Construction of Rosslyn Chapel, located north of Edinburgh in Scotland, was started in about 1446 by William Sinclair, who was reputed to have been a Knight Templar who was probably involved in a war in the Holy Land. While none of these facts have been confirmed, the chapel he built is filled with stone images that, when viewed as a whole, leave the clear impression that the site is religious. However, it is definitely not a Christian site and does not fit easily into any currently known religious motif. It is, in a word, a unique and revealing testimony that the architect was very involved in initiatory mysteries.

One of the carved stone images inside the chapel symbolizes a Green Man, which in certain religious studies has been associated with the so-called pagan religions. After careful study of those images, it seems more likely that the Green Man is consistent with a more Masonic interpretation of Deity than with any other religion or philosophy. The depiction is clearly that of a man’s head with leafy vines growing from the inside spreading out through the mouth and traveling upwards forming dense bushy vegetation.

While the figure could certainly symbolize the endless cycle of seasons and regeneration commonly found in other clearly defined pagan symbols, its origin is Greek and Roman. To them, the Green Man represented the full bloom of education and thus inspired those who contemplated the quest for knowledge. The Green Man then found his way into Christian symbolism where he represented the immortality of the spirit and the resurrection of Jesus. Regardless of whether the Green Man represents Jesus uniting Heaven with Earth, or the most simplistic quest for knowledge, it is undeniable that he also represents the growth of the spirit of man.

Art is the seed of man’s spirituality, because from a simple phrase in a masterpiece of literature, or from a line drawn in a painting, messages and ideas emerge that those who read or observe can interpret for their respective personal improvement. It is the basis for the regeneration of humanity, or the transmutation from a state of unawareness to a state of knowledge, just as the ancient alchemists turned tin into gold. Thus, the Green Man symbolizes the wisdom that man gains from the knowledge that he has obtained as a direct result of his growth in spiritual matters beginning with the mustard seed, or the smallest particle of spiritual knowledge that is imparted to him.

It is fair to ask at this point what art a Mason should explore. Should it be an examination of Da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper, which sparked so much interest in recent exciting books and movies about the legend surrounding the ancient Knights Templar? Is it the total and complete absorption of all the literary works written by Albert Pike? Or is he expected to absorb other types of art and discern the messages about God from those? Although the answer that all art is important for the growth of man is inaccurate, it is the truthful answer.

A secret of the Freemasons is that affinity with the pursuit of knowledge has never been solely because it benefits the learner, but because it eventually benefits those with whom the learner comes in contact. Masonic writers who have explored both the science and philosophy of alchemy have also given us insight into how the Green Man represents the benefit of one man’s knowledge for the welfare of another man. Freemasonry has consistently embraced the belief that the Supreme Architect of the Universe manifests through human growth – the impulse that moves from within a human being into a manifestation of action. There is no greater miracle than the one produced by the tiny mustard seed, which when planted in the ground produces a bush thousands of times larger than itself. The Holy Bible contains a parable that uses the tiny mustard seed to illustrate an important spiritual truth about the strength of faith. In Freemasonry, the Craft teaches that the Supreme Architect manifests through an infinity of forms that are implanted in the dark material earth. One such form is art, which Masons are taught to understand and create.

Scholars from around the world are currently engaged in a concerted effort to identify the historical beginnings of Freemasonry. They do so by following several paths that promise empirical certainty once fully analyzed. However, since Freemasonry includes a diverse number of disciplines, it is unlikely that the true origins will be discovered without a thorough evaluation of the symbolism that Freemasonry has selected over the centuries to impart wise and serious truths. A famous Masonic writer has gone further and stated that the origins of Freemasonry will never be traced, because that origin is veiled in a superphysical mystery. Whether or not we know the full truth about the origin of Freemasonry, one can begin the effort by pulling back that veil and studying the various symbols of the Craft, as well as the various works of art created from the depths of the soul and spirit of man. . .

There are essentially two methods by which man can grow: by observing Nature, or by creating and appreciating art. The true artist models his work according to the laws of Nature, either adopting all that Nature has revealed, or assimilating as much of what exists in Nature as is necessary to complete the artist’s intended design. It is from such designs that humanity learns humanity’s place in the Magnus Opus of all works of art: the grand design of the Supreme Architect of the Universe.

The art of deciphering Masonic secrets and the symbols Masons use can be used to unlock untold wisdom most likely originally possessed by those who lent those symbols to the fraternity. Ancient books with erroneous pagination, as well as a host of secret alphabets used over the centuries, must be included in the decryption effort. Because subtle methods were often used to hide divine truths from the uninitiated. As a specific example, consider the literary works of Shakespeare, which some believe were actually the works of Sir Francis Bacon: that renowned Rosicrucian and Freemason, who is said to have been the legitimate son of Elizabeth I; dedicated to the charitable works of Art; and in desperate need of “political cover” to avoid detection as the author of politically inflammatory writings such as are found in several of Shakespeare’s plays. What is the truth? Can it be determined by studying the artwork itself? Is it worth knowing? The answers to those questions can only come to those who take the time to explore the works and decide for themselves.

The symbolism of the Green Man also teaches us that growth is experiential, that is, it can only be experienced to fully understand. The same goes for the “secrets” of Freemasonry. Those “secrets” like understanding what growth means cannot be revealed even if someone really wants to sit down and explain them to the whole world. Like death, Freemasonry can only be “experienced”, and thus the “secrets” remain hidden from all who choose never to enjoy the experience. That is what happens with our Green Man, because it is from his mouth that vegetation grows and around his head the resulting growth coils. He grows, experiments and becomes wise.

And you?