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Learning the Secrets

pointwithinacircle2

Rapscallion
Premium Member
Does not Soul or even Spirit shine through - showing that you have learned some of the genuine secrets?
Perhaps. I have difficulty discerning these things. Mostly I struggle with the burden of my defects. Ignorance was so much easier, perhaps that is why so many prefer it.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
This question always throws me. Our lodges are clearly marked and most Brothers that I know wear something with Masonic symbol(s) on it. We freely talk about our affiliations and charities that we sponsor. Yet, we are a "secret" society?
 

pointwithinacircle2

Rapscallion
Premium Member
Sure, I learned the true secret purpose of morality. Acting according to moral principles is a secret system that allows the the mind to live more fully in the present moment. It offers at least three important benefits. It reduces the accumulation of distracting and destructive emotions like regret, anger, and fear (somehow reminds me of EA). It frees the mind to find and focus on what is truly important (somehow reminds me of FC). It lessens the amount of anger and bitterness that people experience in their old age (somehow reminds me, well, you get the picture).

I'm not saying that you cannot learn these lessons anywhere else, just that I learned them here. When I looked elsewhere I got the mistaken idea that morality was all about being dead. It was in Freemasonry that I learned that morality is all about being alive.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Sure, I learned the true secret purpose of morality. Acting according to moral principles is a secret system that allows the the mind to live more fully in the present moment. It offers at least three important benefits. It reduces the accumulation of distracting and destructive emotions like regret, anger, and fear (somehow reminds me of EA). It frees the mind to find and focus on what is truly important (somehow reminds me of FC). It lessens the amount of anger and bitterness that people experience in their old age (somehow reminds me, well, you get the picture).

I'm not saying that you cannot learn these lessons anywhere else, just that I learned them here. When I looked elsewhere I got the mistaken idea that morality was all about being dead. It was in Freemasonry that I learned that morality is all about being alive.
Thank you! Beautifully stated too.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
coachn said:
..things that you learned through your freemasonic training that could not find elsewhere?
JamestheJust said: This is a rather hard test ...
Perhaps for some, although it is fairly simply for those who have the faculty to communicate concepts that are well thought out. If you truly did learn things through your freemasonic training that could not be found elsewhere, what would prevent you from communicating these things clearly and succinctly, other then an obligation to do so?
JamestheJust said: ...as Freemasonry is based on the hidden Secrets of Nature and Science ...
Ah, that is where we differ. Freemasonry is based upon Theater. The Premier Grand Lodge was put together as an excuse to host quarterly dinner parties. Ritual grew up by way of the demands for entertainment. The only hidden secret is the fact that we are thespians.
JamestheJust said: and they are revealed by Nature to the worthy. (Consider for example the unusual natural phenomena observed by Tesla or Schauberger.)
Don't have to. It's an absolutely unsupported fantasy put forth by conjecture and wishful thinking.
JamestheJust said: Still there are some secrets that may manifest more obviously in a Masonic context.
So, you believe Masonry and Freemasonry are the same thing. I do not.
JamestheJust said: These relate to the connection between the Masonic temple that extends from E to W and N to S and the nearest temple in the heavens.
You are now getting into metaphor and allegory; all of which requires extensive and thorough training to interpret properly. Did you receive that specific training in a Regular and Recognize Lodge {and if so, which one(s)} OR was it merely something that was mentioned and you were left to your own devices to tend to the training on your own?
JamestheJust said: Some of these secrets are depicted in the EA TB and in HRA.
Actually, no secrets are depicted anywhere upon anything, unless done so illegally. There might be some symbols put forth somewhere and members might assume that they depict secrets, but secrets are not depicted. You might gather though that secrets are "alluded to" in some depictions. But "to depict" would be a violation of one's Obligation.

Of course, if you were truly a Regular and Recognized Member, you would not be spouting such nonsense.
JamestheJust said: One manifestation is an active connection with the BS that can be seen attached to a few lodge buildings.
Another manifestation is the BS actively connected to irregular and unrecognized individuals spouting nonsense. I'll let you run with the allusion to the depiction.
 
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dfreybur

Premium Member
Interesting... without revealing any secrets whatsoever, can you recall any secrets, other than modes of recognition, that are things that you learned through your freemasonic training that could not find elsewhere?

Masonry has official secrets, but they can be looked up in the library. So even those modes are available elsewhere.

The unofficial secrets are mostly the sort that they can be shouted from the roof tops and they stay secret anyways because most don't listen, don't understand or similar.

