The Communicator March-April 2021

Volume 68 No. 02

March-April 2021

The Irish Connection

- pg 6

Contemplation

Calendar

Get your Shirts

pg 9

pg 13

pg 12

2 Seattle Scottish Rite

Scottish Rite Communicator Valley of Seattle

www.seattle-scottishrite.org

SCOTTISH RITE OFFICERS Ill. James D. Cole, 33° Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. Alvin W. Jorgensen, 33° S:.G:.I:.G:, Orient of Washington Ill. Sat Tashiro, 33° Personal Rep. of S:.G:.I:.G:. pr@seattle-scottishrite.org Daniel Southerland, 32° KCCH General Secretary Communicator Editor secretary@seattle-scottishrite.org Gene Ulrich, 32° KCCH Treasurer Ill. Tom Lamb, 33° Almoner PRESIDING OFFICERS Bob Gunther 32°KCCH Master of Kadosh, Consistory Ian Hyde 32°KCCH Commander, Council of Kadosh Jeff Hardin 32° KCCH Wise Master, Chapter of Rose Croix Kirk Stensvig, 32° Venerable Master, Lodge of Perfection Seattle Scottish Rite Center 1207 N 152nd St. Seattle, WA 98133-6213 206 324-3330 voice 206 324-3332 fax

The Communicator (USPS 485-660) is published by the Valley of Seattle, A&A Scottish Rite, 1207 N 152nd St., Seattle, WA 98133-6213, for the benefit of its members, bimonthly and is mailed as a non-profit publication to all members of the Valley of Seattle and to specified other interested parties. $2.00 per member is assessed for the publication of The Communicator. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington and at additional mailing offices.

The material contained within this publication is intended for the education and enjoyment of the members of the Masonic Fraternity and all material published becomes the property of Seattle Valley of Scottish Rite. Postmaster: Send address changes to — The Communicator at 1207 N 152nd St., Seattle, WA 98133-6213.

A History of the Knights of St Andrew This is one explanation of the origin of the Knights of St. Andrew The origins of the Order date back to the period of 1220-1232 A.D., when a Confraternity was established in the City of Acre, of the then Crusader Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (occupying the same territory as the modern state of Israel) to protect pilgrims and merchants.

This Confraternity, consisting of burgesses and knights of largely French heritage, met in the City's Castle - and chose the Holy apostle, St. Andrew, as their Patron. They constituted themselves as a Crusading Order of Knights with the object of resisting tyranny and protecting public safety.

During the turmoil of the Sixth Crusade, these worthies of the Order defended the poor, the sick and the weak from adversaries. In the best tradition of the Military and Religious Orders of the time, they founded their lives on prayer, charity, service and protection.

About this time, procession of Acre was being contested by the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II. Operating from his base in Sicily. Through his marriage to Yolande, daughter of John of Brienne, a leading Crusader, and the Emperor had become embroiled in the affairs of the Crusader States. The Emperor sent a fleet of ships against Acre in 1227, whereupon the Knights and Officers of the Order of St. Andrew of Jerusalem appealed to Pope Gregory IX, who excommunicated the Emperor for this action.

During the subsequent negotiations with the Muslims by the Emperor Frederick, the Knights of St. Andrew remained aloof. Though some progress for the Crusaders appeared at first to have seen made, their adherence to treaty commitments made at that time eventually enabled an army of Turks in pay of the Sultan of Egypt, to crush the remaining Crusader enclaves by about 1244.

It was at about this juncture that the existing historical records of the Knights of St. Andrew were lost. It is speculated that the records may have been transported to Byzantium in hope of safekeeping, only to be lost yet again when the city feel to the Turks in 1453.

Seattle Scottish Rite 3

News from the Personal Representative

The longer daylight hours is a reminder that spring will be here in the coming days. Although we remain under Grand Master restrictions because of the COVID-19 through June 2021, we look forward in the coming months as the impacts of the vaccine soon take hold and we can resume our meetings .

On 13 February, he Seattle Valley held a special virtual meeting on the pipes, songs and readings of poems composed and written by the bard, Robert Burns. There were the usual toasts, virtually given, and a great time was held by all on attendance. The program was organized through the efforts of Illustrious Tom Lamb, 33°, and Bob Guild, KCCH.

