Personal Growth Archieven - De Vrijmetselaar

Allusive

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:11:13 +0000

In Freemasonry, symbols, signs, and words are often used to convey meaning. For the Apprentice Freemason, it can be quite an adjustment and hard work to uncover the meaning behind everything. Fortunately, there are always brothers willing to help with this effort. That’s how I came across the word “allusive.” I thought I knew what it meant.

What I thought “allusive” meant

The Masonic method is an allusive method. That is to say: a method one must get used to and learn to use. Allusive (hinting) is the act of conveying a symbol or ritual within the group, which can have various meanings and, therefore, can be expressed in different ways by those participating in the ‘secret.’ A beautiful example of this is the fish. In the earliest Christian communities, this symbol was drawn in the sand. It hinted at vigilance (a fish never sleeps) but also at participation in Christ, which could then be interpreted in different ways by members of the community.

In Freemasonry, this allusive method is used. A common combination of two symbols is the compass and the square. Outsiders know that this symbol represents Freemasonry. The Freemason, as an initiated member of the group, associates it with much more. The longer one participates in this method, the more associations one likely develops. One sees more and more in it; the insight into how things are interconnected expands. By sharing this growing understanding with others, the bond among members becomes stronger.

Then came the explanation of what “allusive” meant

I spoke with a Brother, our Orator Brother. He tried to explain it to me verbally, but due to all the background noise, it didn’t entirely sink in. In an email exchange, we delved deeper, and I received a beautiful explanation.

Allusive is more than hinting. I learned this wisdom from Brother Podt, who has published extensively in the magazine Thoth about Masonic language.
He defines “allusive” as: addressing the individual while simultaneously connecting the group.

A good example of this is Barack Obama’s speech during his inauguration as President of the US.
He highlighted the challenges faced by different communities, posed the rhetorical question of whether those challenges could be solved, and then answered with, “Yes, we can!” The repetition of “Yes, we can” had a unifying effect on the audience.

Watch that speech again online, and you’ll notice how it gradually brings about a sense of connection. A skilled preacher also knows how to play the allusive game to keep their congregation united. Tolerance and brotherly love are usually the keys to this. A Freemason who reveals himself in the West needs the allusive language to fulfill his unifying role.

Pointing out possible similarities between parties often backfires, as parties usually emphasize their differences. They are not yet open to connection.
Hinting at a possible connection does not immediately provoke defense but instead encourages parties to think.

Practice

In Freemasonry, during regular meetings, the so-called comparisons, we engage in much discussion and seek the connection my Brother referred to. Here, the allusive plays an important role. Once again, it is not an easy concept, but practice allows you to understand it.

Transcript of Barack Obama’s Victory Speech

Copyright text & image: devrijmetselaar.nl
Texts are based on the ideas and content of the author of devrijmetselaar.nl, reviewed, corrected, and supplemented with the assistance of OpenAI. Images are created based on the ideas of the author of devrijmetselaar.nl using OpenAI/DALL-E.

The message Allusive first published on De Vrijmetselaar.

Poetry Evening: Who Am I?

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:32:03 +0000

Who am I? The gatherings after my initiation have been quite unique, not in any way standard. This is the second evening, dedicated to Poetry. A brother previously introduced the Poetry evening, focusing on poetry with a Masonic meaning. I was tasked with selecting a poem that holds personal significance and can be interpreted Masonically. The chosen poem is: Who Am I?

This is quite challenging, being only two weeks into my apprenticeship. Nonetheless, I have made an effort and presented the following. Please note that certain parts have been abbreviated to avoid revealing aspects of the Initiation ritual, preserving the experience for future Freemasons.

Presentation: Who Am I?

Worshipful Master, Esteemed Brothers,
Two weeks ago, I was initiated as an Apprentice. A new world is unfolding before me. I have been asked to recite a poem and provide a Masonic interpretation.
Worshipful Master, Esteemed Brothers, I am not yet able to offer a Masonic interpretation, given my brief time as an Apprentice. I hope for your understanding. However, I can explain why I chose this poem.

The initiation left a profound impression on me, and I am processing these experiences daily. The chamber of reflection made a significant impact. Sitting alone, approximately 40 cm from a burning candle, watching the flame dance in the air that sustains it.

