The Mysteries B 169
Persephone's Quest, the draught used in the mysteries was Amanita mus-
curia, a species of psychotropic mushroom known in India as the sacred
fungus Soma and in England as fly-agaric. Drinlung such a potion as part
of the Eleusis mysteries was intended to give visions of spiritual pres-
ences. Dr.Albert Hofhann, discoverer of LSD, says that ergot, a common
fingal parasite on grain used in the mysteries to demonstrate the conti-
nuity between life and death, also gives experiences comparable to LSD.
In today's initiations such drugs, says Steiner, are no longer needed.
During a candidate's first initiation in a Masonic lodge, as described
by Hodson, the candidate is subjected-as was the case in the original
mysteries-to a series of experiences on the astral plane, real experi-
ences unlike any sense experience he could have on the physical plane.
Passing out of the physical world into the lowest part of the astral
plane, the candidate is "led sightless into that more rarefied world, but
feels the touch of a friend who takes his hand and guides him on his
journey."AU this so that the candidate's vision may be opened to what
lies behind the veil of the senses, like a man born blind recovering his
eyesight.
As part of the initiation the aspirant must first experience through
his own body what lives in the lower kingdoms of nature: both mineral
and plant. Next he must experience the passions and desires of the ani-
mal kingdom.Third, and most important, he is led to a vision of the el-
emental forces in nature. In considerable detail Hodson elucidates the
paramount role of nature spirits in the Masonic initiation of a candidate
who must reacquire enough clairvoyance to be able to see the nature
spirits and, through their intercession, to gain access to the hierarchy of
angelic beings.
In the Christian religion a similar recourse, says Leadbeater, is made
to angels, but there is a difference between the methods adopted in
Christianity and in the old Egyptian mystery religion from which
Masonry derived: in Christianity great angels are invoked, far above
humans in spiritual unfoldment. "In Freemasonry, angelic aid is in-
voked, but those called are nearer to the human level of development
and intelligence. Each of them brings with him a number of subordi-
nates who carry out his directions."