At our 16 February virtual meeting we completed the installation of the Chieftain of our Knights of St. Andrews, and two remaining uninstalled elected officers, I. E., Brother Michael Cramer, 2nd Lt. Commander of Kadosh and Brother John Hanneman, KCCH, prelate of the Consistory. The program of the evening consisted of a report on efforts underway to establish a 501(c)3 charity in the Seattle Valley by Brother Robert Gunther, KCCH, and his team. Illustrious Richard Kovak, 33°, lead a discussion on ‘Leadership” which was well received.

We have four brothers who constitute the Class of 2021, and it will a major goal to present to them the terminal degrees as soon as we are given the authorization to proceed by the Grand Master, and the SGIG.

Our goal for 2021 is to increase the participation of our many black hats in the valley. Plans are underway to give them increased roles, give them opportunities to assist in the degrees and bring forth new ideas, ever mindful of their valuable time.

Our virtual stated meeting in 2021 will be 16 March, and will be highlighted by a virtual ‘Remembrance and Renewal’ by the Rose Croix body.

Plans are underway to present, at our April 20 virtual meeting, a DVD on the effect of ‘change’ to our society and culture . The meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

These meetings will have been preceded by our EXCOM meeting on 6 March, where we will continue our effort towards June of this year

You are reminded and encouraged to inform new and/or interested Master Masons into our Scottish Rite, and our valley. Petitions are included in this Communicator

We will continue our efforts to bring meetings of interest to our members in outlying areas through the use of virtual meetings. Our DVD club continues to meet on the last Wednesday of the month and the Eastside Scottish Rite Club (ESRC) continues to focus on discussion of the teachings and meanings of the many degrees of the Scottish Rite. Contact Dean Markley for details at wdeanm@gmail.com.

Fraternally, Sat Tashiro 33° Personal Representative of the S:.G:.I:.G:.

Seattle Scottish Rite 4

Greetings All,

Well the spring will be upon us before we know it and I for one am looking forward to the warmer weather as I am sure most of you are also. With the warmer day coming lets hope this also brings new optimism with the current situations.

Here at Seattle Valley we have been looking at how we can better serve our members and the community around us better. With this in mind we will soon be sending out a survey for our members to take asking several question on what you would like to see or do with your valley and how we can better serve all. We hope you will take the time to respond as we need all you input to make the future look even brighter than the past.

We are in the starting stages of creation a new 501c3 here at Seattle Valley. this will have the sole purpose of helping give more charity to our community and support our own Early Life Speech & Language children. So if you would like to be involved or have ideas please contact me or Bob Gunther here at Seattle Valley and we will make sure you are in on the fun to come.

With all the closures and changes we all have been going through this last year we always know there are pole out there that need help. We need to stay in contact with those that are unable to get out and see if they need anything. Sometimes it just a friendly voice and some one to talk with. Please reach out and check on our friends and brothers. If there is anyone out there that needs anything and you are unsure of who to talk with, give me a call and if I cant help you I will try to find someone who can. Needs vary so lets get you in touch with some one who can make it smoother sailing during these turbulent times.

As always we are looking for new members and know there is some brother that wants further masonic education. Well Scottish Rite is definitely for you so if you are looking to join give me a call and we will see how we can help. Also if you know a brother that is looking then you are the one to bring them into a great new beginning of education. The class of 2021 is already getting new brothers and always has room for more, get those petitions in so we can get them started.

Its that time of the year again when our Scottish Rite Scholarship foundation is taking the annual applications for scholarships. If you know of any one who may qualify make sure you tell them about the opportunities and give them the website so they can get started. they can go to www.srsfwa.org to get all the information they will need.

It looks like we will still be having our meeting virtually for the foreseeable future so please log on and enjoy the fellowship. We are getting brothers on that we have not seen for quite awhile and its so great to catch up with them. I send out the links through email so if you are not getting them please let me know and I will make sure to add you into the mail.

Supreme will be sending out a third dues renewal notice. If you get one and believe you sent yours in already, just contact me and I will verify it for you. We do get the “crossed in the mail” problem every once in awhile.

