The Templar Fellowship of America was founded under the auspices of the Austrian Templar Order.  Fellowship news and updates may be shared both publicly and privately within this group.

Constitution and Bylaws for the TFA

A group site for Templar MEMBERS for communication postings.

This study group looks at Bernard's Original Rule of the Historic Templars as presented in a modern light.  Paraphrased from the book by J. M. Upton-Ward which translated the Templar Rule from the French to English.

This is NOT a literal wording of Upton-Ward's rule, but rather the presentation of a modern paraphrase that applies to most Templars.

This group contains the portion of the Rule of the Templar termed the Hierarchical Statues and contain the "everyday rules" of the Templars.  These rules are paraphrases of the English version of the French Rule of the Templars as presented in the Book The Rule of the Templars by J. M. Upton-Ward.

This is NOT a literal wording of Upton-Ward's rule, but rather the presentation of a modern paraphrase that applies to most Templars.

The rules in this category are the things for which a Templar might be punished.  I have attempted to phrase these penalties for the best use for today's world.

Paraphrased from the book by J. M. Upton-Ward which translated the Templar Rule from the French to English.

This is NOT a literal wording of Upton-Ward's rule, but rather the presentation of a modern paraphrase that applies to most Templars.

The historic Templars had rules for life within the convent.  Most of these rules are specific to the religious community, but I share those rules with you here, with an application where possible, for use in the non conventual world.

Paraphrased from the book by J. M. Upton-Ward which translated the Templar Rule from the French to English.

This is NOT a literal wording of Upton-Ward's rule, but rather the presentation of a modern paraphrase that applies to most Templars.

This section of the Templar Rule concerns conduct within Templar meetings.  Rules 386 to 543 concern the conduct of Templar Chapters.

Paraphrased from the book by J. M. Upton-Ward which translated the Templar Rule from the French to English.

This is NOT a literal wording of Upton-Ward's rule, but rather the presentation of a modern paraphrase that applies to most Templars.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION DAILY

This section of the Templar Rule expounds on the various Penances of the Templars and contains Rules 544 to 656.

Paraphrased from the book by J. M. Upton-Ward which translated the Templar Rule from the French to English.

This is NOT a literal wording of Upton-Ward's rule, but rather the presentation of a modern paraphrase that applies to most Templars.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION DAILY

This section concerns the ceremonies of reception as a Knight Templar within the Catholic Order.  Rules 657 to 686 conclude the Rule of the Temple.

Paraphrased from the book by J. M. Upton-Ward which translated the Templar Rule from the French to English.

See rule 274 and its comments, under Section 3, Penances, for a formula for a profession used by the Templars.  Stated simply "Profession" was a way to receive Templar members.  "Reception into the Order" was a way to ordain a brother into the spiritual service of the Templars.

Hence there is an "external" aspect to the Templars and an "internal" aspect to the Order.  Those who are members, and those who are ordained to serve.

This study group explores the Sufi tradition and its myriad pathways to the heart.

Although Sufism is connected to Islam by culture and geography, it is not a religion, nor is it a single path that must be followed to the exclusion of other spiritual ways.

Though many have tried, Sufism has never been owned by any race or religion. It is an endeavor to experience reality as love itself. Thus, it is a door that is open to all. In fact, the word "dervish" means "one who sits in the doorway".

The Templars were very much connected to a Gnostic tradition, a Gnostic mystical tradition that they learned and they inherited in the Holy Land and brought with them back into Europe. For much of the time that the Templars were around it would have been part of the Templar tradition, but a lot of it has been lost.

The Templars were famous for their heresy and it was because of the heresy that there was the downfall and the disillusion of the order.

We’re talking about 12th and 13th Centuries, so, of course, in Europe at that time it was purely the Catholic tradition. So anything that wasn’t Catholic was heresy. But this was really heresy and it really pushed the envelope, absolutely!

