genuine connection

Picture this: you’re sitting in a meeting, at a family dinner, or in a conversation with a friend. You say the right words, nod at the right moments, yet feel completely absent. The connection just isn’t there. It’s an experience almost everyone recognizes. In the sixteenth century, Michel de Montaigne wrote an essay on prayer that addresses this very problem — from an unexpected angle. His insights on sincerity, inner attitude, and the gap between form and substance turn out to be remarkably applicable to everyday life. And they touch on the very heart of what Freemasonry understands as genuine connection. The Problem Montaigne Exposes In his essay ‘On Prayers’ (Book 1, Essay 56), Michel de Montaigne poses an uncomfortable question: what is a prayer worth if the person praying isn’t truly present? He observes how people recite the words of a prayer while their thoughts wander elsewhere, how they perform pious acts without their daily behavior reflecting any of it. Montaigne doesn’t criticize prayer itself — he criticizes the emptiness that emerges when outward form and inner experience become disconnected. This insight extends far beyond any house of worship. Think about your own week. How many conversations did you […]