Ceremony for the Aries Equinox
Invocation of the Great Lords ~ OKR
The Invocation of the Great Lords begins the cycle of the Cardinal Cross. It is inspired with the energies of purpose and intention that initiate new beginnings in the cycle of creative activity. It is invocative of the will aspect to implement those purposes. The invocations are addressed to the Great Lords—the Lords of the Rays—and to Their purposes as it pertains to Their initiating power that produced that marvel of creative expression: Humanity itself.
Ceremony for the Cancer Solstice
Festival of St. John the Baptist ~ N (veiling S) S S
Masons have long held St. John the Baptist as their patron saint as an example of the way to follow. He prepared the lighted way for the Christ. There is a deep symbolism in this and especially as it pertains to the sign Cancer and the Solstice. The two Saints John have significance to Masons, and especially in relation to their degree work of the Three Degrees. One came before and the other came after the Christ, and in between them is the living example of the Christ life upon the earth. This ceremony marks that point upon the Cardinal Cross when the sun is at the meridian of its annual cycle in the northern hemisphere. It is inspired with the energies embodying the truer purposes of incarnating souls as bearers of the Light, and of humanity’s emergence upon the earth and its destiny as builders of a Lighted House, the Temple of the Soul. The sign Cancer conveys the mystery of incarnation (and reincarnation) as the soul taking form and as it pertains to humanity, for all souls incarnate under the laws of sacrifice and service, and every incarnation is taken with a view to spiritual progress, no matter what the life may appear to be on the outer planes. Cancer veils and reveals the secret of the purpose of the door into incarnation as it pertains to the soul; and it must be understood that no ‘vengeful or wrathful’ God exists. All is dependent on one’s karma which one has woven for oneself and viewed from the standpoint of opportunity to the incarnating soul pertaining to its ultimate spiritual destiny, which is to manifest divinity, or the Christ Life, upon the earth, and which is won and achieved by one’s own efforts at self-perfection. This ceremony is invocative of the energies of sacrifice and service and of an emergence of a pre-existent revelation of the inner Light abiding within each and every one of us of an essential Brotherhood of Light. This ceremony invokes the energies of the Ray-line, two-four-six, invoking the deeper spiritual and religious significances of the sixth and second rays.
Ceremony for the Libra Equinox
Invocation of the Deities ~ LRQ
This ceremony marks the period of the lower interlude during the Libran Equinox. It addresses the work of the builders (the souls) as they work under the guided plans of the Great Architect of the third great Aspect of divinity—that of Intelligent Activity—governed by that stupendous Creative Hierarchy or department within the mighty Workshop of the Lord, ruled by Libra and Saturn, concerning those choices that must be made at every turn. It concerns the work of manifestation in providing forms for the expression of the spirit aspect, and in perfecting those forms by the busy, active service of the Plan of those creative builders who tread the Way of Liberation. It complements the creative impulse initiated in Aries. The invocations are addressed to the Raja Lords of the various subplanes of the cosmic physical plane and the groups of building deities—men and devas—who work under Them. These invocations are therefore made with the purpose of establishing a greater cooperative and conscious labour between the groups of human and deva builders.
Ceremony for the Capricorn Solstice
Festival of St. John the Beloved ~ QQL
This ceremony completes the cycle of the Cardinal Cross and marks that point of opportunity when again “the sun moves northwards,” which is an esoteric phrase denoting “preparation for initiation.” This ceremony pertains to some of the deepest mysteries of life and death and of a glorious resurrection; of immortality and of the nature of identification with the One Life and with Reality Itself. It therefore invokes a liberating energy. That liberating energy is Love itself. In its simple form it is prophetic in nature. It invokes a combination of first and second ray energies and its significance derives from the deeper esoteric aspects of the teaching that the Christ inaugurated 2,000 years ago (but which was little understood) and which He will continue and reveal further upon His Reappearance. This Teaching—which will be a new Dispensation issued forth from the Spiritual Hierarchy, the Grand Lodge on High of which the Christ is the Grand Master—and the coming revelation that the Christ will bring is related to the mysteries of the spiritual will, of resurrection, initiation, and of liberation.