A Mason's Work

This episode examines the behavioral application of the principle of correspondence, focusing on how outward actions can be read as indicators of underlying thought and emotional patterns. The emphasis is on using behavior as a mirror for diagnosis, not as proof of hidden metaphysical causes.
🔑 Key Takeaways
  • Behavior can be examined as data rather than judged as failure.
  • Most behaviors are the result of unexamined causal chains, not isolated choices.
  • Outcomes-focused change fails without understanding behavioral mechanics.
  • Correspondence is framed as a useful lens, not a factual rule.
  • The tool is inappropriate for survival responses, but effective for patterns and habits.
đź’¬ Featured Quotes
  • “When you look across your behavior, that should tell you something of the way you think or the way you feel.” (0:37–0:46)
  • “The vast majority of the things that we do behaviorally are largely the function of an unexamined cause or causal series.” (1:36–1:49)
  • “The principle of correspondence allows us to start to examine that behavioral chain.” (1:49–1:57)
  • “People don’t simply overeat, for example, because they’re hungry.” (1:22–1:29)
  • “Focusing on the outcomes themselves doesn’t yield a sustainable change.” (2:52–3:04)
  • “It’s really for examining behavior patterns and thought and emotional patterns.” (4:30–4:42)

Creators and 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.

So continuing with our evaluation of the principle of correspondence or as above so below or a practical application of the frequency illusion whatever language you want to use here.

We want to start with the behavioral application.

So as we're talking about the interplay between the inner and the outer or as within so without.

You can collect data and information and insight from both sides of that perspective.

When you look across your behavior, that should tell you something of the way you think or the way you feel.

And if you look across the way you feel, it's very likely you'll be able to find those behaviors being expressed those feelings being expressed in behavior.

At a behavioral level, the as above so below as within so without or the principle correspondence becomes a meaningful mirror for you to see the things.

And the relationships that may not be as easily visible as you might sort of normally expect.

People don't simply overeat, for example, because they're hungry.

Now, you'll find plenty of examples.

I'm sure online of someone who overeats because they're hungry, but that's not the mission here.

The understanding is that the vast majority of the things that we do behaviorally are largely the function of an unexamined cause or causal series or relationship or chain.

The principle of correspondence allows us to start to examine that behavioral chain of correspondence.

So we can get insight into our current behavior and our future behavior.

This is pretty fundamental.

When you are looking through and right now is a good time of the year if you're listening to this podcast later in the year.

This was recorded right around the time of the new year.

You'll find that a lot of folks right now are looking to change their thought processes, their behavioral processes.

And they'll term that in the form of outcomes.

I want to lose weight. I want to become financially more responsible.

I want to travel more.

I want to do the things that I want to do whatever those might be.

But without taking the time to understand the behavioral mechanics here.

The corresponding causes of your outward behavior focusing on the outcomes themselves doesn't yield a sustainable change.

It doesn't turn into something useful.

So the principle of correspondence allows us to start to reflect on the outcomes we're trying to create.

The thought processes and the emotional processes that sort of chain together to make all of that happen.

Now again, like all of these things.

We discussed this in yesterday's episode.

This isn't necessarily a factual truth.

We're talking about a subjective experience.

The thing you did last week may or may not have a direct interior corresponding sort of reference or cause.

However, in vast moving swaths, it's a useful lens to try and apply to figure out what's going on.

Why you're doing the things you're doing and how you might go about resolving some of the outcomes that you don't like.

There are things that you can't get around.

This is not a useful tool to examine survival behaviors.

If you are startled by a bear in the woods, this is not sitting down and going, well, I'm startled by a bear in the woods.

There must be some internal cause by this.

That's probably less useful application.

When we talk about the skillful application at this, the behavioral level, it's really for examining behavior patterns and for examining thought and emotional patterns.

In that way, you should be able to use this behaviorally to help you move your objectives forward and maybe get unstuck in the places where it's easier to just go into autopilot.

This level of examination should yield some benefit.