The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols 251
mosaics [...] obviously represent the earth - not the whole world so much, as the
part of it on which their interest centers, their fields. But with it are represented
the clouds, rain, lightning, the cardinal points, and last the growing and blooming
vegetation." 712
Sand mosaic used in the Powamu ceremonies by the Oraibi Hopi Indians
(The four bars of the interior square represent the four cardinal points of the compass, while the
circular diagrams represent squash blossoms and the spots other flowers. The semi-circles at the
bottom are conventional clouds dropping rain.)
"Holy grounds," sacred marches, and ritualistic ceremonies within an
enclosure are found not only in antiquity. They are also prevalent in the chivalry
of royal courts of the Middle Ages, some ceremonies having been preserved
even until today. They can be found in the Celtic culture, in Europe, in Asia
(especially in India and Tibet). These travels and circumambulations are not
intrinsically of Masonic nature but preexisted independently as cultural
elements. Masonry adopted them for its needs: "[w]e must beware of seeing
Freemasonry wherever we find circumambulation, ritual steps and turning to the
four cardinal points; for it must always be remembered that Freemasonry is not
the genus, but the species, or even only a variety of the species. We may interpret
the Masonic usage in the light of the rest of the material but not vice versa." 713
712 Ibid.
713 TRMC, p. 185.