Random Building Thoughts - 2024-04-20

 

-------------- V&Ss --------------  

When you have not done the Work, 

it's always something you overlooked 

that gets you off balance.

 

-------------- MASONIC EDUCATION --------------  

 

 

-------------- DIVEST! -------------- 

 

 

 

Divest: Vices and Superfluities!
But First: Know what they are!

 

-------------- WHY! --------------  

-------------- YOU BECOME... --------------  

 

 "If you love masonry. You will understand."
-- Bro. Jim Marion,
4/20/2016

 

-------------- ANOTHER CAVE... --------------  

 

  

In Your Quest for Light, Don't Exchange One Cave for Another.

 

-------------- CHARACTER --------------  

 

 

Do you want to know what your Passion is? 

Just look at what you put up with 

to get what you want; 

there's your sign clearly put forth. 

If you still tolerate 

to get what you want afterward, 

that's your passion for sure.

 

-------------- HUMOR -------------- 

  

(Hat Tip to Bro. Jay Morris...!)

 

 -------------- MYTH --------------  

 

"Shakespeare said that art is a mirror held up to nature. 

And that’s what it is. 

The nature is your nature, 

and all of these wonderful poetic images of mythology 

are referring to something in you. 

When your mind is simply trapped

by the image out there 

so that you never make the reference to yourself, 

you have misread the image."

-- Joseph Campbell (with Bill Moyers), The Power of Myth

 

And when you do (get trapped), 

you Chain yourself to a wall within a Freemasonic Cave, 

never to see anything but shadows caused by Masonry's Light.

 

 -------------- MYTH TOO --------------  

 

 

STILL CONTINUING THE THEME...

 

The Matrix* was never about Neo, Morpheus, Agent Smith or The Architect. 

It was always about the Source, the "Mother" who made them all! 

 

* Origin -- late Middle English (in the sense ‘womb’): from Latin, ‘breeding female,’ later ‘womb,’ from mater, matr- ‘mother.’

 

-------------- ALLUDES... --------------  

 

 

Ritual alludes to Truths. It is not The Truth.  

 

-------------- EPY! --------------  

 

 

-------------- HOSTAGE... --------------  

 

 

I shan't be Held Hostage to Ignorance,

 if within my Power to Prevent

I Live in Hope that the same Holds true 

for all Brothers.  

 

-------------- LITERALLY! -------------- 

The more Literal you try to Be, 

The more Illiterate you will Become.

 

(Thanks again Jeff!)

 

 -------------- CHALLENGE -------------- 

FREEMASONIC CHALLENGE QUESTION(S):

 

1) What was the original book used to administer Stone Mason Oaths?

2) What book eventually replaced it during the Freemasonic Grand Lodge Era?

3) What year did that original book get replaced?

 

 -------------- END -------------- 

 Be Well and Travel Light!
-- Coach Nagy ;-)

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm 

 

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Random Building Thoughts - 2024-04-19

 

-------------- HUMOR --------------  

 

 -------------- MASONIC EDUCATION --------------  

 

 -------------- DANGEROUS PHRASES --------------  

 

 

Second only to, "I don't care..."

 

(Hat tip to Bro. Scott Nelson!)

 

-------------- CROSS IT! --------------  

 

 

Self-Initiated In Depth Thought

 is the Greatest Bridge 

that Some Individuals Shall Never Build, 

much less Cross. 

 

-------------- CHARACTER --------------  

 

FILED UNDER: Revealing Your Character

 

It NEVER ceases to amaze me how easily a Brother's character can be revealed by giving him opportunities to THINK. 

 

Some Fall! Some Soar! Some Dig Graves! Others Climb out of them! 

 

How you respond to posts, judge their purpose and intent speaks VOLUMES about who you are, what you stand for, how you view opportunities, where you come from and reflects why you react or respond.

 

Tread carefully and assume nothing that you have not carefully investigated and confirmed.

 

 -------------- MYTH --------------  

 

 

The Matrix* was never about Neo, Morpheus, Agent Smith or The Architect. 

 

It was always about the Source, the "Mother" who made them all! 

 

* Origin -- late Middle English (in the sense ‘womb’): from Latin, ‘breeding female,’ later ‘womb,’ from mater, matr- ‘mother.’

 

 -------------- FOR MEN'S SOULS... --------------  

 

Freemasonry! 

Dramatic Theater for Men's Souls!  

Drama with IMPACT!

 

-------------- WELL? --------------  

 

 

How much more Beneficial 

would your Contribution be

 if your Work was that 

of a Master Rendered? 

 

 -------------- REASONS --------------  

 

 

 ... He that reasons alone is heartless...

