Part 1 of 2 parts
Caution: this essay concerns Freemasonry, and is reserved for Master Masons only.

Part 1: What, In The Universe, Is Esoteric Tiling?
(or How The Exoteric-Apprentice-Tiler Becomes The Esoteric-Master-Tiler)
by Fratre Gerard T. Lyle Jr, (Tom) IV SRICF AZ College

	My brothers, there is enthusiastically-inspiring Esoteric news and there is enthusiastically-challenging Esoteric news. The inspiring  news is that positive Esoteric paths (positively used) such as Kaballa, Alchemy, Yoga, and Rosicrucianism are real and always waiting for good men. The challenging news is that the price of entry to these and all esoteric groups which lead to the Hierarchy of Light (God and his helpers) is to become an Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler. So put on your apron and grab your working tools, for we are going on an expedition to explore the hidden mysteries of Esoteric Tiling. 
	Our first step, if we aspire to be the sharpest barb on the wire, will follow the wise ones and briefly define our necessary terms which are Tiler, Esoteric, and Exoteric. According to Mackey1, a Tiler is "An officer of a Symbolic Lodge, whose duty is to guard the door of the Lodge, and to permit no one to pass in who is not duly qualified, and who has not the permission of the Master. This is a very important office... it is evident that there never could have been a meeting of Freemasons for Masonic purposes, unless a Tiler had been present to guard the Lodge from intrusion." It is useful to note here that Mackey uses the term symbolic when referring to the Freemasonic Lodge.
	Esoteric2 is: "understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest: like the Esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras." Exoteric2 means: suitable for or communicated to the general public." Our next step, is to briefly glimpse (yet deeply reverence) the advice of King Solomon3 concerning the exoteric behavior of those we Tile against.

Solomon's Advice Against The Invitation Of Sinful Men

	"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, "Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse": My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. So are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain... " Thus spoke Solomon, one of the wisest and most powerful men of the distant past. Now let us ask a question related to another brother, who, during his time on the planet, became the most powerful man in the modern world, and who Tiled Exoterically on a grand scale.
Is There An Upper Limit To Exoteric Tiling?

	On May 18, 1959, "M.W.Br. Harry Truman7 was presented with a fifty-year award, the only U.S. President to reach that golden anniversary in Freemasonry." In addition to being the 97th Grand Master of Masons in Missouri, and 33rd President of the United States, perhaps he may serve us here to illustrate higher Exoteric-Tiling as follows. "On this December 7, 1952, the 11th anniversary of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, I wish to call to your attention the fact that an attack of this nature can happen again. Because of the immense destructive power of the atomic bomb we must maintain vigilance so that our cities and our industries will be less vulnerable to devastating attack. The foremost reason why "Operation Skywatch" is carried on day and night is to have in being an organization capable of detecting low-flying aircraft that have avoided detection by our radar warning system and thus to prevent a surprise attack upon our country. I therefore call upon all citizens who reside in communities which have been designated as possible enemy air approach areas to volunteer their services for this vital task7."
	The cornerstone of King Solomon's, and president Truman's advice is painfully obvious in the exoteric history of humanity. The vast majority of Man's actions have fully established that we gravitate toward pleasure and avoid pain. The Scottish Philosopher David Hume4 (1711-1776), echoing Plato's Timaeus, emphasizes this as follows. "There is implanted in the human mind a perception of pain and pleasure as the chief spring and moving principal of all actions." Thomas Jefferson4 agrees. In his 1786 letter to Mrs. Cosway he says, "The art of life is the avoidance of pain."
	 My brothers, many of our greatest thinkers have shared this most profound lesson of life, and have warned as well, that we are not good judges of pleasure. This is well known in many ways, yet it seems the magnet of pleasure is so strong that we can know about it, even write books and make films about it, and yet, moments later, succumb to one of its many "appealing" aspects. Our challenge with pleasure ranges from the physical with its objects of our five senses, to the emotional, mental and yes, to the psychic realm. The down side of these pleasures have been told countless times from biblical stories, (such as Solomon's) to fairy tales and the most dramatic novels and films. The upside of pleasure, which all serious Masons know and pursue, is beauty: our symbolic station in the South and, as well, one of the three pillars of Freemasonry. The dictionary2 shares that beauty is intense pleasure, and that joy (happiness) is great delight and (keen pleasure).  Well, by now, many may be scratching their heads and asking themselves this very relevant question.

Why Are We Focusing On Pleasure?

