Elias Ashmole, alchemy, and 23 episodes you may have missed
Episode 41 is a throwback recorded in support of Esotericism in Freemasonry Conference 2022, and it holds up. Grand Lodge of Washington State brother Richard Harris joins me to talk about Elias Ashmo…
Episode 41 is a throwback recorded in support of Esotericism in Freemasonry Conference 2022, and it holds up. Grand Lodge of Washington State brother Richard Harris joins me to talk about Elias Ashmole, the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, and the cross-currents between alchemy, Rosicrucianism, and the early Craft. Richard is the kind of guest who has actually read the five-volume biography, and it shows.
Also in this issue: we've released 23 episodes so far this year and there is a lot of good material in the catalog if you haven't had a chance to dig in. A few highlights worth your time are below.
New Episode
Episode 41: Elias Ashmole, Initiation, and Freemasonry
w/ Bro. Richard Harris | Throwback Episode | EFC 2022
Richard Harris is a member of Esoterica Lodge No. 316 in Seattle, a student of alchemical history, and someone who came to Masonry through Jung, John Dee, and a five-volume set he probably shouldn't have agreed to read. In this conversation we cover who Ashmole actually was, why Newton used the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum as a laboratory handbook, how Rosicrucianism threads through the early Craft, and what the checkerboard floor might be hiding in plain sight.
In Case You Missed It
We've put out 23 episodes so far this year and the catalog is worth exploring. A few that stand out:
Constructing Yourself with "The Tarot Architect"
Bro. Lon Milo DuQuette | Episode 31
Our EFC 2026 keynote speaker in conversation. If you haven't met Lon yet, start here.
"The Life and Death of John Yarker"
Bro. David Harrison | Episode 35
The Victorian Freemason who left mainstream Masonry to go deeper. A conversation about fringe rites, esoteric history, and why the tension between mainstream and esoteric Masonry may be worse now than in Yarker's time.
The Writing of "The Secret School of Wisdom"
Bro. Josef Wages | Episode 37
The five-year project behind one of the most important Masonic source books of the last decade. Wages traces how he assembled the actual rituals and doctrines of the Illuminati, reading Kurrent cursive off microfilm and buying rare 18th-century German books a hundred dollars at a time.
The full catalog is at mystictye.com/episodes. Follow the show on your platform of choice so new episodes land automatically.
Upcoming Events
Esotericism in Freemasonry Conference 2026
Saturday September 19th | Ballard Masonic Centre, 2006 NW Market St, Seattle, WA
Keynote: Br. Lon Milo DuQuette on "The Tarot Architect"
Also appearing: Br. Ike Baker on "Catechism in the House of Life"
$50 · Brethren and Invited Guests Only. Business casual dress.
Tickets and full details are now available at the conference website.
We are looking to create a directory of Freemasonic events and publications. If you are aware of something coming up please let me know by email. In the meantime check out the Masonic Conferences website.
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