou art nothing bu the coarse form in which my true SELF dwells. (Look into the mirror) 2. Thus what I have seen in the mirror, is only a reflection of my mortal form and thus unreal and passing. how thou art, thou my mortal body. (Look int the mirror) 3. You can not change me. You are neither truth nor illusion. You are nothing other than what my true SELF makes out of you, and the true SELF will not change. (Look into the mirror) 4. Just as you find the cross between me and my mirror image, thus you find between me the world the symbol of your divine Ideal. I will strive after this ideal. (Look in the mirror) 5. You, mortal form, may only contend for the place of my true SELF within me through my ignorance, for the true SELF is deserving of the right way. From now on the true inner SELF shall command the outer self. (Look into the mirror) 6. In the basis I am only that which my soul is, which is at least divine. Everything else is transitory like the image in the mirror. (Look in the mirror) 7. I command my outer self to inform itself, to do away with the veil and to give my true SELF the possibility of developing, as surely in this sacred moment as when ever I command it. Then God is within as without and everywhere, and I am part of God, bound to him indivisible. (Explanation: You have now finished reading, now lean back comfortably in your seat, so that you can look in the mirror for a longer time with greater concentration. Raise yourself and extinguish the candle to your left. Then place the other candle near to the left side of the mirror so that by looking into your face at the same time you can see the reflection of the candlelight in the mirror. Sit yourself back again --- Now concentrate yourself and - sitting comfortably - look at least 5 full minutes long in the mirror. Observe with all care what occurs in the mirror. Before you begin to concentrate yourself, speak the following words softly, but in a commanding tone to yourself:) NN: Reveal yourself to me, O my Soul, and show me my SELF in the eyes of creation. (Look in the mirror) (Explanation: Concentrate yourself now, until the Royal Brother enters --- then when the Royal Brother enters, release yourself from your concentration and offer him the following greeting:) NN: Salutem punktis triangul! RB: Pax profunda! NN more to yourself in a whisper, however so that the entered Brother can hear it: In the presence of the Guardian of my Sanctuary I announce to the Brothers and Sisters of the Order, that I have adcanced toward the terrors of the threshold withouth fear for my soul. I am hence on a Guardian of the threshold. I have cleansed myself and commanded my true SELF, to formulate the dominion over my mortal body and spirit. I am one with you before the sign of the cross and in the sanctum of my guardian! Hail unto thee, O brothers and sisters of the temple! I ask you for yet more illumination and power for my entry thru the portal of the temple of instruction! RB: So may it be! (Explanation: Now put put the second candle and say in a soft voice:) NN: In earthly darkness I proceed from there, Matter in the material word, yet the light of the illumination now lives within me. (Explanation: The RB again binds the eyes of the Neophyte and makes sure that everything is in order! and he now leads the neophyte to the portal of the temple:) RB: I lead you now to the portal of the temple - Poor and withough means, not nakes and not clothed, not with shoes and not barefoot appears the Seeker on the threshold of the Temple! (The RB knocks onthe portal after the biblical saying: Seek and you will find - knock and it will be opened - ask and it will be given you. -- Within:) Brother Guardian.: Sister G2! - one knocks! G2: V.I. MofC - one knocks! MofC: Sister G2! - Let us see who knocks so strangely on the portal of our Temple! - BG speaking out: Who knocks so strangley on the portal of our temple? MC: A brother with a woman of good report! (or: a free man of good report!) BG closes the portal forcibly again and gives the report to G2. G2 reports the same to the V.I. MofC. MofC: What is her name? (What is his name?) G2: Brother G. What is her name? (his) BG: Brother MC! What's her name? (his) MC gives name, date + place of birth, confession. BG finishes and repeats the report to G2. G2 is to report this to the master of the chair! MofC: What does she want? (he) (BW repeats this to the MC upon opening the Portal. He answers the question to BG, who closes the portal abruptly again at the time, giving the answer to G2 who reports it to the V.I.MofC. MC: To be received into the Temple of Truth! MofC: Who vouches for her? (him) MC: Brother NN (or Sister NN). MofC: Is she (or he) prepared to undergo the trials