	So what, in the universe, does pleasure have to do with the Esotericism of Tiling (of both the physical Masonic Temple as well as our own personal temple of self)? You may remember the saying that it is not money that is the root of all evil, but rather the love of money. So too, it is not pleasure precisely, but rather our desire for pleasure that is a distraction from the focus (and thereby the function) of the Tiler.
	My brothers, the basic Esoteric aspect of Tiling is actually shared with all who wish to hear it. This may sound like a contradiction, but if you have ever witnessed a Masonic public installation of officers, you may have heard the Installing Master speak of the Tiler's duties5, which include the Tiler discerning thoughts as follows. " ...so it should admonish us to set a guard over our thoughts, a watch at our lips, and post a sentinel over our actions; thereby preventing the approach of every unworthy thought, word, or deed, and preserving consciences void of offense toward God and man." How many grasp this stepping stone to Esoteric-Masonry, it is impossible to say. It may just be that it is a great secret, as they say, which hides in plain sight. M.W.Br. Benjamin Franklin6 (who, besides his Masonic activities, was also the Grand Master of the Rosicrucian Order A.M.O.R.C. in America.) echoed the Tilers assignment when he said, "They that are on their guard and appear ready to receive their adversaries, are in much less danger of being attacked than the supine, secure and negligent." My brothers, Our conscience is like an air traffic controller for the runway of our heart -- when in charge, only the best thoughts are allowed to land. It is time now to ask a beautifully-prudent question.

Can We Become Better Men Without Becoming Esoteric-Tilers?

	A little contemplation will reveal that countless thoughts demand the Tiler's attention. These range from obvious to quite subtle. It is in the realm of the subtle that this essay sheds further Light, not because it might be an interesting topic for a presentation to an Esoteric group, but precisely because it is impossible to become a better man without becoming a better Tiler of the mind (the personal temple of self). Yet these distractions are not only within the Tiler. They are also the driving force in the countless intentional intruders of which it is the duty of the Tiler to detect and deny access. Let us ever treasure these following words from Helena Roerich 8, (named The Mother Of Agni Yoga by the Hierarchy of Light). "You must remember that the enemy tries to enter not through the door, but through the smallest crack." And now, my brothers, let us ask a truly sobering question.

How Often Does The Tiler Fail? 

	A disconcerting thought: isn't it? Notice it is not said here that 'if' the Tiler fails, because unless the Tiler has achieved perfect discernment and can maintain that discernment, there will be no lack of challenges at his post. Let no one misunderstand this as belittling. It is a fine achievement of the Master Mason to have reached the state of  Esoteric-Apprentice-Tiling. It represents his conscious awakening on the Path. It is an honor as well as the greatest adventure the Master Mason will ever embark upon. It is a foothold in the promise of his personal liberty, as well as the unmistakably humbling recognition that he has been allowed by the Higher to consciously enter the kindergarten of Esoteric Life, which if successful will enhance and vivify his exoteric service as well.
	The more focused we become at discerning unwanted thoughts and feelings (our own as well as those of others), the more we become aware of subtler and subtler distractions and attempted intrusions, until we are finally dealing with intrusions from the Astral World also known as the Subtle World, and the Psychic Realm. This Astral World is vibrationally separated into the Upper and the Lower Astral. The Lower Astral is composed of those who are addicted to deception, in contrast to the Upper Astral, where the morals and ethics are higher. Agni Yoga9 assists our understanding here by sharing the mechanics of perception in these realms as follows. "The entire perceptibility of the Subtle World is relative according to the development of the consciousness." In other words, my brothers, our Astral seeing involves our own individual auric light which varies with respect to the level of consciousness.
	Henry Ford10 spoke of focus in different words, but they may serve our understanding as follows. "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." Gautama Buddha simply taught, "Be vigilant; guard your mind against negative thoughts11". Those with poor discernment, and thereby little focus, are generally described as having a butterfly mind. One that flits from thought to thought as a butterfly flits from flower to flower. 
	Most of us are familiar with the age old story of a guard being intentionally distracted by a seductive beauty, while the enemy easily slips by unnoticed. This concept may symbolically serve as another stepping stone of understanding. We go from the physical seductress to the non-physical seductress. Instead of feasting the eyes on that seductive beauty in the physical, the mind dwells on the thought of the beautiful seductress and all the internal feelings and perhaps visions that attend such a distraction from the focus of Tiling. With a little imagination we can easily see that the seduction can (and most definitely does) take many forms. From an approaching con-man to the thought of a steak dinner with all the trimmings; from the lessening of consciousness by intemperance (overindulgence) to insideous suggestions (consciously spoken, hypnotic, subliminal, or telepathic), and yes to Lower Astral psychic trickery: The successful Esoteric-Tiler will eventually detect and invincibly deal with them all. And now for another beautiful question.
 
How Can The Tiler Become More Consistent In His Focus Of Protection?

	This, for many will be the point-of-no-return in their Esoteric Life. Some will turn back in terror at reaching this threshold. In short, this is where the Great Architect and His helpers, (aka: The Great White Brotherhood, whose members have aligned with the Christ Light) separate the hombres from the muchachoes (the men from the boys). Let no one take offense. There is no disrespect here. It is simply the reality of our progression on that path or road, upon which we prove ourselves eligible to participate in service to the great Architect, Humanity, and Masonry in General. Perhaps, my brothers, this is a good time to unveil that which is hidden.

What Is The Secret Of The Successful Esoteric-Tiler?

	Helena Roerich12,13,14 casts a proper Light here. "Never forget that we conquer by thought."; and "There is nothing stronger than the Human will when it is directed with concentrated power and is sharpened with love toward the Hierarchy of Light." Ralph Waldo EmersonB15, American author (also known as one of the Boston Brahmins), agrees with Helena Roerich as follows. "Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force, that thoughts rule the world." The French mathematician and philosopher Blaise PascalB15 shares that, "Man's greatness lies in the power of thought." The English philosopher Bertrand Russell15, declares, "Thought is great, and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man." My brothers, the secret of tiling our personal temple is consistent quality thought. This quality thought cannot be consistent without constant vigilance in the process of detecting (and dismissing as unworthy) those thoughts and feelings of low intent. The question then becomes how do we know when we succeed?

What Is The Tell Tale Clue Of Successful Esoteric Tiling?

	It is harmony (group and personal) which comes from consistant quality thoughts. Vigilance is the cause. Harmony is the effect. Researchers say that the concept -- the price of liberty is eternal vigilance--  originated with John Philpot Curran16 who stated that, "The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance." Of course, being knowledgeable to speak something wise does not always mean (in varying degrees) that the speaker can do what is so wisely stated. This being said, the tiling, or prudent-vigilance of all too many on the Path is quite far from the ideal. Perhaps soberingly far. Their actual practice as Tiler may be more like -- Oh ya, I almost forgot. I'm supposed to be watching my thoughts and feelings. The phrasing here is meant to be humorous, my brothers. However, not paying attention (dozing through life) is quite simply failing at Esoteric-Tiling. Let us now ask a wake-up question. 

Has Failure At Esoteric Tiling Been Warned About In World Culture?
	
	Plato, in his chariot allegory of the Dialogue Phaedrus, described this as the potential failure (or success) of a charioteer in his chariot driving two winged horses, one light and one dark. Each horse wanted to go his own way. Will the charioteer achieve his destination?
	The Nanticoke Indian Tribe17 also has a story that sheds light on the predicament of us Apprentice-Esoteric-Tilers as follows. "There is a battle of two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, lies, inferiority and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth. [The great question about this battle is,] which wolf will win? [The great answer is] the one you feed." 
 	My brothers, the more we fail at personal Tiling (the more we feed the wrong wolf) and begin to sense the inharmony in our lives as directly connected to the poor quality of our personal Tiling, the more we will begin to experience that sense of urgency, and appreciation of quality Esoteric Tiling. This sense of urgency will not instantly transmute our Tiling imprudence into the perfection of personal Tiling. It will be improved somewhat, until, at a future time, we once again gain a painful glimpse of Tiling reality (that our Tilng is yet in need of further improvement). This is the process ad infinitum: the evolution of Esoteric Tiling on the Path. Not without experience (that rough and rugged road) do we perfect.
	It has always been such, for how else will the traveler of the Path know for sure that he has mastered the very first step in Freemasonry: that symbolic step without which a Lodge Master cannot open his lodge? (No real Masonic Master will open an untiled lodge for Masonic purposes). Thus the first step in the opening of a lodge is for the Lodge Master to asssure himself that the temple is properly Tiled (inside and out). This symbolic lesson stays with the discerning Mason when he is preparing his own personal temple of Self to go within for prayer and meditation. He knows that he needs, first of all, to Tile. Now it is time for a Masonically-penetrating question.

How Does Esoteric-Tiling Relate To 
The Ritual Sequence Of The Symbolic Master Mason Lodge?

