A Mason's Work

Discover how questioning what's taken as sacred can not only reveal common ground but broaden your Masonic experience. A must-listen for Masons eager to foster change and align objectives through genuine conversations. Embrace the journey and learn how to navigate the fault lines of tradition effectively.

Key Points
• Questioning sacred assumptions
• Troubleshooting Masonic change
• The power of asking questions
• Avoid passive-aggressive pitfalls
• Real conversations spark growth

Best Quotes
00:01 - 00:09 • "One of the more interesting elements of navigating things like change is the nature of making assumptions."
00:18 - 00:25 • "In the process of execution or in a discovery phase, those assumptions are completely invalid."
01:01 - 01:09 • "A lot of things that you thought were sacred to others may have been assumptions about what you, the way you thought the world worked."
01:36 - 01:47 • "By asking questions and by digging in and testing those assumptions with others, I think you'll find your Masonic experience expands significantly."
01:49 - 01:55 • "What's important when you're trying to align folks to the objectives you're creating."
02:22 - 02:28 • "Understanding the stone you're working is gonna be a vital part of how successful you can be as a mason trying to create change in the world."

Ever pondered the link between the age-old stories of heroism and personal grief or change? Delve into a riveting dissection of the symbolic 'grief curve'. Discover how legendary tales echo the patterns of bereavement and transformation, and how this knowledge helps us embrace life's curveballs.

Key Points
• Symbolism rich in the third degree
• Grieving mirrors change processes
• Kubler-Ross curve explained
• Traumatic change confronts all
• Heroic legends offer life lessons

Best Quotes
00:45 - 00:49 • "There's a huge overlap between the process of grieving and the process of change."
01:18 - 01:26 • "It's a Elizabeth Kubler, Kubler Ross grief curve, I believe is the origin of it, or one of the origins of it."
01:27 - 01:40 • "You go through denial, rejection, you know, rage or aggression, acceptance, and then, you know, engagement, I guess for lack of a better way."
02:52 - N/A • "I have embraced the world the way it is up through, you know, then leaning into that change and becoming a better Person for it."
03:43 - 03:58 • "And that I think you'll find that that sort of mental inquiry with that overlap will essentially allow you to recognize the early warning signs of change coming your way."

Freemasonry's rituals are the lexicon that binds the brotherhood together. Uncover how our masonic vocabulary sets a foundation for self-improvement, communication, and understanding, beyond the need for specialized knowledge.

Key Points
• Rituals create shared vocabulary
• No special expertise needed
• Communication vital in Freemasonry
• Self-regulation through Masonic terms
• Lexicon facilitates personal growth

Best Quotes
00:08 - 00:15 • "Why do we even do a ritual? Why not just kind of tell people the story or why don't we get around the fireplace and have that conversation?"
00:15 - 00:26 • "And the ritual, I think, serves some really important purposes, and the most important of which is to give the lexicon to share the vocabulary."
00:40 - 00:53 • "By doing that, we can have a conversation with each other about behavioral stuff, about the way things are in the world, the way we are in the world, without requiring special subject matter expertise."
01:05 - 01:11 • "You get a fair amount of information and insight from the Masonic vocabulary itself."
01:12 - 01:19 • "So we have these degrees to cement that understanding for each and every one of our members."
01:58 - 02:05 • "That common vocabulary that we can use to help each other grow is the purpose of our craft."

Turbocharge your learning! Our latest episode dissects the Entered Apprentice Mason's degree as a potent blueprint for acquiring new skills. From using working tools metaphorically to rewiring your mind and body for success, this is a guide to transformative growth that stands the test of time.

Key Points
• Entered Apprentice as a learning recipe
• 24-inch gauge symbolizes time management
• Common gavel: remove non-essential learning
• Symbolism in Mason's preparing room
• Physical practice lags mental gains

Best Quotes
01:08 - 01:14 • "So the 24 inch gauge, you need to set aside some time, the right amount of time to do the work."
01:52 - 01:59 • "Like the, the preparing that you go through with the preparing room, removing any preconceived biases."
02:24 - 02:30 • "Understanding what work is the right work, that you've got, the right resources, that you are well and duly prepared."
02:58 - 03:09 • "Meaning you're gonna get a deeper and more meaningful insight into the stuff that's put into that degree every time you give it a shot."
03:31 - 03:44 • "And you can get to that sort of preto principle where you get 80% of the value in 20% of the time just by having a learning process that you're following."
04:13 - 04:25 • "Rewiring your finger movements, for example, is going to be something that is a repeated practice, a physical practice, and the body responds slower in many cases than the mind."

Unlock the power of context switching in this episode! Explore the craft's rituals to gain multiple perspectives like an Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, or Master Mason. Learn to turn challenges into solutions by changing the context and find answers that were once elusive. Master context switching and conquer any obstacle in your path with finespun Masonic wisdom.

Key Points
• Context switching as a skill
• Perspectives from Masonic degrees
• Signs you need a perspective shift
• Overcoming Emotional Reactions
• Apply craft roles to problems

Best Quotes
00:00 - 00:07 • "So there's an outrageously powerful skill that you can develop that you probably already have to a degree."
01:21 - 01:29 • "You might find that if you kind of mentally jog through those when you're trying to address a situation or a challenge in your life."
01:53 - 02:01 • "Developing context switching though is not an easy thing to do because very often you don't know that you need to do it."
02:33 - 02:54 • "But that suffering contingent or suffering or any really strong emotion rage, whatever it might be when those strong emotions arise, is an opportunity first to embrace the situation for what it is not your response to what it's right."
03:47 - 03:59 • "Develop this skill. And I, I guarantee you, you'll find all sorts of solutions to problems that that weren't inaccessible or less considered before."

