A Brother Asks: TOP TEN QUESTION MASTER MASONS CAN ANSWER?

 

A Brother Asks: Hey, Coach!  I just got raised and want to continue exploring ritual.  What are some of the questions that Master Masons ought to be able to answer?

Coach:  First off, congratulations on your recent Raising!  Secondly, Great Question, Bro.!  It means you're still seeking further Light  and are not settling on just wearing the Master Mason title - Kudos! 

In light of your question, here are but a few of the many questions that Master Masons should be able to to answer fully had they actually done the Work of the first and second degrees and thought through what was offered to them by the third degree experience.

As you continue your quest, you'll hopefully be able to answer them for yourself.

--------------

THE TOP TEN QUESTION 
MASTER MASONS CAN ANSWER
(WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DID
WHAT THE FIRST TWO DEGREES
TOLD THEM TO DO!)

Question #10: What does the term, “The Work that Makes Good Men Better” mean?

Question #9: How and why does being a Ruffian keep him from knowing The Master's Word, and why can no one ever provide understanding of The Master's Word to a Ruffian?

Question #8: To what does the term, "The Temple of Solomon" refer in the Development of Master Masons?

Question #7: How does one Complete one's Temple?

Question #6: What is a Spiritual Building, how does it differ from the Completed Temple, and which one is required to build the other?

Question #5: What are the Secrets of a Master Mason, how are they brought forth, and how do they differ from The Master's Word? 

Question #4: What do the Secrets of a Master Mason have to do with understanding The Master's Word?

Question #3: What is our Masonic Purpose and where can one find that purpose within the first Craft Lodge Degree?

Question #2: What does the Master's Word have to do with our Masonic Purpose?

Question #1: Where do we find The Master's Word and how does one prepare oneself to understand it?

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On a lighter note, you can find your answers to these and other questions by either doing the actual Work that the first two degrees direct you to do and then applying what you built toward what was offered to you by the third degree experience.  Complementing this course of action, reading good books on the subjects, or attending the next Building Better Builders Workshops to understand what that Work actually is can greatly enhance your efforts. 

Brother: Coach! What is this Building Better Builders Workshop that you refer to?

Coach: Ah!  Another Great Question!

This Workshop is a special program that was developed specifically for the planned for Grand Lodge of Florida's OFFICER'S TRAINING PROGRAM and was put together in early 2023 by the request of a member of the Florida Grand Line.

It was designed to Facilitate a Better Understanding of What is Hidden in Plain Sight, How to Access It, and How to Apply It in Lodge and in Life.

Brother: What can I expect if I attended it?

Coach: Here's what you can expect by attending!

RITUAL 101:
Understanding & Communicating Its Importance
to Member Interest, Recruitment, & Retention

Understanding Ritual is crucial to understanding the purpose of our Masonic involvement.  Those members who have in-depth understanding of Ritual, its meaning, and its purpose in “making good men better” are positioned as both organizational examples and well-springs for members who want to strengthen themselves and to maximize their participation in organizational fellowship, ceremony, and beyond. 

The BBB Workshops focus upon applications of Critical thinking & analysis, the Socratic Method, and the Trivium to Ritual to support Masonic pursuits, membership recruiting & member retention.

It includes, but is not be limited to, the following areas of focus:

1) Interpretation Basics and Improvement
2) Esotericism - Organizational & Personal
3) Realizing Masonic Perfection in an Imperfect World
4) The 11 EA Working Tools (Yes, ELEVEN!!!!)
5) The Actual Master's Word and not some mis-undestood Substitute!
6) Completing Your Temple & Beyond

All that is offered to the attendees is intended to help them recognize, understand, and be able to explain the answers to these ten questions, and much more.

Brother: WOW!  That's a lot!

Coach: Yes, and you'll be able to answer those question that all Master Masons should be able to answer.

Brother:  When is the next one planned?

Coach: The next BBB Workshop is occurring in Temple TX on August 26, 2023.

Building Hiram Book Review By Bro. Frederic L. Milliken

Brother Frederic,

 

Thank you for sharing your kind thoughts with the world my good Brother!

