Q: Are you a real order, or fake?

A: We are occasionally asked this question. We are a REAL living Order, composed of individuals meeting regularly, in person, in open Lodge. We have online administration and tuition too, but we prioritise our physical Meetings and rituals. We do not perform virtual Initiations. We are also a registered company. We have heard of these fake orders which only exist as a website (a deception which we wholeheartedly renounce), and we sympathise with the concerns of enquirers. Please rest assured - we exist!

Q: Do you initiate women into your Order?

A: Yes! We are a MIXED Order, and we initiate suitable Candidates of all genders. Our first Most Worshipful Master in the Grand Lodge of the EMO UK was a very experienced female Mason. Women are very welcome to apply, as are persons of all genders and orientations. We believe that a balance of genders in the Lodge is also a balance of Social, Alchemical and Psychological Forces.

Q: I am a Mason of another Obedience - may I join?

A: Certainly! Our Order considers all forms of Masonry to be universal; we welcome Master Masons from other Masonic Obediences to join us, provided they are able to supply certification.

Q: As a Mason of another Obedience, may I join at my current Degree level?

A: This would be at the discretion of the Grand Master General. Occasionally, Brethren well known to us may be permitted to join at their current Degree level, if they are in the Higher Degrees of the AASR, the Rose-Croix, the High Degrees of the French Rite, or from another Rite of Memphis-Mizraim. However, they would need to demonstrate the requisite level of competence in the esoteric and occult mysteries, and will also be expected to study and workshop our Degree system, and to receive training and tutorial in our Alchemical, Astrological and Theurgical Mysteries, in order to practice at the required level, and to ensure that our Mysteries are properly comprehended, faithfully preserved, and correctly transmitted. Each of our Higher Degree Masons must be experts. We are neither "chartermongers", "politicos", nor supporters of "Masonic badge collection".

Q: I am a religious person - may I join?

A: Of course. Masonry is a symbolic, philosophical and spiritual secular pursuit, not a religion; each person may follow their own conscience in all matters of religion and politics. Many different religious beliefs are held by our Members. However, we insist on tolerance, compassion, acceptance and moderation in our Order, and expect nothing less from our Members. We are also mystical, so our Members must have an open mind and heart capable of seeing Divinity in all of its cultural expressions, past and present.

Q: I am an atheist - may I join?

A: Manifestly not. One of the conditions of Membership is a belief, however abstract, in a Divine Principle, Superior Intelligence, or Higher Power, however this may be conceived, through whichever lens of personal conception, philosophy, religion, or faith. Therefore, although an agnostic may be able to join, we do not accept atheists.

Q: I notice you ask your Members to sign an NDA - why is this?

A: We believe that the identity of our Members should be protected, as should our private transmissions and rituals. Many of our Members join privately. We also ask all our honoured Visitors to respect this privacy. However, any Member of the EMO UK may choose to declare their own Membership openly if they choose, as long as they preserve the anonymity of all other current and past Members.

Q: How long does the study take?

A: There is no accurate measurement for this. Some people stay in the Third Degree for much of their life and have no interest in moving to a higher Degree, while others progress very quickly through the Degree system. Generally, one would spend approximately one year in each of the Three Symbolic Degrees, and a similar period in the higher Key Degrees. This may also depend upon the logistics of Lodge Meetings. Study and practice is crucial in the EMO UK, and essential for progress.

Q: What is the difference between Egyptian Masonry and standard Masonry?

A: Both forms of Masonry derive from the same root, but Egyptian Masonry is a mystical and esoteric development of the Continental Masonry of Italy, France and Germany; standard Anglo-Masonry derives from the ritual traditions of the United Grand Lodge of England, which was formed during the period when the Antients and Moderns united their disparate traditions. Continental Masonry tends to be more liberal and political, with greater stylistic variations between Orders, whereas Anglo-Masonry is more uniform, apolitical and conventionalised. Our Egyptian Masonry, and the Rite of Memphis-Misraïm, is more mystical, esoteric and philosophical.

Q: Isn't Memphis-Mizraim just a repackaged version of the Scottish Rite?

Not necessarily; there are significant differences, both liturgical and esoteric. Although the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Mizraim in its current form is derived from the Italian tradition, it has absorbed many High Degree Rites, and contains multiple influences from France, Germany, the UK and other countries. It has elements of the French Rite and the French Ordre de Sagasse, the Scottish Rite, the Royal Arch, the Hermetic Rite of Pernety, Neo-Templarism, Gnosticism, Alchemy and Rosicrucianism. Ultimately, the symbolism and techniques of our Rites are derived from the philosophical, hermetic and gnostic traditions of Greece, Judaea, Italy, Celtic Europe, Chaldaea, Persia, North Africa, and Ancient Egypt; everything that comes after is a recension and reformation of the symbolism of these ancient and venerable cultures.

Q: What about the social aspect of Masonry?

A: We welcome many honoured visitors from other Masonic Orders, and we encourage mutual visitation within the EMO UK. We favour sociability and amity too, but our Order is primarily mystical; we are not "knife and fork" Masons; our focus is on the Great Work, and we consider the Order as a support system, haven and community for those who pursue this difficult task. Our Meetings are more like a family of Initiates than a gentleman's club.

Q: Do you donate to charities?

A: We collect charitable donations at the end of our Lodge meetings as do all other Masonic Lodges, and the proceeds are donated to the chosen charity of the encumbent MWM at the end of the year. Despite our policies on privacy, we consider Charity to be a fundamental Masonic duty.

Q: Why do your Masonic Initiates practise Theurgy?

A: We believe that human beings are Souls having a Physical Experience. We teach Theurgy as a tried and tested method for improving a person's concentration and focus on spiritual and divine matters, loosening the bonds of material attraction and assisting them to draw nearer to their own Spirit and Divine Nature. By Theurgy, the Macrocosm and the Microcosm are aligned and united, through the medium of Nature. This also includes teaching the ancient system of traditional Astrology and Qabalah, as a framework for gleaning analogical, contextual, predictive and essential information. In many ways, the Masonic Degrees themselves are theurgical.

Q: Why do you teach your Masonic Initiates Alchemy?

A: Just as Theurgy transforms the Soul from a lower to a higher awareness, we believe that the Sublime Art of Alchemy (internal and external) can assist the more concrete aspects of the Human Constitution to purge their impurities, and transform their base Metals into pure Philosophical Silver and Gold. It is the comprehension and realisation of the Marriage between Mind and Matter. Alchemy has always been a subject of interest in the Higher Degrees of Masonry.

Q: Do you include the Egyptian Gods in your symbolism?

A: We include the Neteru of Ancient Egypt in our higher Masonic symbolism, as well as other hermetic, rosicrucian, neo-platonic, gnostic, graeco-roman, hebraic-solomonic, qabalistic, alchemical and astrological symbolism drawn from the root cultures of the Western Mystery Tradition. We see the GODS as an ancient expression of the ideal union between Human and Divine Potentials.

Q: What value can an archaic tradition like Freemasonry have for contemporary society?

A: We are living in an age of extreme individualism and social liberty; this is a good thing. However, humans are gregarious by nature, requiring high-quality socialisation and healthy psychological group dynamics to develop. Certain inward comprehension, personal instruction, social skills and empathic abilities unfold more rapidly in harmonious, organised groups. Freemasonry has always attempted to unite science and spirituality, to promote moral regeneration and responsibility, and to grapple with the essential, perennial and experiential aspects of Human Reality.

Q: Will joining an Order mean giving up personal responsibiity for my life path?

A: Joining any reputable Masonic Order doesn't reduce personal responsibility - in fact, it increases it according to the Morality of our teachings - and much of our study and practice outside the Lodge and Sanctuary must be completed alone. Oppressive hierarchy and toxic authoritarianism are things we work hard to avoid, as only an intellectually liberated and emotionally free person can exploit opportunities for self-development and self-realisation. Our Members are encouraged to study, question, research and experience our Sacred Mysteries for themselves.

Q: You're called the EMO UK - do you also operate outside of the British Isles?

A: We operate in Greece, the Caribbean, and the US, and we are working to open up Jurisdictions of our Order in other parts of the world; so we are happy to connect enquirers to the nearest national Jurisdiction, or to assist interested parties in the creation of local Triangles, Lodges, and even of a new national Jurisdiction if required.

Q: What if there are no EMO UK Lodges in my location?

A: Many Members commute some distance to meet in the Lodge, but there is always the possibility of arranging for a Member to open a Masonic Triangle or Just Lodge of our Order in their local area, provided they are a Master Mason, have the right number of Initiated Members, can assemble the necessary items, and have a suitable venue in which to hold the Meetings.

Q: What makes your Order unique?

A: There are other orders of Esoteric Masonry in the world, and we salute them: there is no harm in variety, as it allows for diversity of approach, and allows unity without uniformity. However, we can only speak to our own Order, the EMO UK, and what we offer to our Members. We have a full Masonic Curriculum of study and practice for every Degree. We are able to convey Initiation in several esoteric traditions. We have a competent administration. We have connections with worthy Masons all over the world. We uphold the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity-Sorority. We value privacy and security. We are truly egalitarian in our approach. We encourage diversity, and discourage drama. We value the Great Work above all else. We believe that joy, laughter and good-will are a great medicine. We live by the Principles we teach.  We uphold the principle that all Freemasonry is universal.