# What do you think about the Acacia branch?



## Mark89 (Jun 3, 2018)

Hello, receive a warm greeting. This time I bring you a written about the Acacia branch, It's a superficial personal interpretation, because my intention is to originate a good debate with this topic.

In Masonry, the Acacia has a special place, a symbolism that is both unique and multiple at the same time, a simple and profound meaning at the same time.

The Acacia plant is very common in the Sinai desert and according to legend or tradition, the assassins of Master Hiram planted an Acacia branch, where they buried him.

The etymology of the word Acacia comes from the Greek "akis" whose meaning is "spike". In Freemasonry, reference is made to Gleditsia triacanthos (the Acacia of three thorns) or the Acacia of the Teneré, which is mentioned in the history of Hiram, it also represents the symbol of the number "three", which has a great significance for Freemasonry and other initiatory groups.

In each degree of Symbolic Masonry, the Acacia has a special meaning, which is discovered by each member according to its "growth" and "learning", besides the Acacia is related to the "Masonic Silence", which in turn could relate to the silence that the apprentices of the Pythagorean school. Another deeper interpretation of the Acacia could be traced back to the famous phrase: V.I.T.R.I.O.L, however it is a subjective and dependent interpretation of each member of Masonry.

The Acacia has had a variety of uses, and many properties that could be extrapolated metaphorically to Masonry, for example: the Acacia wood is strong and robust, being considered as incorruptible, as is the incorruptible essence of each Mason, also of Acacia medicinal products are obtained as substances to treat diseases such as dysentery and scurvy.

The Acacia is also usually harmful to some harmful insects or parasites, which metaphorically could be understood that the Mason through the "use" of Acacia remains free and away from "Insects" or "Parasites" that corrupt the growth and construction of the "Internal Temple".

It is striking, as in many ancient civilizations there has always been "a plant" in initiation ceremonies, having as examples: Lotus for the Egyptians or Morddago for the Druids, among many other examples. And in all of them, the meaning is similar to that given for the Acacia branch.

After the brief description of the previous paragraphs, what opinion or interpretation would you give regarding the branch of Acacia ?, I think this forum can be very rewarding. I thank you in advance for reading this writing.






(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barranquilla_-_Acacia.jpg)
Image N°1: An Acacia tree in the city of Barranquilla, in northern Colombia (2008).





(http://glennbettyburke.blogspot.com/)
Image N°2: An Acacia tree in the historical area of the city of Barranquilla, in northern Colombia.





(https://christopherburkecolombia.wordpress.com/category/acacia-morada/)
Image N°3: An Acacia tree in the city of Bogotá DC, Colombia.


----------



## Warrior1256 (Jun 3, 2018)

The tree is beautiful and the article was very informative and interesting. Thank you.


----------



## Mark89 (Jun 3, 2018)

Warrior1256 said:


> The tree is beautiful and the article was very informative and interesting. Thank you.



You’re welcome. Greetings.  


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry mobile app


----------



## coachn (Jun 4, 2018)

Why would the assassins take the time to mark a grave and therefore make evident the presence of a body and leave a trail of evidence if they were trying to outrun their accountability?


----------



## Bloke (Jun 4, 2018)

coachn said:


> Why would the assassins take the time to mark a grave and therefore make evident the presence of a body and leave a trail of evidence if they were trying to outrun their accountability?


Because they regretted their actions.


----------



## Mike Martin (Jun 4, 2018)

What may be helpful:

1) In the English ceremonies it is one of the groups of FCs who mark HA's first burial place with a sprig of acacia while they report back to KS.
2) It is also nice to know that the wood/timber from an acacia tree in Hebrew is known as shittim.


----------



## coachn (Jun 4, 2018)

Mike Martin said:


> What may be helpful:
> 
> 1) In the English ceremonies it is one of the groups of FCs who mark HA's first burial place with a sprig of acacia while they report back to KS.
> 2) It is also nice to know that the wood/timber from an acacia tree in Hebrew is known as shittim.



So, in the Preston-Webb version it is the ruffians and in the E-ceremonies it is the searchers?