	My brothers, Freemasonry has a specific seven part ritual sequence to the symbolism of the opening of the Master Mason Lodge meeting. The Lodge is Esoterically-Symbolic of the individual member. There is a key to the translation of this lodge symbology to our private spiritual moments. Just as the key to purchasing real estate is location, location, location, the key to applying the symbology of the lodge to our personal life is sequence, sequence, sequence. 
	To start the ritual sequence a senior officer personally checks each one inside the lodge to see if all present truly have the right to be there. (Remember those negative thoughts Buddha warned about?). The Master is then assured that the Lodge is internally Tiled. The external Tiling is then checked, and the master is assured that the lodge is properly externally Tiled. Questions are then asked and duties recited, but wait, there is more to this symbology (and sequence) of Lodge Tiling.
	One could beneficially make the case that the whole opening ritual demonstrates the Tiling process. Right up to and including that magnificently Esoteric point of using that which was lost (which we will not name, nor specifically speak about here), which is absolutely necessary in order to open a lodge of  Master Masons. Considering the lodge as symbolic of self, we see that the essential tool for the Master-Esoteric-Tiler is the proper use of all the sequence, especially of that which was lost. Yes, my brothers, the opening ritual is a lesson for Masons: the higher the degree, the higher (more Esoteric) the lesson. But let us always remember that the Masonic sequence starts with the Tiling (internal and external) which is a symbolic reminder of our own function as the Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler of our personal temple of self: our reminder of the absolute necessity of consistent quality thoughts on the Path. It is interesting to note that the prayer (the seventh part of the sequence by my count) completes the opening.
	Masonry is symbolically (ritually) pointing out the way of gaining our Esoteric self mastery. Some call this illumination. Some call it becoming the ideal Master Mason by smoothing our stone. This Tiling process is a wake-up call, that we are about to enter a sacred space, of our own making, in order to attune with the Great Architect, and work for the betterment of Mankind. This brings us to a perhaps awkward, but Esoterically vital question.

Do Rusty Working Tools Produce Quality Thoughts?

	It is for sure that some may be laboring under the thought that this ideal of consistent quality of thought is all well and good, but we live in the real world which specializes in the consistency of low-quality and all too often mean and hateful thoughts. This, of course, is undeniably true, and the history of humanity's many wars and atrocities absolutly demonstrates it. But let us never forget the reason most of us joined Freemasonry in the first place. It was because we intuitively felt, or were assured by those we trusted, that Freemasonry is a refuge, and a brotherhood, which stands against that chaos of worldly inharmony. 
	There is no doubt that amidst all the turmoil of the profane world it is a real challenge for the Master Mason to remember that he has been given, and instructed on how to use, his working tools, in order to assist in establishing and maintaining that refuge of brotherhood, not only on the lodge level, but also within himself, no matter where he is on this physical Earth plane or any of the more subtle areas created by the Great Architect of the Universe.
	The application of our working tools sharpens the focus of our personal Tiling. The more accurate the application, the more accurate (thus Esoterically stronger) the personal Tiling. Yes my brothers, a little reflection on the vicissitudes of life will remind us not only of the possible inconsistency of the use of our working tools, but also of the possible inaccuracy of our applications of them as well. Masonry is a process and the Hierarchy of Light (aka. the Great White Brotherhood) watches our progress in this process. It is a beautiful feeling, is it not, that each real achievement on our part creates a joyful celebration in their hearts. For those of us who may be unfamiliar with the term the Great White Brotherhood (GWB), understand that it has nothing to do with skin color. It has everything to do with its members having aligned with the Christ Light, which shows as greater light in the electromagnetic field around their bodies -- their auras. Now for a very down to Earth, or prudent, question.

Can The Un-Calm Esoterically-Tile?

	For the Tiler to be at his working best, he must be calm. The uncalm person is the distracted person -- the one who is not mentally on duty yet is there physically. It is as if he went on a mental/emotional trip and was some where else. Some have referred to it as 'tripping-out' and also as 'spacing-out'. However, no matter what it is called, the Tiler's effectiveness is neutralized by his identification with the modifications of his mind. It is sort of like a daydream. The old cartoons pictured it as the railroad crossing guard asleep at the switch. He may as well have not shown up for work at all.
	Man's waking-up may get him to go on fewer trips, however, although our vanity would like this waking up process to be as swift as an eagle, in reality it is more like a snail's pace. This is the way of life for a person not on the Path. For the person on the Path, it is, relatively speaking, an accelerated awakening. (No, not that accelerated!) 
	The necessity of focus promises less pain and more success, both esoterically and exoterically. The traveler knows how much he has improved and realizes how far he has to go to perfect his Tiling. He knows it is not an intellectual-only endeavor, but an experiental one which brings greater responsibility and the associated increase in the necessity for more accurate and prudent Tiling.  
	My brothers, for the seriously striving Master Mason on the Path, the realization of the light years in difference between his Esoteric Tiling and that of the Christ, the Buddha or their nearest disciples may just be a great awakening, accompanied by humility and covered with gratitude. To all Apprentice Tilers, Helena Roerich has this advice, "Therefore act boldly with discernment and complete confidence in the Hierarchy of Light18". And now an all encompassing, very beautiful, Esoteric question.

