Northern Light: Individual Development
In our last connection, we discussed the role of good leadership as well as the necessity for members’ participation. By the very nature of Freemasonry, they are subjects that seldom leave our attention. There is, however, another, and perhaps equally important purpose of our fraternity, that of individual development.
We are all well acquainted with the axiom, “We take good men and make them better.” The question is ‘better what’, and for who? We have explored the individual’s contribution to the fraternity; to the community in which we live and serve; to each other. But what do ‘we’ get out of it? And in particular, what do we get out of being made better men?
Undoubted becoming improved men is a benefit we can all appreciate, but for the most part we tend to approach this externally. What about internally, within ourselves, within the spirit if you will? I will wager that to many brothers, the idea that Freemasonry has a spiritual angle is a new, or at least unexplored, concept.
Now I hasten to add that I am not referring to religion. Our credo affirms that we believe in a supreme deity, and we oblige ourselves to that. But it does not define or limit our concept of the divine. That, and how we express that, is left to our discretion. And so should it be. We learn, if we have not already done so, how to not only tolerate, but how to appreciate the spiritual concepts of others. That is a discussion for another time.
How do you define ‘spirituality’? I would say that among other things, spirituality refers to a process of re-formation, or development of the personality, frequently to live a life according to divine perceptions. But there is no single, agreed-upon definition of spirituality. It is up to you. To me, spirituality implies an empathy for others; a subdual of the ‘self’; an appreciation of sympathetic and harmonious existence and a respect for the rights of others. Furthermore, there is an obligation to act on those beliefs. It is not enough to merely hold those principles. Sometime, often indeed, they require action. This is where courage enters the equation.
If we are to dedicate ourselves to the precepts of Freemasonry, not only in time, effort and in some cases treasure, then we have a right to expect certain benefits in return. I would contend that spiritual growth is among, if not, the most significant. After all, why are we here in the first place?
As you may deduce, I have a fondness for tangents!
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. –
May your God go with you.