Fraternally, Daniel J. Southerland, 32° KCCH General Secretary

5 Seattle Scottish Rite

6 Seattle Scottish Rite

The Irish Connection

By R.W. Bro. Michae! W. Walker Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Ireland

The Grand Lodge of Ireland was five years old, at least, when the first record exists of a Time Immemorial Lodge—St. John’s Lodge-in Philadelphia. This was, of course, followed by the first Regular Warranted Lodge in America, three years later, in Boston. I say the Grand Lodge of Ireland was at least five years old in 1730, because we date our Constitution from the first record, in 1725, of a Grand Lodge Meeting “June 26th, St. John,s Day: More than ‘100 gentlemen ‘ met in the ‘Yellow Lion in Warbrough Street’ and later went to King’s Arms. The procession included ‘the Masters and Wardens of the Six Lodges of Centlemen Freemasons, who are under the jurisdiction of the Crand Master, and the Private Brothers, all in coaches’ (it being a very rainy day). A new Crand Master, Rt. Hon. the Earl of Ross was elected. After a meal they went to a play. “ Clearly, therefore, Grand Lodge was in earlier existence though we cannot say exactly when, or challenge the claim of our much larger Sister Grand Lodge that she is the Mother Grand Lodge. There are, of course, records of Time Immemorial Lodges going back much earlier in Ireland. The first definite clue we have is that when Ball’s Bridge was being rebuilt in Limerick in 1830, a brass square was recovered from the foundations on which is engraved “I will strive to live with Love and Care, Upon Ye Level By Ye Square, 1507”. We are, therefore, within sight of a 500th Anniversary of Speculative Masonry .

In Ireland we have evidence of skilled Operative Masons very far back in time. We can state with pride that Irish Freemasons were involved before “Warranted Masonry”, and subsequently, in promoting and developing the Craft in, what were then styled, “The Colonies”. Irish Lodges were warranted in many “British” Regiments, though often mainly manned by Irishmen. The Ist Irish or Blue Horse, later the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards had its Warrant issued by Grand Lodge on 24th June, 1758. This Warrant is still held in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the Lodge is working in West Germany, where the Regiment is stationed as part of the NATO Defence Forces. This is our last truly Travelling Warrant which remains of 185 Warrants issued in Artillery, Cavalry and Foot Regiments of the Line, as well as 43 Warrants in Irish Militia and Fencible Regiments. Our only other survivor, Glittering Star Lodge No. 322 originally warranted in the 29th Foot in the following year, 1759, was working in Boston in 1765 where on St. John’s Day, December 27th, 1769, it helped form the “Ancient” Grand Lodge of that State, and some years later it was in Quebec. These contacts, no doubt later on when the Regiments moved away, led to applications for Regular Warrants from the local Freemasons, made in those Lodges, who were left behind; and so the Craft spread.

In the years between the early 1730’s and the eventual, and inevitable, War of Independence, many of the leading and influential Colonists became Members of the Order so that the history of the gaining of Independence and the Craft is inextricably entwined. We must not, however, fall into the trap of imputing a revolutionary or political aspect to Freemasonry because of this. So many of our detractors make the basic and elementary mistake of correlating a man’s, or a group’s, actions to membership of the Order, when that is coincidental and the same things would have been done or said in, or out of, the Order.

A focal point of the early part of that period must be the granting by Henry Price, in Boston, of the Deputation or Charter applied for on November 28th, 1734, by Benjamin Franklin, when he was appointed Provincial Grand Master for Pennsylvania on February 24th, 1735, barely three months later. So many great names are remembered by us from that period, to which distance lends enchantment: Henry Price; George Washington— elected Master in 1788, if my information is correct, in a Lodge at Alexandria in Virginia, though still under a warrant from Pennsylvania;

Seattle Scottish Rite 7

Benjamin Franklin, who probably did more than any other to establish Freemasonry in America and whose reprint of Anderson’s Constitutions was the first, and is the rarest, Masonic book in America; Paul Revere, the silversmith, whose romantic ride from Boston to Lexington warned of the approach of Crown Forces—this has been immortalized by Longfellow; and the gallant and romantic action of Major General Joseph Warren of the Colonial Forces, and Grand Master of Massachusetts, who, having declined to assume command, picked up a musket and tragically fell at Bunker Hill;

John Paul Jones, father of Continental Navy; the Marquis de Lafayette; not to mention the Brethren who signed the Declaration of Independence, and many more.

