I’ve Walked With Friends

I’ve Walked With Friends
A Masonic poem
by Ezekiel M. Bey, FPS

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What’s a companion,  What is a Friend
What’s the beginning, what is the end
What is the answer, to every question
What is the moral to every lesson

How can we fall, not knowing all
Why do we think, we know it all
Foolish the man who thought was tall
Foolish the person, who missed his call

A sight that’s blurry, a mental fog
Near sighted vision, can’t see the stars
Spiritual Kingdom greatly prepared
Where is the road, to lead me there

Is there a thought, I can create
A mental ship, to navigate
Is there a compass that I once knew
That I once measured, all latitudes

I can’t remember, I can’t recall
Did I forget, we all once crawled
What is the message to life itself?
To build internal, spiritual wealth

When will we see, what is above
The true experience, eternal love
So what’s the beauty that lives inside
I walked the distance with friends beside

Your Management Style

NOTE:  I originally wrote this post for my management consulting business, but it is just as valid for those people hoping to become a Worshipful Master of a Lodge.  I hope you enjoy it.

I know a young man who was recently promoted to the position of “Project Manager.” This was his first management position and he was naturally a little nervous going into it. Knowing I frequently write on the subject, he asked for my advice as to what to expect. I began by saying management is not for everyone as it represents a leadership position where you become responsible for your subordinates. Some thrive in such a capacity, others prefer being led. I had a friend who was a master machinist and happened to be promoted to supervisor where he would be responsible for five people under him. This distressed him greatly as he worried about their performance. So much so, he developed ulcers and became quite ill. He begged his boss to go back to being a machinist, whereby he quickly regained his health.

Just because you’ve been given the title “Manager” doesn’t mean you’ve suddenly been imbued with certain knowledge. You have to work at it. For example, in the Information Technology industry, it is common to see a successful programmer elevated to analyst, then to project manager, then to I.T. manager. Such a person may have been a great programmer, but that is no qualification for becoming a manager. Not surprising, the Peter Principle is applied whereby the person is elevated to a position above his level of competency and the company suffers for it. In most cases, such I.T. managers have a rather narrow perspective as they tend to think less as managers and more as programmers.

Whenever thrust into the position, a person must develop his/her own unique style of management. Quite often we will try to emulate others we respect, we may also read books and attend seminars to learn management techniques, and solicit advice from our confidants. However, we must realize what works for one person may not for another, and because of this, we have to tailor our strengths and weaknesses to the situation at hand. We will inevitably experiment with different suggestions until we find a comfortable style of management.

There are ultimately three variables dictating our style of management:

1. Our assigned duties and responsibilities which defines the scope of our management authority, and as such, our mission as manager.
2. Available resources, both human and machine. The skills and proficiencies of our workers and equipment will play a significant role in the timely completion of work products. For humans we consider experience, performance, and skill set, which includes interpersonal relations (defining our socialization skills). For equipment, we primarily consider its limitations. As my old football coach was fond of saying, “A team is as strong as its weakest player.” If we have weak workers, we will need to improve their skills. If we have limited technology, we may need to consider upgrades. Of course, this depends on the availability of another type of resource, financial.
3. The time allotted to demonstrate you are achieving your goal. For a single project, you will likely need to demonstrate the project is proceeding on time and within budget. For departmental management you will need to demonstrate it is under control and improving productivity. It is very important you understand the timing variable as it will greatly influence your style.

These three variables define the hand we are dealt; how we play the hand is then up to us. Some will become drunk with power and try to micromanage everything under the persona of Attila the Hun. Some will try to make use of carrot-and-stick techniques to encourage workers to perform better, and still others will allow workers to walk all over them.

As for me, I always had a strong sense of organization and communications. Standardized and reusable methodologies for conducting business are invaluable in terms of defining Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How, all of which improves communications and clearly delineates how work products are to be produced. Unlike micromanagement, I prefer managing from the bottom-up, whereby assignments are clearly defined and employees are then empowered to see the task through to completion themselves. Other than this, I monitor the operation and run interference to overcome obstacles and obstructions. In other words, I believe in spending less time supervising, and more time managing.

The point is, this is a style that works for me. It may or may not work for you. As to my young friend becoming a Project Manager, I admonished him that, until such time as he discovers his own style of management, I recommended he remain flexible, to adapt and adjust accordingly, study others (what works and what doesn’t), and learn more than teach. After all, stye comes with experience. As such, I advised him to learn everything he can about his niche of the business, be fair and honest, and lead by example. Never ask someone to do something you are not prepared to do yourself.

