I Will Walk the Symbolic Path

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Randy Sanders


I will walk the Symbolic Path, and let the Fraternity continue. Freemasonry endured centuries before us, and it will continue centuries beyond. There will always be ritualists and non-ritualists, there will always be symbologists and non-symbologists, and there will always be those committed to the administration of the Craft by way of taking on officer roles. Or not. Not every Mason fits into a silo of how others believe Masons should be, and that’s the beauty of the Craft. Every Mason’s path is unique, and I guarantee you have not walked in their shoes except at one place: kneeling at that altar. Respect that difference.

Allegorical instruction illustrated by symbols. We know this phrase, albeit a little differently. The teachings of the ages are indeed mysteries, and they remain mysteries to those not interested in looking. Let those people be. We don’t need to be knocking on people’s heads to force them to see as we do. What we need to be doing is refocusing on what’s important to us, and quit trying to force this eye-opening on others. In the long run, we all have the opportunity to look inwardly, and we have the ability to sit silently. We do not have any right and in fact many admonitions against, pushing our internal views on others.

Likewise, we have the obligation and the Agape view of Love/Charity to reach out the helping and guiding hand toward those around us who desire to improve themselves. It’s our calling to help ourselves and help others around us. We may do that in many ways such as guiding the development of ritualists, actively supporting our Grand Lodge officers’ endeavors, or taking on roles and responsibilities within our own local lodges or bodies. We may opt to focus inwardly, and that is not mutually exclusive to the other ways of participating in the Craft.

My choice was and remains to focus on the symbolism and to put effort into the contemplative practices toward finding myself, of taking that leap. I encourage anyone who wants to do so to not let anything stand in their way. Be mindful of your 24-inch gauge, but find ways to make time work in your favor in your prayers. Practice yields results; more practice yields more results.

How do I get started? Ask and it shall be answered.

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

Look to the East…Superintending the Craft through Eastern Practices: A Book Review

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor
Bro. Brendan Hickey

                                    
Look to the East…Superintending the Craft through Eastern Practices
by Dwight S. Decoskey II
Published by PropOps Shop Publications
2020
Paperback, $20.00



Brother Decoskey uses the term East in both the Masonic and cultural meanings. Among his many credentials are twenty years of work experience as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense, and an MBA degree. This book does not have a New Age vibe at all. Instead, the writing is concise, direct, honest, and sometimes blunt.

At just 95 pages, this book can also be read quickly, and that may be the best way to approach it. Read it quickly one time, dog-ear and mark the pages that grab your attention, then come back for another, careful, deliberate read. The author says that his goal is to avoid any sort of indoctrination, a goal that he achieves, and asks instead only that you consider the information that he provides.

The three parts of this book focus, variously, on exercise and breathing; diet and nutrition; and spirituality and community. Much of the content will be familiar to most readers. We already know that we should move more than we probably do; eat less and better than we probably do, and connect with the Supreme Architect and our personal communities more intentionally than we probably do. We have this information, but it sounds a bit different when coming from a brother, who has our interests at heart. The author also frames his suggestions in terms of making us fit to be of the best service to our fraternity, building on our own worthwhile reasons for changing our habits.

Brother Decoskey is careful to connect Eastern ideas with Western science and his own opinions of his with support from someone else. There are seven pages on poop, used as a gauge of overall health. There are ten pages on religion so that you can meet brothers of different faiths on the square. There is a page on chakras. However, the author also teaches the reader diaphragmatic breathing, used by U.S Navy SEALs as well as Eastern practitioners, and known to this reviewer as tactical or four-square breathing, used for stress control by emergency responders. It’s also useful if you have to speak in public, like, say, from the Worshipful Master’s station.

Look to the East seems to be written mostly for brothers in middle age and older, the men who are seeing the limitations that come with age, but this book may appeal to anyone who wants to delay the onset of those limitations. Any brother who is interested in his health and remaining strong to continue his good work in Freemasonry may find value in this book.

The book may be purchased HERE

~BH

Brendan Hickey is a Past Master of Thomson Lodge No. 340 in Paoli, PA; King of Howell Royal Arch Chapter No. 202 in West Chester, PA; and Pursuivant of Pennsylvania Lodge of Research No. 1. He is also a Master Masonic Scholar through the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge. Brendan works as a school psychologist and volunteers in emergency mental health in Pennsylvania and Delaware.



My Brother’s Keeper

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Chris Hathaway


“Am I my brother’s keeper” is a question that has been asked since the first sons of Adam. When Cain fired this question back to his creator, he had no idea we would be asking ourselves that same question of each other countless times over throughout our lives. God expects us to be each other’s keeper. Does this only extend to our biological brothers? No.

2021 has been rough. It wasn’t much better than 2020 and in some ways worse. 2022 is shaping out to be the trilogy of the pandemic and hopefully its last chapter. So how do we get through tough times? How do we keep hope alive? We look after each other, every day, in all our interactions.

All things considered, 2021 was one of my roughest years. But I had keepers everywhere I looked. My family and friends are second to none and were always there. But what if they weren’t? Who else can I rely on? Certainly when times are tough, we should look to the fraternity for guidance and fellowship. Too often when times get tough, I see guys fade away instead of embracing the brotherhood to its fullest extent. Masons throughout the State of Illinois had my back through it all, and most of them didn’t even know it. The routine of lodge, the degree rehearsals, and the programs kept normalcy in place when all else seemed lost.

But who else is our keeper and who else should we be looking after? Our coworkers are a good start. We spend more time with them than our own family on occasions. Do you lift people up when they are down or do you shame them for having bad days? Are you the guy that figures out what is going on in their lives before making rude comments? Practice showing grace and support even when people are having the worst of days. When you are out shopping, are you being your brother’s keeper to the store clerk, to the door greeters, the strangers in the parking lot. They just might need that touch of class, that smiling face, the hope that good people still exist. You are giving them light by being a decent human being especially in difficult times.

As I turned 31 years old this year, I reflected on the 31st Degree in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, NMJ. A key theme in that degree addresses this very question “Am I my brother’s keeper?”. In various parts of the degree, the characters keep saying NO! Their excuses are weak although are always “justified” so they do not feel guilty about passing by without helping. In the end though, a just and upright Mason cuts through the bull and explains to the group that they are in fact their brother’s keeper, on all occasions.

Eric Church says this in the song ‘Those I’ve Loved’

“And I hope they know I never would have made it this far on my own, where would we all be without those fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers; the friends I’ve made along the way.”

So remember that when you’re out and about next time. Be there for people. Always. 

~CJH

WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal Masonic Lodge #673 as well as Bloomington Lodge #43, where he is a Past Master. He belongs to the Valley of Danville, AASR where he is the Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix and Membership Chairman. He is the Oriental Guide in the High Priest & Prophet for the Mohammed Shiners, and the President of the Bloomington Shrine Club. Other appendant bodies include the Gao Grotto and the Illinois Lodge of Research. Outside of the lodge, he enjoys cheering on the Fighting Illini and Chicago Cubs.

Reflections

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Randy Sanders


Brother Darin Lahners walked us through a multi-part series looking at the Craft from some excellent historical commentary.  Brother Darin provided his own commentary but left the majority of the citation up to you for further reflection.  If you care to pull the parts together, I encourage you to reread that commentary as one long piece.  I don’t agree with a few observations, but I do agree with the vast majority.  Is this agreement or disagreement what we need to initiate deeper discussion in our lodges?  Is this creating or possibly following the blueprint for a reset?  Going back to some longtime criticisms to see where they hold merit, where those criticisms continue without correction, and how those criticisms may be considered in open and respectful dialogue?  

Here’s my own reset and forward-looking plan:  Contemplate nothing.

 What?  But Randy?  Brother Darin’s writings and reflections might be interpreted as a call to arms, of a push toward getting more accomplished by making some profound changes!  Yes, I agree.  I will explain.

What happens if we simply do nothing?  Read Brother Darin’s papers again, and now contemplate what happens in your own lodge, district, and jurisdiction if you simply do nothing.  That exercise is valuable in demonstrating the power of one.  What happens if you make one change?  What happens when you make another change?  Each one of the changes remains a powerful tool, and we each have a responsibility to play chess, not checkers when making changes in our fraternity. 

Yes, I said it.  Responsibility.  If you make the change, then you take ownership, right or wrong.  Doesn’t that mean we need to take time to consider what long-term ramifications might happen with that change?  If we enact a policy, can that policy come back to bite us in other ways?  What other changes might be included unintentionally? 

How can we look at an action and contemplate the possible results if we don’t first contemplate what happens if we do nothing?

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

Reverence for All Beliefs: An Exploration of Consequences and Revelation of Moral Geography

A Joint OpEd by Midnight Freemason Contributor
R. H. Johnson
and Guest Contributor 
Kevin Homan


It is a long-standing belief within Freemasonry and the world for that matter, that each person, each individual conscious mind, has an inalienable right of personal liberty, personal choice, personal belief, and the freedom to explore those rights in the search for happiness. Thomas Paine writes in The Rights of Man, “Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.”


In this quote, we find the general position of the enlightened world. To verdantly assert the individual's right to all things, and within this–what is good for the goose, is good for the gander. That is, if one has complete freedom, all must have the same. What of these freedoms are tangible?

A tangible Freedom is an idea made real by its practice in the world in which we live. We think, and those thoughts beget action. When we act on these thoughts, we have unleashed a wave of probable outcomes, infinite in consequence. In just one example, we have freedom of speech, yet, we are not immune from the consequences of the words we write or that we vocalize. The rights guaranteed to all humanity are so divine, so spiritual and so personal–they are an ingrained part of our being. They determine how we act, who we are friends with, what groups we belong to, and can even determine our socioeconomic statuses.

The topic in this paper is the freedom of belief, and the respect the Masonic Fraternity has for the individual rights of men to hold whatever beliefs they see fit, so long as they check a number of ascribed boxes to which our fraternity is bound. Of those boxes within regular male craft Freemasonry regarding belief–we would see the acceptance of a Supreme Being (some will argue monotheism). Outside of this singular qualification which speaks to personal belief, there are two other attributes outlined within the interrogatories and question and answer portions of our ritual. Whether or not the ritual is to be taken literally or not, is a matter to be taken up by the Grand Master in each state, for only the Grand Master in each state can make such a judgment.

These other qualifications stipulate that a candidate who has come before the lodge for initiation is of “good report and well recommended.” In obvious terms, this means that the candidate is known by the proposers to be a good man, free from the allurements of vice and crime. A man who can be trusted. The other qualifications are to do with proper age (at least eighteen) and that the candidate is vouched for. These last two pieces as they relate to being admitted into our fraternity speak nothing of the general character of those whom we seek to initiate.

We ask our candidates if they are members of any group to which membership within the Masonic Fraternity is incompatible. In our 27 years of combined service to the Craft, we have never stopped an initiation due to a response to this question. Of this question, we have much to discuss. It is a question that when contemplated, opens a door that cannot be shut. For it forces us to look to the hearts and consciousnesses of our existing members and our petitioners. To what organizations do they belong that the various Masonic credos would be in opposition? Belonging to such an organization is a physical and real-world, tangible enterprise born from a personal ideology.

After a proper investigation of the petitioner, or a reflective moment on a current member and their ideological alignments–we get an objective view of where they stand in the geography of the moral landscape.

These ideologies live in the minds of humans, and in many cases are secret. The secret beliefs of men, held within the prisons of their own minds are often due to an intrinsic shame, or perhaps a general fear that the beliefs they hold are such of a minority opinion, they'll be looked at as a pariah. There’s even a chance that by the extolling of one's personal ideologies they will be accused of one or more of the many deadly sins of the 21st century–forever labeled in a pejorative manner. They will forever be tormented–or “canceled.”

Men today belong to many organizations who may not have anything to hold against Freemasonry, however, should we be now concerned enough to ask whether or not a person is a member of an organization to which Freemasonry is incompatible? Organizations that hold values, beliefs, or practices that are antithetical to what our Craft teaches? Contrarily, flipping the tables as it were. Are there such organizations? Are there such ideological beliefs that are in fact, incompatible with membership in this gentle Craft?