----------



## dfreybur (Jun 4, 2018)

In the version of the degree that I learned there is a prayer that says acacia trees tend to regrow from their roots when cut down.

In the degree I took this as an allusion to the afterlife.  Then I learned that the night of raising is called a Masonic birthday as we are reborn into the next phase of life.

I notice that the acacia can be Masonry itself which grows on the legend of Hiram Abiff.

I wonder how many think of Masonry as a regrowth of some other organization that was cut down.  Many would love for us to be descended from the Knights Templar though there is little evidence for that.


----------



## Warrior1256 (Jun 5, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> Many would love for us to be descended from the Knights Templar though there is little evidence for that.


Yes, this would be nice.


----------



## Mark89 (Jun 5, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> In the version of the degree that I learned there is a prayer that says acacia trees tend to regrow from their roots when cut down.
> 
> In the degree I took this as an allusion to the afterlife.  Then I learned that the night of raising is called a Masonic birthday as we are reborn into the next phase of life.
> 
> ...



Excellent opinion, It’s a good relate between the Non Masonic life and the Masonic life, when the man pass the columns and begin to polished the stone and all metaphorical things in our lifes for build the Internal Temple.


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry mobile app


----------



## Bloke (Jun 7, 2018)

coachn said:


> So, in the Preston-Webb version it is the ruffians and in the E-ceremonies it is the searchers?


Interesting.  Here it is the searchers who are FCs


----------



## dfreybur (Jun 7, 2018)

Bloke said:


> Interesting.  Here it is the searchers who are FCs



In all of my jurisdictions the searchers are FCs.  In California it is explicitly stated that the searchers have been assigned that task from the disgrace of having been a part of the conspiracy before relenting.  In my other jurisdictions that is implicit based on stage directions rather than explicit.


----------



## Warrior1256 (Jun 7, 2018)

Bloke said:


> Interesting. Here it is the searchers who are FCs





dfreybur said:


> In all of my jurisdictions the searchers are FCs.


Same in Kentucky.


----------



## coachn (Jun 8, 2018)

Of course it is the searchers who are FC.  

However, in Preston-Webb, it is the ruffians who plant the sprig, not the searchers.


----------



## Keith C (Jun 11, 2018)

coachn said:


> Of course it is the searchers who are FC.
> 
> However, in Preston-Webb, it is the ruffians who plant the sprig, not the searchers.





coachn said:


> Of course it is the searchers who are FC.
> 
> However, in Preston-Webb, it is the ruffians who plant the sprig, not the searchers.




Here in our ritual the ruffians plant the spring and the recanted searcher FCs discover the grave by accidentally finding the sprig.


----------



## acjohnson53 (Oct 24, 2018)

In ours it’s them three guys...


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry mobile app


----------



## Brother JC (Oct 24, 2018)

coachn said:


> Why would the assassins take the time to mark a grave and therefore make evident the presence of a body and leave a trail of evidence if they were trying to outrun their accountability?


According to NM; so that they might be able to find it again should circumstances render it necessary.


----------



## David612 (Oct 25, 2018)




----------



## coachn (Oct 25, 2018)

Brother JC said:


> According to NM; so that they might be able to find it again should circumstances render it necessary.


Yes, the same sentiment is conveyed elsewhere as well.  But what exactly constitutes a "circumstance" which would render finding a concealed body, one that is evidence of murder that required concealing a body to begin with, necessary?


----------



## Warrior1256 (Oct 25, 2018)

coachn said:


> But what exactly constitutes a "circumstance" which would render finding a concealed body, one that is evidence of murder that required concealing a body to begin with, necessary?


Lol....no one said that all of out allegories make sense!


----------



## coachn (Oct 25, 2018)

Warrior1256 said:


> Lol....no one said that all of out allegories make sense!


But that is EXACTLY why we have trivial training pointed toward by both the first and second degrees.  Allegories have blatant inconsistencies, metaphorical and symbolic references and things purposefully included to offer opportunities to think outside the box.  Trivial training helps us work through the paradoxes, inconsistencies and alike to see truths and messages left for those who are capable of grabbing that gold ring aka making sense out of what appears to be non-sense.

I'll cite one example - the ruffian's names are not names!  They are statements! which when heard in the language that you understand, make more sense than the phonetic pronunciations unknowing members hear. Once heard, non-sense becomes common sense, especially when put within the context of the story!


----------



## Warrior1256 (Oct 26, 2018)

coachn said:


> But that is EXACTLY why we have trivial training pointed toward by both the first and second degrees. Allegories have blatant inconsistencies, metaphorical and symbolic references and things purposefully included to offer opportunities to think outside the box. Trivial training helps us work through the paradoxes, inconsistencies and alike to see truths and messages left for those who are capable of grabbing that gold ring aka making sense out of what appears to be non-sense.
> 
> I'll cite one example - the ruffian's names are not names! They are statements! which when heard in the language that you understand, make more sense than the phonetic pronunciations unknowing members hear. Once heard, non-sense becomes common sense, especially when put within the context of the story!


A lot to think on with my small brain, lol.


----------



## dfreybur (Oct 26, 2018)

coachn said:


> But what exactly constitutes a "circumstance" which would render finding a concealed body, one that is evidence of murder that required concealing a body to begin with, necessary?



It was an act of conscience.  The ruffians weren't trying to evade justice.  They were trying to work through their grief at having violated justice.  Hence when asked by King Solomon they admitted their guilt.


----------



## coachn (Oct 26, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> It was an act of conscience.


That I can buy into.


dfreybur said:


> The ruffians weren't trying to evade justice.


So, hiding the body under the rubbish, waiting till midnight to dig it up, remove it and rebury it, and their effort to get out of town by way of Joppa were just little side excursions before they finally delivered themselves to court and the battle with the other three fellow craft was just some exercise?


dfreybur said:


> They were trying to work through their grief at having violated justice.


So, denial, anger, bargaining, burying, reburying, fleeing, fighting and finally acceptance?


dfreybur said:


> Hence when asked by King Solomon they admitted their guilt.


That's a most interesting path they took.


----------



## Keith C (Oct 26, 2018)

coachn said:


> So, hiding the body under the rubbish, waiting till midnight to dig it up, remove it and rebury it, and their effort to get out of town by way of Joppa were just little side excursions before they finally delivered themselves to court and the battle with the other three fellow craft was just some exercise?
> 
> So, denial, anger, bargaining, burying, reburying, fleeing, fighting and finally acceptance?
> 
> That's a most interesting path they took.



What is most interesting to me is that the majority of the above is not part of the Ancient Ritual used here in PA.  dfreybur's conclusion holds up much better here that it apparently does in other jurisdictions.


----------



## coachn (Oct 26, 2018)

Keith C said:


> What is most interesting to me is that the majority of the above is not part of the Ancient Ritual used here in PA.  dfreybur's conclusion holds up much better here that it apparently does in other jurisdictions.


So, less drama


----------



## jermy Bell (Nov 3, 2018)

acjohnson53 said:


> In ours it’s them three guys...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry mobile app


I like that one.


----------



## acjohnson53 (Nov 5, 2018)

The acacia tree will make good smoke wood, for some BBQ...LOL


----------



## Hancock (Nov 5, 2018)

acjohnson53 said:


> The acacia tree will make good smoke wood, for some BBQ...LOL


If you're going to burn acacia, keep in mind that some species contain up to 2% DMT (a very strong psychedelic) in the bark, root and leaves. You may not want to be downwind of that.


----------



## coachn (Nov 6, 2018)

Hancock said:


> If you're going to burn acacia, keep in mind that some species contain up to 2% DMT (a very strong psychedelic) in the bark, root and leaves._ You may not want to be downwind of that_.


Unless that was the whole point of burning it


----------



## Brother JC (Nov 6, 2018)

If, at any time in your Masonic career, you have asked, “What are they smoking?” you now have an answer.


----------



## acjohnson53 (Nov 6, 2018)

I'm going to use the wood not the leaves, with a Boston Butt, or brisket...


----------

