The Perpendicular in Freemasonry : Tracing the Inner Axis of the Entered Apprentice

The perpendicular in Freemasonry is not merely a technical verification tool. From the moment you step inside the lodge, it serves as a subtle yet significant symbol — the emblem of the Junior Warden, who carries the perpendicular and oversees the Entered Apprentices. But why has this modest-looking instrument become one of the silent keys to the Masonic journey ? What can we learn from the perpendicular in Freemasonry about the development of a person, their inner axis and their rightful position between Heaven and Earth? This is a deep dive into a vertical symbol that is sometimes overlooked but always demands attention.

1. Why is the perpendicular in Freemasonry associated with the Entered Apprentice ?

Upon joining, the Entered Apprentice encounters a world of symbolic tools. Among these are the gavel, the chisel and sometimes the 24-inch ruler. However, another figure stands out in the background : the Junior Warden, who carries the perpendicular. This is no coincidence. He oversees the Entered Apprentice's instruction, and it is through his tool that the vertical axis of Masonic work is drawn.

The Perpendicular, emblem of the Junior Warden

But why the perpendicular ? Because it immediately calls into question the correct position and rectitude of the body and of being. It indicates a direction that is not horizontal, social or speculative, but internal, serious and demanding. This means that all progress begins with alignment. Elevation can only be envisaged by starting from the bottom and descending to the deepest depths.

The Entered Apprentice does not yet have the compass. He does not extend his circle. He cannot yet govern, measure or draw any plans. He stands calmly and silently, facing himself, and it is in this upright position that his transformation begins. The perpendicular in Freemasonry serves as a reminder that the starting point is already an axis, a call to stand upright in consciousness.

2. What is the difference between a perpendicular and a plumb line in Freemasonry ?

These two tools are sometimes confused, even in certain Masonic rituals. However, they are neither identical nor interchangeable. Although subtle, the distinction is symbolically significant. The plumb line is a longer instrument that is suspended freely and is used to check the verticality of large architectural structures, such as walls, pillars, and façades. It is the tool of the external builder, measuring verticality in space.

The perpendicular, on the other hand, consists of a plumb line integrated into a rigid frame, often a wooden arch in Masonic tradition. It does more than just suspend a weight ; it structures, orients and fixes. Its very shape evokes the precise adjustment of a cut stone, an angle or a detail to be corrected. It is closer to the body, the hand and the workshop.

The perpendicular in Freemasonry therefore acts as an embodied, almost intimate symbol. It does not verify the outside world; it verifies the self. It does not evaluate the façade of a building, but rather the the uprightness of a living stone — ourselves. This distinction is not purely speculative; it establishes the tool within a pedagogy of detail and a slow process of rectification.

The perpendicular in Freemasonry is not an ornament. It is a test. It challenges the position of the body, the coherence of speech and the honesty of silence. Are my words an accurate reflection of who I am? Am I upright, or merely appear to be so ?

3. What does verticality mean in Freemasonry ?

At first glance, it is an architectural matter. It ensures that a building rises straight and true, and does not betray its foundations. However, in Freemasonry, verticality goes far beyond structural rigour; it becomes an inner requirement. It is not only the wall that must be upright — it is the man himself.

The suspended thread of the perpendicular always points towards the centre of the Earth. This reminds us that any worthy elevation first requires a descent. A descent into oneself, into one's shadows, into one's contradictions and uncut angles. The Entered Apprentice is aware of this ; his first test takes place underground. Alone in the silence of the Chamber of Reflection, he faces the motto V.I.T.R.I.O.L. It is no coincidence that this instruction to explore the depths of the Earth is engraved at the beginning of his journey.

Therefore, verticality in Freemasonry begins here. Not in the affirmation of height, but in the acceptance of depth. It is through gravity that we understand gravity. The perpendicular in Freemasonry reminds us of this relentlessly, whenever we think we are standing upright.

The plumb line between Earth and Sky

However, this verticality is not a dead end. It has two ends : the plumb line descending, and the point suspended above. One sinks towards the origin; the other opens up to infinity. Can I rise by knowing myself ? Is it by accepting weight that I can become light ? What does it mean, in the lodge as in life, to truly find one’s rightful place between the bottom and the top ?

4. What can Chinese thought bring to the Masonic perpendicular ?

The perpendicular in Freemasonry traces a vertical axis between the bottom and the top. However, this direction is rarely explored in most rituals. While the cardinal directions — from east to west and from north to south — structure the lodge, the zenith and nadir are only mentioned and rarely meditated upon. Should we see this as an oversight ? Or is it an invitation to look elsewhere for additional insights ?

The ancient and still vibrant Chinese spiritual tradition offers a valuable perspective on this. According to this tradition, the universe is structured not in four, but in ten directions : the four cardinal points, the four intermediate directions, and the double vertical axis of top and bottom. This is not simply an addition ; it is a vision based on the balance of living forces. This is where a fruitful analogy with the Masonic perpendicular arises.

In this cosmology, verticality is closely associated with a ternary structure. Between Heaven and Earth, a third reality is interposed : Man. The Chinese ideogram for the number three conveys this idea powerfully. Three horizontal lines : at the bottom is Earth, at the top is Heaven, and in the centre is Man, shorter than the other two. Man is the link between Earth and Heaven, the visible and the invisible. Man stands stretched between two poles, seeking alignment. Is this not, in other words, the experience of the perpendicular in Freemasonry ?

