Random Building Thoughts - 2024-04-19

 

-------------- HUMOR --------------  

 

 -------------- MASONIC EDUCATION --------------  

 

 -------------- DANGEROUS PHRASES --------------  

 

 

Second only to, "I don't care..."

 

(Hat tip to Bro. Scott Nelson!)

 

-------------- CROSS IT! --------------  

 

 

Self-Initiated In Depth Thought

 is the Greatest Bridge 

that Some Individuals Shall Never Build, 

much less Cross. 

 

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

 

FILED UNDER: Revealing Your Character

 

It NEVER ceases to amaze me how easily a Brother's character can be revealed by giving him opportunities to THINK. 

 

Some Fall! Some Soar! Some Dig Graves! Others Climb out of them! 

 

How you respond to posts, judge their purpose and intent speaks VOLUMES about who you are, what you stand for, how you view opportunities, where you come from and reflects why you react or respond.

 

Tread carefully and assume nothing that you have not carefully investigated and confirmed.

 

 -------------- MYTH --------------  

 

 

The Matrix* was never about Neo, Morpheus, Agent Smith or The Architect. 

 

It was always about the Source, the "Mother" who made them all! 

 

* Origin -- late Middle English (in the sense ‘womb’): from Latin, ‘breeding female,’ later ‘womb,’ from mater, matr- ‘mother.’

 

 -------------- FOR MEN'S SOULS... --------------  

 

Freemasonry! 

Dramatic Theater for Men's Souls!  

Drama with IMPACT!

 

-------------- WELL? --------------  

 

 

How much more Beneficial 

would your Contribution be

 if your Work was that 

of a Master Rendered? 

 

 -------------- REASONS --------------  

 

 

 ... He that reasons alone is heartless...

 

-------------- PROUD MOMENT -------------- 

This is but one of perhaps 4 or 5 times that my own Grand Lodge quoted me. 

 

Here's the quote:

 

"That takes Work!"

"One of the greatest disappointments Brothers shall experience in their Masonic lifetimes
is expecting Freemasonry to Transform them into Better men
without any Earnest Efforts of their own to bring this into Fruition.
Uncorrelated Transformations are both wishful and dangerously immature thinking.
Their disappointments are understandable and deserved though
since such expectations are both unrealistic
and a grievous affront to the very nature of Masonry.
One must never expect to be Better without changing one's Fundamental Nature.
To Be Better, one must Transform. That takes Work!" 

- Brother John S. Nagy, author of the Building Better Builders Masonic Education

-------------- END -------------- 

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

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm 

 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnSNagy 

 

 

 

Random Building Thoughts - 2024-04-18

   

-------------- <SIGH>... ------------- 

 

 

<I wonder how many Brothers

will make a serious comment about this ;-) >

(Hat tip my Brother, for the abuse of his picture... you know who you are!)

 

Please don't make me post this meme in response to your serious comments...

-------------- MASONIC EDUCATION -------------  

 

 

-------------- ALL ABOUT... -------------  

 

Far too many Members 

use their membership status 

to belittle, dismiss and otherwise attack 

those ex-members who have moved on with their lives, 

for whatever reason. 

 

These attacking members have forgotten 

that it's not about membership 

and it never was! 

It was always about being BETTER MEN! 

 

-------------- RIGHTFUL CLAIM --------------  

 

Until you have truly put 

at least one Vice or Superfluity to rest, 

can you ever rightfully claim 

to have an in depth Working knowledge 

belonging to this aspect of Apprenticeship?

 

Don't preach to me 

unless you have 

SUCCESSFULLY done it yourself!

-------------- RIGHT CHOICES... --------------  

 

 

With great freedoms 

come great responsibilities

 and even greater liabilities. 

 

Make Right Choices, 

not quick or easy ones. 

  

-------------- ADVOCATE... --------------  

 

I am an advocate for Working upon my own Ashlar 

and leaving others to do the same for themselves. 

I need not concern myself otherwise 

nor should I desire to 

especially should I want to do any good whatsoever. 

 

That is a little something that I learned about Mastery. 

 It is something that one can only develop for oneself. 

 One cannot get it from another. 