Sometimes it's difficult to give help during life's hectic flow. This episode unpacks the beauty of being there for others, despite inconvenience, and reveals how offering assistance is a gift that strengthens human connections.

Key Points
• Help rarely fits our schedule
• Trust is foundational for help
• Assisting others is a gift
• Support may differ from wants
• Reflection fosters service

Best Quotes
00:20 - 00:25 • "When a brother needs your help, it very rarely happens on your timeline."
01:51 - 02:03 • "It is a gift to strengthen the relationship. It is a gift to build your connections to that person and to their life."
02:19 - 02:25 • "You are valuable enough as a resource in someone's life to be one of the places they go for help."
02:38 - 02:41 • "The thing the customer wants and the thing the customer needs are not the same thing."
02:46 - 02:52 • "If they could eat candy all the time, then that's not really gonna nourish them kind of thing."
03:04 - 03:11 • "The obligation we take to help a brother out is absolutely something that I take very seriously."

Use the masonic pavement to understand the difference between problem-solving versus seizing opportunity, as we tackle the metaphor of black & white squares on the pavement. Discover the keys to fostering a lodge culture that embraces challenges with optimism and cultivates a positive, balanced environment for all members.

Key Points
• Solving problems vs. seizing opportunities
• Cultivating lodge culture
• Balancing crisis and progress
• Identifying lodge team roles
• Leveraging positive & negative

Best Quotes
00:31 - 00:41 • "It's because, 'cause as men we're really good in general at identifying a problem and then addressing the solution to that problem."
00:42 - 00:52 • "It is very much harder in many ways to identify opportunity and then develop opportunity that the white square kind of approach on the pavement."
01:01 - 01:11 • "It's important to make sure that if you can't be the person who's regularly looking for opportunity, that you have somebody there that can help."
01:16 - 01:21 • "The positive problem solving behavior, not just the we're in crisis. What do we do now?"
01:43 - 01:49 • "I don't go to lodge anymore because every time we go it's always pie in the sky and we never actually do anything."
02:14 - 02:28 • "Help me figure out how we might improve this or make this situation better. That that positive spin, that white square and the pavement is going to be really useful for you as you build that culture."

Lodge-building, unique value proposition, and designed experiences are vital in the Masonic world. Uncover how strategy, emotion, and cultural nuances forge a unique brotherhood identity. Build your lodge's experience, not by chance, but with purpose!

Key Points
• Buildings & Lodges: No accident
• Emotion evokes lodge identity
• Strategy shapes Masonic experience
• Inclusivity extends lodge reach
• Definitive value defines lodges

Best Quotes
01:09 - 01:16 • "What are those identity elements that folks connect with that make them love their lodge."
01:24 - 01:30 • "You have to intentionally create the strategy to build your lodge the way you want it to be."
02:16 - 02:23 • "What can we do to bring the folks that are coming from a different income level into our lodge experience?"
03:51 - 03:59 • "The lodge is supposed to be here for you to help you out, to provide you the training and education and the knowledge that you need to be effective."
04:00 - 04:02 • "Don't let your lodges culture be an accident."
04:03 - 04:08 • "Don't let your lodges value that it creates for its members be an accident. Be intentional about it."

In this episode we discuss the mechanics of building a meaningful lodge experience. From fostering trust to embracing Masonic symbolism, learn actionable tips to transform your lodge into a hub of personal connections and shared goals. Tune in for an intimate conversation on cultivating a tight-knit Masonic fraternity.

Key Points
• Building rapport in your lodge
• Trust through personal sharing
• The importance of Masonic symbolism
• Setting and achieving Masonic goals
• Elevating trust and nurturing relationships

Best Quotes
00:51 - 01:01 • "You're not gonna be able to have an intimate conversation that's high trust with 300 people in a room. You're gonna want to do that in a smaller lodge."
01:20 - 01:25 • "The place I would start is fellowship nights. For the folks that are looking to have more engagement and more conversation."
01:28 - 01:32 • "Begin building rapport with the members of your lodge. What does rapport look like?"
01:34 - 01:41 • "You should know their spouse name. You should know the name of their kids, if they have kids, what their career is, what their interests are."
01:41 - 01:54 • "Learn a little bit more about the members in the room because when you wanna start talking about Masonic symbolism and start talking about how to solve problems, you have to get to a baseline level of trust."
02:47 - 02:56 • "I really wanted to get a grip on my 24-inch gauge. I really wanted to better show myself some care, the self-care conversation."

The Masonic symbolism of lodge guards translate to managing distractions and nurturing focus in your inner sanctum. This episode explores the metaphorical roles of inner and outer guards, guiding you to secure your reflective spaces from disruptive forces. Join us for an intriguing journey of Masonic insight and personal growth.

Key Points
• Symbolism of lodge guards
• Securing mental focus
• Managing life's distractions
• Inviting ideas with caution
• The cautionary inner voice

Best Quotes
00:00 - 00:13 • "No conversation about the lodge would be complete without conversations about, and I know you'd say your, your trustees would say the trustees, your secretary, your treasurer would say the secretary or the treasurer. But from a symbolic perspective, I want to say no lodge discussion will be complete without the guards."
00:36 - 00:41 • "Their job is to essentially prevent the lodge from getting disrupted. There's to secure the lodge."
00:42 - 00:50 • "And from a mental and a, you know, internal perspective, this is really about managing distraction while you are in reflection."
01:42 - 01:47 • "You need to find a place to be that is free from disruption and distraction."
01:48 - 02:01 • "You need to find a, when you invite new ideas in to be evaluated, when you invite new concepts in, or approach new I, you know, new directions or new problems you wanna solve."
02:22 - 02:33 • "These are all questions that, that kind of inner and outer guard, that defender kind of mindset really serves you well as you go through your Masonic experience."