We must never forget human behavior rests at the heart of the science of management. It is not about technology, it is not about numbers, it is about people, which is why we call it “man”agement. Perhaps the best way to define it is “Management is getting people to do what you want, when you want to do it.” And it all begins with your style of management.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim’s columns, see:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm

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Copyright © 2011 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Masonry: An Ancient School of Symbolic Instruction

“A beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols.”

The above quote is the description of Masonry that is most often given to the initiate in order to describe the nature of the institution. It is so oft repeated that I suppose many Freemasons don’t give much thought to its meaning. However, when examined closely this description of our order gives us a clear picture of the purpose of our fraternity.

Let us take the first part of the phrase: “A beautiful system of morality.” This is fairly easy to understand. Freemasonry is school of moral instruction. Throughout the three degrees, the initiate is taught numerous lessons on the subject of morality. These degrees discuss many different aspects of that concept including the physical and spiritual components of morality. In many ways, religion serves a similar role in a man’s life. Every religion teaches man to walk upright before God, gives him a sense of good and evil, and encourages him to pursue righteous ventures throughout his life. While Masonry is not a religion, it shares the purpose of moral instruction. However, Masonry’s method of teaching morality is very peculiar in modern times.

A sketch of George Washington's Masonic apron which features some of Masonry's deep symbolism.

At this point, let us shift our focus to the following words: “veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” The word ‘allegory’ is described by the dictionary as being “a symbolical narrative.”

A symbolical narrative is any story crafted in order to portray a deeper meaning. The Masonic symbols in the legend of the Third Degree, Aesop’s Fables, and Jesus’ parables are all examples of allegory. Masonry uses allegorical tales throughout the Symbolic Lodge, York Rite, and Scottish Rite in order to teach its system of morality. In addition to the legends of each degree, a multitude of symbols are used to illustrate and reinforce the concepts of the degrees. This is where Masonry differs from many modern systems of moral instruction. Today, most religions and philosophies convey their moral teachings through a series of long lectures presented either written or orally. They utilize very little symbolism in order to educate their followers. Albert Mackey explains this in The Symbolism of Freemasonry.

“The older the religion, the more symbolism abounds. Modern religions may convey their dogmas in abstract propositions; ancient religions always conveyed them in symbols. Thus there is more symbolism in the Egyptian religion than in the Jewish, more in the Jewish than in the Christian, more in the Christian than in the Mohammedan, and, lastly, more in the Roman than in the Protestant.”

Masonry as an organization may only be a few centuries old, but its philosophical lessons can claim the most ancient of lineages. The moral education found inside the lodge is similar to that taught by any great religion, initiatic order, or school of philosophy. Take a second to think about your personal Masonic journey. Consider the moment when you were brought to light and received your first symbolic instruction. Think about how the solemn and deep language of symbolism enhanced your experience. Now imagine that the same lessons had been explained to you without the use of allegory or illustrated symbols. If you realize that the symbolic instruction provided a greater understanding of those moral precepts, you have discovered the true nature of Freemasonry.

The core of Freemasonry, and its Masonic symbols, is its allegorical and symbolic instruction. Without it, the order would not exist for it would have no purpose. It is Masonry’s language of symbolism that makes it appeal to the candid and industrious inquirer. It is Masonry’s allegorical legends that expose those ancient truths concealed within the fraternity. Symbolic instruction is our language, it is our identity, and it unveils the whole of Freemasonry.

Like what you are reading at the Euphrates? Email me at euphratesblog@gmail.com.

The Path Of Destruction

This year my Grand Lodge will be involved in a major struggle for power at its Grand Session. So once again I am dismayed at the way Freemasonry is headed. What is lacking is a Freemasonry focusing strongly on its message.  The key words here are research, education, instruction, reading, scholarship and discussion. Oh we have some of that but very little.  You can find a Research Lodge here and there and maybe an esoteric society if you look hard. But the majority of the Craft is doing something else other than learning about the organization to which they belong.

In the absence of scholarship and study what do Freemasons do? Released from the duty of learning and applying a philosophy, a way of life, they take up their time in vying for office, honors and titles. Years are spent in politicking, networking and implementing the pet projects of those ahead of them, so that they can climb the ladder to the next level. But the next level is not attained by any increase in one’s knowledge or understanding of the Craft. Consequently much of Freemasonry is governed by leaders who couldn’t pass a simple test about their fraternity.

