Fraternity
Freemasonry
The world’s largest fraternal order, whose graded initiations and symbolism seeded the modern esoteric societies.
Fraternity · Founded 1,717 · London, England (first Grand Lodge) · Active today
Founded by (Premier Grand Lodge of England, 1717) — Premier Grand Lodge of England founded 1717; lodge traditions are older.
What it was
Modern Freemasonry organised itself with the founding of the Premier Grand Lodge of England in London in 1717, though its lodge traditions and craft symbolism are older. A fraternal order of moral and philosophical instruction conveyed through ritual and allegory, it is not itself an occult school — but its degree structure, secrecy and symbolism became the working template for the Rosicrucian orders, the Golden Dawn and the O.T.O.
Its place in the lineage
Freemasonry is the structural ancestor of the Western initiatory orders: several founders in this Atlas were Masons who built their magical societies on the Masonic model.
The circle · 5 in the Atlas
Each star is a teacher; colour marks how they were tied to the order. Tap a star to open them.