 

-------------- PROUD MOMENT -------------- 

This is but one of perhaps 4 or 5 times that my own Grand Lodge quoted me. 

 

Here's the quote:

 

"That takes Work!"

"One of the greatest disappointments Brothers shall experience in their Masonic lifetimes
is expecting Freemasonry to Transform them into Better men
without any Earnest Efforts of their own to bring this into Fruition.
Uncorrelated Transformations are both wishful and dangerously immature thinking.
Their disappointments are understandable and deserved though
since such expectations are both unrealistic
and a grievous affront to the very nature of Masonry.
One must never expect to be Better without changing one's Fundamental Nature.
To Be Better, one must Transform. That takes Work!" 

- Brother John S. Nagy, author of the Building Better Builders Masonic Education

-------------- END -------------- 

 Be Well and Travel Light!
-- Coach Nagy ;-)

 PS: Subscribe to get daily notifications

You can also find me on:

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm 

 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnSNagy 

 

 

 

Random Building Thoughts - 2024-04-18

   

-------------- <SIGH>... ------------- 

 

 

<I wonder how many Brothers

will make a serious comment about this ;-) >

(Hat tip my Brother, for the abuse of his picture... you know who you are!)

 

Please don't make me post this meme in response to your serious comments...

-------------- MASONIC EDUCATION -------------  

 

 

-------------- ALL ABOUT... -------------  

 

Far too many Members 

use their membership status 

to belittle, dismiss and otherwise attack 

those ex-members who have moved on with their lives, 

for whatever reason. 

 

These attacking members have forgotten 

that it's not about membership 

and it never was! 

It was always about being BETTER MEN! 

 

-------------- RIGHTFUL CLAIM --------------  

 

Until you have truly put 

at least one Vice or Superfluity to rest, 

can you ever rightfully claim 

to have an in depth Working knowledge 

belonging to this aspect of Apprenticeship?

 

Don't preach to me 

unless you have 

SUCCESSFULLY done it yourself!

-------------- RIGHT CHOICES... --------------  

 

 

With great freedoms 

come great responsibilities

 and even greater liabilities. 

 

Make Right Choices, 

not quick or easy ones. 

  

-------------- ADVOCATE... --------------  

 

I am an advocate for Working upon my own Ashlar 

and leaving others to do the same for themselves. 

I need not concern myself otherwise 

nor should I desire to 

especially should I want to do any good whatsoever. 

 

That is a little something that I learned about Mastery. 

 It is something that one can only develop for oneself. 

 One cannot get it from another. 

 

Yes, I can provide feedback on Work done by another Brother, 

should he request it from me, 

but his Work still must be done 

for and by himself. 

 

-------------- CHARACTER --------------  

 

 

 There MUST be a private victory 

regarding Maturity 

that can only occur once one both 

Accepts Responsibility for one's own personal development 

and Cultivates an unwavering commitment 

to hold oneself Accountable for that Acceptance.

 

-------------- MYTH --------------  

 

That's been my experience!  

 

-------------- MYTH BUSTER --------------  

 

Hiram's Body Was Raised. 

 

If it was truly Resurrected, 

there would be Absolutely 

No Reason or Purpose 

for the "Other Word".

 

For Further Light:

 

  

-------------- GRACIOUSNESS --------------  

 

  

To be Bold in your Convictions 

requires an equally tempered 

Graciousness toward those 

stirred by your Boldness. 

 

-------------- WHY SEEK? --------------  

 

Why do I seek Light?
 
Because I've been in Darkness
and that experience tells me that
being in the Light is much better for me
and everyone involved.

 

-------------- WRITERS... --------------  

 

<Coach looks down his nose and through his 4 year old bifocals, contemplating deeply upon who has been playing narrator in his life and disclosing solemnly to the world deeply held secrets. Breathing a sigh, he hastily re-posts the narration meme anyway. 

 

"Why not!" he grumbles to himself. The world should know these truths.

 

He lets out a heavy breath and examines his work. 

 

"Fine job," he hears the disembodied voice say. 

 

He smiles ever so slightly and he moves on.>

 

(hat tip to Bro. Mason Pratt!)

 

-------------- PLAY ON... -------------- 

What is Freemasonry's true secret? 

Its practitioners put on a series of plays

 so well that their efforts mask the fact 

that they are putting on a series of plays.

 

For Further Light:
Plays...

 

 -------------- END -------------- 

 Be Well and Travel Light!
-- Coach Nagy ;-)

 PS: Subscribe to get daily notifications

You can also find me on:

https://mewe.com/i/john_snagy

https://www.facebook.com/johns.nagy

Educational Materials can be found here:

 http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm 

 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnSNagy