2026 Southeastern Masonic Symposium

[ecosophia]

I'm pleased to report that late next month I'll be the keynote speaker at the 2026 Southeastern Masonic Symposium in Asheville, North Carolina. While it's being hosted by Freemasons, this event is open to the public and will be livestreamed over the internet. The theme for the event is the important figures in esoteric Masonry, and my talk will be on Gerard Thibault d'Anvers, the brilliant 17th-century martial artist whose book Academie de l'Espee (translated by me as The Academy of the Sword) is the longest and most elaborate treatise on swordsmanship ever written, whose work is pervaded by Masonic and proto-Masonic symbolism, and whose legacy has intriguing connections with a British school of sacred geometry deeply enmeshed in the 18th-century Masonic scene. 

Interested? You can access tickets here: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-asheville-masonic-symposium-tickets-1980822909645

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Interesting. I've been listening to a lot of Ike Baker's podcast which has loads of esoteric masonry topics. I'm not a Mason but would like to watch this.

JH

[ecosophia]

Bro. Ike is an interesting cat. I think the Symposium is going to be worth seeing.

[(Anonymous)]

Will there be green beans?

[ecosophia]

Ha! Weirdly, when I was in North Carolina earlier this month, green beans were notable by their absence. I think the brethren thought the G was supposed to stand for the "glug-glug-glug" of good bourbon being poured into glasses. I haven't been to Asheville before, however, so we'll see if the brethren there are more orthodox. ;-)

[(Anonymous)]

I could lap up the good bourbon with pleasure, but I'm on an anti-inflamation diet due to a (possibly) effect of long COVID. Pizza, junk food, booze, are out. Green beans, quinoa, garlic and green tea are in.

[betwixttheworlds]

This looks fantastic. I can't wait to watch either the livestream or the recording. Traveling around from MD must be easier, I imagine than RI. It seems more centralized.

Recently I was at a Massachusetts Masonic event and my fellow brother looked at the bar and remarked that there must be $10k worth of booze. They love their alcohol.

Ooops, I just realized that April 25th is a SR Reunion and they're making me a 32 degree, so I'll have to watch the recording.

Have a great time!

[betwixttheworlds]

P.S. For those who are not Masons, a 32nd degree isn't a huge deal. It's one of the several degrees of Scottish Rite and you generally get it soon after joining.

[ecosophia]

Sshhh! It's much more entertaining to let outsiders think that you've just become one of the secret masters of the world. ;-)

[ecosophia]

By all means enjoy the recording.

Welcome to the Scottish Rite, btw!

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks, JMG. I suppose I shouldn't tell people that we're not very good at world domination when we can't even figure out who is supposed to pay the electric bill.

[ecosophia]

Exactly. If they find out that it takes half an hour of bickering for a Masonic lodge to settle that yes, it'll be green beans again for the vegetable, it would ruin our reputation!

livestream and recording

[(Anonymous)]

I clicked on the link. It took me to a site for the in person event. I did not see any mention of a livestream or recording.

Evidently previous commenters saw something I missed. Where can I find it?

Deborah Bender

remote access to the symposium

[(Anonymous)]

this looks like a better link.db

https://www.ashevillemasonictemple.com/symposium

[(Anonymous)]

Hi JMG,

Would it be fair to say that the goings on in a Lodge are closer to that represented by the Leopard Lodge in Happy Days, as opposed to the all seeing eye Illuminati?

Ah Happy days, what a different time it was, when that show aired...

[ecosophia]

I could answer that if I'd ever watched that show, but I never did.

Masonic lodge meetings are exactly what you'd expect if you got a bunch of elderly men together to hold regular meetings for some good purpose. Their intentions are excellent, by and large, and they do somehow manage to accomplish a fair amount of good in the world, but it's inevitably a slow and cantankerous process in which each of the old men has to fuss about something, and it can take an act of God to convince them that no, we can't just do everything the way they did back in 1953.

[deathcap]

Asheville, eh? That's not a long drive from me...and my schedule is wide open!

Given your article about the social history of lodges was the final straw that pushed me from 'hmm, that could be neat' to 'I'm joining!', I feel like I'd be a fool not to head that way.

Consider me there!!

[ecosophia]

I'll look forward to seeing you there.