TARGET 151118
THE MASONIC INITIATION WELL
OF QUINTA da REGALEIRA
Back in the days when government was ruled by kings living in castles, there was no such thing as running water on tap from the city water supply. Water came from wells. Generally, under each castle there would be at least one well. It was a highly protected place because, if the castle came under siege, they would not be able to go to wells outside the castle. Without water, they would either give up or die of dehydration within days.
So the water well, in many ways, was one of the castle's main lifelines, and in fact, it is suspected that one of the primary considerations of where to build the castle depended on where a well or spring would provide water. Since many castles were built high on hilltops, the wells had to be quite deep and could be very elaborate, with interior steps spiraling down to water level.
The staircase
This week's target, though, focuses on a single one of these wells - and in fact, one not used for water, at all. It was used for Masonic secret initiation rites. In this well, there is no physical water at the bottom, but a place for the initiate to get the "living water" of his religion. There is an ornate tiled floor where the induction rites were performed. The pattern in the tiles is that of a compass over the cross of the Knights Templar.
The ceremonial floor
When you think about it, the symbollism of the water well to that culture was as the "wellspring" that gives and sustains life for those who are insiders to the castle and keep. What better symbollism, then, for a Masonic ceremony to bringing initiates into a religious order. As far as I could find out, no ceremonies are still held there, but of course, if there are, they would be held in secret, so no firm feedback can be provided. Also, there is no actual feedback for the rites which were once held there, so as a viewer, anything you get in for form of "activity" will be esoteric and no specific feedback can be provided for you, other than the probable existence of Knights Templar uniforms, ceremonial garb, formal religious ambiances and in almost all certainty, all male participants.
There is a second well - not accessable - not the target
Also, advanced viewers may find that there are two such wells at the castle. The first one shown is the target for this week. It has been restored to its original condition. The other is covered in moss and not opened for present-day access.
Because many viewers will focus on the larger area surrounding the actual target, and then work their way into the tasking, I am also providing some known information about the general location and the castle:
The castle, Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta de Regaleira is located on a hilltop near the historic center of Sintra, Portugal
Sintra, Portugal
The land on which the castle sits is now a World Heritage protected landscape. There are structures and ruins which go back to the Neolithic age (around 5,000 BC). The Quinta da Regaleira is a vast estate that sits within this historical landscape. It has had many owners throughout the years, each contributing their own personal touch. But it was not until 1904, after being sold to António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, a wealthy Portuguese entomologist, that the estate was transformed into a unique palace adorned with symbolic carvings associated with Masonry, the Knights Templar, and the Rosicrucians.
The wells are reached via tunnels
The Quinta de Regaleira estate consists of a palace and chapel with exquisite décor including frescoes, gargoyls on the parapets, stained glass windows, and lavish stuccoes. The estate grounds feature lakes, grottoes, wells, benches, fountains, and an extensive and enigmatic system of tunnels that connect to the two spiraling wells. The wells are accessed by this system of tunnels, and are not accessible from the castle, proper.
NOTE: The area, the castle, and the well each have a very rich history. Advanced viewers, especially those who have a natural interest in history or the Knights Templar, and who find the historic nature of this target, will very likely create timelines to gain historic information. While I try to provide good feedback for all levels of viewer training and experience, I have not included feedback on this target's history, as that information is very lengthy, varied, complex and can be found in the links, below.
If you got impressions for which this feedback is insufficient, more information,
pictures, videos, and further links can be found at the following web sites:
Ancient-Origens web site
Abandonedography.com
PortugalVirtual.pt
National Geographic
UNESCO.org