You can find out a lot about sky diving on Google too, but until you have phyically jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and experienced freefalling to earth you don't know anything.
I must confess. After receiving my first degree, I was asked by some present what my thoughts were about the experience.
Being a logical person first, I admitted how I felt about the penalties. As I repeated them, I was drawn to considering how they "might" have been a real penalty in the 1700s, but then again, maybe not. I quickly concluded that they were symbolic in nature only.
My next comment was how amazed I was at Brother Phu Huyn reciting the lecture from memory.
Ultimately, my initial thoughts were all logically focused with nothing spiritual or otherwise.
It was only after I received the standard work and started to look at the posting lecture, did I start to see the other aspects of the degree.
I recall VWB Bill Werner's opening remarks in every degree he confers. I am paraphrasing but essentially he admonishes the degree cast to remember that our focus is on making this the best experience for the candidate(s). It's not about us, it's about the candidate(s).
I recall attending degrees at some lodges where the conferring Master read most of it, including the obligation. Sure, the first candidate was unaware that the Master was reading it, but when the candidate was placed on the sidelines while other candidates went through it, well, they certainly saw it then.
That, IMO, is NOT acceptable.
I was asked to install the officers at Unity Lodge in December by the WM elect. I have been not only been memorizing the installation but I am focusing on the meaning of the words I will be saying. I am practicing the correct emphasis in areas where it matters most, to ensure the greatest impact on those being installed.
So I agree with you. When we perform the degree conferrals properly, it can have a very profound impact on the candidate.
At one of my lodges, we had a Past Master who set up a Chamber of Reflection for the candidates to be used immediately before each degree. Some candidates found it offered the opportunity to "get into the right mindset" and they claim they appreciated the degree more, as a result.
I also like your reference to the hat and its age. I'm not a big hat person (says the guy with two cowboy hats, an Outback hat, Fedora, top hat, and multiple baseball hats), but I am guitar player and aficionado.
There are plenty of discussions online, and in person, about the road-worn guitars. Manufacturers scuff up and mark up brand new guitars to make them look like they have been worn in.
Personally, I try to keep my guitars as pristine as possible and get annoyed when I cause a mark, ding, or some other imperfection in my guitars. But, that does add character. I recall an interview that Keith Urban gave one time about his favorite Fender Telecaster guitar. He adored that guitar but it had a dent in one spot and when he took time to think about where it came from, he realized it was because he would tap on the guitar body during songs and a ring he wore, caused the dent. That's nice history of the guitar mark and helps to give it character and history.
I think each candidate should have the opportunity to make their Masonic journey just that. "Their" Masonic journey. Not something we marked up or scuffed up to help them form, in our mind, what a Masonic journey through the degrees should be. We can help him form his own journey by doing our best in the conferral, and letting him take in the experience.
At Centralia we have used the Chamber of Reflection to great effect for quite a few years now. But we aren't regimented about it. What I mean by that is that prior to a fellow's Petition, we do our best to get to know him, and during that process we can kind of figure out if he's a guy who would benefit from that experience, or not. We use it if we are Conferring the Degree on someone who we think would appreciate and benefit from it. We don't if we don't think it will add to their experience. In practice this means that most of our Candidates go through it, but not every single Candidate.
We've also, much more recently, for those new Brothers who find that to be a profound experience, have added it to the Proficiency. Chamber first, then into a dark Lodge Room for the Candidate to deliver the Posting Lecture. I've found that to add tremendous impact to the Posting Lecture, and the Masons who've gone through it seem to truly find value in it.
Thanks for letting me know about manufacturer distressed guitars. I had no idea that was a thing! And, honestly, that seems even stranger to me than manufacturers doing it with clothes. I'm like you with your guitars with my hats. I try to keep them as nice as possible, but eventually the 'character' grows. 🤠 The material in my Filson canvas (tin cloth) hats is so much thicker than the Tilley pictured that I figure they might start showing character in another fifty years or so.
I know I am personally a huge fan of the way things are going with our Degree program in Centralia. I really appreciate the support and education you, VWB Clayton, and the Brothers have put into these efforts.
Also, you should look up restomod amplifiers, I have a buddy who builds them as a hobby and they look pretty wild!
If we can do a really solid Degree for a man, we give him a chance to receive the spiritual benefits that have come from Initiatory Rites across cultures and throughout history. If we don't, we aren't giving him that chance.
The great news is, in my experience, over the years I've been a Mason, the average Degree experience in the average Lodge in my Jurisdiction has radically improved. Things are so much better now than they were fifteen or twenty years ago. And I think the desire for continual improvement is there.
A wonderful explanation on a very important topic.
Most initiatic traditions (Freemasonry included) convey their secrets through experiences.
The allegories and charges are delivered in a dramatic manner to spark interest and emotion, moving the candidate to deepen his understanding by reflecting and connecting the dots.
Uncovering the secrets requires work - studying, reflecting, connecting the dots, and understanding. Being part of the experience is very important. Equally important is doing the work required to grasp the deeper meaning.
The second degree has a good hint for this which is also depicted on the tracing board by John Harris.
Knowing something is not enough, you have to know it in the "correct" manner, meaning you have to understand.
This is where the secrets start to reveal themselves.
Thank you. I'm very glad that this post resonated. I don't find it easy to express my thoughts on this particular facet of our Craft.
I do though, firmly believe, based on my own experience that our Degrees can be truly life changing. I know that because I experienced that. I didn't see it happening at the time, and I don't really know what caused it, but looking back I can easily see that I was a different man after my Degrees then I was before them.
You can find out a lot about sky diving on Google too, but until you have phyically jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and experienced freefalling to earth you don't know anything.
