Integrating Scottish Rite Freemasonry with Contemplative Practice
The Orange County Valley Scottish Rite has received permission from the Guthrie Scottish Rite to establish a charter for an Academy of Reflection in Anaheim, CA. Orange County Valley takes pride in bringing this tradition to its membership.
General Information
Reminders for the monthly meditations, quarterly conclaves, and reunion sessions will be announced via Stated Meetings, newsletter, and digital marketing.
When: Valley Reunions
Location:
DeMolay Center of Anaheim
303 W. Lincoln Ave., 2nd Floor
Anaheim Ca, 92805
Small Lodge Room (closest to classroom)
Google Maps/Directions
Time: During Reunion Weekend (times TBA)
Dress: Suit (ok to remove tie, coat and shoes)
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When: Meditations & Ceremony: A chosen Saturday, once per month (announced in Meditations eMailer)
Location:
Orange Grove Lodge 293
71 Plaza Square
Orange, Ca. 92866
Main Lodge Room (2nd Floor)
Google Maps/Directions
Time: TBA in SR Newsletter & Meditation eMailers
Dress: Meditations – Wear comfortable clothing (i.e. athletic wear) / Formal Ceremony – Dark suit/slacks (black robes provided).
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Cost: Membership is Free
RSVP: (951) 987-9902 (Text messages welcome)
Academy Officers:
- Superintendent (Master) – James McCallion, 32° KCCH
- Custodian (Warden) – Adam Provence, 32°
- Clerk (Secretary) – Diego Verduzco, 32°
Membership Requirements
Before submitting your application for membership to the Academy, please be aware of the following requirements:
- You must be at least a 32° Scottish Rite Mason in good standing within the Valley of Orange County, California. Orange County need not be your mother Valley. Plural affiliations from any other Valley, Orient, or Jurisdiction are acceptable.
- You must have attended at least three (3) group sessions of contemplative practice provided by the Academy. These most often take the form of meditation sessions scheduled during the Spring and Fall Reunions. Your attendance will be verified using our records, so be sure that you sign in at each session you choose to attend.
- You will maintain an upright character and refrain from discrimination or any other activity that would reflect poorly on the Academy, the Valley of Orange County, the Scottish Rite, or Freemasonry in general.
Membership Application Process
Keeping the membership requirements in mind, to begin the process, download the application materials using the link provided below. Complete the Contact Information Form or provide all of the required information contained on that form in your application E-mail message. You must also include a personal statement concerning your perspectives on Freemasonry and contemplative practice and their importance to you. Please review the Personal Statement Guidelines for more information regarding the expectations for this statement. Submit all of your application materials by E-mail with the subject “Membership Application” to the Academy’s Clerk. Once the Academy’s instructors have reviewed your application, the Clerk will contact you to provide their feedback and/or decision. If your application is accepted, the Academy will arrange for your formal induction at the next available opportunity.
Membership Application Materials: Click here for AOR Membership Application
Mission
The Academy of Reflection offers encouragement and instruction to Scottish Rite Masons interested in the pursuit of inner work such as meditation and silent prayer.
Rationale
Scottish Rite Freemasonry is inherently holistic in its approach to the moral, social, and spiritual development of its members. It offers beautiful and inspiring ritual, profound and stimulating literature, and inner organizations for men with a great variety of callings and interests. However, despite consistent reference in our ritual and literature to the importance of meditation and prayer in Masonic life, prior to the Academy of Reflection, there was no body within the Rite specifically dedicated to these pursuits. Men with interest in inner work have been forced to seek such light elsewhere and typically in non-Masonic organizations. The Academy of Reflection therefore provides such men the opportunity to pursue contemplative interests within the rich context of the Rite’s symbolism, ritual, and literature, and to associate with brothers of like mind. The Rite in turn benefits from their increased sense of loyalty and attachment. Perhaps more importantly, the deeper insights that naturally come from inner work flow out into the Rite as a whole, enriching the experience of all Scottish Rite Masons and enhancing the Rite’s potential to assist with the transformation of their lives, their families, and their communities.
