What I've Learned This Week - 26th May 2023
It’s Friday, the last day of the work week. Our Ancient Operative Brethren would have been looking forward to a well earned “deep south” after their labours being complete.
Let’s take a look at the progress we have made this week, as without looking in the rear view mirror, we’d not realise how far we’ve come. This week, we covered:
Harmony
Good Report
Due Form
Humble Confidence
If you would like to read the full article for each, you can click on the heading.
Harmony
Harmony, deeply rooted in Freemasonry and deriving from the ancient Greek term "ἁρμονία" (harmonía), encapsulates unity, mutual respect, and smooth functioning within the craft.
Despite this, disharmony can manifest, leading to internal conflict and inefficiencies, mirroring the personal and professional disruptions it can cause in everyday life.
Disharmony acts as a signal for underlying issues, with key indicators being regular disputes, decreased respect, and persistent stress. Addressing these signs is essential to restoring balance.
Restoring harmony involves a multi-step process: issue identification, understanding the root cause, formulating and implementing an action plan, and monitoring progress.
Maintaining harmony once restored requires adaptability, open communication, and persistence, potentially assisted by professional guidance.
In Freemasonry, harmony is not merely an aspirational concept but a practical necessity that ensures the smooth running of the craft, but really everything in our daily lives.
Good Report
The concept of being "of good report" holds a significant place in Freemasonry, encapsulating the embodiment of Masonic principles such as reliability, decency, kindness, and lawfulness, thereby creating a positive reputation and respect within the fraternity.
Admission into Freemasonry requires one to be "of good report", demonstrated by positive character references, a clean legal record, a service-oriented mindset, and acknowledged honesty and integrity.
Everyone has aspects that need refinement. Issues like lack of reliability or failure to uphold commitments can affect one's standing as "of good report" and impact both personal and professional relationships.
The restoration of one's "good report" involves a process of self-awareness, accountability, and active improvement. This includes acknowledging mistakes, creating and implementing a plan for change, transparent communication, soliciting feedback, and demonstrating patience.
In Freemasonry, being "of good report" goes beyond a mere good reputation. It's about continuous growth, self-improvement, and consistent adherence to the principles of the craft.
It’s about acknowledging our human propensity for mistakes and making a conscious effort towards positive change. Therefore, it serves as a testament to the Masonic commitment to personal development and integrity.
Due Form
The principle of "due form" in Freemasonry signifies more than adhering to a proper process. It serves as a compass for actions, decisions, and interactions, steeped in historical wisdom.
The concept advocates learning from the past and instils actions with respect, integrity, care, and shared responsibility, thus fostering harmonious communities.
"Due form," derived from Old French and Latin, symbolises an appropriate or owed structure. When integrated into everyday life, it promotes order, stability, discipline, ethical action, and community welfare.
The importance of "due form" can often be underestimated due to unawareness, misinterpretation of its extent, or its supposed irrelevance to non-Masonic life. Misconceptions may also exist that it necessitates substantial lifestyle changes.
Applying "due form" involves comprehension and acknowledgment of the principle, incorporation into daily life without unnecessary alterations to established processes, and nurturing a steadfast commitment to its tenets. This leads to a structured, orderly life of integrity that nurtures an environment of growth, understanding, and mutual respect.
In Freemasonry, the principle of "due form" transcends into both professional and personal spheres, advocating for structure, discipline, and ethical behaviour. It acts as a foundation for actions and interactions.
The embrace of "due form" provides a journey of self-realisation, accountability, and consistency, guiding towards a more balanced and harmonious life.
Humble Confidence
The Masonic principle of "humble confidence" combines the virtues of humility, acknowledging one's place and others' value, and confidence in one's capabilities. This principle encourages the appreciation of the broader wisdom and intent of Freemasonry, whilst driving personal growth and service.
"Humble confidence" is beneficial in professional and personal contexts. It fosters decisive leadership, inspires trust, and in personal relationships, nurtures individuality and promotes balanced dynamics.
The antithesis, "arrogant insecurity", results in poor leadership, teamwork, and relationships due to an exaggerated sense of self-importance and lack of self-confidence. It breeds selfishness, lack of empathy, and an excessive need for external validation.
Cultivating "humble confidence" requires self-awareness, empathy, continuous learning, and respect for others. In practice, this could mean active listening, confident communication, graciously accepting feedback, and leading by example.
In Freemasonry, "humble confidence" symbolises a lifelong journey of personal growth, service, and recognition of the wider wisdom of the Craft. This valuable trait promotes the accomplishment of goals and a fulfilling life.
By embodying humble confidence, we can contribute positively to our communities, strengthen our relationships, and attain personal fulfilment.