A truly excellent analogy. Thanks for this!
Wonderful piece MW Sir!
Thank you Brother! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I must confess. After receiving my first degree, I was asked by some present what my thoughts were about the experience.
Being a logical person first, I admitted how I felt about the penalties. As I repeated them, I was drawn to considering how they "might" have been a real penalty in the 1700s, but then again, maybe not. I quickly concluded that they were symbolic in nature only.
My next comment was how amazed I was at Brother Phu Huyn reciting the lecture from memory.
Ultimately, my initial thoughts were all logically focused with nothing spiritual or otherwise.
It was only after I received the standard work and started to look at the posting lecture, did I start to see the other aspects of the degree.
I recall VWB Bill Werner's opening remarks in every degree he confers. I am paraphrasing but essentially he admonishes the degree cast to remember that our focus is on making this the best experience for the candidate(s). It's not about us, it's about the candidate(s).
I recall attending degrees at some lodges where the conferring Master read most of it, including the obligation. Sure, the first candidate was unaware that the Master was reading it, but when the candidate was placed on the sidelines while other candidates went through it, well, they certainly saw it then.
That, IMO, is NOT acceptable.
I was asked to install the officers at Unity Lodge in December by the WM elect. I have been not only been memorizing the installation but I am focusing on the meaning of the words I will be saying. I am practicing the correct emphasis in areas where it matters most, to ensure the greatest impact on those being installed.
So I agree with you. When we perform the degree conferrals properly, it can have a very profound impact on the candidate.
At one of my lodges, we had a Past Master who set up a Chamber of Reflection for the candidates to be used immediately before each degree. Some candidates found it offered the opportunity to "get into the right mindset" and they claim they appreciated the degree more, as a result.
I also like your reference to the hat and its age. I'm not a big hat person (says the guy with two cowboy hats, an Outback hat, Fedora, top hat, and multiple baseball hats), but I am guitar player and aficionado.
There are plenty of discussions online, and in person, about the road-worn guitars. Manufacturers scuff up and mark up brand new guitars to make them look like they have been worn in.
Personally, I try to keep my guitars as pristine as possible and get annoyed when I cause a mark, ding, or some other imperfection in my guitars. But, that does add character. I recall an interview that Keith Urban gave one time about his favorite Fender Telecaster guitar. He adored that guitar but it had a dent in one spot and when he took time to think about where it came from, he realized it was because he would tap on the guitar body during songs and a ring he wore, caused the dent. That's nice history of the guitar mark and helps to give it character and history.
I think each candidate should have the opportunity to make their Masonic journey just that. "Their" Masonic journey. Not something we marked up or scuffed up to help them form, in our mind, what a Masonic journey through the degrees should be. We can help him form his own journey by doing our best in the conferral, and letting him take in the experience.
At Centralia we have used the Chamber of Reflection to great effect for quite a few years now. But we aren't regimented about it. What I mean by that is that prior to a fellow's Petition, we do our best to get to know him, and during that process we can kind of figure out if he's a guy who would benefit from that experience, or not. We use it if we are Conferring the Degree on someone who we think would appreciate and benefit from it. We don't if we don't think it will add to their experience. In practice this means that most of our Candidates go through it, but not every single Candidate.
We've also, much more recently, for those new Brothers who find that to be a profound experience, have added it to the Proficiency. Chamber first, then into a dark Lodge Room for the Candidate to deliver the Posting Lecture. I've found that to add tremendous impact to the Posting Lecture, and the Masons who've gone through it seem to truly find value in it.
Thanks for letting me know about manufacturer distressed guitars. I had no idea that was a thing! And, honestly, that seems even stranger to me than manufacturers doing it with clothes. I'm like you with your guitars with my hats. I try to keep them as nice as possible, but eventually the 'character' grows. 🤠 The material in my Filson canvas (tin cloth) hats is so much thicker than the Tilley pictured that I figure they might start showing character in another fifty years or so.
I know I am personally a huge fan of the way things are going with our Degree program in Centralia. I really appreciate the support and education you, VWB Clayton, and the Brothers have put into these efforts.
Also, you should look up restomod amplifiers, I have a buddy who builds them as a hobby and they look pretty wild!
If we can do a really solid Degree for a man, we give him a chance to receive the spiritual benefits that have come from Initiatory Rites across cultures and throughout history. If we don't, we aren't giving him that chance.
The great news is, in my experience, over the years I've been a Mason, the average Degree experience in the average Lodge in my Jurisdiction has radically improved. Things are so much better now than they were fifteen or twenty years ago. And I think the desire for continual improvement is there.
Restomod. New guts, old box. Excellent idea!
A wonderful explanation on a very important topic.
Most initiatic traditions (Freemasonry included) convey their secrets through experiences.
The allegories and charges are delivered in a dramatic manner to spark interest and emotion, moving the candidate to deepen his understanding by reflecting and connecting the dots.
Uncovering the secrets requires work - studying, reflecting, connecting the dots, and understanding. Being part of the experience is very important. Equally important is doing the work required to grasp the deeper meaning.
The second degree has a good hint for this which is also depicted on the tracing board by John Harris.
Knowing something is not enough, you have to know it in the "correct" manner, meaning you have to understand.
This is where the secrets start to reveal themselves.
Thank you. I'm very glad that this post resonated. I don't find it easy to express my thoughts on this particular facet of our Craft.
I do though, firmly believe, based on my own experience that our Degrees can be truly life changing. I know that because I experienced that. I didn't see it happening at the time, and I don't really know what caused it, but looking back I can easily see that I was a different man after my Degrees then I was before them.
Totally agree. They are life changing when we take them seriously and do the work required.