A famous Brother and Commander in Chief, George Washington, was initiated in Fredericksburg on November 4th, 1752. Another famous Brother and Soldier, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington was initiated 38 years later in our Lodge No. 494 at Trim, in the Royal County of Meath. Some 25 years later, at Waterloo, he finally routed his old enemy Napoleon, himself not a Freemason, to the best of our knowledge, though a promoter of the Craft and whose brothers and most of his Marshals were. Wellington’s elder Brother, Richard, 2nd Earl of Mornington, later Marquess of Wellesley, was our Grand Master in 1782 as his father Garrett, the Ist Earl of Mornington, had been in 1776.

We Freemasons of the Old World were with you in those days to help kindle a flame which has spread throughout America in the intervening years to become the great institution it is to-day. I know that many Grand Lodges are suffering a reduction in numbers, but we must never be seduced into an acceptance of the attitude “never mind the quality, feel the width!” In the first half of this century there were few competitors for the membership of those whose minds and spirits felt the need for some philosophical inspiration—now they are legion.

We have come back now after the seed, which we may have helped to plant some 250 years ago, germinated, grew, became mature and branched out on its own 200 years ago like all sons and daughters to take control of their own destiny.

We had our links with you then—the First Volume of the History of Grand Lodge of Ireland says, in the section on Irish Masons Abroad, “Fortunately we have learnt from many other sources, that the issue of Warrants was the very least of the services rendered by Irish Masons in spreading the Craft in the New World, and, we can claim with justice, that these Brethren bore a considerable share in founding some of the greatest and most highly reputed Grand Lodges in the United States.

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania we may almost claim as a child. Leaving aside the obscure early Masonic History of this State, when it would appear that English and Irish Masons held meetings by Time Immemorial right, the foundation, in 1759, of the Provincial Grand Lodge after the Antient forms, which subsequently budded into the Independent Grand Lodge, “was primarily due to an Irish Mason who had been made in a Belfas~ Lodge. “ I regret the author does not elucidate further and I am not sure to whom he refers, or the Lodge in question, but I bow to his erudition. You may or may not agree according to your point of view, but ties there certainly were. Springett Penn, great grandson of Admiral Penn, and grandson of the Founder of your State, apart from owning an extensive property in Penn-sylvania also had an estate at Shanagarry in County Cork; his father, grandfather and great grandfather having been landlords before him. He was an ardent Freemason and was Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Munster in 1726/27 before its amalgamation with the Grand Lodge of Ireland in 1731. It is not improbable that he encouraged Brethren from Cork to colonize on his Pennsylvania estates. For instance, in 1734, in Benjamin Franklin’s Account Book which he began on July 4th, 1730, appears an entry “Mr. Newinham Dr. for Bindg. of a Mason Book gilt 4/= “. The old and distinguished Newenham family still thrives a bare 10 miles from Shanagarry as the crow flies, and several of whose members are Brethren of our Lodge No. 1, the “First Lodge of Ireland”, which had been a Time Immemorial Lodge before Grand Lodge was constituted. I wonder is there a link there? It does seem likely.

Incidentally, on October 9th, 1735, the Pennsylvania Gazette had a notice of a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and previously on May 13th, 1731, referred to a Masonic meeting in Dublin; and similarly again on May I Ith, 1732, a year later.

Freemasonry has waxed and waned, been popular and unpopular, been promoted and persecuted, but it has survived. Freemasonry made errors such as the political intrigues and anti-clerical activities of some European Grand Lodges in the 18th and 19th centuries, but today I believe that Regular Freemasonry is back on its correct course worldwide, endeavoring to create in Anderson’s words “a bond of union amongst those who would otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance”—a brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God.

I leave you with a few words of Irish: “Co m’beannaigh Dhia dibh, go n’eiri an t-adh is an bothar libh, agus go m’beirimidh beo ar an am seo aris”—which translates as “God bless you, may your good fortune increase and your way be made easy, and may we all be alive this time next year”.

8 Seattle Scottish Rite

Great New Things are Coming

Greetings Brothers.

A few months ago, I had a very productive telephone meeting with our valley’s Personal Representative, Ill. Sir Sat Tashrio. We talk about how to better support our valley’s Early Life Speech & Language Clinic. During our discussion Sat expressed support but asked me to consider developing a new overall charity that would include many other worthy causes as well as our speech clinic. In the next couple of months, The Seattle Valley of Scottish Rite will be creating our own Charity, a 501c3.

The charities to be included would emphasize help for children. The new charities would include non-masonic and masonic related worthy causes. A few of the suggested charities include Scottish Rite scholarships, local food banks, women’s shelters, needy families as well as our childhood speech clinic.

These worthy causes are just some of the groups we are considering. If you have an interest in another local charity, please contact me via email at Bgunthers27@gmail or by telephone at 206-782-8081. We want to know what charities you feel we should also include. The needs for charity are great. Our opportunities for supporting community-based charities are many.

The new 501-3c is being created by: Jack Stewart, Legal Advisor; Bob Guild, Financial Comptroller; Gerry O‘Brien, Recorder; Dean Markley, Public Relations; and our General Secretary, Dan Southerland. Jack filing the necessary documents with the Washington State Secretary of State and the United Sates IRS. Jack hopes to have all this completed before our May - June Communicator is published. Bob Guild is currently working on our mission statement and bylaws. Gerry O‘Brien will be writing our committee’s minutes and keeping our records. Dean Markley will be working on communications with our valley’s members and other non-Scottish Rite masons. Last but not lease, our General Secretary, Dan Southerland will be the registered agent with the State of Washington and the U.S. IRS. Look for more information in the coming months. The above charity committee members are all volunteers but are working diligently on the development of your new charity.

Stay Healthy and Safe, Bob Gunther, 32°KCCH Charity Committee Chairman

A Message from our Almoner

The low activity of the Almoner matches the lack in other areas due to the pandemic. In such a situation it is easy to forget the Almoner’s Fund and its purpose. It is also surprising that we have not had an increase in support requests even though the need must be there.

There are two messages I have for all members of Seattle Scottish Rite.

1. If you know of anyone in need of financial assistance, please let the General Secretary or I know about it 2. As we are not meeting in person there are no regular monthly donations to the fund.

We did receive a generous donation from the Seattle Scottish Rite, but this does not eliminate the need for regular donations from members. We also received significant donations from members last year after a request for donations. It is time to request donations again. Please give what you can. Send checks to the General Secretary identified for Almoner’s Fund. You can also donate through the link on our website www.seattle-scottishrite.org Thank you

Thomas Lamb 33 Almoner

Seattle Scottish Rite 9

Seattle Valley Clubs Whats happening around the sound DVD Club – 24 Feb 2021 – A Review of “Inside the Freemasons” – From sky1, A 5 Part series, part 2

Over the past two years, Brothers at the Seattle Valley began getting together for some fellowship and to review various subjects on DVDs. Mostly masonic in nature, these have included such topics as Early Masonic History, Early American Masons, Secrets of the Craft, and Knights Templar to name a few.

With the Pandemic last year, we adjusted as many other Masonic groups have – we went to Zoom.

In January and February of this year, several Brothers of the Seattle Valley watched a program about the United Grand Lodge of England’s Freemasons – stories of individuals, of Lodges and personal priorities. So taken by the stories being told, one of our group said, ‘I forgot I was on a Zoom meeting, and I’ve been on a lot’.

What we saw in the hour’s program was a variety of Freemasons. Across various ages, in all personalities. Some were there to perfect their ritual. Others were there to simply watch the ritual. Some had been Masons for forty years. Others were candidates wondering, ‘what’s this all about?’ About the Ritual, a self-admitted ritual perfectionist said, ‘it is not for me to judge another Brother in the perfection of their ritual, but to encourage them to do their best’. Some Brothers put in the work – others are simply happy to be able to make it to Lodge.

In fact, the ‘perfectionist’ said that working with Brothers who ‘don’t put in the work is just part of my Masonic Education’. Everyone benefits. Sound familiar?