Does Our Esoteric Tiling Become Easier As We Progress?

	With the long passing of time (years, decades and incarnations) on the Path, the traveler becomes more sensitive to other people's thoughts and feelings. Some call this becoming more psychic. But whatever label we put on it, the Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler's evolving tests become more and more subtle. Where before he had to become aware of the distractions of his own making, which sent him on his own personal mental/emotional trips, now he must learn to detect and dismiss (not identify with) the desires, fears, and  thoughts etc., which originate externally from himself.  Sensing the vibrations of the thoughts and feelings of others now vastly complicates his tiling efforts, and in effect puts him back into the kindergarten of Tiling, only this time it is in the higher more subtle realm of the psychic.
	This is a most serious step in Esoteric Tiling, for there are many psychic people who are not morally and ethically above attempting to control others to the point of intentionally sending inharmonious thoughts to an individual (or group). In the non-physical realms, communication is by telepathy. You can just imagine the challenges of the Tiler of the Supreme Grand Lodge above in order to assure the Worshipful Master that the temple is properly Tiled. The subtlety of tiling is always evolving with necessity and experience. 
	We should acknowledge here that there are a great many who would say that all this talk about higher Esoteric Tiling is just plain silliness covered in foolishness. These doubters are not on the Path and would quickly succumb to its terrors if they were to experience even a brief glimpse of Esoteric-Tiling. It is both a blessing and a protection for them not to be on the Path, until such time as they have broadened their consciousness. Those who think they cannot be controlled by unethical rascals (in the physical plane or elsewhere) are the most easily controlled, because they are not watchers (Tilers) of their mental and emotional life. They receive a thought or feeling, immediately identify with it (think it is their own) and then take action on it. Never realizing it's source was external not internal. My brothers, at this point an example, from real life, in this physical plane might be helpful.  Keep an open Mind: It really happened.

An Esoteric Tale Of Dessert Thoughts And Feelings

	A very old friend of mine was at a pleasant social gathering. After about an hour, people started talking about going out afterwards, as a group, for pie and ice cream. My friend had long been on the Path and was sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others. (This, as the Esoteric-Master-Tiler knows, is an ability best kept a secret). Well, my friend also began to get a strong urge to go out later, as a group, for pie and ice cream. 
	Realizing it did not come from within himself, he began to slowly move about the room to see if the feeling got stronger when near any of the others in the room. Finally he came to a young teenage girl, where his desire for pie and ice cream was excessively magnified. He realized, beyond a doubt, that the source of the desire was emanating from the young girl. 
	My friend slowly, smilingly looked her in the eyes and compassionately shared with her that he didn't really like pie all that much. The girl was noticeably embarrassed. She had been Esoterically caught trying to psychically manipulate the people at the social gathering. As it turned out, the girl was awakening to some very strong psychic abilities in her self and was, in her mind, 'innocently' practicing how to psychically control a small group of people. We can only hope that she received the proper moral and ethical guidance to grow up in the Light.
	No doubt this was a fun exercise for my Tiling friend. However it does not take much imagination to comprehend that there are many unethical people in this world which would not hesitate to self-servingly manipulate others. Perhaps that young girl is now one of them. It is a very short step from self-serving psychic practice to being knowingly or unknowingly in the pay of the brothers of the shadow, which currently are generally known as the dark side. I call them the dim ones. These are the low-lifes that necessitate our Masonic Tiling on the Path, for they hate the light and would do anything to destroy it. The bottom line here is that Esoteric Tiling is a process which is a necessity for becoming a better, more useful, and most responsible man. Perhaps my brothers this may be a good time to ask if any cherished worldly personalities have introduced Esoteric Tiling to the world.

Who Taught (Directly Or Indirectly) Esoteric Tyling?

My brothers, Gautama Buddha was a Master-Esoteric-Tiler: like our Open Masonic Installation describes the duties of the Tiler, the Buddha warned us to be vigilant, to guard our mind against negative thoughts19. From the Buddha's Four Noble Truths20 we learn that there is suffering (Dukkha). This suffering is caused by desire. The way out of suffering is to extinguish desire (Nirvana). Desire is extinguished by The Eight Fold Noble Path of: Right Understanding, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.  In short, the words may be different, but the result is the same. Desire (gravitating toward pleasure and avoiding pain) is the cause of distractions in our Apprentice-Esoteric-Tilership. The Buddha not only identified the cause of distraction, but also gave the cure.
	From Agni Yoga20.1 we learn that quality thought is ideal because it diminishes our distractions of low intent. We also learned to "Fill your heart with the Lord"26, a strong echo of what we learn from the Apostle21 Matthew, that the Christ taught that the highest quality thought is love as follows. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." My brothers, it is time now to ask an ideally prudent question.

