The Path of Freemasonry with Mark Stavish

This week we delve into the mother (or brother) of all secret societies, the Freemasons. Although the majority of the society does not accept, or – as we find out – does not even know their esoteric roots, Author Mark Stavish is back to guide us down this fraternal maze, drawing from his great book ‘The Path of Freemasonary’. This week we discuss The esoteric roots of Freemasonry, why conspiracy theorists have such a boner for the society, some of the groups more influential esotericists, and much more. Joining me in SittingNow Inner-order is Mark Satyr Main theme by Simon Smerdon (Mothboy) Music bed by chriszabriskie.com Check out Mark’s book ‘The Path of Freemasonry’ published by Inner Traditions. Mark Stavish Biography: Mark Stavish, the Director of Studies for the Institute for Hermetic Studies, is a life-long student of esotericism with over 25 years experience in comparative religion, philosophy, psychology, and mysticism with emphasis on Traditional Western Esotericism.  His articles have appeared in academic, specialty, and mass market publications specializing in spiritual studies, making Mark one of the leading authorities in Hermeticism today. In addition to being a member and officer of several prominent Rosicrucian and Martinist societies, Mark served as the Director of Research for the Occult Research and Applications Project, of the Philosophers of Nature (PON). The Philosophers of Nature was founded by Jean Dubuis in France in 1979 and for twenty years was the leading resource for practical information on mineral and plant alchemy, as well as qabala.  ORA, a statistically based research wing of the American branch of PON performed detailed exploration into the validity and practicality of various traditional esoteric methods.  Original research from the ORA Project was published in the organization’s journal, The Stone. A graduate of King’s College, in Theology (B.A.), and Communications (B.A.), and  Rhode Island College (Providence), with a Master’s degree in Counseling emphasizing psycho-spiritual modalities and Psychosynthesis, Mark brings a unique blend of tradition with modern research to the application of esoteric philosophy. Professionally, Mark has over 15 years experience in the social service and non-profit fields, and has trained hundreds of social service workers, law enforcement personnel, and mental healthcare providers in areas related to New and Emerging Religions. Mark’s writings have been translated into Turkish, Dutch, French, Swedish, and Portuguese; he has been a media consultant on for BBC Channel 2, and Cinnabar Productions’ documentary, ‘The Occult Reich’ for A&E/History Channel, along with numerous media interviews and editorials.