Antifa? The Klu Klux Klan? The Proud Boys? QAnon? While we may answer unequivocally that one could not reconcile Freemasonry and any of the aforementioned groups–the fact remains that we have members within our organization that do belong to these schemes. Not only this, they financially back these organizations (while complaining about Lodge dues, mind you.) They share articles and disinformation on social media networks, attack ideologies that are contrary to theirs, and criticize all of the principles counter to their beliefs.

The organizations mentioned above are just that–organizations of peoples bound together by beliefs in particular ideals or shared goals. But what about religious beliefs? Are their religions that teach their truths that are also misaligned with what the Craft teaches? And staying with the theme of this article, and using the same mindfulness we’re talking about in respect to morality and compatibility–shouldn't it apply to religions as well? It is an ideology, after all.

It's often assumed and said that “It's common to respect others’ beliefs”. Borrowing from another famous quote, “respect is earned, not given”, which is actually part of a larger quote from Pakistani Beggar King Hussein Nishah, “Treat people the way you want to be treated. Talk to people the way you want to be talked to. Respect is earned, not given.” Respecting one's religious and political beliefs is certainly common happenstance, so long as they fall within cultural norms (which are always evolving), or to extend that for this piece, the tenets of Freemasonry–the Progressive Moral Science.

This is nothing more than a distraction from the original argument. The answer is of course, yes, everyone is entitled to their own particular beliefs. We are not, however, required to respect them. These two things are mutually exclusive, I can respect your right to your own opinion while at the same time not having to respect it. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and as outlined above, while we have freedom of speech, that speech can have consequences. Say or support speech that is unbecoming of a Mason, and you’re likely to be reminded of your error.

The question remains, if we don't respect the beliefs of a brother who is a racist or a bigot, are we the problem? Or– should we tell it like it is and remove them from our ranks? Or, do as we have always done, let sleeping dogs lie–which brings us to the subject of consequence. The consequences of allowing behaviors of the groups mentioned above as acceptable or even compatible with Freemasonry will be seen by the public, by the prospective membership, as weak, unintellectual, antiquated, irrelevant, anti-progressive. Maybe even disgusting. In other words–it will be the death of the institution.

Let’s remember that no matter how good someone's ritual is, no matter how many times they were there for the lodge, or how much they donated–it doesn’t make them a good person.

Is Freemasonry to be the home of good men attempting to become better? And can you be a racist or a bigot as a member who is trying to become better by being a Freemason? Or should we just bar all racists and bigots from entering from the beginning; solving the problem at its core with small wins coming from the deaths of those bigots and racists who made it past the West-Gate, to begin with? As is often suggested by our Masonic forefathers, perhaps recentering ourselves, recommitting to what the Craft demands of us in principle--to "try Freemasonry" is all we need to do...

Defining Principals or Mission Statements of note:

Freemasonry - (Varies from state to state.)
To promote a way of life that binds like-minded men in a worldwide brotherhood that transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural, social, and educational differences; by teaching the great principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth; and, by the outward expression of these through its fellowship, to find ways in which to serve God, family, country, neighbors, and self. (Taken from Reading Lodge No. 254, CA).

The above description of Freemasonry certainly doesn't square with any of the descriptions below. As such, anyone identifying with such groups, should not be allowed into our fraternity.

ANTIFA
Antifa is a decentralized, leaderless movement composed of loose collections of groups, networks, and individuals. Antifa's professed purpose is to vigorously oppose fascism. Antifa adherents focus on countering right-wing extremists both online and on the ground. Antifa’s presence at protests is intended to intimidate and deter racists, but the use of violent measures by some militant Antifa adherents against their adversaries can create a vicious, self-defeating cycle of attacks, counterattacks, and blame. (Taken from ADL.org)

The Klu Klux Klan-
A white southern resistance to the Republican Party’s reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for Black Americans. Its members waged an underground campaign of intimidation and violence directed at white and Black Republican leaders. Though Congress passed legislation designed to curb Klan terrorism, the organization saw its primary goal–the reestablishment of white supremacy–fulfilled through Democratic victories in state legislatures across the South in the 1870s. (Taken from History.com)

The Proud Boys-
The Proud Boys are a right-wing extremist group with a violent agenda. They are primarily misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic, and anti-immigration. Some members espouse white supremacist and antisemitic ideologies and/or engage with white supremacist groups. Public rallies and protests. Members have been known to engage in violent tactics; several members have been convicted of violent crimes. Proud Boys members accounted for one of the highest number of extremist arrestees in relation to the Jan 6 insurrection. In 2021, Proud Boys latched on to anti-mask and anti-vaccine activism, showing up at school board meetings as well as related protests and rallies. (Taken from ADL.org)

QAnon-
An American far-right political conspiracy theory and movement centered on false claims made by an anonymous individual or individuals, known by the name "Q", that a cabal of Satanic, cannibalistic pedophiles operate a global child sex trafficking ring that conspired against the former U.S. President Donald Trump during his term in office. Experts have described QAnon as a cult. (Taken from Wikipedia)


~RHJ & KH
 
RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way. Visit www.thecivicfreemason.com for more


WBro Kevin Homan was Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in August of 2007 at Olive Branch Lodge No. 114 in Leesburg, VA., and since then, has like many Masons, involved himself in more and more bodies. In addition to being a Past Master of Olive Branch Lodge, Kevin is a member of Potomac Chapter No. 88, RAM, currently serves as the Eminent Commander of Piedmont Commandery No. 26 and the Alexandria Scottish Rite Bodies. Additionally, Bro Kevin is a member of several of the York RIte invitational Bodies.

Bro Homan has been married to his wife Hillary for the past ten years and they have three wonderful (mostly) children. When he’s not doing something with his family or the Lodge Kevin enjoys a good glass of Scotch, the occasional cigar, and reading a good book in his office, which “smells of leather-bound books and rich mahogany”.