How Consistent Are Our Quality Thoughts?

	My brothers, love is certainly advocated by all true regular Masons everywhere. However, even with the understanding that it is the ideal to 'love our neighbor', quite often our reasoning mind is entirely busy with distractions that quickly destroy our love-focus. For instance we may have learned that registered sex offenders now live in our neighborhood, or the neighborhood of a loved one. It is a serious challenge to consistently radiate love knowing that criminals (white collar, as well as, the more dangerous kind), live in our neighborhood. How does our Tiling survive the reality of low criminal vibrations in close proximinity to our home? For the serious Esoteric-Tiler it will stimulate the need for better Tiling, but the average person will emphasize their angry reaction to their knowing about the threat, be it obvious or subtle. Their anger will not produce the calmness needed for accurate tiling. 
	Sometimes it helps to know the cause and effect thinking that the ideal is based on. We know the cause --  the ideal of radiating love. But what is the actual effect of our putting that cause into action in life?  We could go into the high vibrational aspects of the radiating of love, but that would not speak to the all too many who have yet not evolved their Esoteric understanding of vibrations. However we all, as was shared in the beginning of this essay, are searching for greater pleasure, which most associate with happiness (a synonym2 for joy). With this in mind, here's a thought from Helena Roerich21.1 that may just be the happiest and most prudently encouraging gift we Apprentice-Esoteric-Tilers could ever receive. 

Who Benefits From Our Search For Happiness?

	"Happiness is in giving love; and happier is the one who loves rather than the one who is loved. When this truth is realized, all happiness will materialize. Therefore, learn how to love, become accustomed to love everything beautiful, and develop active compasssion toward everything that is not yet perfect. Be kind and polite to your subordinates, as such is the privilege and beauty of a Lord of spirit!"
	My brothers, here we learn that it is not the ideal of love which brings us happiness, but the actual radiating of love. In Esoteric terms the vibrations in our aura are changed to the high vibrations of Love. This is easily self-demonstrated. Easily that is, if we are not already distracted by the reasoning mind shouting that it is impossible to consistently radiate love at will, especially if surrounded by the unloving and their auras of low vibrations, which dim their light. The sense of urgency of the Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler to attain and maintain the goal of Tiling will be the saving factor here. His realization that his radiating of love will not only manifest the highest Tiling he is personally capable of, but also the fact that it will bring him the happiness which he desires. 
	Here we see that Helena Roerich has effectively shed a penetrating light onto Matthew's sharing of Jesus's Teaching to love. Rather than just echoing that magnificent teaching, she has illumined our understanding of why love is the answer: because he who radiates love causes his own happiness. The effect of this happiness, or joy, is a very high vibration which acts as a shield toTile our personal temple. 
	So we understand that everyone, as Aristotle said, is searching for happiness. We also understand that Man's free will activities on the planet (Remember Solomon's warning about greed) create the vississitudes of life. Where better, than Earth, to learn and earn the key of love, which many translate as charity, the highest spiritual virtue. So here we have the wisdom of the first two tenants of Freemasonry in action. Brotherly Love and Relief combine to form Charity. Our search for Truth brings us the key. My brothers, I've said it before and will continue to say it: Masonry has it all. Those who are ready will probe its secrets with greater enthusiasm and discernment.
	This two for one gift will be more than enough to increase our level of striving. In addition, as Masons we recognize and value the inclusion in the Roerich quote of loving everything beautiful, for we ever remember that the three pillars of Freemasonry are Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. One pillar cannot be of less strength than the other two or the Temple will topple. Life without beautiful thoughts is a song bird which has forgotten it can sing.
	With respect to our Roerich quote pertaining to the lover gaining happiness, this plus consistent Tiling (with quality thought), may remind some of the not-new concept of unconditional love. If the one who loves is intermittent in his radiating love, then his happiness will be intermittent as well. The challenge here is the nature of the particulars (those conditions) which interupt the steady stream of love. If the interuption creates a serious emotional reaction in the one radiating love. He may not get back to radiating love for hours, days, weeks or even months. Now he is no longer radiating love, but some lesser quality vibrational distraction. In short, our Tiler went on a trip. He is no longer watching the store. More so, the Great Architect and his helpers (the Masters/Teachers in the Hierarchy of Light), who are watching the store, can no longer trust him while he is on his trip. He will stay on the trip until the pain of not-loving becomes so great that it will wake up our Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler. My brothers, this going from trip to trip brings up a beautiful question. 

 What Constitutes Success In The Watching Of Thoughts And Feelings?