But that is not how it is supposed to be. Freemasonry derives much of its thought from the Ancient Mysteries. In fact some Masonic scholars contend that there has been from long before Christ a certain body of knowledge that builds a better understanding of life that has been passed down from generation to generation through various and sundry organizations. Most of the Ancient Mysteries ran “Mystery Schools.”  And the focus of their efforts was directed towards learning and study. Pythagoras is a good example of one who taught a philosophy, a way of life, in the true Gnostic tradition, that is a body of knowledge that the masses were not privy to. Leaders were those, then, that had attained a certain level of scholastic achievement. The goal was to progress to a higher soul level – from knowledge to wisdom to soul development.

The modern day Masonic strategy to grow the Craft, is to turn Freemasonry into a charity, and in many cases a slave to Institutionalized charity. When not jockeying for position, Masons are consuming enormous time and effort in what they characterize as the betterment of humankind, but only if it offers some payback in return.  The idea here is to gain notoriety and publicity through work in the community and also to prove that critics, who say that Freemasonry is some secret society only concerned with itself not giving a dam about society, are wrong. But when it becomes a way to buy and bribe friends, impress and convince the uninitiated that we really are a good organization to join, the morality becomes suspect.

The sad part of all this is that it doesn’t work. You don’t get a large number of candidates from marketing Freemasonry. The real way to grow Freemasonry is through its message. If Freemasons would regard themselves primarily as a philosophy and a tool for personal development instead of a charity and a tool for personal prestige then it would be successful in attracting new members. It never ceases to amaze me that Masons think they can sell Masonry by turning themselves into slaves for all those in need.  What does that do for an individual looking into the Craft?  The strength of Freemasonry is its ability to inspire and motivate members and to give them an understanding of how to live a rewarding and satisfying life that will leave a memorable legacy behind. This is something that Freemasonry can do for them rather than offering them, a life of service to others. All of this is found in the philosophy and teachings of this wonderful fraternity.  But in order to sell that and teach that, passing it on to others, one has to study and understand what Freemasonry is all about and what it has to offer. If we will do that we will draw people like a magnet.

Picture a Christian church that runs a food pantry, mans a soup kitchen and does all sorts of community work (charity) and offers a weekly worship service (ritual-degrees) but never talks about or studies the Gospel, the good news, or mentions Jesus Christ – no Bible study, no Sunday school, no discussion groups. That’s where Freemasonry is at today. 

The result of this path of destruction is constant power plays and Masonic purges. The Frank Haas, Derek Gordon, Mike McCabe stories are just the tip of the iceberg. All across this nation Freemasons are being expelled and the charter of Lodges pulled in record numbers because those involved are perceived as some sort of political threat to those in power. What has been created in the United States, are 51 fiefdoms, 51 monopolies, accountable to no one else who have all agreed to support each other no matter what the other has done, no matter how heinous the crime. And all 51 have a pact that if you are thrown out of one Grand Lodge you are thrown out of them all. There is no place for the unjustly treated to go. What you have is a system that is incapable of rendering justice, one of the Four Cardinal Virtues. If you lead a reform movement in your Grand Lodge you will be expelled. If you publish a paper where you express disagreement with your Grand Master’s policies you will be expelled. One Grand Lodge will even go so far as to prohibit its members from Masonically conversing via E-Mail. Another will not admit you if you work in the liquor business, another if you are missing an arm or a leg. And we haven’t even touched the race issue.

The mess is that we have too many versions of Freemasonry floating around and too many Grand Lodges violating their member’s rights as guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States. What is Freemasonry?  Well it depends on what state you are in. You can own a McDonald’s franchise but you can’t change the product. But American Freemasonry can.  The result of this mess is that there are no standards to be kept. Freemasonry is whatever any of the 51 Grand Lodges says it is. Imagine driving your car in your state and then hitting the state line where the next state required you to drive on the opposite side of the road. There is no need for such deliberate confusion. Nor are such radical differences in Freemasonry from one state to another so as to make them like night and day a great way to operate Freemasonry in the 21^st century. We are not a land of 51 countries. And today’s Mason is so much more mobile than his 18^th and 19^th century ancestors.