Traditional Observance

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor
Dr. E. Otha Wingo, PDDGL, FMLR


Freemasons from time immemorial have encouraged individual members to fulfill the injunction, "To Improve Myself in Freemasonry," by forming study clubs and research Lodges, Grand Lodge committees on Masonic education, publishing pamphlets, articles, and books, exploring visual aids from stereopticons to digitized computer programs.  The Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education, of which I was a member for more than ten years, consistently strives to provide resources for Lodges to fulfill this mission.

At the same time there have been tendencies to reduce requirements and expectations for candidates and shorten traditional degree programs to "save time" and make it easier for new members to "become" Freemasons. The result has been in too many cases to ignore the new member, who loses interest quickly unless his natural inclination is to study his new organization's history and teaching on his own.

MW Brother Dwight L. Smith of Indiana summarized his famous treatise on solutions to perennial problems of Lodge membership and participation ("Whither Are We Traveling? – 1962), thus: "6. And then, humbly begging pardon of the Sacred Cows, if Plans and Programs and Systems there must be, there is only one which has stood the test of time. It is that which is carried on within the framework of the Lodge, inside its four walls, by its authority, under its control and responsible to it. Nothing should be left to the whim or fancy of individuals who may be ill-prepared, inaccurate, or irresponsible. Textbooks, manuals, short courses, schools, forums – these should not operate as substitutes for the work of a Lodge. We can only hope that such tools may assist and inspire. But the stones must be hewn and squared in the quarries where they are raised…. Looking at the overall picture of American Masonry candidly and thoughtfully, it seems to me the greatest single need of our Craft today is a membership with a better understanding of what our Fraternity is and especially of what it is not."

In recent years I have noticed an increasing interest in restoring some of those traditional practices—not because they are ancient or traditional, but because they more thoroughly fulfill the original goals of Freemasonry. Some of these movements have been started outside the jurisdiction of established Grand Lodges and most have failed. Working within established Grand Lodge jurisdictions, Traditional Observance Lodges for the past ten years have been attracting the attention of dedicated Masonic students throughout the country. "Traditional" in the label Traditional Observance focuses on initiatic tradition, emphasizing quality in the work and quality in its members. It is not intended to present an alternative ritual, for these Lodges are chartered under the Grand Lodges. Another important treatise on excellence in Freemasonry is WB Andrew Hammer, PM of Alexandria –Washington Lodge #22, who prefers the label "Observance" only: "What we are seeking, and what we can claim, is the observance of the intent of our historical founders, and the restoration of Lodges to that intended observance….Absent an interest in observance, that is, in reaching for the light through our study and actions, Lodges risk ceasing to be in any way Masonic" (Hammer, Observing the Craft).

In its Fall 2009 issue (Vol. 62.4) The Philalethes Society announced a new format and an extended mission by electing Shawn Eyer as the editor of Philalethes and Erastus Allen as treasurer. MWB Terry Tilton, president of the Society and Past Grand Master of Minnesota, stated (p. 76): "Each brings a particular skill set to our Society which will surely advance our mission and outreach….Both of them, as members of Lodges that are dedicated to traditional observance, represent a growing element of Masonry, promoting a strong and integral emphasis on Masonic education." Brother Eyer is a member of Academia Lodge #847, Oakland, California and Brother Allen is a member of Lodge Ad Lucem #812, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Philalethes: The Journal of Masonic Research & Letters, founded October 1, 1928,  is "the oldest independent Masonic research society in North America."

In comparison, Quatuor Coronati Lodge #2076, "The Premier Lodge of Masonic Research," was chartered November 28, 1884, by the United Grand Lodge of England. The annual volume. Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, is #125 for 2012. The Missouri Lodge of Research was chartered in May of 1941, while Harry S Truman, then U.S. Senator from Missouri, was Grand Master. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States from April 12, 1945, to 1953. An annual volume has been published every year since 1942.

I have been a member of these three research Lodges since 1966, adding substantially to my personal Masonic library. Throughout these years, occasional references were made to Traditional Observance, mostly as used by Lodges in Europe.  If asked about this tradition, I might reply, "What I don't know about Traditional Observance would fill a book." Actually, such a book has been written: Cliff Porter, A Traditional Observance Lodge: One Mason's Journey to Fulfillment (Starr Publishing, LLC, 2013). WB Porter is a Founding Member of Enlightenment Lodge #198 in Colorado Springs, Colorado (2008) and served as its Master for the first two years. He is also an associate member of Lodge of Living Stones 4957 in Leeds, England, and an honorary member of Esoterika #316 in Seattle, Washington. He is Chairman of Education for the Grand Lodge of Colorado and has twice by invitation addressed the Conference of Grand Masters of North America. This book would profit considerably from careful proofreading and copy editing but contains much useful and thought-provoking information.

Enlightenment Lodge is different. The Lodge has higher than 100% attendance and men wait periods of longer than a year to get initiated. It has never lost a single Entered Apprentice, no member has been dropped for not paying dues. Men arrive on Lodge days at 8:00 a.m. and are often reluctantly leaving for home near midnight or 2:00 a.m. Their dues are high by American standards, the background check is rigorous, and the initiations are solemn and serious. Every Lodge meeting is treated as an event and celebrated as such. Dinner is treated as a feast with all its positive connotations. Freemasonry is celebrated in every aspect of the Lodge. From the artwork, the furnishings, the setup, and the atmosphere; all aspects of the Lodge meeting are intentional and meant to create an experience. Enlightenment Lodge is a Traditional Observance Lodge. Like all labels, the Traditional Observance label has caused fear and fright, anger and frustration, confusion, and edicts. It has also helped to define the practices that make the author's Lodge one of the most successful Lodges in the United States by any standard. Worshipful Brother Porter's book does not claim to solve all problems of Lodges losing membership or not having enough present to open Lodge. Nor does it claim to offer the only solution or even the best one. The author explains the Traditional Observance model and encourages ideas in the area of increasing the Lodge experience and emphasizing the quality of experience for its members. He gives a mixture of personal experiences, practical advice, and real-life examples for creating a Traditional Observance Lodge or increasing your Lodge's fulfillment.