 

Yes, I can provide feedback on Work done by another Brother, 

should he request it from me, 

but his Work still must be done 

for and by himself. 

 

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

 

 

 There MUST be a private victory 

regarding Maturity 

that can only occur once one both 

Accepts Responsibility for one's own personal development 

and Cultivates an unwavering commitment 

to hold oneself Accountable for that Acceptance.

 

-------------- MYTH --------------  

 

That's been my experience!  

 

-------------- MYTH BUSTER --------------  

 

Hiram's Body Was Raised. 

 

If it was truly Resurrected, 

there would be Absolutely 

No Reason or Purpose 

for the "Other Word".

 

For Further Light:

 

  

-------------- GRACIOUSNESS --------------  

 

  

To be Bold in your Convictions 

requires an equally tempered 

Graciousness toward those 

stirred by your Boldness. 

 

-------------- WHY SEEK? --------------  

 

Why do I seek Light?
 
Because I've been in Darkness
and that experience tells me that
being in the Light is much better for me
and everyone involved.

 

-------------- WRITERS... --------------  

 

<Coach looks down his nose and through his 4 year old bifocals, contemplating deeply upon who has been playing narrator in his life and disclosing solemnly to the world deeply held secrets. Breathing a sigh, he hastily re-posts the narration meme anyway. 

 

"Why not!" he grumbles to himself. The world should know these truths.

 

He lets out a heavy breath and examines his work. 

 

"Fine job," he hears the disembodied voice say. 

 

He smiles ever so slightly and he moves on.>

 

(hat tip to Bro. Mason Pratt!)

 

-------------- PLAY ON... -------------- 

What is Freemasonry's true secret? 

Its practitioners put on a series of plays

 so well that their efforts mask the fact 

that they are putting on a series of plays.

 

For Further Light:
Plays...

 

 -------------- END -------------- 

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

 PS: Subscribe to get daily notifications

You can also find me on:

https://mewe.com/i/john_snagy

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Educational Materials can be found here:

 http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm 

 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnSNagy 

 

 

 

Random Building Thoughts - 2024-04-17

   

-------------- LIGHT! --------------  

 

 

-------------- MASONIC EDUCATION -------------- 

 

 

-------------- HISTORY -------------- 

 

According to Bro. Mackey, 

Brother Anderson changed the title 

of the 1723 second edition printing 

the Book of Constitutions 

from "The Constitutions of the Freemasons" 

to "The History and Constitutions of the Most Ancient 

and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons". 

He did so in 1738. 

The phrase "Free and Accepted Masons" 

has been used ever since.

 

For Further Light:
FREE! 

 

-------------- MASKS... --------------  

  

Some people only see 

the Mask that God wears for them. 

 

Some of them may 

denounce, ridicule and attack 

any other mask that does not appear 

to be the exact One that they can see. 

 

A great challenge that spiritual souls face 

is sanely dealing with the insane behaviors 

of those who claim 

that their mask is the only true Mask.

 

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

 

 

No Amount of Well-Directed Light 

Shall Turn the Head 

of Those Ruled By Blind Eyes. 

  

-------------- INSIGHT --------------  

  

No Craft Improvement can and shall occur

 until there is at least 

one committed generation of men 

who actually do the Work pointed toward 

by the EA Degree. 

 

Men must Unburden themselves 

and then Strengthen themselves 

before they are remotely capable 

to Learn what must be Learned. 

 

There is no other way that is sound 

and leaders who do not lead by example 

shall produce more of the same 

in those that are led by them. 

 

-------------- MYTH --------------  

 

 "The problem in our society 

and in our schools 

is to inculcate, without overdoing it, 

the notion of education, 

as in the Latin 'educere'—to lead,

 to bring out what is in someone 

rather than merely to indoctrinate him/her 

from the outside."

-- Joseph Campbell, 

Thou Art That, p. 89

 

I would have used the word "challenge"

 instead of "problem" 

but the sentiment still comes across loud and clear.

 I see this statement applying to every organization 

that I have encountered.

  

-------------- REMINDERS! --------------  

 

 

 There are some people 

whose sole reason for existence 

is to remind you that 

you can be and you can do Better 

and in the manner that they cannot 

or will not. 

