Rosslyn Chapel Revealed offers the reader an increased understanding and respect for one of Europe's finest pre-Reformation buildings. Rosslyn Chapel, with its fountains in the world of nature, still points bravely to the heavens. That there is mystery of the esoteric Gnositc variety, available only to the initiated few. Instead, it is knowledge, accessible to all, of the dynamic intertwining of the created world with the impulse towards self-fulfilment. Rosslyn Chapel Revealed shows that the chapel is first and foremost a Christian building, constructed in the traditions of the pre-Reformation Church for the celebration in word, gesture and music of the Divine Office and of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus Christ suffered on his cross for the salvation of the human race. The stunning beauty of the chapel, its unexpected delicacy and the uninhibited humour of its stone carvings, which have drawn visitors in such avid numbers from all over the world, are a tribute to the honesty and validity of the religious experience to be found within its ancient walls, in a breathtaking setting of valley and river that is older than time.

This book is responds to the overwhelming interest in the Da Vinci Code by offering the most authentic account of the building of the chapel yet published. The reader is introduced to Sir Gilbert Haye, a 14th century precursor of the Renaissance, Keeper of the Royal Library in France, and family tutor to the Sinclairs, who built the chapel.

The glorious fifteenth-century Rosslyn Chapel, one of Scotland's most extraordinary architectural masterpieces, has remained in the ownership of the St Clair family for over 550 years. Rosslyn Chapel, written by the Earl and Countess of Rosslyn, its current St Clair custodians, is a personal account of a family chapel that has become a national treasure. Built entirely in stone, the multitude of carvings, both interior and exterior, include Christian imagery, from angelic musicians to Biblical scenes; over 100 representations of the pagan Green Man, a symbol of fertility and rebirth; and the earliest recorded stone carving of the medieval Dance of Death, the 'Danse Macabre'. Rosslyn Chapel also looks into the myths and legends associated with the building and the family, who have been connected at various points in history to mysterious groups, such as the Knights Templar and the Freemasons. The authors explore the fascinating and intertwined histories of the St Clair family and their chapel.0.

Nestling in an exquisite glen just seven miles from the centre of Edinburgh, Rosslyn Chapel is one of the world's most extraordinary places. Ever since it was built in the mid fifteenth century it has cast a mesmerising spell over all who have visited it, exuding an aura of profound mystery, as if it holds the key to some vast, unearthly secret. Six hundred years later it continues to confound and intrigue, inspiring stories of The Knights Templar, the Holy Grail and a myriad of esoteric beliefs, most notably in the 1980s bestseller The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, which made the chapel known to millions throughout the word. In this book Roddy Martine sifts through mounds of unfounded conjecture and fantasy to make sense of it all. The Secrets of Rosslyn is the only book that lets the facts speak for themselves, showing ultimately that the truth is no less amazing than fiction.

Reveals evidence of visionary plants in Christianity and the life of Jesus found in medieval art and biblical scripture--hidden in plain sight for centuries • Follows the authors’ anthropological adventure discovering sacred mushroom images in European and Middle Eastern churches, including Roslyn Chapel and Chartres • Provides color photos showing how R. Gordon Wasson’s psychedelic theory of religion clearly extends to Christianity and reveals why Wasson suppressed this information due to his secret relationship with the Vatican • Examines the Bible and the Gnostic Gospels to show that visionary plants were the catalyst for Jesus’s awakening to his divinity and immortality Throughout medieval Christianity, religious works of art emerged to illustrate the teachings of the Bible for the largely illiterate population. What, then, is the significance of the psychoactive mushrooms hiding in plain sight in the artwork and icons of many European and Middle-Eastern churches? Does Christianity have a psychedelic history? Providing stunning visual evidence from their anthropological journey throughout Europe and the Middle East, including visits to Roslyn Chapel and Chartres Cathedral, authors Julie and Jerry Brown document the role of visionary plants in Christianity. They retrace the pioneering research of R. Gordon Wasson, the famous “sacred mushroom seeker,” on psychedelics in ancient Greece and India, and among the present-day reindeer herders of Siberia and the Mazatecs of Mexico. Challenging Wasson’s legacy, the authors reveal his secret relationship with the Vatican that led to Wasson’s refusal to pursue his hallucinogen theory into the hallowed halls of Christianity. Examining the Bible and the Gnostic Gospels, the authors provide scriptural support to show that sacred mushrooms were the inspiration for Jesus’ revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven and that he was initiated into these mystical practices in Egypt during the Missing Years. They contend that the Trees of Knowledge and of Immortality in Eden were sacred mushrooms. Uncovering the role played by visionary plants in the origins of Judeo-Christianity, the authors invite us to rethink what we know about the life of Jesus and to consider a controversial theory that challenges us to explore these sacred pathways to the divine.

FREEMASONRY & SECRET SOCIETIES. The Knights of Templar and the Rosslyn Chapel have recently been catapulted to Hollywood fame. "The Rosslyn Templar" avoids well worn grail legend, instead providing new research concentrating on the symbolism of R.T. McPherson's 1836 painting, "Templar Knight at Roslin Chapel". McPherson's recently discovered painting is the earliest material evidence linking the Knights Templar to Rosslyn Chapel.Cowie presents an engaging discussion of the painting, the history of Freemasonry and the architecture of Rosslyn, opening up new artistic evidence for a connection between the Templars, Freemasons and Rosslyn. This beautifully produced book contains detailed photographs of the interior and exterior of the chapel making it appealing to academic enthusiasts and visitors to the chapel alike, especially as public photography has been banned in the building since 2007.

An exploration of how modern Freemasonry enabled Isaac Newton and his like-minded contemporaries to flourish • Shows that Freemasonry, as a mystical order, was conceived as something new--an amalgam of alchemy and science that had little to do with operative Freemasonry • Reveals how Newton and his friends crafted this “speculative,” symbolic Freemasonry as a model for the future of England • Connects Rosslyn Chapel, Henry Sinclair, and the Invisible College to Newton and his role in 17th-century Freemasonry Freemasonry, as a fraternal order of scientists and philosophers, emerged in the 17th century and represented something new--an amalgam of alchemy and science that allowed the creative genius of Isaac Newton and his contemporaries to flourish. In Isaac Newton’s Freemasonry, Alain Bauer presents the swirl of historical, sociological, and religious influences that sparked the spiritual ferment and transformation of that time. His research shows that Freemasonry represented a crossroads between science and spirituality and became the vehicle for promoting spiritual and intellectual egalitarianism. Isaac Newton was seminal in the “invention” of this new form of Freemasonry, which allowed Newton and other like-minded associates to free themselves of the church’s monopoly on the intellectual milieu of the time. This form of Freemasonry created an ideological blueprint that sought to move England beyond the civil wars generated by its religious conflicts to a society with scientific progress as its foundation and standard. The “science” of these men was rooted in the Hermetic tradition and included alchemy and even elements of magic. Yet, in contrast to the endless reinterpretations of church doctrine that fueled the conflicts ravaging England, this new society of Accepted Freemasons provided an intellectual haven and creative crucible for scientific and political progress. This book reveals the connections of Rosslyn Chapel, Henry Sinclair, and the Invisible College to Newton’s role in 17th-century Freemasonry and opens unexplored trails into the history of Freemasonry in Europe.