Information About The International Order of Gnostic Templars Table of Contents 1. How Can the IOGT Help You 2. The Difference between the IOGT and Other Templar Orders 3. The Future Research of the IOGT 4. The Headquarters of the IOGT 5. The History of the IOGT 6. The IOGT and Alchemy 7. The IOGT and the Goddess Tradition 8. The IOGT and the Holy Grail Lineage 9. The IOGT and the Johannites 10. The IOGT and the Gnostic Rites of the Templars 11. The Levels and Curriculum of the IOGT 12. The Patrons and Patronesses of the IOGT 13. The Sinclairs and the IOGT 14. The Symbol of the IOGT 1. How Can the IOGT Help You The IOGT is designed to assist you in many ways. Here are a few: The IOGT is a program to make you into a Gnostic Warrior; it provides a curriculum designed to help you transcend fear and give you all the inner and outer tools necessary to meet all of life's challenges. The IOGT assists in leading you to the goal of human existence, the intuitive "Gnostic" wisdom of who you REALLY are and what life and the universe are REALLY all about. This wisdom is latent within all humans. The IOGT helps you to awaken and develop an intuitive link to the ever present guidance coming from your Higher Self. Then, rather than there always being two or more answers to your questions, there will be only one…and you will feel it in the core of your being. The IOGT is a fraternal organization designed to be inter-supportive. Each member agrees to assist and support every other member when needed. You can give and receive assistance from your brothers and sisters in the organization any place in the world. The IOGT will give you both theoretical spiritual knowledge through study of many of the major spiritual traditions and ideologies of the world, as well as direct personal experience of the Divine. Both are necessary for spiritual growth. The IOGT consists of professionals who will teach you Alchemy, Gnosticism, Yoga, Martial Arts, Tai Chi, Natural Healing, and advanced meditation techniques. The IOGT is a service organization through which you can serve all humanity. The IOGT has many outreach programs to serve humanity, and its long term goal is to help instigate and formulate a union of East and West spiritual traditions into a one-world planetary spirituality. The IOGT will help reveal the hidden history of planet Earth to you, thus giving you perspective as to where we are now as a planetary culture and where we are headed. TOP 2. The Difference between the IOGT and Other Templar Orders The principal difference between the IOGT and other contemporary Templar Orders is reflected in the rites, practices and studies taught within the IOGT which are designed to awaken and stabilize the Gnostic experience within each member of the Order. Each Templar order is founded upon continuing some element of the early Templars, such as protecting pilgrims coming and going from the Holy Land. This has been one of the raison d'etres of the SMOTJ. The IOGT was founded to revive the Gnostic practices and ideologies of the original Templars and to complete their long range goal of uniting East and West spiritual traditions into a planetary spirituality. TOP 3. The Future Research of the IOGT The future research of the IOGT certainly involves uncovering the Gnostic rites and practices that the original Knights Templar were involved in. Such investigation could involve a study of the Middle Eastern Gnostic sects that were in existence during the time of the Templars, such as the Sufis and Johannites, and exactly what the Knights learned from them. Another area of research includes an indepth investigation of and the gathering of conclusive evidence regarding the existence of the Holy Grail or Johannite lineage that the Templars were initiated into in the Holy Land. This area of research couls ultimately prove that: 1. There was a spiritual lineage of Masters going back thousands of years that began in the Far East and then moved West. Thus, there is an ancient link that unites the East and West. 2. Jesus Christ was one of many Masters in a long lineage and was, therefore not the One and Only Son of God. Each Master was a Son of God in his or her own right. 3. John the Apostle and Mary Magdalene were the true successors of Jesus Christ and not St. Paul. Another area of research will be dedicated to uncovering and documenting the origin of the legend of the King of the World from the Far East. This legend was brought West and became distorted and misunderstood as the legend of the evil Lucifer. The result of this area of research could be to replace the distorted western legend with its eastern original and thereby dramatically alter and expand the consciousness of much of our planet's population whose thoughts and emotions are controlled by a bogus myth. Finally, we are committed in the IOGT to investigating where the treasures of the ancient Templars were hidden. We believe that some of these treasures, which includes scrolls and