	In addition to harmony, which we spoke of earlier, the answer is time. Yes time. It is all about the time it takes to come back from the trip. The beginning Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler may take days, weeks, or months to return from just one trip. The advancing Esoteric-Tiler will come back from the same trip in a much shorter time.
	Mind you now, it is not like the Tiler is stop-watching his own trips. This would be a totally erroneous concept, because he would have to spot the trip in the first place to know when it started. If he were advanced enough to detect that mental/emotional trip at its beginning, most likely he would be able to dismiss it with quality thoughts, or more efficiently, by using that which was lost. So this sense of timing would be more in general than specific. 
	Cutting down on average trip time from three weeks to three minues is good progress, yet the advanced Tiler would be concerned with how much inharmony got by him, and what he created during those three minutes with his low-quality thoughts. Helena Roerich illumines our understanding here by sharing that, The degree of striving will determine the amount of time spent on each step22. My brothers, it is for sure that by this time, some are dwelling on the following question.

Are We Being To Hard On The Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler?

	Now some will say that they comprehend the theory but take a bold stand that we need to be more forgiving and compassionate with our Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler (with ourselves). A focus on the end result (the effect) of accurate tiling may be of service here. This end result is the establishing and maintaining of harmony and enjoying the fruits of that harmony in service to the Great Architect of the Universe. Consider this for a moment. 
	A person's loved one is having heart surgery. The very excellent surgeon all of a sudden is reminded of something that puts him on a mental/emotional trip. Not something wild and crazy, but just enough to make him noticeably less efficient during the operation. The operation goes poorly. How will this be taken in by the loved one's family and friends? Will they be forgiving and compassionate? If so, they are exceptional, for most would be thinking of suing the surgeon and the Hospital. 
	Brothers, It is not a matter of forgiveness and compassion when it comes to Tiling. Too much is at stake. A surgeon is selected by discerning (or attempting to discern) the best (and most affordable) surgeon. Is it not the same with the Great Architect and His Helpers? They, of course would select the least trip-prone person when determing with whom to entrust a significant mission. They, for sure, will examine his magnetism. Now what in the universe does that mean?

Does The Esoteric Tiler Become Magnetic?

	My brothers, in Emanuel Swedenborg's book "Heaven and Hell"23, he describes the areas of Heaven as vibratory or magnetic. Here we should remind ourselves that in electricity opposites attract, but with auras it is more like the Ancient Greeks would say: Like likes like. In short, birds of a feather flock together (bluebirds don't fly with chicken hawks). So if a traveler's auric vibrations do not match up with the level of vibration of a particular area in Heaven (Astral World) then the traveler will unknowingly be repelled from entering that area, and will gravitate to the area closest in vibrations to that of the electromagnetic field around his subtle body (his personal aura), which is determined by the quality, or more likely the lack of quality of his thoughts.
	The advanced Esoteric-Tiler will recognize a magnetic correspondence here with the Esoteric science of Tiling. The higher quality thoughts of the personal Tiler (as well as the group Tiler) will repel those auras of lesser vibrations. In short, the concept of the magnet may serve here as a stepping stone for understanding, as it has in many films. Which brings us to a "Star-Trek" question.

Can Science Fiction Films Teach Us The Need For Tiling?

	With a little imagination the early Star Trek series (when the Klingons were the bad guys) may serve the Apprentice-Esoteric-Tiler well. In that series it was common knowledge that a starship captain would never lower his ships protective force field (shield) when near a Klingon ship, because Klingons don't take prisoners. High quality thoughts constitute the corresponding force shield of the Esoteric-Tiler. Any distractions which would lower the quality of thought would be like lowering the protective force field (shield) of the starship, and giving an open-house invitation to any Cosmic tramps, those dim ones (organized or not) whose auric vibrations are attracted to the lower vibrations of lesser quality thought. We find one ancient echo of this concept of Esoteric Tiling in the Tao Te Ching24, where the Master Laozi shares that, "Masterful closing doesn't need bars and bolts, and still can not be opened."
	My brothers, those of much lesser subtlety, who are not awake to the absolute need of Esoteric Tiling, when hearing subtle talk, such as this, would say that such conversation is paranoid. Yet, these same skeptics would be the first to deadbolt their doors and own a twelve gauge shotgun with ample ammunition in their homes. They fully understand the necessity of protection on the physical plane as common sense, but it is terrifying for them to think of invisible intruders against which their deadbolt and twelve gauge would be useless. Can our Tiler protect them as well when in his sphere of influence such as a Lodge or family gathering? The answer is yes, however, it all depends on the knowledge, skill and experience of our Esoteric Tiler. Laozi knew this, as does all advanced Esoteric Tilers. It is the prudence of Tiling that "One should manifest an extreme conscientiousness and vigilance toward all that occurs around the focus. Each unnoticed mistake will yield its own blossom25." The bottom line is that joy (happiness) is our most important vital sign, because the high vibrations of joy make joy a shield against the vibrations of low intent. Up to this point we have hinted at some possible stepping stones on path to becoming the Esoteric-Master-Tiler. How well do you remember them? Let's see shall we? 

