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The Secret Psychology of Freemasonry: Alchemy, Gnosis, and the Science of the Craft

Cliff Porter,

R. Gregory Starr (Editor)

Jim Tresner (Introduction)

3.86 · Rating details · 35 ratings · 7 reviews

Masonic ritual contains a veiled secret which points toward a hidden psychological current, inherent in the Western Mystical Tradition. This scarcely perceivable sentient science has manifested throughout the ages within the ancient Gnostic schools, the writings of the great Hermetic philosophers, and the noble art of Freemasonry. These institutions have operated as a mean ...more

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Paperback, 222 pages

Published June 22nd 2011 by Starr Publishing, LLC

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Jul 24, 2011 Joe rated it really liked it

Bro. Porter's assessment of some of the psychological underpinnings of Freemasonry is very astute, and will definitely be called upon for citation in some of my own essays. Well done.

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Feb 29, 2012 T rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Freemasons

The synopsis and comments for this book were very intriguing. The title itself contains references to three subjects that always fascinate - psychology, Freemasonry, and alchemy. In all, this book was certainly worth the time spent reading it, however with that said it is a very quick read, especially once you omit the appendices.

One major note - as mentioned by the author himself in one of the later chapters, this book was written for Initiates only, and not for the profane (non-Masons). While The synopsis and comments for this book were very intriguing. The title itself contains references to three subjects that always fascinate - psychology, Freemasonry, and alchemy. In all, this book was certainly worth the time spent reading it, however with that said it is a very quick read, especially once you omit the appendices.

One major note - as mentioned by the author himself in one of the later chapters, this book was written for Initiates only, and not for the profane (non-Masons). While that might sounds intriguing to some readers, I have to caution that quite a lot of the terminology used in this book are subtle references to things that only those with an intimate knowledge of Freemasonry will be able to pick up on. I would imagine that without the context, much of this book's information would be lost to the reader. Just my two cents on that.

Of the higher notes in this book, are the clearly explained analogies between various offices of the lodge, alchemical elements, Jungian archetypes, and even the various sections of the brain. For example, the Posterior commissure is associated with the Worshipful Master in the East, since its function within the brain is adapting the eye ("I") to varying degrees of darkness and light. There is also a very compelling case made that the biblical story and and ritual within the Lodge are metaphors for the process of discovering higher-thinking. In essence, the various degrees and motions correlate alchemical concepts of calcination and purification. In psychological terms, the premise is that Lodge appeals directly to our left brain, shining light on our more creative and accepting selves. Or at least, that's the gist I got from it.

There are also a number of interesting facts along the way, for example it was interesting to read that in the dividing gauge we have a number divided by three, into 888 - which corresponds to the Greek letters of "Jesus" when translated numerically. Finally, the explanation of the penalties for each degree are explained in psychological and alchemical terms, which was an intriguing idea - although unfortunately, not fleshed out into as much detail as I was hoping.

On the down side of this book - it seems to digress a little into the basics of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) or the basic psychology of communication in general. On it's own, that's fine, and even a welcomed addition since I also find that topic extremely interesting. However, these basic concepts are introduced as some kind of "Secret Psychology of Freemasonry." The end result seems like a poorly meshed combination of ideas. I wasn't at any point convinced of the idea that Freemasons and older mystery schools had somehow discovered the massive power behind charisma and capitalizing on social networking and extroversion.

Beyond that, a good portion of this book (at least 30%) deals directly with how to resolve conflicts between grumpy "Northern" members of Lodge. Again, I can appreciate this perspective and may even agree with lots of the issues raised, however the book then digresses into examples of how to use NLP and general observation, to appeal to each person's different personality. Again, while it's certainly a valid application of NLP in the context of Lodge - it seemed a bit like false advertising, that it was actually sold as a Masonic secret.

In summary, for Freemasons looking for help in dealing with stubborn members within the Lodge, this is basically a how-to guide for approaching and appealing to them. Where it falls short, are the promises made in the title. While the author does a good job of introducing some very subtle links between Freemasonry, alchemy, and psychology - they aren't explored into very much detail, and instead the book tends to focus on mediating conflicts between people. If that was the topic I was really interested in, I would have found a more general book on the subject. I just wish this book's description was a bit more upfront about the real focus of the writing. ...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Gene Patrick rated it it was amazing

I attended one of Cliff Porter's presentations where I purchased the book. I found the presentation extraordinary. It may have been the best presentation I have ever attended in Freemasonry. Buying the book was a no brain'er. A group of us have now read the book and decided to implement the communication procedures that Porter recommends. To some degree, with just a few phone calls, its already working. I can feel a powerful revolution happening for our lodge which has been struggling to succeed ...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Hans rated it really liked it

Shelves: freemasonry

"Fundamentalism in all its forms has been the enemy of Masonry in all times. Regardless of the religion or government that it infects, fundamentalism is a virus all its own. It weaves itself into the minds of its adherents and convinces them that their particular view is the only view"

"Whenever there has been tyranny, or whenever there is a group that would instruct its adherents what to believe in spite of their reason and intellect; Masonry has been correctly identified by these groups as an e ...more

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Jul 28, 2013 Nicholas Ives rated it really liked it

There is a whole lot to think about in this book. He is a great speaker, and I enjoyed following up by reading the book. I have a number of notes in my Kindle App that I have to follow up on, but all in all a quality read.

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Jun 24, 2013 Scott Lamb rated it it was amazing

This was a great book. I have read several books about personalities, this one brings home many points that will help you deal with people on many levels. Enjoyed it very much.

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Apr 05, 2014 Aaron Bolin rated it liked it

Shelves: faith, pop-science

An interesting cross of Masonic symbology and neuro-linguistic programming with a bit of jungian typology thrown in for good measure. Not for everyone, but I enjoyed the unique perspective.

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About Cliff Porter

Cliff Porter

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Cliff Porter is a founding member and Past Master of Enlightenment Lodge 198 in Colorado where he works as a homicide detective. Cliff Porter is also recognized nationally for his work in teaching and presenting on the areas of subconscious communications as it relates to personal interactions and communications. He has worked cases gaining international attention, been featured by the Biography C ...more