without resistance? MC: - Yes! - G1 lays the right hand of the seeker on the ground: From earth you come, to earth you go, - Hail unto Earth! (puts the sword on the breast of the Seeker, with the left hand!) MofC: No-one can become a FM who is not free and of age! So I ask you: are you of age and free? MC answers the question for the Candidate. MofC: And further I must ask: - Are you prepared to undergo the trials along the path of Truth? You have to leave behind your old self, to test and reassess all old beliefs of good and bad, of morality and immorality - to goon the journey with a virgin heart, in order to find new life. Are you prepared for that? - MC answers the question for the Candidate. MofC: We are prepared to fulfill your desire, if you now proove to us, that you agree with our ways. In service to the royal art we reject every intolerance and force of violence and recognise that behind every religion stands A TRUTH, which bridges all oppositions and finds the way to the hearts of all people. The membership to our group can bring you no material advantage, it would sooner expect sacrifices of you. Should oneof these points not be understood by you, or should you not be able to make these fundamentals your own, then tell us frankly. We want as little as possible to have you be disappointed, as we want as least as possible for youto be disappointed by us and for us to be disappointed in you. - We leave you to go in ths case without resentment and your name shall never again be spoken inour lodge. If tho', it is your will to place all your powers in the service of the royal art, then entrust yourself to the Sisters and Brothers of this Order, that have gone the Way before you. I ask you three questions, on the answers to which your final acceptance will depend: 1. Do you will to place your self just as us in the service of humanity? 2. Are you prepared to fulfill the duties that you are given faithfully? 3. Are you prepared to cinfirm this with an oath upon the holy book? Candidate: ... Yes ... MofC: Blind is man from the cradle to the grave, and however strong his longing for the light of truth, it may be he is yet not able to find it, neither with his own power nor with the help of his friends. We belong to a society which from the earliest times was totally dedicated to thislight, and who joins us must go on a journey to find this light. Three times you must travel from morn to even and once more to even, and so that you do not stumble you will be lead by sisters and brothers that went this way before you. Sis. & Broth. guards accompany then the Seeker on the journey through life, during which well ask the ACAW for his support - To order my sisters and brothers! MC induces the Candidate to kneel down. All stand and make the S. MofC: Bless the work ACAW, which we begin like your plan and lead the Seeker through the water of Purification! - Amen! So mote it be. - All: Amen! So mot it be (finish the S.) MofC: And now follow the call of my hammer for the first time! As A.! --- G1: We proceed on the first journey, from West to North, to the East, South and back to the West. (in the North: dips the left hand of the Candidate in water, let him make the cross: forehead to navel - left to right shoulder - one leads, when necessary, the Candidate's hand - ) (During the immersion speaks): Hail unto the water! (speaks in the east): this is the way of self-knowledge (chain-rattle). The people think to know you but their restraint shows that they are blind, imprisoned in self-delusion. MC: Whom is lead into our group by curiosity only, has nothing to find in our group, for in our group simple curiosity will not be satisfied. G1: V.I. MofC! - We have journeyed from West to North, East, South, and back to the West and have not found the light that we sought. MofC: Further must you travel! (knocks) --- G2: We proceed on the second journey to the South - (in the South flames: either Lycopodium, Eau de Cologne, Alcohol - one brings the right hand of the Candidate over the fire and holds it there securely for a moment.) - Hail unto th Fire_ (Clank of weapons - further travelling - in the Southeast speaks:) This is the way of Self- control. The fires of passion blaze around you and threaten to destroy you! (Here the end of the weapon-noise) Who comes safely out of this fire is near to the light! - MofC: To order my Sisters and Brothers! - (all stand up and begin the S.) - O Benefaction of the World, Help the Seeker to endure the trial of fire and to find the light - Amen! So mote it be! - All: Amen! So mote it be! - (S. completed - weaponsclang - they seat themselves) G2: We travel further through the North to the West. MC: Who will not fight his faults, he has nothing to seek in our group, for in our group each must strive to overcome his faults. G2: V.I. MofC! - We have journeyed at your command and still have not found the light. - MofC: You must travel further! --- G1: We proceed on the third trip through the North to the East (in the East a breeze with the fan) - Hail unto the Air! This is the way to the Truth! Be true to your self - O seeker, or you fall into an abyss, out of which there is no escape! - MofC: To order my Sisters and Brothers! (All stand up. S.) - The Lord and Father of us all helps the Seeker to be reborn in spirit, so that she (he) may be fitted as a building block into the Temple of Humanity! - Amen! So mote it be! All: Amen! So mote it be! (finish S. - sit). G1: We travel farther through the South to the West. MC: Whoso makes a difference between one person and another person, he has nothing to see in our group, because before the highest all people are the same. - G1: V.I. MofC! - We have ended our third jourjey and again have reached the West. Yet still we have not found the Light, but we believe that we are close to it. MofC: After the Seeker has experienced the bitterness of life - MC hands the Candidate a goblet with a bitter drink - MofC: And the goblet of sorrow has been emptied, let him proceed on the fourth journey over the Tapis, the Construction plan of our life and let him near the Altar of the East with right angled steps. G1 & G2 lead the Candiate - the left foot will be placed forward, the right will then be placed at a right angle in the curvature of the left foot. Then the right will be placed forward and the left drawn after in the same manner, then the left placed forward and the right in the same measure placed near. MofC: Are you, after you have passed the trials, still willing to belong to our soicety? - If so, answer with: Yes! Candidate: ... MofC: Sister (or Brother sponsor) lead the Candidate to the altar. --- my Systers and Brothers! In order as M.! - (All stand up - make the S.) The naked left knee on the floor, the right hand resting in the hand of the guide on the bible (John) and on the Holy Sword, in this place you repeat to me the following oah sentence by sentence: "I, ... swear and promise solemnly herewith - before God the Almighty Creator of All Worlds - on the holy sword - in the hand of my guide - to protect surely the secrets of the first M. Grade from a profane personality- To keep the laws of the Order faithfully - and to speak to no-one outside of this occult circle concerning the conditions and events of my Initiation. - Should I any time break this my solemns oath may my sould wander restless in space - and be lost in time without measure. This I swear by the wise masters of the East - that their eyes may fall on my work! - Amen! All: Amen! MofC (strikes with the Hammer on the C.): So I receive ou as A. of the FM Lodge VERITAS MYSTICA MAXIMA (second strike on the C.) In the name of the Allmighty Creator of All Worlds - (third strike on the C.) With the power of my office! Raise yourself, Sister/Brother Jakin! All finish S. MofC: Beloved Sisters and Brothers, let us greet the new Sister/Brother in the masonic manner. With 3x3 All: (Applause) //-/ Husseh! MofC: I greet the new Brother/Sister (Leads the Candidate to the West and joins him in the chain, face to the East) - MofC: To the chain, my Sisters and Brothers! Sister/Brother NN, so will you be named from now on - what do you most desire in this moment? - Candidate: (with help by MC) Light! - MofC: Help me, my Sisters and Brothers, to give m. Light to this Sister/Brother. In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and the Earth was damp and empty and the darkness lay over the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved over the Waters and spoke: It will be Light! - and recalling in humility this sublime moment, I say: The Sister/Brother ... will be light! - Sister/Brother MC! Give the Sister/Brother the m. Light ! MC takes away the binding, during which time the chain is closed - MofC: This chain of life binds you and us with the altar of Truth! It continues in eternity, it embraces all that ever stood in this place, may you never forget this moment in which you first saw the light in the East - may you never be proved unworthy of this moment, may you not leave us to regret that we opened the portal of the Temple. Sister/Brother MC! Release the rope! Sister/Brother ... is now bound to us with a strong bond! (rhythm. handshake of the chain) All: Husseh! (Applause) // - / Husseh! MofC: To your places my Brothers and Sisters! (Music) (The newly accepted Brother/Sister is now dressed and instructed and then lead to his place - in honour of the occasion in the Northeast corner at the side of the Master of the Seat.) L.L. Closing MofC: Sister G2! - Has anyone something to say to the betterment of the FM in general or this L. in particular? G2: After the order of the V.I. MofC I ask, has anyone something to say to the betterment of the FM in general or this in particular? G2: Sister X, Brother Y, asks for a word - - - No-one else reports! MofC: We proceed to the Closing of this Lodge ! - THE DUTY IS GIVEN ME, in the manner of the Mizraim-service, Ye, my Sisters and Brothers, to remind you to heed the meaning of the Holy TAO sign. (he makes the S. with the hammer) - In an important hour you received, with the blind before your eyes, the holy meaning. Therefore you know, how the sublime name of God resounds in the deepest essence of yourself. The world contains glorious mysteries in the TAO-sound. (Sign). What has become to you a teaching on the altar of the East, shall in essence become your own essence. In the heart has the way been laid for you to the Holy TAO from the altar of the East, written you the word, that has been spoken to you. G1: THE DUTY IS GIVEN TO ME, in the manner of the Mizraim-service, to release you, my Sisters and Brothers from the work. What the worker on the Temple building of Humanity calls the STRONG, may inspire my task. From yours hearts shall flow into the hearts of other men, what hearts can form into building blocks of the great Temple. Your thoughts shall fashion what links can create this Building. Out of your wills shall pour the cement which can be used for this Temple. In the heart the way has been layed to this strength from the Altar of the East. Write the word that has been spoken to venerate. o - G2: THE DUTY IS GIVEN ME, in the Order of the Mizraim service, Ye, my Sisters and Brothers, to call to work. What the worker on the Temple building calls beauty, may inspire my task. Look into the world that your hearts enliven, whose wisdom protects your thoughts, whose solar power nourishes your wills. All of this is a beautiful expression of sublime powers of the mind. Receive within you the power of this essence and it shall work without as beauty, that which lives within. In the Heart the way has been layed for you from the altar of the East. Write the word, that has been spoken to ye. - o - MofC: Brother G1! - Why is your place in the West? - G1: Just as the sun goes down in the West, to end the day, so also, the Lodge guard stands in the West to close the Lodge at command of the master, after all Sisters and Brothers have received their dues. MofC: Brother G1! How long do the apprentices work? G1: From Monday Midday to midnight Saturday. MofC: Sister G2! - What is the time? G2: Exactly Midnight. - MofC: Brother G1! - Because our work for today is ended, I command you to close the Lodge. (stands up) oo-o G1 stands up - oo-o G2 stands up - oo-o MofC: My sisters and Brothers, in order as M! The light, that has illumined our work, is hidden from the profane but it illuminates in our hearts. Go out, thou light - the work is finished - Who knows - does not fear the night - and if its darkness is so black, so thick - the motto of the strong is - Through the night to the light. Who has beauty, is since then certain of himself - the darkness alone illumines him. Help me, my Sister and Brother guards, to extinguish the candles (extinguishes the candle of wisdom). Man expires as the flame. G1 extinguishes the hall of Strength: Therefore watch after your Path of life! - G2 extinguishes the hall of Beauty: And keep it pure, as pure as the flame! - MofC steps down from the 3 tiered altar: Brother G1! How does one meet the FM ? G1 steps down from the 1 tiered podium: On the same level, - V.I. MofC! MofC: Sister G2! How does the FM act? G2 steps down from a 2 tiered podium: As the plumb-bob (or: as the line)! V.I. MofC! MofC: And they part in a right angle. To the chain my Sisters and Brothers! G1: So have we found ourselves! -G2: So do we act! MofC: So we part! All: And so will we all to come together again. MofC: May the benediction of A.C.A.W. rest on us and on all the true and honourable Sisters and Brothers of the whole world. May we erect the Temple of Humanity with them in brotherly love and masonic virtue according to the will of A.C.A.W. - Amen ! so mote it be! - All: Amen! so mote it be! (handshake) Husseh! (applause) //-/ Husseh! MofC: So nothing remains to us other than to conceal our implements with secrecy (right hand on the heart) - with Secrecy! - with Secrecy! All: With Secrecy! - MofC: The Lodge is closed, the Sisters and Brothers are given over to everyday life and daily routine. All make the sign to the East - finish and go silently out. - © P.R. Koenig 1993/2000 Tradução portuguesa: Iº Grau