Keep in mind that these Lodges are regularly chartered by official Grand Lodges in their state. Christopher Hodapp (Freemasons for Dummies, 2005, p. 272) makes this observation: "A new wave of interest has grown steadily in the United States over what is sometimes called the Traditional Observance Lodge or European Concept Lodge. U.S. Lodges are frequently bogged down by long business meetings, little Masonic education, and, worst of all, lousy food. The European Concept Lodge includes
  • A limited number of members (generally no more than 50)
  • Excellence in ritual degree work, done by the Lodge, without relying on others for help
  • A Masonic education program for the advancement of candidates, including the requirement of original research papers
  • A festive board (dinner) at a local restaurant following meetings
  • A dignified dress code
  • Required attendance, within reason
  • Appropriately priced dues so that the Lodge may be self-sufficient"
Outside of Europe, this formula was pioneered by Lodge Epicurean #906 in Australia, and it has started to gain popularity in the United States. The Masonic Restoration Foundation (www.masonicrestoration.com)  has been formed to share these ideas with interested Masons.

While U.S. Grand Lodges have seen a decline in membership, Grand Lodges in non-English-speaking countries have witnessed a strong increase in new members. They stress the more intellectual aspects of Freemasonry, take much more time between degrees, and don't have such a fascination with appendant bodies outside the Lodge. The Traditional Observance and European Concept Lodges are attempting to emulate their success.

The current list of Traditional Observance Lodges shows 51 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada. This includes newly chartered Lodges and Lodges which have adopted the Traditional Observance format. For example, Saint Paul Lodge Number Three, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was chartered in 1849 by the Grand Lodge of Ohio (before the Grand Lodge of Minnesota was established in 1853). It became a Traditional Observance Lodge in 2001. Likewise, Saint John's Lodge #1 in New York was constituted in 1757 and adopted the Traditional Observance format in 2007. Enlightenment Lodge #198, Manitou Springs, Colorado, was chartered in January 2008 by the Grand Lodge of Colorado. Cliff Porter was its first Master and a leading proponent of Traditional Observance.

Traditional Observance Lodges follow the established ritual of their Grand Lodge, with some ceremonial additions and adjustments, only insofar as they may be allowed by their Grand Lodge. Traditional Observance Lodges begin with the North American Masonic Lodge model and enrich it with traditional initiatic elements practiced in Continental European and Latin American Freemasonry.

Traditional Observance Masonry is not a Masonic rite, but rather a philosophical approach to the way Freemasonry is practiced. In many ways, Traditional Observance Masonry is a response to some of the negative trends experienced by North American Freemasonry in recent years, aimed at reversing those trends and restoring the strength and dignity of the American Craft.

[Sources: Cliff Porter, A Traditional Observance Lodge: One Mason's Journey to Fulfillment (Starr Publishing, LLC, 2013; Hodapp, op. cit.; https://www.masonicrestorationfoundation.org,; www.enlightenmentLodge.com; 

Andrew Hammer, Observing the Craft: The Pursuit of Excellence in Masonic Labour and Observance (2010)]  

Dr. E. Otha Wingo (1934-2015) was a member of Harold O. Grauel Lodge 672 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where he served as Master in 1973. He served as District Deputy Grand Lecturer for a decade, was a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and in 2011, received the coveted Truman Medal from the Grand Lodge of Missouri. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and for many years was a professor of ancient Greek, Latin, and Mythology at Southeast Missouri State University. Right Worshipful Brother Wingo was an accomplished pianist who for many years provided the music for Grand Lodge sessions. Outside of Freemasonry, Dr. Wingo was president of the esoteric Huna Society for 40 years and was also a certified private investigator. He is buried in Boonville, Mississippi, where his tombstone, rightfully so, reads, "A very interesting fella."

The Other Elvis

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR


His epitaph reads, "A very interesting fella."


His first name is not even on his tombstone. Born in 1934, Elvis Otha Wingo was a young man when another Elvis took the country by storm. I never asked Otha if that was why he preferred to use his middle name but it might have been. After all, back then there was only one Elvis and, make no mistake, there was also only one Otha.


Shortly after being appointed editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine I learned I had an assistant editor who had held the position for years, never wanting to move into the editor's chair. It was, the Grand Secretary told me, a Brother named Dr. E. Otha Wingo. A couple weeks later I went to our Grand Lodge communication and found him in the cavernous hall where we hold the plenary session. We introduced ourselves and had a lengthy conversation about the magazine, Freemasonry, and a few other things. I learned he had earned his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and for many years had been a professor of ancient Greek, Latin, and Mythology at Southeast Missouri State University. As the hall began to fill for our meeting, Otha excused himself from our conversation to attend to another duty. Already impressed by this obviously brilliant Brother, I was stunned when he walked over to a piano, sat down, and began playing. He had neglected to tell me he was an accomplished pianist and served as the musician for our Grand Sessions.


"This man," I thought, "is my assistant editor. I should be his assistant instead."


As assistant editor, RWB Wingo only had one job. For years, even before I became a member, he wrote a column, "To Improve Myself in Freemasonry," which always appeared on the back cover of the magazine. The "back page column," as it was known, and Otha himself were both icons to our Grand Lodge members.


In all the years I knew him, I came to realize our first conversation didn't tell half the story.


Otha grew up in Boonville, Mississippi, The son of Elijah and Edna Goodin Wingo. His parents were sharecroppers, who could barely scratch out a living during the depression years of his youth.  He developed an early interest in playing the piano. His family could not afford such an expensive instrument, so he took a long strip of cardboard and drew the keys on it, using that to learn to play.


At the age of 12, he taught an adult Bible class at Booneville Baptist Church and, four years later at just 16, the child genius was admitted to college, where he studied classical languages. In 1963, his 198-page doctoral thesis. "Latin Punctuation in the Classical Age," proved for the first time that the Romans used punctuation in the written Latin language.


Otha was initiated September 12, 1966 and spent the bulk of his Masonic life as a member of Harold O. Grauel Lodge 672, where he served as Master in 1973. On the Charter Night of that Lodge, Dr. Wingo not only gave a dissertation on the history of the Lodge's formation but also, as the official Lodge prognosticator, told its fortune.





His extensive Masonic resume includes serving on many Grand Lodge committees and a variety of positions. He was District Deputy Grand Lecturer from 1998-2010. In 2007, he was honored by being elected just the 12th Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research, and in 2011 received the coveted Truman Medal from the Grand Lodge of Missouri.


The introspective Brother Wingo was president of Huna Research, a society promoting, in its words, a practical way of life containing elements of philosophy, science, and religion. He succeeded the group's founder Max Freedom and served in that position for 40 years.


Working as a missionary in the 1950s, Otha hitchhiked across Jamaica. He was a personal friend of Mahalia Jackson and, as if his life wasn't busy enough, he was a certified private investigator.


The articles RWB Wingo wrote for the magazine were thoughtful, deep, serious, and even sometimes humorous. They all reflected his thorough knowledge of Freemasonry, its principles, and history. As DDGL he liked to include articles on memory aids to assist Brothers in learning the ritual. He never hesitated to drop in information stemming from his deep knowledge of classical languages and mythology. He also confused us from time to time with titles like "The Anacreontic Ode," and "Simillimum."


I once had the temerity to reject one of Otha's articles. Well… sort of. In 2012, he submitted a column entitled "Traditional Observance." TO Lodges, as they are sometimes called, are much more formal than many of our own Lodges. They follow traditional Masonic practices and the original goals of Freemasonry. They usually include Masonic education and discussion in their gatherings. Members almost always dress in tuxedos, focus on the quality of performing the ritual, and usually observe a festive board at each meeting. Sometimes members' attendance, within reason, is required. Otha's article objectively described the origins and practices of TO Lodges.


Like all of Brother Wingo's articles, "Traditional Observance" was interesting, perceptive, and educational. It was certainly worthy of publication. However, the Grand Lodge of Missouri bylaws prohibits TO Lodges. Not just that, some influential members in Missouri are adamantly opposed to them claiming, among other issues, they are elitist. I called Otha and after discussing the issue, we decided it would be better not to publish it. Within a couple of days, the prolific RWB Wingo sent me a replacement article.


In 2015, after a decade as editor of the Missouri Freemason, and a decade of working with Otha, I moved on to other projects. When the first edition of the magazine came out under a new editor, I picked it up out of the mail and immediately turned to the back cover to read Otha's column. Something struck me as strange. The format was different. The title of the article was "The Back Page Legend." Beneath that were the words, "RWB Dr. E. Otha Wingo, PDDGL, FMLR, 1934-2015." Stunned, I gradually realized I was reading Otha's obituary. I had had no reason to communicate with him since our work on the previous issue, and so the back page of the magazine, the space Otha had owned for years, is where I learned of his passing. Somewhat ironically, it turned out my last edition of the magazine was also his. In losing Brother Wingo, Freemasonry had lost a great talent. 


A decorated Freemason, known to be a loving family man, an author, an accomplished musician, a scholar, a missionary, Sunday school teacher, and even a private investigator – Dr. Elvis Otha Wingo was, indeed, an interesting "fella."


Note: The never before published "Traditional Observance," by RWB E. Otha Wingo, will appear in the next edition of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He will be featured in the next episode of the Whence Came You Podcast.

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33°  is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is also a Fellow and Past Master of the Missouri Lodge of Research. Among his other Masonic memberships is the St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite bodies, and Moila Shrine. He is also a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. Brother Steve was Editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine for a decade and is a regular contributor to the Whence Came You podcast. Born in Indiana, he has a Master's Degree from Indiana University and is retired from a 35-year career in information technology. Steve and his wife Carolyn reside in northwest Missouri. He is the author of dozens of magazine articles and three books: Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, Freemasons — Tales From the Craft and Freemasons at Oak Island.

St. John the Evangelist - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor
W.B. James E. Frey


My Brethren, December 27th marks the hallowed feast day of St. John the Evangelist. St. John is an important and distinguished figure within the symbolism of the Craft. St. John was one of the main apostles of Jesus Christ and is renowned with receiving from the Christ, a secret mystical doctrine which would define the Johnannite tradition. The word evangelist means writer of the gospel and St. John is accredited with writing the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and the book of Revelation. Bro Mackey states that St. John is venerated in Masonry because “His constant admonition, in his Epistles, to the cultivation of brotherly love, and the mystical nature of his Apocalyptic visions, have been perhaps, the principle reasons for the veneration paid to him by the Craft. “ (Mackey, Masonic Encyclopedia)

St. John supposedly lived in Galilee and was the brother of St. James. They were considered “hired men” which most likely means they were craftsmen doing a variety of work and odd jobs. The brothers were said to have lived in poverty and renounced material possessions. This is in part due to the fact that both brothers were followers of John the Baptist when he preached in the wilderness of Jordan. Both were baptized and initiated into the Baptist’s religious order which was most likely connected to the sect known as the Essenes. John and James were both on the banks of the river Jordan and witnessed the baptism and initiation of Christ. Which means they beheld the descending of the Holy Shekinah, or Holy Spirit in the form of a dove when the Baptist exclaimed with prophetic perception, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

It is said of all those in attendance, that it was only John and James that stayed after the ceremony to talk with Jesus of his experience. John then invited his new Master to his home in Galilee. He traveled with Christ to attend marriage feast of Cana. At the feast, John witnessed the miracle of water being turned to wine. This miracle solidified John’s dedication as a disciple and follower of Christ through out his travels. It is said that he was within Christ’s innermost circle and was one of the first disciples to be invested with the power to heal the sick. John suffered with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and sat at his right hand during the last supper.

He is referred to as, "disciple whom Jesus loved.” John was the one whom Mary Magdalene went to with news of the Resurrection. And when John and Peter were on the Sea of Galilee they witnessed the Vision of the Resurrected Christ. He appeared as an astral figure on the shore in the first light of morning. Peter could not recognize him but John could. Possibly signifying that John had a greater understanding of the spiritual perception over the physical senses, or material world. St. John witnessed the Ascension and received the spiritual fire of the Holy Spirit at the Pentacost. This indicated that St. John was baptized both by fire and water.
Irenaeus states that after the death of Peter and Paul, St. John settled in Ephesus. From there, Saint Jerome says that John supervised and governed all the Churches of Asia. Around 97 A.D. John was exiled to the Aegean island of Pathmos where he received apocalyptic visions, which he recorded in the Book of Revelation. The date of his death cannot be determined but John was the only Apostle of the original twelve that did not die by martyrdom.

St. John’s connection to the craft is vague and shrouded in mystery. St. John the Baptist was the patron saint of the builders’ guilds and St. John the Evangelist was not adopted into the craft until after the sixteenth century. This would place the adoption of the Evangelist around the time of the shift from operative Masonry into the speculative craft. According to Masonic historian Kenneth Mckenzie “although it has been urged that the dedication to these saints did not arise out of the circumstances to the doctrine of Christianity… that the custom of dedicating lodges to these saints arose from astrological reasons.” (Mckennzie, Royal Masonic Cyclopedia).

These astrological reasons are to correlate the symbolism of the St. Johns for the summer and Winter Solstice. The Sun enters Cancer about the 21st day of June, which is correlated to the 24th and dedicated as a feast day to St. John the Baptist. In the winter, the Sun reaches Capricorn on the 23rd of December, which is correlated to the 27th of December and dedicated to St. John the Evangelist as a feast day. This placed the two feast days of the St. John’s when the sun is lowest and highest peaks of its yearly cycle showing both the astrological meridian height of the sun in the south and the lowest point of darkness in the north, the shortest and longest days of the year.

Within the speculative craft the Saints John are called the parallels of Masonry and between them we see the point within a circle. From the oldest times, the point within a circle was a symbol of the sun and has been adopted in various cultures as such. Mackey states “The two days are the limits of its circle, therefore the circle is shone set between the lines. The Point Within the Circle represents the year, a year of work, a year out of a man's life; at least it does if the history of its use is a true guide to its symbolic meaning.” (Mackey, Masonic Encyclopedia)

It we look at the St. John the Evangelist symbolically within the context of the Masonic journey, John is every individual initiate. John is initiated by John the Baptist into the mysteries and purified, similarly how the entered apprentice is given a white apron to represent a new sense of purity. John travels with his Master and it indoctrinated in the parables of truth, similar to the Fellowcraft traveling the different compartments of the Temple being indoctrinated with the spiral staircase leading to truth, Similar to the Master Mason John is witness to the death and resurrection of his master.

Fitting in the mythos of the Masonic lost word John makes reference to Christ as “the Word.” With the death and resurrection of the Christ the true word of the gnosis is lost. But the word is found again within his own soul through the mystery of the spiritual fire of the Pentecost. The lost word is the individual soul of the initiate and the connection to the redemptive energy of the Christos. Elementally the Johns are the parallels that the Baptist represents the mystery of water and the natural or material world, the Evangelist representing the mystery of fire and the supernatural or spiritual world. With this interpretation the Master Mason dwells in the center balanced between his physical and spiritual, aware of his inner Christos in the spirit but bound to his obligation to his fellow man in the physical.

It is also important to note that the book of Revelation shows the revelation of a new name of God identified as Alpha Omega. I only mention this because there are old rituals, and some modern cryptic rites, that see the restored lost word being Iota Alpha Omega, IAO. Which correlates to the famous verse from Revelation 22 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.” (St. James Bible) In certain neo-Rosicrucian groups IAO is considered to represent the process of life, death, and resurrection.

This is often also attributed an Egyptian symbolism. I is for Isis, giver of life, A is for Apophis the destroyer, and Osiris risen which is also given solar meaning. From a psychological perspective this formula is important because our sense of identity is ever changing as we experience new things and grow as a person. Those who are afraid of destroying who they are in order to grow often become stagnate in psychological growth and develop neuroses around this painful transition.

Over all the dedication of lodges to the St. Johns dedicates the lodge itself as a solar temple representing the yearly course of the Sun. It places this subconscious symbolism on each initiate as they travel from the shortest to longest day on a search for both external light of the intellect and internal light of the spirit, or Word. On an exoteric level you have a representation of the Evangelist being a reminder of steadfast duty to one’s faith. Esoterically the Evangelist is the Initiate who becomes the master, and through astrological correlation is symbolic for the Masonic journey.

~JEF

James E Frey 32° classifies himself as a gentleman of the old world, which means he is known to stand in the great forests reciting poetry to fair-haired damsels while wrestling bears for sport. He is a District Education Officer for the Grand Lodge of Illinois, a Past Sovereign Prince of the of Danville AASR, member of the Oak Lawn York Rite, Medinah Shriners, Royal Order of Scotland, Quram Council Allied Masonic Degrees and initiate of the Golden Dawn Collegium Spiritu Sancti. He is also a guest lecturer on Occultism and Esoteric studies in Masonry for the R.E.B.I.S Research Society.

The Passing of RWB Thomas W. Jackson

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
Gregory J. Knott 33° 

On December 30, 2021, Masonic social media announced the passing of RWB Thomas W. Jackson.   What quickly followed was a large number of tributes and memories that brothers had reflecting upon the life and impact of RWB Jackson.  


If you are not familiar with RWB Jackson, he was the past Grand Secretary of the Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania.   He had also served as the first Executive Secretary of the World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges from 1998 to 2014.   He held numerous Masonic honors from around the world including as one of the Founding Fellows of The Masonic Society.


I met RWB Jackson a couple of times at Masonic Week.  When his book “Masonic Perspectives - The Thoughts of a Grand Secretary” was published, he was selling it at a table at Masonic Week.   I bought the book and asked him to autograph it for me.   


As I was flipping through the book, I noticed that he had written a couple articles on the topic of Scouting.   We had a conversation about the similarities between Scouting and Freemasonry.  RWB Jackson, like myself, is an Eagle Scout and has been involved in Scouting as both youth and adult leaders.   It was a fascinating conversation.  


