Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Random Building Thoughts - 2024-05-28

 

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

My experience tells me
 that no Mason is ever made 
within a mere few hours 
 by being exposed to words and actions 
that only point toward Masonic Work. 
 
Looking at so many Brothers 
who have personally dedicated 
decades to accomplish this Work 
for themselves 
confirms for me 
that this is a universal experience. 
 
You didn't have to tell me 
that you're a Mason.
Your results shouted that to me 
long before you said a word.
 
-------------- MASONIC EDUCATION --------------
 

 For Further Light:
 
-------------- ALLEGORY --------------
 
 
 A man pointed to the hero 
and proclaimed to the crowd,
 "This man is a Lion!"  

The literalists immediately heard fallacy 
and proclaimed this statement false 
and the point-maker a liar.  

The figuralists immediately heard truth 
and proclaimed this statement true 
and the point-maker a sage.  

I realized in that moment 
how so much conflict is based upon 
incomplete, unbalanced and extreme views.
 
 -------------- HUMOR --------------  
 

 
The focus of some members is astounding...
 
-------------- MYTH --------------  
 

"Now, all these myths that you have heard 
and that resonate with you, 
those are the elements from round about 
that you are building into a form in your life. 
The thing worth considering 
is how they relate to each other in your context, 
not how they relate to something out there 
– how they were relevant on the North American prairies 
or in the Asian jungles hundreds of years ago, 
but how they are relevant now – 
unless by contemplating their former meaning
 you can begin to amplify your own understanding 
of the role they play in your life."
-- Joseph Campbell, Pathways to Bliss (p. 132)
 
So much can be learned from this. Will it be learned? 
By some, "yes", but probably not by the masses.
 Only those Chained to Freemasonic Caves 
who Yearn for Further Light 
May take the Necessary Steps toward these ends. 
And they must first break those chains.
 
-------------- CHALLENGE --------------  
 
 
The West Gate Has More to Do with You 
Than Any Other Man Who Enters through It.
 
-------------- APPLY IT! --------------  
 
 

If only more Brothers Carefully Applied 
Masonic Forensics to what they claim they have found
Perhaps more Freemasonic Flights of Fantasy 
would be seen for 
the Crime they actually are.
 
-------------- ONGOING --------------  
 

 
 RETENTION
c.1400, from L. retentionem 
(nom. retentio) "a retaining, 
a holding back," from pp. stem of 
retinere (see retain).
 
retain - late 14c., from O.Fr. retenir, 
from L. retinere "hold back," 
from re- "back" + tenere "to hold"
(see tenet). 
 
It PAINS me unduly so 
to admit that 
the more I experience 
organizational retention efforts,
the more retained I feel.
 
 
-------------- FILED UNDER: THE GREAT MISLED --------------  
 
 
And then I looked at him
as if I knew
and said to him in an encouraging tone,
"Son, just memorize it and it'll soon become clear".
 
(Inspired by what I was told as a candidate
and what I've overheard
as a member 
listening to others.)
  
 -------------- CHARACTER -------------- 
 

"...my beliefs are founded on KNOWLEDGE brought about by STUDY!
Never let your love for the Craft blind you to reality."

-- Bro. Colin Hart
 
-------------- FAITH --------------  
 
 
 
 God is the ultimate challenge of accepting possibilities that cannot be proven. 
That choice to believe regardless of proof is called "Faith". 

Atheists choose not to think in terms of possibilities that seem improbable, 
to accept this type of thinking and to invest in such possibilities. 
Things must be proven to be accepted by them. 

Masons must be both capable of faithful thinking
 and be fully engaged in thinking this way 
to bring about what appears to be impossible 
by those who are limited in their thinking. 
 
In other words, 
the very definition of Mason is a person of Faith. 
Those who lack Faith, 
in its various forms, 
shall be forever challenged by their limited thinking.
 
-------------- TRUE STORY --------------  
 
I received a not so pleasant call from a Brother who had just finished
reading this book. He complained that I was recommending that we spy on our Brothers. I asked him to reread page 14 and then go to the last lines in the back of the book. He did and then said, "Well, I understand what you were trying to do, but you could have wrote the book differently." I replied, "Yes, but then it would not have the intended impact."
 
Fast forward a year later... 
 
I get a call from the same Brother...
 
He said, "OMG Brother Nagy! I'm surrounded by a bunch of Ruffians! and I would have never known this had I not read your book a second time! 
THANK YOU!!!!"
 
Yeah... that's not an isolated comment...
 
It's titled, "Building Ruffish"... but I refer to it as "The Field Guide to the North American Ruffian"... and for firmly sound reasons...
 
