Walking the Path of Light
CIRCUMAMBULATE, Verb: (third-person singular simple present circumambulates, present participle circumambulating, simple past and past participle circumambulated)
1. (transitive) To walk around something in a circle, especially for a ritual purpose.
In Duncan's Ritual Monitor there is pane that illustrates the associated floor work that the monitor exposes. The illustrator has depicted the lodge room in a form of single point perspective as you can see from the scan of that illustration.
It would have been easier for them to draw the circumambulations as straight lines if that was indeed how the ritual was conferred. It is a safe assumption that the illustrator drew the SD's movement in a circular motion because that was how the degree was conferred; with the SD emulating the motion of the sun along the ecliptic, quite literally following the path towards enlightenment.
If that is correct we probably changed the way we confer the degree post 1918; either from the influence of the military or the police or a combination of the two. To a Lodge room filled with soldiers or veterans it is easy to look at the circumambulation in lodge and assume that it required “fixing”. Coming from a military background drill looks and feels professional and clean, crisp and sharp. Unfortunately this comes with the sacrifice of a ritual that supported an underlying symbol.
In his paper “The Point within a Circle” V. Wor. Bro. McEvoy writes: “Occasionally, as on this question, the symbolism is obscure (hidden) or it may bear a wide range of meanings; often the accompanying ritual gives only a faint hint as to the interpretation. In all such cases, it seems to me, that the best symbolism is that which the Brother can work out for himself.” However, if the ritual becomes altered to the point where the brother can no longer infer proper meaning, then connection between the ritual and its symbolic meaning naturally breaks down and the lesson is lost. In this case we lose the connection between the Rite of Circumambulation and the Point within a Circle, where the Candidate embodies the symbolism of the circle by his circumambulation about the altar.
Although we continue to circumambulate the altar in a clockwise manner, the understanding that the Brother not only is following the path of light / illumination / knowledge / understanding but also that he is forming that most reverent of Masonic symbols the Point within a Circle, for the Brother himself forms the boundary, remains elusive.
1. (transitive) To walk around something in a circle, especially for a ritual purpose.
In Duncan's Ritual Monitor there is pane that illustrates the associated floor work that the monitor exposes. The illustrator has depicted the lodge room in a form of single point perspective as you can see from the scan of that illustration.
It would have been easier for them to draw the circumambulations as straight lines if that was indeed how the ritual was conferred. It is a safe assumption that the illustrator drew the SD's movement in a circular motion because that was how the degree was conferred; with the SD emulating the motion of the sun along the ecliptic, quite literally following the path towards enlightenment.
If that is correct we probably changed the way we confer the degree post 1918; either from the influence of the military or the police or a combination of the two. To a Lodge room filled with soldiers or veterans it is easy to look at the circumambulation in lodge and assume that it required “fixing”. Coming from a military background drill looks and feels professional and clean, crisp and sharp. Unfortunately this comes with the sacrifice of a ritual that supported an underlying symbol.
In his paper “The Point within a Circle” V. Wor. Bro. McEvoy writes: “Occasionally, as on this question, the symbolism is obscure (hidden) or it may bear a wide range of meanings; often the accompanying ritual gives only a faint hint as to the interpretation. In all such cases, it seems to me, that the best symbolism is that which the Brother can work out for himself.” However, if the ritual becomes altered to the point where the brother can no longer infer proper meaning, then connection between the ritual and its symbolic meaning naturally breaks down and the lesson is lost. In this case we lose the connection between the Rite of Circumambulation and the Point within a Circle, where the Candidate embodies the symbolism of the circle by his circumambulation about the altar.
Although we continue to circumambulate the altar in a clockwise manner, the understanding that the Brother not only is following the path of light / illumination / knowledge / understanding but also that he is forming that most reverent of Masonic symbols the Point within a Circle, for the Brother himself forms the boundary, remains elusive.
The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the
opinions or policies of any masonic lodge, Grand Lodge or recognized masonic body.
Unless otherwise noted, all contents copyright 1957-Present North Star Lodge No.167
opinions or policies of any masonic lodge, Grand Lodge or recognized masonic body.
Unless otherwise noted, all contents copyright 1957-Present North Star Lodge No.167
