Ten years ago while in the Catholic Church, it was revealed to me through meditation that Jesus was part of a brotherly order that eventually became known as the Freemasons. (side note: I do not know this as a confirmed fact...it simply was revealed to me) I became intrigued and secretly studied them for a time. I kept it a secret at that time because I was caught up in what the masses helped lead me to believe......that they are evil and about power and control. I even got angry at Jesus for a few years believing the same was true about him. I am grateful new information has been revealed to me recently through both meditation and meeting masons. I am also grateful for the divine order of occurrences in my life.
A few years ago, I was invited to a mason’s retirement center as as a vendor for their staff’s health and wellness day. I had a hypnotherapy booth. On that day, I discovered there is a female-type version of the order. That made me feel a little better about them. I didn’t really like the fact that masons exclude women, yet I now know and accept that it is a long-held tradition. I also came to understand that the women could only be members of their order by being related to a mason. So....I let the idea leave my mind as I knew of nobody in my family that is or was a mason.
During the summer of this year, my son and I went on a family vacation with my dad and stepmom (my brother and his new girlfriend joined us for part of the vacation as well). Anyway, at my grandfather’s gravesite I saw both the Mason and Shriners symbols on his and his brother’s tombstone. I only met my father’s father twice and one of those times I was a baby and do not remember. I knew he was a Shriner...but didn’t know that one had to be a Mason before ever becoming a Shriner.
Shortly after that vacation was the annual Hafif Foundation Concert Under the Stars....an event I have treasured attended for the last several years. I had gained so much internally and have been inspired from attending these concerts that I wanted to give back and asked what I could do to help. The Foundation’s director, Burnis, connected me with Jayna who does much of the coordinating of the event that gives back to so many!!! Through our visiting, I discovered that she recently joined the Eastern Star, the name of the women’s order. I shared with her my interest and that I recently found out that my grandfather was a member when he was alive. She introduced me to Caroline, another active member, who shared more with me, and I was invited to complete a petition to join.
Through that process, meditation and what I will call divine providence, I feel as though being a member is now a calling in my life. I feel so honored to feel as though I am carrying on a family tradition, both as someone who gets to carry on part of her grandfather’s legacy, and in some sense Jesus’ as well.
Even with that said....I still know very little about them and had a couple of concerns based on misinterpretations from the masses that I wasn’t sure were true or not. I was ‘mistakenly’ invited to a meeting to be initiated a month early. I decided this was simply part of my initiation process and that I would use it as a time to serve in whatever way I would be allowed. I also used it as a time to learn and ask questions to alleviate any of my concerns. During the meeting and other initiations, Bill Rook was appointed to stay out with me to ‘entertain’ me. He and several women have answered my questions and have added to my sense of honor and pride in now being counted among them.
Through my inquiry, and as I suspected, I discovered that the truth is that the members are there to serve and empower others.......just as Jesus came to do. Jesus lived, in part, to empower us to learn who we each truly are as divine beings and to tap into that part of ourselves. He taught us that each of us could perform the miracles he did and even more.
I also learned, as suspected, that the teachings of the Masons are open to anybody who want to learn of their esoteric knowledge. It’s not really a secret as much as it is sacred teachings that each member learns at their own pace as they are ready (or maybe I am getting my other esoteric teachings confused with this - - admittedly I am a newbie in the order). I also learned that for women who want to be a member but do not have a connection through marriage or biological family that there is a willingness to help research to find a connection. How lovely! It is much more open than I initially thought, still with beautiful and sacred teachings that are not open to everyone but THAT fact simply adds to the specialness in my mind.
I should also note that if all of the founding father's of our country except three were of the order.....it can't be all bad. The United States is an amazing country to live in even with all of our faults.
I am very honored and proud to be a new member of the Eastern Star. I am also very grateful that my son is allowed to attend tonight’s installations for the incoming officers.