Some Stepping Stones Of The Esoteric Tiler

1.  	"Fill your heart with the Lord so greatly that no enemy can force his way through13." "...for the quickest self-perfecting and development of spirituality the most essential is a constant thought about the Highest Hierarch; this is the sacred concentration which so much is written and which so often is misunderstood. Remembering the luminous Image every moment of the day and night and doing all our work in His name, we are gradually establishing the sacred union, which will finally give us the great power of Hiero-Inspiration26." This is a specific echo of what the Christ21 "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." 

2.	"There is nothing stronger than the Human will when it is directed with concentrated power and is sharpened with love toward the Hierarchy of Light14."

3. 	Buddha's Eight Fold Noble Path of: Right Understanding, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.  

4.	The symbolic, and safe, Masonic sequence (recommended for all serious Master Masons), starting with the internal discernment and proceeding to the proper use of that which was lost, and then finally to the prayer.

	Surely, my brothers, it will be no surprise that a possible combination of all four and more will be seriously considered and applied by the Master-Esoteric-Tiler. 

Thank you my brothers for your patience and kind attention. 
This concludes our discourse entitled:
Part1: What, In The Universe, Is Esoteric Tiling?
(or How Does The Exoteric-Apprentice-Tiler Become The Esoteric-Master-Tiler?)

Bibliography (for Part 1 & Part 2)
1.	Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: Albert G. Makay. MD, 33rd Deg. Pub: The Masonic History Co. NY & 	London 1914
2.	Thesarus.com
3.	Masonic Bible: Proverbs 1, Chapter 1: World Bible Publishers;copyright 1951 by Collins & Sons
4.	Great Thoughts: George Seldes; Pub. Balantine Books, New York.
5.	 http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/open_installation_of_officers.htm by Ralph W. Omholt: Seatle
6.	 www.inspirationalstories.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin-they
7. 	trumanlibrary.org: documants #344
8.	Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025 Letters of H. R. vol 1, p128
9.	Fiery World 1, # 322, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025
10.	http://www.worldofquotes.com/quote/28525/index.html
11.	 www.azquotes.com/quote/667616
12. 	Letters of H. Roerich 1929-1938 Vol. 1 1954: p93, Letter dated 30 June 1931, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th 	St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025
13.	 Letters of H. Roerich 1929-1938 Vol. 1  1954: p66, Letter dated  21 Jan 1931, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 	107th St. N.Y. 25, N.Y. 10025
14.	Letters of H. Roerich 1929-1938 Vol. 1  1954: p71, Letter dated 13 May 1931, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 	107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025 
15.	Great Thoughts: Introduction; George Seldes; Pub. Balantine Books, New York.
16.	John Philpot Curran brainyquote.com:  
	http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html#4ESkhTWYHV9kecfV.99
17.	BrainyQuote:The Nanticoke Indian Tribe:
	 http://www.nanticokeindians.org/tale_of_two_wolves.cfm  
	http://www.nanticokeindians.org/history.cfm
18.	Letters of H. Roerich 1929-1938 Vol. 1  1954: p110, Letter dated 21 Oct.1931, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 	107th St. N.Y. 25, N.Y. 10025
19.	http://www.azquotes.com/quote/667616 
20.	http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.sht
20.1.	Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025
21.	King James Bible: Matthew 22, (37 & 39)
21.1.	Letters of H. Roerich 1929-1938 Vol. 1  1954: p103, Letter dated 21 Aug 1931, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 	107th St. N.Y. 25, N.Y. 10025
22.	Letters of H. Roerich 1929-1938 Vol. 1  1954: p108, Letter dated 21 Oct. 1931, Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 	107th St. N.Y. 25, N.Y. 10025  
23.	Heaven & Hell: E. Swedenborg; transl. by Dole; Swedenborg Found. 320 North Church St, West Chester, PA 19380
24&25 Tao Te Ching: Laozi, transl. Hansen, p92 (no.27), Sterling Pub. 387 Park Ave So., N. Y., NY 10016
25.	Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025 Letters of H. Roerich vol 1, p83.
26.	Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025 Letters: H. Roerich vol 1, p187 
27.	King James Bible: 1 Thesalonians 5:16 
28.	Agni Yoga Society Inc. 319 W. 107th St. New York 25, N.Y. 10025 Letters:H. Roerich vol 1, p90.