documents, reveal information that is destined to come out during the present age. TOP 4. The Headquarters of the IOGT The IOGT currently has two world headquarters, one at Noss Head in northern Scotland and the other at Sedona, Arizona. The Prince Henry St. Clair Preceptory and Clan Sinclair Study Center in Noss Head (near Wick) is our International Headquarters. This Scottish Knight Templars Preceptory, which is also the home of our International Grand Prior, Ian Sinclair and his wife Joan, sits upon a promontory and overlooks the North Sea. The compound surrounds a lighthouse and consists of the Templar Preceptory, Ian and Joan's home - which also houses a vast Sinclair/Templar library donated by Niven Sinclair - and a cottage for visitors. About 200 yards away from the compound is Sinclair-Girnigoe Castle, a castle built in the 14th-15th centuries by the Sinclairs, which could contain some ancient, possibly Templar, treasures. This castle, which has recently acquired World Monument status, which is the same status as the Great Wall of China, is currently being excavated and restored and will eventually be open to the public. St. Johns Knights Templar Preceptory in Sedona, Arizona is our North American headquarters run by our North American Commanders, Grand Prior Mark Amaru Pinkham and his wife, Grand Prioress Andrea Mikana-Pinkham. Sedona was chosen to be the home of the North American Headquarters because its stimulating red rock and underlying vortexual power is conducive to the activation of the inner evolutionary power of Kundalini, which stimulates the process of internal alchemy and engenders Gnostic Consciousness. During events at our Sedona Preceptory activities often take place both at St. Johns Preceptory and at one of the four main vortexes of Sedona. TOP 5. The History of the IOGT The International Order of Gnostic Templars was founded in 2004 to revive the ancient Gnostic rites of the original Knights Templar, as well as for the purpose of establishing an order with equal membership of both men and women. With the assistance of Laird Ian Sinclair, Knight Templar Priest and former Preceptor of the Militi Templi Scotia, Mark Amaru Pinkham KGCTpl, and Andrea Mikana-Pinkham KGCTpl, a Templar order suited for the humanity of the 21st Century took birth at the Prince Henry St. Clair Preceptory at Noss Head, Scotland in July, 2004. TOP 6. The IOGT and Alchemy We incorporate many forms of alchemy into the curriculum of the IOGT. Strickly speaking, Alchemy is any practice that sets in motion the process of transformation within a person or object. Thus, anything from chemistry to psychotherapy to meditation can qualify as alchemy. We incorporate psychotherapy and meditation into our IOGT alchemical catechism as well as Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi, fasting and Vision Quests, Mantra repetition, and reception of the Holy Spirit. Alchemy and Gnosticism are, basically, two sides of the self-same coin. They are inter-supportive and each leads to the other. Thus, within a Gnostic sect such as the IOGT, Alchemy becomes imperative. Of course, a Gnostic Templar can have flashes of Gnostic awareness without going through an intensive alchemical process, but an alchemical transformation is necessary to permanently stabilize this expansive awareness in the normally dense physical body. Another way of understanding the relationship between Alchemy and Gnosticism was anciently set forth by the Gnostic sects, who recognized the Serpent on the Tree in the Garden of Eden as the first teacher of their path of Gnosticism. The legendary Serpent on the Tree was, for the Gnostics, a metaphor for the alchemical force of Kundalini in the human body, which normally lies dormant at the base of the human spine. They knew that the true path of Gnosticism begins with its awakening. TOP 7. The IOGT and the Goddess Tradition The International Order of Gnostic Templars is descended from the ancient Goddess Tradition. The Templars essentially "married" into the Goddess Tradition when their first Grand Master, Hughes de Payen, became Grand Master of a Holy Grail lineage of Grand Masters that had anciently emerged out of the Goddess Tradition on Sri Lanka. Then, for many hundreds of years following Hughes' initiation, the Knights Templar were aligned to the Goddess Tradition by virtue of being caretakers of this very ancient lineage. It was not until the mid 1800s that the Holy Grail Mysteries were officially expunged from Templarism and the Order became more of a military and charitable organization. According to the esoteric wisdom of Theosophy and other movements which have emerged from the East, many lineages of Grand Masters were founded by the Kumaras, the Sons of God, during a time when Sri Lanka and India were part of a very large continent that stretched across the Pacific. Known as Lemuria, Mu, Kumari Nadu, Hiva, and Hawaii-ti-Hawaii by the pan-Pacific peaples who remember it in their records, this entire continent was the true Garden of Eden, even though today only a portion of it, Sri Lanka, is given that distinction. It was on the Pacific continent that the Siddha Marga, the path to enlightenment, was first taught by the Sons of God. The path of the Siddha Marga is part of the ancient Goddess Tradition because it culminates in the awakening of the Goddess as the coiled up serpentine Kundalini at the base of the spine. The leader of the Sons of God, Sanat Kumara, is today recognized as the founder of the Great White Brotherhood because more than the other Kumaras, it was he who founded the various lineages of Grand Masters - and the secret wisdom taken around the globe by these Masters became the foundation of the teachings of the Great White Brotherhood. Sanat Kumara is the original Son of the Goddess who was worshipped in ancient cultures as Tammuz and Dionysus. One of the lineages of Grand Masters founded by Sanat Kumara went west from Sri Lanka and eventually became assimilated into the Egyptian, Sumerian, Persian and finally Jewish Essene culture. This is the Holy Grail or Johannite Lineage of Grand Masters. The Masters of this lineage were known as the Nasurai and part of the Mandean tribe, which today still exists along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in southern Iraq. When they merged with the Essene culture of the Jews the Nasurai evolved into the Nazarenes, a sect of the Essenes. It was within this sect that two Mandean Nasurai were born, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. John the Baptist became a Grand Master of the Holy Grail lineage and later passed on the office to Jesus, who in turn passed it to John the Apostle and Mary Magdalene. After John the Apostle the Holy Grail Lineage passed down a lineage of Masters all of who assumed the title of "John," which was not a name but a title meaning "He of Gnostic Power and Wisdom." When the Knights Templars were formed in the Holy Land the ruling "John" was the Grand Master Theoclete. The Templars became part of this lineage when Theoclete eventually made Hughes de Payen, the first Templar Grand Master, the Grand Master of the Holy Grail Lineage. After that, the power and wisdom of the lineage was passed down among the Grand Master Templars. TOP 8. The IOGT and the Holy Grail Lineage The Holy Grail Lineage is another name for the Johannite Lineage, which is a lineage of Gnostic adepts that the Knights Templar were initiated into while stationed in the Holy Land. This lineage remained synonymous with the Templars until the mid-1800s, when the Order split to produce a purely military and charitable organization and what eventually became the Johannite Church. The IOGT was formed to reunite Templarism with its rightful Holy Grail heritage. The Holy Grail Lineage comes by the name "Holy Grail" because of the Gnostic adepts who serve as its lineage heads. Each one of these adepts is a vessel or chalice full of the alchemical power of the Holy Grail, known among the ancient Sumerians as the "Water of Life," and by other sects of the Middle East as the Holy Spirit. Once this power is transmitted by a Grand Master into a disciple it begins within that person the process of alchemical unfoldment. Ultimately, it goes to awaken the normally dormant Kundalini "Serpent Power" at the base of the spine, which then continues the process of alchemical unfoldment night and day until the disciple achieves Gnostic awareness. TOP 9. The IOGT and the Johannites The International Order of Gnostic Templars owes its existence to a lineage of spiritual masters that the Knights Templar were initiated into in the Holy Land known as the Johannite and Holy Grail Lineage. Soon after the Knights Templars were formed in 1118, the first Grand Master of the Order, Hughes de Payen, also became Grand Master of the Johannite lineage via an initiation by the acting head of the lineage, the Patriarch Theoclete of Jerusalem. The lineage was known as the Johannite Lineage because all its Grand Masters, including Theoclete, acquired the title of "John" during their tenures in office. The name John can be traced back to the founder of the Johannite Lineage in the West, John the Baptist, and his descendant in the lineage, John the Apostle. But it can also be trace back to Sri Lanka, the island in the Indian Ocean that is recognized as the ancient home of the founder of the Johannite Lineage, a semi-mythical Master known as Sanat Kumara, Murrugan, Karttikeya, and Skanda. Another name of this Master is Jnana (pronounced Yahna) Pandita, the Lord and Teacher of Gnostic Wisdom. It appears that after the Johannite Lineage was taken west by a series of adepts known as the Mandean Nasurai the name Jnana eventually transformed into the Aramaic Yahya, the Hebrew Yohanan, and eventually the English John. Following the anointing of Hughes de Payen as Grand Master of the Johannite Lineage each Knight Templar Grand Master who followed him also assumed the title "John." One legend claims that an organization known as the Prior of Sion was part of the Templar Order at its inception but split off from it after 1188. The separated Prior of Sion then continued the tradition of calling its Grand Masters "John," which later included Leonardo De Vinci who assumed the title of John IX. It is interesting to note that the word "Sion" is "John" in the Welsh Language, so from one perspective the Priory of Sion was the Priory of John. TOP 10. The IOGT and the Gnostic Rites of the Templars The IOGT was founded to revive the original Gnostic Rites of the Templars. Such rites are embedded and encoded into the literature of the Templars, such as the Holy Grail Legends of King Arthur and Parzival that were authored in the 13th and 14th Centuries, as well as the rites and practices of Freemasonry, an organization that Templarism merged with following its dissolution in the 14th Century. The rites of the Rose Croix Degrees of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry are, for example, believed to be based upon the Gnostic rites of the early Templars, as is the 13th Degrees of the York Rite, which is appropriately named the degree of Knight Templar. Other modern-day orders who claim that their Gnostic rites have been passed down from the Knights Templar include the OTO. One of our goals in the IOGT is to research Freemasonry ritual, as well as any remaining ancient records and manuscripts descended from the Templars, in order to determine the exact shape and form of the Knights' Gnostic rituals - or at least come as close to doing so as possible. Through research of the Holy Grail Lineage the Templars were initiated into in the Holy Land we also expect to acquire information regarding their early Gnostic rites. TOP 11. The Levels and Curriculum of the IOGT 1st Level: Squire and Lady in Waiting At this entry level an IOGT initiate dedicates him or herself to a broad-based academic curriculum and spiritual practices designed to move the serpentine Kundalini, the inner evolutionary power that normally lies dormant at the base of the spine but when awakened activates and develops Gnostic consciousness. An extensive academic training is essential at this level in order to prepare Squires and Ladies to move to the next level of Templar and Lady Knight, where they will be in a position to teach within the IOGT and introduce our Order to the general public. Symbol of the 1st Level: A Holy Chalice encoiled within the body of a snake Patrons of 1st Level: John the Apostle, Mary Magdalene, & Goddess Venus Holy Grails: The Holy Chalice and the Holy "Stone of Heaven" Curriculum There are four components of study in the 1st level: Knight Templar and Sinclair History The study & practice of Gnosticism & Alchemy The study of the Goddess Tradition The study of natural healing 2nd Level: Lady and Knight Templar At the second level of the IOGT an initiate learns to become a Gnostic Warrior. He or she becomes equipped with all the outer and inner weapons and tools that are needed to meet all of life's challenges. He or she learns to transcend fear and begin to exist in a Gnostic state of spontaneity, wisdom, and love. A Lady and Knight Templar is a teacher within the IOGT, both to members of the Order and the world at large, where they have the opportunity to share the principles and wisdom of the Templars and the IOGT with others. They teach both by word and example, and they dedicate themselves to supporting their Fisher King and/or Queen. Symbols of the 2nd Level: The Jaguar, Puma, or Lion; the 8 pointed cross Patrons of the 2nd Level: Sanat Kumara, St. George, St. Michael, Joan of Arc Holy Grails: The Holy Sword (and Chalice and Stone) Curriculum There are four components of study in the 2nd Level: Martial Arts, Sacred Movement Vision Quests, transcending fear Study of tools for mastering life Gnostic practice/Meditation 3rd Level: Fisher King and Queen At the third level an IOGT initiate is authorized to establish his or her Preceptory or Grail Castle, wherein he or she can conduct IOGT meetings attended by the local Squires/Ladies in Waiting and Lady and Knight Templars. The Fisher King or Queen leads the rites and teaches the curriculum of the IOGT within his or her Preceptory. The Fisher King and Queen is also authorized to initiate new members into the 1st Level of the IOGT as Squires and Ladies in Waiting. Fisher Kings and Queens also work to spread the message of the IOGT and assist in the Order's development around the globe. They are authorized to teach IOGT subjects and themes to the general public. They work under the guidance of the Grand Prior and Prioress. Symbol of the 3rd Level: The Eagle/Condor; Crown; Lance; Castle Patrons of the 3rd Level: Goddess Venus, Sanat Kumara Holy Grails: The Holy Lance (And Chalice, Stone and Sword) Curriculum There are four components of study in the 3rd Level: Meditation and Mantras The Study of Ritual Learning to use intuition Gnostic study & practice 4th Level: Grand Prior and Prioress At the 4th Level of Grand Prior and Prioress the IOGT initiate ascends to the highest level of the Order and become its public face, elder, mediator, and initiator. The Grand Prior and Prioress are the High Priest and Priestess of the IOGT and represent the ancient Holy Grail Lineage in the 21st Century. They oversee the ceremonial rites at all large IOGT gatherings and are authorized to bestow the offices of Squire and Lady in Waiting, Knight and Lady Templar, and Fisher King and Queen upon those worthy of advancement. Symbol of the 4th Level: The Cross of Lorraine Patrons of the 4th Level: The Grand Masters of the Holy Grail Lineage, The Grand Master Templars, the Grand Master Sinclairs TOP 12. The Patrons and Patronesses of the IOGT The Patrons and Patronesses of the IOGT are generally those entities who have some relationship to the Holy Grail Lineage the Templars were initiated into or they embody the principles of a warrior which the Templar Knights have, throughout history, sought to emulate. IOGT Patrons and Patronesses of the Holy Grail Lineage Sanat Kumara - The leader of the Kumaras, or Sons of God, Sanat Kumara is the ancient Kundalini Master who founded the Holy Grail Lineage. In other traditions Sanat Kumara, who is also known by the Hindus as Karttikeya, Skanda, Subramaniya, and Murrugan, is known as Dionysus, Osiris, Tammuz, and Quetzlcoatl. The main temples of Sanat Kumara are in south India and at Kataragama on Sri Lanka. John the Baptist - The founder of the Holy Grail Lineage in the west. John the Baptist was born into the sect of the Mandean Nasurai after they had merged with the Jewish Essenes and founded the Essene sect of the Nazarenes. Jesus Christ - Jesus succeeded John the Baptist as Grand Master of the Holy Grail Lineage. Jesus was born into the sect of Essenes known as the Nasarenes or Nazarenes. Jesus is recognized by the Mandeans as one of their ancient Nasurai. John the Apostle - John succeeded Jesus as Grand Master of the Holy Grail Lineage. John's symbol, the chalice engulfed in the coils of a serpent, is an ancient symbol of the Holy Grail Masters. John was initially trained for his calling as Grand Master by the western patriarch of the Holy Grail Lineage, John the Baptist. Mary Magdalene - Mary and her brother disciple, John the Apostle, who the only disciples at the foot of the cross, received the power and wisdom of the Lineage when it was transmitted to them during Jesus' last breath. Afterwards, John and Mary became patron and patroness of many Gnostic sects. The Grand Master Templars - Each Grand Master of the Knights Templar received the power and wisdom of the Holy Grail Lineage form his predecessor and then passed it to his successor. Saint Germain - St. Germain was a Grand Master of the Holy Grail Lineage when, in the 18th Century, the Templar Order was taken into Germany to become the Brethren of St. John or the Strict Observance. The Sinclair Grand Masters - The Sinclairs received a special dispensation of the power and wisdom of the Holy Grail Lineage when Grand Master Hughes de Payen married Catherine St. Clair. The Sinclairs also received the Gnostic power of the lineage when they were Grand Masters of the Guilds and Crafts - and later Grand Masters of the Scottish Freemasons - when Templarism was assimilated into Scottish Freemasonry in Scotland. Some of these Sinclair Grand Masters are entombed in full armor under Rosslyn Chapel. IOGT Warrior Patrons and Patronesses Sanat Kumara - Sanat Kumara is also a patron of Templar warriors by virtue of being the patron of the planetary Kshatriya Caste, which includes all warriors worldwide and the kings and queens (or presidents) who govern them. He is also the patron of all the martial arts. As Karttikeya, Sanat Kumara is known as the Commander of the Celestial Army of Shiva. He is also known as Murrugan, the King of Kings, and rules the world for his mother and father, Shiva and Shakti, from an etheric dimension. Saint Michael - St. Michael is Sanat Kumara's counterpart in the Christian tradition, where he is known as the Commander of the Angelic Hosts and the Army of God. St. Michael is best known as the celestial archangel who fights for justice and righteousness throughout the universe. Saint George - The mythical St. George is a bridge between Sanat Kumara and St. Michael. St. George is often referred to as St. Michael's reflection on Earth, and therefore synonymous with his angelic counterpart. He is also stated to be an embodiment of the Green Man, the ancient Son of the Goddess, which Sanat Kumara is. St. George is synonymous with the Sufi Al-Khadir, the Green Man, who in turn is synonymous with Sanat Kumara. The name George comes from Geo, meaning the Earth, or the Earth Man. Joan of Arc - Joan of Arc is the patron saint of all female warriors. Joan reestablished righteousness in the west by saving France from becoming annexed to England by the country's empire