F&S,

 

-- Bro. John

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

"This is by far the best book I have run into for Masonic education of Master Masons both individually and in a group at the Lodge. Its crowning glory is the ability Nagy has to combine many individual teachings and concepts into one big one, to make the whole of Masonry, what constitutes its nobleness, righteousness and virtues into a philosophy. What Nagy does is explain Masonic philosophy by explaining and connecting all its component parts. This philosophy we call Masonry is a way of life. A Freemason cannot live this way of life unless he can understand it. And that’s the job that Nagy does. He articulates the philosophy of Masonry so that Masons are able to practice it because they understand it. For that reason alone this book must be part of your library and the library of your Lodge."

 

-- Brother Frederic L. Milliken

 

(Source: http://freemasoninformation.com/2016/07/building-hiram-2/

 

 

BUILDING CEMENT (excerpt) - In His Name

Good Day My Fellow Travelers,

Here's another small excerpt from my book, "Building Cement - Uncommonly Concrete Masonic Education - Volume 8" that was published back in November 2013.  It's from pages 136 through 139 in Chapter XIII - The Eighth - Philotheia. 

I hope that is may be thought-provoking for you.

Fraternally and Sincerely,

Bro. John S. Nagy

Building Better Builders Series Author

________________

 

In His Name
 

 ...There’s an ancient phrase used to refer to the manner or way that one human being manifested for another.  It was referred to as "in the name of".

Any time this phrase was used during days of old, it referred to doing things exactly the way another person would do things – as if you were indeed that other person for whom you were both taking action for and representing in total. 

Hence, when you did things "in the name of" anyone whom you referred to by that phrase, it indicated that you:

1)   are representing that person without waiver

2)   are doing something for someone else

3)   shall do it exactly the way that the person you represent would do it

To change even one thing in any of your actions -- even in the slightest way -- would mean you were no longer doing it "in the name of another." To alter your manner from their manner would mean you were "doing in your name" and in YOUR manner, not the other. 

To apply this Understanding to modern usage as it has manifested today and to honor fully the original intent that was first requested of us and that we willingly took responsibility for, we would have to act – as in "behaving internally and externally" – in the manner of the person we claimed our actions to be based on.  This means physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually we would have to take upon ourselves the manner and being of the person we claim we represent!  All aspects of our "being" must be "at one" with our representation to have the results we profess by our words.

It would also mean that the "being" is the focus and that the name itself is not important in and of itself.

The focus is upon who we claim to Be and the actions we take as a result of that claim.  They must be pure, unadulterated and unaltered from the actions which would be acted out by the one whom owned the name we say we are taking action for.  This is because all those who witnessed such manners shall instantly recognize whom the person is "being" and hence the name is of no importance -- only the "being", as in, who you truly “are”. 

Case in Point: When someone acts in the Manner of someone else, all those who see his Manner instantly knew Who He is.  His Name was not the focus; Only Who he is -- which is clearly recognized by many.

This elicits the following question: When you act in any one’s name, are you merely using his Name or are you using his Manner?  It is a most interesting of questions to Perpend and to do so at length. 

 Here's another one: When you act in anyone’s Name, does everyone whom you affect know to whom it is that you are acting for or do you have to tell them because they really can't tell from your actions who you are both representing and putting forth actions for?

...

 

BUILDING CEMENT (excerpt) - I AM

Good Day My Fellow Travelers,

Here's a small excerpt from my book, "Building Cement - Uncommonly Concrete Masonic Education - Volume 8" that was published back in November 2013.  It's from pages 133 through 135 in Chapter XIII - The Eighth - Philotheia. 

I hope that is may be of interest to you.

Fraternally and Sincerely,

Bro. John S. Nagy

Building Better Builders Series Author

________________

I Am

I’ve read a lot of speculation over the years over the statement, “I Am”, and its use as a name for God.  When I first was introduced to it, I admit that I didn’t give it much thought.  Over the years, I came across it again and again, and my response was the same.

At one point though, I was prompted to take interest in trying to make deeper sense of the statement and at a deeper level, so I explored the word, “am” as if it meant a state of being.  Once I Perpended it to my satisfaction, for a very long time I translated this statement to, “I Exist”. 

It wasn’t until I wrote this book and came across the Latin root, “am” that this changed for me.  I discovered that it means, “Love; Loving” and it is the antithesis of all that the word, “hate”, conveys. 

When this meaning is inserted, as in substituted for “am”, we get, “I Love”.
 