This relationship between Heaven and Earth lies at the heart of Chinese tradition. In internal martial arts such as Taiji Quan and energy practices such as Qi Gong, every starting posture begins with a firm grounding in the Earth, the feet rooted and the top of the head suspended as if pulled by an invisible thread. The vertical axis is not just an idea ; it is an experience. It engages the breath, the centre of gravity and consciousness.

Man between Earth and Sky

It is from this embodied verticality that Wu Wei arises — a term that literally translates as 'non-action'. However, this concept is often misunderstood in Western culture because it is too often confused with inaction or passivity. However, Wu Wei is actually about acting without excess, without disruption and without pride. It does not force, distort, or seek anything for itself. A word spoken at the right moment. A gesture made without premeditation. An attitude that neither seeks to convince nor dominate. Isn't this effortless accuracy what we call 'acting according to the Square' in another language ?

5. What if the act of standing to order were a living perpendicular ?

The perpendicular in Freemasonry is not just a distant symbol or a subject of discourse. It runs silently through the entire ritual. It is experienced. It is embodied in acts. Perhaps it is most clearly experienced in the simplest, most repeated and most discreet gesture : standing to order.

This gesture, which we sometimes perform mechanically, deserves renewed attention. What exactly are we doing ? We are straightening our bodies. We align our feet. We raise our arm at a certain angle. Our gaze changes and our breathing calms. The outside world fades away. Our inner turmoil falls silent. A line emerges within us, almost without our realising it. A living perpendicular.

Is it simply a codified posture? Or is it a silent reminder of what we should strive for at all times ? Can we enter the lodge without first straightening ourselves inwardly ? Can we wear the apron without striving to embody what it signifies ? Can we speak without first aligning ourselves with silence ?

The call to order invites us to embrace this gentle rectitude, without tension or rigidity. It is not a commandment. It is a chosen and assumed verticality. It is a rediscovered inner axis. Perhaps it is also a brief reconciliation between heaviness and lightness, between the man we are and the man we seek to become.

Conclusion — In the beginning, there was verticality

The perpendicular in Freemasonry is more than just a tool. It is a reminder. It is a call. It is a forgotten axis that the ritual gently brings back to mind. It teaches us that constructing the inner temple does not begin with expansion or projection, but with a silent act of realignment. Standing straight does not mean being rigid. It means being present, oriented and inhabited. Perhaps, deep down, that is where it all begins: with this invisible thread that connects, aligns and reawakens.

By Ion Rajolescu, editor-in-chief of Nos Colonnes, dedicated to delivering an accurate, rigorous and vibrant Masonic message.

Keen to explore the symbolism of the masonic working tools further ?

Have a look at our collection of wooden working tools, including the perpendicular.

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FAQ – The Perpendicular in Freemasonry

1. What is the perpendicular in Freemasonry ?

It is the emblem of the Junior Warden and represents the vertical axis along which the Apprentice is invited to realign himself — in posture and in being.

2. How is the perpendicular different from a plumb line ?

The plumb line is a free-hanging tool used for checking the verticality of large structures. The perpendicular is integrated into a rigid wooden frame and is used to verify the uprightness of individual stones — including the “living stone” that is the Freemason himself.

3. Why is the perpendicular associated with the Entered Apprentice ?

Because it is carried by the Junior Warden, who oversees the instruction of Entered Apprentices. It symbolically expresses the first work expected of them: inner alignment and uprightness.

4. Is the perpendicular mentioned in Masonic ritual expressions ?

Not in most continental rituals. However, in some Anglo-Saxon traditions, the perpendicular appears in ritual expressions describing signs or symbolic postures — particularly those linked to uprightness and alignment within the lodge.

5. What does verticality mean in Masonic symbolism ?

It is not just an architectural reference. It suggests the inner axis that connects Earth and Heaven, depth and height — and calls the Freemason to inhabit that space fully.

6. How is the perpendicular connected to the Chamber of Reflection ?

The suspended thread pointing to the Earth echoes the descent experienced by the Entered Apprentice in the Chamber of Reflection — a moment of solitude and self-examination under the motto V.I.T.R.I.O.L. in certain rituals.

7. Is the perpendicular a spiritual symbol ?

Rather than “spiritual,” it is better described as an internal or initiatory symbol. It evokes presence, alignment, and the responsibility to be upright — not only in body, but in speech and silence.

8. What do Chinese traditions say about verticality ?

In Chinese cosmology, verticality is expressed through the relationship between Earth, Heaven, and Man — the three strokes of the ideogram for “three.” The central stroke, shorter, represents Man as the link between the visible and the invisible.

9. What is Wu Wei and how does it relate to Masonic practice ?

Wu Wei is a Daoist principle often translated as “non-action,” but better understood as “action without excess or ego.” It resonates with the Masonic idea of acting according to the Square — with alignment and without force.

10. How does the act of standing to order embody the perpendicular ?

It is a moment when the Freemason silently straightens himself — in body and intention. It is not a mere formality, but a living gesture of alignment with the values of the degree.