A Brother Asks: Foreign Lands...

Brother: Can you explain something to me?

Coach: I’ll try. What is it?

Brother: I read the meme.

Coach: and?

Brother: Well, it doesn’t apply to me.

Coach: How so?

Brother: I don’t need to travel. I already know myself. I would like to travel to meet others in their environment.

Coach:  Okay.  Have you ever considered the inner traveling you undertook to get to know yourself so well?

Internal Activities

Brother: Yes. Lots of soul searching, meditation to clear the brain, talking with God, applying ritual in everyday life and how to respond in social gatherings.

Coach:  And you didn't need to travel at all to do any of this?

Brother: Not to any foreign country. I’ve been surrounded by people from many cultures and with those cultures part of their countries comes to me.

Coach:  I understand.  Can we take this in a different direction?

Brother: Sure.

Coach: Was your internal world known to you before you spelunked its hidden realms?

Brother: Yes, and I’m now free.

Disconnect

Coach:  How was your internal world known to you before you spelunked its hidden realms?

Brother: I’m not connecting with your question.  I need another clue please.

Coach: Sure. How did you come to know your internal world?

Brother: What was my motivation?

Coach: No. Did you have to explore your internal world in any way, or was it all explored for you since the beginning of your life?

Brother: I had to explore my internal self.

Coach: Was your internal world known to you prior to that exploration?

Brother: It wasn’t known to me until I left school and started in the work force.

Foreign to You

Coach: So, it was foreign to you before you explored?

Brother: Yes

Coach: So, when you traveled into that foreign land, did you find yourself?

Brother: Yes. It took many years… wait… now I’m seeing where you are coming from.

Coach: And?

Brother: The foreign land was my inner world!

Coach: Yes.

Brother: And I had to travel within it to find myself.

Coach: And?

Brother: That’s the foreign land to which the meme referred.

Coach: Yes!

Connection

Brother: That land was indeed foreign!

Coach: Agreed!  Thanks for letting me tag along my Brother.

Brother: Thank you for helping.

Coach: You’re most welcome.

Brother: I loved that new word, “spelunked”.

Coach: Thank you!  I believe it's appropriate.

Brother: Indeed!

Take Aways

Coach: So, I have a question for you?

Brother: Share away!

Coach: What are you getting out of the meme now?

Brother: That to find yourself, you must travel within.

Coach: And?

Brother: That inner land is no less foreign than any external foreign land to which I may sojourn.

Coach: And?

Brother: Finding my true self requires my traveling to that internal foreign land and exploring it as any other foreign land I may encounter.

Coach: Indeed!

Brother: Well?

Coach: Well what?

Brother: AND!!!  You forgot the “and?!”

Coach: Oops!  Sorry… And?

The Work

Brother: Neglecting this crucial Travel forever handicaps me with personal deficits that shall burden me wherever I Travel until I know my true self.

Coach: And?

Brother: I’m now seeing how important the Apprentice Work is.

Coach: How so?

Brother: It required me to spelunk my internal world as a foreigner until I find my true self.

Coach: Prep work?

Brother: Yes!  Doing it prepares me for what is to come.

Coach: Indeed!  And there is much Travel to come.

Brother: Indeed!  For all Traveling Men.

A Brother Asks... True Master

A Brother Asks: What is the difference between a "Master Mason" and a "True or Real Master Mason"?

My Response:  Quite bluntly, these are phrases that are used by individuals to point out that a member of the organization is just wearing a title instead of living up to the intent of the title, as they see it.

But in reality and stopping the word play, I cannot define what a "True or Real Master Mason" or, for that matter, a "True or Real Freemason" is, without conveying indirect judgment. Moreover, I don't believe anyone can define it without letting it be known that they are judging another member's suitability to wear these titles.

Brother: But why?

Coach: The reason? 

Brother: Yes!

Coach: It's a redundant and unnecessarily judgmental term. Let's just cover the first one.

Brother: Okay.

Coach: A Master Mason is already True. "True" is the basis of the title "Master". One might as well say "Master Master Mason" or "True True Mason" by asking such a question. It's nonsensical, unless you are making effort to convey that judgment.
 
When a man wears the title, "Master Mason" and has earned it, he is already "True" because he has Laid the Foundation, Learned the Skills and has Built and Created at least one Masterpiece, himself! 

Brother: So, there are steps?

Coach: Yes!  Here are the steps he took to do just that:

• Prepared to Learn,
• Learned How to Learn, and
• Learns and Teaches (himself and others) daily.

Brother: Interesting!

Coach: Indeed!  Moreover, a Master Mason who has done the Foundational Work of the first Two Degrees, has also focused his Work upon Building and Creating other Masterpieces, of which are also recognized as such by other Masters.

 
Brother: Wow!

Coach: Furthermore, a Master Mason seeks to Find and become the Light he Seeks and is also a Guiding Light for other Seekers to do the same.
 
Brother: What about those members who do not do this and wear the title?

Coach: Anyone claiming the title "Master Mason" who does not meet these descriptions and desires to wear the title unearned, is simply a Ruffian wanting for entitlement.

Brother: Isn't that a little harsh?

Coach: What was one of the primary lessons provided by the third degree drama?

Brother: Demanding unearned wages!

Coach: Indeed!  And before you ask, "Yes!"  I have fallen into the trap of using the terms "real" and "true" when applied to Master Masons and Freemasons in general. 

Brother: And?

Coach: When I catch myself, I correct it by conveying directly what I am making effort to say - there's a huge difference between "members" and those who have done the Work.  Sometimes it is a judgment and for good reason too.  We have far too many ruffians within our walls.

Brother: So, what's the difference? 

Coach: I'll turn the question around and ask back, what are you really trying to convey by the use of the word "true" or "real" in your distinguishing?
 
F&S,
 
Brother John S Nagy