Masonry unites with bonds of sincere friendship men who would otherwise have remained forever at a distance (paraphrase that most will recognize with different wording) - We can find this with a chain of command in the military or within large companies but where other than our fraternity can we find this on the level? Maybe other fraternities many of which where founded by brothers.

Being among such varied men of high quality has several effects. We become more open to differences for example.

One fun one is a simple effect of having members across generations but that is not noticed by all - When I was a new Mason I worked to follow the example of the seasoned brothers. I watch elderly brothers work to set an example worthy of being followed. As I am currently in the middle between those two generations I work to do both. This simple system sets up a sort of "arms race" of excellence. We do a little bit of one-ups-man-ship to be better men. Our fraternity harnesses the natural human inclination to competition for the better. Our fraternity teaches a way to harness the natural human inclinations towards cooperation and the natural human inclination towards competition and merges them together.

That's a secret I don't know I could have found anywhere else. That's a secret that I can shout from the roof tops and it remains a secret anyways.
 

pointwithinacircle2

Rapscallion
Premium Member
Masonry has official secrets, but they can be looked up in the library. So even those modes are available elsewhere.

The unofficial secrets are mostly the sort that they can be shouted from the roof tops and they stay secret anyways because most don't listen, don't understand or similar.
It is tough for me to admit this because I do not believe in magic. But I have become aware that I am now experiencing the world in a way that most of the other people I know do not. Frankly, it has been a tough adjustment for me and I am not entirely comfortable or happy with the how it feels. I feel almost like Neo waking up from the Matrix. What does life consist of? The things that I used to believe were the most important things in life are starting to seem silly to me. It is like a newer, deeper reality is opening up before my eyes.

Honestly, I sometimes long for the comfort of my old belief in the necessity of silly, superficial things. My VSL talks about (I admit that I am no VSL scholar) how hard it is to walk the walk. I understand that now. I don't know about you, but if what I am experiencing isn't a secret, I don't know what is. It may not be a "Masonic" secret, but it was secret from me for most of my life.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
It is tough for me to admit this because I do not believe in magic. But I have become aware that I am now experiencing the world in a way that most of the other people I know do not.

People write about Masonic mysticism. Well, there ya go I figure. It's available for those do decide to pursue it. I was not aware that it falls into the laps of some who don't expect it. It's real isn't it? Blow away some old thoughts about what reality is. Whatever that even means.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Life becomes ever more multi-threaded and parallel-processed - of which we may get glimpses in dreams.

Last year I remember being half-awake from a nap and while conscious that I was on the bed in my room I was also aware I was speaking to several people. I was explaining some technical matters and in the dream was using words that in this world I have never even heard and certainly do not understand. And yet it was obvious from my observation of the dream that there I was an expert in some technology that here I do not know even exists. The sequence lasted about a minute before I lost the connection and was fully back in this world.

My head was on a pillow and not on the mysterious porphyry stone - although now I think of it, there was an energetically mysterious bronze bust a short distance from my head at the time.

http://www.royalarkmarinersvic.net....e-Mysterious-Stone-of-Foundation-M-C-Kydd.pdf
I cannot stress enough how much I truly recognize the deep and fertile nature of your posts. Thanks for all you do to help hone this valuable ability.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
coachn said:
I cannot stress enough how much I truly recognize the deep and fertile nature of your posts. Thanks for all you do to help hone this valuable ability.
It cannot have escaped your attention that I do not write for your benefit, but if you did benefit that would be a bonus.
Fertile Forsooth!
 

jermy Bell

Registered User
I've read this whole thread, and I really thought I was confused before, went from learning secrets to privacy issues of brothers who don't want to identified as a mason. This my thoughts, yes you can find just about anything on freemasonry on line. I do believe there may be secrets that a lot of us don't know that was lost long ago. ( not like we kept records of everything ). I do take ALL 3 of my obligations seriously, and I am a very proud master mason. And I wear my light with pride,and don't care who knows or who has a problem with it.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I tell all my friends that I am a Freemason and I am often asked a question like "If Freemasonry is good why do you keep it a secret". .....

I always like simple answers, my response would be, I didn't keep it a secret, I just told you !

Then answer the questions which might follow. If they've researched and ask for the "secrets" I simply say they are how we recognised each other as Freemasons and I've made a promise not to reveal them.. we value honour, if I broke my word and revealed them, I would no longer be fit to have the title "Brother"... and that's got little to do with fellow Freemasons "judging" me but everything to do about being true to myself and my values according to my own conscience..
 
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