The Double Cube Altar

The Double Cube Altar

The double cube altar is a significant symbol common to both Masonic Holy Royal Arch rituals and various magick practices, albeit with some variations in its interpretation and design. The structure is essentially two cubes stacked atop one another and holds rich symbolism and meaning within its design. With deep roots in mysticism, esotericism, and spirituality, the double cube altar has a rich history and carries multifaceted meanings.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Duality and Balance: The double cube altar represents the concept of duality found in many spiritual and philosophical traditions. This duality can be understood as the balance between opposites forces, such as light and darkness, good and evil, or the material and spiritual realms. It serves as a powerful reminder of the harmony and unity that result from balancing these opposing energies.

As Above, So Below: Drawing inspiration from Hermeticism's "As Above, So Below" principle, the double cube altar epitomises the idea that the microcosm reflects the macrocosm and vice versa. The lower cube signifies the material world, while the upper cube represents the spiritual realm. This representation underscores the interconnectedness and correspondence between the two realms.

Sacred Geometry: The cube, considered a sacred geometric shape, embodies characteristics of stability, solidity, and permanence. The double cube altar seamlessly incorporates these qualities, representing the divine order and the perfection of the universe.

The Four Elements: The six faces of each cube can be associated with the four classical elements—earth, air, fire, and water—with the top and bottom faces representing the quintessence, or the fifth element, often referred to as aether or spirit. This association further highlights the balance and unity of the natural world.

Structure and Design:

The double cube altar is traditionally built of stone or wood and may bear various symbols and inscriptions, depending on its purpose within Masonic or magical rituals. In the Masonic Holy Royal Arch, the altar is often decorated with the Triple Tau, a symbol representing the Royal Arch and the completion of the individual's journey through Freemasonry. Additionally, there may be other features in the altar's design that hold specific, esoteric meanings, some of which are beyond the scope of this discussion.

In magick practices, the double cube altar's design may incorporate symbols or inscriptions that hold deep significance for the practitioner or are relevant to the specific ritual being performed. These symbols may draw from various esoteric and mystical traditions, such as the Kabbalah, Hermeticism, or astrology.

In "Magick", author and occultist Aleister Crowley offers detailed instructions for the design:

According to some authorities the Altar should be made of oak to represent the stubbornness and rigidity of law; others would make it of Acacia, for Acacia is the symbol of resurrection.

The Altar is a double cube, which is a rough way of symbolizing the Great Work; for the doubling of the cube, like the squaring of the circle, was one of the great problems of antiquity. The surface of this Altar is composed of ten squares. The top is Kether, and the bottom Malkuth. The height of the Altar is equal to the height above the ground of the navel of the Magician. The Altar is connected with the Ark of the Covenant, Noah's Ark, the nave ("navis," a ship) of the Church, and many other symbols of antiquity, whose symbolism has been well worked out in an anonymous book called "The Canon," (William Sterling), which should be studied carefully before constructing the Altar.

For this Altar must embody the Magician's knowledge of the laws of Nature, which are the laws through which he works.

He should endeavour to make geometrical constructions to symbolize cosmic measurements. For example, he may take the two diagonals as (say) the diameter of the sun. Then the side of the altar will be found to have a length equal to some other cosmic measure, a vesica drawn on the side some other, a "rood cross" within the vesica yet another. Each Magician should work out his own system of symbolism -- and he need not confine himself to cosmic measurements. He might, for example, find some relation to express the law of inverse squares.

The top of the Altar shall be covered with gold, and on this gold should be engraved some such figure as the Holy Oblation, or the New Jerusalem, or, if he have the skill, the Microcosm of Vitruvius, of which we give illustrations.

On the sides of the Altar are also sometimes drawn the great tablets of the elements, and the sigils of the holy elemental kings, as shown in The Equinox, No. VII; for these are syntheses of the forces of Nature. Yet these are rather special than general symbols, and this book purports to treat only of the grand principles of working.

In conclusion, the double cube altar serves as a potent and versatile symbol, uniting Masonic Holy Royal Arch rituals and magick practices. It embodies duality, balance, and the interconnectedness of the material and spiritual realms. Its design and symbolism stand as a perpetual reminder of divine order and the unity that permeates the universe.