building monarchs. IOGT Patroness of Fisher Kings and Queens The Goddess Venus - Goddess Venus is patroness of all royal lineages. In Sumerian mythology She was given this distinction by Lord Enki. She married and gave birth to all Sumerian/Babylonian Kings, who were incarnations of Her Son, Tammuz. According to the esoteric wisdom of the Theosophists and others, Venus was also the "mother" of all royal lineages through the Sons of God who cam from Her planet and established the original lineages of priest kings. Goddes Venus, whose celestial orb is also the Patroness of Alchemy and Her planet is often referred to as the Star of Alchemy. Alchemy involves the science of bringing together the polarity and Venus brings together the opposites through passionate attraction, as well as love. She bestowed traditional alchemical practices upon humanity via Her Sons, the Sons of God, and their leader, Sanat Kumara, who is the Hindu counterpart of the Sumerian/Babylonian Tammuz. She manifests in the alchemical rites of the IOGT as the Holy Stone of Heaven, a meteorite, which represents Venus when She fell into the Mediterranean Sea as the flaming genitals of Uranus and then emerged as the breathtaking Goddess of Love. TOP 13. The Sinclairs and the IOGT Since its inception the IOGT has been allied with Clan Sinclair of Scotland. Laird Ian Sinclair, our International Grand Prior, is one of the founding members of our Order. Our international headquarters in Scotland is the Prince Henry St. Clair Preceptory and Clan Sinclair Study Center which is located on Ian's land in Noss Head, Scotland. Another important Scottish location for members of the IOGT is Rosslyn Chapel, which was built by Earl William Sinclair in 1446 as a tomb for the Sinclairs and as a reliquary for Templar treasure. We are also aligned with other members of Clan Sinclair; the popular author Andrew Sinclair is a member of The Scottish Knight Templars, of which we are a division, and we consider Niven Sinclair to be a guide and patron of our Order. TOP 14. The Symbol of the IOGT The symbol of the IOGT consists of a shield with a Sinclair Engrailed Cross superimposed upon a red Maltese Cross. It denotes affiliation to Order's affiliation to Clan Sinclair and the Goddess Tradition. The Sinclair Engrailed Cross has been referred to as being symbolic of the Holy Grail, which the Sinclairs have been called the caretakers of Rosslyn Chapel, which was built by Clan Sinclair in the 1400's, is itself a Holy Grail since it was made to generate the alchemical power of transformation. The Chapel may also be the home of certain Holy Grail manifestations, including the Cup of Christ and the Head of John the Baptist. On closer examination the engrailed cross reveals that that there are scallops on both side of the cross beams. According to some, the scallops on one side of the beams denote the male principle and those on the other side denote the female principle. Those who understand the Holy Grail and the alchemical power it generates know that this power is the product of uniting the male and female principles. The scallops have also been associated with the pilgrimage route once used by the Knights Templar that begins in Santiago de Compostella in Spain and ends at Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland. A pilgrim moving to the cathedrals along this route would carry a scalloped seashell with him that he had acquired at Santiago de Compostella. The seashell would be used for baptismal rites at the various cathedrals. The four arms of the engrailed cross have also been referred to as the four rivers that flow out of the Garden of Eden. Rosslyn Chapel has been referred to as the Garden of Eden in stone. The Maltese Cross acquired its name when the Knights of St. John had their headquarters on Malta. Throughout its history the Maltese Cross has been a symbol of both the Knights Templar and Knights of St. John. Its eight points have been said to represent the eight beatitudes, but an eight pointed star or cross was venerated in the Middle East as a form of the Goddess thousands of years before the time of Christ. For this reason, many speculate that the adoption of the cross signified an affiliation that the knighted orders had to the Goddess and Her ancient spiritual tradition. The star of eight points preceded the five pointed star on the Moslem flag. It is also an alchemical symbol, eight being associated with the planet Venus, the Star of Alchemy, as well as the number of the union of the polarity as Heaven and Earth. The Arabic numeral 8 suggests this union: two circles (or worlds) united. Eight is also the ancient number of Thoth-Hermes, the Lord of Alchemy in both the Egyptian and Greek traditions. Therefore, utilization of this cross could also point to an association that the knighted orders had to alchemy, an art they may have studied with the Sufis during their time in the Middle East. TOP

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