But, according to tradition our first Grand Master, Hugues de Payns, right after we were formed in 1118 A.D, he was initiated into what they called this Johani lineage, also known as the Holy Grail lineage that came through Jesus, Mary Magdalene, John the Apostle. (Please see Recommended Reading – bottom of this page.) (*)

Ultimately it started way back in the Far East and came West with a tribe known as the Andean People. They are the only surviving Gnostic Sect from ancient times that still exists and they exist in Southern Iraq. They came west and united with the Persian civilization, Egyptian civilization and the Sumerians. Finally, they merged with the Essenes.

We were involved with rites that involved transmitting what we called the Holy Grail energy, which is also known around the world as the Holy Spirit, as the Serpent Power—Kundalini in the East.

Once that energy enters you, then it does the work of evolving you and opening up what we call the Centers of Gnosis—the centers of intuitive wisdom. When that happens so many answers to questions that you have always had are right there. What am I doing here? What’s this Universe about?

So, how we look at it is that Jesus essentially created two lineages: The more fundamentalist, the more patriarchal, the Catholic lineage with St. Peter; the more matriarchal, the Gnostic, the alchemical with John the Apostle and Mary Magdalene.

It is that lineage that we are trying now to revive. It was always part of us, and then when the secret societies were formed that split off from us they became representatives of it, as well. They were all alchemists; they were all Gnostics.

The Templars were very much connected to a Gnostic tradition, a Gnostic mystical tradition that they learned and they inherited in the Holy Land and brought with them back into Europe. For much of the time that the Templars were around it would have been part of the Templar tradition, but a lot of it has been lost.

The Templars were famous for their heresy and it was because of the heresy that there was the downfall and the disillusion of the order.

We’re talking about 12th and 13th Centuries, so, of course, in Europe at that time it was purely the Catholic tradition. So anything that wasn’t Catholic was heresy. But this was really heresy and it really pushed the envelope, absolutely!

But, according to tradition our first Grand Master, Hugues de Payns, right after we were formed in 1118 A.D, he was initiated into what they called this Johani lineage, also known as the Holy Grail lineage that came through Jesus, Mary Magdalene, John the Apostle. (Please see Recommended Reading – bottom of this page.) (*)

Ultimately it started way back in the Far East and came West with a tribe known as the Andean People. They are the only surviving Gnostic Sect from ancient times that still exists and they exist in Southern Iraq. They came west and united with the Persian civilization, Egyptian civilization and the Sumerians. Finally, they merged with the Essenes.

We were involved with rites that involved transmitting what we called the Holy Grail energy, which is also known around the world as the Holy Spirit, as the Serpent Power—Kundalini in the East.

Once that energy enters you, then it does the work of evolving you and opening up what we call the Centers of Gnosis—the centers of intuitive wisdom. When that happens so many answers to questions that you have always had are right there. What am I doing here? What’s this Universe about?

So, how we look at it is that Jesus essentially created two lineages: The more fundamentalist, the more patriarchal, the Catholic lineage with St. Peter; the more matriarchal, the Gnostic, the alchemical with John the Apostle and Mary Magdalene.

It is that lineage that we are trying now to revive. It was always part of us, and then when the secret societies were formed that split off from us they became representatives of it, as well. They were all alchemists; they were all Gnostics.

Templar Legacy is dedicated to the research and study of the Templars and their contemporaries in Western Arabia. This includes specifically the Sufis, or the Devervish as they are sometimes called.

A group devoted to the study of the Templars and Assassins.

Templar Fellowship in Reno is a local group for fellowship and participation in the Templar Fellowship of America.

This group focuses on the deepest nature of the spirit within the temple within each of us.

Given the inherent non-physical nature of the spirit, conceptual language will be presented which allows more abstract cognitive processing of the issues.

The intent of this group is to celebrate the underlying values related to the efforts and interests of the Knights Templar, which focus on spirit rather than the traditional or literal state of their existence.