What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry begins with two profound requirements: you must be a free man, and you must believe in a Supreme Creator. The first extends far beyond legal status— You cannot be a felon, but it is also a freedom of mind and spirit. The second is equally important, yet equally personal.

As for the Supreme Creator—how you conceive of the divinity is between you and that which you hold sacred. It is not for any lodge, or man, to define your supreme creator, or any other name or conception of the eternal. This is an individual reckoning and solace. We require only that you acknowledge something greater than yourself, towards which we all must strive, however you understand it.

This freedom is not licence, but responsibility. It is the freedom to question, to learn, to grow, and to form genuine brotherhood with others who share this commitment to independent thought within a framework of mutual respect and sacred obligation.

At the heart of Freemasonry lies the oath—a solemn promise freely given. This tradition reaches back to the ancient mystery cults, particularly Mithraism, the oath-based tradition that flourished across the Iranian tribes and spread throughout the ancient world.

Mithraism was never a religion in the conventional sense. It had no holy book, no formal prayers, no dogmatic creeds. Instead, it was a cult of oaths—a system of initiatory degrees in which men bound themselves through sacred promises to principles of honour, courage, and brotherhood. The oath was central because it represented a man's word, his integrity, his very essence as a free being.

This emphasis on the freely given oath, the initiatory structure, and the mysteries revealed through degrees—these are not merely similar to Freemasonry, they are its foundation, even though this connection has been obscured by time and customary practices.

To understand Freemasonry's true origins, we must recognise a historical reality that has been minimised: the ancient world was shaped by two great civilisational currents.

The Persian Empire represented the apex of Eastern thought, intellectual insight, invention, and civilisation. From the Iranian lands radiated influence across modern day India, Central Asia, and beyond. The Iranian tribes carried with them not just political power, but profound philosophical and esoteric traditions—including the Mithraic mysteries, mathematics and science.

The Roman Empire was its rival and Western counterpart. Like two great modern competitors—think of vast empires vying for influence—these civilisations offered different models of how humanity might organise itself, think about the cosmos, and approach the divine mysteries.

Western civilisation is, in truth, a stem from Eastern civilisation. But this reality has been minimised through the lens of Western thought, which sought to establish itself as foundational rather than acknowledge its deep roots in earlier traditions. The artificial division of one continent into "Europe" and "Asia" reflects these cultural divisions more than any geographic or cultural realities.

Much of what Freemasonry is—its symbolism, its philosophy, its ritual structure—has origins in Persian, Parthian, Central Asian, and Saka esoteric traditions. But language barriers and the passage of time have buried these connections. The knowledge exists in original sources, but remains largely inaccessible to those who work only in English.

Moreover, as Western thought became dominant, it naturally worked to establish its own philosophical framework. Earlier mystery traditions were not actively suppressed so much as they were simply no longer emphasised. The Mithraic cult survived, but its esoteric aspects became confused, fragmented, and lost to mainstream understanding. What remained were shadows and symbols whose original meanings have been forgotten.

For peoples of Eastern heritage—whether Iranian, Indian, Central Asian, or from other regions influenced by great civilisational streams—this means that Freemasonry is actually your tradition. It simply got dressed in clothing that is at best difficult to recognise and even acknowledge.

Padegon—the Iranian (Persian) word for fortress—represents more than military defence. In ancient civilisations, the fortress was the centre of all life: protection, yes, but also governance, learning, trade, and the full integration of daily existence. The citadel gates were where civilisation itself was defined and defended.

Padegon Lodge stands as a fortress in this ancient sense: a protected space where the lost Eastern esoteric heritage of Freemasonry can be studied, practiced, and reclaimed. We work within the legitimate framework of the Grand Lodge of Oregon, honouring all the obligations and structures of recognised Freemasonry. But we use the freedom that Freemasonry itself demands to pursue deeper enquiry.

Our educational approach emphasises the mystical and esoteric dimensions that connect Freemasonry to its roots in the ancient mystery traditions. We engage in the scholarly study of original sources. We welcome comparative exploration of how different cultures have understood and transmitted these profound realities.

Most importantly, we welcome all peoples from the East to recognise in Freemasonry something that belongs to your own civilisational heritage. This is not cultural appropriation in reverse—this is cultural restoration. This is coming home to a tradition that was always yours.

If you are a free man—free in mind and spirit—and you feel called upon to explore these ancient mysteries within the framework of brotherhood and oath-bound honour, we invite you to contact us.

Padegon Lodge offers a path for those who seek not just social fellowship, but genuine esoteric study. For those who want to understand the deep connections between Eastern wisdom traditions and the Western mystery schools. For those who are ready to draw their own conclusions based on their own free enquiry.

The fortress gates are open to all who would enter as free men, regardless of origin, to pursue truth together.