In his book, he wrote about speaking at an Eagle Court of Honor offering some thoughts on the influence, and said:


We cannot take a step in our lives without the influence of others.  We will be nothing more at any time than a reflection of the influence of others along with our modifications.  The poet Markham expressed it well when he wrote: ‘There is a destiny that makes us brothers.  None goes his way alone.  All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.’   So my brother Eagles, will you go beyond the ordinary?  It is possible but it is up to you.  Accept what scouting has to offer.  Learn!  Learn the meaning of the brotherhood of man, and give to others in equal measure what others have given to you.  Maybe, then just maybe, you may rise above the ordinary.”


Though RWB Jackson was speaking to young Eagle Scouts, his words are equally applicable to Freemasonry.   We are influenced by others and thereby we also influence others ourselves.   As Freemasons, we have a tremendous opportunity to use this ability to influence others to help improve our individual communities having a positive impact upon the lives of others. 


What will the legacy of RWB Jackson be?  His challenge to raise the bar of Freemasonry will endure for the decades to come.  I can’t think of a better way to honor the memory of RWB Jackson than by going out into your community having a positive influence on others, exerting kindness to your brothers, and helping your lodge become the very best it can be to impact all of mankind.


Rest in peace Brother.


~GJK


Gregory J. Knott, 33° is a founding member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D., and serves as its Secretary. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters.

Practical Psychology of the Circumpunct

by Midnight Freemason Contributor
Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski


Consciousness and being is an unending bombardment and flow of infinite moments, places, planes of existence, and possibilities. We can be prophets and seers, or dissipate into chaos. Sometimes they are nearly the same thing.

Too metaphysical? Let's bring it down a bit.

Consider that in life we are surrounded by stimuli from without, conscious and subconscious thought from within. There is the perception of the senses, intellectual conceptualizations, and emotions somewhere in between. We imagine when awake and dream when asleep. Life is an immeasurable cacophony of things.

Arguably, the only reason we don't get utterly lost in the experience of life is that our brain filters most of it out. This is by biology, habit, and training. And the reason we know this is true is that there are times we cannot filter and are overwhelmed. Some forms of autism and other 'conditions' (for lack of a better word) put the individual in this unfiltered state all the time. Sounds become attacks and thoughts become cracks in the psyche. We make patterns out of static and connections where there are none. Every space is either filled in or collides with everything else.

On one hand, being open to all levels of reality can be an amazing experience, bringing wisdom and understanding beyond the limits of lifespan and physical reach. On the other, it's too much to process without limits, like trying to swallow the ocean all at once, truly beyond human capacities.

So how does one become more open to everyone and everything around them without drowning mentally and spiritually? Two things are vital: centering and shielding. Perhaps this is best represented by the circumpunct -- the point within a circle.

You have to be somewhere, not merely existing (being), but existing at some particular point in space and time (consciousness). You can only be clearly aware of anything in one or more specific places from which to have a viewpoint or experience. If you are not centered, subjective perception of reality becomes a blur.

Physically, this is known as grounding. Grounding is choosing to be aware of where your body is in a specific place or posture at a present moment. And it gives you a base of operations to safely stray from the physical into the emotional plane, or the unconscious, or the intellectual, imaginative, and spiritual. This roughly can be described as contemplation, but it's not always the casual, passive thing people think it is. It can be a vigorous journey, and you prevent yourself drifting into the static, chaos, or void by occasionally tugging on your tether -- going back to your physical grounding.

But that is not enough. You have to set rules, limits. You have to circumscribe a boundary inside of which you know you cannot lose track of reality, or "err" in terms of discernment of what is more and what is less "real". We must not allow every possibility to exist at once. Think of it as a chess game. Mediocre players may go to every single piece and look at every possible combination of moves and responses a certain number of moves ahead. Machines are built for that; humans are not. A skilled human player, through skill and perhaps intuition, knows which paths of possibility are unlikely or impossible to give an advantage. They explore only the ones that make sense tactically or strategically.

Now let's kick this up a notch, applying it to our Moral Science.

Moral grounding is the conscious embrace of our innermost values. In the Third Degree, every aspect of our being is challenged. The assaults around us have the power to take away all, even our very lives. And yet one thing cannot be taken away. Our Integrity remains intact, even into the next life.

The point and the circle are mutually necessary. The point determines where the circle will be. And if the latter is contained safely between the consistent, measured extremes of vice, it is impossible to morally err. A Volume of Sacred Law further demarks the radius of what is reasonable and what is not. When we rationalize instead of reason, or fail to self-examine or discern, we extend ourselves too far. Our measure of this must be honest both in perception and logic. When we let leave of standards for facts and arguments, we can accept implausible conspiracies.

Emotionally, we can give our fears more weight than our senses, mistrusting a loved one out of jealousy, or the whole world out of paranoia. We place our focus (foci?) outside our circle, in the void of unstructured possibilities, and therefore worries or internal realities created by our own brains fill in the undecipherable space. We then mistaken such things for revelations of all sorts, even though they have little more use than the shape of clouds or the voices and footsteps you think you hear in the rain. I would suggest a lack of center and boundary could be used to better understand many a pathology in the DSM.

Be it physical, neurological, moral, emotional, or any other condition or cause, we may be called upon to whisper wise counsel to those who have strayed from the path of virtue. If a soul is lost, it is often because they have no anchor, or adherence to a standard, conviction, or have lost the ability of will. If a soul is suffering or confused, it is often because they cannot filter out that which is unhealthy, or insensible, or simply an attack of the World without having the refuge of a circle. Whichever is the case, the lesson of the circumpunct can give it form to address it.

We may create further analogies of this ancient symbol in other realms of being and planes of existence, but I will leave that to the reader, or perhaps an article for another time. 

~JP

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and recently served as Master of Ken-Ton Lodge No.1186. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, serving his second term as Sovereign Prince of Palmoni Council in the Valley of Buffalo, NMJ. He also coordinates a Downtown Square Club monthly lunch in Buffalo, NY. He and his wife served as Patron and Matron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star and considered himself a “Masonic Feminist”.