We saw average working guys – guys involved in Freemasonry, but most have other interests, too. Down to earth – some ‘perfect’, others ‘relaxed’. And ‘relaxed’ was the more often recommended style by the majority of those in front of the cameras. One Brother, an amateur boxer, even staged a twelve-week training program/ fund raising Boxing Match that raised over $8,000 British Pounds for the charities supported by his Lodge.

Something for everyone.

One observation during the viewing was that the candidates were in their street clothes or suits – not in the pajamas and slippers we are accustomed to here in the States. Other observations were:

1.There is a formal Procession of Officers into the Lodge –with the Immediate Past Master opening the Lodge.

2.Festive Boards are a big part of Lodges in the UK – a meal and drinks after the meeting - including a Speech from the Visitor, followed by song. Smiles all around. On a personal note, I know my Lodge Brothers are thankful I don’t sing after Lodge.

3.Many Brothers said they were there working to build their own character – and some, to build a better, greater community.

4.And Charity was the one common denominator among all Brothers in the program. As an example, the Masonic Charitable Foundation of UGLE in 2015 gifted $20Million (British Pounds) to Charity, including $5M to non-masonic charities. Some went to support Masonic families; some went to causes.

We were also reminded that life often gives you challenges – and that some of those challenges are such that they either break you or make you better. As an example, one Brother and his wife had an incredible choice to make when their newborn son went twenty minutes without oxygen. While the doctors suggested to ‘unplug’ their son, and after an excruciating discussion of what to do in a short period of time, they decided NOT to unplug their son. Through tears, the Brother told us he even considered throwing himself out the fourth-floor window, that the decision was too great. Upon making the decision to NOT unplug, they were approached by a Masonic Research Hospital Foundation – and, after seven years, their son is a normal young boy, not the disabled son they thought they were to taking home. Heartwarming. Lifechanging. It was his Masonic foundation that helped him to get through this difficult situation.

Family, Work, Freemasonry. In that order importance…universal for all of Masonry. And as mentioned above the one common denominator for all Brothers and Lodges featured, was how important Charity is to all.

Maybe not at first to a new Candidate, but soon not long after he first steps off with his left foot.

Masonry may be different in some respects around the world, from country to country. This we can agree: there’s something for everyone.

See you at the next DVD Club on March 24th when we review Part 3 of “Inside the Freemasons” at 7pm.

Look for the Zoom invite one week prior to the event.

Bob Guild 32° KCCH

10 S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e

More Club News Brothers,

The Eastside Scottish Rite Club has been doing the Master Craftsman on a monthly basis on Zoom on the last Tuesday of the month. We have been doing one degree each month. We use a combination of reading from the 3rd edition of the “Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide”, the “A Bridge to Light” and “Morals & Dogma.” Then at the zoom meeting, we have a discussion of our insights into the degree of what we learned, or how it applies to your life.

The way the meeting is formatted and the nature of each degree, join us any degree. Having missed past degrees will not impact your insight to the degree being discussed. Each degree has its own insights and learning. Please join us anytime.

The Eastside Scottish Rite Club meets on the last Tuesday of the month on Zoom at 7:00 PM. However, for the month of March, we will be meeting on the 4th Tuesday (March 23rd) as there is a conflict with our JGW hosting an open forum on March 30. In April, we meet on the last Tuesday, which is April 27.

For March 23, we are scheduled to discuss the 14th degree (“Perfect Elu”). There is a lot of reading in this degree. In “Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor & Guide”, read the Addendum pages 347-358. If you would like greater insight and learning, there is optional reading from “A Bridge to Light” pages 92-98, and / or from “Morals & Dogma pages” 218-236.

If you would like the zoom link either contact Dean Markley wdeanm@gmail.com or Seattle Valley Scottish Rite.

Dean Markley, 32°

S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 11

Engaging the Risks of Contemplative Practice BRO. CHUCK DUNNING

Across all great spiritual traditions, there are warnings about risks

in contemplative practices. This article explores some of those risks

and associated problems, all of which I have personally experienced to some extent.

The Problem of Results

I’ll begin approaching this issue from the observation that each of us has a tendency to judge some particular kind of experience as especially meaningful or rewarding, and so we can naturally focus our efforts on contemplative practices that we believe improve our chances of having such experiences, our metaphorical wages. However, because very few practices have a 100% return of the desired results, the effect of partial reinforcement can push us toward a kind of addiction in which we feel compelled to try harder and harder to get the high, no matter what the cost. In effect, we run the risk of our practice becoming a drug that we use to attain our particular favorite high. Casinos profit obscenely from this phenomenon, and so do some people in the spirituality/religion business, but I digress.

From this point, let’s consider different categories for experiences and practices people commonly consider meaningful or rewarding in their spiritual lives. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good starting place and you are encouraged to add some ideas of your own. It will probably be fairly easy for you to look at the list and pick out a few things at each end of your own like/dislike scale.

Intellectual – These experiences are about the discovery, acquisition, processing and communication of information, ideas, and insight. Along with such effects through the usual academic pursuits, this category would include those from all forms of analytical, theoretical, and speculative thinking, as well as from visions and related psychic experiences.

Social – These experiences are dependent upon relationship with other human beings, and involve themes of acceptance, belonging, support, roles and responsibilities, status, esteem and power.

Physical – This category involves increased or decreased sensory stimulation. Nature, art, ritual, ceremony, service to others, dietary observances, exercise, sex, austerities, and the bodily aspects of meditation and prayer all have relevance.

Emotional – Here we are speaking of heightened or lessened feelings, such as pleasure, pain, comfort, discomfort, satisfaction, frustration, excitement, sadness, happiness, anger, peace, confidence, anxiety, fear, release of tension, relief from boredom, and so on.

It’s apparent that these categories aren’t completely discrete from each other; they are interconnected. In considering that interconnectedness, you might have already noticed how often the emotional category serves as the final arbiter of our choices. We can contrive lots of rationalizations and justifications for pursuing one thing more than another, but the deeper we look the clearer we see that we’re more likely to follow through with something if we believe it promises some sort of emotional satisfaction for ourselves, whether it is comfort in having done the “right” thing or even a kind of masochistic satisfaction. Even the continuation or cessation of our own physical lives is subject to this dynamic.

It’s not my intention to encourage self-flagellation about our very deep and powerful tendencies to serve ourselves. I am convinced that emotional self-interest is an inextricable part of human nature, and any attempt to pretend otherwise only leads deeper into a life of unhealthy illusion. These observations are instead made primarily to point out some of the most crucial dynamics leading to imbalance, disharmony, and fragmentation in our souls. Likewise, they suggest that our choices about contemplative practice can actually contribute more to psychospiritual dysfunction than to wellbeing, even when they feel very good.

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The Problem of Discipline

With regard to discipline, in observing my own practice and the practice of others, it’s obvious that consistency and persistence can be huge challenges. Quite frankly, I believe a large part of this problem is our wanting easy, low-cost, instant gratification. It might be a little reductionist, but it sometimes seems to me that we regard contemplative practice more like a form of entertainment than a way to greater awareness, wholeness, integration, and depth of being in ourselves, in relationship with God, and in our presence in this world. Many of us also want our experiences to be intellectually or emotionally profound, and perhaps even socially or materially tangible. Any practice that doesn’t seem to quickly produce such fruit can quickly be judged as unproductive and worthless, and then we flit off to something different; we can also imagine ourselves as having already “advanced” beyond the need for that practice. It’s so easy to ignore how often the great saints and sages have asserted the value of enduring commitment to the most basic practices. My personal observation is that it’s often in persisting through boredom with a contemplative practice that we begin to gain the most significant benefits, subtle though they may be.

The Problem of Discernment

Here we are beginning to consider how confusion about the value of experiences can impair discernment about the value of a practice. A major element of such confusion is assuming that the value of an experience, and therefore the practice that facilitated it, is measured by the magnitude of its immediate impression upon our conscious minds. Another aspect of this confusion is in taking an extraordinary experience too literally; there are countless stories of visionaries who have brought horrible suffering to themselves and others because of knee-jerk reactions to their own inner experiences. For example, strong desires can lead to mistaking an experience as a direct contact with something that the experience actually only represents. More specifically, a flash of light experienced in the depths of meditation may reveal something to us about the presence and action of Spirit, but it does not necessarily mean that the light was the appearance of a particular spiritual being. Similarly, just as the on-screen image of a movie actor is not the actual character portrayed, or even the actual actor, so too can dreams and visions about other beings be far removed from actual contact with them.

