Hello Darren, I enjoy reading your posts on various topics. You made a brief mention here of our handshake which triggered something that I have recently read about. You may not have heard about this, it it may be a bit off your topic, so I hope its okay to jump in with my thoughts... As we know the patron Saints of Freemasonry are the two Holy Saint Johns. John the Baptist, was a priest of the Mandaeans, who gave ritual purifications and priestly initiations to others by submerging one into 'living water' (Masbuta). After being raised from the waters, the baptized was called a nazoraean (possessor of Divine Knowledge) and were given a sacred handclasp called a "kusta."
The Mandaic word kusta has a couple different meanings, one is a "sacred handclasp" that was used during Mandaean rituals such as baptism, ascent of the soul after death, and priestly initiation ceremonies. The second meaning is "Truth." Jesus, being from the house of Judah (represented by the lion- heh hem), was initiated and given this kusta (sacred handclasp), which perhaps is the same he later gives to Lazarus, in raising him from the dead? Perhaps, like it is mentioned in the Ginza, the secret of death is known as kusta only to those who knows its heavenly nature. This may seem like a loaded statement- well, because it is, but think about this in regards to those who have been raised to no avail in the degrees.
The way I've recently started thinking of masonic teaching, is that they collectively shape the 'lens' through which we view our reality/world. Id est; the 'secrets' are always there in plain sight, we just don't perceive them as we don't have the right 'lens' or point of view.
Hello Darren, I enjoy reading your posts on various topics. You made a brief mention here of our handshake which triggered something that I have recently read about. You may not have heard about this, it it may be a bit off your topic, so I hope its okay to jump in with my thoughts... As we know the patron Saints of Freemasonry are the two Holy Saint Johns. John the Baptist, was a priest of the Mandaeans, who gave ritual purifications and priestly initiations to others by submerging one into 'living water' (Masbuta). After being raised from the waters, the baptized was called a nazoraean (possessor of Divine Knowledge) and were given a sacred handclasp called a "kusta."
The Mandaic word kusta has a couple different meanings, one is a "sacred handclasp" that was used during Mandaean rituals such as baptism, ascent of the soul after death, and priestly initiation ceremonies. The second meaning is "Truth." Jesus, being from the house of Judah (represented by the lion- heh hem), was initiated and given this kusta (sacred handclasp), which perhaps is the same he later gives to Lazarus, in raising him from the dead? Perhaps, like it is mentioned in the Ginza, the secret of death is known as kusta only to those who knows its heavenly nature. This may seem like a loaded statement- well, because it is, but think about this in regards to those who have been raised to no avail in the degrees.
Interesting insights re Mandaeans, one of my good mates in the Craft is Mandaean, so just starting to scratch the surface of this theology.
To me the history of the mandaeans is is fascinating particularly relating to the historical/mythological lineage of Freemasonry. I'd bet you could have great conversations with you brother. Here is a piece I recently wrote in thus reguard: https://substack.com/home/post/p-145704748?r=pg6fv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
The way I've recently started thinking of masonic teaching, is that they collectively shape the 'lens' through which we view our reality/world. Id est; the 'secrets' are always there in plain sight, we just don't perceive them as we don't have the right 'lens' or point of view.