Can a labyrinth really be a tool for enlightenment? Are sacred places important?
The Labyrinth at Chartres: Why Are Sacred Places Important?
Pamela McDown
Esoteric truth, music, and ritual have been my heart’s consuming interest since I have memory of thought. To write is to gaze upon the glittering soul of Magic, to retrieve its lost wisdom; to discover its intricate pathways, its colors, its shining lines and patterns; to step inside of it and wield it in service to Itself and to all life.
Silence: A Way to Wisdom
What happens in silence? Many argue that silence can invite reflection, contemplation, and discipline. In other words, silence — along with inquiry — engages learning. It makes you wise. The significance of […]
Why Beauty? The Splendor of Truth
Is beauty important? Why does it even exist in the first place? Everyone has a definition of beauty, and they are all different: A beautiful body, a beautiful painting, a beautiful sunset. […]
Doubt on the Path: Lessons from the Buddha
Big doubt, big enlightenment; small doubt, small enlightenment; no doubt, no enlightenment. That’s what the saying is in the Buddhist Lonji tradition of Chan. The spiritual life has always been a quest […]
Metaphor: The Language of the Mystics
In the outskirts of every society, you will find the mystics. Some are holy men in monasteries; some are Buddhists seeking enlightenment; some are public figures; some are Christians serving Jesus; some […]
Inspired By Art: Nicholas Roerich’s Symbolic Journey
The Himalayan paintings of Nicholas Roerich (1874 – 1947), Russian painter and philosopher, mesmerized me when I first laid eyes on the collection. I stared at them for hours. I feel a bit […]
Beethoven’s Last Work – Ode to Joy
As a classically trained musician, I often frame the way I think about the mysteries of the universe in terms of music. I love the quote of Einstein where he says, “I […]
MASONIC PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 