Symbols Speak Volumes

Summary
Discover a fresh take on tackling sensitive topics, from workplace woes to personal hurdles, without the emotional overburden. Plus, get a unique perspective on the mental health aspect of weight loss using age-old Masonic wisdom—all in this intriguing episode!

Key Points
• Masonic language eases tough talks
• Symbols for deep, uncharged discussions
• 'As above, so below' in daily life
• Weight reflects mental state internally
• Converting Masonic concepts to advice

Best Quotes
00:01 - 00:12
• "The language of free masonry, the lexicon, the vocabulary, the words that you're gonna use when it comes to explaining and discussing sensitive topics is really quite useful."

00:12 - 00:22
• "It, it, the language itself using symbols tends to neutralize the emotional charge of a given sort of situation."

00:34 - 00:49
• "Using the Masonic language is a great way to have those conversations and at the same time not dig into the weeds in a way that brings a bunch of emotional, sort of baggage with it."

01:27 - 01:35
• "As above, so below, for example, as a concept, it's a, some masonic symbol for those of you that are maybe have forgotten as above."

02:01 - 02:08
• "The, the idea though is that our interior and our exterior are, are inextricably linked."

02:32 - 02:43
• "Weight loss is a really good example of mental health that could, at least, at least for me personally, right? We'll start with the, the personal conversation."

04:45 - 04:55
• "You can just say, what about the current situation is something that, how is for example, being, let's say overweight, accomplishing a goal for you."

Creators & Guests

Host

Brian Mattocks

Host and Founder of A Mason's Work - a podcast designed to help you use symbolism to grow. He's been working in the craft for over a decade and served as WM, trustee, and sat in every appointed chair in a lodge - at least once :D

What is A Mason's Work?

In this show we discuss the practical applications of masonic symbolism and how the working tools can be used to better yourself, your family, your lodge, and your community. We help good freemasons become better men through honest self development. We talk quite a bit about mental health and men's issues related to emotional and intellectual growth as well.

00:01
The language of free masonry, the lexicon, the vocabulary, the words that you're gonna use when it comes to explaining and discussing sensitive topics is really quite useful. It, it, the language itself using symbols tends to neutralize the emotional charge of a given sort of situation. So when you're having a conversation with somebody, for example, maybe about something that's happening, untoward at work, or something uncomfortable that's happening in your personal life, using the Masonic language is a great way to have those conversations and at the same time not dig into the weeds in a way that brings a bunch of emotional, sort of baggage with it. So when you're having these conversations with a brother, when you either need to advise a brother on his behavior or you are looking for guidance yourself, it might be contextually appropriate to, to use those symbols to talk to a situation.

01:10
So there's, there's symbols that are, where this is like easy and obvious and there's symbols in the craft that are perhaps less so. But if you start with easy and obvious ones, you'll move to the more subtle ones later. But there are things like as above, so below, for example, as a concept, it's a, some masonic symbol for those of you that are maybe have forgotten as above. So below it is actually from a little bit more of the hermetic side of the symbolism. And basically it's whatever exists in the heavens, as it were, is also ex extent internally, right? So it's as above, so below as within, so without kind of thing. And this is from the ward timer of Hermes stress, ma justice. The, the idea though is that our interior and our exterior are, are inextricably linked. So the same thing is true. You're not gonna be able to operate in a way that's not in accordance with kind of the overall order of the universe, which is all fine and good, right? But how does that translate? So let's say you're sitting here and you're trying to figure out, perhaps you're struggling with weight loss.

02:32
Weight loss is a really good example of mental health that could, at least, at least for me personally, right? We'll start with the, the personal conversation. There are some folks that biologically have challenges with, with their weight, but in, in, I would say 90% of the cases from, from my personal conversations and experience, it is mental health. And so what that

02:58
Means is that typically weight is a reflection of your, sort of a manifestation of a self understanding or a self, a negative self concept. And that, that manifests in addictive behaviors of all sorts. So when you want to have a conversation with somebody else about their weight, or when you're trying to have a conversation with yourself, one of the things that becomes obvious is that as above, so below as within, so without kind of model starts to really become an obvious sort of point of conversation. So you go, well, you know, if you're having trouble controlling your weight, is there, is there sort of mental contributing factors there? Is this a strictly speaking, a behavioral issue, or do you find that, for example, you eat whenever you feel anxious? Is it a, is it a reflection of how you feel about yourself such that, you know, you don't feel lovable and all of that so that you essentially make sure that you don't look lovable from the outside?

04:12
There are tons of kind of ways that these Masonic symbols plug into that. And by having the, like using that symbol, the, the as above, so below model, you can, or, or concept, you can really start to dig in and have that in a conversation where you can really get into a fairly deep, fairly specific place. Again, without the like, you know, now tell me about your father conversation or, you know, tell me about, you know, all the personal history that comes with it. You can just say, what about the current situation is something that, how is for example, being, let's say overweight, accomplishing a goal for you. 'cause that's a really great way to take that, that concept as opposed to below and turn it into like, huh, I never really thought about it like that. And you can have a meaningful conversation with brothers from the lodge. We're gonna get into more this week about how to have those conversations when you don't have lodge members that can help using things like GPT. So in future episodes this week, we're gonna be digging into using some of these large language models to help you have those Masonic conversations, absent brothers in your lives that you can have it with. And so we'll get into that in future episodes. Thanks.