Digital Edition | April 2024

The Great Work, the Summum Bonum of both Freemasonry and Alchemy, is the transformation of its subject to a higher, more perfect state of being, combining practical and spiritual approaches to this task. For the purposes of this issue, we will focus on Western alchemy, which has had the most profound influence on Freemasonry. Masonic ritual, as practiced in California and in other jurisdictions, sourced from Preston-Webb variants, retains many practices and imagery which lend themselves to alchemical interpretation: the divestiture of minerals and metals to prepare a candidate for initiation; the symbols atop the Deacons’ rods (Sun and Moon in California usage, the Caduceus in other jurisdictions); the apron; the ashlars; Jacob’s Ladder; the circumpunct; and so many more. From as long as speculative Freemasonry has existed, commonalities were attributed between the Masonic Order and Alchemy.

This is for the digital version only. Emailed directly to you.