A review of the book can be found here: http://www.coach.net/BR_Review.htm
 
 -------------- END --------------

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

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Monday, May 27, 2024

Random Building Thoughts - 2024-05-27

  

-------------- ROAD MAP--------------  
 

Life doesn't come with a roadmap
but those who Become Proficient Do!
 (Hat Tip to Brother David Moran)  

 -------------- MASONIC ED --------------  
 

More Light on: 
 
-------------- CHARACTER --------------  
 
 
FREEMASONRY!
A Dramatic Improvement 
for those who Follow its Scripts 
and Act Responsibly.

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

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

QUESTION #19:  
If you were required by your Lodge or GL
 to put together and put forth 
a comprehensive program to provide 
Continuing Blue Lodge Masonic Education (CBLME) 
credits for Blue lodge Masons, 
what materials, concepts, topics and exercises 
would that program include 
and how would it be structured?
 
 -------------- PASSIONS --------------  
 
 
For Passions to be Properly Subdued, 
one must Continuously Respect 
Civil Limits 
while Honoring one's Desires Accordingly. 
 
-------------- CHARACTER --------------  
 

Neither Freemasonry 
nor Masonry 
is Remedial, Reparative or Restorative. 
Don't let some Joker 
Convince you Otherwise.
 
-------------- MYTH --------------  
 

“Sit in a room and read--and read and read. 
And read the right books by the right people. 
Your mind is brought onto that level, 
and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture 
all the time.”
Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth 


-------------- THE ROAD --------------  
 
 
Yup! That's about right! 
And you must start AT THE BOTTOM!
(Hat Top to Brother David Moran) 
 
-------------- END --------------

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

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Sunday, May 26, 2024

Random Building Thoughts - 2024-05-26

 

-------------- CHALLENGE ONE --------------  
 

Freemasonry only Invites males to Grow Up.
 
If you remain active for any length of time, 
there will be many times when you will be required
 to Accept or at least Tolerate 
the Immaturity that Plagues the Craft.
 
Try to Remember this very Important part 
of our Society's Limitations 
the Next Time you get 
frustrated, upset, disappointed, angry,
 pissed off, mad, enraged, sad, depressed 
or any other emotion
 that might drive you toward Bitter ends: 
 
Freemasonry only Invites males to Grow Up; 
 It cannot Force them to Do so.
 
 Its advancements occur 
because members show up
 and play their part;  
not because they actual live what ritual espouses.
 
As a result, 
there are far more Apprentices
wearing Master's titles 
than actual Master's 
who have earned the right to wear them.
 
Once again...
If you stick around, 
there will be many Next Times 
when you don't come to Accept
 or at least Tolerate
 the Immaturity that Plagues the Craft. 
 
When you do, 
focus upon yourself 
and what you can and should do 
to achieve Mastery 
or at least don't contribute 
to what you tolerate from others.
 
-------------- MASONIC EDUCATION --------------  
 
 
-------------- HUMOR --------------  
  

'Cause Being "Regular" 
is Never Ever 
Quite Enough...
 
-------------- WHEN YOU DO --------------  
 

What Occurs 
When You Do 
the Work. 
Heaven on Earth 
 
-------------- ALLEGORY--------------  
 

 Freemasonry Tells you that there is a Blueprint; 
Masonry is the Building of the Building and its Builders.
 
-------------- KNOW -------------- 
 
 
 No Work, No Transformation.
Know Work, Know transformation!

 
-------------- MYTH --------------  

   “Mythology is not a lie, 
mythology is poetry, 
it is metaphorical. 
It has been well said 
that mythology 
is the penultimate truth
–penultimate because 
the ultimate cannot be put into words. 
It is beyond words. 
Beyond images, 
beyond that bounding rim 
of the Buddhist Wheel of Becoming. 
Mythology pitches the mind 
beyond that rim, 
to what can be known 
but not told.”
-- Joseph Campbell 


-------------- CHALLENGE TOO  --------------  
  • Question #14: How do you discover and uncover the true interests of an Apprentice?
  • Question #15: What Action Steps have you taken to identify your Vices and Superfluities and How Effective were these Action Steps in producing the results you expected?
  • Question #16: What Action Steps have you taken to Instill the Cardinal and Theological Virtues in your daily manner and How Effective were these Action Steps in producing the results you expected?
  • Question #17: What Action Steps have you taken to Instill an Effective Time Management System into your Daily Routine and How Effective were these Action Steps in producing the results you expected?
 -------------- TRIVIUM MASTERY --------------  
 

FILED UNDER:
 What occurs for you 
when you get serious 
and study the culture 
behind the writings...

(When you do not understand 
the culture 
that shared the a-l-l-e-g-o-r-y...)
 
-------------- REALITY -------------- 
 

No Matter 
How Good 
A Person You Are, 
There Will Always 
Be Someone 
Criticizing You

 -------------- END -------------- 

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

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Educational Materials can be found here: