Some of our recent conversations here on Emeth have focused on the future of our Craft. One point I hear often made, and that I agree with, is that in the future Lodges will be more focused and specialized. That instead of trying to be everything for everyone, they will be smaller and composed of Masons who share a similar interest. Whatever that interest might be.
But that begs a question…
How does an individual Mason find those Masons who hold interests that mirror his own?
Especially if those interests are more esoteric in nature than most?
Most Freemasons are loathe to be seen by their Brothers as somehow odd, so in most Lodges, I think, Brothers openly and loudly announcing their interest in esoteric practices does not occur. Given that most are reticent to express these interests, how does the Freemason who holds them find other Masons of like mind?
A comment made to my post yesterday by a great friend and Brother, VW Mike Priddy pointed out a great way for like minded Brothers in the Jurisdiction of Washington to do just that. He commented that Brothers with these interests could find each other simply by attending the Esoterica In Freemasonry Conference in Seattle. It’s a perfect solution.
But what if one doesn’t live in a place where a conference like that exists?
How does that Mason, who is unable to ever attend an esoteric conference, find other Masons in his area who are interested in esoteric study and practice?
I think that it is an important question for a large number of Masons, and I base that statement on the fact that during my extremely extensive Masonic travels over the past few years, I’ve had a number of younger Masons come up to me and ask me that very question. These Masons have, on their own, been unable to find those of like mind. Likely because they were too shy to bring their interests up to other Masons.
Hopefully as we travel around our District, we recognize the different “flavors” of each of its Lodges. Once we have become familiar with the characteristics of each Lodge, I would hope that we would steer potential candidates toward a Lodge that would fit their interests. This is critical for our survival as placing a candidate into a Lodge that does not align with his expectations will ensure that he will eventually fall by the wayside. This means we need to be honest with ourselves, and during the investigation process, determine if he is a good fit for our Lodges, or be better suited visiting a different Lodge that better suits his desires. This means we may have to send a potential candidate to a different Lodge than ours, we must do right by the candidate and assist him along his journey, thus increasing his likelihood of success within the Fraternity.
Aug 16, 2023·edited Aug 16, 2023Liked by Cameron M. Bailey
Looking internally to determine your capabilities is the first step. Do you have the time and resources that may be needed to attend a gathering, or participate in a group or lodge outside your local area? If your lodge is not teaching / discussing Masonic topics that interest you, networking and finding the members and Lodges which do is paramount. Most Brothers who have esoteric discussion groups, Facebook sites, conferences, Masonicon, Grand Masonic Day (BC), etc are passionate about their interest and are willing to share information and contacts. Call them. Yes, call them - have a conversation rather than an instant message or email. You would be amazed at the connections that you can make once you focus your efforts on the quality you seek.
I agree with our Grand Lodge (Washington) that we do not have a membership problem - we have a retention issue. Brothers join with the belief that beyond the three degrees, there will be teaching at lodge meetings about that subject matter. When that does not happen, Brothers leave with the false impression that Masonry does not offer what they are seeking. That is incorrect - they are in the wrong Lodge for their needs.
Networking with likeminded Brothers in your area is the first step forward.
Consider gathering data about what interests you perhaps start with:
Aug 16, 2023·edited Aug 16, 2023Liked by Cameron M. Bailey
Q: How does an individual Mason find those Masons who hold interests that mirror his own?
A: Join an appendant body.
Those seeking a Key to higher esoteric knowledge are better served in the Scottish Rite. Those who desire to become a ‘Mason’s Mason’ should look into the York Rite. Those who just want to play golf and raise money for charity should join the Shrine. Widow’s Sons, Youth Programs, Grotto… Guys, we already addressed this issue.
A Blue Lodge’s primary mission is to make Masons through proper investigation and quality instruction. Further, to create an environment that brings men of different backgrounds and interests together in Harmony.
The education of a Blue Lodge should be properly balanced, more like a monthly Ted Talk than anything else. Inspiring men to consider educational pursuits outside their own interests and creating friendships outside their normal social groups. If you don’t juggle interests and just hold onto one, you’ll lose all the others.
Entertaining, diverse, and engaging. A Mason’s Lodge meeting should be the highlight of his month, re-inspiring him in the Craft and giving him something new to consider. Esoterica is interesting, but ‘doth butter no parsnips’ when it comes to career growth, family development, or any number of areas that men are (or should be) concerned with.
I think the pandemic did us a huge favor in this regard. Bear in mind I came to the fraternity during the pandemic so I'm not sure how things were before it, but from my perspective, I see the following:
First, there are many online resources for finding each other, Emeth being a prime example. But we have tons of blogs, YouTube channels, reddit subs, Discord servers, etc. where we can meet up in cyberspace and find likeminded brothers and we can share resources.
Second, online Masonic education, while not the lodge experience, is readily available and accessible, again through things like YouTube, podcasts, Zoom meetings, etc. Heck, I just received all 32 degrees (minus the first 3) of the Scottish Rite SJ via the Internet a couple of weekends ago. I've attended lodge online (CIVL), watched lectures (Rubicon Society), and there's an endless amount of reading on sites like this one. And, perhaps most importantly to this conversation, you'll find like-minded brothers participating in all of these things.
My story of entry into the fraternity is the perfect example of how things can work with what I'm talking about: I was interested in Masonry and realizing how much I needed community because of the pandemic so I was talking to a long-time friend who happens to be a brother and mentioned to him I was curious. He turned me on to the Whence Came You podcast, which I started listening to. After a few episodes, I was really hooked but had concerns so I reached out to brother RJ (the show's creator if you're unaware) with a question and he graciously answered me but, more importantly, he put me in touch with a likeminded brother a couple hours from my home who, in turn, put me in touch with a likeminded lodge 10 minutes from my home. I got lucky with where my lodge is but that chain of communication could happen to anyone talking to like-minded brothers on the Internet.
This is, I think, a crucial question to the survival of the Craft. I wish there was an easy answer, but to date I have not found it. I am a Mason who came to the Craft looking for the esoteric and in over 40 years have yet to find a reliable way to find brethren who are similarly aligned. There are several problems I have encountered.
First, the idea that ‘esoteric’ means one thing. It does not. The word applies equally to the mundane study of Masonic symbols and ritual as it does to the practice of Hermeticism in pursuit of Masonic enlightenment, to conspiracy theories that would make the History Channel programmers blush.
Second, the esoteric sphere is a hierarchical space, and like our degree system, a person progresses as they practice. We do not have a structure in Masonry, at this time, that provides advanced students a place to work. As a friend of mine once said, “it often manifests into a lodge of the perpetual first degree.” This is related to your comment of being loathed to discuss the esoteric, and I would add especially at higher levels. The more you progress, the more isolated you become.
Third, there is still stigma attached to the esoteric. In a very real-world example, I had some work done in my home by a contractor. That contractor noticed my library and its occult nature. He told a friend of his, who is a brother in my Lodge. That brother is very much NOT into the esoteric, and holds it as evil. That brother also felt comfortable talking about it in Lodge, and I had to deal with the ramifications. I bring this up, not to discourage the pursuit of the esoteric, but to warn our younger brothers on this path that its not all sunshine and rainbows.
As a Mason in the hinterlands of our jurisdiction, I can tell you that it is hard. I have found a few very good brethren who are on this path, and cherish their friendship. I think I would describe finding them as equal parts luck and courage, risking a conversation that could have gone badly.
So, what do I think we can do. 1. The esoteric conference is a good start, and a way to make connections. I know everyone cannot attend, but just one brother from a Lodge can be a point of contact for that whole Lodge. 2. I would like to see something organized evolve from that conference, that is not just related to the Lodge that hosts it. A group of men who could offer mentoring and training, both online and in person. Just as we have DDGMs in each district we could have an esotericist in each district as a POC. While many Lodges would NOT host a deeper esoteric discussion, regional meetings might attract enough men to make it worthwhile. Certainly, at the annual communication a parallel meeting of the esoteric minded could be arranged. It would be great if Grand Lodge would acknowledge the esoteric with a Grand Esotericist , but I think that is a long way off. Perhaps a College of the Esoteric could be formed in our jurisdiction?
All that may seem a lot, but I would offer that its doable with just the brethren here who have expressed an interest. Masonic Clubs can be formed without anyone’s approval, and that can evolve into something new, quickly. The details of how one becomes a member of such a club, and what the nature and structure of that club would be is an excellent topic for discussion, in my opinion.
This is a very important question. But most of the dificulties today is that most lodges do not think that freemasonry goes beyond what is written in the rituals. They may explore the first layer and thats it.
Before joining freemasonry I was already studying and reading a lot about gnosticism, occultism and other related things. So it was kind of a let down when I find out that I knew more about the esoteric aspects of freemasonry than those Brothers.
And is frustating when we want to share some of that knowledge and the rest, instead of listening with curiosity, they just discard right away.
My advise will be to create a space online, that those masons with real interest in the deepest esoteric aspects of Freemasonry can enter and share and learn.
Hopefully as we travel around our District, we recognize the different “flavors” of each of its Lodges. Once we have become familiar with the characteristics of each Lodge, I would hope that we would steer potential candidates toward a Lodge that would fit their interests. This is critical for our survival as placing a candidate into a Lodge that does not align with his expectations will ensure that he will eventually fall by the wayside. This means we need to be honest with ourselves, and during the investigation process, determine if he is a good fit for our Lodges, or be better suited visiting a different Lodge that better suits his desires. This means we may have to send a potential candidate to a different Lodge than ours, we must do right by the candidate and assist him along his journey, thus increasing his likelihood of success within the Fraternity.
Looking internally to determine your capabilities is the first step. Do you have the time and resources that may be needed to attend a gathering, or participate in a group or lodge outside your local area? If your lodge is not teaching / discussing Masonic topics that interest you, networking and finding the members and Lodges which do is paramount. Most Brothers who have esoteric discussion groups, Facebook sites, conferences, Masonicon, Grand Masonic Day (BC), etc are passionate about their interest and are willing to share information and contacts. Call them. Yes, call them - have a conversation rather than an instant message or email. You would be amazed at the connections that you can make once you focus your efforts on the quality you seek.
I agree with our Grand Lodge (Washington) that we do not have a membership problem - we have a retention issue. Brothers join with the belief that beyond the three degrees, there will be teaching at lodge meetings about that subject matter. When that does not happen, Brothers leave with the false impression that Masonry does not offer what they are seeking. That is incorrect - they are in the wrong Lodge for their needs.
Networking with likeminded Brothers in your area is the first step forward.
Consider gathering data about what interests you perhaps start with:
www.masonicconferences.com/
www.EsotericMasonry.com
www.scholomance.ca/podcasts/episode-17
https://rubiconmasonicsociety.com/
Q: How does an individual Mason find those Masons who hold interests that mirror his own?
A: Join an appendant body.
Those seeking a Key to higher esoteric knowledge are better served in the Scottish Rite. Those who desire to become a ‘Mason’s Mason’ should look into the York Rite. Those who just want to play golf and raise money for charity should join the Shrine. Widow’s Sons, Youth Programs, Grotto… Guys, we already addressed this issue.
A Blue Lodge’s primary mission is to make Masons through proper investigation and quality instruction. Further, to create an environment that brings men of different backgrounds and interests together in Harmony.
The education of a Blue Lodge should be properly balanced, more like a monthly Ted Talk than anything else. Inspiring men to consider educational pursuits outside their own interests and creating friendships outside their normal social groups. If you don’t juggle interests and just hold onto one, you’ll lose all the others.
Entertaining, diverse, and engaging. A Mason’s Lodge meeting should be the highlight of his month, re-inspiring him in the Craft and giving him something new to consider. Esoterica is interesting, but ‘doth butter no parsnips’ when it comes to career growth, family development, or any number of areas that men are (or should be) concerned with.
I think the pandemic did us a huge favor in this regard. Bear in mind I came to the fraternity during the pandemic so I'm not sure how things were before it, but from my perspective, I see the following:
First, there are many online resources for finding each other, Emeth being a prime example. But we have tons of blogs, YouTube channels, reddit subs, Discord servers, etc. where we can meet up in cyberspace and find likeminded brothers and we can share resources.
Second, online Masonic education, while not the lodge experience, is readily available and accessible, again through things like YouTube, podcasts, Zoom meetings, etc. Heck, I just received all 32 degrees (minus the first 3) of the Scottish Rite SJ via the Internet a couple of weekends ago. I've attended lodge online (CIVL), watched lectures (Rubicon Society), and there's an endless amount of reading on sites like this one. And, perhaps most importantly to this conversation, you'll find like-minded brothers participating in all of these things.
My story of entry into the fraternity is the perfect example of how things can work with what I'm talking about: I was interested in Masonry and realizing how much I needed community because of the pandemic so I was talking to a long-time friend who happens to be a brother and mentioned to him I was curious. He turned me on to the Whence Came You podcast, which I started listening to. After a few episodes, I was really hooked but had concerns so I reached out to brother RJ (the show's creator if you're unaware) with a question and he graciously answered me but, more importantly, he put me in touch with a likeminded brother a couple hours from my home who, in turn, put me in touch with a likeminded lodge 10 minutes from my home. I got lucky with where my lodge is but that chain of communication could happen to anyone talking to like-minded brothers on the Internet.
This is, I think, a crucial question to the survival of the Craft. I wish there was an easy answer, but to date I have not found it. I am a Mason who came to the Craft looking for the esoteric and in over 40 years have yet to find a reliable way to find brethren who are similarly aligned. There are several problems I have encountered.
First, the idea that ‘esoteric’ means one thing. It does not. The word applies equally to the mundane study of Masonic symbols and ritual as it does to the practice of Hermeticism in pursuit of Masonic enlightenment, to conspiracy theories that would make the History Channel programmers blush.
Second, the esoteric sphere is a hierarchical space, and like our degree system, a person progresses as they practice. We do not have a structure in Masonry, at this time, that provides advanced students a place to work. As a friend of mine once said, “it often manifests into a lodge of the perpetual first degree.” This is related to your comment of being loathed to discuss the esoteric, and I would add especially at higher levels. The more you progress, the more isolated you become.
Third, there is still stigma attached to the esoteric. In a very real-world example, I had some work done in my home by a contractor. That contractor noticed my library and its occult nature. He told a friend of his, who is a brother in my Lodge. That brother is very much NOT into the esoteric, and holds it as evil. That brother also felt comfortable talking about it in Lodge, and I had to deal with the ramifications. I bring this up, not to discourage the pursuit of the esoteric, but to warn our younger brothers on this path that its not all sunshine and rainbows.
As a Mason in the hinterlands of our jurisdiction, I can tell you that it is hard. I have found a few very good brethren who are on this path, and cherish their friendship. I think I would describe finding them as equal parts luck and courage, risking a conversation that could have gone badly.
So, what do I think we can do. 1. The esoteric conference is a good start, and a way to make connections. I know everyone cannot attend, but just one brother from a Lodge can be a point of contact for that whole Lodge. 2. I would like to see something organized evolve from that conference, that is not just related to the Lodge that hosts it. A group of men who could offer mentoring and training, both online and in person. Just as we have DDGMs in each district we could have an esotericist in each district as a POC. While many Lodges would NOT host a deeper esoteric discussion, regional meetings might attract enough men to make it worthwhile. Certainly, at the annual communication a parallel meeting of the esoteric minded could be arranged. It would be great if Grand Lodge would acknowledge the esoteric with a Grand Esotericist , but I think that is a long way off. Perhaps a College of the Esoteric could be formed in our jurisdiction?
All that may seem a lot, but I would offer that its doable with just the brethren here who have expressed an interest. Masonic Clubs can be formed without anyone’s approval, and that can evolve into something new, quickly. The details of how one becomes a member of such a club, and what the nature and structure of that club would be is an excellent topic for discussion, in my opinion.
This is a very important question. But most of the dificulties today is that most lodges do not think that freemasonry goes beyond what is written in the rituals. They may explore the first layer and thats it.
Before joining freemasonry I was already studying and reading a lot about gnosticism, occultism and other related things. So it was kind of a let down when I find out that I knew more about the esoteric aspects of freemasonry than those Brothers.
And is frustating when we want to share some of that knowledge and the rest, instead of listening with curiosity, they just discard right away.
My advise will be to create a space online, that those masons with real interest in the deepest esoteric aspects of Freemasonry can enter and share and learn.