Initiatory analphabetism

If somebody asks me the reason for the existential standstill of Freemasonry, my answer is: «Failing ideas, today there are plenty of words».
Guenon wrote with good reason that Freemasonry is the only Institution in the West able to transmit initiations. But time passes and today Freemasonry is affected by ‘three bad companions’, which are obscuring its principle of existence. They are choices on proselytism, reversal of roles and initiatory analphabetism.

Reversal of roles
The politicization of institutional ranks causes the members in charge to use tactics to keep (or gain) positions and seats. Their strategies obscure the speculative interest and dim the intellectual spirit that used to characterize Freemasonry. Whilst the latest exponents of Masonic intelligentsia are turning to the ‘Eternal Orient’, new generations prefer utilitarian proselytism, trading the so-called ‘profane’ relationships.

The result is that the Pillars of the Temples are crowded with excellent professionals which, because of their professional attitude, find natural to practice proselytism among those who use the same language. The consequence is that intellectualism doesn’t enjoy particular attention any more, especially considered that very few people can distinguish between intellectualism (intelligent creativity) and ordinary culture (sciolism).

The result of a managerial mentality is that careerism is very important. It is gratifying despite being completely useless in educating initiatory consciences.
Public facades are not interested in the existential track for an initiatory Institution, made by Masonic Culture (subjects regarding the mysteries of the Architects) and initiatory Culture (subjects regarding the mysteries of human metaphysics).
This process of cultural simplification has been followed by a current and generalized cultural disengagement, which has reduced the social perspectives of Freemasonry. And yet initiatory illuminism has been the ‘nobiliary patent’ of Freemasonry.
I’m talking about the strength of thought of men such as Diderot, D’alambert, D’Holbach, up to Voltaire. They preserved it from the social decadence that killed all the other initiatory Orders. I wonder how we can hope to survive without reacting to social and technological renovation. The right answer is not to increase self-celebrating events, which some Masonic liturgy re-produces as the only sign of novelty.

Talking about decadence, Nietzsche wrote “human, too human!”. It is a complaint, not a solution. We know that the solution of a problem consists of finding its cause. Reversal of roles is what burdens Freemasonry.

For a long time, now, the head (intelligentsia producing ideas) has been replaced by the belly (administration giving out resources) in the Massonicum Corpus. Therefore its main aspect is the political-administrative practice.
Initiatory Freemasonry is suffocated by the ‘notarial’ vision, which exceeds in bureaucracy and public relations and forgets that the soul of Freemasonry is not celebration but men’s intelligence. The energies that once were used on initiatory culture are today spent on rules, codes and codicils. Political Freemasonry loves ‘reliable and manageable’ men. They don’t realize that its requirements of assertiveness prevent men from being «free and moral», because if the Mason becomes a ‘follower’ he doesn’t develop Free Will.

A good administration is essential just as much as a good digestive system is fundamental for the body’s health. But if the ‘belly’ point of view becomes the only one, the gain only corresponds to money and obscures any idea of ‘light’.

Obedience and its representatives cost a lot, we know it. But this doesn’t justify the distribution of titles that become marketing operations to balance the budget. Intellectuals flee, because the ‘belly’ made of accountants, doctors and lawyers is concentrated on making money by having a big number of proselytes, forgetting the elitist spirit.

By logic the meaning of ‘elite’ is antithetical to multitude. The latter is a synonym of conformism which, again by logic, is the keystone of a profane being.

It is legitimate, then, to wonder if the ‘belly’ will be able to square the circle between the elitist conscience (initiation) and the drives to commercialize the system (Masonic careerism). Will it be able to find the right balance between economic needs and quality of the associates? It is difficult, unless ‘head and abdomen’ start working together again and make amends for the mistakes made.

Initiatory analphabetism
Intellectual evanescence involves a gradual inability to produce new ideas, which is quite serious for what it is supposed to be an initiatory Institution. Especially if we consider that the old prestige of Freemasonry consisted of the strength of the ideas it supported. The most genuine Masonic culture can’t be found in its account books. It consists of the meanings of symbolic pictures, ritual paraments and vestments of any order and degree. On this idea the Freemason decides his destiny. Becoming an initiate or not it’s not a matter of seniority or degree, but of education and practice. It means to penetrate the dumbness of the ‘symbolic mysteries’ in order to become (inside) what one has learnt (outside).
The book of the initiate is not made of paper but of stone. The Temple, the Three pillars (one of which is invisible because it is spiritual), the mosaic on the floor, the sky and many other signs are the images of the secret book that talks about spiritual re-integration (re-birth of Hiram), for those who can grasp their meanings.
I wonder how many Freemasons can read the starry Vault; how many can read (inside) the symbols, how many understand that the meanings of colors are sounds, how many know in full the philosophy of symbolic pictures, ritual words and catechisms. How many understand the sentence: ‘to lead the Brothers from work to recreation and from recreation back to work’ and know that by recreation we mean spiritual re-generation and not the end of a lunch break; likewise that the ‘new work’ that starts after the recreation has something to do with the immortality of the soul.
There are many signs of initiatory analphabetism. This is a serious problem and we should think how to defeat it before talking about initiation.