Behind me, a shadow—my shadow—moving on the chamber door.

Why this emotion?

In short: everything I have done in my life lies behind me but continues to influence my present and others’ lives to varying degrees.

While searching for a suitable poem, I found a collection I’ve owned for nearly 10 years but never read: “Who I Became” by Piet van den Akker, a former Jesuit who left the order in the 1970s. He was my uncle.

It’s a short poem – 6 lines, 27 words – that encapsulates my current contemplations.

The poem is titled: Who Am I?

Who am I?

Who was I and who did I become?

Just take a look

in the mirror.

You are what you see

whether you like it or not.

The message Poetry Evening: Who Am I? first published on De Vrijmetselaar.

Research Free Mason

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 16:49:18 +0000

During my burnout, the question kept coming up: Who am I, really? Sure, I knew what I had done over the years and where I came from. But was I still happy with everything I was doing? And so, I entered the research phase.

Profile Test

In the past, I had taken profile tests, and the results were always the same. I was also told that intrinsic values never change. Well, they got that wrong, because in my case, they certainly did. I noticed I had become more sensitive, perhaps even more human.

Now, Google can be quite helpful, and somehow, it once showed me a Freemasons website. But I wasn’t particularly drawn to it at the time—it didn’t resonate with me.

Coaches

I had conversations with coaches due to my burnout, and also with a lifestyle coach. But did they help me with the questions I had? Not really. These were existential questions—questions about existence. They concern “your” being, who you are, the meaning of life, and the deeper foundations of existence. That explanation isn’t entirely complete, but it encapsulated what this research phase was for me.

Religion, Church, Bible

Religion, the church, and the Bible don’t suit me. There are too many rules, and you have to do “something” in a specific way. In other words: dogmas. That’s not for me. I’m a free spirit—I need to think and act freely. My parents always saw me this way and gave me a beautiful sculpture by Piets Althuis called The Free Bird. They gave it to me back in 2009, shortly after my father passed away.

And so, my search led me back to Freemasonry. I started reading more about it online and watching videos on YouTube. My interest grew from there.

As the next step, I reached out to a local lodge. It was simple and low-threshold: I just filled out a form on their website.

The message Research Free Mason first published on De Vrijmetselaar.

My story

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 15:54:22 +0000

Without revealing my name, I will try to explain who I am. Anonymous, therefore.

Anonymous

Why the anonymity, you might wonder? First, my identity is irrelevant; it’s the content that matters, not the name behind it, so Anonymous. Second, Freemasonry unfortunately evokes negative reactions from some people—ranging from prejudice and hate to even threats. That’s a risk I’m not willing to take. What’s important to me is that visitors to this website understand what Freemasonry is and what it can mean for people.

Background

For the past 25 years, my life revolved entirely around building a career. Especially during the first 15 years, I completely neglected my private life and social relationships, which took a heavy toll. After losing loved ones, I hit rock bottom and found myself struggling with a severe burnout. It took me three years to recover, with the support of loved ones and professionals.

A valuable lesson: don’t hesitate to ask for help and accept it when it’s offered!

That period fundamentally changed my life. Things like career, business growth, and status suddenly became unimportant. I realized I was missing something in life. Questions began to surface, such as:
Who am I? What do I want? Why do I do what I do? And what impact do I have on others?

Coaches, Google, and many conversations

I started talking with my coaches: the people who helped me recover from burnout, process my grief, and improve my lifestyle. While they gave me a lot of valuable insights, they couldn’t help me answer these existential questions. My search eventually led me, via Google, to Freemasonry. After conversations with members of a local lodge (a lodge can be seen as a kind of association), the pieces began to fall into place.

Freemasonry offers me a safe environment to work on myself—by listening to others and helping them in return. But ultimately, the responsibility lies with yourself.

It might seem as if my journey was short, but in reality, it has spanned several years, even before my burnout. Through my online searches, Freemasonry kept appearing thanks to algorithms, but at first, it didn’t resonate with me.

My journey, Anonymous

Through this website, I aim to share my personal journey and explain what Freemasonry is and what it means to me. Anonymously, because my identity doesn’t matter, I’ll take you along on my first phase: the search.

The message My story first published on De Vrijmetselaar.