Freemasons - Builders of their own character

In this text, we will not uncover the occult and controversial mysteries of Freemasonry, but rather embark on a journey to discover the mysteries of our own being. Our goal is to move beyond the role of mere observers and become active participants on the stage of life, builders of our own character.

What are we building?

The provided image depicts an ancient building. If this building represents our entire being, can you infer what each of its segments should symbolize? Which character traits belong to each section, what does the roof represent to you, and what do the pillars symbolize? What is the foundation of human character? What is the sun, and what are the essential tools needed for construction? "Before you continue with the text and read how I would respond to the previous questions, feel free to analyze yourself and depict the elements as you see them. There are no rules; be a freemason, add new elements to the construction, or remove those that seem unnecessary to you.

Tools, ladders, and light.

The fundamental tool we use to understand the world around us is logic. Whether it's the external or internal world, it's the best tool we have, the foundation of all others. If we assign a specific purpose to each segment of the building or define its nature, we should be able to use logic to determine its characteristics. In that regard, the primary trait of a builder must be reasonableness, the ability to consciously apply logic. The second important trait is perseverance or, differently put, strong will. If logic is the ruler used for measurement and decision-making, then willpower is the hammer, the primary tool for getting the job done and enduring the greatest pressure. When all facilitating circumstances or motivations disappear, the fate of construction remains in the hands of willpower until circumstances change for the better. Since self-improvement is an ongoing process, ladders will always be present. We must be prepared to continuously build but also to demolish those parts we have realized are wrong, disharmonious, or limiting. The challenge is such that we must be willing to reevaluate all our deepest and ingrained values. There are many obstacles to human logic, and what enables us to overcome them is honesty. It is the thread that connects everything and upon which all our efforts for change should be built. Honesty is the fundamental way to reach the truth. Although dishonesty is an essential element of conscious manipulation, most people are dishonest only because of discomfort. We often choose lies or withhold things when we want to avoid facing ourselves or others. This leads to a halt in self-improvement and deepening inner turmoil. As time passes, our energy dissipates into constantly investing shallow efforts because we have created a world around us with dishonesty, where we don't belong. The place we find ourselves in that world is actually intended for someone who genuinely thinks and supports what we say and do. On the other hand, by practicing honesty, we have the opportunity to overcome our own barriers to personal change and, at the same time, gain a better understanding of other people. In addition to tools and a foundation for work, it's important to know where exactly we are working and why. So that we don't work in the dark, we need illumination, a beam of light to point out where our focus should be directed. This is provided by self-awareness. It gives us regular insights into the state of our character and the influences of various external and internal factors on it. More self-awareness is like more light, allowing us to better assess the situation and the character elements we are observing, and consequently, react more effectively to challenges.

Foundation, pillars, and frieze.

The cornerstone or foundation upon which we stand should be our sovereignty. The realization that we are not only active participants in building ourselves but also the sole builders of this structure, the sole owners of it. The governance of life within this structure is a monarchy, and we are its rulers. If we don't want a world of deceit or a world where our sovereignty is endangered, we must also be aware of the sovereignty of other conscious beings around us, meaning we must base our own foundation on equality. In this way, we create a balanced environment in which we protect ourselves from others and others from ourselves. The most challenging and crucial part of our character is the supporting pillars. They should represent clearly defined channels through which the mentioned fundamental values manifest. If they are not stable, we will feel confused, incomplete, and the world will appear chaotic. All our thoughts, words, and actions are subject to the processing of these fundamental values, and if they are not healthy, there is a high likelihood that this will result in inconsistent beliefs and unjust behavior. Therefore, we need clearly chiseled pillars of great strength to bear the burden of all our thoughts, words, and actions, upon which other values can be built. These pillars are the fundamental moral principles that guide us in life. They are there to clearly indicate to us the nature of justice in any interaction between conscious beings. There are only two pillars, which are called the two pillars of enlightenment:

1. The Principle of Non-Aggression. Do not initiate harm to others. - In other words, do not violate someone else's sovereignty. This principle nurtures equality, and if it's not well-formed, we have the master syndrome, where we tend to be bullies or act as if we have greater inherent rights than others.
2. The Principle of (Self)defense If someone has initiated harm, you have the right to defend (yourself) by force. - In other words, do not allow someone to violate your sovereignty. If it's not well-formed, we have the slave syndrome, where we tend to become victims and believe that others have greater inherent rights than us.