 

Treat them civilly 

for the lesson they offer to you. 

 

 -------------- LIGHT! --------------  

 

Perhaps the most difficult task any Brother and any Lodge can do is to define "Masonic Education" as it relates to "Making Good Men Better" and then Build a well-orchestrated effort to execute that Education Regularly and without fail. 

 

* No other Education shall Better Men Better.

* No other Education shall Improve the human condition More Swiftly.

* No other Education shall Challenge Men More Greatly.

* No other Education shall Demand of Men their Best.

* No other Education shall decidedly Separate the Men from the boys.

* No other Education shall be left undone by so many.

* No other "label" wrongfully applied will mislead the curious and eager down roads of disappointment when this label purposefully misleads.

 

-------------- BE THE LIGHT! --------------  

 

I do not share to convince myself or others. 

I've concluded what I have 

and share what little Light 

that I have on a subject. 

 

 I share in the hope 

that this effort 

may Brighten another Brother's dark corners

 as a result. 

 

I also share 

knowing full well that,

 in doing so, 

others shall feel free to do the same 

with what Light they have. 

 

Their doing so Brightens my world as well. 

 

-------------- MAKE MASONS --------------  

 

 

Freemasonry does not make Masons;
it can only make members called, "Freemasons".
 
Those members who believe that
it does anything other than this
are deluding themselves, and their Craft.
 
Yet, if any intelligent member
realizes this reality and
then takes upon himself the Masonic Work
to which Freemasonry directs its members,
he then becomes the very Work he exemplifies.   

-------------- REVIEW --------------  

 

"Today I finished reading Brother John S Nagy’s book, The Craft Unmasked. Let me tell you about my experience.

 

"Many years ago, a Brother from my Lodge handed me a small blue book. The title of that book is “Building Janus”. The Brother in question, whose work keeps him away from Lodge on a routine basis, but who has been a follower of my YouTube Channel, simply handed it to me and said “I think you will like this.” I accepted his book on loan in thanks, and went on with my day.

 

"It was likely more than a few weeks later before I even cracked the cover. Suffice to say, I was very confused. The book, largely, reads like a transcript between a Mentor and his student, where Questions are asked and Answers returned, which Brother John terms as Inquires and Responses. On the surface, the Responder was rather annoying, seeming to always answer Inquiries with more Questions! This being a very new presentation to me, I rather unfortunately dismissed it and went on to other books, letting this borrowed gift gather dust for a long time.

 

"It was only after much learning on my own that I grasped the usefulness of this format. Freemasonry does NOT spell things out for you. You are meant to search, experience, and learn – largely on your own. Accordingly, I began to appreciate the approach of the responder not just giving answers, but leading the questioner – steering him towards what he is apparently searching for. It also emphasized to me the importance of asking the question you want answered.

 

"The Craft Unmasked does not follow this format, but the realization I had led me to invest in Brother Nagy’s books – all of them – and see what other nuggets of wisdom I might find. I am grateful I did so.

While I found several of these nuggets in The Craft Unmasked, I would like to quote two sentences that really stood out to me. They are: “Improving a man doesn’t occur instantaneously. Developing such Masonic Disciplines requires first the ordering of his heart, then the ordering of his mind, and lastly, that of his spirit!” I could not agree with those sentiments more, and it is exceptionally well stated.

 

"Throughout the book Bro. Nagy explains his research into the true foundation of Freemasonry – where it came from, who was the first Freemason, and more. I have read several such books by other authors. Can I say with surety Bro. Nagy is correct – no, I cannot. Why? Because of the lesson learned before from Bro. John… I have received an answer, but one that still requires me to go and research for myself – which Bro. John facilitates by having good endnote citations to follow.

 

"Whether you agree with the findings or not, the book is replete with useful knowledge which require you to reconsider your preconceived expectations, and I do recommend it to your consideration."

 

You can find this book, and links to all of his other offerings, here:  

http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm

 

(Thanks again Bro. Jared Stanley!)

 

-------------- END --------------

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

 PS: Subscribe to get daily notifications

You can also find me on:

https://mewe.com/i/john_snagy

https://www.facebook.com/johns.nagy

Educational Materials can be found here:

 http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm 

 

https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnSNagy