The Mysteries of the Masons

Chapter 7

Arcane symbols – The Hexagram and the sephirothic scale

As for any other arcane, the interpretation of this sign depends upon the intuitiveness of the observer, in conformity with a scale of priorities like the one we mention on the first page of this work, formulated by Dante.

At the lowest level the two triangles of the hexagram are related to the methaphor of Jacob’s ladder "...angelic entities who descend and reascend to heaven..."

The ascending path is understandable to those who passively wait for a saving event to happen (see devotional temperament, and feminine). It is the path of those who tend to actively re-conquer a state of royal conscience (volitive temperament, masculine), which was asleep. Therefore the ascending path goes from the Ars Regia to the Ars Pontificia (see).

The esoteric interpretation opens the meanings of form and number. So in the visible hexagram (six-pointed star) considers the central point of emanation (core), invisible, that Man calls soul. More precisely called by the esoteric spiritual mind.

The hexagram is the geometric form that corresponds to human evolution the most. Advanced initiatory precepts distinguish it, and rightly so, between ascending initiation anddescending initiation.

The Process of transmutation or initiatory metamorphosis is complete only when the effects of the ascending initiation (result of the efforts of personal will) meet with those of the descending initiation (result of the efforts of the will of the superior – ego – conscience).

This relates to the sign of the hexagram, because it is about harmonizing the three triads which make the human essence. Three triads (body, soul and spirit) made of three hexagrams each (the Number 999 and its mirror image 666, see picture), at the centre of which there are as many emanation points (spiritual core) which, as well as the sephirothic paths, transmit to the denser level (exterior) the energy of the more subtle triad. That is, the energy of the spiritual monad.

The energy of the spiritual conscience (monad) spreads to the 2 more dense levels of existence (exterior) of its own manifestation (soul and human personality) and it is believed to be made of different and substantially opposite matter to the primitive one (see Number 666). This is not a correct assumption, though.

Its deformation, in fact, is due to the difference in the substance in which is covered (thoughts, sensations and feelings of the physical reason) to "appear" in those levels of existence.

Therefore the apparent diversity is due to the substance of the exterior coating, not the fault of being at a "lower" (exterior) level than the subtle one.

Against this "technical" distinction the myth of the fallen angel and consequent "sin" is destroyed.

The "fallen" angel is, in reality, a pioneer of the matter. It is our subtle conscience placed inside a sheath of material insensitiveness which makes it, so to speak, alien to its own inner reality because it is deafened by the chaotic bustle of the external world.

At a careful look, this is shown in the first initiatory journey to the degree of Apprentice Freemason, when the neophyte is blinded by a blindfold and is forced to go through prickly obstacles and amongst deafening noises of which he doesn’t understand the origin.

Therefore the initiatory process helps to bring back to the light of physical conscience the "angel" inside ourselves, through the process of cleaning called metamorphosis or initiatory transmutation, of which we’ll deal with when talking about the sephiroth Da’ath.

It is undisputable that this is the goal of initiation. All traditions agree on this change of the inner state. Nevertheless, for many this discovery seems to be the hardest step to make.

Text by: A. Altomonte
Graphic by: Fabio Gasparri