Education in Liberal Arts: Seven Steps of the Master
Sietes steps of the teacher
In front of us, in the break before the last stretch of the stairs, we find seven more steps, each of which is identified with each of the seven liberal arts: grammar, dialectic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.
These liberal arts, taking the classical definition, the one that has been perpetuated by the initiatory tradition of the West, are those arts that are oriented to raise being through the study and understanding of nature, as well as the issues related to language. In contrast to these we would find the servile arts, which are those that are designed to achieve the livelihood and comfort of existence.
These liberal arts, as we have seen, are divided into two groups: those related to language (grammar, dialectic and rhetoric) make up the trivium, which is represented with a triangle pointing up;The second group is the arts of Quadrivium, aimed at understanding the world and the universe. These arts of Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music) were represented as a square, base on which the material world is supported.
The importance that tradition gives to the seven liberal arts is maximum, because they emanate from philosophy and are one with it. During classical antiquity it is considered that their knowledge is inspired by the gods, an idea that is perpetuated in the medievo in the image of the Holy Spirit as inspiring of all profane and sacred knowledge. Without extensive knowledge in this field it is impossible to move forward on the initiatory path, because these arts are designed to give man knowledge of truth and through this knowledge freedom. There can be no free liberation without a wide knowledge of issues related to liberal arts, since it is these arts that teach us to think and through thought to raise our conscience.
The classification used today is the one that has its origin in the medievo, and as any classification, it can be discussed. In fact, it did not exist as such in ancient Greece, and it is much who criticize that the plastic arts or history do not appear between these seven arts. Actually, criticisms are absolute. Therefore, although faithful to tradition, when we currently interpret the meaning of these seven liberal arts, we never forget to remember the symbolic character of its conservation, because when these seven liberal arts raise what is remembered the initiate is the necessary humanistic knowledgethat you have to complete your preparation to conclude the small mysteries.
It is important here to talk about the small mysteries, also called minor mysteries, and distinguish them from the great mysteries or major mysteries. The first, which are those of which Freemasonry is fundamentally occupied: they are the mysteries of man and citizens. That is, they deal with individual morals and public or social ethics.
Without having exceeded minor mysteries, you cannot aspire to understand the older mysteries. Actually, because as Hermes’ old man says "as is above it is down". That is, minor mysteries are on human and social scale;The major mysteries, the world as a reflection of the cosmos. In this way, man, understanding natural law and achieving the elevation of his conscience and harmony of society is reflecting the order and divine harmony of the cosmos.
At present, the lodges in the question of the seven liberal arts as a symbol of that knowledge that offers man and citizen ability to be free and have their own criteria are greatly affecting the question and having their own criteria.
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