Even the images of these words are not the actual forms on the screen, let alone the actual thoughts in my mind, but are your mind’s perception of the words and the thoughts behind them. Another potential confusion is taking the magnitude, frequency or total number of one’s experiences as an unquestionable sign of spiritual “progress.” Such an attitude is dangerously self-aggrandizing and a highly volatile fuel for wish-fulfilling delusions.

S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 13

Mediating the Risk-Benefit Problems

So, is there some way to minimize these risks without turning contemplative practice into nothing but a heartless drudgery or abandoning it all together?

One generally useful guideline found is to carefully attend to the overall integration and harmony of the psyche’s different aspects and functions. Of course, this guideline is itself based upon a very deep, broad and persistent practice of honest self-awareness and caring self-acceptance. Said another way, it is the practice of being lovingly present with oneself, and thus becoming increasingly aware of the very fluid interconnectedness of everything within us – head, heart, and gut.

Along with this practice of presence, all the great spiritual traditions recommend the mindfulness and application of certain virtues. In Masonry we traditionally rely on the Four Cardinal Virtues – Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice – and the Three Theological Virtues – Faith, Hope, and Charity (from caritas, spiritual love). But it’s very important to understand that the practice of the virtues is not about forcing one’s external behaviors to conform to some predetermined model of perfection. The object here is not to build up some new external facade of perfection in the place of being more consciously whole; in fact, when rightly understood, the virtues are first and foremost internal processes. When incorporated with the practice of loving self-presence, they shed significant light on the ways one is at odds with oneself, suffering from psychic fragmentation and compartmentalization, while also pointing out paths toward greater integration and harmony.

A third recommendation is to seek companionship and mentoring from others engaged in contemplative practice. While it is often advisable to avoid making one’s contemplative practices a topic of ordinary conversation, there are significant benefits in comparing notes with others seriously engaged in work similar to ours. This is especially true with people who not only have more experience with the work, but also impress us as having grown wiser and more loving in the process.

Being more fully present with ourselves, the checks and balances of the virtues, and the company of fellow practitioners don’t provide a foolproof guarantee that we won’t make mistakes, yet they can reduce the risks in making them. When we do make mistakes, these guidelines can help us lovingly embrace them as learning opportunities and thus become even more meaningful experiences in our spiritual lives. Beyond these very significant benefits, they may also facilitate a deepening awareness of something in ourselves and our relationships other than thinking, feeling, sensing, and doing – something quiet and still, and at first seemingly tiny and insignificant, yet more vast and powerful than we can comprehend, let alone control. Awareness of this perplexing presence can be fascinating and frightening – fascinating in its penetration into a very deep mystery of our being, and frightening in our awareness of the comparative smallness and powerlessness of that part of us we most often identify as “me.”

Conclusion With contemplative practice, like the rest of life, let’s acknowledge that there is no way to totally eliminate risk; even in retreating to avoid some risks we fate ourselves to take others.

So the question I’ll leave you with is this: What risks do Faith, Hope and Love call upon you to take?

14 S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e

Messages Happy Birthday!

Congratulations from all your Scottish Rite Brethren To our members over 90 who have reached a very important birthday!

March James Stephens 03/25/1921 George Artim 03/13/1923 Elroy Conant 03/07/1925 James Toner 03/21/1925 Eugene Adamson 03/05/1926 Richard Upchurch 03/08/1926 Lee Cox 03/24/1926 Myron Maxwell 03/12/1927 William Page 03/13/1928 Dean Borchert 03/01/1929 Harold Rice 03/21/1929

April Edgar King 04/08/1922 Hardy Day 04/27/1923 Richard Buckland 04/20/1924 John Dalton 04/21/1925 Howard Bothell 04/13/1927 Raymond Lundy 04/28/1927 Cameron Stewart 04/07/1931 Morris Capeluto 04/11/1931 Peter Damm 04/21/1931 Lee Vincent 04/25/1931

Clyde Cherberg 03/01/1930 Gus Cooper 03/14/1930 Devere Simmons 03/03/1931

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S e a t t l e S c o t t i s h R i t e 15

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