Transformation

 I’ve now adopted a different understanding of this statement and better comprehend when others share that they believe that God is Love.  This conveyance now has deeper meaning to me and all that I Am.

But, I know that it doesn’t and shouldn’t end there.  I Am also exemplifies something far more than just Recognizing and Understanding what it means or implies.   It is not just something that is Symbolic or a phrase that can and shall be thrown into conversations as simple discourse fodder. 

Examining it further and deeper reveals it is a manner or way of “Being”.  Furthermore, when all other alternatives of Being are examined, one could very comfortably come to an assuring conclusion that Love is Supreme Being  when manifested.  To manifest such a Supreme Being, one must embrace and Be  the very manner and very way that it denotes – Love!

This insight led me to further speculation upon the actual Purpose of the Work toward which Freemasonic Ritual directs us.  Is it to simply make us Better men?  Is it to help us Better fit into the Fraternity of men?  Or is it to focus us continuously upon Loving acts that Cultivate Love within us, ultimately culminating in us Being the Manifestation of Love – I Am – Itself?

I believe earnestly that all Masonic Work directs us toward this latter end.  To have an Entry requirement that embraces this very end – Supreme Being – is very telling.  To Work toward that end is a Great and Important Undertaking.  When Manifested within each and every Brother, I Am becomes the focal point of and for all interactions and activities.  It should be clear, to have Beneficial effect, one must Be Love!

 

THE CRAFT UNMASKED BOOK PREVIEW: Chapter II. Confusion in the Temple

Good Day My Fellow Travelers,

Here's an article published in Dec. 2014 based upon my newly published book, "The Craft UNMASKED! The Uncommon Origin of Freemasonry and its Practice", that might be of interest to you. 

Fraternally and Sincerely,

Bro. John S. Nagy

Building Better Builders Series Author

________________

  

II. Confusion in the Temple

 

When you want to know where to start to

unravel the Mysteries behind the Craft, Start by

Focusing upon the Blatant and Blaring

Misunderstandings and Inconsistencies that its Membership Actively Refuses to Deal with Effectively 

 

When you remain even loosely active in Craft activities and have taken the time to discuss it at length and in depth with others, you shall soon become acutely aware that there are many aspects of the Craft that appear to be confusing at best, and deeply disconcerting at worst.  These aspects shall continue to plague the Craft until such time that all members find themselves harmoniously discussing differences.

 

Y

It was only after a few years within the Craft that I began comparing notes with my Brothers.  It was not an easy task either.  As you might know from your own experience, trying to come to a common understanding of things about the Craft even at a superficial level is sometimes blocked by many assumptions.  After many misunderstandings and miscommunications I slowly became aware that I had to create a super-flexible translator for myself, especially when I tried to speak about the Craft with others. 

Misunderstandings

There are many times when Brothers make an effort to draw distinctions between things that they are told and things that they observe.  I became aware of this when I started reading and hearing key differentiating words inserted into conversations and discourses.  This occurred most often when Brothers were describing who they saw and what they were doing. 

The words that were used by them to distinguish some members from others were prefaced with “True”, “Authentic” and “Real” as opposed to “False”, “Fake” and “Bogus”.  The words that followed these precursors were usually “Brothers”, “Masons”, “Masonry”, “Freemasons” and “Freemasonry”.  In a very genuine way, each was making a sincere effort to communicate to others what they were seeing before them.

And this effort was not limited to members of the Craft.  Writers who were not members of the Society used these very same methods to communicate that there were huge differences between members of the Society and those who actually Practiced the Principles that the Society espoused.

With more time and interactions, I became aware that there were Brothers who didn’t use such prefacing words in their efforts to share what they saw.  They opted for using words that were familiar to all but assigned, through their use, distinct meanings that would be understood by those who would read them.

Examples of this can be found within Craft writings throughout the 1800s and 1900s.  There are countless times when the word “Freemason” was used by some authors to indicate members of the Craft who actually practiced the principles of the Society.  These same writers would call other members who did not practice Societal Principles mere “Masons”.  It was clear that their efforts were put forth to draw distinctions between two classes of members within the Society.

This caused tremendous confusion within those members who saw being a member synonymous with being a Freemason.  They earnestly believed that if you are a member, you are both a Freemason and a Mason.  The spotlights shown by authors upon members who were true to Society Principles and members who were untrue to these principles could not be seen by these Brothers.  Because they could not see any difference, the main intents of the writers and speakers were utterly lost in the minutia of the confusing discourse. 

 Uncommon Ground

Adding to this situation is a clear reversal of meanings conveyed by some twenty-first century Brothers. They have summarily dismissed these conventions and adopted pre-Society distinctions that would appear to be a complete antithesis of these definitions.  By taking the issue of practice outside the Society and assigning it strictly to practice versus non-practice, these Brothers have assigned a distinction that removes membership from the equation defining Masons.  They have opted to define Freemasons as mere members of the Society of Free & Accepted Masons while in the same effort defining Masons as individuals who Practiced Principles that transform males toward maturity and wisdom regardless of affiliation. 

In the eyes of some, Freemasons were members of a Society whereas Masons were Builders.

None of these definitions denoted that there was mutual exclusivity between the two.  They didn’t mean that members could not be Builders too or that Builders could not be members.  It merely communicated a base understanding that one was not necessarily the other and one didn’t have to be one to be the other. 

Using this assignment of meaning and applying it to questions about historical figures can cause tremendous confusion within those not knowing these definitions.  One such example is President Thomas Jefferson.  It is quite clear that this man Raised himself up from Youth to Manhood and to Age.  It is clear that he was not only mature but also wise in what he did with his time and efforts.  It was also abundantly clear that he was a Builder of himself, his fellow men and the country which he helped found.  He was also surrounded by men who were members of the Freemasonic Society.  From all outward signs, this man was clearly a Mason (Builder) according to one set of assigned meanings.  By another set of assigned meanings, what was not clear from anything that was written down about him was whether he was a member of the Society of Free & Accepted Masons and hence a Freemason (a Member of the Society).

Resistance

One of the biggest problems that differing definitions bring to Craft discourse is the unwillingness of certain members to accept that word meaning is assigned within the context of the communication.  Furthermore, these same members have also steadfastly refused to accept that meaning does change in ways that may be counter to what they have come to understand and accept as true for themselves. 

When listening to and reading discourse and debate between Society members, you can quickly pick up on those who grasp this understanding and who stubbornly refuse to accept the offered meanings in any way.  Within a very short time, the discourses involving these men degrade to arguments of definitions rather than the actual intent of the person trying to communicate Light.  Rather than trying to seek to first understand[i] what the other person is trying to communicate, the effort is put forth by these listeners to have the person accept the listener’s well-entrenched meanings before further discourse can occur. 

As a result of listener resistance, many possibly valuable communications end in battles over what definitions are right and wrong rather than trying to get past these superficial labels and into the meat and bone of what is trying to be communicated.  Such discourses also tend to eventually degrade into personal attacks upon the persons offering the Light by those who dogmatically oppose how this Light is offered. 

Many members believe that this condition within the Craft shall not change anytime soon.  It is part and parcel of what occurs when the Society itself refuses to educate its members along the lines of what is professed through its Rituals.  As long as members are allowed to Progress in name only, that is, reciting back what they are told rather than thinking deeply about, understanding, and applying what they are told, such Craft disconnects between societal members shall continue.

Inconsistencies

The meanings that members assign to Craft words are not the only wide variables that you shall find within the Society.  A huge inconsistency that many members see and experience is between what is spoken of within Craft Ritual and what is expected of them from the actual organization.  Given any one specific arena of encounters among members of the Craft, you shall see that there is a higher than usual probability that several members shall display character that is utterly counter to that which is espoused by Societal Ritual. 

One such inconsistency is the support one would normally expect from an organization that espouses at every turn that they are about transforming good men into Better men.  This is stated upfront and is supported by words and phrases sprinkled throughout the entirety of its Rituals, Lectures, Laws and other Organizational writings.  For an organization that professes so highly the value of Bettering men, the stark desert of support its members see before them and the experience they have as a result of their participation, leaves many disenchanted by the words that fall sweetly upon their eager ears. 

Problems that arise as a result are plentiful.  One involves the literal translation of what is shared within Ritual.  This occurs even though it is readily apparent, or should be from what Freemasonic writings share, that Ritual is Allegorical and Symbolic.  Even with this being stated, there are many within the Society that make every effort to understand, convey and live Ritual as if it were not Allegorical and Symbolic.  

This becomes clear when you see the activities that members engage in surrounding their investigation of elements found within the third Degree drama.  This includes either what they experienced directly or of what they are informed, depending upon how their Jurisdiction goes about it.  Some members take the Dramatic information and experience as if it were some secret history that is being kept hidden from the world.  Others believe there is an actual Lost Word.  Still others believe the story conveyed is more accurate than the Scriptures it was based upon. 

All things considered, with even minor Perpending, it should become clear that such fanciful flights of imagination would be better guided if the Society as a whole helped its members do the Work that its Rituals direct men toward.  This would be preferred behavior.  Instead, the present Society merely assures that Candidates experience the Ritual as required.  They soon wear titles that don’t truly represent what they originally did within the Stonecraft Society from which they were supposedly taken.

Erosion

Between the misunderstanding and inconsistencies lie a perpetual production of disillusionment and disappointment within members who eagerly joined the Craft.   Candidates Entering the Society usually have high hopes of being surrounded by men who have actually developed Life Masteries.  What they find is a wide assortment of males who have yet to master themselves, much less the principles of the Craft.  They also find men obsessed with memorizing things that they have no desire to understand, much less apply.  Included in this are statements from these very men that continually encourage similar attitudes and behaviors within new members who obviously want more from their investment of money, time and energy. 

With no true leadership or examples of what the Society can actually do to develop good men into Better men, some members soon realize that the organization is not what they expected.  Couple this with meetings that provide little to no nourishment for those who attend, it becomes very clear to any man who was initially excited about joining the Society, that it offers little more than activities that maintain the process of Initiating men three times over. 

Many men leave the Society soon thereafter, believing they have obtained all that the Society has to offer.  Other men continue to be dues paying members.  They are still motivated enough to continue having a connection with the Craft but rarely if ever attend meetings.  They realize too soon that meetings offer nothing of interest to them.  A fewer number of members continue to maintain the process, believing it offers worthwhile activities to engage in, regardless of expectations truly never being met. 

 

---

[i] Seek first to understand, then to be understood – Habit #5; Seven Habits of Highly Effective People; Stephen Covey

NEW BOOK RELEASE! Building Free Men - Uncommonly Freeing Masonic Education - Volume 8

Good Day My Fellow Travelers,

Here's a link to my new book, "Building Free Men - Uncommonly Freeing Masonic Education - Volume 8", that was published on July 14, 2014. 

Enjoy!

Fraternally and Sincerely,

Bro. John S. Nagy

Building Better Builders Series Author

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tampa Bay, Florida - July 2014

Masonic Light is near impossible to obtain if you don't know where to look. In “Building Free Men”, Volume 8 of the “Building Better Builders” series of Uncommon Masonic Education books, Dr. Nagy shares twelve jammed-packed chapters filled with insights and information designed to help you to train yourself toward recognizing when you are faced with a growth opportunity, help you understand what you can do to be a Better man and help you take more effective actions in dealing with Brothers and yourself on a day to day basis. Masons on the Masonic path will glean tremendous Insights into what they can do to Better their options, choices and abilities, in these respects. Dr. Nagy’s book contains:

• The True Purposes behind Proficiencies.
• What it actually takes to Cultivate Free Men.
• Exploration into the roots, histories, backgrounds, and meanings you won’t normally hear about some important Words & Phrases used within the Organization of Free & Accepted Masons.  Words & Phrases like: “Freemason”, "Free Mason", “Freeborn”, “Freestone”, “Acceptance”, “Admittance”, “Scholarship”, “Operative”, “Speculative” and “The Word”.
• Critical connections, ideas and concepts that help you better Recognize, Understand and Apply this information toward Bettering yourself and supporting others toward this same end.

And, as usual, Insights and Light on the Challenges that all Brothers face in Cultivating a better Understanding of the Craft overall. Thought-provoking development questions and exercises designed to stir and support your Skills and Masonic Transformations. Invaluable fodder for Masonic Discourse between Brothers within the Lodge and without. Assorted Masonic Ciphers and other information intended to challenge, delight and support the concepts Masons need in their Work. And much more... Dr. Nagy provides you with yet another interesting, entertaining and thought-provoking guide to improve, strengthen and support your Masonic awareness and clarity. He shares key information and insights that will help you better understand how facets of Blue Lodge Ritual fit together to help you in all your present and future Building efforts.

The Coaches Coach: Traveling Men - The Purposes Behind Memorizations

Traveling Man

So many Experience it; so few Understand the Experience.  Further Light facilitates Further Travel.

“Proficiency”, also known to most Brothers who have gone through them as “Catechism”, is a requirement in which many Brothers must participate to progress through the Blue Lodge Degrees, at least, within the majority of the Jurisdictions in the USA.  The Proficiency requirement does a multitude of things for both the Candidate and the Lodge.  Over the years, the Proficiency requirements exist within fewer and fewer Jurisdictions due to a host of reasons.  It is most unfortunate that those Jurisdictions eliminating it are not training these Brothers in one of the most important aspects of Masonic Travel. 

-------------------

Freemasonic Purposes

Given opportunity to explain, the average Brother would say that Proficiencies have important purposes for the Fraternity.  The most obvious response some Brothers provide is that it reveals how serious a Candidate is to participate in the Organization.  Another response you’ll readily receive is that it helps Brothers remember what they went through during the degree. 

Those Brothers who are savvy to the needs of the Lodge and the Organization as a whole shall immediately share that it installs a script within each Brother.  Such installation makes it easier for each of them to participate in Degree work when new Candidates come through to be Initiated, Passed or Raised. 

All are purposes that serve well the Organization of Freemasons.

Masonic Purposes

The purposes for Proficiencies are far more than what may seem to be obvious to Organizational support upon first glance.  One purpose that I have been sharing for years is that Proficiencies are in themselves Road Maps that Candidates can and follow to Better themselves.  These Road Maps, once recognized as such, contain specific directions and tasks that aid toward Making Good Men Better, when followed through upon. 

When Candidates Recognize them in this form, for what they truly are, and seek to Understand what these Road Maps direct them toward, they can then journey forth using them as guides toward Betterment.  It’s truly a shame that too few Proficiency Instructors do not point this out to Candidates before, during and after the Proficiencies are engaged in by them.  Candidates would benefit much more by Understanding the basis behind this effort and perhaps have more incentive to engage in them knowing the purposes that lay behind them.

Another underlying purpose has nothing to do with the Catechisms themselves.  It has to do with men getting to know one another.  In this sense, the Catechisms are there for Instructors to use as a tool and vehicle for Brotherly bonding.  The catechisms become a catalyst for each man to become familiar with and to learn about the other, by focusing upon a task that lessens the awkwardness sometimes experienced by men initially unfamiliar with each other.  

I’ve seen a lot of very good opportunities missed, deliberately skipped over and even lost because the activity focus was so strongly upon the Catechism that the men involved faded into the background. 

Doing Proficiencies provide ample time to get to know one another. This especially in a day and age where the mobility of people is almost certainly going to interfere with knowing each other much better, and certainly before having these Brothers Passed and Raised. 

 Should you be in the position of Instructing Candidates through these Proficiencies, you might want to step back and look at it as an opportunity to get to know the Candidates, and for them to get to know you and other members as well.  Other members?  Sure!  Use other members to explain things that come up during Proficiencies, especially when those other members know the topic well and might make for great friendships long term.  The more people a candidate gets to know and bond with during this time, the more likely he will have connectedness to Lodge members long term.

Ancient Purposes

There is an ancient purpose that is not often known that should be Understood by both Instructors and Candidates alike before they engage in these activities.  That ancient purpose has been described in a whole host of different sources over the years.  That purpose was to develop the Candidates’ ability to remember using an ancient technique referred to repeatedly by both Plato and his student Aristotle, among many others.   It is currently known by many names:  “Method of Loci[i]”, “The Roman Room” and “The Memory Palace”, are just a few. 

The Technique is truly simple.  It requires that you memorize the layout of a room, home, or even a well-traveled path.  Colors, shapes, sizes, textures and anything that is best suited to the individual’s method of experience[ii] should be taken into consideration.  Once you have created a location or path within your mind with which you are familiar, you can then Travel through it. 

You might say, “So what? What does that do for me?”   What it does for you is Establish a path that you can Build upon.  In other words, the cultivation of this technique within one’s mind brings about a structure for recall.  Doing so remaps the Parietal Lobes of the brain and interconnects it with the other lobes as well[iii].  Should you research this Further, you’ll find that the ancients knew a lot about using the brain more effectively than we might give them credit for today.

Once this internal path is Established, you then create specific stop points or loci along the way that you shall remember without fail.  As you Travel through this imaginary path at anytime thereafter, these stopping points shall allow you to place images that shall remind you of what it is that you want to recall.  

When I first heard this method explained, I thought to myself, “Yikes! That’s an awful lot of work to memorize something!  First I have to memorize a path, and then I have to memorize images that will trigger memories of what I want to remember!  There’s got to be an easier way.”  I reluctantly tried to use it but gave up because it seemed to not work quickly enough for me.  I resolved in those moments that I would not pursue it any further, no matter how great it might have worked for those who perfected it. 

Along the Road

I held that opinion for many years.  And there was nothing that seemed to budge me from it.  Even though I knew that it was a technique that was recommended for over 2400 years, I resisted Cultivating it.  My conclusion and choice kept me from Traveling down that Path. 

Then something changed for me.  I went through my first Degree as a Freemason and was told immediately afterward that I was required to memorize about six single spaced sheets of responses to questions and requests from a proficiency Instructor before I was allowed to advance to the next Degree.  I had no idea how I was going to accomplish that task.  I was encouraged by my Instructors.  I was told that I was not the only one faced with this overwhelming task and that many others faced it too and succeeded.   With the help of my Instructor I stepped up and started to memorize what was asked of me.

As you know from my status as a Master Mason, I was successful in memorizing what was required of me.  I did this three times over and was supported by my Brothers in doing so.  It wasn’t till years later that I became aware of what actually occurred for me through those memorization efforts.   

Locus Focus

I had a question put to me by a Brother.  The question was simple. 

What does memorizing all these Proficiencies do for a man?

 It was a bit too simple a question and I should have expected there would be another not so easy question fired at me very quickly after the first one was put forth.  And I was right.  That second question was not so simple. 

Wouldn’t a man be better off understanding what he went through rather than simply memorizing all those provided responses not knowing what they meant?

Over the years, I’ve responded to the second question with an unshakably energetic and confident, “Absolutely!”  That response went unchecked for a very long time.  That is, until I Recognized the underlying reason for the memorization.   Once I realized that the basis behind these memorizations was to install a Freemasonic version of a “Roman Room” in the form of a Masonic Lodge, it all clicked!

Yes!  It was very important to Understand what was being memorized.  And to get to the point where you can Understand what you are memorizing, you have to be able to recall it and do so without wasting a lot of time trying to remember it! 

This led to the following connection: The underlying purpose behind doing Proficiency is to both honor and engage in an ancient practice involving teaching Candidates how to remember using the “Method of Loci” used by humankind since time immemorial.

To be a “Traveling Man”, one must be capable of Traveling Masterfully within one’s mind, not only through “natural” occurring memory, but through what the Greeks referred to as “artificial” memory[iv].    Proficiencies help us toward this end, should we participate in doing them.  When you never have opportunity to Cultivate this important technique within yourself, your Travel shall be muted by many moments caused by memory roadblocks and stumbling points.  Those Jurisdictions that still require Mnemonic Cultivation are providing an invaluable supportive service that Builds Better Travelers, one mind at a time! 

Points to Perpend

1)  Does your Jurisdiction require “Method of Loci” training in the form of Proficiencies?
2)  Have you used this Training to remember
3)  How do you see such Training affecting your Travels?

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[i] plural of Latin locus for place or location

 

[ii] Depending upon a person’s internal “wiring” they might be tactile, visual, or auditory; smell and taste should not be left out since they are also modes of sensory input that some people are more sensitive to than others.

[iii] The parietal lobe integrates sensory information from different modalities, particularly determining spatial sense and navigation. For example, it comprises somato-sensory cortex and the dorsal stream of the visual system. This enables regions of the parietal cortex to map objects perceived visually into body coordinate positions. Several portions of the parietal lobe are important in language processing. Just posterior to the central sulcus lies the postcentral gyrus. This area of the cortex is responsible for somatosensation. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parietal_lobe]

[iv] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic

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