Dear Friends,

We feel the following suggestions on HOW TO APPROACH AN ORDER may prove helpful to some of those who are seeking to join any of the Masonic and Esoteric Orders.

For those who do not know these things, we hope this helps you on the road to success.

There are those who already know these things, and practice them; we salute you.

For those who know these things, but fail to practice them - the EYE is upon you.

HOW TO APPROACH AN ORDER:

- An Order and Lodge is a business and an occult society, not merely a social club, so you should be seeking much more than dining, socialising, status and social mobility

- Order administration is always busy, so be prompt and clear in your email responses; please don't expect to be chased up (you should be doing the chasing for such an important opportunity), and remember that YOU are the unknown person, so the Order has a right to expect proof of integrity and dedication

- Please be clear, formal and respectful in your emails and communications from the outset - curtness and brevity always appear arrogant and unprofessional, and verbosity and self-praise give the impression of egotism and insecurity; incoherent waffle is even worse! So, treat your communication with an Order in the same way you would treat a serious job application with a large company

- Lodge and Temple Meetings take weeks of arrangement and rehearsal, running to a tight schedule planned out several years in advance, and Officers have studied long hours to become skilled in their roles as Initiators, so be prompt, be respectful, be present, and be serious about your chosen Path

- The Senior Officers, Lodge Masters, PMs, Sages, Grand Priors, Secretaries, Hierophants and Grand Masters are in those roles for a reason; ALWAYS respect the role, even when you know the person well

- Members of an Order are always carefully selected, and acceptance is not guaranteed, so don't procrastinate, cavil or equivocate before, during or after Interview, and never disappoint an Order which has accepted you

- To be clear: if the business of family, profession, health or unavoidable delay keeps you away from any Meeting, or you have too much to manage (we all know life sometimes clusters with events), this is always forgiveable; but you must inform the Order and Lodge at the earliest possible convenience

- All Orders have a Dues and Fees system to keep things up and running, like any business; so pay your Dues and Fees in full, on time, and with gratitude (because the Order and Lodge are arranging all of this so you don't have to, and the Membership benefits are rare, and therefore of high-value)

- All Masonic and Esoteric Orders are more connected than may first appear on the surface, so any rudeness, impropriety or abuse is most unwise

- Sometimes we need to change paths and organisations to find the people and practices that fit us best, but constant hopping from Order to Order, or Lodge to Lodge, without clear reasons, will arouse a justifiable suspicion

- An Order is there for ALL, and not just for YOU; so do not apply to join ANY Order unless you are willing to: fulfil your commitments (even from before the Interview stage), turn up to every Meeting to which you are summoned, pay your Dues, be respectful to other Members, remain loyal to your Oaths and to the Leaders and Seniors, study and practice to attain competence, and contribute wholeheartedly to the Works

- Even with an Order such as ours - where there is a great deal of ritual, material and study - you still get out of Masonry and Esotericism whatever you put in; dedication, punctuality, good-will and excellence are still the best ways to show appreciation for the trust an Order or Lodge has placed in you as a Member

- Solitary study will always be necessary, even in an Order or Lodge

- The phenomenon of the Egregore is something which cannot be underestimated

- Kindness, forbearance, enthusiasm and humility are not weaknesses, unless viewed through the eyes of sociopathy

- Accept the fact that human organisations will always be imperfect, but they cannot achieve relative excellence without your personal assistance; don't complain, contribute!

- Don't seek out Badges, Honours or Higher Degrees; let them seek you out, and find you; have patience, and remember that ambition should always be 1/4 in ratio to generosity, and curiosity always 1/3 in ratio to wonder and gratitude

Grand Master

EMO UK