To cement their authority and ensure that they have a free hand in all that they do, American Masonry invented the Rite of Exclusive Territorial Jurisdiction.  As a friend and Brother from South Carolina told me, anything that is not part of the Mainstream Grand Lodge of South Carolina is clandestine Masonry even if it has a recognizable charter and even if it also practices regular Freemasonry. That takes care of any competition that might be an outlet to overbearing tyranny. Monopolies everywhere, however, are known as abusers of power. There are many clandestine Grand Lodges that do a better job of Masonry than the monopolies of Mainstream Freemasonry. Most, however, would not exist if abuses were not allowed.

I firmly believe that returning Freemasonry to a philosophy embracing scholarship and study and to a charitable organization rather than a charity will solve many of these problems. But the Conference of Grand Masters is still going to have to come up with a way to discipline the Craft. 

I wonder what the world would look like today if in 1940 we had told the Japanese that we would not interfere in their conquest of all of Asia and if we had just ignored Hitler and let him do whatever he wanted. The United States has no designs of conquest in the world. Still it finds it necessary to interfere in another country’s business when to do otherwise would be to allow horrific injustice and depravity to prevail.

We all say we want the civil courts to stay out of Freemasonry.  But when all else fails, when that is all that is left available, when the Conference of Grand Masters refuses to act, then to right wrongs the path chosen will be the one(s) that has not been closed. If Freemasonry refuses to police itself, then civil government will do it for them.

In the end it is possible to move from the path of destruction to the path of instruction and with the right Masonic leadership policing the Craft, to enter a new Golden Age of Freemasonry.

Lindasy Lohans blood cult freemason stalker

Lindsay Lohan and the Freemason post on Twitter is old news now, and even older as the barely coherent tweet was removed shortly after it was posted.  If you missed the bit of excitement, give the breaking old news from TMZ.

For those who might of missed it, the post went like this:

“This is the freemason stalker that has been threatening to kill me- while he is TRESPASSING!”…“im actually scared now- the blood in the ‘cults’ book was too much.”

Included with it was a photo of the person (which you can see here) she alleged was the Masonic trespasser, beard, shades, work shirt, and all. As you can see in the photo, as posted to the CBS Los Angeles story Lohan: ‘Freemason Stalker’ Trying To Kill Me, there is little that overtly identifies the individual as a Freemason.

So, maybe it was in the book’s that he left at her Venice, Ca, home that bothered her so much, but more on that in a minute.

What I found most interesting was the way that the tabloid news reports on the matter, specifically in how they describe the 300 year old fraternity.  Variably the Ancient Order is is mentioned thusly:

“…a mysterious – and apparently powerful – secret society…” – CBS Los Angeles

“…your grandpa’s favorite social club” – The Vancouver Sun

“…thinks he’s a Freemason because he’s a porker” - Holy Moly

“What the hell is a Freemason?” - L.A. Weekly

It didn’t help much for the story that the very next day Lohan was back at it getting into fights at a night club, It buried the disappearing Freemason tweet into Twitter obscurity.

But like all armchair quarterbacks, I was left to wonder what might the blood in the cults book be? I’ve had a few tongue in cheek quips sent to me on twitter, Green Eggs and Ham being one of them. I searched a bit to see if I could come up with anything interesting through Google.  Not long after I started I found a few references to “blood cult books”, but the most interesting thing I found was from the blogger Qbit.cc who tried his best to expose Lohan as an Illuminati pawn posing with New World Order iconography for here 6126 clothing line. Some of the images of Lohan posing were reminiscent of Baphomet and Gaga-esque as LiLo posed over a Masonic chair (though really she’s on a bureau with a decorative mirror). It’s a stretch, I know, but I’m working with a tweet here.

Maybe the link to the blood cults was Lohan’s dabling with the Kabbalah back in 2006? Any good esotericist knows that there’s a link between Masonry and the Kabbalah, even if just in esoteric or occult circles.  Another blog, cleverly called the Illuminati Scoreboard, linked Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears to a Hollywood cult in 2007.

But alas, the investigation will continue, for both the stalker and his connection to the Freemasons with the same speed that LiLo’s mention spanned the globe. Hopefully the problem, and the reference, will disappear as quick as the original tweet did.

Update, the stalker has been identified as David Cocordan who, it is being reported, has attempted to contact Lohan through more than 100 phone call and text messages to express “delusional thoughts and irrational feelings about his belief that we are in a relationship.” A restraining order was made against him as of Thursday, May 19th.   No mention was made in the order on whether he was, or was not, a freemason.

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