Circumambulation

Use in the book

The lodge represents the world and its principal officers mark solar positions. Greek, Roman, and Indian examples extend the comparison beyond Masonry. Moving from the east through the south and west gives the action a cosmological explanation. The author nevertheless distinguishes what he regards as the primitive symbolic meaning from later sun-worship.

Places to read

1. Masonic Symbolism · Block 73“277. "The circumambulation among the pagan nations referred to the great doctrine of Sabaism, or Sun-worship. Freemasonry alone has preserved the primitive meaning, which was a symbolic allusion to the sun,” …
2. Masonic Symbolism · Block 74“278. "In the rite of circumambulation we find another ceremony borrowed from the Ancient Freemasonry that was practiced in the Mysteries. In Ancient Greece, when the priests were engaged in the” …
3. Masonic Symbolism · Block 75“279. "Among the Romans the ceremony of circumambulation was always used in the rite's of sacrifice, of expiation, of purification. Thus Virgil describes Corynoeus as purifying his companions at the funeral” …
4. Masonic Symbolism · Block 76“280. "Among the Hindus the same rite of circumambulation has always been practiced. As an instance, we may cite the ceremonies which are required to be performed by a Brahmin upon” …

In this edition

The full technical term is retained. The entry describes the printed account and does not offer directions for a present-day ceremony.

Reading the argument

The comparison depends on both likeness and a claim of privileged preservation. Recognizing a shared movement does not decide which historical community preserved an original meaning. Read the physical action and the author’s judgment about religion separately.

circumambulation

“circumambulation” — 5 occurrences in 4 text blocks: S.73–76.