Crossing the Threshold

Reciprocal approach time

Entrer en franc-maçonnerie ne fonctionne pas comme l’adhésion à une association. On ne “remplit pas un dossier”, on ne “s’inscrit pas pour l’année”. Il n’y a pas de porte qui s’ouvre immédiatement parce qu’on la pousse. Par contre “frappez et l’on vous ouvrira”. L’entrée se fait par un temps d’approche réciproque. Réciproque veut dire : vous nous approchez, mais nous vous approchons aussi. Nous avons besoin de comprendre qui vient frapper. Et celui ou celle qui frappe a besoin, également, de mesurer ce qu’on lui demande : un engagement qui n’est pas de surface.

This introductory period is not an interrogation. Nor is it a campaign of seduction. It is simply a time to check whether this path is right for you. We are not trying to convince anyone to join at any cost. We are looking for people for whom this practice will be meaningful. You have to accept that this introductory period exists. It may be shorter or longer, but it is part of the dignity of our Order and its history.

Our human and moral requirements

What we are asking for is simple to express but demanding to achieve.

We expect sincerity in our approach.
We expect an ability to respect the dignity of each individual. This includes the ability not to humiliate others or to place oneself above others on intellectual, social, spiritual or professional grounds.
Extremist, ideological or conspiratorial approaches have no place in Freemasonry. We do not welcome anyone who is looking for a space to impose a personal crusade.
Finally, we expect freedom of conscience to be recognised as non-negotiable. Every individual, whether a Sister or a Brother, remains master of their own thoughts and words.

Freemasonry as we practise it

Confronting oneself honestly, over time, which implies personal responsibility. We reject any attempt by one person to exert psychological, spiritual or material control over another. We also reject authoritarian tendencies, even when disguised as lofty ideals. Our Grand Lodge does not serve as a cover for personal power struggles. What we seek to preserve is the possibility for everyone to do real work on themselves in a space where no one uses or manipulates them.

To firmly establish these prerequisites and ensure there is no ambiguity, here is the sworn statement we ask everyone to sign before joining us. It clearly states our values and philosophy :

Statutory declaration

I solemnly declare that I practise the utmost tolerance towards all religious beliefs and political ideals, with the exception of extremes.

I solemnly swear :

not to belong to any party, organisation or group professing a totalitarian ideology, whether of the extreme right or extreme left, nor to any sect that could limit my freedom.

not to belong to any religious denomination of a fanatical or intolerant nature.

I declare that I unreservedly adhere to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (a reference reflecting a specifically French and Continental Masonic framework) and that I profess to practise and defend the fundamental democratic freedoms, which are :

freedom of thought and conscience

freedom of expression

freedom of association

I finally commit myself :

to regard all human beings as my brothers and sisters, regardless of colour, gender, social status, philosophical or religious beliefs.

to practise harmlessness in thought, word and deed as much as possible towards my brothers and sisters and all people, but also to show justice, patience and kindness.

Discretion and initial contact

This work is done in a discreet setting. Discreet does not mean clandestine. Discreet means protected. What is entrusted to our workspace is not immediately exposed to the secular world, because that is not its purpose. It is not a secret designed to impress. It is about protecting a human space. Some things only make sense when experienced where they are experienced. We do not publicly describe what goes on inside our work. We do not turn an initiatory process into a spectacle.

If what we describe here resonates with you — the search for demanding inner work, an approach that is not played out in the public arena, the desire to enter into a framework that demands absolute respect for human dignity — then there is a very simple first step : write to us. Express your motivation and your desire to learn more about our work. From there, we can begin a dialogue, conducted with discretion and respect.