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= REVIEWS ISAAC NEWTON'S FREEMASONRY also provides perspective at the beginning of by Alain Bauer each contribution. Her interest in "the mys- Inner Traditions, Rochester, USA, 2007 tery ot Wwas sparked when she inter- riginall _ by Editions Dervy, 2 viewed Mayan calendar expert José (erat ry Puy Eaiton tidepy tab) Argiielles at the time of the 1987 Harmonic Available: www.InnerTraditions.com Convergence—the start of the 25-year he establishment of speculative countdown to 2012, the end of the Great Freemasonry in England in the 17th cen- Cycle according to the Mayan calendar. tury was due in large part to groupings of Part of that interview is included here. scientists and philosophers who wanted to _It seems that we could be in for a ramp-up free themselves from the anti-progressive in human evolution and/or for catastrophes clutches of organised religions and religious affecting the solar system along with our conflicts. Among them was Sir Isaac planet at this tipping point. The Maya P apparently pointed to an event where on the Scene eb years fron 1108 Roya solstice of 21 December 2012, our Sun lines up with the equator of the Milky Way galaxy—a once in 26,000 years event. Scientist/philosopher Gregg Braden sets the tone in his opening essay, "Choice Point 2012: Our Date with the Window of Emergence", and looks at how shifts in the Earth's magnetic field can affect us and, indeed, have affected humanity in the past. Essays on the Mayan cosmovision in the first part are from John Major Jenkins, Argiielles, Carl Johan Calleman as well as This institution was born in 1660, and many of its members were Freemasons as well as leading lights in the Enlightenment era of spiritual and intellectual freedom. Here, French historian Alain Bauer, Grand Master of the Grand Orient Lodge of France, reviews the history and origins of operative and speculative Freemasonry in England and points out where so many other authors over the centuries have erred in their interpretations. His book was published in ; . : French in 2003 and was recently translated Robert Sitler, pre Presents a sceptical ib into English. The foreword is provided by ba uestions how much of the . 12 “hub- Michel Barat, Grand Master of the Grand ub" is actually rooted in historical findings. Lodge of France, who supports the notion that the first Freemasons sought to compre- hend nature, the world and society and to promote freedom of the spirit. The after- word is by Roger Dachez, president of the Masonic Institute of France, who reiterates that it is a myth that speculative masonry derived from operative freemasons, as in the mediaeval cathedral builders. Bauer suggests that speculative masonry was established in the early 1700s with the goal of replacing religious debate with sci- entific debate and with a view to creating a progressive society. It was rooted in the ancient Hermetic tradition, which included alchemy—a particular interest of Newton. The codification of masonic rites enabled Th F F . e second part, covering science, busi- masons to travel, recognise each other, visit d politics, includ fi Ervi other lodges and communicate their level of ness and politics, includes essays trom Ervin ° Laszlo on "The Birthing of a New World" advancement on the masonic path. and Jay Weidner on "The Alchemy of This is just a brief overview of a tradition ney © farcnemy, that still exerts an influence in our day. Time”. Part three takes in spirituality and ° ° . symbolism, with Lawrence E. Joseph on the THE MYSTERY OF 2012: "Bible Code" and Sharron Rose on "2012, eae : oy tases Galactic Alignment and the Great Goddess"; Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities the Egyptian goddess Isis, in this case. by various contributors The final part considers humanity's evolu- Sounds True, Boulder, CO, USA, 2007 tionary prospects, with wisdom from vision- ISBN 978-1-59179-61 1-4 (420pp hc) ary Jean Houston on "Jump Time", ecologist Available: www.soundstrue.com Joanna Macy on the "Great Turning" and he year 2012 holds many portents for James O'Dea, of the Institute of Noetic both good and ill if the predictions and Sciences, who says 2012 is our "pay date" prophecies about it are any guide. This and we were "born for such a time as this". anthology of essays, interview records and Shift may well happen, and this collection book excerpts is compiled and introduced sheds much light on this enigmatic date. by Sounds True publisher Tami Simon, who ISAAC NEWTON'S FREEMASONRY by Alain Bauer Inner Traditions, Rochester, USA, 2007 (originally pub. by Editions Dervy, 2003) ISBN 978-1-59477-172-9 (146pp tpb) Available: www.|nnerTraditions.com he establishment of speculative Freemasonry in England in the 17th cen- tury was due in large part to groupings of scientists and philosophers who wanted to free themselves from the anti-progressive clutches of organised religions and religious conflicts. Among them was Sir Isaac Newton, who presided over the Royal Society for 25 years from 1703 to 1727. This institution was born in 1660, and many of its members were Freemasons as well as leading lights in the Enlightenment era of spiritual and intellectual freedom. Here, French historian Alain Bauer, Grand Master of the Grand Orient Lodge of France, reviews the history and origins of operative and speculative Freemasonry in England and points out where so many other authors over the centuries have erred in their interpretations. His book was published in French in 2003 and was recently translated into English. The foreword is provided by Michel Barat, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of France, who supports the notion that the first Freemasons sought to compre- hend nature, the world and society and to promote freedom of the spirit. The after- word is by Roger Dachez, president of the Masonic Institute of France, who reiterates that it is a myth that speculative masonry derived from operative freemasons, as in the mediaeval cathedral builders. Bauer suggests that speculative masonry was established in the early 1700s with the goal of replacing religious debate with sci- entific debate and with a view to creating a progressive society. It was rooted in the ancient Hermetic tradition, which included alchemy—a particular interest of Newton. The codification of masonic rites enabled masons to travel, recognise each other, visit other lodges and communicate their level of advancement on the masonic path. This is just a brief overview of a tradition that still exerts an influence in our day. THE MYSTERY OF 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities by various contributors Sounds True, Boulder, CO, USA, 2007 ISBN 978-1-59179-611-4 (420pp hc) Available: www.soundstrue.com he year 2012 holds many portents for both good and ill if the predictions and prophecies about it are any guide. This anthology of essays, interview records and book excerpts is compiled and introduced by Sounds True publisher Tami Simon, who NEXUS = 71 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2008 www.nexusmagazine.com