Coach: Absolutely!
Brother: How so?
Coach: Beauty is a crucial part of a Freemasonic triad. This trinity is the very foundation of Freemasonic teachings.
Brother: Please explain.
Coach: The foundation is built upon a healthy blend of Strength, Wisdom, and Beauty. All must be present and all must be in agreement with each other for this foundation to exist.
Brother: Ah! Please expand on this.
Coach: Sure. All of Freemasonic teachings start off by conveying the need for Strength. Strength is resource that is stored in some form that can be pulled from as needed. This could be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual in nature. It doesn’t matter what form it takes as long as it is recognized as necessary by the user for his purposes. This Strength is personified in the Senior Warden, who represents the King of Tyre who provide to King Solomon the necessary resources required to build his temple. Ritual conveys this quite poetically, but in essence, it’s saying that a body of wisdom cannot be built without a strong foundation. Unfortunately, you cannot grasp this until you actually do the Work that builds that foundation.
Brother: Is this why the Ruffians failed in their efforts to deal with Beauty?
Coach: Right you are! They tried to beat Beauty into submission, and when they failed to deal with Beauty effectively, they killed it and hid their efforts in Rubbish.
Brother: Wow! That makes so much sense! What about Wisdom?
Coach: As with Strength, all of Freemasonic teachings continue by conveying the need for Wisdom. Wisdom is yet another resource that is stored within both a man’s mind and heart. The heart portion of Wisdom is cultivated by doing the Work that is pointed out in the Apprentice Ritual. The mind portion of wisdom is cultivated by doing the Work that is pointed out in the Fellow Craft Ritual. You cannot have Wisdom as a resource if you do not do the Work of both of these degrees.
Brother: Why?
Coach: Because cultivating a mind of a man without disciplining his heart creates intellect without discipline; the heart of Wisdom! In effect, one creates an intelligent monster who is ruled by his passions, rather than one who rules over his heart. And cultivating just the heart without the mind creates flaccid compassion; one who is mentally powerless over what he cares about most.
Brother: I can see the need for both.
Coach: Indeed.
Brother: You covered two of the three. What about Beauty?
Coach: Freemasonic teachings culminate through conveying Beauty and having it both recognized and understood by those who it is purposed for – it’s students. Beauty is yet another resource that is drawn upon and used by its appliers. It is stored up and within a man’s spirit who Works upon its pursuit.
Brother: How is that done?
Coach: Great question! Beauty is built up upon a man’s very ability to perceive recognizable patterns in all that is wisely put forth by the prudent application of resources. Wisdom recognizes that it’s not enough for one to just prudently apply resources. One must employ cunning craftsmanship in what is prudently put forth. Cunning craftsmanship adds a unique quality to what is rendered that is quickly and easily recognized by others as something that has more value as a result of this cunning craftsmanship, a.k.a. “beauty”, than had it been put forth without it. This cunning craftsmanship is cultivated through experience that internalizing specific disciplines that create things, situations, and events that have great value to all touched by these creations.
Brother: Then how does Beauty contribute to our overall understanding of our Craft?
Coach: Without it, our Craft is either not understood, or far worse, it’s misunderstood.
Brother: Why?
Coach: Because when the Craft puts forth anything without Beauty, our Craft produces Rubbish. Furthermore, The Beauty the Craft espouses cannot be obtained without completing one’s temple.
Brother: What does that mean?
Coach: Without completing the cultivation of one’s heart and head, and this order, one will never develop Wisdom. And without Wisdom, there cannot be any cunning craftsmanship.
Brother: Why?
Coach: To cultivate Beauty, one must draw upon one’s Wisdom. And one’s Wisdom comes from a strong foundation of experience, discipline, and training.
Brother: So, without this so called Triad, one truly doesn’t experience what Freemasonry has to offer.
Coach: I’ll go one step further. Without this Triad being present and in agreement with each other and in all that we do, the entire point of Freemasonry is buried in Rubbish, lost to all who try to obtain what Freemasonry directs us to pursue. In effect, our Craft’s Beauty is buried in Rubbish, and left for future generations to discover and eventually employ.
Brother: But this raises the question: What is it that Freemasonry directs us to pursue?
Coach: Great Question! If you paid attention to the first degree
ritual, you would already know this. Here are some notes that might help you better understand how crucial Beauty is to our purpose:
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