# The Beehive | Symbols and Symbolism



## My Freemasonry (Jun 4, 2017)

In this episode of Symbols and Symbols we examine the Masonic symbol of the beehive, a symbol that Mackey, in his _Encyclopedia of Freemasonry_, calls a symbol of an obedient people. In masonic parlance, the symbol is more recognizable as an emblem industry. The Master Mason degree says of the beehive that it is an emblem of industry, and “recommends the practice of that virtue to all created beings, from the highest seraph in heaven to the lowest reptile of the dust.” Yet, as Mackey explains, the emblem is much, much, more.


A symbol that Albert Mackey, in his _Encyclopedia of Freemasonry_, says “was among the Egyptians the symbol of an obedient people”, because, as he quotes Horapollo, “…of all insects, the bee alone had a king,” what we know now to be a queen. Mackey continues “Hence looking at the regulated labor of these insects when congregated in their hive, it is not surprising that a beehive should have been deemed an appropriate emblem of systematized industry. Freemasonry has therefore adopted the beehive as a symbol of industry, a virtue taught in the instructions, which says that a Master Mason” works that he may receive wages, the better to support himself and family, and contribute to the relief of a worthy, distressed brother, his widows and orphans. In the Old Charges, which tell us that “…all Masons shall work honestly on working days, that they may live creditably on holidays.”

There seems, however, to be a more recondite meaning connected with this symbol. The ark has already been shown to have been an emblem common to Freemasonry and the Ancient Mysteries, as a symbol of regeneration—of the second birth from death to life. Now, in the Mysteries, a hive was a type of ark. “Hence,” says Faber (_Origin of Pagan Idolatry_, volume ii, page 133), “both the diluvian priestesses and the regenerated souls were called bees; hence, bees were feigned to be produced from the carcass of a cow, which also symbolized the ark; and hence, as the great father was esteemed an infernal god, honey was much used both in funeral rites and in the Mysteries.”






 








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## Warrior1256 (Jun 4, 2017)

Cool!


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## Ripcord22A (Jun 4, 2017)

JamestheJust said:


> can be tested by meditating next to a cluster of hives  - preferably in a forest.  Then one may even see the plumb line.


That might just be hallucinations from the many stings 


Sent from my LG-H918 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Warrior1256 (Jun 5, 2017)

Ripcord22A said:


> hat might just be hallucinations from the many stings


Yeah, really!


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## 88DAM88 (Jun 13, 2017)

Other bee related knowledge:

Ancient Egyptians hail the origin of bees as coming from a tear in the eye of the Sun (Ra or Re).
This gives them an association with Solar Deity and their honey an association with gold.

I was told that there are ancient Sumerian texts refer to the Food of the Immortals as "Goblets filled with the sacred blood of trees." Frankincense, Myrrh and Honey; the Food of the Immortals. Trouble referencing that one as of yet, however, it reminded me of  the Magi (Magus = The word _magi_ is the plural of Latin _magus_, borrowed from Greek μάγος _magos_, as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew ("μάγοι"), the Greek _magos_ itself is derived from Old Persian _maguŝ_ from the Avestan _magâunô_, i.e., a term referring to the Persian priestly caste of Zoroastrianism) present the baby Jesus with Frankincense, Myrrh and Gold . . . perhaps this might have been honey?

One of the first foods that the risen Christ eats is honeycomb.

Samsun (whose name refers to the Sun, or Man of the Sun) kills a lion (the zodiacal lion is the house of the sun, when the Sun is in it's strength of Summer) and bees make honey in it's head, which the "Man of the Sun" later eats, giving us some death and rebirth aspects. As well, Samson may be seen to refer to not only a Sun Figure, but perhaps a balance of Sun and moon, Masculine and Feminine (ets) as the tale reflects a regional tale of the Sun and Moon (Sol/Mon, Solomon) god stand on a lion; in an orthostat relief from Herald's wall, Carchemish; 950–850 BC; Late Hittite style; Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara, Turkey. 

this research also led me to this image: The entrance gate of Iranian Parliament in the mid-20th century. Iran being the seat of the Zoroastrian religion, I find an interesting relevance of the two columns with orbs atop them to be akin to central symbols in Freemasonry, the third central "column" here represented as a gate or entrance , connected by an Arch ("Royal Arch") and an overseeing circle.





Spiral out


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## Warrior1256 (Jun 14, 2017)

Interesting!


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