A Modern Tracing Board The work above is a modern representation of the second degree tracing boards of old. It is filled with metaphor and symbolism, fluent to all Fellowcraft Masons. A sub title for the piece is: “evolution of man is the alchemy of the spirit.”“evolution of man is the alchemy of the spirit.” The First Tracing boards were created as visual aids used to illustrate the meanings and principals of Freemasonry as taught within the degrees. Much of the symbolism is from the Western tradition, and has been adapted here for the modern mason. In the image there are many symbolic and esoteric interpretations. With adapting this work, the most significant change is the positional change of the viewer, moving from an external passive position looking in upon a pastoral scene to a participatory one with the viewer actively engaged in the activity. This changing position positions the initiated as if within mirror from the reflector to the reflection. This movement inward becomes the focus of the degree, passive to active moving the self towards the divine
Finnish Masonic Conference "Edges of Freemasonry – Western Esotericism and the Enlightenment" is a two-day conference and an international and academic event organized by the University of Tampere School of Social Sciences and Humanities in association with The Research Lodge Minerva No.27 of the Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Finland. Edges of Freemasonry – Western Esotericism and the Enlightenment aims to investigate exceptional but prominent new currents in human sciences. The conference focuses on modern Freemasonry as a cultural and historically constituted phenomenon but also seeks to create a dialogue with wider contexts like the Enlightenment and especially the history of western esotericism, which has increasingly attracted the attention of academic research. Cross Keys January. 2012