To answer the question What is harm, and what is force? and other questions that arise when considering these principles, such as the morality of the threat of force, I invite you to read

this text

. Now that we have solid foundations and pillars, we can examine the virtues that are their direct consequence. We will place them on the frieze of the temple, the wreath located just above the pillars. The first obvious virtue is (self)respect. As we can see, it has a dual nature. Self-respect requires others to respect our life choices without interfering in them, while respect demands that we also respect the life choices of others in the same way. The virtue symmetric to this is responsibility, also of a dual nature. Firstly, we are required not to consciously do things that go against our principles and to bear the consequences of our actions. Additionally, it is necessary for us to hold other people accountable for their actions and choices. Consider how the lack of each of these two principles affects the ability for (self)respect and responsibility. The third virtue of the frieze that naturally stems from the foundation is, of course, thoroughness. Unlike the previous two, which provide breadth through their duality, thoroughness provides depth. It can arise as a consequence of construction when the benefits of solid foundations become clear. It guides us to first build strong foundations in everything we do. I see it as an ornament on the frieze of ancient temples.

Tympanum - Triangle

Now that we have built strong and stable foundations from cold marble, it is necessary to give warmth and colors to this structure. The tympanum is a good place for all virtues directly related to events in the external material world, whether they are deep or shallow in nature. The higher we move up the triangle, the closer we should be to the material world, and the qualities we find should be shallower and more physical in nature. Therefore, I will divide the tympanum into three segments. In the deepest layer of the triangle that extends from the frieze are the deepest virtues of human nature that are not of a physical character. These are virtues without which a person feels incomplete. Without them, cooperation with the world lacks the necessary channel to achieve a sense of purpose. These are the three guiding qualities:

1. Empathy Compassion for other conscious beings. - It adds warmth to life and enables a connection between two beings. It is an awareness of another's suffering translated into a psychological-physical experience, i.e., empathizing with the emotional state of another. It can be a motivator and a driving force for action. In itself, it serves as an intense compass for justice and focus. Since empathy is not of a logical nature, drawing conclusions solely from the feeling of empathy is not correct.
2. Reasonableness The ability to consciously apply logic. - As we've said, reasonableness is the fundamental trait necessary for the construction of this structure, and something on which the very foundations rest. But considering that every action, from thought to manifestation, must pass through reason, this seems like a logical place for this virtue. Also, we can view this aspect of reason as the part that fuels the pillars, not the entire reason that encompasses everything.
3. Courage Often, even though a decision has been made in line with reason and emotions, it's not easy to put it into action. While it becomes easier over time, practicing honesty requires a certain strength. The strength for honesty lies in courage, the ability to act regardless of inner discomfort and more or less alarming signs of disturbing apparent or temporary inner peace.

The middle layer of the triangle represents virtues that are more involved in materialization but are still not of a physical nature. Here reside all communication and collaboration abilities, from tolerance, dedication, loyalty, generosity, self-confidence, passion, open-mindedness, to kindness and the ability to listen, and countless other virtues, all the way to clear expression. In the shallowest layer of the tympanum, the small triangle that directly attempts to penetrate the physical world, lie our skills and abilities. These virtues are also the mediums for our deeper virtues to manifest in the external world. When skills and abilities are applied to support and express everything that lies beneath, a true sense of life's purpose emerges. It's a kind of feedback loop through which the rest of our being signals us to stay on that path. On the other hand, when what we do is not in harmony or, in the worst case, in conflict with everything we are, a lesser or greater sense of discomfort arises, demanding change. If this feeling is ignored, it accumulates over time, eventually driving us toward either positive changes or increasing depression.

Roof

The roof should represent the shell, something we see immediately when we first encounter or see someone. What we immediately see is none of the previously mentioned virtues but the physical representation of a person, i.e., their physical attributes, those characteristics present exclusively in the material world. By interpreting physical attributes, we can make certain assumptions about someone's inner state, but it's far from being able to fully understand it without further interaction.

Conclusion

In this way, constructed and illuminated by the sun of self-awareness, with the strength of will and a desire to continue developing and progressing, we represent beings who carry within themselves the seed of justice instead of the seed of evil, and whose interaction can only result in order and prosperity. As above, so below. The chaos we live in today not only points to the pervasive injustice around us but also serves as an indicator that we, as fundamental elements of society, are not built on the foundations of justice. If we desire a just world, we must start working on ourselves as soon as possible, face our actions, take responsibility, and change.

For me, this has been an incredibly interesting journey of self-discovery, and I hope it has been for you as well. Although we have built temples from the foundations to the roof through this text, we must not forget that self-improvement is a lifelong endeavor. In this regard, the temples we have constructed are a good starting point for further exploration of the mysteries of the self, but they do not represent a final and unchangeable state. I would love to see how you have built your temple, and I invite you to contact me via email and share the results of your building efforts, and I will leave mine here.